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The Watercooler for 08/29/08 5:00 PM

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- Dean is first.

By Tom Bearse on Aug 29, 2008 6:02 PM EDT
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- Geraldine Ferraro again attacks Dean and Obama on Fox

By floridagal . on Aug 29, 2008 6:13 PM EDT

This lady whom I used to respect has crossed the line too often now.   She thinks Palin is good for McCain, and then she lights into Dean and Obama for hurting her candidate.

Geraldine Ferraro almost endorses McCain

"There are a lot of women who are disaffected by how Hillary was treated by the media, by how she was treated by the Obama campaign, by how she was treated by the Democratic National Committee — Democratic party chairman Howard Dean not speaking up when sexism raised its ugly head in the media. They’ll be looking to see what happens now."

Let it go, Ferraro.

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- The link to DU is very slow...but it will load.

By floridagal . on Aug 29, 2008 6:15 PM EDT

The site has been slow today.

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- Dean did speak up on this with State Party

By publius on Aug 29, 2008 7:16 PM EDT

H Dean did acknowledge the media sexism aimed at Clinton when he spoke with a room full of GA Democrats last month.

"Had Chris Matthews talked of Senator Obama in a racist context the same way he talked of Senator Clinton in a sexist context, he would have been fired." 

But, I haven't heard this line from the party for public consumption.

 

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- AK Reporter Discusses Palin

By raehart on Aug 29, 2008 7:05 PM EDT

 

Gregg Erickson, columnist and reporter for the Anchorage Daily News and editor at large for the Alaska Budget Report, was online Friday, Aug. 29, at 3:30 p.m. ET to discuss Palin as the vice presidential choice, her term as governor of Alaska and his coverage of her in the Alaska state house.

Gregg Erickson: Palin, like about 60 percent of Alaska voters, favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Her environmental credentials are, at best, mixed. She favors what we in Alaska call "predator control," including, gif necessary, the hunting of wolves from the air. Just recently her Dept. of Fish and Game pulled some wolf cubs from their den and shot them as part of a program to improve moose survival.

She also opposes the listing of the polar bear as an endangered species.

Here is the entire transcript, it is very informative.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/08/29/DI2008082902052.html

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- rae

By Phil Specht on Aug 29, 2008 8:40 PM EDT

Thanks for what you did for Obama when you went to Toledo, Ohio. Those grassroots efforts were what propelled him to the nomination.

I have to think at the end of this week Obama is a much better bet to win than he was a couple of months ago and we just need to keep pushing all the way to the finish line.

Then is when the real fun begins.

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- Phil

By raehart on Aug 29, 2008 9:40 PM EDT

Thanks. Ohio seems so long ago. 

That being said I think it is you who should be thanked for fighting for grassroots your entire life and always looking ahead to the future.  It is because of you and people like you that I honestly believe Obama will be elected.  Thank you. 

 

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- Rove is smarter than the average bear.

By Phil Specht on Aug 29, 2008 8:42 PM EDT

I will wager that the "battleground" states on his list include Alaska as must win on a electoral squeaker map in their war room.

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- Chalk Alaska up

By publius on Aug 29, 2008 9:32 PM EDT

for their side now.

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By raehart on Aug 29, 2008 9:52 PM EDT

I am not so sure.  Alaskans are fiercely independent, they do not like McCain.  There is scandal after scandal there.  I do not think a majority will vote for her just because he picked her as VP.  Stevens will probably not be reelected.  I refuse to give up.  I'm calling and emailing all my friends continually until election day.  There is an excellent ground crew in AK, I'm sure they aren't giving up.

 

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- Good reply

By publius on Aug 29, 2008 10:11 PM EDT

I knew the Democrat was looking good against Stevens.

Early stories on Palin credit her with going after the business as usual GOP leadership there.  Implication is Stevens' damage doesn't hurt Palin.  

I didn't know McCain was disliked as much as you say.  It is the top of the ticket that counts most, of course.

Still, hard to believe a young state would vote against its first national nominee.

There were plenty of Georgians laughing about Jimmy Carter in 76 -

until the Iowa Caucus -  then the bandwagon got rolling.

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- Alaskans share in oil money.

By Phil Specht on Aug 29, 2008 8:50 PM EDT

Don't forget that in any poll showing support for drilling. You won't find a majority against drilling in Louisiana either.

Palin is about drilling and Obama needs to keep hammering away at his energy plan.

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- Now the rest of America will find out about that

By publius on Aug 29, 2008 9:28 PM EDT

The Alaska Permanent Fund was used as a model by Peter Barnes in his great book Capitalism 3.0: A Guide to Reclaiming The Commons.

Barnes moves to depoliticize the plunder of natural resources and dumping of waste into the environment.  Pollution, carbon dioxide included, permits would be managed by Trustees, accountable to all inhabitants and future generations.

The absolute quantity of emissions and permits would decrease and charges for permits would increase over time.  This fuels market driven innovation and conservation.    

Some permit fees are held in trust for future generations.
Other fees are spent on the commons - from infrastructure to public art projects.

Some other percentage of the fees is divided between all inhabitants, everybody gets a check.  Just like Alaska does now.

   

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- I am absolutely livid.

By floridagal . on Aug 29, 2008 9:15 PM EDT

I don't even have words.   Florida is at it again.

The Vice chairman of the Florida Democratic Party called yesterday for Howard Dean's ouster as chairman

The son of a you know what had the nerve to say it at the convention. 

I am so sick of this state.

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- ah, come on - you should be smiling!

By Jo*in*Vermont on Aug 29, 2008 10:34 PM EDT

any dem with half a brain has seen the fantastic job the chairman has done!  meanwhile you can just sit back and watch this idiot drum himself right off that political throne he thinks he's on....  if he just keeps it up your political life in FL should be much improved, very soon!!

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- From Defenders of Wildlife...

By Annilow on Aug 29, 2008 10:03 PM EDT

Dear Ann,

A few hours ago, the news broke that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been selected by Sen. John McCain as the vice presidential candidate for the Republican ticket.

As a Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund supporter, you are no doubt aware of Governor Palin’s dismal record, from her staunch support for special interests and Big Oil to her terrible assault on wolves and other wildlife.

As much of the nation wonders just who Sarah Palin is, I wanted to pass along my statement that I've just released.

Please read it and pass it along to everyone you know.

Thanks for your continued support,

...cont'd...

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- From Defenders of Wildlife (cont'd)...

By Annilow on Aug 29, 2008 10:04 PM EDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 29, 2008

Shocking Choice by John McCain

WASHINGTON-- Senator John McCain just announced his choice for running mate:  Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska.  To follow is a statement by Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.

“Senator McCain’s choice for a running mate is beyond belief. By choosing Sarah Palin, McCain has clearly made a decision to continue the Bush legacy of destructive environmental policies.
 

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- From Defenders of Wildlife (cont'd)...

By Annilow on Aug 29, 2008 10:05 PM EDT

“Sarah Palin, whose husband works for BP (formerly British Petroleum), has repeatedly put special interests first when it comes to the environment. In her scant two years as governor, she has lobbied aggressively to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, pushed for more drilling off of Alaska’s coasts, and put special interests above science. Ms. Palin has made it clear through her actions that she is unwilling to do even as much as the Bush administration to address the impacts of global warming. Her most recent effort has been to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the polar bear from the endangered species list, putting Big Oil before sound science. As unbelievable as this may sound, this actually puts her to the right of the Bush administration.  

  

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- From Defenders of Wildlife (cont'd)...

By Annilow on Aug 29, 2008 10:06 PM EDT

“This is Senator McCain’s first significant choice in building his executive team and it’s a bad one. It has to raise serious doubts in the minds of voters about John McCain’s commitment to conservation, to addressing the impacts of global warming and to ensuring our country ends its dependency on oil.”

###

The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (www.defendersactionfund.org) provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.

 

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- floridagal

By audrey.nc on Aug 29, 2008 10:07 PM EDT

I think the Dean hunters in Fl. are still  Hillary driven.   She wanted him out before, and I suspect she is really after him since losing the nomination.  She doesn't want to deal with Dean in '12.

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- It just infuriates me. I have no patience left with them

By floridagal . on Aug 29, 2008 10:12 PM EDT

That kind of statement is so common here, and no one in leadership ever took responsiblity for what they did here in FL

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- Trooper-Gate

By raehart on Aug 29, 2008 10:07 PM EDT

I apologize.  Did I ever have the details wrong.  This was all happening while I was preparing to move to UT, but that is no excuse I should have paid closer attention.  Some of the talking heads have it wrong too.  I thought Palin had her former brother-in-law fired (she was trying to), but actually the person who was fired was the guy she told to fire her BIL because he would not do it.  This is clearly an abuse of power, plus she lied.  I know I'm not making sense, here is the timeline.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/gov-sara-palin-trooper-gate-ti.php

 

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-

By Imn2Paine on Aug 29, 2008 10:12 PM EDT

you ar e surely making sense.  Interrwesting.

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- 'Cain

By Imn2Paine on Aug 29, 2008 10:11 PM EDT
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- Obama Organizing Meeting in My Town...

By Annilow on Aug 29, 2008 10:21 PM EDT

I was invited by phone and attended an Obama organizing meeting in my little Town Hall tonight.  I live in the heart of the reddest (but whitest lol) little town in north Florida with nothing but bugs, trees and churches.  There were about ten at the meeting, including, wonder of wonders the Town Mayor.  We are mostly closeted, b/c of repercussions real or imagined by which we feel threatened.  The organizer was paid by the Obama campaign, Peter.  He was very professional and organized and nineteen years old.  With his guidance we had volunteers for the data person (data entry), canvassing, phone banking, and voter registration.  I didn't volunteer for a 'chairmanship' but plan to help out on any and all committees.  Someone had buttons that said "I'm voting for change" so I took one.  They passed out yard signs, but I didn't take one.   

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- cont'd (word limit is quite sucky)...

By Annilow on Aug 29, 2008 10:22 PM EDT

Peter suggested that the basic goal is to get folks registered, identify the Dems, and get them to the polls.  He offered a very modest objective of getting something like 30 percent of the vote which he suggested would be huge, considering.  I enjoyed the meeting and look forward to doing a little work for Obama.  Most attendees were teachers of one sort or another... 

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- gustav

By Imn2Paine on Aug 29, 2008 10:30 PM EDT
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- blessings

By Jo*in*Vermont on Aug 29, 2008 10:39 PM EDT

to anyone in the path of that.  weird...  it's moving in over the weekend/early week, just like Katrina and headed straight for NOLA.  I wonder if brownie's replacement is thnking about what to wear for the cameras........

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- gustav - may be how McCain keeps GW Bush

By publius on Aug 29, 2008 10:49 PM EDT

out of Minnesota.

Reports tonight that convention may be delayed.  Reported that if it doesn't start Monday when GWB is scheduled, then his speech will be not be rescheduled.  We'll all just miss out. 

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- I hope Howard

By Jo*in*Vermont on Aug 29, 2008 10:42 PM EDT

gets to come home to Vermont for a bit of a break and take a breath.  he deserves it!

thank you, Governor Dean, for the best dam convention I've seen in MY lifetime!!  xoxoxo

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- I'll second that, Jo.

By mary vb on Aug 29, 2008 10:50 PM EDT

I watched Howard, Barack and Kerry give their speeches in '04 but that was all I watched of the convention.

 

This time around - I watched everything I could.  Compelling from start to the unbelievable finish.  A piece of history which our Howard made possible.

 

Howard needs some more love in the form of donations.

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- Biden v Palin in a debate

By mary vb on Aug 29, 2008 10:53 PM EDT

I asked my husband what his thoughts about the VP debates were.  His comment was that Joe Biden will just let Sarah Palin show her ignorance with world matters, etc - that Biden doesn't have to do too much. 

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By audrey.nc on Aug 29, 2008 10:54 PM EDT

Howard's trip to Alaska soon, is bound to be more interesting with the selection of Palin.   Now, if Howard makes any negative comments about the Repub VP candidate,  Ferraro and the Pumas will start hissing again in Chorus. 

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- The Wash. Post

By mary vb on Aug 29, 2008 11:06 PM EDT

is doing some digging on Palin's ethics investigation.

Per mydd:

 

http://www.mydd.com/

 

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- More On Trooper-Gate

By raehart on Aug 29, 2008 11:36 PM EDT

The police chief Palin hired to replace the fired Public Safety Commission resigned after two weeks on the job.  He resigned after a prior complaint of sexual harassment and a letter of reprimand surfaced.

Palin gave the police chief 10,000 dollars severance pay for two weeks work.

Palin said she knew about the complaint of sexual harassment but not the letter before she hired him.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/palins_post-scandal_appointee_served_just_two_weeks.php

By the way the family fighting happened before Palin became Gov.  Everything had been settled in court. 

 

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- The Audacity of Denver

By mary vb on Aug 29, 2008 11:58 PM EDT
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- YEP!!

By Annilow on Aug 30, 2008 10:01 AM EDT

I love 'rednecks for obama'.

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