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IT'S A BIRD!.. IT'S A PLANE!... No!... IT'S.... "SUPER-DELEGATE!"
Linked to groups: Kingston Democracy for America
We've heard a lot lately about how significant the super delegates might be in determining the Democratic Pres nominee. A super delegates vote on the average, is the equivalent of 9,538 voters. Many of the super delegates are veterans of the "old school" wing of the Democratic party. The longer you have been an established figure in your party, the better for where you stand with these super delegates. Advantage...Sen Clinton. Hillary is the longer standing established figure.
Sen Obama has captivated his many supporters with his message of change. He wants to bring a new way for the political system to operate in Washington, that will cut through the partisan divide . Obama's campaign speaks of the need for a new direction in both Washington, and in the direction America has been heading over the past seven years under Bush. Sen Obama's message also calls for some much needed change in the "old school wing" of the Democratic party. This is the wing of the party that often goes to the middle ground, and always concedes to Bush in the end.
This Clinton/Obama horse race is going to remain neck and neck for some weeks to come. I would hate to see it come down to deals behind closed doors for delegates. I've noticed that the Primary wins for Sen Clinton have all been in states that are traditional Blue states. States where the Democratic candidate always wins in the general election. No real progress on the 2000 and 2004 Red/Blue State election map picture.
With his Primary and Caucus wins Obama has demonstrated that he can win in the North, South, East, and West. North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Alabama, and Georgia (whom Obama has already won) all voted Republican in the past two Pres elections or longer. The Obama appeal, combined with the radioactive label that accompanies today's Republican party, could turn some states from Red to Blue this time around. There will undoubtedly be more swing states in this election if he's the Democratic nominee. Swing states that could have swung a different final result in both 2000 and 2004
Obama's call for change has also reached a younger generation who appear to be turning out in record numbers. The Obama appeal has created a new voting bloc. A bloc that wasn't showing up on election night previously. His message of change and "yes we can" seems to have these new young voters fired up and ready to show up and vote for Obama. Many will be first time voters in 08. If this wave of new young Obama supporters does show up on election night, I think it will be next to impossible for 72 year old John McCain, representing a divided demoralized Republican party, to ever beat Obama. Great forecast if you're a Democrat!
With his ability to win in the South and in the Heartland, I have concluded that Obama will be the more electable candidate for 08. We need to win in 08 and we need a candidate who can win. I can think of no worse a scenario than a Democratic defeat in 08, and four more years of continued Bush policies (both domestic and foreign) under a 72 year old Pres John McCain.
Jeff Morris-Saugerties, N.Y.- DeJaVu57
Show: Expand All Reply
the obama speech at the richmond JJ is in 4 parts. I am not going to put all up because it might mess up the blog and for god's sake, we don't want that to happen.
12:23 PM EST
thanks linda b (and rich) for all your feedback yesterday regarding the Old Dominion turnout (nothing like firsthand experience)
It was quite exciting to have seen both candidates last weekend, I loved both of their speeches.
It was really hard to pick who to vote for.
I went with Obama. I think Bill Clinton has been a negative in her campaign.
He should have stayed home. I always liked Bill but enough is enough.
She is the candidate, not Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: Crystal Strait, Political Director, California Democratic Party
To: Susan Rowe
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 9:09 AM
Subject: Give Debra Bowen a "kiss"
The California Democratic Party
*ACTION ALERT*
Dear Susan,
On Valentine's Day, we're sending some love Debra Bowen's way. And by "some," we mean lots; and by "love," we mean chocolate.
Why? Because for months Secretary of State Bowen has been unfairly attacked for standing up for our voting rights, and things got particularly nasty last week. So now is the time to thank her and make sure she knows that we appreciate her courageous efforts on our behalf.
We know that giving chocolate to someone can mean a lot of things, from "I love you" to "Please take this away from me so I don't eat any more." So we put together a petition to go with the chocolate that explains what we're up to.
Since Friday, over 3,000 people have signed it. And for every signature we get on the petition before we deliver it tomorrow, we'll give Secretary of State Bowen a chocolate "kiss" to go along with it.
Take a moment to sign our petition, and we'll send a little bit of love Debra Bowen's way on your behalf.
http://www.cadem.org/petition
Why is it so important for us to Stand up for Debra Bowen right now?
When Debra Bowen campaigned in 2006 on a platform of election integrity, she promised voters throughout the state of California that she would do everything she could to make sure that their ballots were counted accurately. And that's just what she's done.
To ensure election integrity, Bowen sent electronic voting machines out last summer for a top-to-bottom review at UC. Shockingly, the Diebold and Sequoia machines used in California failed that test. Engineers were able to hack into machines used in 43 out of 58 counties and change the results without being detected.
So what did Debra Bowen do? She did exactly what we elected her to do. She promptly decertified the faulty equipment.
Debra Bowen put her political career on the line to stand up for fairness and the principle that every vote should be counted. As a result of her brave decision, Bowen has received non-stop criticism from Republicans and other Diebold apologists.
That's why it's so important for each one of us to stand up against the people who would corrupt our elections and send some love (and a "kiss") to Debra Bowen.
So sign our petition. It reads:
"Thank you for the courage you have shown in standing up to the electronic voting machine corporations to make sure that our elections are secure and that each one of our votes is counted accurately.
"We know that you have bravely fought to protect the integrity of our votes, and we want you to know that you're not standing alone. Don't back down. We're proud of you and we're standing behind you!"
It's not too late for you to sign onto the petition right now and add another "kiss" for Debra Bowen.
Sincerely,
Crystal Strait
Political Director
P.S. Don't forget to pass the message along to your friends. Ask them to Stand up for Debra Bowen and give her a "kiss"!
a comment about super delegates
if pledged delegates take 10,000 votes to earn, how many do you think your average Congresscritter superdelegate took to earn?, mayor? U.S. Senator?
do you really think Howard Dean hasn't earned a vote running the DNC?
or the State Chair of any State won an election and represents hundreds of thousands?
here in Iowa the DNC spot at the state convention is selected by a competitive vote of duly elected, then re-elected delegates that represent thousands each and there are 2000 of them, in other words they represent the same people that allocated the pledged delegates, and have the consent of their vote
one of the reasons to not have all pledged delegates is that candidates drop out, so in effect making super delegates out of all of their elected pledged delegates, should the supporters of a failed candidate break a tie any more than a US Senator, or the people that keep the Party going from one cycle to the next so it is available as a structure for the candidates?
no delegates are bound anyway, they are all super-delegates, each and every one
thanks linda b for the video
you might want to run for the DNC slot in Virginia, you are super enough to be a super delegate
One thing we might want to keep in mind is that professional politicians and our commercial class have, in many cases, accepted failure as a viable option in life. I don't think most ordinary folk think that way. They don't vote for someone because they expect him to fail in the long run.
Voting for something in the expectation that it is going to fail is a pernicious habit.
from americablog
If you need more evidence of which side is fired up, look at the results from Virginia. 972,633 Democrats voted in Virginia. Compare that to 473,500 Republicans. More than twice as many Democrats went to the polls in a state that is turning bluer by the day. And, Obama received almost 620,000 votes -- almost 150,000 more than all the Republicans combined.
over a half million more dems than rethugs.
1:03 PM EST
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080213/NEWS01/302130097
Ohio GOP rooting for ClintonBY HOWARD WILKINSON | HWILKINSON@ENQUIRER.COMOne of the worst-kept secrets of the Ohio presidential primary is that Republican party leaders have a candidate they are rooting for on the Democratic side.
Her name is Hillary Clinton; and they believe that if she wins the Ohio primary and goes on to become the Democratic nominee, she will be the one who unites their dispirited and divided party and give them their best chance of keeping the White House this fall.
...
One thing we might want to keep in mind is that professional politicians and our commercial class have, in many cases, accepted failure as a viable option in life.
~~~~~~~~~~~
elections are either/or decisions and there is always a "loser" for every "winner" which should lead politicians as a class to be able to except failure half the time on average
might have something to do with it
The 50 state strategy is all fine and good, but why was it even necessary? How did it come about that the citizens of some states were considered insignificant? Why did the "new' Democrats write off the south? Because LBJ said the south was lost? That's a justification? More likely northern Democrats were glad not to have to worry about that part of the country.
There's a difference between trying one's best and not coming out on top and planning to fail.
As a former Edwards supporter I can say that his endorsement one way or the other wouldn't mean much to me.
At this point I think it's a reasonable bet that Barack Obama is our nominee. At least we could say, the presumptive nominee, for now.
I hope and assume that his team is preparing for the right-wing attack that is inevitable. I've been lurking at a few of their sites and it's not a pretty picture.
mho: They'll pull some sort of Willie Horton on him since he has had the courage to stand up for prison and penal code reform. They'll twist that up.
They'll, of course, say he's not ready to be CiC (their blogs are full of that one already). They will focus group this msg to the nth degree and work it into anti-Obama sound bites.
When they get really desperate they'll dredge up someone who alledgedly did coke w/Obama in his college days and try to portray him as debauched or something.
So far, Barack has a dream team...let's help him keep it going. One small step is to 100% ignore freeper statman/foxmulder.
*dorgan--So, what you're saying is that Ohio Republicans are voting for Clinton because they expect her to ultimately be rejected at the ballot box. What an underhanded attitude. If that's what Ohioans are about, they should be ashamed of themselves. And such upstanding Christians they are too!
But, then, our neighbor across the road is from Ohio. He's the fellow who was so proud that he made a profit off the insurance every time one of his kids wrecked another car.
being a candidate is an expensive personal sacrifice, just in the opportunity cost of time spent running, even if there was public financing
running a party takes bucks at every level
the whole targeting phenomena is simply an extension of a need for frugality since there is never quite enough resources
progressives have decided to put their money where their mouth is, hence the fifty state plan
but we have to pony up
1:17 PM EST
Monica
Ohio -- after what there in 2004 (long lines of dems disenfranchised, standing out in the rain at 2 am, on gen election day) -- does not give me much encouragement about that state. It has been in the repub column so long, that I don't trust them.
Monica Smith
Wed, 02/13/08
I'll weigh in here. It's not that some citizens were considered insignificant. It's that funds and resources are limited. To put them into Districts where the chances were low means they are not available in other Districts. It's a matter of priority.
Of course, there is a return to putting time/effort/funds into a 50 state strategy because it engages people and they will feel a part of the party (if it's open and inclusive). That may result in greater funds/resources coming in, not less.
Whether a 50 state strategy will result in a more progressive Dem party is debatable. From living in a red state and running for office, I feel it is more likely it will shift toward the right even more. Like in Indiana, we will be electing even more "bluedogs" from those Districts.
Yes, we'll widen our majority but we might strengthen the DLC side and weaken progressives as more Dems will be in that swing vote position. This is something that MUST be considered if you want a more progressive nation. If we are dissatisfied with the Dems in Congress now, successful elections might be even less progressive.
Donna Edwards is a bright light in taking out a DINO last night. But that was NOT a conservative district.
1:20 PM EST
typo - Ohio -- after what there in 2004
s/b - Ohio -- after what happened there in 2004
I have always been a supporter of Gov. Dean's 50-state plan simply because it seems wrong to cede a state.....giving up without even trying, in other words.
However, I think he is overreaching in Michigan and Florida and I think it will backfire on him and I would hold this position regardless of who was ahead in the race.
What this MI and FL and all over the country pressure for earlier primaries tells me is that people are tired of the Iowa/NH first status quo. We need to change the schedule so that everyone feels invested and counted. As much as I personally would really miss the first-hand telling from folks like Phil who get to spend significant one-on-one time with candidates ....retail politicking in these smaller states, I think the time for change has come.
I'd live to see Gov. Dean in charge of such a change. I would trust him to do a fair and square job.
But again, I think he really shouldn't be telling two states that their delegates won't count. That just doesn't feel right to me.
<>if pledged delegates take 10,000 votes to earn, how many do you think your average Congresscritter superdelegate took to earn?, mayor? U.S. Senator?
<>Phil is democracy-challenged. He'll never stop believing that elected officials and party hacks deserve the privileges of power to order things as they will for our good in spite of our will.
And no, I don't think Howard Dean deserves a vote at the convention since not one person voted for him to be a delegate in any primary or caucus.
"Whether a 50 state strategy will result in a more progressive Dem party is debatable. From living in a red state and running for office, I feel it is more likely it will shift toward the right even more. Like in Indiana, we will be electing even more "bluedogs" from those Districts."<<<<
Indy, interesting. I said up (or maybe it's downthread by now, lol) that I support because it just "feels right"...or feels wrong to simply give up on certain states. Truth is, we have nothing evidence-based yet (quantitative) to tell us that it is working. But that we are fighting the battle in all states seems right to me. You've given me food for thought with your comments, though. I'm glad you're here:)
Shameless pimping:
Of Infragard - on the surface it looks like a good thing; underneath is looks real scary. Guess it depends on whether or not you think the 'government' is a good thing?
Quote from Wiki:
In early 2008, the journal The Progressive claimed that there were 86 chapters and 23,000 InfraGard members in various businesses involved in critical infrastructure in the United States, and that several InfraGard members had stated that they had been told that in the event of martial law being declared in the United States, the InfraGard members would have the right to "shoot to kill" and would not be prosecuted for this.[1] Blogger Jim Lippard stated in his blog that he has been a "member of the Phoenix InfraGard Members Alliance for years" and denied the "shoot to kill" authorisation, stating that 'InfraGard members get no special "shoot to kill" or law enforcement powers of any kind'.[2]
Wiki link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infragard
and Infragard
http://www.infragard.net/
I think it smacks so of Big Brother.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
More pimping - Of cute beagle champions and homeless pets - Pedigree's matching our donations to a homeless pet fund:
http://www.dogsrule.com
for donation form:
https://secure3.convio.net/tpadf/site/Do...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I may get in trouble for this one -- beautiful paintings, buckles for your shoes, and more!
http://web.mac.com/maxonmagicalimages/iW...
With all the good news and wins by Obama, I hope they are still running as if they are behind. The Clintons and their top staff will NOT give up for sure. They have two weeks to work the system and we're going to see a lot more of "leaked" slams that the MSM will now be willing ot pick up, since Obama is the "frontrunner".
I suppose, Indy, that it depends somewhat on how you define progressive. If what we're moving towards is greater equality and more citzen participation in the affairs of state, then, other than having to print up more ballots, I don't see how it's a resource issue.
And if people prefer not to be helpful to their neighbors, that's a risk we have to take. If people have a choice, they also have a right to choose to be selfish.
Her name is Hillary Clinton; and they believe that if she wins the Ohio primary and goes on to become the Democratic nominee, she will be the one who unites their dispirited and divided party and give them their best chance of keeping the White House this fall.<<<<<<<<<<<<
If there was a grain of truth to that despicable quote then we should all be supporting Hillary to our last breath. It isn't true. From the perspective of those Repugs whose minds are twisted in the way the post implies....they'll be happy to unite against a n*gger.....they would feel as righteous about that as they would a woman.
20. underneath is looks s/b underneath it looks
and you are no better, rd, than the slime that you quote when you attempt to use their sickness to promote your candidate. You are, without question, Barack Obama's worst supporter. If he knew how you roll he'd ask you to simply vote for him and STFU.
sheezus.
One thing that seems to be happening here in WA states is that a WHOLE bunch of young folk turned up to caucus (for the first time in 8 years) for Obama, yet none wanted the responsibility of being a delegate. All the delegates for him were the older people. So what happens after the caucus, they all go back to ignoring the state of our country? And let all of us work horses carry the load as usual?
And no, I don't think Howard Dean deserves a vote at the convention since not one person voted for him to be a delegate in any primary or caucus.<<<<<
Who suggested this?
Scroll down a little for a Clinton TV spot in WI criticizing Obama for lack of a debate:
http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/200...
Puerto Rico's Governor endorses Barack:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/200...
I actually think Hillary is done/toast. Very hard to break the kind of momentum that Barack has. If she does squeak out a win in Ohio, PA and any other state that has been hit hard economically it will be because they are responding to her plank and policies.....not because someone on her opponent's side dreamed up a conspiracy theory that the evil repugs gave her Ohio.
Give it a rest.
Monica Smith
Wed, 02/13/08
The 50 state strategy is more than just printing ballots. It is about the DNC giving staff/funds to state dems that usually don't see it. And it's about running Dems even in the most difficult Districts and giving them some funds (at least startup) to boost their candidacy.
I'm not sure how this all works out for progressive issues (which to me is much more than civic participation). heck, monica, the far right has been great at getting more "civic participation" from people who tended to stay non-political. So Progressive has to go far beyond that basic.
The question of whether progressive values and candidates who espouse them can win in more Conservative Districts where they will be seen as insurgents by the status quo dem party (like Mark Pera losing in South Chicago) is yet to be answered. Donna Edwards is an example as is Carol Shea-Porter. But I'm still waiting to see someone like Barry Welsh in IN-06 get support and win. He has been neglected by all traditional Dem groups. yet he got 40% in a VERY conservative District in Southern Indiana.
But again, I think he really shouldn't be telling two states that their delegates won't count. That just doesn't feel right to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Agree with most of the post, cC, but. . . . The Party is made up of state parties, the state party delegates elected Howard, and the "Rules Committee" AND agree to abide by the rules. Same as when you go to a grocery store, you agree to abide by *their* rules. Some lines are for peeps with fewer items. When the one who does not wish to wait, despite the fact s/he doesn't have the smaller count, and pushes into the wrong line, doesn't it piss you off? Does me. *I'm* playing by the rules, and everyone in the game should, too. No difference. FL and MI want the goodies of being Dems (the peeps involved are free to register as their own, whatever, party), but want the privilege of writing their own rules. Excuse me, but I say: Screw that! Just me.
1:46 PM EST
looks like Ed Rendell is clueless about how many whites are voting for Obama:
http://wearecentralpa.com/content/fulltext/?cid=5195
Rendell Comments on Obama Reported by: Tony DeGolWednesday, Feb 13, 2008 @01:37pm EST
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's Democratic governor says some white Pennsylvanians are likely to vote against Barack Obama because he's black. Governor Ed Rendell is a key backer of Obama's rival Hillary Clinton.
The governor told the editorial board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that some "conservative whites" are "probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate." ...Several figures in Clinton's campaign, including her husband, have been criticized in recent weeks for raising Obama's race.
Pennsylvania holds its primary April 22nd.
"Why did the "new' Democrats write off the south? <<<<<
Because we lost the south by supporting (appropriately) the civil rights movement.
"Because LBJ said the south was lost? "<<<<<<
Yes, he said it. He was prescient on that one. These are facts, Monica. Supported by data and not debatable by semantic acrobatics.
Mz*Little
Wed, 02/13/08
yeah, I heard that too. Let's hope they at least show up to vote in the General election in the Fall. Bringing in new people is unpredictable, but exciting nonetheless.
"Some lines are for peeps with fewer items. When the one who does not wish to wait, despite the fact s/he doesn't have the smaller count, and pushes into the wrong line, doesn't it piss you off? Does me. *I'm* playing by the rules, and everyone in the game should, too. No difference."<<<<<<<
You make a good point, puddle.....and yes, it really p!sses me off when people sneak into the express line!
1:51 PM EST
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-brandzel/why-john-edwards-believer_b_86333.html
Ben Brandzel
Why John Edwards Believers Should Support Barack ObamaPosted February 12, 2008 | 09:14 PM (EST)
Can We Still Build One America? Yes We Can
(Note: I was the former Director of Online Engagement for John Edwards for President. The following reflects only the personal views of the author, and in no way represents the views of John Edwards, his campaign, nor anyone else currently or formerly affiliated with his campaign.)
The first time I spoke to John Edwards about joining his campaign, I mentioned the Wellstone quote that's in my email signature, 'Politics isn't about big money or power games; it's about the improvement of people's lives.' His voice brightened considerably. "That, right there," he said, "is the point of this campaign." I believed him. I gave up everything and moved to Chapel Hill. And that remained the point of our campaign for One America through the very end.
Now I, like many Edwards people, face a choice we never wanted, but we cannot ignore. We must decide after John, which remaining candidate is the best bet to finish what we started -- making real improvements in the lives of the people who really need it?
After many conversations, comparisons, and soul searching, my personal answer, and my advice to other Edwards believers wrestling with the same question, is Barack Obama. Here's why:
...
The Movement
If the candidate's commitment and record tell us who is most willing, how can we evaluate who is most able? From where I sit, both Hillary and Obama appear to be both highly intelligent, competent people. But as John Edwards so often reminded us, no president can end poverty on their own. Transformational change of that magnitude requires an equally large movement of people fighting to make it happen. So who is building that movement?
Again, I'm a web guy. If you look at the numbers, they both have passionate grassroots support, but the difference is clear. Obama supporters have created 9x more local groups, 10x more national groups, and 15x more personal blogs. Obama's web traffic, donors, and online to offline volunteers smash all records. And I can tell you, there's no technology or trick to generate that kind of energy -- it just has to be real.
But this goes beyond the numbers, and yes, far beyond the web. After all, Barack Obama isn't John Edwards, and I can't know if he'll actually put ending poverty at the top of his agenda. But by inspiring millions of people to believe in their own power to create change, I do know his campaign is laying the groundwork for those of us who will.
The Future
We always thought of winning the presidency as merely the first step in a generational effort to build One America -- and so it remains. We must keep speaking out, organizing, and fighting at every opportunity -- in every town hall, statehouse, Congressional house and the Whitehouse until poverty is history and the dream of One America becomes reality.
And right now, I believe we have to pick our best hope for a president who will be a partner in that effort. If Hillary is nominated she will deserve our vigorous support. But because of his commitment, his record, and his unique ability to swell our ranks with people fired up and ready to begin the struggle of a lifetime, I believe Barack Obama is that best hope.
So, can we still build One America? Yes. Yes we can.
How many of you are going to Democracyfest? I am. See you all there I hope.
1:55 PM EST
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CmkF#comments
Obama leads pledged delegate count by 136 delegatesBy Sam Graham-Felsen - Feb 13th, 2008 at 1:20 pm EST
CommentsObama currently leads the pledged delegate count by 136 delegates - 1139 for Obama – 1003 for Clinton...
- After sweeping the past eight contests by large margins, it now appears that Senator Obama has an insurmountable lead in pledged delegates. Senator Clinton would have to get 56% of all the remaining delegates in all contests in order to take a pledged delegate lead. This appears extraordinarily unlikely given the history of contests so far.
- From February 5th through today, there have been 30 primaries and caucuses and the results are clear. Barack Obama has won 21 of those elections while Senator Clinton has won 8 with New Mexico still undetermined. In total, there have been 34 elections and Senator Obama has won 23, winning more than two out of every three contests. Obama is also ahead in the popular vote by 52-48%.
- Senator Obama has won landslide victories from Maine to Washington State, and from Maryland to Nebraska. In Virginia, Kansas, and North Dakota, Senator Obama won more votes than all the Republicans on the ballot combined, demonstrating the grassroots excitement of his candidacy and his ability to appeal to Republicans and Independents.
- Barack Obama continues to dominate among Independent voters. Continuing a trend, Senator Obama won 2-1 among Independents in Virginia (66-33%) and Maryland (68-24%), which is driving his lead over John McCain in general election polls. Senator Clinton’s weakness among Independents is her critical weakness versus Senator McCain in the general election.
- Senator Obama has won big states and small states, red states, blue states, and swing states. Senator Obama has won 12 primaries, while Senator Clinton has won 9. Senator Obama has won 11 caucuses to Senator Clinton’s 2.
- Senator Obama has won states across this country by appealing to Americans of all races, religions, and education and income levels. He has won the Hispanic vote in 5 states (CT, VA, MD, IL IA). Senator Obama has also won the women’s vote in 16 contests (IA, SC, AL, DE, GA, IL, MO, UT, LA, MD, VA, KS, AK, ID, Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia), while Senator Clinton has won the women’s vote in 11.
- On Monday, two polls confirmed what a Time poll recently showed – Senator Obama is the candidate best suited to win Independents, play well in Red States, and beat John McCain in November. A USA Today/Gallup poll showed Senator Obama defeating Senator McCain, and Senator Clinton losing to Senator McCain; and an AP/IPSOS poll showed Senator Obama beating Senator McCain by a wide margin and Senator Clinton edging out Senator McCain by a razor-thin margin.
...
Wed, 02/13/08
Reply to this
And no, I don't think Howard Dean deserves a vote at the convention since not one person voted for him to be a delegate in any primary or caucus.<<<<<
Who suggested this?
did you know that clinton campaign manager terry mcawful is a super, also donna brazzille.
Looking at recent history, it seems the only times we get an opportunity to run a progressive in a "red" district is when it is seen by the establishment of the party as unwinnable. Then, if in spite of starting far behind, without support from the national (or often state) parties and a history in the district of voting for the GOP, the progressive exceeds expectations, the establishment will find their own candidate to plug into that district (see TX-22 for one example) and the progressive won't get the chance to build on his or her momentum from the first run.
Those who toe the line of the major contributors aren't going to give up by our asking nicely.
And the Doc may be first, and all, but just once I'd like to get an email from the party that wasn't an excuse to ask for another contribution!
The other thing on 50-state strategy is that DNC gives staff and funds to existing state Dem parties which in red states are far from progressive.
So without requiring any reforms, is it just enabling DLC-types to field candidates who will vote to the right? I raise this as a question because it is a possiblity rather than just being a booster of the 50 state strategy.
BTW, I voted for John Edwards. He was still on the ballot, and to vote for one of the remaining two would really have been voting against the other guy (or gal). I doubt I'll do that in November, unless they really piss me off, but in a party primary, I'm comfortable voting for who I support.
Now that I think of it, I should have written in Russ Feingold.
rich^kolker
Wed, 02/13/08
Yes, that is exactly what I'm raising too. Another example is Cegelis in Chicago and John Laesch who ran a decent campaign against Hastert in 06 and now appears to have been beaten by a DCCC-supported candidate.
Donna Edwards is a positive exception to that disturbing trend. I will not be a money patsy for the DNC if they haven't thought this through.
I'm going to DemocracyFest. Since I live 10 minutes from the hotel, I'll even volunteer to put together the restaurant guide!
2:07 PM EST
http://www.examiner.com/a-1218435~Obama_Proposes__210_Billion_for_New_Jobs.html
Obama Proposes $210 Billion for New Jobs
Feb 13, 2008 1:51 PM (14 mins ago) By NEDRA PICKLER, APWASHINGTON (Map, News) - Democrat Barack Obama said Wednesday that as president he would spend $210 billion to create jobs in construction and environmental industries, as he tried to win over economically struggling voters.
...
Obama heads into Tuesday's Wisconsin primary as the favorite in the state and the front-runner for the nomination. His victories this week in eight contests have put him ahead of rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in the delegate chase.
But Obama did not pursue the front-runner strategy of ignoring rivals. He repeatedly criticized Clinton in an effort to beat back the challenge she still poses to him.
He tied her to likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain for their shared vote to authorize the war in Iraq.
...
Combining exit polls from 19 states that had competitive Democratic primaries before Tuesday, Clinton had a 49 percent to 46 percent edge over Obama with voters who named the economy as the No. 1 problem.
But Obama seemed to be turning that around in his most recent victories Tuesday. In Virginia and Maryland, Obama dominated among the one-half of Democratic voters who named the economy as their chief concern. In both states, about six in 10 Democrats who cited the economy voted for Obama.
from the end of the previous thread
47.
Susan Rowe
Wed, 02/13/08
Reply to this
35.
mary vb
Wed, 02/13/08
After Mr. Edwards promised to stay in the race all the way to the convention and our local newspaper endorsed him. I sent my vote by mail ballot in early and endorsed him. A lot of Edwards' supporters in California did the same. At this point I could careless if Edwards endorses anybody. His word is meaningless to me. The hack lost all his creditability with me. I feel sorry for Elizabeth.
On election day I made as many calls and went out to get out the vote for Obama. One person I spoke to on election called his wife and she got their whole network of folks to vote for Obama. It was around 60 votes.
btw, John Edwards should have shaved his head for Elizabeth and every other women who has ever gone through breast cancer. Trippi is as loser. It's not good for political hacks and there pets to lie by making false promises to honest working people and the poor.

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By Thankful2Thankful4Dean on Feb 13, 2008 12:55 PM ESTDeans are first.
Thank you Howard Dean for the 50-state strategy!
12:11 pm est