Deaniacs are first.   Bravo, linda b, bravo.

Linda B. is a hero to all who blog because her actions show an understanding of Howard Dean's famous injunction: "YOU have the power." 

Howard and Jim Dean and Linda B are all first on this thread!

Thanks Linda for putting together this thread. It is very well done, a total recap of TBA from your prospective.

I have put the link on my toolbar for now to keep coming back to this. I do hope to get to TBA next year. Linda's has me into doing that:)) All depends on the family situation here.

Thanks for including the video

DIGBY REVEALED

>

really cool to hear her speak as the camera pans across all the others on the stage.  Very warm. 

DIGBY REVEALED

>

Oh, I am tingling all over, watching Ms Digby, listening to her speak, and knowing what we all feel...

Gore/Dean08, folks. Gore/Dean08 ! 

I was surprised by Digby, I really didn't know who she was. So smart and caring.
And the fact she mentioned Howard was wonderfu.

Paine -

On the Obama '08 blog, there's some bloggers there praising Bill Moyer's speech at the UCC on this past Sat morning (drop down to the bottom of the thread):

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post_group/ObamaHQ/CXVd#comments

...

Yes, just up the road from the field of dreams.

Normally an aspiring Presidential candidate expects to draw activists to events scheduled in Iowa. They are rarely disappointed. However, in an interesting twist the training workshop for activists sponsored by the First District Democratic Committee at NICC in Peosta on July 14th is drawing the candidates. The daylong event will be training precinct captains in the art of running a caucus among other topics, and this local grassroots leadership is the very group of people courted by the Presidential candidates; so a gathering is tailor made for that famous Iowa personal touch. On the schedule so far with Congressman Braley, are Senators Joe Biden and John Edwards, and more are expected. All area Democrats are invited.

Phil Specht, McGregor

District Communications Chair

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

for those who missed this when I sent it to area papers

Wow Phil, district chair. I would not know how to run a caucus but would love to learn. Gee, training would helps.

If it’s just the time frame of the comments made that’s at issue, here’s Dean from the Colbert Report last month:

Dean: Left in the Middle East. Not in Iraq, but in the Middle East to deal with terrorism, the rest of the Guard and Reserve home, everybody else home within a year.

Colbert: Okay, so that's, that's–

[Applause]

Colbert: -- that's giving the Middle East over to the terrorists.

Dean: No it's not.

Colbert: 25,000! How do you -- how 25,000 guys can do it, if 145,000 can't?

Dean: 25,000 troops did great in Afghanistan. If you know what you're doing, it's not hard. The trouble is, they wouldn't listen to Colin Powell.

Finally up. Enjoy, any questions or comments , fire away.

linda, how did you like Joe Conason?

On my knees to Linda B :)

Tom, this Linda likes Joe Conason.


linda b ROCKS! As does those Dean brothers fighting for Democracy for America!!!

I am going crazy trying to find any listings for our Theaters and SiCKO. I've resorted to calling, because online says NO THING, but I can't even get help with that.

SHEESH.

bbl

Again, the old thread was not notified and I was posting away.  Bad form, Paine.

Great reporting, Linda.

Phil, do the Iowa voters know that if one of the three *leading* candidates is our nominee, Nader will throw the election to the repugs?  DO THEY KNOW THAT? We will lose AGAIN and we can't just blame the dems.  Iowa voters need to wake up and smell the lines of BS they've been given.  They always fall in line just like the neo-cons.  For god's sake, Kucinich or Gore should be right in there.  Why aren't they?  Becuz Iowans aren't awake?   Sorry, Phil, but IA is gonna do it again....give the nod to one of the three worst possible contenders.  Lambs to the slaughter.  This is so distressing,  I can barely stand to read about these three anymore, or hear about the IA caucus as tho it's a political god.  

Man, do I wish I lived in IA for just the caucus season.!!!

Phil, I don't understand why you aren't working hard for Kucinich or Gore.  You appear to have a lot of influence, yet you're out there pushing the big 3.  Why?  What am I missing with Iowa?  What have I missed with you?  Are you in favor of one of those three?  I thought you liked Gore.  If so, why aren't you pushing for him?

I'm sadly lacking in understanding of the IA caucus and how it gives us the lesser of 2 evils.  I just very disappointed in the voters buying into the CMW.  If it's true that 40some percent of Iowans are undecided, that tells me they want someome other than the big three.  Give them someone else already!  Do they HAVE to caucus for one of the turkeys?  Don't these people have a mind of their own?  

Sounds to me like the caucus doesn't work well and should be put out to pasture.  Give another state a chance to do better.

Cranky today and I hate being left on a thread w/o notice of a new thread.  Last night and now today again.  Very cranky. 

I have always admired Joe Conason from when he wrote for salon.com and other media.
But he is much better looking in person.
At the Politico press conf to tell who won the straw poll I looked around and said "hi Joe" . He was sitting right next to me. He thought who is this woman?
I said hi , I am Linda b.

I remember how Howard said he didn't like the caucus process in Canada and he got slammed by the msm.
putzes.

linda

Did Hillary Clinton give anyone personally a chance to talk with her after her speech? Many wonder who the real Hillary is, just wondered if she ever gives anybody a chance to get close enough to find out.

Joan, I don't think that happened, security was tight for her and nancy.
Altho she tried to talk over the booing, it did not work this time. she was yelled at from the audience.

I remember that too linda, and as a result some expected him as chair of DNC to stay away from an early Iowa caucus. He dislikes it even today I'll bet. I see caucus for primaries as rather barbaric.

joan how are you making bold in your posts and I have no way of doing that?

Hillary needs to have some small town hall meetings on C-span.

Yes. But it usually means little anyway.

How do you like my crystal ball linda? I know what your question is before you ask it:))

joan, that kind of made me think, hello??

Great(!!) job on the thread Linda b !!!!!
:)

After hearing NPR report towards the end of last week that hillary's campaign had managed to have *hundreds* of her supporters in the room for her speech, i would
have like to have been there to feel the 'vibe' myself. If she still managed to get
boo'd with hundreds of her 'people' in the audience, then maybe there is a little
hope for this country.

I'm afraid that there's no excuse for HD's ignorance about the real Colin Powell; just as there's no excuse for Obama trying to glom onto Powell's misbegotten prestige.

51,

chilimac,

Regardless, I like to learn whatever I can about every Dem candidate, including Hill, so I know why I will be voting against them:))

Oh Shit!!

5-4, 5-4 Supreme Court Contradicts Itself
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/062507R.shtml
The Supreme Court today loosened the restrictions on what companies and unions can spend on television advertisements just before elections, and in so doing may well have affected the thinking of political strategists for the 2008 elections.

Cafferty just said that 1/3 of voters thinking of voting indie in 08.  Here' comes Nader.

The news is so bad, I feel like Judy.  I may just leave for awhile or until Gore comes in. 

Iowans should just refuse to go along with their outdated  and dangerous for dems caucus. 

60.

Linda*in*SFNM
Mon, 06/25/07
5:50 pm

"58. Fred, you may well appreciate it[Obama's pre-primary candor,] but I don't share that opinion and I don't think many from the non pro war party does either.

What do I mean from that?....

=====================

Personally, I was against the invasion from the beginning, and even skeptical about Afghanistan.

 All I am saying is that I would not vote against Obama in the primary for that reason alone.  As far as the rest of your criticism of Powell, well, it was an extraodinary time and you can be just as critical about  George Tenet and half the Democrats on The Hill.  I don't exonerate all those people, but neither do I think we can  do an ideological purge and win elections at the same time either.

:Not sure what you mean by the last paragraph above, kind of abstract, including to whom you are referring.

Sitka

No  Dem thinks the same and Howard will not always agree with you and/or me. None of us walk in step as often demonstrated on this here unwieldly blog. That's good and I hope it never changes.

~~~~~~~~~

linda

Where was Ms. Digby hiding all this time. I visited her website, OurFuture.org, but I really believe she gets it out better being a verbal "pundit" as she calls herself. One great lady!

65.

seashell
Mon, 06/25/07
6:02 pm


I just sent a note to the DCCC stating that they won't get one penny from me anymore unless:

1. Al Gore runs.

2. Cheney and Gonzales are impeached.

3. Funds for the occupation are cut off.

>>>> GOOD one Sea!
______________________________________

Just to let the others know, the thread just went up at 6pm and Tom did let us know Linda B's thread was up.

Apparently the earlier comments were from an accidental, then removed posting earlier.

Tom was a good dooby to us.

Tom wrote:
66.

Tom Bearse
Mon, 06/25/07
6:08 pm

New thread by linda b.

sea,

All those indies will come home to mama by election day as they always do.

15. Echoing that post!

Linda b ROCKS!!!

30. Joan, me too :-)

17. hi seashell ♥ you were in the right place - this thread was just promoted to the front page at 6:07, Tom posted new thread right away. (thanks Tom :)

35. Fred, you wouldn't vote against Obama for that reason alone? LOL, neither would I, but that is just another addition to his pro War/Corporatist position that is mounting against him. And my point was, trying to use a piece of someone elses comments from years ago as ones argument, doesn't hold water.

Iowa has a slow motion IRV where you can vote your second choice if necessary. Until your state has provisions like that I will take your criticism with a grain of salt, and I find a winner take all primary especially abhorrent for allocating delegates to the National Convention.

Find out how your state operates and get back to me if you think it fairer.

National delegates are real people with individual names. How is yours picked?

31.

I never liked McCain/Feingold.  Don't think it's right to restrict the voters.  If candidates are spending too much, limit how much and from whom they can accept donations.  It will be good practice for when they are in office and aren't supposed to take bribes.

Anticipatory bribes are no better than those that are more timely.  

I'm sure Feingold was sincere, but he got snookered by McCain who's got the Republican habit of supporting failure down pat.

It's a safe strategy to promise something that either can't be done (stop homosexuality, for example) or is illegal (prohibiting political expression just before an election).  The latter is actually a two-fer.  It got McCain browney points with liberal reformers and now he's got something to blame on the judges.

The high school kids got slapped down, btw, because they're minors.  Minors don't have any civil rights. 

35

Hang in Fred. We all need to see, hear and fully understand EVERY Dem candidate before making some offhand decision and trying to influence others with some random remarks. I intend to follow this rule to the day I know for certainty who I will support.

The problem I have is: will my Florida primary vote even count. Maybe not so why am I bothering to study candidates. I do hope HD rethinks his thinking about the Florida primary. What is, is. That's what we have to deal with here. Help us out here Howie, we're pretty much helpless here being in the hands of a Republican legislature and governor.

Obama will lose me, if he tries to get to the right of Hillary. He is not quite there yet.

seashell, Edwards is in the lead here, what is your specific complaint about him?

40.

Monica,

We could limit the amount the candidate can spend during the primary and then during the general election.

I think the candidates will lose their delegates credentialling if they actively campaign in Florida     (correct me if I'm wrong). 

  nobody violate the injunction and all the votes count, the party can't change state law as to when the election is held

all Howard is saying is rules are rules and he will follow the vote of the DNC

35. Fred, you wouldn't vote against Obama for that reason alone? LOL, neither would I, but that is just another addition to his pro War/Corporatist position that is mounting against him.

===============

Fine, but obviously Obama has more to lose than gain by Powell's association B4 the primary.

Would you feel better if Obama disowned Powell before the primary, and then accepted his endorsement after he won it ? 

Do you really believe Richardson will leave Iraq ASAP without one American official on Iraqi soil, or that could win the general election with such incredible claims?

Troops stationed in Bosnia, Korea, Germany, Japan, Kosovo, etc. were never election issues.

Another thing Iowans should think deeply about is this:  If Nader comes in to spoil again, think about another neo-con prez and the SCOTUS.  It's again the Supreme Court.  We cannot have Nader in the race since he'll steal votes from the dems.

Are we the only ones who can think?

We need to get rid of the CMW somehow. 

35

Hang in Fred. ....

The problem I have is: will my Florida primary vote even count. Maybe not so why am I bothering to study candidates....

=============

Exackerly... what are we arguing about with candidates.  We should be trying to change the process, from and one of an "Ordination" process to a truly Democratic process.  I am convinced if our candidate were truly chosen in a democratic fashion, Kerry would not have won.  His ordination took me by surprise.

The proverbial "smoke-filled room" has been replaced by the "wine-and-cheese" room, or maybe the "whine and please" room.

44.

Phil

We know what the rules are. All the candidates have said they are going to campaign here since if they win the primary they will have wanted to have at least been here.

However, in any event, we have no control over them either. We realize our position puts Howard between a rock and a hard spot. Howard rarely backs away from his decisions so we will probably just be voting on some very important amendments and a meaningless straw vote for candidates.

I vote for a national primary day at the least.

a truly Democratic process

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

how many of you filed amicus briefs when I advanced a fair process to the rules committee?

By the time we have our primary, it's already been decided.  That really bugs me.

Phil, I don't like Edwards' foreign policy and his defense of Israel.  Nor do I know if he's sincere, but I think he's much better than the other two.  Altho I wonder if it's possible to have a candidate who believes in an even-handed approach to I/P. Howard was dissed for saying that and that disturbs me greatly.  We need to keep AIPAC out of our decisions IMO and that doesn't look promising.

I would really like a candidate who would get us out of the ME and to do that, AIPAC will have to be marginalized.  What's the chance of that at this point with all the power it has?

A big plus for Edwards is his wife IMO.  I would like all the candidates to talk about who they'd like as a running mate. That would influence me I'm sure.  Why don't they do that?

 Cheney chose himself, didn't he?

America the Dutiful.

After hearing NPR report towards the end of last week that hillary's campaign had managed to have *hundreds* of her supporters in the room for her speech, i would
have like to have been there to feel the 'vibe' myself. If she still managed to get
boo'd with hundreds of her 'people' in the audience, then maybe there is a little
hope for this country.

I will say it again, the audience was not FOR hillary and challenged her. I was in the front row and watched her try to talk "over " the boos. It did not work.
They were pissed.

These attendees are really progressives. Like me and maybe u.
Some liked Hil. I am waiting to see.

I want to know who is paying off Nader, maybe the msm.

I would really like a candidate who would get us out of the ME and to do that, AIPAC will have to be marginalized.  What's the chance of that at this point with all the power it has?

================

You may as well as them to deny the holocaust, because that's the way AIPAC will spin it.

I would like all the candidates to talk about who they'd like as a running mate. That would influence me I'm sure.  Why don't they do that?

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

seashell, Edwards has addressed that and has said he would chose someone sympathetic to his vision rather than attempt to "balance" the ticket

thanks for your comments
peace to all.