Fired Up - Ready To Go

This country is in the throes of "Paris Hilton" syndrome. This ailment manifests itself with an overwhelming desire to support and patronize a "female"  not for her accomplishments, but primarily for the company she  keeps.

Anyone reading this would be hard pressed to explain exactly what it is that Paris Hilton "does" that merits her notoriety. Aside from being blonde and female - wait and a Hilton there's not a lot of substance to reccomend her and yet she is considered an "a-list" personality.

Flash forward to today, where we have a "female" who is a potential candidate for the presidency of the United States. She consistently speaks of over 35 years of experience in government and politics. Trouble is she has only been a US Senator for 2 terms. She is however the Wife of a former president of the United States, and was the wife of a Governor of Arkansas. Experience by osmosis is a novel idea to say the least.

I wonder how well that would play say at a job interview - say you can claim your boyfriend's experience or your husbands experience in  a particular field as your own. Now that might set the Job market on it's ear. Imagine going to a doctor and finding out that their experience primarily consists of being married TO an actual doctor.

This truly makes one wonder about the motivations of some of the larger women's groups like NOW for example who have rather boisterously voiced support for HRC. Oddly, memories are short or denial is stronger, not sure which. This is the same woman who was publicly humiliated by her husbands adulterous affair with one of his staff(interns) and was subject to public humiliation as he tried to lie his way out of the situation and was actually impeached for it. So by upholding her tacit, if not unspoken approval seems given for women to be in that situation and stay. I just marvel at the genius minds who figure these things out.

As a woman (the reference to HRC being female was intentional) I am incapable of supporting a woman, no any candidate for president that would show such poor judgement in her own personal life. There was no need for her to stay in a relationship with a man who obviously had no respect for her or their marriage. There were no small children and she was ostensibly, quite capable of taking care of herself. Evidently not  - and there is not that much love in the world. For one you have to love yourself enough not to tolerate that behaviour. I don't see that.

What I do see, is a woman who had designs on the white house probably as she was leaving it. Her decision to come to NY of all states and run for US senator seems today, looking back entirely too calculated. Isn't that in fact the kind of politial manuvering that got us two terms of  GWB? Can we as a nation afford to do this yet again and have the Clinton's back in the White House ?

I don't believe so and lest one forget there is another party out there - the Republics would absolutely LOVE to see HRC run as the democratic nominee. To say they would exhaust themselves tearing her to shreds is an understatement. Talk has been about the combative nature of the primary race and negative comments between Obama and HRC  and I wonder what happens when the Repubs get a whack at her. They CLEARLY will not be polite and will pull no punches. Whitewater, Genifer Flowers, Monica etc....will be the least of things that they will throw at her and what will she do in response cry?

To the editors of the New York Times, the quality of leadership seems not to be an "issue." The ability to unite the country is not an "issue." What Obama calls the empathy deficit -- attunement to the experience and needs of real people -- is not an "issue." Honesty is not an "issue." Trust is not an "issue." Moral judgment ...

This is a Great article on the differences between the two candidates it uses for comparision the endorsement by the NY Times of HRC and the endorsement by Caroline Kennedy-Schlossberg of Senator Obama.

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To the editors of the New York Times, the quality of leadership seems not to be an "issue." The ability to unite the country is not an "issue." What Obama calls the empathy deficit -- attunement to the experience and needs of real people -- is not an "issue." Honesty is not an "issue." Trust is not an "issue." Moral judgment ...

This is a Great article on the differences between the two candidates it uses for comparision the endorsement by the NY Times of HRC and the endorsement by Caroline Kennedy-Schlossberg of Senator Obama.

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Just in case my posts are misinterpreted as unfair bias and my not supporting HRC as without merit I submit the following link:

Clinton Co-Chair - LA Mayor took checks from Rezko

This is the same issue that HRC had the audacity (sorry Barack) to raise in an attempt to disparage Senator Obama and make him look like he was involved in shady dealings.

The truth will always come to light. If the MSM would REALLY do their jobs im so sure there would be a whole lot more of these stories about the Clintons.

The side of her resume that her campaign doesn't share with the public.

Be sure and click the read more link it takes you to an article about Hillary's "over 35 years of experience"  and finally  disseminates fact from fiction. (About time)

Now lets see how long it takes CNN to jump on this story?

In the  words of the song..........

Wake up everybody no more sleeping in bed,
No more backward thinking time for thinking ahead,
The world has changed so very much
From what it used to be
There is so much hatred, War and Poverty

Wake up all the teachers time to teach a new way
Maybe then they'll listen to what you have to say

The world won't get no better - If we Just let it be....
The world won't get no better we gotta change it yeah - you and me...

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Mrs. Clinton is proposing that the U.S. government, should she be elected president, be able to garnish the wages of people that refuse to buy health insurance so as to achieve coverage for all Americans. She said: "I think there are a number of mechanisms" such as "going after people's wages, automatic enrollment." Outrageous & Unbelievable!!

Going after people's wages? Can you say Civil War? - This clearly underscores how completely out of touch Mrs. Clinton is to even make this suggestion. To suggest attaching peoples wages is a no no to most working class people.
someone needs to go buy this woman a clue.

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I couldn't have said it much better

This was actually done from his own words.....the producer for this video is Bob Dylan's son and well you can figure out who the rest of the people are

Although I personally dislike the idea that the interest and study of african american history should be confined to one month out of the calendar year - the powers that be only see fit to put out programming  that is  educational and edifying during the month of february - well one major fight at a time.

In any case this link is to information on a movie airing tonight which is the true life story of an african prince that found himself in slavery  and how he ultimately got free and went back to his life  before slavery

Prince Among Slaves - Airs tonight on your local PBS station

According to the official Barack Obama campaign website, since the polls closed on  "Super Tuesday" over 7 million in donations have been sent in. Not from lobbyists, and not from Senator Obama's personal bank account....from the people....

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. 

One of the stark contrasts in the two campaigns highlights this fundamental tenet. One campaign seeks to do this very thing and be BY the people and for the people. The other reeks of being self serving and maintaining the status quo that has  without question led this country to the edge of the precipice that it currently sits at.  That they  themselves do not even see  this is just further proof at how polarized this nation has become BECAUSE of the type  of politics that  HRC engenders.  it would be so very easy to make this  particular race for the presidency of the United States only be limited to policy however  it feels like the country has fallen so far back that mere "Policies" will not get us where we need to be. It will take leadership, courage and strength in addition to the ability to come up with solutions or "policies" that will address all the myriad issues currently facing this nation.  It will take a LEADER with the wisdom of Solomon and the ability to motivate people to go outside their comfort zone and work together towards the common good. I cannot personally speak to the last time we even had a Presidency like that - I  haven't seen one in my lifetime.  At least - not yet...

Let the People - speak for themselves....the best cure for negativity is Positivity.....that being said - read on

At the close of his first inaugural address, Abraham Lincoln spoke to those who would divide the United States.

"We are not enemies, but friends," said the 16th president. "We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

On this, the 199th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, America is again divided.

The question that will be answered by voters in Wisconsin next Tuesday, and by voters nationwide in November, is whether this land must remain divided.

The seven years of George Bush's tragically flawed attempt at a presidency have strained the very fabric of this nation. Our debates about war and peace, taxes and spending, civil rights and civil liberties have developed bitter edges that suggest we are enemies: Democrat versus Republican, Red State versus Blue State, liberal versus conservative.

And yet, most Americans are still touched by the better angels of our nature

Final delegate counts are in for Washington state and Barak swept every all 39 of them. Given the varying demographics of the different districts, this is a very positive sign for Obama receiving the nod from the Democrats over Hillary.

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A measure can be taken of how desperate the Clinton campaign has become by just spending 15 minutes watching the MSM. One is hard pressed to understand what exactly the strategy is aside from throwing out snarky, unsubstantiated  word darts. Most recently a charge of plagirism was thrown out  for nightly news consumption. Strange coming from camp hillary when initially going into the wiscnosin primary she leveled the charge quite publicly - that Senator Obama just makes speeches and is all words and no action . 

Again the machine is out of control - how does one accuse someone of something that they themselves are guilty of  with the expectation that the fallout will make them look better for having  made the accusation? (Wages War)

Even better how do you rationally go from stating one is all speeches and no substance  and that  "words mean nothing" then  make a u-turn and start accusing one of plagirism.

Watching makes you wonder about Hillary's sanity  or at least the sanity of those around her working her campaign. Do they even realize that the whole world is not only watching but is taking note of what is being said by both - of the actions of both. One week something is raised as an unimportant issue and the very next week it is thrown back as an accusation. And WE the people are not supposed to notice this. The media falls over on itself time and again slanting towards the Clinton's and its almost as if they don't realize that people ARE paying attention.

The comment is raised again and again on  all news broadcasts from MSNBC to CNN that they don't understand the polls and they can't figure how Senator Obama has garnenered such a strong base of support in the time that he has. They can't understand (and this includes HRC) because they cannot relate to what the rest of the world has been going through the last ten years. it hasn't affected them that way and they have no personal vested interest outside of personal gain - in the case of the news stations bigger ratings - in the case of the Clintons - continuing the political dynasty started by Slick Willy that almost crashed and burned on re-entry - dare i say the names, Monica, Genifer - Whitewater. Funny again how Camp Hillary continues to accuse the Obama campaign of smears and negative statements - this has not come up at all and I personally give kudos to Senator Obama for it because i don't think I could be so saintly minded  under the barrage of attacks he's been subject to - especially of late.  One wonders HOW long it will take before somebody - anybody starts to ask these very same questions or if the news hounds have had a back room meeting to decide to let the Republicans do it for them should HRC make it that far.

Its simple guys - We the people - are paying attention not just to what Camp HIllary is up to - but also to what you guys are up to as well. Those of us with an opportunity to continue the wave of change that is crossing this country are doing so where it counts the most - at the polls and caucuses. Contrary to what mainstream media tries to put forth - people aren't as DUMB as they think they are  and people are not as apathetic as they have been given over to be in the past.

The choices we've been given up till now haven't lent themselves to being the impetus for change. We have been led stedfastly down a road where the only plausible solution is absolute change...to paraphrase Senator Obama (heaven forbid i should get accused of plagirism) from the bottom up. Systematic, unequivocable change  which is exactly what is going on in this country right now. Which cannot be measured in a poll - cannot be divined  by some overzealous msm analysts who are after all just trying to keep their paychecks coming and books selling.

It is fundamental change - a paradigm shift and all the snarky little annecdotes in the world will not stop it. Slanting the news coverage in favor of one opponent over the other won't slow it down because in fact all these things do is highlight the need for change and make people more determined. Maybe thats why the numbers in the last primaries and caucuses went up so overwhelmingly for Senator obama - wait no that was supposed to be because of the African American vote(of loyalty), or wait no it was supposed to be the youth vote and college students ..etc. et al....ad infinitum....

Bottom line - it is the people - we are tired  of being tired - and its time we reminded ALL elected officials that they serve at the pleasure of the PEOPLE not the other way around.

Oh and we're not dumb we just have lives to lead and jobs to go to and things to do that  might make us all a little slow to react but then again slow and steady wins the race....

Amidst charges of plagirism and heaven forbid sounding like the civil rights icon, Martin Luther King Jr.  It would seem that a little scrutiny would not be remiss. The following was found in a wiki entry on plagirism:

Perhaps most notably, the closing passage from King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech partially resembles Archibald Carey, Sr.'s address^[8] to the 1952 Republican National Convention. Carey was a personal friend of King's. The similarity is that both speeches end with a recitation of the first verse of Samuel Francis Smith's popular patriotic hymn "America" (My Country ’Tis of Thee), and the speeches share the name of one of several mountains from which both exhort "let freedom ring".

Keith Miller, in Voice of Deliverance: The Language of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Its Sources and elsewhere,^[9] argues that such "borrowing", which he terms "voice merging", follows in a long tradition of folk preaching, particularly in the African American church, and should not necessarily be termed plagiarism. On the contrary, he views King's skillful combination of language from different sources as a major oratorical skill.

Makes one wonder if Hillary's staff even bothers to research the things that they give her to fire off in attempts to discredit Senator Obama. First of all it can be argued, at great length that "sounding like" Martin Luther King Jr. is something to actually be ASPIRED to not DESPISED as  Camp Hillary would have people believe.

What a horrid twist of fate that Senator Obama's oratory should remind one of one of the greatest civil Rights Leaders in this nation's history.  Even worse that they both are guilty of using lines from their friend's speeches in some of their own speeches.  This morning Gov. Deval confirmed on broadcast television that he in fact ASKED Senator Obama to use his "words"  you can view  his comments here: Deval Patrick on Good Morning America .

That Clinton and company STILL doesn't get it is evidenced by these low-brow attempts to cast aspersions on Senator Obama. Was it not in fact the Clinton campaign that stated that Obama's all words and no substance? hmm...

That type of behavior pales in comparison to an individual that would attempt to utilize the legacy of Martin Luther King to demonize her opponent in order to obtain votes and support. It is devisiveness at its very best and incompetncy at the very least. It makes one wonder if Hillary actually WANTS to win the nomination at all. Focusing her energy into scathing, unfounded attacks on her opponent  belies questionable judgement on her part and leaves a lot to be desired with regards to her leadership skills. 

Then again it all depends on what kind of leader you prefer - one who unites and inspires not only by actions but by their words - or one who divides and spins the truth to serve their own purposes.

The people once again have spoken. Those of us here in the trenches are non-plussed with regards to the results of last night's primaries in Wisconsin and Hawaii. People have been looking for change since BEFORE the Bushes got into office.

Up until now however, not one candidate displayed the propensity to motivate the people of this nation to act. The people of this country have been for years, innundated with "career" politicians who's main goal was to learn and play the game according to the dictates of the political spectrum which has absolutely nothing to do with serving the public. Once elected to office they completely and totally forget the constituents that elected them in the first place and spend the most of their terms in office returning and doing favors for their collegues, lobbyists and special interests.

Those who have been in power in particularly in political circles, have lost touch with the majority of Americans who are tired and fed up with being studiously ignored. Even now the mainstream media stubbornly refuses to accede that Senator Obama is indeed a frontrunning contender and you can feel the amazement and confundity permeate from the correspondents from the various news organizations. Their polls don't tell them whats going on and they are unwilling or unable to see whats right in front of them. For reasons known only unto them they continue to promote a candidate who has lost on a constant basis and not even by slim margins several key contests. Even when the delegate count swung in favor of Senator Obama there was no sign of impartiality and some correspondents had to be officially "chastized for feeding into some of the negative imagery put forward by the Clinton campaign.

Watching events unfold in this race for the Democratic nomination, one wonders what ever happened to "journalistic integrity" or if indeed such a thing even exists. It would appear to have been cancelled out by an overwhleming desire for ratings and or money or even currying favor. Heck one can even argue that fear is ruling them. Whatever it is its glaringly obvious and the American public is not buying it.

What will be interesting to see is how long they will contninue to slant the media coverage towards a candidate who is being shown increasingly unviable and unelectable and who does NOT have the support of the people. It goes without saying that if the situation was reversed Senator Obama would have been written off long ago and there would have been cries for him to withdraw from the process from the Democratic party members to the media and everything in between.

The marketing experts, and people pollsters apparently have been wrong - the people are not apathetic nor are we stupid. We pay attention and - when encouraged to do so by someone who has demonstrated the ability to mobilize we can and will act. Act one is the nomination for Democratic Presidential Candidate, Act two will be to Win the General Election in November, Act Three will probably take a long look at the individuals and institutions that stood in the way of and actively tried to prevent the people of this nation from partaking in the process and excercising their right to be heard and participate in government.

I am thinking some might want to start practicing their exit strategy while they still can.

Mayor Bloomberg charged yesterday that "fraud" was behind the unofficial results in the New York Democratic presidential primary that produced zero votes for Barack Obama in some districts. Get ready for Texas and Ohio.

A truly perverse translation of "by any means necessary - including it seems vote tampering - in 80 districts - most of which were in areas that would have heavily favored Senator Obama - he apparently tallied 0 votes.

Then they wonder why people are voting for changing and shaking up Washington and or politics in general.

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After winning the Wisconsin, Hawaii and Washington state primaries, Barack Obama received a large boost in donors who have no donated in 2008. He exceeded the goal of half a million different donors in 2008 before 10 AM Central. In the last twelve hours alone, he has added nearly 40,000 donors.

Once again the people are SPEAKING and those with the ability to hear understand. The will of the people is what is propelling this campaign NOT MERELY great oratory skills, or personality or any of the other snarky comments being flung by the opposition. If the Clinton campaign is to be believed, half a million people at least, not including those who have already voted FOR senator obama are all crazy...

Must be something to be the only sane one and everyone around you is crazy - wait isnt that part of the criteria for paranoia??? Hmmm ..

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She ends January with $7.6 million in debt; rival's campaign finances continued to be robust.

Running out of money and out of time .....

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She ends January with $7.6 million in debt; rival's campaign finances continued to be robust.

Running out of money and out of time .....

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test post

had to switch servers and have been having no end of fun reconfiguring this blog  but persistance pays off as everything "appears" to be back in working order.

Time will tell...

If this is not indeed, the pot calling the kettle black - then im really not sure what is.

“Meet me in Ohio. Let’s have a debate about your tactics,” she said, calling the mailings “tactics that are right out of Karl Rove’s playbook.” - Hillary Clinton

 This uttered by HRC at a rally in OH  on Saturday. I am seriously beginning to wonder if she will ever "get it".

You play dirty pool and then turn around and accuse your opponent of using your tactics. Who in the world are this woman's advisors?  You spend the last few weeks, no months slinging mud like you are trying out for the Mud Wrestling Olympics(gosh i hope there is no such thing),  but its not you its someone else thats doing it. Poor, Innocent Hillary being beset by Dick Dastardly aka Senator Obama.  This would actually be quite funny if  so much were not at stake.

Someone needs to tell her advisors that the "Jedi Mind - Trick" thing only works in the movies. Perhaps since Camp Hillary is into creative expenditures with regards to her campaign funds, they might consider  buying copies of  the Star Wars Saga to help her put things into perspective, since nothing else seems to be working.

You go from being honored to be in the presence of Senator Obama one day  in to ripping into him and accusing him of your own dirty tactics the next day.  You forget people are watching and are PAYING ATTENTION.

Maybe she doesn't care anymore - although she still shows no signs of realizing that her campaign is in serious Jeopardy or that she has any  understanding that the nice today nasty tomorrow stuff pretty much disgusts potential voters.

What does it say about the state of Blacks in America that it is percieved to be insulting that a majority or any of us would lend our support to someone who is  running for President of the United States and who also happens to be black?

What does it say when there are forums convened for the purpose of discussing why we shouldn't put our support behind someone who has CLEARLY defied all the odds and has done what none before him have? When there are analysts and entire news broadcasts devoted to the discussion of Senator Obama receiving the support of the black community no one seems to question that there are no such forums convened to discuss caucasians supporting a caucasian candidate.

What does it say to all of our ancestors, some who gave more than any of us today ever will, so that we could even have the opportunity to be FREE and to even be able to vote in the first place - that we  at this time feel apologetic that an intelligent, articulate, wise, charismatic man who just HAPPENS to be black should be supported and backed by the black community?

Every time i turn on the news - which thanks to truly biased reporting lately is not often (hats off to CNN) and I see some person of african american descent almost palpably backpeddling or dodging the issue of senator Obama and his support from the african american community I have to shake my head.

If you were to go back about 100  years in american history and told them that there would even BE a black man where Senator Obama is today - who represents what Senator Obama represents you would not be believed and would be called crazy.

If you said it to the wrong person you might even turn up missing or be found swinging from a tree.

And yet the need is there to apologize for being what? Proud ? For being happy that for the first time in DECADES  the black community in america has someone that they can consider as a role model - who isn't a part of hollywood, who isn't an overpaid athelete, who isn't a tempermental muscian or entertainer - this is supposed to be a bad thing? 

Those of us that are utterly consumed with self hate can continue to live in the state of denial  but at the end of the day you cannot take the color out of your skin - you can act and appear to be something other than you are with a mind towards fitting in - but when you go to sleep at night and you hear the rustlings in the wind - know that the souls of your ancestors are speaking to you and reminding you all that they suffered and endured. All the hatred, the disenfranchisement - the physical and mental pain. Most of which we today still cannot even begin to contemplate. Most of us today would not even try to endure - belay protests to the contrary.

Our ancestors looking down today would be imbued with a sense of relief  in  the knowledge that  everything they stood for and died for was not in vain. Everything they endured at the hands of ultimate ignorance was not just lines in a history book. It is their struggles and  their fights that have led us to this day.

Apologize for being black and for supporting a candidate that outside of his accomplishments happens to be black  - I think not.

Those  who are not supporting him might want to apologize to their ancestors for forgetting what it took to even  get to this day.

While pundits and so-called analysts scratch their heads and wonder at the meteoric rise of Senator Obama and the tremendous wave of support that even now continues to grow, some of use that just use plain old common sense can figure out what they and all their statisticians, and comprehensive "analysis" cannot.

You cannot continually insult the intelligence of the American people

The Clinton campaign started off doing exactly just that. In touting her 35 years of experience it would seem that no one at Camp Hillary figured that people would actually go back to see exactly what it is she was doing for the past 35 years. Worse still was the idea that she - Hillary would be given a pass on experience that wasn't exactly hers per say, namely the experiences of her husband would become hers by "osmosis". Again the average person will never buy that. If you have ever gone on a job interview and had to go over your resume the idiocy of being able to count as your own experience, the experience of someone else borders on the wrong side of sanity. No one around her, at least no one she listens to pointed this out to her. Going by this very line of thinking is representative of the bad politics of Washington and the very thing Senator Obama's campaign strikes against.

Throwing mud only makes you dirty - and people don't like you much for it.

Inexplicably, heading into the south Carolina primaries - Ms. Clinton sat back and watched while her husband former President Bill Clinton compared Senator Obama's campaign to Jesse Jacksons, proceeded to make an insensitive statement regarding Martin Luther King's dreams only being realized by Lyndon Johnson - to paraphrase that it took " a president" to get those things accomplished. Add to this Bill Clinton's falling asleep during a Martin Luther King presentation in Harlem and going into a state where there is a large contingent of African Americans makes one wonder - WHAT were they thinking? This was capped off by a debate performance where she attempted to cast aspersions on Senator Obama's "ties" to Tony Rezko, going as far as to try and innocently "drop" that into a response during the debate which only led to her eventually being booed by the members of the audience. Perhaps it would have served her purpose better if there were some solid research that went into that prior to dropping that pearl of wisdom. Far from being a public service it only served to diminish her in the eyes of the people who's support she is/was looking for. The backlash on this was palpable - Senator Obama trounced Hillary in South Carolina and carried momentum into Super Tuesday which has not really abated as of yet. It should be noted that as of this writing there still is albeit a more subdued version of the " casting aspersions" brigade working over at Camp Hillary - most recent and notable is the "plagiarism" accusations. Again one wonders what in the world her staff and or people around her are thinking of (aside from perhaps getting a paycheck?) Not having understood or learned that the backlash from going negative can and will negatively impact her campaign, she again tries to unload with another "debate pearl" regarding Senator Obama's speech and Deval Patrick - Governor of Massachusetts. A little digging on the part of her staff should have revealed him as being Senator Obama's regional campaign director, and good friend. A little more serious digging would have revealed the truth - as related by the governor himself that he in fact TOLD Senator Obama to use his words in his speech. As this issue had already been addressed prior to the debate going on the air it is questionable at best why this would even be brought up and even if asked a direct question regarding this non-issue should have been deflected and deferred not held up to further scrutiny.

Being out of touch - will cost you

To say she represents working class people - and then turn around and offer up as part of her healthcare plan a mandate that would include provisions to go after worker's wages via garnishment speaks more to being absolutely out of touch. If there were a study done right now that asked what working people would fear the most - aside from outright losing their job - having their wages attached or garnished would probably be next on the hit parade. This however is only something one would know from personal experience having been there or at least being a member of that very same "working class." To say she wants to advocate and or represent the latino vote, and at the same time appearing to want to set harsh standards on immigration laws says even to the un-indoctrinated that she does not get it. To continue to state what SHE wants to do, plans to do, or wants to do as the next president of the United States is the most telling thing of all - all indications based on the path this campaign has taken show CLEARLY the complete and utter dissatisfaction most Americans have with the government of this country and the way that politics have been handled not just in Washington DC but in general. There are more people right now feeling disenfranchised than anything else and they are utilizing the first real opportunity they feel they have had in decades to effectively be a part of changing the way things are. Just think I'm not even a political science major and even I could figure that one out.

I Will Abide by the Rules - Only When it Suits Me

All the candidates participating in the democratic primary were aware of the fact that because of MI and FL violating DNC rules and scheduling their primaries ahead of the Feb 5 date that the votes (delegates) would not be seated. They AGREED not to campaign in those states. Somehow Ms. Clinton while not actually campaigning conveniently shows up at highly publicized functions in FL. Now she wants to argue that those votes in the primaries that were not supposed to count, that she agreed shouldn't count should now be counted. Her name was in fact the only name on the ballot in Michigan no other candidates names appeared on the ballot (since they pulled out of the primary because of the violation of DNC rules). And she wants this to count? This no-brainer was preceded by a fight which ensued when in Nevada it was decided months prior to hold caucuses onsite at the casinos so that those who worked there could participate. This was prior to the union representing those workers coming out and endorsing Senator Obama. Not even two days after the endorsement - the TEACHERS UNION files a protest stating that it is "unfair" to allow the casino workers to caucus at their worksite and that they should be allowed to do the same. I know it's been a while but I am trying to recall when public schools started having classes on Saturdays?? The Nevada Caucus was held on a Saturday which meant that the teachers protesting about having equal access would have been referring to their being caucus sites at schools which wouldn't have been open in the first place. Ladies and Gentlemen you just can't make this stuff up.

No Romance without Campaign Finance

Ok now by a show of hands how many out there have ever even written a check for more than a few grand? How many have ever written a check for a million? I'm going to guess not many. With the recent scandals involving CEO's and the golden plated parachutes that they have been allowed to bail with - while the employees left behind wind up downsized and or just plain unemployed - having it come out that you wrote a $5 million dollar check to loan your campaign funds won't go down too well with most of the average working class Americans. Especially those who have been recently downsized or had their jobs shipped over seas via the NAFTA Superhighway. To compound this further, is the revelation that a great portion of the campaign funds received for the month of January have gone towards paying "consulting" fees?? $33 million dollars to be exact. Never mind the $1,300 spent on Dunkin Donuts?? While some of her campaign staffers have gone without pay and volunteered their time - somehow these expenditures are justified - how is anybody's guess. I am betting that this is not endearing her to those who have already been supporting her.

With her superior experience being one of her fundamental arguments with regards to her being more suited to be the next president of the United States, one looks at the events leading up to today and is hard pressed to understand where in blue blazes she figures her 35 years of experience have prepared her to be the leader of this country or any other country. Financial mismanagement, changing the rules to suit your purposes, an inability to delegate responsibility appropriately to those eminently qualified, utilizing poorly researched points to attack her opponent and clearly not showing any signs of being able to relate to the very people she claims to represent. In short, this is business as usual, Washington DC style. Politics at it's very worst and with her at the helm - Perhaps if she figured this out sooner she could have had a legitimate chance at winning the democratic nomination. As it stands now, Her behavior and actions during this campaign have done more to fan the flames of change and reform than the abolitionist movement did leading into the Civil War.

Historically speaking the only other female that comes to mind that was more oblivious to the wishes and desires of her people would be Marie Antoinette. She surrounded herself with the wrong people and "stood by her man" which basically cost her dearly.

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it" - George Santayana

Tags:DNC Hillary Clinton MArie Antoinette Senator Obama
Posted on February 22, 2008 11:29 AM | Permalink

Surely this year's race for the democratic nominee for president will go down in the annals of history as one if not THE most hotly contested races in this nation's history. The nasty, mudslinging will remind some more familiar with the United States history of the Presidential Elections of 1884  - excerpted here:

The issue of personal character marked this campaign. Former Speaker of the House James G. Blaine had been prevented from getting the Republican presidential nomination during the previous two elections because of the stigma of the "Mulligan letters": in 1876, a Boston bookkeeper named James Mulligan had located some letters showing that Blaine had sold his influence in Congress to various businesses. One such letter ended with the phrase "burn this letter", from which a popular chant of the Democrats arose - "Burn, burn, burn this letter!" In just one deal, he had received $110,150 (over $1.5 million in 2005 dollars) from the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad for, among other things, securing a federal land grant. Democrats and anti-Blaine Republicans made unrestrained attacks on his integrity as a result. New York Governor Grover Cleveland, on the other hand, was known as "Grover the Good" for his personal integrity; in the space of the three previous years he had become, successively the Mayor of Buffalo and then the Governor of the state, cleaning up large amounts of Tammany Hall's graft.

Watching the clip from Hillary Clinton's speech yesterday in Providence, Rhode Island and as a woman and an American I am ashamed to see that this strident disrespectful harpy is who is being put forward as a woman candidate for the president of the United States. It is an embarrassment because it is unnecessary. Mocking someone's method of speech or delivery is akin to the tirades of a schoolyard bully. Better still go dig up some copies of Little House on the Prairie - apparently Hillary attended the Nellie Olsen School of Politics and Campaign Strategy.

If Madam Clinton's policies and stance on the issues were so much BETTER and or so much more easily IMPLEMENTED why would there be a need to "go negative". IN fact if as has been said on more than one occasion there stances are so "similar" why would SHE feel the need to take her campaign negative? To blame it on the campaign staff is disingenuous as she hired them all and blaming them is the absolute same thing as blaming her at least she is just as responsible as they are. Even more so because, she - Mrs. Clinton can choose NOT to use their ideas or strategies.

I have noticed also in the last few weeks the flip flopping and the split personality thing increasingly more prevalent in Ms. Clinton's campaign. Broadcast nationally on last weeks debate she took time OUT to state how much of an HONOR it was to be on stage with Senator Obama - the very next day she was accusing him of sending out mailers that were full of lies and the next day we got her mocking speech with barely hidden invective towards not only senator Obama but his supporters as well.

Here's a thought that perhaps Camp Hillary hasn't thought of - you might not want to invoke religious connotations and symbolism into your tirade-laden rants against your opponent. Especially not in areas where faith and in particular Christianity are prevalent and mainstays in the lives of the constituents. Invoking images of the rapture while mocking and insulting someone is probably NOT going to increase support for your campaign but it will and has most assuredly turned quite a few people off at the very least.

Hillary Clinton's moment of truth came yesterday for me. During an interview with KTVT, Mrs. Clinton was asked about comments made by one of her supporters, a Hispanic lawyer named Adelfa Callejo a prominent leader in the North Texas Latino commuity.

Here's a clip from the interview in question:
Adelfa Callejo - Hillary Clinton's Reaction

Here was an opportunity for Mrs. Clinton to set a clear signal to those who would utilize her campaign or any other public forum to foster racist notions and ideas. It was an opportunity for her to take a hard line on something that she attempted to take a hard line with Senator Obama on at the Ohio debates where she clearly went on the attack about Senator Obama not repudiating the endorsement of Minister Louis Farrakhan. She went on to pick and pick about this and I find it unconscionable that even when faced with video tape evidence of one of her supporters making racially insensitive and inflammatory statements, that the best she was able to do was brush it of f in person and eventually much later that evening issue a statement through a spokesperson.

As an African American woman I of all people hold no illusions about racism in this country. Having been exposed to it in one form or another most of my life I know all too well that its there and is an undercurrent to many things. I knew for example that it would only be a matter of time during this campaign that somehow race would be injected into things. Sorry to say I didn't have to wait long.

Ask any African American in this country today they will probably tell you the same thing. Racism is alive and flourishes well in this country today. As much as it is frowned on in the public eye  - what goes on behind the scenes is arguably generally different. There is a misapprehension that just because you do not advocate lynching or cross burning that you are automatically excused from being prejudiced or biased.  In fact most people who would fit the criteria for being racist will tell you that they don't think they are reasoning that they have "black friends", or at least they think they do. That they can calmly and rationally explain their reasoning to them mitigates them from being labeled racist.

Is generational racism still an issue in America though? The