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Will Casinos and Caucuses Mix-it-up?
In Las Vegas today, around noontime, a judge will decide if the caucus rules put in place last year will stand or fall. If they stand, thousands of Union workers on the strip will have a chance to caucus; if they fall, we will have seen the first clear proof that the Clinton's change the rules to fit the circumstances - that they're more interested in winning a caucus than defending democracy.
What do you think about this court case - what do you think will be the outcome?
Deans are first and TRUE progressives share in the firstiness
Video from Youtube with Bill Clinton being interviewed about law suit. I think we all know how he stands.
I want to wish Michelle Obama a very Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday, Michelle. I hope your next birthday will be as First Lady.
578.
Jo -
Yep, last minute lawsuit shenanigans on the part of the STATUS QUO forces (ie. Howard and the DNC are against the lawsuit).
More on that -- a decision today but maybe not, from U.S. Disctrict Court Judge James Mahan:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections08/story/0,,2242352,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12
12.15pm GMT / 7.15am ET
Clinton-Obama battle moves to the courtroom
Daniel Nasaw in Las Vegas
Thursday January 17, 2008
Guardian Unlimited 
Caesars Palace casino in Las Vegas. Photograph: Keith Stanley/Atlas Photography
The move is an effort by the Nevada schoolteachers' union to blunt the political might of the powerful Culinary Workers union, a 60,000 member syndicate that has endorsed Obama.
...
The Nevada State Education Association has not endorsed a candidate, but it has ties to the Clinton camp. The former president, Bill Clinton, has spoken in support of the legal action.
The teachers' union hopes to persuade a federal judge to prohibit the Nevada Democratic party from holding special caucuses at nine casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, the city's gambling centre, for shift workers who won't be able to make it home to vote in their neighbourhood caucuses. Most of the shift workers are members of the Culinary Workers union.
The Democratic Party drew up the caucus rules months ago, well before the Culinary Workers union endorsed Obama. The caucuses on the strip were intended to increase participation among the workers who service the 24 hour operations at the casinos.
...
In legal papers filed yesterday, the Democratic party said the caucus plan was developed months ago with ample time for public comment, and was approved by the Democratic National Committee.The party urged the court not to intervene, warning of "chaos and confusion" if it is forced to rewrite the caucus rules just days before they are to be held.
Today, Judge James Mahan will hear oral arguments on whether to issue an order preventing the Democratic party from holding the workplace caucuses. It is uncertain whether he will rule today.
...
The Clinton campaign denies colluding with the teachers' union on the suit.
However, Bill Clinton has spoken in support of the action
...
Am I reading this right ?
Does David Bonior sound like he's happy that culinary workers in Nevada might not be able to vote this Sat Jan 19 due to their being at work on a busy weekend ?
I mean, come on, after all the disenfranchisement that happened to dem voters in 2000 and 2004, do we really want a repeat of that in 2008 ? :
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080116/nv_edwards_nevada.html?.v=1
...
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Hours before a televised debate, presidential hopeful John Edwards said Tuesday he liked his chances in union-strong Nevada, despite a key endorsement for rival Sen. Barack Obama and a lawsuit that could throw a wrench into the tight Jan. 19 caucus race.
Edwards, in his first visit to Nevada since December, shrugged off the endorsement by the 60,000-member Culinary Workers Union, and his campaign said he had amassed support from national unions that have 28,000 workers here.
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The former vice-presidential candidate declined to weigh in on a lawsuit filed by Nevada teachers over some special caucus locations on the Las Vegas Strip that were to allow casino industry workers to participate without going far from their workplaces.
The teachers association argued the sites would unfairly favor workers in one industry over others.
Critics have said the timing of the suit, two days after the Culinary endorsed Obama over Edwards and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, showed it was a blatant attempt by Clinton supporters to blunt the union's effectiveness.
"I don't know anything about the nuances of the lawsuit, but my belief is that we ought to do everything in our power to ensure that anyone who wants to caucus and is eligible to caucus gets to caucus," Edwards said. "Ultimately it's for the party to decide."
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Edwards said he hoped his operational machine of about 75 workers transplanted from Iowa -- more than tripling the size of his Nevada staff -- would help him gain traction.
His national campaign manager, David Bonior, suggested a good performance in the evening debate could mean the difference.
...
Bonior also pointed out the caucus was on the Saturday of a holiday weekend during the football playoffs, which is expected to draw thousands of tourists to Las Vegas.
"How many of them (Culinary workers) are actually going to show up given that were talking about the third busiest work day of the year here?" he said. "We'll match our labor support with the others any day."
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* rdorgan
Thu, 01/17/08
Reply to this
Am I reading this right ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
no
"I don't know anything about the nuances of the lawsuit, but my belief is that we ought to do everything in our power to ensure that anyone who wants to caucus and is eligible to caucus gets to caucus," Edwards said. "Ultimately it's for the party to decide."
Bonior is making the point that John Edwards enjoys strong Union support as well.
4.
rae -
5.
Jo -
Ditto.
Happy Birthday to Michelle ("The Closer") Obama.
I hope and pray that this same time next year she and Barack are celebrating her birthday in eager anticipation of entering the White House four days later as our next First Lady and President.
GrannyHellen expresses her outrage over Obama's latest comments, now reiventing history over Reagan's election and our time.
"I don't want to present myself as some sort of singular figure. I think part of what's different are the times. I do think that for example the 1980 was different. I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. I think they felt like with all the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s and government had grown and grown but there wasn't much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think people, he just tapped into what people were already feeling, which was we want clarity we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing".-Obama
The big news of the day was the Iranian hostage crisis. On the radio in the car, on the TV news at night, in the schools during our discussions of current events, everyone would get updated on "Day Number __ ", a macabre notation of how many days the hostages had been held. This would be followed up with blurry film footage and photographs of men and women, blindfolded, surrounded by young men with guns. We were treated to reports of what happens when one is being taken hostage. What that feels like. Whether they let you go to the bathroom.
Analysts would discuss the Carter administration's action - or lack thereof. Carter refused to negotiate with terrorists. Eventually we heard news of a downed plane and a failed rescue attempt. People were frustrated and scared. It felt like the one battle in the Cold War that we were losing (regardless of the reality of things - trust me, this is what it felt like)...and we all collectively understood the threat that loomed if we let that happen.
It is this environment that elected tough-talking Ronald Reagan. The Man of Action.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1...
Phil Specht
Thu, 01/17/08
Reply to this
* rdorgan
Thu, 01/17/08
Reply to this
Am I reading this right ?
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no
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Phil -
Thanks for responding.
You say "no", that I'm not reading the Bonior statement(s) right.
Ok, but what about this that I also posted ? In Bonior's words he almost sounds pleased that this coming weekend will be full of sports, etc. so that Las Vegas will be swarmed with tourists, thus taking up all the time of the 24/7 casino/culinary workers that are backing Obama, and thus they won't have time to caucus, unlike other union workers in other fields backing other candidates:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080116/nv_edwards_nevada.html?.v=1
...
Bonior also pointed out the caucus was on the Saturday of a holiday weekend during the football playoffs, which is expected to draw thousands of tourists to Las Vegas.
"How many of them (Culinary workers) are actually going to show up given that were talking about the third busiest work day of the year here?" he said. "We'll match our labor support with the others any day."
...
13.
that sounds like Bonior is hoping for a lower caucus turnout -- wasn't that his strategy in Iowa ?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080117/ap_po/democrats_social_security_7
Clinton knocks Obama plan she'd consider
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jan 17, 12:20 AM ET
HENDERSON, Nev. - Hillary Rodham Clinton is accusing rival Barack Obama of proposing a $1 trillion tax increase with a plan to require high income earners to pay more Social Security taxes.
Clinton outlines the charge, which she previously has made, in a mailing to voters ahead of Saturday's presidential caucus.
Obama tried to describe his position at a campaign stop outside Las Vegas on Wednesday, saying the worst part about the mailer is that Clinton has said she would consider doing the same thing he wants to do.
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Three months ago, Clinton told an Iowa voter privately that she would consider raising the income limit as long as there was a "gap," with no Social Security taxes on income from $97,500 to around $200,000. An Associated Press reporter overheard the conversation.
The idea of a gap was first proposed in the campaign by former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.
Campaigning in Las Vegas, Edwards jumped into the latest debate, saying Clinton has dodged the issue rather than answer a tough question.
"I understand the issue. I've heard her answer the question 30 times. I have no idea what she would do," he told reporters after a town hall meeting. "And so I don't think it's possible for the American voters to know. I mean, she says she's not going to cut benefits, she's not going to raise the retirement age, she won't raise taxes. Well, I'm sorry, those are the options. She's just not willing to take a position."
...
Good Morning BFO!
A little perspective from Black Agenda Report:
http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=492&Itemid=1
Barack Obama drives white people crazy, some because of love and some because of hate. Pundits and politicians have lost their collective minds because a black man has a chance to be president. Psychotic episodes and outbreaks of foot in mouth disease are spreading faster than bird flu, all because of Barack Obama.
Racism, like a familiar refrain, is the cause of much of the madness. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is the latest Clinton supporter to experience political Tourette's Syndrome in regard to Barack Obama. "You can't shuck and jive at a press conference. . .," Cuomo said with a straight face. He tried to backpedal by saying he meant "bob and weave." Such is the effect that a black face has on the lizard brain that still prevails among much of white America.
The third category of Obama-related neuroses comes from creepy white people who profess undying love. Chris Matthews of MSNBC gets teary eyed at the sound of Obama's voice. "Obama's speech made me cry," said the biggest hack on television. Matthews is well known for developing man crushes on conservative white men, from President Bush ("Americans love having a guy as president"), former Senator Fred Thompson ("Can you smell the English leather on this guy"), or Mitt Romney ("He has the perfect chin, the perfect hair, he looks right"). Matthews' public profession of love for Obama is telling and it doesn't tell us anything good about the object of his affection.
Television pundit Lawrence O'Donnell is so besotted with the black candidate that he is ready to throw a white one under a bus. "If John Edwards stays in the race, he might, in the end, become nothing other than the Southern white man who stood in the way of the black man. And for that, he would deserve a lifetime of liberal condemnation." O'Donnell believes we should dispense with democracy and let Iowa, New Hampshire and check-bundling fund raisers choose presidents for the rest of us. Obama's candidacy is indeed historic. The corporatist pundit class prefers a black man if he is running against a white man who speaks out against corporate corruption.
Sadly, too many black people with a lifelong history of supporting a progressive agenda suddenly become tongue tied or verbal but nonsensical when they attempt to justify their Obama love. Obama tells outright lies such as, ". . . what ails working- and middle-class blacks and Latinos is not fundamentally different from what ails their white counterparts," yet the love fest goes on without question. Obama supporters want him to be their man, so they continue in denial and conclude that he is, even when he tells them that he isn't.
Obama makes the argument that he appeals to moderate Republicans and he may well be right, and since many are "Reagan democrats" that may be a smart thing to say politically if you are fighting for those 3% of swing voters in the middle in a typical strategy.
John Edwards is taking a much larger gamble speaking for the 50% that don't vote. many so downtrodden they pay no attention to politics whatsoever
but which really is a campaign to unite America?
544.
audrey.nc
Thu, 01/17/08
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If you want PERSONALITY, vote Obama.
...
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audrey.nc -
I do ! I do !
My ever-suffering wife and embarassed friends tell me all the time to my face --"get a personality".
(well, all is not lost for me, at least they aren't telling me to "get a life" or "get lost")
546.
Linda in NM
Thu, 01/17/08
Reply to this
Me thinks sitka has a crush on John Edwards, he can't seem to not talk about him. No matter what the conversation, he's always thinking of Edwards.
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Linda in NM (formerly Linda*In*SFNM) -
Me thinks you have a crush on Barack Obama, ...
Phil -
You're changing the subject -- please respond to my concerns/questions in comments # 13 and 14 about David Bonior's additional statements.
An insightful and glowing endorsement from the Santa Barbara Independent.
For President: Barack Obama
The primary on February 5 is the first chance Californians will have to help set the nation on the right path. The Independent rarely endorses in party primaries, but this year we endorse with confidence one candidate who is uniquely qualified to be president: Barack Obama.
Photo: Paul Wellman
What impresses us most about Obama is his ability to inspire hope in those who’ve learned to dismiss the political process as a cynical joke. And his gift goes beyond speechifying, which he does with uncommon grace. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has charged that he is short on experience. We disagree. He has had more years of legislative experience than Clinton, with three years in the U.S. Senate and eight years in that rough-and-tumble body known as the Illinois Legislature. During those 11 years, he successfully brought together Democrats and Republicans to pass legislation benefitting ordinary people — from tax credits for children to ethics reform in Congress.
And what good did Clinton’s experience serve us when she voted to give President Bush a blank check to wage war on Iraq? Few decisions in history have proved so predictably wrong-headed. As the most engaged First Lady in history and as a U.S. Senator, she should have known better. Yet Clinton never even read the National Intelligence Estimates that assessed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein as odious but not an imminent threat to the United States. Our own congressmember, Lois Capps, knew better when she voted against the war authorization act.
At that time, Obama, who had not yet assumed his U.S. Senate seat — and could not vote — spoke out extensively against the war and predicted many of the horrors that have since come to pass: thousands of American dead, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi dead. Escalating terrorism. A staggering drain on the economy. Untold dreams forever deferred.
http://www.independent.com/news/2008/jan/17/president-barack-obama/
re: 12
... If you notice, people actually weren't feeling that they wanted clarity, optimism and a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.
People were in fear. The 1980 election was about fear. It was not about hope. The GOP has been attempting to spread the message of Reagan the Great Optimist/Hopemonger/etc. in an effort to cannonize him. This spin is far from reality.
I hope this explains my feelings on the subject a little more directly.
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yes, the repub spin is not in touch with reality, but that's not what Obama expressed - spin. he called it as he saw it and was saying that he doesn't see himself as a singular figure as the country saw Reagan - he sees the 'WE' in all of this. it is not impossible to want hope and clarity while one is feeling FEAR - jeez, any Deaniac knows that! right now much of America is feeling that they want clarity, optimism and a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing. and, now as then, people are in fear. the 2000 and 2004 elections were about fear - not hope.
or maybe not, I guess 'cause granny doesn't think so.
More perspetive from BAR:
http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=495&Itemid=1
Sometimes as Black people we get a better idea of what Black leaders are about, by listening to what our enemies have to say about them. Enter George F. Will, conservative columnist for the Washington Post.
While many black people are confused about who and what Barack Obama represents, yet see him as the "hope" that he writes and talks so much about, the exceedingly white George F. Will is certain he knows the man. To Will and his ilk, Obama represents the hope that this one Negro will absolve white guilt, or he at least won't ask anyone, or any entity ( government) to take responsibility for racism. Though he is black, Obama reassures America and its rulers that race is no longer an issue.
"He represents radical autonomy" explains Will. Reading between the lines, he's saying that Obama is one of "them," but he is not beholden to "them." According to Will, "He [Obama] has chosen his racial identity, but chosen not to make it matter much."
According to Will, Obama's success refutes the theory of "social determinism" which, in Will's twisted mind, is the idea that "blacks are comprehensively and systematically held back by an oppression that is prevalent even - perhaps especially - when not apparent."
Obama is different than the blacks who so callously burden whites with constant complaints, says Will. "Obama seems to understand America's race fatigue." Obama understands "the unbearable boredom occasioned by today's stale politics generally and the perfunctory politics theatrics of race especially." Obama is the rare black man who has won Will's heart - a guy who tiptoes through electoral politics so well that enemies like George F. believe he is harmless on the racial front.
Will knows nothing about blacks, but he is quite familiar with many of his own people's deluded complaints, which he eagerly shares with the world. Ironically, his praise of Obama is at the same time a curse, better not said out loud, lest it make African Americans rethink the actual effects on whites of Obama's public performances.
“Barack is one of the smartest people you will ever encounter who will deign to enter this messy thing called politics.” Michelle Obama
Not only is she beautiful, she is smart. Excellent Mother too.
anyone who doesn't think Chris Matthews is a shill for Clinton needs to see a tape of him gushing over Hillary on last nights Leno
but what really ticked me off was his repeated dissing of Harry Truman
*rd, I appreciate you like my observation with Sikta that you repeated to me. But I don't think the facts support you claim. But I appreciate being noticed.
243.
Denise
Wed, 01/16/08
Reply to this
Must read from Bev Harris' blog on the NH recount
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Denise -
a SHOUT OUT to Bev Harris and Dennis Kucinich !
258.
Denise
Wed, 01/16/08
Reply to this
250
Yeah but read what one of Dennis' folks said to Bev about what her role should be. It's down a bit on her blog at that link.
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Denise -
You said "Dennis'folks" and not "Dennis himself".
That's just it, when Dennis said to his supporters (ie. "folks"), prior to the IA caucus, that if he should not get enough votes in a certain precinct to reach viability level (ie. 15%), he was recommending that his supporters in those precincts opt for Obama on the second round voting.
Well, a certain Kucinich supporter here on this blog, called that a mistake on Kucinich's part to state that.
28.
Linda in NM (handle change because of a move, right ?) -
I always notice you on the blog (and I sincerely mean that in a nice way, yes I was being a tad unfair to you in making that association, for you do also post great posts about global warming and pics of polar bears and NM sunsets).
Obama makes the argument that he appeals to moderate Republicans and he may well be right, and since many are "Reagan democrats" that may be a smart thing to say politically if you are fighting for those 3% of swing voters in the middle in a typical strategy.
I don't think he's 'fighting for those 3% of swing voters in the middle'. I think he's trying to unite the country. that's not a bad thing - I don't want a democratic president to govern like dubya did - shut out the other party entirely. I want him to govern all of America.
John Edwards is taking a much larger gamble speaking for the 50% that don't vote. many so downtrodden they pay no attention to politics whatsoever
what makes you think Obama's not speaking for that same 50% you point out? got a link? (just kidding - lol!)
but which really is a campaign to unite America?
I don't see anything in the Obama campaign that is NOT about uniting America. and we really won't know for sure until they're in office, doing the job, will we? everything prior to that is just opinion - conjecture.
Sierra Leone gets help from another country (Mongolia) and SL returns the favor by helping another country (Darfur region of Sudan):
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/6340162.html
Mongolia to send more peacekeepers to Sierra Leone
13:29, January 17, 2008
...
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http://allafrica.com/stories/200801140677.html
Sierra Leone: 38 Salone Police to Keep Peace in Darfur
Concord Times (Freetown)
7 January 2008
Posted to the web 14 January 2008
Ben Samuel Turay
Freetown
...
I hope the judge rules in favor of the casino workers. There's something very unsettling about a former POTUS arguing on behalf of voter disenfranchisement. What kind of legacy is that?
Phil - I'm finding it increasingly difficult to watch Tweety. He is a shill for Clinton - although he does this love/hate thing with her. He also seems to completely discount Edwards. Matthews is insufferable.
and a SHOUT OUT to Monica from me !
(for, since this BFA [err, Huron John, you need to check your spelling] blog no longer has a time stamp, in a long thread like the previous one, I couldn't tell which post was posted when, except for her consistent "Good Morning". That at least gave me a time stamp from which to work with; as for the workaround solution os us bloggers manually typing in a time stamp, ummh I don't remember to and I shouldn't have to -- DFA HQ, since the blog is still jumping posted comments out of order at times, just bring back the time stamp)
rae hart
Thu, 01/17/08
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Now there is a non biased authority if I ever saw one..........................what do you expect her to say? Ever watch "Witness For The Prosecution"? Why do you think they dont allow wives to testify on behalf of their husbands?
my guess is all three candidates have IQ's from 130 on up
*rd thank you. No move wasn't reason for name change.
____________________________________
While we are in our worst economy in decades, we have democratic Presidential candidates acting like Republicans, wanting to push us further in the hole with their "economic" plan. Currying further favors for Big Business and Corporations, instead of the PEOPLE. Hillary wants to freeze interest rates for 5 years and Obama is talking about MORE TAX CUTS and Small busines. This further takes money from our government and middle class. That does NOT help Middle and lower income. This is Dubya all over as we are seeing-yet again, Bush is now talking more tax cuts to stimulate the economy. GIVING TO BUSINESSES DOES NOT STIMULATE THE ECONOMY...AS CURRENT PROOF SHOWS.
Vote for John Edwards. CLOSE THESE CORPORATE LOOP HOLES. Build up the working class.
As these other candidates keep giving to businesses, the people keep hurting. Citibank shipped so many jobs overseas, got their tax breaks and shelters and LOOK WHERE WE ARE. Now, the few jobs left in this country and we risk losing 20,000 jobs? HELLOOO.
Again, the WORKERS, THE BASE OF OUR ECONOMY hurts. Add this to the housing problem. OMG. My sister just received word last month that their bonus' at Chase were ending. And then this month, Chase Bank announces they've hired former PM Tony Blair PART TIME for a ONE MILLION DOLLAR SALARY.
WHO ARE THESE POLICIES HELPING?
Forget keeping, HELP Bring back the PROMISE to America.
John Edwards, for the people, not the powerful.
Real Change on REAL ISSUES.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid988092926/bctid1377935786
Tweety is not shill for the Clintons. As a matter of fact, proof over all these years show the opposite and charges have been filed against him for his sexist, bigoted and constant slander against Hillary.
Go check out Media Matters.....by the way, Karl with a K works there now.
http://mediamatters.org/items/2008011100...
well, thanks, ciao for now!
omg they did it! will the new heights Colbert climbs to never end? he's been working this all week - too funny!
Stephen Colbert was denied when he tried to run for president this year in South Carolina. Now the fake TV pundit is getting some love from the city of his birth.
His portrait was hung Wednesday at the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery in Washington for a six-week showing in what the museum considers an "appropriate place" _ right between the bathrooms near the "America's Presidents" exhibit. Museum officials stress it's only temporary.
"We agreed to go along with the joke and hang it for a short time in between the bathrooms," said museum spokeswoman Bethany Bentley. "Let me tell you two key things here: His portrait is not coming into the collection, and it's not hanging permanently."
clip... "It's kind of sad that this is the first time we've been here," Canales said Wednesday as a steady stream of young admirers took their pictures with Colbert's portrait.
"We might look at the rest of the museum, but we really came for Colbert," Bexley said. "I needed a new Facebook picture, so it might as well be with Stephen Colbert."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20080117/people-colbert/
39.
Phil Specht
Thu, 01/17/08
my guess is all three candidates have IQ's from 130 on up
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Well might be...., but I think there is a much precise indicator (I would say even "absolutely precise") of a leadership qualities than any "formal" test.
It is a "democracy" test on any GIVEN WORK PLACE by people who works there!
Linda - it has been suggested this past week or so that tweety is kissing up to Hillary for that very reason... it's been quite noticable. he 'crowned' her after the debate in NV and had to be brought back to reality by the other pundits.
From last night's eternal thread #573 Mic hael Ellis
And, I hope someone will ask Edwards why he didn't fund that young woman's transplant. Using her as an example after he had helped save her would have given him much credibility in my eyes.
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Why should he? I mean, from a hmanitarian standpoint that would be great, but once you do it for one what about the thousands lined up behind her for "free" medical care........perhaps, instead of jumping on Edwards' case you could better phrase it to include ALL Americans should contribute something towards said operation......
So, your question seems inherent of the bit of snarkiness I sense from many Obama supporters here........and thats OK......would you consider paying the entirety of a strangers rather expensive operation if you had the money to? And again, what about all the othe people that require the care?
Edwrads was simply pointing out the flaws of a decaying health care system..remeber this though, Edwrad ssaid not to long agao he would rescind the Congress' heath care plan if they didnt pass something betetr......a bit extreme and not likely, but at least he said it and that champions for the people that cant get good medical care......
In response: why shouldn't he have stepped in? He is using this young woman's situation and demise as an example of his involvement with the family and situation. I, and granted, I may be wrong in my perception, find it callous that he didn't use his skills, his power, and his ability to help. He's a man of great wealth, is it $50 million dollars?
My answer:
Frankly liberals and progressives have always felt deeply about inequities and injustice, but there's also been just a lot of talk about them. I'd be much more inclined to take John Edwards seriously had he been proactive in this case. And yes, there are probably thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people who need help, but he is using this young woman as an example of his involvement and the failure of insurance companies to be responsible nad accountable.
If it's snarky, I apologize. It struck during the debates in Las Vegas that it didn't make sense, and it felt somewho exploitive to use her situation but not to have done something to prevent her death.
The old saying, put your money where your mouth is comes to mind. I don't think John Edwards is insincere in any way, but he didn't appear to me to be proactive, to actually do something for this family when there was the real possiblity that the young woman would die without the transplant, and he could also have used his skills as a trial lawyer to guide the family in collecting the money from the insurance company.
If you can answer this for me, I'd be grateful.
I swear I typed "it struck me..." I wonder when we'll have evolved to be able to telecommunicate by just thinking it, and the magnetic spectrum will translate it for us. HMMMM
40 - hop on over here and then state again, honestly, what you said about Obama - I'm tired of folks throwing out 'crap' to see if it will stick.
John Edwards is a very wealthy man with, is it 50 million dollars? He certainly could have afforded to do something.
Whoops, it's obviously too early. My response in #46 actually begins with, if anyone is interested, "In response why shouldn't he have stepped in?..."
hi Pat! your posts are insightful (inciteful? lol) as always!
Pat in Colorado
Thu, 01/17/08
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No need to apologize..we are all above that here....even sitka.
Now, I cannot and shall not speak on behalf of John Edwards as I am not a supporter of his, dont know him personally, have a vague idea of his platform and shall not vote for him should he become the Democratic Presidential nominee.
Now, the question at hand. My rebuttal to you is based on the fact tha I think he was merley using the girl and her medical case as an example, and a bloody good one as to our failed health care system. To turn right around and say, 'well why dont you pay for her operation then" is the way you cander came about........that wont solve the problem Im afraid. Give Edwards, at least he brought attention in a very demonstable way this countries health care debacle.
Mnay people here, regarldess of income or status refuse universal health care coverage for all..they feel, they shouldnt have to pay for somebody elses health care insurance.
Personally, I think ALL th people in Congesss should be ashamed of their recent pay raises, health care insurance and overall quality of life as opposed to the many poor people in this country, many sleeping on street grates just down the street from the capitol.
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By Jo*in*Vermont on Jan 17, 2008 8:51 AM ESTwoot! coming soon, to a theater near me! (hat tip to listener for the heads-up!!)
Two Very Special Sneak Previews In Vermont:
Jan. 26, Sat., 11am @ THE SAVOY in Montpelier, VT
Jan. 27, Sun., 11am@ THE ROXY in Burlington, VT