Moderation and Reason are First!!

98.

Indy Steve
Mon, 01/07/08

I agree 100^%.  In a perfect world it will be someone who balances, but more importantly it needs to be a common young/change agent theme.

Clinton/Gore (1992) was all about "Young Moderate New Democrats".   

For those who interested in terms definitions..., lol, what means "change", "strength", etc. and generally about "common sense"..., WELCOME!

-----------

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/fron...

Jan. 7, 2008, 10:20AM

Snubbed by Fox, Paul holds own N.H. forum


N.H. GOP pulls out of forum after Paul snubbed
GOP roundup: Romney, McCain clash in Fox debate
Democratic roundup in New Hampshire
Ron Paul takes detour to tape Leno show MANCHESTER, N.H. — Shut out of a GOP presidential candidate forum sponsored by Fox News, Ron Paul staged his own televised town hall meeting today in which he fielded questions from undecided voters two days before the key primary election here.

Part1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxldrCsVB...

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VQcpmfT0...

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/articles/161/...

What Does Freedom Really Mean?

"Few Americans understand that all government action is inherently coercive. If nothing else, government action requires taxes. If TAXES were FREELY PAID, they WOULDN'T BE CALLED TAXES, they'd be called DONATIONS. If we intend to use the word freedom in an honest way, we should have the simple integrity to give it real meaning: Freedom is living without government coercion. So when a politician talks about freedom for this group or that, ask yourself whether he is advocating more government action or less."

by Ron Paul, Dr. February 7, 2005

THIS IS HOWARD DEAN'S BLOG. HOWARD DEAN IS FIRST.

I forgot to link and quote this diary from this morning -- I agree that the American people are not totally stupid. This is the excerpt I like:

Quote

What HRC and Penn do not realize is that times are very different. 2008 is nothing like 2004. Five major events have dramatically changed America. Those 5 events are Terri Schiavo, Hurricane Katrina, The Housing Collapse, $3 Gas, and Where's Osama. And people now spot the BS.

Terri Schiavo awoke Americans to the fact that the Republican Party is controlled by people who are just like the Taliban. And that scared them.
Hurricane Katrina awoke Americans to the fact that Republicans don't care about people. And that angered them. The Housing Collapse and $3 Gas awoke Americans to the fact that Republicans suck on the economy. And that concerned them. And Where's Osama awoke Americans to the fact that Republicans are truly disastrous on foreign policy issues because even Mr. Magoo could capture Bin Laden if given 7 years to do so.

So now the electorate is poised to begin a new era where the Washington Cocktail Party Elitists, the uber wealthy corporate interests, and Washington insiders can rot in hell while the rest of us fix this nation.

Unquote

From the KOS diary:

Why Hillary's Campaign Is Imploding
by davefromqueens [Subscribe]

Mon Jan 07, 2008 at 04:56:28 AM PST

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/7/7...

To my regret -- school work calls -- see y'all later.

12:28 PM ET in N FL where we kinda like our swamps :~) and so do the gators.

5.

Annilow -

Amen to that.

(oh, btw, though you and I are usually on the same "side" [smile] on most issues on this blog here, one thing that I suspect we'll be divided on is this upcoming Sat Jan 12 N E Patriots versus Jacksonville Jags playoff game -- may the best team win [smile])

Obama -- fighting on two fronts (against Clinton and against McCain) and winning both fronts ?:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20080107/pl_cq_politics/politics2652482_2

Obama Opens Up Wide Lead In N.H. Polls

By CQ Staff

1 hour, 29 minutes ago

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has opened up a wide lead over New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Democratic contest in New Hampshire, while Arizona Sen. John McCain's contest with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is closer, according to a new round of polls today.

...

The Gallup Poll weighed in this morning with news that Obama now enjoys a 41 percent to 28 percent lead over Clinton, with whom he was in a tie last month. Edwards is at 19 percent. Obama is doing particularly well among Independents, who can vote in either party's primary, and according to another poll - by Rasmussen Reports - that is causing some problems for McCain because he not only is competing against Romney for Republican votes, but against Obama for Independent votes.

...

The Rasmussen poll says that Obama is poised to win a "sizable victory" in New Hampshire while the McCain-Romney contest is too close to call.

A new Zogby poll has Obama ahead of Clinton 39 percent to 29 percent, with Edwards at 19 percent. McCain leads Romney 34 percent to 29 percent. The margin of error is 3.4 percent.

American Research Group has Obama ahead of Clinton 39 percent to 28 percent, with Edwards at 22 percent. McCain leads Romney 35 percent to 27 percent. The margin of error is 4 percent.

Edwards and Clinton are in the margin of error for second.

I'm betting two out of three New Hampsire voters are progressive enough to keep Clinton under 30%

Maine's local news networks are "covering" the schtick in New Hampstuuh.

Mainers do watch their local news--bigtime (NBC, ABC, CBS).

Billary was evading the entire query, re: high cost of oil/gas in Maine & New England.

Went on a mini-rant about "reducing dependency," & "developing alternative policies" spiel.

Yadayadayada doesn't bode well in New England...esp. Maine.

Bullsh^t.

Print and TV media is swamped w/nothing but stories of Mainers choosing between food, medicine, foreclosures, bankruptcy, and heating oil/gas.

Over 80% heat homes w/oil.

"Policies," be damned.

She's toast (pun intended).

http://tinyurl.com/2drxbe

Granny D endorses Edwards.

http://tinyurl.com/3727rl

I hope the NH result in the dem primary ends up with Clinton placing third (a IA redux for her).

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Joseph Somsel
American Thinker
January 4, 2008

"There is nothing wrong with your thermostat. Do not attempt to adjust the temperature. We are controlling your power consumption. If we wish to make it hotter, we will turn off your air conditioner. If we wish to make it cooler, we will turn off your heater. For the next millennium, sit quietly and we will control your home temperature. We repeat, there is nothing wrong with your thermostat. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to… SACRAMENTO!"*

Building codes and engineering standards are generally good things. Updating and improving codes and standards better protect us against earthquakes, for example, as we better understand the weak points and failure modes of existing construction techniques. Requirements that ensure proper handling of sanitary wastes can be largely credited with the increased life spans in industrialized countries through the reduction of communicable diseases.

In California, we have 236 pages of state-mandated standards for building energy efficiency, known as Title 24. This prescribes methods for calculating the sizes of your home windows, the capacities of your air conditioner and heater, the thickness of the insulation in your attic. A small cottage industry has sprung up to perform these engineering calculations that are required for any new commercial or residential construction or major change to existing structures. While I’ve never personally been involved in this branch of retail professional engineering, I’ve had colleagues who would moonlight doing Title 24 calcs. It is now just part of the mandated paperwork involved in the construction business these days in California.

Printable version

In a speech to students, he said the time was not right to restore ties, but if it were ever in Iran's interests he would endorse such a move.

The US and Iran cut their diplomatic ties after the 1979 Islamic revolution and the subsequent takeover of the US embassy by militants in Tehran.

Relations have been further strained by the row over Iran's nuclear programme.

"We have never said these relations should be suspended indefinitely," said Ayatollah Khamenei.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

no wonder the gun boat flap occured, can't have this kind of news

If you regard the subject with interest, as opposed to an opportunity for political mudwrestling, there is a (very) lengthy, thoughtful analysis regarding the origins and properties of Obama's personality as a political pragamtist and strategist.  From the New Yorker last May, called the Conciliator, it's by Larissa MacFarquhar.  It's not a fluff article or a hit piece.  Here are just a couple excerpts.

"Despite the criticism he has received for being all inspiration and no policy, Obama has so far stuck to what appears to be an instinct that white papers belong on Web sites, not in speeches. It is surprising, given the recent electoral record of Democratic policy wonks, that he is not given more credit for the astuteness of this approach, but it’s true that it’s not just strategy—it’s who he is. 'He doesn’t have the handicap that a lot of smart people have, which is that they come across as "You’re not smart enough to talk to me,"' George Haywood, a private investor and a friend of Obama’s, says. 'Adlai Stevenson, another Illinois guy, had that—he came across as an egghead and it was off-putting to people. Barack is the opposite.' Probably one of the reasons for this is that Obama seems not to attach much value to cleverness as such. Even in law school, perhaps the place more than any other where sheer cleverness is prized and love of argument for its own sake is fundamental to the culture, he was not much interested in academic jousting.

"No, Obama’s detachment, his calm, in such small venues, is less professorial than medical—like that of a doctor who, by listening to a patient’s story without emotional reaction, reassures the patient that the symptoms are familiar to him. It is also doctorly in the sense that Obama thinks about the body politic as a whole thing. If you are presenting a problem as something that they have perpetrated on us, then whipping up outrage is natural enough; but if you take unity seriously, as Obama does, then outrage does not make sense, any more than it would make sense for a doctor to express outrage that a patient’s kidney is causing pain in his back. There is also, of course, a racial aspect to this. 'If you’re a black male, you don’t have to try hard to impress people with your aggression,' Haywood says. 'There was a period when black politicians started to be successful, and it was understood that if you wanted to be mainstream you’d better have gray hair. Doug Wilder was an example. David Dinkins. Mayor Bradley in L.A. To be popular with the broader white electorate, you’d better look safe, you’d better not look angry. Now, I don’t think Barack made a conscious decision to come across this way, but it is a happy accident. Some people may have seen his speech at the Democratic Convention, or heard that he rocked the house, and they may be disappointed, but the mainstream is not ready for a fire-breathing black man.' (It seems likely that, consciously or not, Obama has learned from these examples, and knows that the election of a President Obama wouldn’t mean a revolution in race relations, any more than women prime ministers were a sign of flourishing feminism in South Asia. Bigotry has always made exceptions.)

" . . .

"Obama’s voting record is one of the most liberal in the Senate, but he has always appealed to Republicans, perhaps because he speaks about liberal goals in conservative language. When he talks about poverty, he tends not to talk about gorging plutocrats and unjust tax breaks; he says that we are our brother’s keeper, that caring for the poor is one of our traditions. Asked whether he has changed his mind about anything in the past twenty years, he says, 'I’m probably more humble now about the speed with which government programs can solve every problem. For example, I think the impact of parents and communities is at least as significant as the amount of money that’s put into education.' Obama encourages his crossover appeal. He doesn’t often criticize the Bush Administration directly; in New Hampshire recently, he told his audience, 'I’m a Democrat. I’m considered a progressive Democrat. But if a Republican or a Conservative or a libertarian or a free-marketer has a better idea, I am happy to steal ideas from anybody and in that sense I’m agnostic.' 'The number of conservatives who’ve called me—roommates of mine, relatives who are Republicans—who’ve said, "He’s the one Democrat I could support, not because he agrees with me, because he doesn’t, but because I at least think he’ll take my point of view into account,"' Michael Froman, a law-school friend who worked in the Clinton Administration and is now involved in Obama’s campaign, says. 'That’s a big thing, mainstream Americans feeling like Northeast liberals look down on them.'

"After Obama’s Convention speech, Republican bloggers rushed to claim him, under headings such as 'Right Speech, Wrong Convention' and 'Barack Obama: A Republican Soul Trapped Inside a Democrat’s Body.' The Convention speech was uncharacteristically Reaganesque for Obama, being almost uniformly sunny about America, which he called a 'magical place'; these days, he tends to be more sombre. Even so, Republicans continue to find him congenial, especially those who opposed the war on much the same conservative grounds that he did. Some of Bush’s top fund-raisers are contributing to Obama’s campaign. In his election to the U.S. Senate, Obama won forty per cent of the Republican vote; now there is a group called Republicans for Obama, founded by John Martin, a law student and Navy reservist shortly to be posted to Afghanistan, which has chapters in six states . . . . Of course, not all Republicans like Obama—John Martin receives a steady stream of rude e-mails. 'Hi John, Just wanted to let you know that there aren’t Republicans for Obama Hussein Barack,' one woman wrote. 'Please remove me from your mailing list and get over your white guilt.' 'Some Republicans you scum are!' a man from Hobe Sound, Florida, wrote. 'This is someone who has a 100% left wing voting record in the Senate, including rejection of Roberts and Alito and wants to repeal our tax cuts. Screw him! And screw you too!'"

Printable version

More so than any other since the toppling of Saddam Hussein, 2008 is set to be a make-or-break year for Iraq.

(...) casualties, showed a sustained decline.

But none of the threats to Iraq's stability and future has been definitively defeated.

None of the factors feeding into the improvement is irreversible.

Window of opportunity

And there have been many warnings that if the security gains are not underpinned by political and economic measures, they risk being squandered.

So there is a window of opportunity which could close sharply if it is not exploited.

But that vision could turn out to be a pipe dream - it is not hard to imagine a much grimmer scenario, such as:

• bickering Iraqi politicians fail to rise above their differences and agree vital legislation, which is already months behind schedule and would weld the country together
• as US forces start to thin out to pre-surge levels by July 2008, al-Qaeda begins to make a comeback
• Sunni "local security" forces established by the US, clash with Shia militias, which laid low until the American grip loosened
• Iraq disintegrates into sectarian strife, perhaps descends into unequivocal civil war.

"You're certainly not going to hear from me that al-Qaeda is defeated and that victory is at hand," said the US ambassador, Ryan Crocker.

"Al-Qaeda has shown an extraordinary persistence, and they are persisting now, although clearly, their abilities have been badly damaged."

The US troop surge, built up over the first half of 2007, saw the Americans directly and more proactively tackling the militant Islamist groups linked to al-Qaeda under the umbrella of the "Islamic State in Iraq".

The result: by the end of the year, around 80,000 Sunni youths were on the US payroll as local guards looking out for al-Qaeda infiltrators.

You're certainly not going to hear from me that al-Qaeda is defeated and that victory is at hand," said the US ambassador, Ryan Crocker.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

and so the failure of neo-con policy is complete since there was no al-Queda in Iraq before we invaded

the next President has one h*ll of a mess to clean-up after

PICTURE =1K WORDS

what's with all the picks of males for VP on the last thread, huh?  why not have a strong woman, one who the repugs like less than Obama or Edwards (and probably Hillary, too!), but has shown to be a strong leader in the Senate and a real progressive -  I think Barbara Boxer would be an ideal VP pick for any dem candidate!

lol - good photo, hujo!

Boxer won't be on any VP list for obama. She's got too many guts and would tilt the ticket far too liberal. Obama will likely choose a middle candidate to "unify" the ticket. And as Linda said, someone with hawkish foreign policy creds.

Colin Powell or possibly James Webb would fit the bill.  Not Richardson -- I think he's working hard for Clinton.

Edwards will pick Obama.

  I think Barbara Boxer would be an ideal VP pick for any dem candidate!

So do I, but unless we really expect to kick Repug ass in the senate elections, we should leave our sitting senators be.

The congressional Dems have squandered any chance of an election landslide by their cowardice and inaction. They'll be lucky to hold on.

Jennifer Granholm, the current Michigan Governor comes to mind as an attractive and articulate choice for VP.

Howard Dean is always first at the bfa.


---

(video) Howard Dean, the original Internet candidate, speaks about the influence of the Internet on political campaigns. http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=11...

I'm here in New Hampshire canvassing and doing visibility for Dennis Kucinich.

I have heard a lot of conversation about Jim Webb being a good VP choice. I agree that he would.

Dean's intro to the Dem event on Friday was excellent - as was my candidate's remarks.

David A. Stevenson
Mon, 01/07/08

Hi, David,

Give us a report from the field! Good luck.

On Webb, I have never really trusted him. He regards Reagan as a great President and supported him as secy. of Navy. He is a closet hawk although against the way the iraq war has been run. And he has been a huge disappointment this year. No applauding from me...

21.

Colin Powell is a Republican.



Senator Boxer would be a wonderful Vice President. I would love to see her as President of the U.S. Senate.

btw, Senator Boxer hosted a fundrasier for Senator Obama. But she has not endorsed anybody for President.

Indy, I am with you on that, and I have let it be known.

Our city committee cochair works in Webb's Va Beach office and I let my feelings be know.

Susan wrote: Colin Powell is a Republican.

That's my point. Obama will pick someone following his unity/compromise message.

linda b
Mon, 01/07/08

Linda,

I know you have! And Webb is better than his former opponent, no question. But I had high hopes that were dashed. I have Bayh here to vote for....whooopeee! He or Richardson will be Clinton's VP pick (but she won't get to make it, hopefully ; )

A look at General Election polling now after Iowa

...Kentucky.

SurveyUSA. 1/7. Registered voters. MoE 4.2% (12/16 results)

Huckabee (R) 53 (46)
Clinton (D) 41 (47)

Huckabee (R) 54 (51)
Obama (D) 35 (38)

http://www.surveyusa.com/index.php/2008/...


...Huckabee has gained and PULLED support from these Democrats.

Duncan Hunter will not drop out of the race. Well, that's a hohum, but he said, "Some Dorpoate knucklehead at ABC kept him out of the debate and then asked when he was going to drop out. Bill Schneider at CNN said "Good for him, that's what I would have done". But then, he went on to explain that networks hosting the debates don't want an overcrowded stage.

Well, an overcrowded stage is what democracy looks like. These candidates who have been shut out for the purpose of promoting the media "fix", Rep. and Dem, should get together and deliver a blow to the Corp.

Linda*in*SFNM
Mon, 01/07/08

People are so fickle, it's scary. How would Edwards do? Oh, yeah, he is being completely ignored by the pollsters and MSM. They want to bury him. That should tell us something.

Kentucky is not likely a Dem pickup state anyway, is it?

Ed Schultz is saying that the Clinton campaign has now moved it's "fire wall" to Denver. This means a brokered convention.

How many of you Deaniac Dems are going to be there as delegates? Could this be where we take over the Party? I'm starting to get intersted again.

People..........for Gods sake...........the coiuntry is on war mode right now.........remember 1984? Geraldine Ferraro................lets wise up...........the Republican ticket of Mccain/Huckabee already smell blood in the water with Mr Compromise himself, Obama..................

Alice Cooper warned us in the 70s..........no more Mr Nice Guy...............I smell disaster

Indie of course I know there is no chance any of them would choose BB - but I love her (and think she's doing a fine job right now anyway)!  it's just wishful thinking - I would love our first female president to be much like her.

Indy.....

I don't think Edwards would pick Obama as VP. He also needs to pick someone with experience. Dean would be a good match for unity. Dean suggested we should support him after he dropped out. Of course Webb would be a good choice for any of them. Also, Barbara Boxer, or Maxine Waters, my favorite. i think Maxine has enough House terms under her belt to qualify for experienced.

....Convention....  Go to the mattresses!  LOL

39. Audrey...I don't either.

gotta' go. 

Linda*in*SFNM
Mon, 01/07/08

Thanks, Linda. Hadn't seen that one.

It isn't just that the MSM is covering trivialities, of course. They want to bury Edwards and his message about corporate control, disastrous economy,  ASAP. Sadly, it looks as if they may succeed. I just don't like the Obama hope/unity/compromise hype. It is either naive or dishonest and that doesn't cut it with me.

27.

Susan Rowe
btw, I thought it was the other way around, Obama did a

fundraiser for Senator Boxer....that was when he called her, "a cutie".

Linda*in*SFNM
Mon, 01/07/08
___________________________________________________________________________

Linda,

The way it works in this democracy is that the media picks the matchups..sorta like the best games of the NFL on the weekend..Obama, is the media darling.......guaranteed to bring in lots ov viewers...........the clasic matchup will be the minority canddiates who espouses hope and compromise(a sign of weakness if barked too much) agaainst probably the military darling, John Mccain or the Evangelical answer to the rapture himself, Huckabee..................

Michael Ellis
Mon, 01/07/08

And the alternative is to get behind a fighter like Edwards. I know that's tough for you, Mike. But what would you propose? Edwards numbers are rising as Clinton's fall. Don't know if there's enough time. And, there's SC and NV to get through.

 It is either naive or dishonest and that doesn't cut it with me.

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

Ahh, Indy..........these guys are politicians.........what do you expect?

Indy Steve
Mon, 01/07/08

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

You haven been reading my posts..........I have come to the conclusion, but will not vote ....that Edwards is the best overall candidate, with a Dodd maybe VP to take on Mccain/Huckabee.........

Some things I like about Obama..........some things I dont.  I dont support Edwards, but feel he is the best chance of winning in November.............

Michael Ellis
Mon, 01/07/08

Right. But it wouldn't work if people weren't so dam lazy and manipulated. Everyone is suddenly an "agent of change". LOL!

We should not be rewarding politicians who are openly dishonest or naive.

My view is that Obama has become a "vessel" that everyone can pour whatever they want into it. His speeches are so vague and full of platitudes (but sound grand) that leaves a lot of leeway to make him into whatever one wants.

This isn't to bash him; just to point out what his strategy is. Don't take unpopular stands, speak about convictions and principle and let others make up the rest.

I saw the aknowledged "ugliest man alive - except for Keith Richard" perform that song on Letterman a few years ago.

I would characterize Obama as a very likely winner in a matchup against any of the R's.

And the notion of white voters answering pollsters with "Yeah, I'd vote for a black candidate." - then doing the opposite in the voting booth. That notion was put to rest in Tennessee in '06 - where Harold Ford, Jr. did better on election day than he did in pre-election polls.

 Note: The previous statement is by NO means a complement from me about Harold "Mr. DLC" Ford.

5.

Annilow
Mon, 01/07/08

THIS IS HOWARD DEAN'S BLOG. HOWARD DEAN IS FIRST.

6.

* rdorgan
Mon, 01/07/08

5.
Annilow -
Amen to that.
(oh, btw, though you and I are usually on the same "side" [smile] on most issues on this blog here,...
--------------

...lol,

Well first of all that is NOT “HOWARD DEAN'S BLOG” but “Democracy for America blog” since long, long ago! And “Democracy” (the “real” one, of course), is not the mater of “ownership” by either Party or non-Party, or whatever else. It belongs to ALL and EVERY ONE of us!

Secondly, I’ve already said it here (at least) once that because of such a universal kind of ownership such a Democracy has NO LIMITS for enhancements and improvements.

One may confuse him/her-self very deeply when falling into believe that Party’s LABEL or any other LABEL has any MONOPOLY on the “real” Democracy. If that would be true the proper name for such a monopoly would be something close to fascism..., which may have many faces!

Yes, former, this blog belongs to all and each and everyohe of us, and we say it's Howard Dean's blog. That's the beauty of it.lol

These candidates are way more complicated than you give them credit for and probably the smartest policy wonks of the group, and they all have enough Democratic values to come through on most issues with a progressive Congress. It is really important to consolidate the gains of 06.

For the life of me I don't see why Clinton didn't shed the Bill team and run as her own self, but since she did not, her change argument, with Bill in the picture creates conflicting messages.

That leads me to believe Obama has the better political instincts since his team hasn't put him at odds with who he is as a person.

John Edwards is the most authentic in matching his values to his message, what dissonance there would be for Obama to articulate the "epic battle" line.

I'm with Mike, a McCain/Huckabee ticket would require the greatest of care in a