Dean is first!

Howard is first..or maybe 10th.

"It was their own idea to run. Nobody makes that decision for any candidate." 

Certainly, that's true in HC's case.  I'm not sure about BO, but prolly also true.   But, what I didn't ask was,  who's idea was it to narrow the field to these two?

Please don't answer the voters.   That would be the illusion perpetrated.  That's what we're supposed to think and believe.

I don't think we know the tenth of it.

I'm hopeful s/o will beat McC but I'm not placing bets. 

**********************

To ask HC to leave the race is undemocratic.  How would it sound if people asked BO to agree to being second on the ticket in order to unite the party?  I think we need both on the ticket if the dems are to beat McC.  Also, I think HC could swallow her pride and agree to be VP.  But they both need to do something.

What would be so bad about a co-presidency as a solution?  We really need to think outside the box this time.

Is it time for a Parliament? 

Great Post Seashell.

You're the voice of reason

Says it all, don't it?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-scheer/everything-his-president_b_95757.html

General Betrayus?

You Bet!

General Betray Us? Of course he has. MoveOn.org can hardly be expected to recycle its slogan from last September, when Gen. David Petraeus testified in support of escalating the U.S. war in Iraq, given the hysterical denunciations that worthy group received at the time. But it was right then -- as it would be to repeat the charge now.

By undercutting the widespread support for getting out of Iraq, Petraeus did indeed betray the American public, siding with an enormously unpopular president who wants to stay the course in Iraq for personal and political reasons that run contrary to genuine national security interests. Once again, the president is passing the buck to the uniformed military to justify continuing a ludicrous imperial adventure, and the good general has dutifully performed.

So why are we surprised? Why do we expect the generals to lead us on the path to peace when that is the professional task of statesmen and not warriors? It is an abdication of civilian control of the military, the basic principle of American constitutional governance, to assign a central role to an active duty general to make the decision to end the war. It betrays the legacy warnings of our two most famous wartime generals, George Washington and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

6:43 pm

If the voters *didn't*, we might as well all pack up and go home, because Howard was wrong.

WHO THE HELL'S MARK PENN?

http://www.observer.com/2008/day-one-take-two

Before Mr. Penn was officially stripped of his title as chief strategist on the evening of April 6, he was the one aide with an effective veto over the message-related and tactical ideas of other top advisers, several Clinton staffers said in interviews. Now, they say, he is relegated, at best, to co-equal status with all the other aides called upon regularly to offer their two cents.

“He’s just a voice among many voices, and that’s not a bad thing for the campaign,” explained one of the few remaining Penn sympathizers within the campaign.

For what seems to be a very heavy majority of Clinton supporters and staffers, Mr. Penn’s public dressing-down was cause for unalloyed joy—a clean end to an era in which a man they loathed, professionally and personally, had free reign over the public direction of the presidential bid.

A great article about the CIA and the institutional lieing that went on. The lieing continues today.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/04070...

[snip]
“While serving as deputy director for intelligence from 1982 to 1986, Gates wrote the manual for manipulating and centralizing the intelligence process to get the desired intelligence product,” Goodman wrote.

Gates promoted pliable CIA careerists to top positions, while analysts with an independent streak were sidelined or pushed out of the agency.

“In the mid-1980s, the three senior [Soviet division] office managers who actually anticipated the decline of the Soviet Union and Moscow’s interest in closer relations with the United States were demoted,” Goodman wrote, noting that he was one of them.

“All understood the weakness of the Soviet Union, but were removed from their managerial responsibilities by the director of the Soviet office, Douglas MacEachin, under the orders of the deputy director of intelligence, Bob Gates.”

Forget about HC and BO forming a joint ticket. It will never happen. Neither would take the second slot for the other. Besides, two Senate seats are lost and if nothing else changes, gives the Senate back to Repubs.

Each will reach out to someone else.

Daschle was mentioned as a BO VP possibility yesterday...he is a lobbiest which may not be the best resume for the job.

How would it sound if people asked BO to agree to being second on the ticket in order to unite the party?

Almost as silly as when some people asked him to agree to being Edwards' running mate. 

seashell

Nobody but a few responsible Dems are asking Hillary Clinton to leave the race.

Honestly, your posts are all so repetitious, I am just going to scroll them from now on.

Just as most bloggers thought at the time, a federal investigation has concluded that Sen. Joseph Lieberman's 2006 campaign staff "was to blame for the crash of its Web site the day before Connecticut's heated Aug. 8 Democratic primary," the Stamford Advocate reports.

"The FBI office in New Haven found no evidence supporting the Lieberman campaign's allegations that supporters of primary challenger Ned Lamont of Greenwich were to blame for the Web site crash."

^Political Wire^ 

Howard Dean will be on the Tavis  Smiley show tonight if you care to stay up. It's on at 12 midnight here EDT.

Unbelievable......

I know I'm delirious now, because Rep. Tom Tancredo just asked if there are MS-13 gangs within the military, who are using their Iraq training when they come home to pursue their "illegal activity." This cannot be happening.

 "I'm not aware of a problem with gangs, and that's something I'll have to check on," Petraeus said, before swiftly moving on.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is asking about the Sons of Iraq. No problems with them! Not like they're going to eventually war with the Shiites! The Sons of Iraq are all about "enlightened self interest," he said.

 Petraeus really liked that. "It is the result of enlightened self-interest!" Petraeus said. "They ruined business on the Euphrates River Valley!" He added that they're "a lot like the guys we see on The Sopranos," but he meant that they "all have a trucking company, an import-export business" -- not that they're, you know, murderers.

Some white-haired shmuck named Mike Pence from Indiana tried to make an issue out of Barack Obama's audacious idea that one should talk with one's adversaries. He wants to make this an outrage, using Obama by name, but Crocker said he'd welcome further talks. Except.

 "Have those talks produced any results... any concessions whatsoever?" he asked. "To be perfectly frank," Crocker said, the answer is no. Crocker better hope Obama doesn't get elected, because if so, his next assignment is going to be Special Envoy to Getyoukilledistan.

7:30 PM EDT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080409/ts_alt_afp/usvoteobamaunion_080409210659

US postal workers union endorses Obama

2 hours, 24 minutes ago

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2008 (AFP) - US Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama on Wednesday won the endorsement of the country's largest postal workers union in a fresh boost to his 2008 nomination race against rival Hillary Clinton.

...

The union represents more than 300,000 postal employees and retirees.

The support follows last week's endorsement of Obama by the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees.

The Illinois senator also enjoys the support of the five-million-member Change to Win, a national affiliation of seven unions including the powerful Teamsters Union and the Service Employees International Union.

...

7:40 PM EDT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080409/pl_nm/usa_politics_obama_china_dc_1

Obama says Bush should consider boycotting Olympic ceremony

29 minutes ago

LEVITTOWN, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - President George W. Bush should boycott the opening ceremony of the Olympics if China does not take steps to help stop genocide in Darfur and improve human rights in Tibet.

...

Maybe it's time to ask,  "we have the power to do what?"

Voting hasn't been working well in the last few elections....in fact, we didn't exhibit that we have the power.  Quite the opposite.

So do we have the power to elect a black man, a woman?  Maybe, but then what?  What real power do we have  if our critters don't vote our wills and our presidents go off and destroy our civil rights. 

Here's what BO should do right now.  He needs to publish his short list on his website and then let people vote on who WE want....and then listen to us.  SW would be scratched off very quickly by most thinking dems.  Perhaps only registered dems could be allowed to vote.  I don't know how to set it up, but it certainly then gives us SOME power.

And HC should dump Bill, yesterday. 

Obama says Bush should consider boycotting Olympic ceremony.

rdorgan, Hillary said this 2 days ago and she didn't use the word consider.  Your bias is really very strong.  Would it threaten any of you BO people to give credit to HC when due?

We're seeing how BO would govern....

We're seeing how BO would govern....

-------
We're also seeing how HC would run the country and it aint pretty. If she can't run a bloody primary campaign - we're all sunk.

Obama needs to hold his VP short list close to his vest so as not to give McCain an inside track on how to counter it, but he needs to win the nomination first. 

I'd rather than the thought of a boycott could be used to get actual cooperation in Darfur.

The spouse recommends, "DAVE"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106673/trailers-screenplay-E12768-310 

The evening news said that Bill Clinton had been paid $800,000 by the people who favor the Colombian trade deal.  She said, "We disagree on that."

ABC also had a segment on how many high level people met to discuss the specifics of torture (enhanced interrogation)  Ashcroft said they shouldn't be discussing such things but Tenet wanted to make sure his people were covered. 

Dave's wife, who hates him, is played by Sigorney Weaver.

I disagree with Eliz. Edwards about who has the better health plan. Please read this diary about a blogger who does as well.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4...

The evening news said that Bill Clinton had been paid $800,000 by the people who favor the Colombian trade deal. She said, "We disagree on that."
------
That 800K was partially responsible for helping Clinton loan her campaign 5MM bucks. It stinks.

8:19 PM EDT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080409/pl_nm/usa_politics_pennsylvania_dc_1

Obama takes aim at knockout blow in Pennsylvania

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

Wed Apr 9, 11:57 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barack Obama is gaining ground on Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, moving within range of an April 22 upset that could end the hard-fought Democratic presidential race months earlier than expected.

...

PETRAEUS HAS TIME TO WATCH TV??????

Hi Again,

For me, Obama is the best candidate.  I didn't know anything about him, so I hoped Al Gore would run.  The fact of the matter is that Al Gore ran a poor campaign in 2000.  He was tentative, allowed people to define him, and he had the almost impossible task of distancing himself from the Clintons who frankly deserved no sympathy.  They did him dirty.

When Al Gore said that he didn't want to politicize the global warming issue, felt that he didn't campaign very well, I take him at his word.  He's an honorable, honest, brilliant, good man.  Frankly, he doesn't deserve the kinds of treatment he had at the hands of the Clintons.  Already, Al Gore has more than served the country well.

Howard Dean will very likely never be president.  He was branded by the media, and John and Jean Q Public don't know enough to refute the propaganda.  I am so grateful to Dean for his diligence, intelligence, and commitment.  But, it's not likely he will even help any ticket as vice president.

Reading about Barack Obama and watching and listening to him, I have no doubt that he is the best candidate to come along since Reagan's devastating onslaught.  But, for those who are not interested, not convinced, I know of no way to convince people.  I see that the objections to him are mostly ignorance, prejudice, name callingg, off the wall predicitons.  Too bad. 

As a column in Newsweek related, every president is an unknown.  We don't really know what will happen.  But, all these demands that Obama sound like an angry teenager threatening, stating ultimatums, simply tells me that the persons calling for this know absolutely nothing about politics. just my opinion. 

John Edwards had the best health care plan. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. and I pay over $1000 a month for my insurance and am not going to feel sorry for someone complaining about paying $2000 a year. 

Pat in CO - Thanks again for being the voice of reason. I enjoy reading your points of view and typically agree with them!

Nite folks - off to get my lad from lacrosse.

Obama is good enough to beat McCain that's for sure.

I presonally think that boycotting the opening ceremony is a disservice to the athletes - that's THEIR day, not China's.  folks can boycott the rest of the events, but I think we would all do well to join in welcoming the athletes on that day.

hi Pat - great post! 

and I do not think Obama should announce a VP until he has the nom and I would be very, very disappointed if he chose a corporate whore like Hillary Clinton.  he can and should do a lot better than that.  jmo

rdorgan, Hillary said this 2 days ago and she didn't use the word consider.  Your bias is really very strong.  Would it threaten any of you BO people to give credit to HC when due?

We're seeing how BO would govern....

~~~~~~~~ goodness, yes, rdorgan - we daren't post anything Obama says on this blog because IF someone else might hold that same opinion and have said it BEFORE he did, well that makes us biased for reporting on what he said.  even if we have already discussed what she said, when she said it.  do you understand?  no? well, never mind, then..... neither do I. 

Was anyone watching any of the Olympic torch coverage in SF? It was tragic but mostly hilarious. The guys on BBC World News were the best with that dry Brit wit. Talking about the torch being at an undisclosed location and such. I do think it will come back to bite us in the b*** since China has all our money and money is power and we have committed the ultimate sin of making them lose face.

The other item of note on the news was on Blitzer believe about 6:30 when he has Cafferty et al on as pundits. There was a brief segment about Condi's workout regimen - how she gets up at 4:30 each day to exercise for an hour and a half. And there was some poll in upstate NY that had the Repugs (McCain/Rice) beating the H out of both Clinton AND Obama. The woman terrifies me. Oh, and Cafferty made the same comment I did yesterday -- what she's very good at is having her picture taken. I'm telling you folks if she becomes their Veep candidate all bets are off and I will be moving to an undisclosed location myself.

re: Obama says Bush should consider boycotting Olympic ceremony.

rdorgan, Hillary said this 2 days ago and she didn't use the word consider.  Your bias is really very strong.  Would it threaten any of you BO people to give credit to HC when due?

We're seeing how BO would govern....

~~~~~~~~ goodness, yes, rdorgan - we daren't post anything Obama says on this blog because IF someone else might hold that same opinion and have said it BEFORE he did, well that makes us biased for reporting on what he said.  even if we have already discussed what she said, when she said it.  do you understand?  no? well, never mind, then..... neither do I. 

+++

Jo -

You notice I didn't bother responding to such an unbiased comment of her's ? [smile]

New thread

Voting hasn't been working well in the last few elections....in fact, we didn't exhibit that we have the power.  Quite the opposite.

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

Voting is a C.  Remember? 

The FBI knew that Lamont did not hack into the Lieberman computers. The Ct. Atty. General also knew in Oct. well before election.

You Ct. folks... Can you now impeach, recall, sue him for malfeasance or something? Maybe Lamont might enjoy suing.