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A Greater Appreciation for Peace
Eric Hall hailed from the fine city of Jeffersonville, Indiana. Jeffersonville is a city located on the Ohio River, just north of Louisville, Kentucky. “Jeff”, as its inhabitants have affectionately termed it, is part of Clark County, which was named for General George Rogers Clark (brother of William Clark of the Lewis & Clark expedition). The city of Jeffersonville itself was named for Thomas Jefferson, whose grid design was used as the layout for the city. Some of the localities that Eric Hall grew up with, in Jeffersonville, are Schimpff’s Confectionary (where you can get some of the best chocolate in the country, in my opinion), the Howard Steamboat Museum, and Mick’s Lounge (where the Papa John’s pizza restaurant chain was founded). Eric went to school at Jeffersonville High School, and he graduated from it in 2002. A little while after graduating high school, Eric joined the United States Army, as did many others from small towns where there were few opportunities. He found himself in favor of the goals of the Iraq War and desirous of contributing to the cause. My cousin went to the same school (from first grade through high school) and was friends with Eric, and that is how I first became aquainted with the story of Eric Hall’s Post Traumatic Stress disorder and the events resulting from it.
In June 2005, the Iraq Occupation was in full swing. Eric Hall, now far from Jeffersonville, was traveling the streets of Fallujah in Iraq with fellow United States Marines. When a bomb suddenly exploded very near at hand to Eric and his fellow soldiers, Eric was severely injured, both physically and mentally. He had suffered a severe hip injury, a broken leg, and nerve damage to his arm. As his injuries in that blast were being sustained, he watched one of his fellow soldiers, and his friend, die right before his eyes, decapitated when the bomb went off. Eric Hall’s experience in the Iraq War left him not only suffering from physical pain, but from Post Traumatic Stress disorder as well, brought on by seeing the brutal reality of the war on the ground. Eric was in the hospital for thirteen weeks recovering from his injuries, but, even after that, he experienced pain and had to take pain medication for it. The amount of pain that he suffered from, both physically, and mentally (regarding his memories of war), is immeasurable.
When Eric Hall came home from Iraq and from the hospital, he had trouble getting proper care and benefits from the Veteran’s Administration, just as so many of his fellow veterans did. This is evidenced by the story on wounded veterans in November 2006, done by The Evening News and The Tribune (which proclaims itself as Southern Indiana’s award-winning source for community news), in which Hall was profiled, and he reported having trouble receiving full Veteran’s Administration benefits. All the while that he was struggling with the Veteran’s Administration, he was struggling with his own personal problems concerning pain and his post traumatic stress disorder. The fight with the Veteran’s Administration probably did not help his well-being, and it certainly did not help lessen the level of stress that he felt from the remembrance of his experiences in the Iraq War.
On February 3rd, 2008, Hall was back in the states and out of Iraq, although the memories of the Iraq War were doubtless still with him. His phyiscal pain, however, must have been getting slightly better, because he had recently taken himself off of his pain medication. Almost three years after his war experience, Hall was visiting a relative in Punta Gorda, Florida. Escaping his past and starting a new life was evidently the reason for going to Florida, judging by this statement from Eric’s father, Kevin Hall, “He was going down there to start a new life and get things together — which he was.” But Hall’s efforts to accomplish this were reduced to dust due to the events on the day of February 3rd. After playing a video game titled “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare”, which, I believe, is based on the Iraq War, Eric announced that the house was surrounded and that he had to leave. He was not joking, he was in earnest. Apparently hallucinating and having flashbacks from the Iraq War, he took off on his motorcycle, as though trying to escape invisible enemies. That would be the last time that anyone saw Eric Hall alive.
His motorcycle was found, on its side and still running, along a road. A search was launched around the general area of where the motorcycle was found (Charlotte County in Florida), but searchers were unable to find Eric Hall. Weeks of searching yielded no results. However, they did find a sophisticated “spider hole” dug into the ground, which contained some bottled water and which Hall had likely used as a shelter. Hall’s father, Kevin Hall, commented, “If he went back to full military mentality — he knows how to hide.”
And hide Eric Hall did. A fellow veteran and a fellow sufferer from post traumatic stress disorder, Jim Cannon, said about Hall, “I imagine he thinks he’s in a different place, somewhere in a different time and he probably thinks we’re the enemy looking for him.” Hall hid so well from the searchers that the way that searchers finally discovered him was by the strong odor coming from his decomposed body. It’s an unpleasant statement, but sometimes we have to be confronted with the unpleasant realities of the world. Eric Hall’s body was removed from the culvert, or the conduit used to enclose a flowing body of water, and he was identified using his military medical records.
And so ended the life of Eric Hall. His death was a casualty of the Iraq War, although it is a casualty that will never be recorded in the official record.
With every death that I hear of or observe, I attempt to draw some meaning, some lesson, from the life and death of the person who has died, because I so hate to see a life ending with no lasting meaning. What can we learn from the death of Eric Hall?
Eric Hall’s death can be blamed on a number of things: his lack of pain medication, the “Call of Duty” video game, his post traumatic stress disorder, or the inability to get sufficient help from the Veteran’s Administration. But, I think, looking at the larger picture, the blame should rest ultimately on the Iraq War and the fact that we are sending soldiers off to die or become injured in a war such as this in the first place. Prevention is the key to the solution, just as it is the key to so many other problems that we face. Why add to the suffering of the world, which is already so great, by having people suffer as Eric Hall and other veterans have suffered, in the name of an unjust war which could have easily been avoided? There is too much suffering in this world already without preventable things like this happening. We should be doing all we can to, first of all, stay out of war, and, secondly, if avoiding war is absolutely impossible (and avoidance of war is only very rarely impossible), then we should do everything in our power to help the returning veterans. Humankind and our nation, which is supposedly the first among the nations of humankind but which shows little indication of that, are better than this. We are better than fighting senseless, useless, preventable wars, and then further displaying our immaturities by discarding the veterans of our wars.
To derive one final lesson from the death of Eric Hall, let us return to the area where his life began. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to the Frasier Museum in Louisville, Kentucky. You should go, if you’re ever visiting near Louisville. The museum is about the History of Violence in the world. It has a room full of old guns and weapons, one of which being an old one-shot Derringer from the 1860’s that looks very similar to the one that killed Abraham Lincoln. They also present one-person historical reenactments of historical events, such as the Battle of Hastings (which took place in England in 1066 between King Harold and William, Duke of Normandy, fighting for control of the country). I’ve been to the Frasier Museum twice, while visiting family, and I have found it very enjoyable, although it is not because I revel in violence. There is a quote that resides on a wall on the lower floor of the museum that tells you the museum’s purpose and why the museum was originally founded: by presenting to you the history of violence, it is hoped that you will gain a greater appreciation for peace. May the events surrounding the Iraq War, such as the death of Eric Hall, give you a greater appreciation for peace.
Here it is folks - The Cost of War.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community...
I like how Barack is talking about spending $50 at the pumps - and every family is spending an extra $100 per month for this war. These are sound bites real people can relate to.
Keep hammering that this war (which was authorized by Hill and McAncient) is costing you money.
Geraldine Ferraro just can't keep her boca shut.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_8629143
Obama called in to the Philly sports show. This is a good move!
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_upd...
"The man doesn't seem to have an honest bone in his body. I remember him shilling for Lieberman and saying some horrible things about Lamont.
The man is scary."
_____________________
Mary...you mean Barack Obama? That was the same time Barack Obama called Joe Lieberman his mentor.
***********************************************
Obama is now costing the Democrats the election.
I am hearing from many people, even ones who voted for him in the Primarhy already, that they feel betrayed by Obama and are not going to vote now in the General.
Boy, I just love the Unity Obama has created.
*************************************************
Michigan and Florida Re Do's
Published Thursday, 03/20/08 @ 10:58 am
I would like to ask that all Obama supporters (or not) please contact the
Obama campaign to ask they stop blocking, even ReDo Votes in Michigan and
Florida, so they have a chance for their votes to count.
We all know that Michigan and Florida lost their votes and Delegates when
they moved their Primaries prior to Feb 5. Governor Dean tirelessly
worked to get them to change their dates, even hold a 2nd Primary or
Caucus later on so their votes would count and they could seat their
Delegates. No other plan came to fruition. Hillary has been supporting
the states wishes and has supported, along with Governor Dean, reVotes.
Senator Obama's blocking is claiming a reVote may embarrass the Democratic
Party. WHAT? On the contrary. I and voters can't believe that he would
try to deny voters their opportunity to be heard. Governor Dean has asked
both candidates agree on the solution. Governor Dean supports ReVotes,
Hillary supports ReVotes, Obama will not agree to anything, AND TODAY IS
THE DEADLINE.
FULL POST
http://blogforamerica.com/view/24350
Geraldine Ferraro just can't keep her boca shut.
Somebody needs to tell her that time has past her and her old prejudices by.
Lanny Davis is scary because he has a problem with the truth. But that's the last I'll chat with you until this election is done, Linda. And I write this with a heavy heart.
I would like to ask that all Obama supporters (or not) please contact the
Obama campaign to ask they stop blocking, even ReDo Votes in Michigan and
Florida, so they have a chance for their votes to count.
Thanks for the hate, Linda.
Please explain how Obama is blocking a re-do for McHillary.
Sitka - It isn't worth it.
Later all - gotta get some exercise.
Lanny Davis is scary because he has a problem with the truth.
He's one of those little fishes that swims with the shark.
50.
*** cChalfonte***
Thu, 03/20/08
fred, well over a year ago.....I reminded you that YOU stated you were a Rush-loving Repub until you came upon hard times yourself.
I am paraphrasing but that is a fair representation of your comment.
^That was for clarification and I won't discuss it
==========================================
You reminded me? I never said such a thing. You are scrambling several different statements I made about several different things, and weaving together a fictional story I never had any great love for Rush Limbaugh. I only said that when he had a TV show, I sometimes watched it at the urging of a fellow student, and some things Limbaugh said made me laugh. Even your enemies have something to teach you.
In the 1990's I was disillusioned with both parties. That's when I became poor and disabled.
You know nothing about me or my life... Your statement about me not only revealed how you fabricate stories without facts (something you charge me with) but also reveals a classic "liberal elitist" disposition in your personality, a sterotype that conservatives love point to as irrelevant to real people in the real world, that liberalism is an intellectual indulgence for snot-nosed people who can afford it. President Johnson called them "effete snobs"
I can remember when "liberal" was a bad word. It was like "moderate" today. I was a "radical" - something they call "liberal" today.
I am almost 60 years old and was working for an underground newspaper during the Viet Nam war. I was an acquaitance of Jerry Rubin and Abbey Hoffman. I was a Jimmy Carter fan. Marched against it, and supported the civil rights movement. And until the late 1980s, I always supported Israel, blindly I might add.
Democrats were not always perfect. And our party really sucked at times. Republicans turned out to be worse.
You would be better person to show sensitivity to show hospitality to people converting to true liberal ideals, rather than stage inquisitions to prove who was once a conservative and/or Republicans.
That is what Obama is about. Unity and bringing people together.
12.
Sitka
Thu, 03/20/08
Reply to this
I would like to ask that all Obama supporters (or not) please contact the
Obama campaign to ask they stop blocking, even ReDo Votes in Michigan and
Florida, so they have a chance for their votes to count.
Thanks for the hate, Linda.
Sitka and others, you seem to be confused, it's not me who has been spewing the hate here. I don't know how you all do it. But I'm posting information. As the above comment shows. Oh, I'm sorry, I forget, many here call facts and truth attacking or hate.
Sitka and others, you seem to be confused, it's not me who has been spewing the hate here.
Only because you aren't around much anyone.
Never mind explaining how Obama is blocking Hillary's re-do.
Linda in NM~ Mary...you mean Barack Obama? That was the same time Barack Obama called Joe Lieberman his mentor.
YOU MEAN THE SAME JOE LIEBERMAN THAT AL GORE TRUSTED AS HIS VP RUNNING MATE!?!
You all have personally attacked bloggers who support a Political candidate different from your and call them names. Nice. You all can say the most outrageous things, lies, name calling about others, but if someone posts a TRUTH or FACT about "your candidate, BO" you all go out on attack. Priceless.
Honest, you all don't have to resond to me at all. I much prefer it being I've only received attacks and lies and name calling...oh and demeaning comments, from folks that I've corresponded with for years. Some who even called me a friend.
You all seem to think you can say the most outrageous thing, lie, etc, becuase the end justifies your means. Anything if it can make Obama look better? And you thought that was disgusting from the NeoCons?
And you wonder why so many left here. If this is all you all can be, who wants to be a part of this HATE?
Thank goodness there is alot more outside this circular firing squad.
Sitka, let your fingers do the work. I won't post obvious news that folks are CHOOSING to ignore to make their conscience feel better and then attack me for giving them the news anyhow.
Yes, some of us don't experience short term memory.
ciao!
Linda in NM, you're pathetic. Go spew your HATE elsewhere.
project: to ascribe one's own feelings, thoughts, or attitudes to others.
Linda in NM
Thu, 03/20/08
Reply to this
You all have personally attacked bloggers who support a Political candidate different from your and call them names. Nice. You all can say the most outrageous things, lies, name calling about others, but if someone posts a TRUTH or FACT about "your candidate, BO" you all go out on attack. Priceless
=========================
Tell you what, Linda. If you read Obama's first book, Dreams from My Father, I will read, "It takes a Village" or any other Hillary book there might be.
In other words, you can't explain how Obama is blocking Hillary's re-do.
I knew you couldn't because he hasn't -- which is why I asked.
Karen
Thu, 03/20/08
Reply to this
Linda in NM, you're pathetic. Go spew your HATE elsewhere.
===================
You are spewing hate yourself, Karen. Linda is only viewing the world as she sees it.
As a Michigander I can attest that Obama is NOT blocking Hillary's re-do, the Michigan Republican-controlled legislature is!
Two drug firms charged in France over hepatitis vaccine
Fri Feb 1, 3:25 PM
PARIS (AFP) - Two drug companies are facing charges in France over a hepatitis B vaccine blamed for the death of a 28-year-old woman in 1998 and which caused serious side effects among 1,300 patients.
Smithkline Beecham, now GlaxoSmithKline GSK, and Pasteur Merieux MSD-Aventis Pasteur, now Sanofi Pasteur MSD, are accused of aggravated deceit for failing to disclose the possible side effects from the vaccine, justice officials said Thursday...http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/080201/health/france_health_hepatitis_pharma_justice
I thought up an ad campaign for Obama. It might run in the background pieces of his speeches or whatever, juxtaposed with Hill's and McC's. Then it displays his new motto (drum roll) which should be: Do you want a LEADER or a POLITICIAN?
+++++++
Linda NM did you see where Seattle has banned bottled water?
Gotta go - bbl
I love it, I love it, I want more of it. You all show my words to be true.
Karen, yes, I'm pathetic for reporting truth. Just like you think I have no place to be on other blogs that you may go to...sound familiar? Who's pathetic?
eeehhhr ugghh! So sad.
You are spewing hate yourself, Karen. Linda is only viewing the world as she sees it.
Sorry Fred.
But IMO, I look at her posts as hateful rhetoric because her candidate is not where she would like her to be so she comes here to vent.
Karen
Thu, 03/20/08
Reply to this
As a Michigander I can attest that Obama is NOT blocking Hillary's re-do, the Michigan Republican-controlled legislature is!
===============================
I never heard/read any statements that would indicate Obama is obstructing a vote there (nor in Florida,) but I did hear SLICK HILLARY make that insinuation on TV last night.
The MSM sometimes shills for Hillary by saying "She Won" in Michican and Florida, when there was not a fair, legal, fully-participated campaign in those States.
The message being "the rule breaker wins" - rule keepers lose
I love it, I love it, I want more of it.
Whatever turns you on.
These days you only display two reasons for coming here -- to attack Obama and then fight with people about it.
If you occassionaly posted on other important topics like you used to you'd find you still have friends and people to agree with here.
13.
Karen
Thu, 03/20/08
Reply to this
As a Michigander I can attest that Obama is NOT blocking Hillary's re-do, the Michigan Republican-controlled legislature is!
===============================
I never heard/read any statements that would indicate Obama is obstructing a vote there (nor in Florida,) but I did hear SLICK HILLARY make that insinuation on TV last night.
Fred~ That was in response to Linda in NM's post below:
I would like to ask that all Obama supporters (or not) please contact the
Obama campaign to ask they stop blocking, even ReDo Votes in Michigan and
Florida, so they have a chance for their votes to count.
1:21 PM EST
today being Holy Thursday, that means Easter is just around the corner --
-- well, 12 years ago, Easter at the White House:
...
_April 7, 1996, Easter Sunday.
...
Hillary Clinton is a Lieberman Democrat
Senator Clinton veers toward the right wing
There is no doubt that Hillary Clinton is a powerful politician. For some people, that's enough. Some people are willing to follow whomever has the most power, regardless of whether that power is employed in the right cause.
The rest of us must look more carefully at those who seek our support in their effort to gain more power. The rest of us must examine Hillary Clinton more carefully.
Upon examination, Hillary Clinton turns out not to be what her supporters wish she would be. Increasingly, her political stances are moving toward the right. It started with support for Bush's tax cuts for the rich, then into Clinton's vote in favor of the Patriot Act, though she never even read the legislation before voting on it. Then, of course, there was Hillary Clinton's support for the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Senator Clinton didn't just support the Iraq War at the beginning. She still supports it, and still refuses to admit that she made the wrong choice. Since that pro-war vote, Hillary Clinton has gone sliding further and further to the right, supporting initiatives to mix religion and government, supporting Pro-Life candidates, and even voting for a law to end free speech as we know it by making flag burning a crime. Time and time again, Hillary Clinton has failed to stand up to George W. Bush. When Russ Feingold called for the censure of George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton left him hanging.
If all this doesn't convince you that Hillary Clinton is becoming more and more like a right wing Republican with every passing year, consider this: Senator Clinton is now defending Joseph Lieberman. In fact, Hillary Clinton isn't just defending Lieberman, she is helping Lieberman defeat a true progressive Democrat, Ned Lamont.
Ned Lamont is running for United States Senate in the Democratic Primary against Joseph Lieberman because of Lieberman's repeated cooperation with the worst of the Republicans' right wing agenda. While the Republicans have been lying to America, running up record debts, cutting away our civil liberties, and selling out the basic needs of American citizens, Senator Lieberman has been lecturing Democrats that we need to be friendly to Republican ideas, and we should not contradict George W. Bush. Lieberman has actually suggested that criticizing President Bush is unpatriotic. He's said that Americans do not have the right to full religious liberty. He's supported George W. Bush almost every step of the way.
Hillary Clinton ought to be ashamed to be seen in the same company as Joseph Lieberman. But, she isn't. In fact, Senator Clinton has written a letter to the delegates of the Connecticut Democratic Committee, urging them to support Senator Lieberman, and help defeat progressive Ned Lamont.
The letter, which is shown below, contains many false statements. For example, Senator Clinton claims that " Joe Lieberman fought tooth and nail to protect the guarantee of Social Security that this country has honored for seven decades to its senior citizens." The truth is that Senator Lieberman tried to help George W. Bush's attacks on Social Security until they were all but certainly doomed. During the State of the Union Address, when President Bush announced his plan to destroy Social Security as we know it, Joseph Lieberman was one of only two to stand up and applaud. That's right - Senator Lieberman actually applauded the destruction of Social Security. ...full article: http://www.irregulartimes.com/clintonlie...
LindaNM - are you trying to convince us, or yourself? what a mean person you've become since you've been shilling for Hill and spreading her bs. every time you post here, your hatred for Obama and anyone who suupports him spills over. it's toxic. if Obama were on the Michigan ballot and Hillary was not, you would be screaming at the top of your lungs that it would be unfair to count Michigan's votes. if Obama said the FL and MI votes wouldn't count, then went back on that once he needed those votes, again, you'd be sceraming at the top of your lungs. but Hillary can do no wrong - let the shit fall where it may, she's in it to win it and screw the democratic party. and LindaNM is behind that all the way.
as for... "You all have personally attacked bloggers who support a Political candidate different from your and call them names. Nice. You all can say the most outrageous things, lies, name calling about others, but if someone posts a TRUTH or FACT about "your candidate, BO" you all go out on attack. Priceless."
look in the mirror. the fact is, you are doing all that you blame us for. if you feel we don't agree with you and you obviously don't like us, why are you here? just to harass? to troll?
Here's an important Rethug seat which Presidential candidate Obama - campaigning in all 50 states - would help a good Democratic candidate win :
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/washington/20cnd-reynolds.html?hp
“I just looked at where we are,” he said at a news conference at a volunteer fire station here. “I had time to reflect on the State Senate seat in the north country and Congressman Hastert’s seat in Illinois.”
The two references were to elections in which Republicans lost to Democrats.
Mr. Reynolds has come under criticism because of financial irregularities at the chief fund-raising arm of his party in the House, the National Republican Congressional Committee. The former treasurer of the committee, Christopher J. Ward, who was named to that post five years ago by Mr. Reynolds when the latter was chairman, is the focus of an F.B.I. investigation.
Oh, enough of this fantasy world and CONTINUOUS LYING AND IMPROPER AND UNJUSTIFIED NAME CALLING.
REALITY
Clinton turns up heat for do-over
But new primary looks unlikely with Obama camp balking and time short.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...
The Obama campaign has devised a heady number of sensible objections, all on practical grounds, to the idea of a redo. "It's not fair for me to (have to vote for a bill) that's half-baked, ill conceived and not appropriate," state Sen. Tupac Hunter, an Obama supporter, said on WDET on Tuesday. Similarly, Sen. Buzz Thomas, who heads the Obama campaign in Michigan, is opposing an election. But all the technical objections, which question the ethics of privately funding an election or the fairness of an election that would exclude those who voted Republican on Jan. 15, seem fussy: After all, not one Obama supporter in Michigan was able to vote for their candidate by name.
The premise in the Obama camp seems to be that Clinton needs the votes, and that Obama can do without them -- or might do better by engineering a smoke-filled room decision about delegates than risking another election.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...
Obama's camp raises doubts over do-over
By TODD SPANGLER and DAWSON BELL • FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF • March 19, 2008
Read Comments(38) Recommend (6) Print this page E-mail this article
Share this article: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s this?
WASHINGTON –Barack Obama’s chief lawyer raised serious questions this morning about the prospects of a do-over primary for Michigan, representing in the campaign’s broadest statement yet on the subject that such a second nominating contest could leave itself open to legal challenges and confusion as to its results.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...
Mr. Obama’s campaign has resisted a new contest, saying that Michigan Democrats are divided, that a revote would not make much difference in the overall delegate count and that the Clinton camp was trying to change the rules to suit itself.
The Michigan Legislature, which would vote on approving a new election, is deeply torn on it because of cost, legal questions and logistical difficulties.
Another spokesman for Mrs. Clinton, Phil Singer, said Mr. Obama was trying to disenfranchise Michigan and Florida voters. “By failing to encourage its supporters in these states to throw their support behind efforts to hold new primary elections there,” Mr. Singer said, “the Obama campaign is allowing nearly 2.5 million voters to be excluded from the nominating process.”
A spokesman for Mr. Obama, Tommy Vietor, said the difficulties with a new election outweighed the advantages.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/us/pol...
YOU MEAN THE SAME JOE LIEBERMAN THAT AL GORE TRUSTED AS HIS VP RUNNING MATE!?!
Karen,
SUPERB!:))
Susan Rowe~
Hillary Clinton is a Lieberman Democrat
Senator Clinton veers toward the right wing
Hubby and I was talking about that this morning only we took it one step further by saying Lieberman is now a Republican. That thought scared us because if Al Gore would have won in 2000, Lie-ber-man would probably be running for prez now on the Dem ticket.
I don't read LInda NM's comments at all anymore - Scroll right past.
But ya'll might want to give her some sympathy when AL GORE, SUPER DELEGATE, VOTES FOR BARACK OBAMA.
Clinton turns up heat for do-over
It's been dismissed by all but hilladroids as a stunt. And some of her supporters in MI said it hurt their effort by making it look partisan. She knew she wouldn't get the re-do and just wants to use it as an attack -- which all her disappointed, disillusioned, and defeated campaign has left.
Obama: As He Rises, He Falls
Hence Vietor's sensitivity to the allusion in my column to Obama's "mentor" being Senator Joe Lieberman. As a freshman senator, Vietor insisted, Obama had been assigned Lieberman as mentor. Read the Hartford Courant and you'll find Lieberman boasting that Obama picked him.
Either way, it's obvious that Obama could have brokered a different mentor if he'd so desired, the same way he could have declined to go and tout for Lieberman at that Democratic Party dinner in Connecticut at the end of March. But he clearly didn't, because he wanted to send out a reassuring signal, in the same way he's doing with his PAC, the Hopefund, which is raising money for fourteen of his senate colleagues. According to BlackCommentator, ten of them are DLC--half the DLC presence in the Senate.
Obama: As He Rises, He Falls
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060508/co...
The Michigan Legislature, which would vote on approving a new election, is deeply torn on it because of cost, legal questions and logistical difficulties.
That's the rhetoric the Michigan Republican-controlled Legislature is using but the real reason is they don't want a re-do. It's in their best interests to keep this thing going as long as possible.
And, just like in every other state, because they're controlled by the rethugs, nothing gets done!
Examining Clinton & Obama’s Stances on the Subprime Mortgage Crisis, Universal Healthcare, Privatizing Social Security and Nuclear Energy
Same, of course, with Hillary. If anything, Hillary’s advisers are a shade more open to reaching out a little further left. And you worry that as attractive as Obama is, as inspirational as he obviously is, he might be very centrist as president, and you wonder whether this is him trying to be the Democratic version of John McCain, trying to tone it way down in order to reach out to independents, or whether this is what the man really believes, or whether he’s still a work in progress.
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/2/8/exa...
McBush responded to Obama's criticism of his vote for war in Iraq by saying Obama is "rehashing" the past.
It called a "record."
Linda in NM~ Obama's "mentor" being Senator Joe Lieberman
Don't know what you hope to accomplish by posting this. It's a non- issue everywhere else.
1:41 PM EST
http://www.gallup.com/poll/105097/Perceived-Honesty-Gap-Clinton-Versus-Obama-McCain.aspx
March 18, 2008 Perceived Honesty Gap for Clinton Versus Obama, McCainby Jeffrey M. Jones
PRINCETON, NJ -- Hillary Clinton is rated as "honest and trustworthy" by 44% of Americans, far fewer than say this about John McCain (67%) and Barack Obama (63%).
...
“the Obama campaign is allowing nearly 2.5 million voters to be excluded from the nominating process.”
if MI, FL and Hillary had kept their promises, we wouldn't be in this position. but some folks can twist that to be Obama's fault - and just because there are 'serious legal questions', he should still go along with it?! jeeeesus! hate knows no bounds sometimes - fear, hatred, it's all the same - I wonder why they're all so scared of Obama...
Lieberman To Resurrect the Culture Wars
Posted December 10, 2007
I guess this must be one for those of us who spent the 90s wanting to throw large objects through the television set as we watched that sanctimonious, finger wagging, judgmental scold Joe Lieberman on the floor of the Senate joining with the Republicans to derail the constitution over Bill Clinton's zipper:
Senators Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Evan Bayh (D-IN), and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) called for a thorough review of the video game ratings process in the wake of "Manhunt 2" receiving a "Mature" rating. In a letter to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), the Senators detailed how the change in rating opened the door to widespread release of the game, which depicts acts of horrific violence.
Well that is just peachy. Do we suppose Hillary sat down and actually played Manhunt 2 on the campaign trail in order to arrive at this conclusion, or did she just take Joe's word for it, much like she did when she voted for the Kyl-Lieberman amendment that others have quite rightly pilloried her for? Because Joe, you'll recall, was a useful idiot for the Bushies when they discovered Iran had no nuclear weapons program and they had to find another reason to bomb them into the stone age -- something they neglected to tell the public about. And despite the fact that Clinton's excuse for voting for the AUMF was that she had "bad information" from the Bush Administration on the Iraq weapons program, she decided to trust them -- and Lieberman -- and amp up the Iran war rhetoric.
One wonders at what point she will stop following Lieberman over the cliff. ... full article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsh...
you wonder whether this is him trying to be the Democratic version of John McCain
Actually, it was Hillarywho said that McBush would a better president than Obama (therefor obviously not the same as), and Bill that Hillary and McSame would get along famously together as opposing nominees.
And if you look at their Senate records, Hill and John were in agreement when it came to voting for the worst of Bush's agenda.
Karen
Thu, 03/20/08
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Fred~ That was in response to Linda in NM's post below:
I would like to ask that all Obama supporters (or not) please contact the
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Yea, I know. I went to her thread and said the same thing. I cannot understand how people can smear Obama simply by listening to Hillary's operatives, and not doing their own leg work.
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By publius on Mar 19, 2008 9:42 PM EDTJumping the Browse All to remind that Pennsylvania Primary voters are first in line right now.
DNC Chair Dean first also.