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Late Night: I Won't Back Down

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:39:36 PM EST
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Tom Petty, 1991, I Won't Back Down

Hear that DNC?

This is an open thread.

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    Late Night: I Won't Back Down | 78 comments (78 topical)

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    Wonder when they'll come around (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by cosbo on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:44:57 PM EST
    to Clinton being stronger on top. I say like...NEVA!

    Excellent Op-Ed piece in the NYT on Kennedy/Krusch (5.00 / 3) (#3)
    by gmo on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:45:34 PM EST
    I was  moved by it, particularly Kennedy's own self-awareness after the fact in recognizing what a blunder that initial meeting with Krushchev had been, how it was one of the hardest things he'd done in his life.  

    Definitely a word of caution to Obama, and a sort of confirmation to those who've been criticized for pointing out Obama's foreign policy naievety & inexperience.

    Very interesting (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by Steve M on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:45:28 AM EST
    LINK

    History has a lot to teach us.  Personally, I felt Walter P. Reuther and the labor leaders wrote the textbook on how to deal with Krushchev.

    Reuther: The union is an extension of government, the Soviet government. Does a union ever disagree with the government? Can you give us one single example in which one of your unions ever disagreed with government policy?

    Feller: The Communist Party proclaims itself to be the liberator of the working class; yet we see mass exodus of workers in other countries following the Communist seizure of power. Can you tell us of a single instance where there has been a mass influx of workers from surrounding non-Communist countries into the Communist country?

    Good stuff!

    Parent

    Thank you for the (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by Grace on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:20:23 AM EST
    link to this.  

    "Too intelligent and too weak."  I think that somewhat defines Obama too.  

    Of course, I see Hillary and McCain as both being very strong.  They've both proven their strength (Hillary throughout the Impeachment, McCain by being a POW) publically in ways that Obama has had no chance to match.  (Well, he could have been strong about Rev. Wright, but he cracked.  That's been his toughest test to date.)

    Seriously, this is one of my greatest fears about Obama.  I really think he IS weak.      

    Parent

    Wow...fantastic piece from Time (none / 0) (#44)
    by gmo on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:39:44 AM EST
    Thanks for that bit of history!

    K.: We are progressing toward Communism, and you want to strengthen capitalism. You have your point of view; we have ours. They're irreconcilable.

    It's the "irreconcilable" part that is hard to wrap your brain around as a reasonable person in a democratic, free society -- that sometimes there is really no reason, no discourse, no compromise,  no logic.

    That's the crux of the "Obama naivete": that sometimes, there is such a thing as "irreconcilable differences" that can't be talked through.  And then what?

    Parent

    Hey Steve (none / 0) (#49)
    by tree on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:55:15 AM EST
    Thanks for the links. Interesting history.

    I've been hoping to catch you in an open thread lately because I promised you some links about a week ago, and didn't get around to finding them until recently.

     The links were to polls of Israeli attitudes towards the then impending U.S Iraq War. I'm not sure if you are still interested, but here they are:

    In February 2002,(over a year before the war was launched),according to the Jewish Council for Public Affairs,

    "Fifty-eight percent of the sample thought that Israel should encourage the United States to attack Iraq. "

    From an article in Haaretz ("liberal" Israeli newpaper) detailing a survey on Israeli attitudes on the eve of the war in late February 2003:

    "These are the main findings of the Peace Index for February 2003, which was conducted on Tuesday-Thursday, February 25-27. Today, over three-quarters (77.5 percent) of Jewish respondents favor a U.S. campaign against Iraq. Breaking down the results of the survey by party voting in the recent elections indicates a consensus across all camps: there is a majority of supporters of a war among all the parties and in all sectors of the Jewish public."


    Parent
    going to a communist country (none / 0) (#55)
    by weltec2 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 03:08:03 AM EST
    I take your point but... in 1931 some 100,000 Americans went to the Soviet Union because there were jobs for everyone. It was the only time in our history when more were leaving the US than were coming.

    Parent
    Did anybody notice (5.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Serene1 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:53:55 PM EST
    a slight change in the media stance or is it just me looking for roses among a bed of thorns.
    Anyway in AC360 today they actually concentrated on the map and not the math. They actually touted figures which boosted Hillary's claims and made the argument that Hillary could use the same to convince SD.
    The guests were another matter altogether. The lady political analyst after dismissing Hillary's sexisim claims went one step further in saying that Hillary in Obama's ticket was damaging to Obama because she was very polarizing.
    The Obama supporter kept on chanting rulz rulz as if her life depended on it to claim that Obama won and that Fl & MI should not be counted.
    The McCain supporter actually made sense when he said rulz also said that Obama is not the winner only the frontrunner as of now and that in such cases it should go all the way to the convention.

    Ratings (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:10:47 AM EST
    Viewership has been so high this presidential campaign that Da Media is even more than usual interested in keeping the story going as long as possible, which means producers and editors will keep looking for conflict stories and counter-narratives to give them a reason to keep doing politics programming.  The pundits and hosts have concluded (did so quite a while ago) that Obama is the Dem. nominee, but the folks behind the scenes who decide the day's topics will keep searching for subjects they can use to justify continued coverage.

    That's the way media "saturation coverage" of any situation works, whether it's politics or the OJ trial.

    Right now, the only thing that enables them to prolong the gold mine the Dem. nomination battle has been for them is to pivot to raising questions about the candidate the on-air people have declared the inevitable nominee.

    Hate to burst any bubbles, but that's just the way news people think.

    Parent

    Right after WV and a bit more (5.00 / 2) (#11)
    by eleanora on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:10:58 AM EST
    last night, I noticed a certain...wariness in the media coverage. They're starting to dimly suspect that this isn't over yet, no matter how loudly they claim it is. Starting to hedge their bets.

    Don't you love these supposedly objective news shows where you get one "political analyst" stating Obama's case, an Obama supporter stating Obama's case, a McCain supporter, and... who's there for Clinton? Usually someone like Dick Morris, as a "former Clinton advisor"

    Parent

    I can't stand (5.00 / 1) (#40)
    by Grace on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:32:23 AM EST
    Dick Morris.  He's got that incredible "Alvin's Chipmunk" voice.  And then I think back to his scandals (toes and all) and my stomach just turns.  Can't they find anyone to replace him?  He's just disgusting!!  


    Parent
    I Wouldn't Want Dick Morris In My Corner... (none / 0) (#33)
    by PssttCmere08 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:57:48 AM EST
    I think you might be onto something...Tweety tried to be more objective, but kept slipping into his old ways.

    Parent
    Hilarious that they (none / 0) (#36)
    by eleanora on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:09:46 AM EST
    keep having him on these shows for "pro-Clinton balance", when the only person Morris hates more than Bill is Hillary. Kind of like the bloggers assuming that if Hillary were drowning, George Stephanopoulus would do anything but throw her an anchor. And then sell the story rights.

    Parent
    Just goes to show how gullible some of the (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by PssttCmere08 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:28:47 AM EST
    electorate can be.  It would take about two seconds into his spiel to figure him out.

    Parent
    The MSM I guess has been playing (5.00 / 0) (#41)
    by Serene1 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:35:57 AM EST
    the pretend game for so long that pretense has now become their reality.

    So as long as they continue to pretend Dick Morris is at best a Hillary supporter or at worst an objective neutral guy then well we can all do well to continue ignoring the elephant in the room (in this case truth) that off late has been occupying too much space.

    Parent

    I am laughing at the Repubs (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by waldenpond on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:15:39 AM EST
    on this stuff.  They are going after Clinton's voters and those indies that have got to think the Dems are perpetuating a major f%$^ up.

    CNN and MSNBC both lost some ratings to Fox over the last 4 or 5 months.  CNN has been getting hit.  I e-mailed them and said John King has really got to quit giving Obama FL when he does his GE map.  It was silly and they looked like they were a little desperate in propping their guy up.  

    Parent

    "quit giving Obama FL" (none / 0) (#29)
    by nycstray on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:53:58 AM EST
    lol!~ that would make me question their intelligence!

    I quit watching the cable shows except for the occasional check in on Fox. I did make the mistake last night of checking MSNBC. It was a very short check in though because it was right when Ron Reagan was saying Clinton was the only one on the MI ballot and other BS.

    I'm gearing up for a long harvest season starting next week through Oct. Cooking shows are my friend  ;)

    Parent

    But, Larry King asked John King (none / 0) (#32)
    by oculus on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:57:12 AM EST
    last night what effect seating MI and FL delegates would have on King's blue map.  Presto magico:  there it was.  You need but ask!

    Parent
    I may have to have several drinks (none / 0) (#34)
    by nycstray on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:06:02 AM EST
    and watch CNN during the last primaries. I just can't watch them most of the time because it drives me nuts and I can't get to the presto magic part . . .

    Parent
    Hurt MSNBC and CNN by watching under 15 minutes (none / 0) (#66)
    by suzieg on Thu May 22, 2008 at 06:39:28 AM EST
    then switch to FOX - ratings are taken within the first 15 minutes - if you watch 15 minutes then they get the ratings - if you switch between 10 and 14 then they lose the ratings to FOX. I leave my TV on FOX all day even when I'm not home! Gee, I never thought I could stomach doing that, but this primary campaign has me seeing things in a different light. It's quite refreshing to see the republican defending her. I even watch Coulter saying that she thinks Clinton is tough and would vote for her instead of McCain. Unbelievable. I really believe that republicans would cross over to vote for her because of the good fight she's put up! She's remarkable, really!

    Parent
    Leaving your tv on.... (none / 0) (#74)
    by kdog on Thu May 22, 2008 at 08:31:31 AM EST
    when you're not home...that's the way to conserve energy in this time of high demand!

    I'm sure Rupert thanks you...but Mother nature surely does not.

    Parent

    I meant my cable box is on Fox (none / 0) (#84)
    by suzieg on Fri May 23, 2008 at 04:59:42 AM EST


    Parent
    I've noticed that the anti-Clinton (none / 0) (#47)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:47:05 AM EST
    MSM rhetoric is a little less shrill; during, and after, KY. In particular, a couple of times I've actually heard the math re-calibrated so that FL an MI are included; although it's always framed as a big 'what if'.

    I'm mostly watching FOX 'news' on the recommendation of the folks at No Quarter. I'll bail after the Dems have a nominee; at that point FOX will, undoubtedly, go back to 'normal'.

    Parent

    Here's another (excellent) electoral poll site (none / 0) (#81)
    by andrys on Thu May 22, 2008 at 11:49:56 AM EST
    Electoral college analysis and simulation updated each day there are new polls to include - done by Darryl Holman, and here's his Simulation FAQ that explains how all the info is taken and his bio is interesting.

     Add this site to Electoral-Vote.com's Clinton vs McCain page and their  page for Obama vs McCain.  

    Parent

    Oh my, now Axelrod is getting all down-home. (5.00 / 2) (#38)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:27:42 AM EST
    From the NYTimes story about Obama visiting his great-granparents hometown in Indiana (see link in comment #5): "The bio is our central focus," said David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist. "The bio is valuable because he is not a faux advocate for working folks."

    I hope no "working folks" heard Axelrod using his candidate's "bio" to counter the public perception that there's something "faux" about Obama.

    Voting patterns suggest that "working folks" don't think of Obama as a working class "advocate", "faux" or orherwise.

    And Obama refers to the, still existent, house of his great-grandparents as a "homestead"?

    Obama's upbringing outside the continental United States may have given him some 'foreign policy experience'. But, sometimes, here at home, he sounds like a stranger in a strange land. That may explain his befuddlement about where the Great Lakes are, precisely; and which states border Arkansas; and well, just how many states are there anyway.

    Then again, there's the matter of his mistaken belief that Arabic is spoken in Afghanistan. Perhaps he didn't spend quite enough of his formative years abroad to know something like that either.

    He's tired you say? He certainly won't be any less tired if he ever gets to be POTUS. Yikes.

    A vacuum inside a slogan inside a ball'o'hooey (5.00 / 4) (#51)
    by Ellie on Thu May 22, 2008 at 02:38:53 AM EST
    Everything he says is cribbed. Everything he is is fabricated. He's a genuine phony.

    We already had eight years of an empty hat and now "our" side, rather than do the unthinkable and take a stand on our core principles, wants us to invest in a sloganeering empty suit. Bah.

    Parent

    He Doesn't Crib Enough Either (5.00 / 1) (#72)
    by MO Blue on Thu May 22, 2008 at 07:43:21 AM EST
    He doesn't spend enough time doing his homework. No way he should be in Oregon campaigning without knowing about  the Hanford site which is an important issue to them.

    Parent
    LOL (none / 0) (#59)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu May 22, 2008 at 05:27:52 AM EST
    This is beyond clueless. They think a bio is going to fix his problems? The problem is cultural and can't be fixed no matter how much he drones on about where his grandparents lived. Besides, how many people call a family home a "homestead". That alone shows how clueless they are about this issue. Obama belongs to Hyde Park society but doesn't fit in much of anywhere else.

    Parent
    Found this in Corrente (5.00 / 2) (#56)
    by Serene1 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 03:11:23 AM EST
    http://correntewire.com/

    An excerpt from one of the post on people saying why no Obama:

    I view the Obama candidacy as a narcissistic endeavor by a mediocre politician dividing Democrats along social vs. economic progressive lines, ” J. insists. “He’s forcing a choice between winning in 2008 and possibly saving Roe vs. Wade and promoting gay marriage vs. fighting for the poor and working class. “ I’ve decided I won’t help Obama and his personality cult transform the Democratic Party into an organization that represents only the interests of rich, social liberals.”

    on that note (none / 0) (#64)
    by facta non verba on Thu May 22, 2008 at 05:57:32 AM EST
    this is a more historical overview of this fissure between affluent liberals and the working class progressives. It argues that the affluent liberals seek to affirm their values, while the working class seeks to defend both their interests and values.

    Dollars and Sense

    Parent

    walk a mile in our shoes.org has a great idea: (5.00 / 1) (#65)
    by suzieg on Thu May 22, 2008 at 06:31:08 AM EST
    Tell the Democratic National Committee: Don't Walk Away From Our Winning Base! Walk A Mile In Our Shoes.
    Send a pair of shoes to the DNC TODAY deadline May 26th 2008
    Request that the DNC donate the shoes to women's shelters & recycle packaging.
    What You Can Do TODAY:

    1. Mail a pair of your shoes representing your walk in life to the DNC at the address below.

    2. Send Virtual Shoes, an image of a pair of shoes representing your walk in life, to the DNC. OR CLICK HERE, then Cut-n-paste full text in blue box at left, and cut-n-paste the name of your shoe from poll list at left, into the DNC email.

    3. Vote in The First Ever Poll To Let You Speak With Your Shoes! on this Web site so we can tell the media how many of us want to be heard.

    Where / Mailing Address:
    Democratic National Committee , 430 S. Capitol St. SE , Washington, DC 20003

    Talk the Walk - Help us keep count of shoes, to report to the DNC
    Include a printout of this Web page inside your package.
    All shoes must be sent to arrive delivered by no later than May 30th, 2008, Before the May 31st committee meeting. If you are using USPS Priority Mail for example, they should be mailed no later than May 26th.
    All email virtual shoes should be sent to arrive as soon as possible and by midnight May 30th, 2008.

    Email the DNC at: DNC Issues Email Page

    I got a ''Registered'' survey from the DNC (4.88 / 9) (#28)
    by Xeno on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:45:52 AM EST
    I got a "Registered" survey from the DNC in the mail, asking my opinion on the upcoming election. The idiots must know I'm a Hillary supporter because my packet included a nice letter from her, outlining why she's staying in the race. The survey itself was infuriating. Those smarmy jerks actually had the nerve to ask whether I'm afraid of repuglican voter suppression in the GE.

    12: How concerned are you that Republican voter schemes will disenfranchise Democrats and impact the outcome of the presidential race?

    They have absolutely no self-awareness. None.

    I scratched out "Republican" and wrote "Democratic" above it.

    Another question:

    14. Do you think mainstream news organizations are biased in favor of Democrats, biased in favor of Republicans, or do you think news organizations have been fair in the way they have covered the presidential election?

    I checked the box next to biased in favor of Democrats, scratched out Dems and wrote in "Obama".

    At the bottom there's a space for voter comments and I wrote in:

    "The DNC's actions this year have been disgraceful. I plan to change my affiliation to INDEPENDENT because I cannot be a member of a party that disenfranchises its own voters in two states. Brazile, Dean and the rest need to be fired before I could consider rejoining the Party. You've suppressed the primary votes to favor Obama over Clinton. This is disgusting and UNDEMOCRATIC. Shame on all of you! I will NEVER vote for Obama."

    On the back where they shill for donations I wrote: "NO DONATIONS TO THE UNDEMOCRATIC DNC!"

    I am so f^@&ing angry right now. They can cram their (blanking) party up their (blanks) for all I care.

    Sorry for the rant, ya'll. I'm actually glad they sent the &@mned thing so I could blast `em and tell `em I quit their flaky party for good.

    (xposted at The Confluence and edited for salty language.)

    I got two emails from Dean today (5.00 / 2) (#43)
    by Cream City on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:39:07 AM EST
    and don't know when that last happened.  Something is up; are they targeting Clinton supporters?

    Anyway, both emails had headers about "a joke" -- and I just lit into the DNC in an email reply about such tasteless nonsense when the DNC itself is the joke for its appalling treatment of FL and MI voters . . . and, of course, of a sitting Senator and former First Lady respected around the world but not by her own party, etc., etc.

    My full reply is far too long to put here, but -- well, I think that the DNC is incorrible, but I also think that I feel better, having done so, than I have felt in days!

    Parent

    Darn... (5.00 / 2) (#46)
    by gmo on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:46:09 AM EST
    ...I changed my affiliation too soon!  I should have stuck it out longer so I could fill out the questionnaires, too!

    Instead, I sent my message in too early:  the Democratic party stands for counting every person's vote.  When that stopped, then so did my Democratic party affiliation.   If FL/MI are resolved properly, I may consider coming back.  

    But if the party continues to be represented by the likes of John Kerry, Barack Obama, Howard Dean, and Donna Brazile, in their quest to disenfranchise voters and unfairly put their thumbs on the scale during the primary contests, then continue to count me out.

    Parent

    I changed my afiliation months ago (5.00 / 0) (#76)
    by samanthasmom on Thu May 22, 2008 at 08:50:03 AM EST
    but I still get the emails.  Send them a nasty note about something, and you'll get back on the mailing list.  I sent them a screen shot of a plan to disrupt the convention that was being hatched in a thread on HuffPo.  For a reply I got a request for money, and the emails started coming again.

    Parent
    Yeah, it felt good to light 'em up (5.00 / 1) (#54)
    by Xeno on Thu May 22, 2008 at 03:06:59 AM EST
    I was actually glad to have an outlet for my rage against the machine. Before the survey came, I had planned to send the DNC a copy of my new Indy voter registration card along with a scorching letter of resignation. Being able to slap them around on their own stupid survey felt really good. Even though I'm certain that some lowly intern will just glance at it and throw it away, without troubling the party leaders with it.

    What I would really love is to get Dean, Brazile, Pelosi and the rest of those numbskulls in a room and scream at them for a few hours. They have done irreparable harm to the Democratic Party, to the point where I have happily washed my hands of it.

    Parent

    I got the same email (5.00 / 0) (#75)
    by samanthasmom on Thu May 22, 2008 at 08:45:54 AM EST
    I told them that before they asked me to demand that McCain clean his house, they should clean up their own.  I suggested starting by counting the votes from MI and FL and seating the full delegations with full privileges.  I also suggested firing Donna Brasile. I hope the emails keep coming because I have more to tell them.  One of my good friends is a state senator.  She tells me to keep the rants short if I want them read.

    Parent
    I Would Bet You Aren't Alone In Those (none / 0) (#35)
    by PssttCmere08 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:06:46 AM EST
    feelings and the DNC will be sorry they sent out the survey.

    Good on ya though!!

    Parent

    I got a begging letter from Obama with an enclosed (5.00 / 0) (#67)
    by suzieg on Thu May 22, 2008 at 06:52:06 AM EST
    letter from a Rev. somebody who writes that he was active in the civil rights movement and that he's too old to wait for another black candidate and that I should vote for Obama. I replied that I was too old to wait for another experienced women capable of being president!

    Damn Dean, he gave his 2004 supporters lists to Obama because I haven't given the party one red cent after Kennedy embraced Bush at the first state of the union address thus legitimizing him! I've never forgiven him for that and for the party not standing with the black caucus members when they objected against confirming Bush as the winner of the elections

    The only 2 candidates I have financially supported were Dean and Clinton, so for Obama to get my address is through him. I also got the Edwards begging letter for his college fund - so we know what he got in return for his endorsement!

    Parent

    That Is Just Wrong, But To Your Credit, You (none / 0) (#80)
    by PssttCmere08 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 10:05:00 AM EST
    have the good sense not to give them a damn thing!

    Parent
    Think this will enhance Obama's (none / 0) (#1)
    by oculus on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:41:17 PM EST
    cred as future CIC?  [Warning:  Huff Post link]

    OBAMA'S GRANDFATHER

    Didn't he visit the grandfather's home (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Jeralyn on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:49:02 PM EST
    in Indiana? Oh, that was his great grandfather.

    On Saturday, Obama made his first visit to an Indiana house built by a great-great-great-grandfather for a potluck dinner with neighbors. Obama's local patrimony was recently uncovered by campaign researchers, an aide said, and the candidate was uncharacteristically short on words about it.

    "Look at this: the Dunham, uh . . ." he said, bounding off his bus toward the white clapboard house. After a long silence, he described it as a homestead.

    Back to his grandfather, same NY Times article:

    Having written a memoir, "Dreams from My Father," about the search for his father's Kenyan relatives, Obama's focus in recent days turned to the roots of his mother, Ann Dunham. Out is the paternal grandfather who cooked for the British as a domestic servant. In is the one who enlisted in the Army after Pearl Harbor and served under General George S. Patton in Europe. (He married the woman Obama described last month as a "typical white person.")


    Parent
    It's not right... (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Stellaaa on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:04:15 AM EST
    I know that people that are multi cultural are pulled by multiple allegiances.  But, you would think he would not be doing this as such a public thing, it just looks like he is doing it for votes.  Makes me uncomfortable.  

    Parent
    He is still looking for himself. (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by oculus on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:07:53 AM EST


    Parent
    Kathleen Parker comments in today's Houston Chron (none / 0) (#68)
    by suzieg on Thu May 22, 2008 at 07:03:10 AM EST
    Both husband and wife have made plenty of remarks that were not mere nits, but are troubling hints at a future where government knows what's best. Such as this from a Los Angeles rally where Michelle pronounced that Obama "will require you to work."

    "He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism ... that you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed."

    Require? Demand? What if we like being alone in our comfort zones?

    Or this from Obama in Roseburg, Ore., last Saturday:

    "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen."

    We can't?! It's not?

    These words are really going to win us the elections in November!!! It shows that Kerry is one of his advisers - sounds like something he would say!

    Parent

    Obama's exotic background (none / 0) (#42)
    by Grace on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:38:45 AM EST
    helps to hide factual deficits, until the reporters start digging.  ;)

    Parent
    He is just researching his mother's roots now?! (none / 0) (#53)
    by felizarte on Thu May 22, 2008 at 02:56:21 AM EST
    At his age, one would think that he would have done it a long time ago--even before he began writing his books.  I don't know how to characterize this.  But it feels creepy that it took his candidacy for the highest office of the land to want to find out who he really is!  Maybe he still doesn't know which might explain his seeming aloofness.  If he does not quite know the geography of this country, how much more for its people?  Good Grief!

    Parent
    It won't (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by cawaltz on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:49:11 PM EST
    but that sure is a cute pic. He looks so happy.

    Parent
    I love family pictures (none / 0) (#45)
    by eleanora on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:43:36 AM EST
    and pictures of the candidates as kids. Really helps you to relate to them as human beings, and not just powerful beings who may affect your life willy-nilly.

    I hope your son is feeling better today. Surprise surgery is no fun no matter what your age. Has he been able to go home yet?

    Parent

    Yep (5.00 / 1) (#82)
    by cawaltz on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:55:37 PM EST
    The advances they have made in surgery are absolutely amazing. He actually had a check up yesterday and was cleared for normal routine.

    The doctor was great. They use a scope so while he was in there he took some pictures. Chris now has pics of his liver, colon, diaphragm and his now missing appendix.

    Another cool result is my 15 year old who usually treats his little brother as a bother has been much nicer to him. Nothing like realizing what you may lose before you actually have to lose it.

    By the way, thank you for asking. It's nice to know that my family is being thought of. I appreciate it.


    Parent

    He sure looked happy in the accompanying picture (none / 0) (#69)
    by suzieg on Thu May 22, 2008 at 07:11:04 AM EST
    Saturday, May 17, 2008
    Obama Met Secretly With Shady Imam in Michigan This Week

    Barack Obama met secretly with a controversial Imam this week in Michigan.
    Imam Hassan Qazwini has hosted Louis Farrakhan at his mosque and is close to the Hezbollah Spiritual Leader who issued the fatwa to blow up 300 U.S. Marines and embassy officials in 1983.

    Imam Hassan Qazwini, head of the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, met privately with Sen. Barack Obama at Macomb Community College on May 14, 2008. (Detroit Free Press)

    Imam Hassan Qazwini met privately with Senator Barack Obama this week in Michigan.
    The Detroit Free Press reported:

    A Muslim leader from Dearborn met privately with Sen. Barack Obama during his Wednesday visit to Michigan.

    Imam Hassan Qazwini, head of the Islamic Center of America, said in an email that he met with Obama at Macomb Community College. A mosque spokesman, Eide Alawan, confirmed that the meeting took place. During the meeting, the two discussed the Presidential election, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the Iraq war, according to Qazwini.

    Why doesn't he just hand over the elections to McCain by doing something so stupid (meeting in secret) which will start conspiracy theories and confirm the suspicion that he's in fact a muslim to everyone who thinks that he's not a real chrstian and will definitely be used agains him in November?


    Parent

    I think we all should realize (none / 0) (#48)
    by Grace on Thu May 22, 2008 at 01:51:26 AM EST
    that the best thing in the world for Huffington Post would be for McCain to be elected.  Otherwise, she faces the same fate DrudgeReport did.  Readership goes down the tubes because your party is in charge.  

    It's so sad, but I'm sure it's true.  That's the fate of internet web-news wunderkids.  No one needs you when you aren't pumping the scandals and getting the hot news tidbits.  

    Parent

    I sent (none / 0) (#4)
    by OldCoastie on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:46:12 PM EST
    more "love" notes to the DNC today... think it is time to start dialing the phone...

    Talk Left's smokin' hot today! (none / 0) (#12)
    by Ellie on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:13:00 AM EST
    Well said / sung.

    Posts are pointed, comments are dead on ... what did they put in the new servers, anyway?

    I gotta say, when my Sweetie's on the wrong coast and it's just me, the felines and my mouse, some smooth bloggin', a frosty and a shot of the good stuff (Ye Auld Cacklin' B!tch) is all a grrl needs to get by.

    I was struck by how little (none / 0) (#13)
    by Jeralyn on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:13:07 AM EST
    primary coverage the networks had tonight. They all went to other stories after a few minutes. Are they losing interest or have they just decided it's over?

    Did you watch Fox? (none / 0) (#19)
    by waldenpond on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:22:01 AM EST
    They like to talk the Democratic race.  I watch CNN rarely and MSNBC never.  Fox:  They discussed the impact of Clinton's win and Obama's loss.  Clinton's the strong one.  Obama can't get the working class.  Dems are putting up the weaker candidate.  She could be ahead in the popular vote.  She has an argument for the convention.  Still hear the 'Obama's the nom' from (oh, what's his name, the creepy guy that was with the Clinton's but is now a repub, quirky mouth),... then they get back to being nice to Clinton as a way to dis Obama and the elitist DNC.  weird.

    Parent
    Ignoring electability, ignoring the Map (none / 0) (#14)
    by Serene1 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:13:11 AM EST
    Ignoring voters, I hope Team Obama and the Dem elites realize that the nomination process is just the means to the end (GE)where all the above factors come into play rather than delegate math and that the nomination is not an end by itself.

    Let's see what Hillary has to say on the topic (none / 0) (#15)
    by Mavs4527 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:15:16 AM EST
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yJn4VtgJ5A

    Nothing wrong with what Obama is doing (none / 0) (#18)
    by citizen53 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:20:47 AM EST
    Nor would it be if Clinton did something similar.

    But I have read that his book, the one with the composites, gives short shrift to his mother and her side of the family.

    This was supposed to be in reply... (none / 0) (#20)
    by citizen53 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:28:49 AM EST
    to the comment above about Obama and his grandfather the war vet.

    Parent
    Politico rehashes anti-Obama rumors (none / 0) (#22)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:31:29 AM EST
    under the guise of warning us that these rumors are going to be used by the GOP in the GE; at least that's my take on it. See: Viral emails Attack Obama's Life story. I don't care for Obama in the least, but I care for Politico even less. So fill your boots.

    That electronic rag is the devil, I tell ya.

    That's (none / 0) (#61)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu May 22, 2008 at 05:52:25 AM EST
    one of Obama's major electability problems. He's perceived as anti american and his background really doesn't help him there.

    Another thing that I found interesting is that the article seems to believe that Obama talking about going to TUCC is going to help. This is wrong. That church is a big negative for him.

    Parent

    He was including Oregon (none / 0) (#23)
    by ChuckieTomato on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:34:19 AM EST
     

    Anyone know... (none / 0) (#24)
    by kredwyn on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:37:48 AM EST
    when BTD's "10 Days" begins?

    I'm assuming I'll know when the CPU goes "WHEEEEEE!"

    But I figured I'd ask.

    Meeting is the 31st (none / 0) (#31)
    by waldenpond on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:56:19 AM EST
    today is the 21st so I imagine his is working as you type......  

    Parent
    Jeralyn (none / 0) (#25)
    by janarchy on Thu May 22, 2008 at 12:41:30 AM EST
    You've read my mind. I've been singing it to myself in regards this whole mess for a while.

    Personally, I prefer the video with Jeff Lynne and George Harrison backing TP, but then again, I'm a George Harrison kind of girl. (And as George liked to say "No Matter Who You Vote For, The Government Always Gets In"

    Hey, Jeralyn (none / 0) (#50)
    by eleanora on Thu May 22, 2008 at 02:33:24 AM EST
    I'm really hating this trolling strategy. Other comments by the poster are less blatant, but still worth checking out. And it seems to be contagious. Just FYI.

    I agree, Sawyer appears to be a troll ... (none / 0) (#58)
    by cymro on Thu May 22, 2008 at 04:37:11 AM EST
    ... whose role is to pose as a Clinton supporter while posting outrageous comments.

    Parent
    I love this song (none / 0) (#60)
    by stillife on Thu May 22, 2008 at 05:52:11 AM EST
    it makes me think of Hillary.  It was playing on Tuesday night when I stopped off to pick up a burger and fries for dinner before heading home to watch the primary returns.  I took it as a good omen.

    Video (none / 0) (#62)
    by facta non verba on Thu May 22, 2008 at 05:53:52 AM EST
    from yesterday's pro-Hillary protest at NBC Studios in Burbank, CA.

    Burbank, CA Protest

    Opposite-speak (none / 0) (#63)
    by stillife on Thu May 22, 2008 at 05:54:46 AM EST
    Whatever Dick Morris says, I always figure the opposite is true.  I have been watching Fox lately and most of their commentators are less biased against Hillary than those on CNN and MSNBC, but he's just absolutely worthless.  He just keeps pounding his stupid theory that she's setting herself up for a run in 2012.  When asked a question about Obama, he turns it around and responds with an anti-Hillary rant.  I think he's nuts.

    Rocker (none / 0) (#70)
    by LefterNutter on Thu May 22, 2008 at 07:20:45 AM EST
    Tom Petty like TOTALLY ROCKS!  He is a serious Rocker!

    JJ
    http://www.anondo.alturl.com

    Tom Petty (none / 0) (#83)
    by Lora on Thu May 22, 2008 at 05:09:17 PM EST
    Oh yeah.

    Parent
    Hillary Support (none / 0) (#71)
    by STLDeb on Thu May 22, 2008 at 07:32:16 AM EST
    I believe the DNC made a HUGE error in judgement in allowing this farce of their nominating process to continue.  

    I'm glad for all the replies to the DNC.  

    As a Repub myself, to see Ann Coulter and I'm sure a lot more where that came from, who would have crossed over to vote for Hillary over McCain I feel the DNC made a HUGE mistake.  I think if the DNC & media would have been just some restraint in their over the top enthusiasm for Obama the DNC wouldn't be in the mess they are today.  By that I mean, treat ALL candidates the same.  Not give flowering treatment to one & hammer the other.  It makes it equally worse when the one is in being hammered is the woman.  I mean, hello, can we say sexist?

    A lot of Repub/conservatives are very upset at McCain and could see themselves very clearly voting for Hillary, myself included.

    Would Someone Here (none / 0) (#73)
    by creeper on Thu May 22, 2008 at 08:11:21 AM EST
    with diary privileges take a look at this story, please?  One of the "repaired" levees in New Orleans is leaking again.  It seems this should receive some attention.

    As bad as our role in Iraq is, the disaster that Bush created out of Hurricane Katrina is, to my way of thinking, even worse.  Those were American citizens' bodies floating face down in the water that drowned New Orleans.  American citizens were forced to live in the filth of the Superdome and housed in poisonous trailers.  We should never erase those images from our minds.

    And yet it seems almost forgotten.

    New GE no. Clinton not Obama wins 2 out of 3 (none / 0) (#77)
    by Salt on Thu May 22, 2008 at 08:57:07 AM EST

    New Swing State GE numbers, Quinnipiac University

    Florida: McCain 45, Obama 41; Clinton 48, McCain 41.
    Ohio: McCain 44, Obama 40; Clinton 48, McCain 41.
    Pennsylvania: Obama 46, McCain 40; Clinton 50, McCain 37.

    So guess that means Dems also can not, don't count Fla, Mich, Ohio, WVA, Ky and maybe PA? It's been obvious for some time Ohio has steeled against Obama just today a women wrote about the silence from a Party that allowed a major icon to be trashed with hate of women by fellow Dems and that if not the nominee then McCain.  Not sure if a Gov. Sebelius as VP could pull Ohio into an Obama column but her Obama endorsement was unfortunately also a Clinton attack so probably not, some maybe.  

    ReCount (none / 0) (#78)
    by ding7777 on Thu May 22, 2008 at 09:03:42 AM EST
    ReCount - The Story of the 2000 Presidentiasl Election - Sunday May 25th on HBO

    Will anyone keep tabs of how many Bush talking points the Obama supporters will be echoing on May 31?

    Something quite random (none / 0) (#79)
    by trublueCO on Thu May 22, 2008 at 09:38:49 AM EST
    For any Tom Petty fans out there and anyone wanting to get a preview of Denver before the convention...I heard that he will be playing a musical festival out here sometime near the end of July!!

    Late Night: I Won't Back Down | 78 comments (78 topical)

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