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Bergen Grassroots Election, Poll Results
Bergen Grassroots elected the members of its 2008 Steering Committee at our meeting yesterday evening (Weds, Jan. 2) in the Ethical Culture Society auditorium.
With six candidates filing for six vacancies, there was no need for formal balloting. The 2008 team will comprise four members of the ’07 committee: Joey Dobbs, who volunteered to become the alternate member; Paul Eisenman, Bob Gulack and Beatrice Robbio, who switched places with Joey Dobbs to become the full member. The newcomers are David Dubin of Haworth and Allen Sklar of Paramus, both relative newcomers to Bergen Grassroots as well. Allen Sklar has an impressive record of public service in his resume: three terms as a member of the Paramus Council and one term as a Bergen County Freeholder.
* * * * * *
At the meeting, the results of the Bergen Grassroots 2008 Presidential Endorsement Poll were announced. Former Senator and 2004 vice-presidential candidate John Edwards was the clear winner, leading throughout the five elimination rounds.
In the raw vote, when only first-place votes are counted, Edwards had 32%, Senator Barack Obama 22% and Congressman Dennis Kucinich had 19%. These candidates, often referred to as the “progressive trio,” gained 76% of the initial vote. Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Bill Richardson were tied for third with 9% of the vote, Senator Joe Biden got 4% and Senator Chris Dodd received 2%. Former Senator Mike Gravel received no first-place votes and was therefore eliminated in the first round.
As Dodd and Biden were retired in the second and third rounds, their votes were redistributed on the basis of the rankings created by those who voted for them. In the fourth and fifth rounds, as Richardson and Clinton were dropped, the redistribution continued. At the end of the fifth round, Edwards stood at 40%, Obama at 34% and Kucinich at 23%.
That left the contest between Edwards and Obama, each of who could have won when Kucinich’s votes were distributed in the final round. But Edwards picked up about 83% of Kucinich’s total and ended with 59% to Obama’s 38%. This result contrasts with Kucinich’s recent announcement that after himself, he chooses Obama. The balance of 3% represented members who chose to declare themselves as “still undecided” when the voting was taking place.
We discussed the possibility of endorsing Edwards, based on his clear victory, but decided by a virtually unanimous vote to continue our policy of not endorsing Democrats in a contested primary.
Good line from Richardson about Hillary going on the attack. "I've seen hostage negotiations more civil than this."
Joni Mitchel w/ Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Lyle Mays, Michael Brecker Live 1979 - They Kiss On Main Street http://mog.com/gilsmusic/blog_post/129998 (video)
Celtics up 3 on Detroit @ 5 minutes in the game
Good grief. Nothing is on here, nothing. And I think the repugs are first up in a few minutes.
ABC fu**ks it up again for the west coast...or maybe it's just OR.
Is Richardson siding with s/o who might have him on the short list?
What a travesty this country has become with this *debate* and nominating system.
Go, John. How's he doing? *&*# ABC.
It kinda sucks being on the west coast. Sheesh I can't sit through the Republican's first. I guess this Dem debate (whenever it comes on) will be my first of this election.
Come on, NH. Give the rest of us a chance. Don't annoint s/o so many of us don't like very much. Please give us a chance to vote!
Blacks and women got the vote. Now it's time for ALL STATES to get the vote. And live coverage.
I dunno. I'm kind of liking the DEM debate. It is good to watch them in one place. And they are a lot more civil than the Repubs. So far.
actually some good debating by Democrats seashell.
they are giving candidates to respond to what other candidates state.
Talking about Change and if one needs executive experience and you can guess who answers what.
Could you fill me in what you are watching?
-from the hinterlands of Vermont where there is no TV, Broadband or Cell phone service.............
less than 10 miles from an US capital
I also like watching between the debates with the Dems and Repub candidates greating each other.
Hillary kinda hung out with McCain. not many taking time with Ron Paul
They also had to change the audience from a Repub to Dem supporters
sunlight the debate is on abc regular channel. I sure would think Vermont carries abc
I wonder what % of voters vote for what's best for THEM instead of what's best for the country.
That's why I think the Constitution should have been, and still could be, the biggest issue..or Iraq...it affects all of us.
Well, here comes the repugs. I guess I'll read and blog for 2 hours or was it worth it to watch these regressive war mongers?
Could you fill me in what you are watching?
>
Celtics up by 5 over the Pistons with 8.5 seconds to go.
Sorry seashell. I don't think Edwards is knocking anybody's socks off in this debate.
OMG I didn't know his family were millworkers!!!! Well, that changes everyrthing.
I sure would think Vermont carries abc
I'm sure it does, Holly.
It's just that it doesn't reach me.~
Paine, there's no debate on that link...lotsa other stuff. But thank you anyway. :-)
oh dear sunlight. I didn't think there was anywhere in the US that didn't have the 4 major channels.
My kids used to complain when that is all we had because I refused to get cable up until 10 years ago and we broke down and got satellite
I can't find any streaming video of the debate. Let's just go ahead and bang-bang democracy and put it out of its misery.
Hillary is going on the attack again. And she is banging us over the head about her experience. Bam Bam Bam. Of course if experience is the issue, Richardson has it all over her.
Obama is doing a great job, in my opinion.
Ooh! All four are on the defensive. Fireworks!
sorry Paine the link doesn't work, It just keeps looping back to a picture of the debate not the live streaming
http://www.wmur.com/video/14986153/index.html
This link takes me to many possible vids but there's no debate. Perhaps it's my MAC.
I used to get ABC. From Mount Washington in New Hampshire.
But since there is a new law that requires all stations to go digital 'they' took down the transmitter on Mt. Washington because it wasn't 'economical' to upgrade the transmitter to digital.
Old timers, old equipments become obsolete.
Who cares if there are 'pockets' of poverty in the US ?
Or should I say inequality?
streaming
with a short delay.
I can't imagine how I can see it and someone else (sans dial-up) cain't.
I don't even get a picture of it, but I get a pull down subject menu. Is it listed, perhaps, under COMEDY? LOL
Well,
then go
http://www.wmur.com/index.html
and click on the Live Video: watch...
which is about a third of the way down the page.
Is there an JE supporter here who will blog how he's doing?
Paine, just post the URL w/o the blue linky thing.
I did a google search and can't find it.
All four are on the defensive. Fireworks!
>
And, rightly so. The moderator basically sank the Democrat Party with the question.
http://www.wmur.com/video/14986153/index...
It flips us to the link above which has no link that clcks to streaming.
It also says it has live polling which doesn't bring up anything
actually seashell, Edwards seems to be aligning with Obama and Richardson with Clinton when they talk about the change and experience thingy
Like Holly, I just get looped back over and over. :-(
oh hear it doesnt work on my Mac
This is what it said when I clicked the help link
What do I need to view the video?
To view Windows Media video, you are required to have Windows Media Player 9 or higher. You can download Windows Media Player 9 Series from the following Microsoft Windows Media Technologies Web site:
Download Windows Media Player
Macintosh users will need the latest version of Flip4Mac WMV. This free utility allows Mac users to watch Windows Media Video.
Clinton just cut in, not allowing Edwards to speak when it was Edwards' turn (um Hillary, that's rude)
Holly, what's the link to download Windows Media...? Thanks.
we broke down and got satellite
Ha, that's what 'they' tell me to get. So, that costs me $300 to set it up and $50 - $80 a month. Just for the internet access.
Major companies (e.g. staples) state in their service offers that satellite internet doesn't qualify as Broadband.
Satellite is not a viable alternative.
Less than 2 miles from me there is cable, dsl and wireless high speed internet access availabe.
Of course, since America works on 'profit' it's obvious that some parts of America are not America.
Live stream, west coasters (3 hrs. behind New Hampstuuh).
http://www.wmur.com/politics/index.html
here seashell. from Renee. A write about the debate before it is over. LOL
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080106/ap_p...
Scare tactic question said with urgency asked of the Governor - Richardson
Clinton didn't answer the question: "What would you take back that you said in any of the last debates?"
She simply talked around the question.
seashell click on help at this link
http://www.wmur.com/video/14986153/index...
but they are now on their last question. What do you wish you wouldn't have said on the past debates?
Hillary allowed her facial expressions, banging hand on table, andvocal inflection & intonation get the best of her.
Very defensive...on the one hand, bragging about what she's done over the past 35 yrs.; then to defend "change."
Didn't wash.
She's toast (and hopefully, the DLC, also).
Sorry to keep harping on this.
If I would live 8 miles south it would cost me $15 a month for Broadband. No setup costs.
wishful thinking mainefem
Actually it was the best debate so far. My husband at least didn't walk out of the room. LOL
sunlight. We were in the exact same position as you 10 years ago and my husband broke down and bought the satellite saying his parents who lived with us and house bound needed to see old movies. He really wanted the Cubs game.
We finally got the choice broadband 6 months ago. We live out in the boonies too but in IL which kind of grew up around us from all sides.
Crooks & Liars has it:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/
Debate over, so "sit back...little girl blue."
pundit Steph. afterward thought it was Edwards best debate ever. HMMM I must have been watching something else
Clinton: Obama has changed positions
I think we are in trouble. Changing positions is a bad thing?
I change my position every time I'm presented with new facts.
What's not subject to change are my principles. In that regard I admit that Hillary didn't change.
She is sticking to her principles. Power. At all cost.
Barack needs to focus on his principles.
What are they?
Thanks, mainefem. I was just able to open it from Crooks and Liars, but only the repug debate which is also on my TV. I downloaded Windows Media thing but still it didn't work. I love my MAC, but oh how they are discriminated against. :-)
It's amazing that Thompson hasn't fallen asleep yet!
The dems should be coming up here in an hour and 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, I've got the repugs going at it.
And my brussel sprouts burned; I was steaming them and now the house has that freshly burned smell. And all becuz I wanted to see/hear the dems. LOL
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By donna in evanston on Jan 5, 2008 9:31 PM ESTDean is first.
Hillary ain't. She's very annoying.