Hey Penelope.

Thanks for all your hard work!!

These photos are great. I'm going to add a few to this post and promote it to the front page of Blog for America.

Ahem.  Word on the street is Dean is first.

3.

Main or Wall ?

Last week saw Virginia's governor Tim Kaine campaigning for Barack Obama.

This week it's my MA governor Deval Patrick doing the same:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/12/26/report_patrick_to_stump_for_obama_in_three_key_states/

December 26, 2007

BOSTON—Gov. Deval Patrick reportedly plans to make visits to three early presidential voting states on behalf of Democrat Barack Obama.

Patrick's political committee tells the Boston Herald that the governor will deliver speeches in the coming days in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

...

Hope, not Fear.

Off to New Hampshire with a great contingent on January 5th - 8th. Visibility, door-to-door and other support for Dennis Kucinich - also to observe and chat with the other candidates supporters.

 It just won't be the same as '04 without Joe Lieberman around - lol. His boast of ending up in a three-way tie . . . . . . for fourth place . . . .  was memorable.

A,AA,IISVGTBHAF.

I've posted a couple of times recently on the Obama '08 blog, that negativity is so yesteryear and staying positive is the way to go.

I would hope that Edwards supporters here are doing the same on the John Edwards 08 blog.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/22/AR2007122201762.html

Racial Undercurrent Is Seen in Clinton Campaign

PLAYERS and PLAYERS
Sunday, December 23, 2007; Page A02

It has unfolded mostly under the radar. But an important development in the 2008 Democratic battle may be the building backlash among African Americans over comments from associates of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton that could be construed as jabs at Sen. Barack Obama's race.

These officials, including Clinton aides and prominent surrogates, have raised questions or dropped references about Obama's position on sentencing guidelines for crack vs. powder cocaine offenses; on his handgun control record; and on his admitted use of drugs as a youth. The context was always Obama's "electability." But the Illinois senator's campaign advisers said some African American leaders detect a pattern, and they believe it could erode Clinton's strong base of black support.

Here's a sample of how the issue is playing out:

From the "Tom Joyner Morning Show," Dec. 14:

Tom Joyner: "Yeah, man, they are coming after you now. So the story about the Clinton campaign putting out this statement not to vote for Barack Obama because he used drugs, and then yesterday I understand that she apologized and the campaign worker quit."

...

From columnist Derrick Z. Jackson of the Boston Globe, Dec. 15:

"That leaves open as to how far the Clinton campaign, whose poll leads have evaporated in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, will go to stereotype Obama as not only naive, but cast him in a sinister light in a nation where black drug use and criminality is exaggerated in the media . . . ."

...

A great memory of my '04 experience in New Hampshire was asking the leader of John Kerry's election day visibility team why he supported Kerry. His answer was "Because I've known him all my life". Another supporter later added that he supported Kerry because the first guy was supporting him.

On Opera with images turned off so can't see pics.  Need to change browser but, first

http://hannah.smith-family.com/?p=2168 

Do tell me what you think.  I'm thinking of putting it on KOS??????? 

Intriguing column from Paul Krugman regarding the role of 527s, because he adopts the same role as the groups he comments on by feigning his neutrality.

The 527s are labor sponsored he says, labor is a virtuous force in Democratic politics, and labor is backing Edwards.  Fine so far, except Krugman has omitted any reference to his own support for Edwards, and for good reason, because he's consciously avoiding any mention of the, by now, well-documented connections between Edwards and the 527 groups touting him.  The pattern was established in 2004, when Jonathan Prince left the Edwards campaign to set up a 527 before Iowa, a nearly undisguised end around on campaign finance law.  Here are some illustrative excerpts:

"But now Mr. Obama has lashed out at Mr. Edwards because two 527s — independent groups that are allowed to support candidates, but are legally forbidden from coordinating directly with their campaigns — are running ads on his rival’s behalf. They are, Mr. Obama says, representative of the kind of 'special interests' that 'have too much influence in Washington.'

"The thing, though, is that both of these 527s represent union groups — in the case of the larger group, local branches of the S.E.I.U. who consider Mr. Edwards the strongest candidate on health reform. So Mr. Obama’s attack raises a couple of questions."

" . . . .

"It may be partisan to say that a 527 run by labor unions supporting health care reform isn’t the same thing as a 527 run by insurance companies opposing it. But it’s also the simple truth."

The simple truth?  The simple truth is it's run by Edwards' 2004 campaign manager, and these 527s are a means of compensating for Edwards' lacklustre ability to fundraise under existing campaign finance law restrictions.

8.  You should stop by when you're in Durham.

Morning again,

The Time Magazine Person of the Year issue, Dec. 31 - Jan. 7  contains some good writing.  A series of well-written articles on Putin and Russia.  For me, I had a sense of the distinctive culture that is Russian and so very different from American culture.  I surmised when reading it, it was because of all that winter weather and darkness.  There's a sardonic quality to the humor, an authoritarian acceptance, and a sense of the brutality of life.  

Putin is highly intelligent and one of the most chilling and rigid figures I've read about and looked at in photographs.  He evidently owns at least half of Stalin's library and reads Stalin's notes in his spare time.  He's also religious (or should I say indocrinated) like our Bush.

There's a telling example of when Putin first came into power, Bill Clinton went over to him and invited him to go for a walk (Clinton ignoring other world leaders in favor of Putin) and Clinton addressed Putin by the personal form of Putin's name.  This was very moving to Putin and a seminal moment.

That gives me a sense of the brilliance of Bill Clinton's personality.  The schmoozer, musician, lover of people has to be one of Clinton's very best qualities in terms of diplomacy.  IMHO Hillary doesn't seem to have that quality.

Al Gore was the runner-up for person of the year and Bono wrote a fine essay praising Al.  Here's what Al said about a presidential candidacy: p. 98 " I appreciate the question, but I have seen firsthand during the eight years as Vice President the other prerequisites for the kind of galanizing response that is needed.  (He's talking about the environment.) I believe this is the rare crisis that requires a fundamental shift in public opinon at the grass-roots level to embolden members of the Legislative Branch to take action. If I felt the best use of my talents was to pursue these solutions by becoming a candidate for President, I would do that.  I have not completely ruled out the possibility that at some point in the future, I woul do that.  But I don't expect to. What feels right to me is to wage this different sort of campaign."

galanizing should be galvanizing

8.
seashell :-)
Wed, 12/26/07

Christmas in Iowa: Labor union plans $41k attack buy against Obama

+++

from the Christmas in Iowa article:

...

Merry Christmas, Barack!

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees filed documents with the Federal Election Commission this weekend announcing that they will spend $40,755 on a mailing opposing Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), according to the Washington Post. The labor union is among several active in Iowa promoting Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) candidacy, and will also run critical TV ad spots.

...

++++++++++++++

seashell -Thanks for sharing that information. 

IMO it looks like the Clinton and Edwards teams are working in tandem (via labor groups' 527s) to knock out Obama in Iowa.  (thus, C And E working togehter just like in the NAACP debate they were overheard to be talking about limiting debate ?).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/23/AR2007122302443.html

...

Obama continued his attempt to undercut Edwards over the use of independent "527" groups, which are playing an increasing role in the campaign. Such outside Democratic groups are backing Edwards and Clinton and have bought sizable blocks of broadcast advertising in the early-voting states, including Iowa.

Obama cited one such group that is running ads on Edwards's behalf and is being operated, in part, by his former campaign manager and political director. By law, Edwards cannot coordinate with the group, but Obama said his rival should block it from participating in the process.

...

35 on previous thread.

It's my sense that fundamentalist Christians haven't accepted that Jesus came to do away with original sin and are firmly convinced that man is "created evil" and somebody has to make him good.  The state, in their view, is an instrument of coercion--to make man good by threatening to lock him up or kill him, if he's not.  They would prefer not to have to resort to that and so they put a lot of effort into persuasion.  If they can use religious arguments to persuade people to be good, they won't have to use the force of government.  

It's all a matter of prejudice--what assumption you bring to an issue.  If you assume that humans a good by nature, then you consider bad acts as an aberration and something that can be corrected.  Oh, and that makes you a liberal.

In western civilization it seems there have always been people who think everyone else (I'm not sure how they get exempted) is bad/evil.  I tend to think they assign this category on the basis of people not doing what they tell them.  You know, it's sort of simple: "If you do what I tell you, you're good; if you don't do what I tell you, you're bad."

Jesus, of course, tried to throw a monkey wrench into this way of thinking by asserting that it was His Father in heaven that had to be obeyed--not the guy on earth.  If you obey the Holy Spirit within you, you're effectively self-directed and sort of impervious to earthly law-givers.  

I sort of figure it's their problem.  Always have.  When I was nine, I was sent to a boarding school where we were taken to another church every sunday and once we even went to a religious revival in a tent where the children were encouraged to be "saved."  I told them I'd already been saved because I was baptised a Catholic--the major advantage of that religion is that they do it to you early and then you don't have to be bothered.  LOL

yep, both in 2000 and 2004 the labor organizations worked wonders in getting their candidate to become president, NOT

Last comment then off for a while.  In the Loveland Reporter Herald a woman called in to say that she was sick and tired of her tax money going to feed another child breakfast.

Lovely, isn't it, this sense of me, mine, and let everyone else starve.  What have we gotten to in this society?!

In the Bono essay on Al Gore in Time Bishop Tutu is quoted: ubuntu, a word meaning, I am because we are.

Al Gore is quoted using Ghandi's word: satyagraha meaning, hold tight to the truth.

 I like Obama's mind, his speaking of unity, his ability to see more than one perspective, his work in Chicago in the inner city.  I think he is a powerful candidate.  I like much of what Edwards says, though I"m not convinced he's a strong leader yet. I like Dodd for his experience, his integrity, and his perspective on things.  I like everything Kucinich says, but I'm not convinced the majority of the people in this country would vote for him.  I think he's seen as a radical by that essential crossover group of independents.  I like Richardson because of his experience, his sense of humor, his ability to hold a bilingual, bicultural governorship in New Mexico. 

Let's hope that we are wise enough as a people to select the best person for a huge job of repair and vision. 

IMO it looks like the Clinton and Edwards teams are working in tandem (via labor groups' 527s) to knock out Obama in Iowa.

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

I see no evidence of that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdM_aXoa868

IMO it looks like the Clinton and Edwards teams are working in tandem (via labor groups' 527s) to knock out Obama in Iowa.

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

I see no evidence of that.

+++

Phil -

I hope you're right.  I respect Edwards too much to see him involved with Hillary.

I'm sure that aprt of Edwards' decision to go the route of public finance was a certainty that he would be able to assune some of the 527's would find him an attractive candidate, the ads mentioning his plans by name so far have been all positive. The one 527 piece that was negative was an AFSME smear of Edwards and Obama, and they have endorsed Hillary. The Clinton team seems to use the rovian playbook of accusing the opposition of the wrong you are about to commit then "they all do it".

In any case though whether Clinton, Edwards, or Obama, they cannot and do not cordinate with the 527s because the fines are hefty.

we haven't gotten very negative here yet by historic standards though and I credit the risk posed by Christmas and the Holiday spirit evoking a backlash

14.

Phil Specht
Wed, 12/26/07

...Bush had way too easy a time getting Democratic support last time, and it is a stain on Edwards record. Had he made the tough vote he would be cruising to an Iowa victory right now...
------
Yes - and if we could quash the 'myth' ? that Edwards authored the Patriot Act.

Pat wrote "Lovely, isn't it, this sense of me, mine, and let everyone else starve.  What have we gotten to in this society?!"

Ron Paul-itis.  The golden rule has been rewritten to read "don't do unto others anything you would have done unto you; do it onto yourself instead."

Judge plans Iowa fete for Obama
FUND-RAISER | Rents out theater for Sunday tribute

December 26, 2007
BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter/apallasch@suntimes.com

It might be the first time a candidate running for judge in Cook County has thrown a fund-raiser in Iowa.

Cook County Judge Joan Powell and her husband, political strategist Phil Krone, are big fans of White House hopeful Barack Obama. So they've rented out the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for a tribute Sunday to Obama. They'll debut a new piece of music written by composer Phillip Ramey that puts John F. Kennedy's best quotes from his speeches to music.

More here

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/ob...

The Chicago Tribune and Sun Times are the best sources for up to date Obama news, and Lynn Sweet, political reporter for the Sun Times, is very seasoned and I like her tell it like it is style. Click on her column once in awhile and see for yourself :) I've enjoyed her for many years.

Re: the Boston Globe questionairre:

Republican John McCain says that if he is elected president, he would consider himself bound to obey treaties because they are "the law of the land." But Mitt Romney says he would consider himself free to bypass treaties if they "impinge" on his powers as commander in chief.

Democrat Hillary Clinton says "in very rare instances," she might attach a so-called signing statement to a bill reserving a right to bypass "provisions that contradict the Constitution." But Bill Richardson says if a president thinks that parts of a bill are unconstitutional, then "he should veto it," not issue a signing statement.

The problem with Hillary Clinton's answer here is that there is absolutely NO provision in the constitution for a president to "bypass" any law passed by the Congress and signed into law by the president. Doesn't matter what their own opinion is about the bill being constitutional or not.

In this case Richardson has the only right answer.

Phil wrote "In any case though whether Clinton, Edwards, or Obama, they cannot and do not cordinate with the 527s because the fines are hefty."

Do you have any idea what Sen. Edwards was talking about when he called on President Bush to 'step forward and say three words, "stop these ads," about the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads in 2004?

Pat, yes, thank you. But as the Presidential campaign is dominating the space not given to Britney and Britney like, and the candidates have stopped even addressing the Climate Crisis as a talking point, it is clear, only the person who really cares about it, will.

Time for
a COOL
change,
GORE
2008


Current TV/current.com has taken off to a complete information network. I started watching the channel when it first came on the air when it switched over from the Canadian news network (I watched that when I lived in Cinci).


There is so much suffering going on, and most of it at our hands. It's very painful to see. But at least these poor children in Afhanistan have a moment for some fun and laughter, out of their normally not so good life.

http://current.com/items/76404922_circus...

I noticed a Ron Paul media package (glossy brochure, CD and a few other things) on my nephew's desk yesterday. I asked him about it and he said he got it from a friend. I didn't want to talk politics too much yesterday but I'm curious to get his opinion after he gets a chance to check it out.

He's a small business owner (has 5 Subway sandwich stores) so we'll see if that makes a difference in his opinion.

527 supporters  

I never knew much about 527s but now it makes sense when I see some, usually pickup trucks, sporting a white oval bumper sticker with black number 527 in the middle.

mystery as to what 527 bumper stickers mean then is solved for me

(and I just figured out what those 26.2 bumper stickers refer to -- that the owner sporting the sticker most likely ran in the Boston Marathon)

20.

I haven't seen any evidence of any Clinton/Edwards conspiracy via 527's or anywhere else. The candidates themselves are all in it to place first or second. If word got out about conspiring against Obama, it would probably backfire.

25.LMAO...oh yeah....just as he's done, right? (sic)

Pat in CO sounds like a wonderful Christmas for you.

I really like Obama (gut feeling) but after this round of folks falling in love with him I have a intuition that we'll go back for another round with the second tier.

And on the Christian thing, that is upsetting. I've noticed on Wash Journal on CSPAN that if a caller utters the acronym AIPAC, the host invariably moves a shaking hand to the phone to cut off the caller as quickly as can be done politely -- I've email Brian Lamb on the subject. It's not the Israelis that are the issue but the Christians for Zion IMO.


I think man is evil for Mother Earth. We are too successful as a species. Sometimes I pray to the universe that she kills us off. Today we see it as so reprehensible that 150 years ago thinking men owned people, branded them, sold their children down the river and it was evil. I hope that 150 years from now we will see the same evil in our treatment of other species. And a StarTrek style replicator would come in handy for us meat eaters :~)

Putin -- I haven't seen the article but he is an interesting man -- I remember an article when Bush was wanting to take on the whole world how he was trying to quieten things w/o PO'ing Bush. But his essential goodness has not yet been established in my head. Wouldn't it have been something if Gore had won Man of the Year -- I so wish he had.

In this case Richardson has the only right answer.

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

has the best exit strategy as well

We got two mailings today.  One from Obama for our daughter who hasn't been here in six years, at least, which has a picture of him in profile that has been so lightened that his hair appears to be strawberry blond.  Frankly, it was only because I looked close that I recognized it was supposed to be Obama.  The focus of the ad is on the gleaming teeth of the youth who seems to be talking to him with wonder in his eyes.

The other ad was from ASCME in opposition to the Obama health plan.  this one is the first that came addressed to me in this whole cycle, though I've been voting here since 2004.

It's my guess that fully 75% of the direct mail has come to people who aren't here to vote.  In other words, a lot of money is being wasted. 

Phil wrote "[Richardson] has the best exit strategy as well."

And the support of the NRA.

Whoever wins this primary, it is so very important for he/she to point out the dangers of electing any Republican to Congress or the presidency.

Voters need to be educated about the dangers of have only one more fundamentalist judge on the SCOTUS. Even if the Dems win a larger majority in Congress, most everything will go down the tubes in the SC.

Edward Kennedy's speech about the dangers of confirming Bork in 1991(?) was an eye opener that should be brought out from the dusty files and re-delivered by Kennedy.

The country could remain apathetic as we all go down the drain. The  Repugs are not going to lose easily. They are still furious that Bork was not confirmed after all this time. Imagine what they will be up to next November.

I gotta add that this being the most important election in the US EVER, that we are so fortunate to have Howard Dean at the helm of the party. However, he has a tremendous responsibility there -- I do not envy his position -- but we know he will do his best and not cave an inch. The Repugs will try every trick and fraud in the book.

Contribute to the party whenever you can and take a little weight off his shoulders, he's going to need it.

temperature will be in single digits caucus night and that will limit attendance only slightly compared to fog or ice

I want to go on record as encouraging out of state students thaat can legally vote here to come out and caucus

Iowa has a labor shortage and I want to be as welcoming as possible and consider them future Iowans.

Hillary's camp is accusing Obama of bending the rules, for encouraging all of the Chicago kids to caucus for him, but it is clearly within the rules.

They will get into more trouble if they try to vote again in Illinois though.

26.  Edwards was setting himself up for 2007.

And the support of the NRA

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

that is a pretty big plus in Iowa, even bigger in Wisconsin

Dodd handles a shotgun pretty well too (maybe because as a veteran he got used to handling guns)

Do you have any idea what Sen. Edwards was talking about when he called on President Bush to 'step forward and say three words, "stop these ads,"

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

maybe because they were a pack of lies?

Phil wrote "maybe because they were a pack of lies?"

Clearly, but the problem obviously was that the President couldn't cordinate with the 527s under the law because of hefty fines.

Besides wishing everyone a happy Boxing Day, also want to wish a happy first day of Kwanzaa !  

and remember the long threads here in this past year(s) ?

well, on the Obama '08 blog, the latest thread (ie. blog entry) has 988 comments on it 

Clearly, but the problem obviously was that the President couldn't cordinate with the 527s under the law because of hefty fines.

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

He could disassociate himself and tell them he wished they would stop well within the law. Edwards could tell those 527s running positive ads that make him look better to stop, but why should he?

well, on the Obama '08 blog, the latest thread (ie. blog entry) has 988 comments on it 

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

a dialup nightmare lol

45. yep, I'm waiting for the next blog entry to be opened (smile)

polls are still a three way tie within the margin coming out of the Holiday weekend and the problem with those fighting for fourth is that they also are strong candidates with good ads and positions supported by many and that also is a three way race and that doesn't lend itself to clear resolution

Iowa may not decide much this cycle

just a few whistle stops:

http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

Upcoming Events

a strong field and many candidates may play itself out by attrition after Feb.5th as money runs out but I sure don't expect an early winner this round

Both Hillary and Obama have missed dozens of counties and are in a frantic race to get to as many as possible. Edwards has been to all 99. It is a false hurdle, and I think they are nuts to try it at this late date.

I like Obama's mind, his speaking of unity, his ability to see more than one perspective,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO wish that George Bush hadn't already used this. It just leaves such a totally bad taste in my mouth. . . . Just code for: I've already sold out to big business. . . .

Phil wrote "[Bush] could disassociate himself and tell them he wished they would stop well within the law. Edwards could tell those 527s running positive ads that make him look better to stop, but why should he?"

I understand.  Bush liked the Swift Boat Veterans ads.  Even if he didn't, he must have understood that they were the product of independent, issue oriented campaign spending over which he had no legal authority, unless Edwards was right. 

Here's the Alliance for a New America ad.  Ask yourself if the spot is independent of any candidate.

well, on the Obama '08 blog, the latest thread (ie. blog entry) has 988 comments on it
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*REALLY* bad blog management, lol! I could speak of contempt for the bloggers, too. . . . Or just sheer incompetence.

I kinda like Mr. O, too. And Mr. K. . . But the absolute blindness of their supporters (who are peeps I also care about) is really breath-taking at times. . . .

Tom why would a 527 form if they didn't want to promote a candidate or cause? the rovian lie spreading dirt is also "protected" speech but must be directly challenged