You wanna rumble, Hillary?

Fine, let's do this thing.

Yes, I'm ticked. I just read that Hillary, in her utter desperation to win at any and all costs, is comparing Barack Obama to George W. Bush.

Pot? Kettle here. You're Bush!

Yesterday, I read an analysis that seemed really spot-on to me, about how Hillary is campaigning the way she would govern.

That Clinton blew through $100 million in a few months with so little to show for it is a problem in itself. More frighteningly, though, she appeared oblivious about her burn rate and the potential effects on her campaign, a terrible indictment of her financial management skills. Again, this is not exactly what one would be looking for in a president, especially one who is touting her ability to manage the economy back to recovery. Administering a campaign's finances is not exactly a complex task when compared to managing the multi-billion dollar US federal government budget.

There's more. You know *why* Hillary is oblivious? Because, like Bush, she's surrounded herself with loyalists who won't confront her with hard truths. That, by the way, doesn't bode well for who she might choose to be part of a theoretical Hillary Clinton administration.

Hillary and her surrogates have been dismissive of states that didn't vote for her, saying that they aren't representative of the electorate. George Bush marginalized those who participated in the huge protests against his planned invasion of Iraq (you know, those of us who were "clairvoyant") by comparing them to "focus groups". He narrowly "won" re-election in 2004 and declared that he had a "mandate".

Also, as I've written earlier

Last year, someone I know went to hear Hillary Clinton speak at a fundraiser for the Ohio Democratic Party. He was very impressed with her speech, and went on about how inspiring it was. I commented that I was unable to support her because of her repeated, calculated refusal to admit that her vote on the Iraq war resolution had been a mistake. My acquaintance said, "Oh, you have to get over that!"

No, I most certainly do not have to get over that! I mean, this is basic, basic stuff. We all make mistakes. The important thing is to have the humility to admit that, and to learn from your mistakes so that you don't repeat them. I expect this of my kids...why should I expect less of my elected officials? And what's more, refusing to ever admit you were wrong is not a sign of "strength". It is, on the contrary, a dangerous weakness, and I don't believe America can afford another president who stubbornly refuses to ever admit a mistake.

That refusal to EVER admit a mistake? Also vintage Bush.

Clinton's communications director, Howard Wolfson, said back in July of 2007

And, with all due respect, if you want to talk about tactical political maneuvering, it's about one Democrat comparing another Democrat to George Bush. That's the worst kind of tactical political maneuvering.

After 11 straight losses, I guess Hillary has decided that she really *does* want to win "in the worst way". Because that seems to be how she's going about it.

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Jane Goodall, tree-kisser

I was just watching a video called "Reason for Hope" about Jane Goodall. I've probably posted a link to Goodall's essay, "My Four Reasons for Hope" at some point, although I can't recall if it was here or somewhere else. The video is quite interesting. I learned about the group "Roots and Shoots" that Jane Goodall founded to get young people involved in saving the planet. I also learned that Jane kisses each tree she plants (this picture is from the United Nations web site).



And here's an essay Jane Goodall wrote in 2002: You may be only 1 in 6 billion, but every person can make a big difference

Not feeling especially wordy or eloquent tonight, but I thought this stuff was neat and wanted to share.

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Open Thread

Just saw this video posted on Buckeye State Blog, and thought I'd snag it for an open thread before I turn in for the night.




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TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE in honour of SUSAN's BIRTHDAY!

Photo by listener's Son*in*NC (300mm lens)

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUSAN!!

Video added by Renee after Susan's comment here.

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Nelson and Levin say no revotes in their states.

They have done everything in their power to thwart the DNC policy. They have been disrespectful toward Howard Dean and the DNC. They both seem to exert great power over their state parties. They both have effectively worked with other state leaders to keep the voters from having a say in the primaries.

Nelson and Levin: No Revotes

Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) dismissed the possibility in interviews on Tuesday. Levin and Nelson said caucuses would effectively void the primaries in each of their states, and are pushing to have their delegates receive full voting power at the convention.

“You can’t undo an election with a caucus, especially one where 1.75 million Florida Democrats voted,” said Nelson, who filed an unsuccessful lawsuit last year seeking to overturn the national party’s decision to strip Florida of its delegates.

Levin had similar thoughts. “It would not be practical or fair to hold a caucus,” Levin said. “You’ve got 600,000 people who voted. You can’t just throw out the votes of 600,000 people.” Levin said the state will appeal to have its delegates restored by the party convention’s credentials committee this summer....

Asked about the fact that Clinton appeared on the Michigan ballot and Obama did not, Levin noted that it was Obama’s choice to withdraw his name.

Senator Nelson's office has a lot to answer for anyway. This is just one thing among many. His office lied to me about his vote on telecom immunity. When questioned they just kept spinning.

Nelson voted for telecom immunity after saying he was against it

His office said he would vote against it, but all the while he was saying things like this.

But Senator Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, agrees with the White House position. "At the end of the day we have to have the cooperation of the telecommunications companies, and they should not have the threat of a spurious lawsuits hanging over their heads," he said.

There is a word for what they did in the primary....manipulation of the voters. There is a word for what Bill did about telecom immunity...lying.

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How the Dean Campaign Is Helping Obama

First, there's the website. Joe Rospars, 26-year old head architect of Dean's internet team is Obama website designer and team manager.

Second, the fundraising model is the same as Dean used in 2004. Without this strategy as someone said, Obama would have been blown out of the race a long time ago.

Third, the Dean campaign itself. The momentum of the campaign propelled Dean into the DNC chairmanship. If Don Fowler or some Clinton crony would have gotten the gig, it could've totally shifted the playing field in favor of Hillary. We all remember how DNC Chairman McAuliffe (now Hil's campaign chair) stood by and failed to intervene as his former campaign client Dick Gephardt, tore Dean to shreds, along with Lieberman and other shadow Democrats in 2004.

When I go over to Obama's blog and read the comments, it reminds me so much of the comments that we read in 2004. Let's hope for the country's sake that the Dean legacy can continue to help Obama and bring about a better outcome.

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Update on Ally

Just got an update on Ally. It's not going so well today.

She's really uncomfortable and they may need to start the chemo early, with just a general kind,
since maybe they can't wait for the test results.

For those who don't know, Ally is listener's grand-niece, who was diagnosed on Valentine's Day with stomach cancer, just two weeks after her first birthday.  
The complicating factor is that the tumor is pressing on her aorta, causing high blood pressure.

Check on Baby for the full update as of 4:13pm Sunday, now up.
http://eatapyzch.blogspot.com
{♡ Thank-you, dear puddle! ♡}

Ally's Candle Page:



listener | Homepage | 02.17.08 - 5:04 pm |


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Open Thread

moar humorous pics

I've added a few new shared items via Google Reader.

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A time for saying "Yes"

I originally posted this on Friday at Street Prophets. Initially I didn't feel the need to crosspost it, but given the recent spate of accusations of "cultishness" against the supporters of Obama, I've come to change my mind

So here it is, the first Friday in Lent. Even if I weren’t tuned into the liturgical year, it would be hard not to notice the arrival of the season. Because everywhere I look, I see fast food places advertising their “limited time only” fish sandwiches. Incidentally, when I was growing up Catholic, I absolutely detested fish, so my most frequent, informal prayer on Fridays during Lent was, “Please let it be cheese pizza tonight!”

By the time I was in high school and was preparing my own breakfast, I would sometimes get halfway into preparing a ham and egg sandwich before realizing that it was Friday. With a quick glance upward, I would silently, rhetorically ask, “Wasting food would be worse than eating meat on Friday, right?” And then I would finish cooking and eating my breakfast.

At some point during elementary school, my religion teacher introduced the notion of doing something special during this season rather than “giving something up”. Mind you, that didn’t let me off the hook as far as meat on Fridays, but the idea of finding something positive to do really captured my imagination.

Many years later, after having children of my own, I would leave the Catholic church, spend some years “wandering in the desert”—or “church hopping”, if you want to be prosaic about it, before finally settling in the Episcopal church. But I’ve continued to think of Lent as a time to find something to say “yes” to.

In fact, it was four years ago on Ash Wednesday that I was officially received into the Episcopal church. I didn’t have to make things official in that way, as I was attending a progressive Episcopal church held the philosophy, “if you consider this your home church, then you’re a member”. But four years ago, you’ll recall, we were wrapping up another primary season. It was the first election that I’d really paid attention and actually gotten involved, and I’d been pretty disillusioned by the whole thing. When the media and the Democratic party leaders pushed the narrative that the nominee had been decided, way before I had a chance to vote, I was seriously ticked off. I wanted to find some meaningful way to tell the party where they could stick it, but it turned out that in Ohio, you declare your party by voting in a primary. So I didn’t have the option of leaving the Democratic party in some symbolic gesture.

What’s more, I was frustrated that, months away from the general election, I was stuck with a candidate I didn’t like, but had to vote for to get Bush out of office. And I would be going to the polls to say “no” to Bush, rather than “yes” to someone I genuinely believed in. Anyway, long story short, this was also the time when the Episcopal church was taking some heat for upholding the election of Bishop Gene Robinson, and some people were leaving the church. I thought, fine, you may be losing members, but you’ll gain at least one, because I believe in rewarding good behavior. And I really needed something to say “yes” to just then.

So, anyway, now that it's that time of year again, I'm thinking about what I can do that's positive...what I can say "yes" to. And, maybe this seems a bit remedial, but given that I've had such a long, relatively dry spell, I think that saying "yes" to blogging more is a step in the right direction.

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

Postscript...I had really resigned myself to this primary just being about saying "No!" to Hillary. (And it is a loud, powerful, resounding "No!") I only slowly, gingerly began to move toward sayind "Yes" to Barack Obama as a candidate. It can't be a "jumping in with both feet" kind of yes--I'm still too cautious for that. But even a little bit of optimism feels better than what I had before, which was just a glimmer of hope that Hillary's "inevitability" was not a foregone conclusion. And I'm not a strong enough person that it's easy for me to protect and nurture that small seedling of hope and optimism in settings that are rife with cynicism and punchbowl-p!ssing. 'Cause, dang it, it feels good to hope, and to say yes--even a little bit--and I'm not about to let go of that just now.

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OPEN THREAD WITH BIRD & SNOW & SUPERDELEGATES

Just as I snapped this photo earlier this week, the Common Redpoll chomped
down that bit of snow in about three bites ~ must have been very thirsty!

It was reported today that of Vermont's 23 superdelgates, 7 are free delegates.
Five have declared for Obama, one for Clinton, and the other one is just not saying
because he needs to remain neutral in his role as the DNC Chair!
Vermont has the most super superdelegate of all, because Howard Dean is first! ♥

~ listener

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Like hope, but different

Hat tip to Plunderbund for pointing out this parody of the Yes We Can video.



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HOLY HURRAH, STEPHEN COLBERT!

Dr. Philip Zimbardo, professor at Stamford University, author of The Lucifer Effect
was a guest on The Colbert Report on Monday, 11 February 2008.

In his book, The Lucifer Effect, Professor Zimbardo suggests that we have a tendency to conform, and we shouldn't conform mindlessly. We shouldn't obey authority unjustifiably. We need to use critical thinking.
Zimbardo: "We underestimate the power of social situations. We think everything comes from within us, that we are born with good or bad genes, we have good or bad personality characteristics."

Colbert: "The Garden of Eden. That's where good and evil started."

Zimbardo: Well, why did the Devil make Adam and Eve eat the apple? What was he thinking of?

Colbert (emphatically): Because he disobeyed the authority of God! He was 'non-conformist,' doing his own thing, letting it all hang out, did not want to serve the ultimate authority like you say he shouldn't, and I'm sorry the title of the book turns the argument [that ordinary people given roles of authority will act cruelly] on its head.

Zimbardo: "Lucifer is God's favorite angel."

Colbert interjects: "Until he disobeys. Go ahead-"

Zimbardo: "But why does he disobey? It's because God says, 'I have created this perfect creature, Adam; and everybody has to obey him.' Lucifer says, 'Wait a minute, he's a mortal. Mortals are corruptible; we're angels. I refuse.' And that's disobedience of authority. So the reason Lucifer, as the devil, seduced Adam is to say, 'God, I'm right and you're wrong. This guy is corruptible; he's not someone we should respect. He is an ordinary mortal.'"

Colbert: "But in that case Lucifer was right."

Zimbardo: "Lucifer was right, and God was wrong..."

Colbert: "Heyyy."

Zimbardo: "If God was into reconciliation, he would say, 'I made a mistake.' Okay?
God created hell. Paradoxically it was God who created hell as a place to put Lucifer and the fallen angels. If he had not created hell then evil would not exist. So you would not have had this..."

Colbert interrupts: "Evil exists because of the disobedience of Satan! God gave Lucifer and the angels and men free will. Satan used his free will and abused it by not obeying authority. Hell was created by Satan's disobedience to God and his purposeful removal from God's love. Which is what hell is: removing yourself from God's love. You send yourself to hell; God does not send you there."

Zimbardo: Obviously, you learned well in Sunday School.

Colbert: I teach Sunday School, you *bleep*!

~~~~~

HOLY HURRAH, Stephen Colbert!!
As a person who meets with people seeking spiritual guidance, both clergy and lay people, I stand in joyful ovation at hearing such a theologically sound and succinct explanation of evil and hell. I am greatly encouraged to know that someone out there is teaching this to children today, and (imagine!) in church! Seminarians would do well to take notes.
God must be grinning tonight.

Gratefully, listener

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Clinton sees no momentum problem

Via MSNBC's First Read: Clinton Sees No Momentum Problem

And from CNN's Political Ticker: Clinton dismisses weekend losses

In other words, "It's just a flesh wound!"

Yeah, I know. Not the most substantive/mature post. But I think Clinton is showing amazing arrogance in her dismissal of Obama's wins. To wit:

The Clinton camp hopes to stop the Obama bandwagon by winning Texas and Ohio primaries on March 4, after which Mrs Clinton is planning to call on party grandees including Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Harry Reid, the party's leader in the Senate, to persuade Mr Obama to stand down.

Gotta hand it to her, I guess. Few mere mortals can pull of that kind of chutzpah and maintain a straight face.

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HAPPINESS THREAD

Interesting post on Booman about the delegate situation.

But mostly, we needed a new thread.

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Obama sweeps February 9 Contests

Story here.

Update: Thought this needed a pic. Here's one of a baby playing "got your nose" with Senator Obama. ;)

Also, the Cleveland Plain Dealer is endorsing Obama.

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Is Hillary trying to get Shuster fired? Looks that way.

Here is something from The Politico. A letter she wrote to MSNBC. There is a difference in concern for your daughter and in actually shutting up a station that is trying to get some truth out. Who's next...Keith?

Hillary Rips Shuster

ORONO, MAINE — Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday morning ripped MSNBC over reporter David Shuster’s suggestion that Chelsea Clinton was “sort of being pimped out” by the campaign.

“I found the remarks incredibly offensive,” Clinton told reporters in this snowy town outside Bangor. Earlier, she sent a letter to NBC brass that called for swift action against Shuster, who was suspended Friday by MSNBC.

“Nothing justifies the kind of debasing language that David Shuster used and no temporary suspension or half-hearted apology is sufficient,” Clinton wrote to NBC News President Steve Capus, who apparently had already called Clinton to personally apologize.

“I would urge you to look at the pattern of behavior on your network that seems to repeatedly lead to this sort of degrading language,” Clinton wrote. “There’s a lot at stake for our country in this election. Surely, you can do your jobs as journalists and commentators and still keep the discourse civil and appropriate.”

NBC did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment.

Okay, who wants to pull me down from the ceiling I just hit.

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Overheard at the gym

First, a disclaimer...I would very much prefer not to overhear other people's conversations at the gym. I try to go at least twice a week, three times if I'm lucky, and what I want to do is get in the pool and move. I'm not much of a swimmer, but I used to take water aerobics classes, and now I just go to the pool when I have the opportunity and do "freestyle water aerobics for one". I don't ask for much--I just want my own little spot near a wall where I can just do my thing and tune everybody else out. If conditions are right, that's where I can do some of my best creative thinking. But if people within earshot are having a conversation, then conditions are most definitely not right, and I can't seem tune them out no matter how hard I try.

I was actually in the shower, not the pool, so I couldn't see who was talking, but I had passed some older women on the way to the shower. Several of them--I'm guessing at least three--were having a conversation that I kept catching bits and pieces of...

"I stayed up way too late last night watching the returns."
"So, what do you think?"
"I don't knooow!"
"Well, our governor has endorsed Clinton."
"Boo!"
"I'm not ready for a woman president."
"Me neither."

At this point, I *really* wanted to be able to tune out, because I was afraid I might hear something that would annoy me enough that I'd feel compelled to butt into their discussion. But the water wasn't loud enough to drown them out, so as I finished up my shower, I heard the conversation turn to the subject of women priests, and how one of the women had a friend who is one, but, "something about that is just not right." Also, apparently the women's movement is to blame for "the mess we're in today". Whatever that is.

But I wouldn't be sharing this story with you now, if it didn't have a positive twist. Here it comes. One of the women said (paraphrased)

"I used to think like that. Then my husband left me when I was 40, and I was totally unprepared to support myself. I vowed that I would never again let myself end up in that situation. ... Sometimes your situation changes, and then you change."

I didn't hear what the other women said in response, but inside I was saying "Right on, sister!" Because every day, in small ways we have opportunities to speak up and give the other side of the story. And an alternative perspective, when shared by "someone like you" has a better chance of taking root and possibly, as time goes on, softening (or even changing) some of the judgments people make.

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Nice blog at Huff Post...how Dean begat Obama.

The post is quite true in many ways. The enthusiasm, the involvement, the passion. The willingness to work. Interesting in its comparison.

How Dean Begat Obama

Seeing the crowds of young supporters at Barack Obama rallies, commentators have been trying to locate the precise source of the apparently sudden swell of the "youth vote." It's Facebook! It's a greater focus on students by campaign field operatives! Or maybe the relatively young candidate himself is the cause. But as I watched Super Tuesday returns alongside members of Manhattan Young Democrats and the liberal ACT NOW organization at a packed Irish pub in midtown Manhattan, I got a different answer over and over again: we were engaged years before Obama hit the scene, and we'll be engaged even if he doesn't wind up with the nomination.

.." So when were all these young hardcores formed? Another answer was consistent: many had been "Deaniacs," or supporters of Howard Dean's 2004 presidential bid."

...."Though the young "Deaniacs" who helped fuel the former Vermont governor's presidential bid did not wind up deciding the 2004 Democratic primary or the general election, Trippi (until recently an adviser to John Edwards) says it was the first presidential cycle since the 60's in which Democrats gave youth participants a sense of ownership. "I think what [youth activists] weren't used to was a campaign saying, 'Here, this is yours, too.' They were used to protesting totally outside any political institution -- whether it was the World Trade Organization protests or anything else -- because no one was giving them something to mold and help shape. And here they had a shot at impacting something, winning and changing things. The Dean campaign was one of those things.

Well, though, of course all of us Deaniacs know who is still first. But if we have to settle, Barack will do.

Thanks, Howard Dean, for the inspiration and hope.



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New thread

Talk amongst yourselves.


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