I get that a lot from my family and friends. They know I had been working the entire year to get Hillary Clinton elected President while “raging against the machine,” and that I was going to Denver to protest. I replied,
“Ummm . . . good. . . . I, I wasn’t really at The Convention.
We were like . . . the Anti-Convention!”
Post-Denver, although still mourning for what could have been, most hardcore, grassroots Hillary supporters have moved on — in one way or another. They know, or are deciding, what they will do with their votes and/or their efforts. Will they work for one campaign or other at the top, or just support down-ticket candidates? They are mulling over whether to: vote nothing on top, vote third party, write in Hillary’s name, stay home, or cast a protest vote for John McCain. For most, that would be their first Republican vote ever, and they do not take it lightly. The only reason they would do it is to protest Barack Obama and Democratic Party leaders who subverted the democratic process and 18 million voters.
But I can’t fully move on yet. This story is roiling around inside me, unwilling to be forgotten. One week plus is old news, past prime, but I keep getting these “little messages.” Last week I ran into my neighborhood Brazilian Café and struck up a conversation with husband and wife owners, Marcello and Juliet. I’d been socked away in my “Puma Den” for the last six months, making rich stove top espressos at home on the cheap.
Marcello asked, “I heaven’t seen you for a while. Where have you bean? What have you been doing?”
I hesitated protectively, having lived undercover using my handle for so long that I had to consciously produce my real name in my head before saying it. “Actually, I’ve been doing a lot of writing most of the year, political writing. Do you know what blogs are? I have a blog and contribute to other sites and efforts.”
They continued the conversation as they scurried about their business, “Oh really, and who were you supporting for President?”
My personal self gulped inside my political self having been so underground and divided, “Actually, I was supporting Hillary Clinton, working to get her elected. I still support her and believe she would make the best President.”
They both jumped to attention and gravitated back to the counter to face me, “Really? We’re for her too!”
(See why I can’t stop?) “That’s great,” I cooed, as I came clean, telling them about my blog and links to others, our efforts prior to and during Denver, and our work to ensure a roll call, a floor vote, and a record of the truth about this election.
They pointed out to me, “It’s just like 2000, Gore and Bush!”
“Right!” I answered, “and now from our own. It seems so much worse that way. Did you know that Democrats have a weird gene that makes them eat their own?”
They laughed. We talked about the delegates. They had seen the same things that Puma and Just Say No Deal Coalition members have been uncovering, observing, highlighting, and shouting about all year long: the subversion, bullying, and undemocratic processes. They could not believe when they saw the vote halted and delegates switched. “We voted. We went in and pulled the lever. Why should we even bother?”
“I KNOW. How do they do it in Brazil?”
“We vote. It gets recorded. Somebody gets elected. That’s it.”
Tonight’s installment features the premiere of Madama B’s one-act play, Election Runway, starring all your favorite Democratic characters: Obama, Brazile, Axelrod, and, yes, The Voters. Florida and Michigan will even be there, too! Tune in to see who’s in and who’s ah-oouutttt.
Be sure to call in and have your say. Call in number is: (347) 539-5420
Pumas are slammin’ in Denver. I’m telling you, our presence is AMAZING! Puma Headquarters are a beehive of activity. At least 300 Pumas, including several delegates, have been here today. They’re making signs, attending events in protest. Riverdaughter, BettyJean, danceswithpumas, joanofart, and Pagan — are all live-blogging, so stay tuned.
The press dropped by. We were interviewed by CBS, ABC, the French press, Japanese press, and The National (an emerging newspaper from the Arab Emirates that acknowledges the existence of Israel, although their host country does not.)
I’ve met so many Pumas in the flesh whose names I’ve seen online all year. What a great group of dedicated and passionate Americans we are. People who have sacrificed money, opportunity, and many, many things to make sure that the ideals our of country are upheld. What a fantastic opportunity to solidify and build our relationships for now into the future.
There’s been so much activity that it’s taken me all day to write this update!
Tonight is the movie premiere of the “Audacity of Democracy,” by filmmakers Brad and Laurie Mays, which will be attended by Puma and Just Say No Deal members and covered by the press. This documentary shines a light on the caucus fraud perpetrated by the Obama campaign that has plagued this primary election process.
Tomorrow is the Beautiful Protest/The Rise event in Cheesman Park 2-6 pm informal gathering, and 6-10 pm speakers, featuring Darragh Murphy, riverdaughter. I’ll even be taking a turn at the mic to say a bit about how and why I was motivated to hang in there for Hillary, why I’ve been compelled to keep going.
Sheri Tag will be broadcasting this week, Monday – Thursday at 7:00 pm MT, so be sure to listen and call in. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/no-we-wont. Call in number: 347-539-5420.
I’ll be posting some pics tomorrow and will be reporting on each day’s activities and goings on, so be sure to return for the latest.
Pumas, Just Say No Deal coalition members, know this: Our voice, our Democracy — live on through all of you. We have just begun to fight for our cause and our country. Know that you all are strong, our movement is strong.
I went to Hillary’s website to leave a message of condolence for Stephanie Tubbs Jones’ family.
I thought I’d look around on Hill’s site a bit, as I hadn’t been there for a while, thinking I’d see what streamers and deflated balloons were still hangin’ around. So, I went over to her blog page and scrolled down, read some of the questions from her August chat. Someone asked about Florida and Michigan. Hillary said she’d worked to get them fully counted, and that Obama had recently written to the DNC RBC to restore those voters delegates to whole people.
Now, who sees what’s wrong with this letter, aside from that it’s just wrong? (It’s included below.) Okay, it’s not a tough quiz, say about 4th grade level or so. (Sorry, it’s been a while since even my kids were that young, but I think I remember the answer.) Wait, is this a tomato/potato moment? (see Dan Quayle) Will entire populations of our society begin thinking it’s true? Does “56 states and territories” equal a “tomatoe” or perhaps a “potatoe”?
I got so confused by the number of states and territories, stated by our once potentially future president in this important, official letter, that I began to doubt myself and had to look it up. There are, ta da, Senator, 50 states, 3 territories, and 1 district.
If I were a conspiracy theorist, I’d say that someone was playing with the O salute. Soooo, nobody in Obama’s camp OR in Hillary’s camp noticed this before sending it to the RBC, or publishing it on Senator Clinton’s website? Hmmm.
However, I will give Senator Obama the benefit of the doubt. Simon says: he’s getting closer. Back in early May, 2008, in Beaverton, OR, he said he’d visited 57 states, just like the ketchup. Right. So, it must be tomatoe! Dan Quayle was right, and even though he was about the potatoe, aren’t they both fruits? Not Quayle and potatoe, silly, tomato and ketchup. Oh now, silly me! That was Reagan, but way back then they made ketchup into a vegetable, just for the kids in school.
Miss Lady Boomer’s 4th Grade Class
Multiple Choice Geography Test
Number of US States
a. 48
b. 50
c. 118
d. 57
e. 56
I’ll be arriving in Denver just in time for that August 24 Credentials Committee Meeting. I don’t plan to attend. Will Harold Ickes? He said he would on May 31, when he lambasted the RBC for stealing Hillary’s votes. We were all waiting for the announcements challenging their decision during the following week, when Hillary was forced to shut down her campaign by what is affectionately known as the Democratic leadership. Obama says below that we “owe” Howard Dean our gratitude for his hard work in sabotaging and ignoring the will of the people helping those states figure it out.
Senator Obama is definitely committed to Florida and Michigan now, because he said he wants them to be whole and he wants them to know it. I think this must be another one of those faith-based initiatives, don’t you?
So, Florida and Michigan, just lie back and rest assured that Senator Obama doesn’t just love you back, he has your back. He even wants to reform the way we conduct elections. Now, doesn’t that make you feel better? I told you! He’s lookin’ out for you, babe.
Press Release from HillaryClinton.com
8/3/2008
Letter from Senator Obama to the Chairs of the Committee
Hon. Alexis Herman
1333 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
James Roosevelt, Jr.
14 Meadow Way
Cambridge, MA 02138
Eliseo Roques-Arroyo
PO Box 190998
San Juan, PR 00919
Dear Credentials Committee Chairs:
In just a few weeks, our Party will convene in Denver for our National Convention. This will be an historic event that will showcase our vision for changing the direction of our country.
The delegates and alternates who gather on Monday, August 25 will reflect the talent, energy and rich diversity of our Democratic Party. The delegates will come from all 56 states and territories. As these delegates go about the important business of the Convention, I believe Party unity calls for the delegates from Florida and Michigan to be able to participate fully alongside the delegates from the other states and territories. Accordingly, I ask that the Credentials Committee, when it meets on August 24 to approve the delegates for the National Convention, pass a resolution that would entitle each delegate from Florida and Michigan to cast a full vote.
As a candidate for the nomination, I supported the DNC’s efforts to establish and enforce a schedule for primaries and caucuses that would broaden the opportunity for Democrats from all regions of the country and all backgrounds and walks of life to have a meaningful voice. An unprecedented number of voters participated in our Democratic nominating process. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Governor Dean for his principled leadership during this long and challenging process.
As we prepare to come together in Denver, however, we must be – and will be – united in our determination to change the course of our nation. To that end, Democrats in Florida and Michigan must know that they are full partners and colleagues in our historic mission to reshape Washington and lead our country in a new direction.
We do not yet know the fate of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, as of 5:00 pm ET, August 20, 2008. We do know that she had an aneurysm last night and according to major news outlets was pronounced dead, then the news was corrected to report that she is on life support.
UPDATE: Rep. Tubbs Jones passed away this evening, Wednesday, at 6:12 pm ET, according to CNN: after her condition declined “throughout the course of the day and into this evening,” according to a joint statement from her family, Huron Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic.
The picture above was snapped at Baruch College in NYC on the eve of June 3, 2008, after the final primary totals were in, and Hillary had big wins in South Dakota and Puerto Rico. Terry McAuliffe introduced her as the Next President of the United States, and Hillary was defiant. It was less than one week after the Democrats slammed her at the DNC RBC meeting by awarding Obama Michigan votes that were not his. Through it all, Stephanie Tubbs Jones stayed strong, loyal, and true to the Clintons and Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
I feel like playing this Supremes song in honor of the song Congresswoman Jones has been singing through her passionate and dedicated service to Ohio and this country. I hope she’ll hear the symphony, the violins, and the music she’s made wherever she is. According to The Plain Dealer:
Joe Hewitt, a friend of Tubbs Jones’ family, said the congresswoman’s collapse followed a “full day of activity” including planning for a Sept. 4 forum on electoral reform at Cleveland State University.
Biography — Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones (OH-11)
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones is the first African-American woman elected to the United States House of Representatives from Ohio. Congresswoman Jones is a lifelong resident of the 11th District, which encompasses most of the East Side of Cleveland and parts of the West Side of Cleveland and includes parts of 22 suburbs.
Currently in her fifth term in office, the Congresswoman, a strong advocate for many issues, has championed wealth building and economic development, access and delivery of health care, and quality education for all. The Congresswoman chairs the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics). Additionally, she serves on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and is an active member of numerous Congressional Caucuses, including the Congressional Black Caucus.
Most recently, Congresswoman Tubbs Jones introduced the “Count Every Vote” Act of 2005 which seeks to provide an all-encompassing solution to a broad range of voting irregularities that occurred during the 2004 presidential election. She is an original co-sponsor of multiple significant pieces of legislation, including healthcare for low and middle-income families and community reentry for ex-felons.
Congresswoman Tubbs Jones has made a number of historic achievements in her distinguished career as a public servant. Prior to her election to the House, Congresswoman Tubbs Jones served as the first African-American and the first female Cuyahoga County, Ohio Prosecutor. She was the first African-American woman to sit on the Common Pleas bench in the State of Ohio and was a Municipal Court Judge in the City of Cleveland.
In Gratitude
Dear Stephanie: We thank and honor you and your lifetime of service. We are so sorry that you had to leave us way too soon, and we pray for your deliverance. May you continue your good works on your next assignment. I know you’ll be watching over us and pulling some strings during the Democratic Convention. Whenever I think of you, I’ll hear a symphony and hope you’ll hear it, too. Although you may be surprised to find yourself where you are now, may you find peace in your new home.
[I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair, Rodgers and Hammerstein]
How true are the words to this song when applied to our current “situation”!!! And how prescient are my old time heroes, Rodgers and Hammerstein in their 1949 broadway musical, South Pacific. Here’s a South Park-inspired version. This post was inspired by myiq2xu’s: http://myiq2xu.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/how-to-turn-win-into-whine/
The most difficult part about writing this was deciding which line to use as the title, because there are a plethora of appropriate choices. I began with the oh-so-eraser-friendly Denver ballot analogy: “rub him out of the roll call.” However, I carefully reconsidered in case it might be misconstrued in Soprano-like terms. Read the lyrics and see for yourself. What a choice for l’il ole Libra me to have to make! I did it, but pick a line, any line in the song, and you’ve got a winner — I mean a winner about a loser.
As for the two pinup men at the end: not up on these things and haven’t a clue — unless they’re the current or ex-boyfriends of the video producer. If they’re famous or sports stars, oops, sorry.
Personally, I’ve got the man I want to wash out of my hair clearly focused in my mind. Oh, no, guess not, he’s gone. Washed up and washed out! From my lips. . . .
I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair
from South Pacific by Rodgers and Hammerstein
I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair,
I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair,
I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair,
And send him on his way.
I’m gonna wave that man right outta my arms,
I’m gonna wave that man right outta my arms,
I’m gonna wave that man right outta my arms,
And send him on his way.
Don’t try to patch it up
Tear it up, tear it up!
Wash him out, dry him out,
Push him out, fly him out,
Cancel him and let him go!
Yea, sister!
I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair,
I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair,
I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair,
And send him on his way.
If a man don’t understand you,
If you fly on separate beams,
Waste no time, make a change,
Ride that man right off your range.
Rub him out of the roll call
And drum him out of your dreams.
Oho!
If you laugh at different comics,
If you root for different teams,
Waste no time, weep no more,
Show him what the door is for.
Rub him out of the roll call
And drum him out of your dreams.
You can’t light a fire when the woods are wet,
No!
You can’t make a butterfly strong,
Hmm, hmm!
You can’t fix an egg when it ain’t quite good,
And you can’t fix a man when he’s wrong!
You can’t put back a petal when it falls from a flower,
Or sweeten up a fellow when he starts turnin’ sour
Oh no! Oh no!
If his eyes get dull and fishy,
When you look for glints and gleams,
Waste no time,
Make a switch,
Drop him in the nearest ditch!
Rub him out of the roll call,
And drum him out of your dreams
Oho! Oho!
I went and washed that man right outta my hair,
I went and washed that man right outta my hair,
I went and washed that man right outta my hair,
And sent him on his way.
She went and washed that man right outta her hair,
She went and washed that man right outta her hair,
She went and washed that man right outta her hair,
And sent him on his way!
And if you haven’t had enough, here’s a karaoke, slightly off-key version from Pequinito. Appropriate, ain’t it? Sing along, enjoy yourself. I hate to be redundant, but this wash bears repeating. In fact, my hair is so dirty from all this DNC, Nobama, Pelosi, Dean grime, that I’ll have to shampoo it twice in order to get it clean.
Besides PUMAs, Just Say No Deal Coalition members, and those who have been paying close attention to the 2008 primary process, everyone in the US and some people abroad think that: Obama won the Democratic Primary; therefore, he secured the nomination; and he is being gracious by allowing Clinton’s name to be placed in nomination at the Democratic Convention.
In fact, the Obama and Clinton campaigns issued a joint statement on August 14, 2008 about it, and we have achieved a small victory. Or as Heidi Li Feldman puts it, we’re where we were in the first place. (Oh, forgive me: as Barbra WaWa might say: Were where we whah in the furst pwace.) The MSM is all over the story, asking if we disgruntled old ladies, gays, and republicrats are satisfied now? They claim that we’re just sore losers, and that we want Clinton’s name on the ballot because of her historic win as a woman. They’re touting it as symbolic. It’s not symbolic; it’s normal!
In fact, we are sore winners! Neither candidate won the requisite number of pledged delegates. Instead (rolling eyes, PUMAs repeating themselves, ad infinitum), Nancy Nine Percent Pelosi and Harry Reticent Reed pressured the Democratic Superdelegates to endorse a candidate prior to Denver. This act in turn defies their true purpose: to nominate the candidate who can win POTUS in November. In 2008, there are 855 Superdelegates with FL and MI according to Connect-the-Dots. CNN says it’s 825. Over 200 are uncommitted. Any SD can change their vote through the first ballot in Denver, no matter who they or their state or district endorsed.
Didn’t Hillary run on the assertion that she was the only Democratic candidate who could win the Electoral College in November? The virtual Nobama/McCain dead heat in the polls proves that she wasn’t lyin’, despite Obamamoneys-raised, European jaunts, and a vacay away from the barely investigative, mostly fawning MSM spotlight.
The Obama/DNC presumption is that it’s all a done deal. To dispel any doubts, Invesco Field/Mile High Stadium was booked as the site for what our movement, (and back in the day, Jesse Jackson) calls a coronation. Let’s be clear:
From CNN’s count, we see that neither candidate had the requisite 2,118 pledged delegates as of June 3 to clinch the nomination. Obama had 1763, Clinton had 1640, a 123 delegate lead for BO. It is difficult to find an accurate vote count that shows Hillary Clinton won the most popular votes of any primary candidate in history. Why? Real Clear Politics has Clinton at 18,046,007, Obama at 17,869,542, including MI and FL, with estimates for IA, NV, ME, and WA. There, Clinton nets +176,465 votes.
1. Why does popular vote matter when everyone keeps hammering on the delegate totals? Delegate counts are inconsistent, uneven reflections of the will of the voters, because they include caucuses. Caucuses represent far fewer voters than primaries, yet delegates selected in that process carry more weight.
Worse yet is the impact on the delegate count. While [as of 5/31/08] 2549 delegates earned in the primaries represent an average of 12,225 voters, in the caucuses each of the 515 delegates elected represents a mere 2,110 votes. Each caucus vote, then, is weighted 5.8 times greater than each primary vote when it comes to allocating delegates.
2. Why don’t PUMAs admit that Obama won more caucuses, which is why he won and Hillary lost, and stop changing the rules? In 2008, there are substantiated reports of caucus fraud. Please read Dr. Lynette Long’s research who concludes: “the Obama campaign willfully and intentionally defrauded the American public by systematically undermining the caucus process.”
3. If Obama now has enough delegates when SDs are included, why isn’t he simply the nominee? Superdelegates are party officials — both elected and un-elected. They can vote for whomever they wish at their Convention, regardless of their states’ vote, to make sure the most-electable Democrat becomes the nominee.
4. Why am I still writing about this, when Obama and Clinton agreed on 8/14/08 that Hillary’s name will be placed on the Convention ballot and up for a roll call vote? Because, it should have been automatic, as in every election since 1884. None of the other candidates came anywhere near Clinton, yet it’s a “negotiation”? Look at all these guys who were nominated, without even coming close to their opponents in delegate count. Courtesy of EdgeOfForever:
1972: Ted Kennedy – 12 votes on first ballot
Kennedy had no chance of winning, but his name was placed in nomination.
1976: Ted Kennedy – 1 vote on first ballot
Kennedy had no chance of winning, but his name was placed in nomination.
1980: Jimmy Carter – 1981 delegates
Ted Kennedy – 1225 delegates
Uncommitted – 122
Kennedy had no chance of winning, but his name was placed in nomination.
1984: Jesse Jackson – 465 votes
Jackson had no chance of winning, but his name was placed in nomination.
1988: Jesse Jackson – 1218 votes
Jackson had no chance of winning, but his name was placed in nomination.
2004: John Kerry: 2192.5 Pledged delegates
Howard Dean: 114.5 Pledged delegates
Dean had already dropped out, with no chance of winning, but his name was placed in nomination.
5. Who are the delegates, and why shouldn’t they just go along with the DNC’s choice, Barack Obama? Delegates are elected by their grassroots supporters to go to the Democratic convention as representatives of the total votes cast in their state’s districts. Although they each may represent thousands of HRC voters, they can just change their votes as if we, the US voters, are not even in the picture! According to CNN,
Pledged delegates are not actually bound to vote for the candidate. Consequently, candidates are allowed on a state-by-state basis to review lists of delegates who have pledged their support and can delete anyone whose support they consider unreliable.
Surprise you? This could account for the DNC’s treatment of Clinton delegate, Sacha Millstone, or even what happened in Florida right after June 3, when Obama’s campaign began replacing his elected delegates with their own. I’m still not getting how someone who represents your, or my, or anyone’s vote could be intimidated into changing it and have that be part of the deal. Our deal. You know, the one we get as citizens. The deal, the one true thing we’ve got in this country that our guys and all those Iraqis are supposedly dying for and about. That democracy one person one vote representative thing.
6. How can the DNC represent the will of the people, if the delegates are pressured to support Obama as if he is the nominee, and they are afraid to publicly declare otherwise? How can there be “unity” if Hillary Clinton is allowed to be booed unchecked at even one of his events? DNC chairs and party officials, and delegates are being intimidated and threatened to not cast THEIR votes for Hillary Clinton. These are not THEIR votes. These votes are OURS. The delegates are merely our proxies. If not us, who DO they represent? How is this representative government?
Whether you agree or disagree, please learn about the process. Watch this three-part series, Democrats ’08: CONNECT-THE-DOTS, with Host Leslie Stevens. The program is sponsored by The Educational Foundation for the Integrity of the Democratic Process, Asheville, North Carolina. Bloggers, please post it! Readers, email it to friends and family.
[Connect-the-Dots Part 1]
[Connect-the-Dots Part 2]
[Connect-the-Dots Part 3]
Have you connected the dots? That’s why we’re not satisfied. It’s about the process being fair and reflecting the will of the voters. And, you can help!!! Call or email your delegates or any that you know. Ask them to sign the 300 delegate petition to ensure that Hillary’s name is placed in nomination. This petition was created by and for delegates. Email: hrc300delegates@yahoo.com.
Still, we’re not ready to make nice. . . .
[160 Years and Still Waiting --- Rise Hillary Rise by DemocracyDame]
h/t to DemocracyDame for “Connect-the-Dots” lead and her video above.
The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder reported this morning, and now officially, that Hillary Clinton’s name will be placed in nomination, meaning on the ballot, at the Democratic Convention.
Of course, Obama decided it best to welcome her participation for the sake of the team — unity and all that, you know. Do ya think? How about: with the most sophisticated bulldog machine and millions of campaign bucks raised, his paltry self is statistically tied with John McCain.
From Ambinder and now from Hillary’s website: A joint statement from the Clinton and Obama campaigns:
Since June, Senators Obama and Clinton have been working together to ensure a Democratic victory this November. They are both committed to winning back the White House and to to ensuring that the voices of all 35 million people who participated in this historic primary election are respected and heard in Denver. To honor and celebrate these voices and votes, both Senator Obama’s and Senator Clinton’s names will be placed in nomination. “I am convinced that honoring Senator Clinton’s historic campaign in this way will help us celebrate this defining moment in our history and bring the party together in a strong united fashion,” said Senator Barack Obama.
Senator Obama’s campaign encouraged Senator Clinton’s name to be placed in nomination as a show of unity and in recognition of the historic race she ran and the fact that she was the first woman to compete in all of our nation’s primary contests.
“With every voice heard and the Party strongly united, we will elect Senator Obama President of the United States and put our nation on the path to peace and prosperity once again,” said Senator Hillary Clinton.
Senator Obama and Senator Clinton are looking forward to a convention unified behind Barack Obama as the Party’s nominee and to victory this fall for America.
Well, madamab, The Confluence‘s playwright-in-residence couldn’t have written this scenario better. Speculation’s a-flyin’ that Hillary will use the occasion to release her delegates to Obama. Hmm. It could happen, but naturally we PUMAs will do all in our power to keep her ROAR fierce and encourage the delegates, who are being systematically threatened, coerced, and pressured to go over to the O-side, to remain strong and committed to the candidate we elected them to support.
And of course after six months, now that Obama has just jumped on the seat-our-delegates train, he needs even more delegates than accounted for in order to clinch the nomination. Now that he’s recognized, well that’s too generous, now that it’s dawned on him that he cannot win in his current incarnation, he’s morphed once again into the candidate whose claim to a vision of change trumps the reality he’s actually produced.
Senator Clinton Urges Credential Committee to Restore Full Votes for Michigan and Florida Convention Delegates
Senator Hillary Clinton issued the following statement in response to the letter Senator Barack Obama sent to the Credentials Committee urging that it allow the Michigan and Florida delegates to have a full vote at the 2008 Democratic Convention.
“During the campaign, I strongly advocated for the Democratic Party to seat the Florida and Michigan delegation with their full votes. The Democratic Party has always stood up for the principle of counting every person’s vote. Today, Senator Obama has requested that the Credentials Committee give Florida and Michigan delegates their full votes. This is the right position for the Democratic Party and for the country and I urge the Credentials Committee to restore full votes to Florida and Michigan delegates.”
So, now the “magic number” of delegates necessary to clinch the Dem Nom for POTUS is now 2118, according to RealClearPolitics. If you go there, of course, keep in mind that the Superdelegates can change their minds up through first vote on the convention floor.
Great job, PUMAs!!! Just Say No Deal! Keep up the pressure. Buyers’ remorse abounds. The Russia-Georgia conflict is an August surprise that is testing the Dems untested candidate. Call Now: How’s he drivin’?
To those of you who are still here after my 12-day absence: Welcome and Thank You!
I am still here! I did not give up. I am still fighting to elect the only candidate who can save our country’s sorry butt from its current slide into ruin, an extraordinary candidate who is the most electable: Our Madam President, Hillary Clinton!
Where have I been, anyway? What a long, strange trip it’s been. . . .
I was happily minding my own blogness — actually, I’m not so sure about happily. How many of us were going to do our part to help out with the campaign for just a bit? Raise money, make calls. I’d been a volunteer for over twenty years during Presidential campaigns and have worked at the polls, for the Democratic Party, and even for moveon.org since they started in Berkeley, CA. However, I can’t say that I’ve ever been as obsessed as in this season. Right?
I created Lady Boomer NYC blog after I wrote a letter to friends describing why I was supporting Hillary Clinton for President. In response, I received forwarded emails from longtime New Age, feminist, baby boomer friends demeaning Hillary in the extreme. In early March, a dear friend who was connected to Obama’s campaign told me that Hillary could not mathematically win the democratic nomination. After making about twenty voter calls to Ohio and Texas, and being hung up on and cussed out, I decided that I wasn’t cut out for it. I had no idea how Hillary could withstand it. I certainly had a much different experience calling Ohio for Kerry in 2004 through moveon.
As a published author, writing something motivational, inspirational, or informational was how I thought I could best contribute to the cause. Then look what happened: Hillary Clinton was attacked from all fronts, while her junior opponent was nary examined. We, the incensed lifetime members of the Democratic Party, began to hoot ‘n holler about how her opponents were gaming and defrauding the system with sexism, race-baiting, fear and intimidation. With each primary, we thought we’d be done, yet the attacks, her opponent’s outrageous claims and his abnormal friends kept emerging. We were constantly putting out fires.
The best thing, though, was that we could promote and work for a competent, qualified woman who had plans and programs for every segment of our society, plans that she could recite backwards and forwards, numbers included. The other best thing is that nobody said we had to do it. You could say we were called. How else can normal people have the energy to work tirelessly ’round the clock? The other best thing was that we began to create community for the sake of a cause. Yes, the second sixties-era for me. Nobody had to tell me to do it — I couldn’t do otherwise.
After the primaries, many blogs, websites, forums, organizations, artists, and individuals coalesced into PUMAs and the Just Say No Deal coalition. V, an online creative friend, said he felt the coalition’s voice needed to get bigger in the world and asked very nicely for my help in starting a radio station at No Quarter. I’d mentioned my radio station background, and the thought of new technology was exciting compared to the old radio days of two turntables and a microphone plus remote on-site broadcasts.
V, and his amazing technical, training expertise, artistic design dream coat, and I became producing partners and collaborators. In three weeks we had created NQR and aired shows, including: Larry Johnson’s “Security Corner” with guests Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame Wilson, “Morning Q” with Betty Jean and Pagan, “Reading Rezko” with Susan UnPC and Truthteller, “Meet Me in Denver” with Murphy and Friends, Bud White with guest Bob Shrum, DC Media Girl, Nocturnal Warrior, and more. After getting things going on the creative, logistical and training fronts, V and I left NQR to pursue other projects. I’m honored to have been part of that effort with him and NQR, and that the coalition’s voice is being broadcast on a larger scale going forward.
During our radio project, I was crazy busy and my blog suffered — I had no capacity to maintain my former writing output. However, during that time, I was still typing up a storm as I had for months in station emails, correspondences and documents, writing blog posts, reading blogs and news for research, plus personal and professional writing and correspondence. Basically, I’d been on my laptop for an entire year, from 10-18 hours per day, beginning when I began revising my 118-page book proposal in June 2007. Whole days passed into night, Summer into Fall, Fall into Winter. In Winter, as a recently transplanted Cali girl in NY, I could justify staying inside like David Mamet and never open the shades. But then, in our fervor to elect Hillary, Winter ’08 turned into Spring, then Summer, and we’re almost at Fall. Like many of us, I work for myself and abandoned it to work on behalf of Hillary’s campaign. How important it was to get her elected and make sure justice was done!
During my last week at NQR, several tumor-like nodules mysteriously appeared in my right palm — overnight! And believe me, I pay attention to my body. Well, of course, I walk my talk, or try to. However, the writing habits I just mentioned would belie that statement! In fact, I was so far into it, that when one of my daughters visited, she said, “What happened to you?” My body was all curled up and I didn’t even know it! As a body-mind practitioner, healer, and author, to say that I was freaked out about my hand condition would be an understatement. I’ve also played piano, guitar, and done painting and drawing my entire life, plus am a gardener. As one of the 37 million uninsured, or is that 47 million, I began to explore my options. Ahhh, what’s 10 million here or there among the uninsured?
Working in complementary health, I have lots of colleagues with whom I consult. I checked with my friend who’s a Physician Assistant and likes to look up weird stuff; when she hit on Dupuytren’s Contracture, the bells of my symptoms went off. Overnight, my palm had grown lumps with adhesions over them, and the texture of my skin changed, growing calloused and swollen, with a red spot that looked like a photo of same. Turns out, it’s hereditary, my mom has it, along with other complications she tells me. In advanced stages, your hand can curl up. My suspicions of its seemingly rapid onset centered on having used a trackpad consistently for several years, especially during this intensive writing. Who knows, it could be tendons or cartilage, but like cysts I’ve had, they and my palm get bigger and smaller throughout the cycles of the day and with usage, sometimes it’s painful or uncomfy, but nothing intolerable. I’m just protecting it from further damage.
In case you’re about to offer a suggestion, I’ve tried various things, including: icing, heat, anti-inflammatories, acupuncture and Chinese herbs, Chinese chi-gung balls, typing only with my left hand (extremely frustrating for a 65 wpm typist), not typing, myofascial release on hand, arm, shoulders, back, favoring left hand in daily activities. I’ve consulted with a doc friend and an Occupational Therapist who gave me pointers on gentle management and acceptance. I could see a $500 specialist, plus xrays, who might give me a cortisone shot, suggest surgery, or say there’s nothing I can do. There’s an experimental needle procedure developed in France. So far, the self-deep tissue work, icing, and not using it have worked best. As you can tell, I go low-tech first. More than you’ve ever wanted to know, right?
All in all, I’d say that the Universe dropped a love bomb on me, as riverdaughter calls it. Love my body, my hands, make wise use of them, rest, develop/bring forth other parts of my life and work in areas of proficiency that I haven’t emphasized. In my intention, I’m morphing the emphasis of what has been a major part of my identity. One thing I find interesting is the change in my logical left brain, right hand hookup: it seems to be on mute. Yes, I can still compute day to day activities, and my list-making is alive and well. I’m just more likely to let things go by, or not care about using initial caps. I don’t care about every single outrageous breaking news story, although I still track many of them. You could say my perfectionism volume is turned down a bit.
Thank you for reading this far. You know I’ve always been honest, so have laid it all out for you. My new commitment is to begin writing here again, but in less quantity. I have about 100 unpublished drafts from before and would like to bring forth a few of those ideas. I have to be more picky about my hand usage and be more selective about what I write, instead of trying to cover it all! Although I hate to not post every single thing about our movement and the news, I’ll have to leave that to the other fabulous bloggers. I’ll leave you to read most calls to action and announcements on the other fantastic Just Say No Deal and Puma coalition blogs.
Lastly, I’ll leave you with this: I went to the Puma Conference in DC, helped a bit in the planning, and did a presentation about “Communication and Reaction: Embodying Community.” I met and jammed with so many dedicated and energized PUMAs whom I’ve met online or talked with on the phone. We were privileged to work, plan, and share ideas together about the short-term and long-term goals of our movement and the Democratic Party. I am in this for the long term. I am in this for exposing the injustices in this campaign, and more importantly for reforming the election system.
I uphold the vision of our coalition to nominate and elect our champion, the only Democratic candidate who can win the general election and navigate our country on its rightful course: Hillary Clinton, our Madam President!
Through our journey, and working together, we’ve formed alliances, and learned our strengths. Our friends, families, colleagues, and neighbors can’t understand why we keep on. Sometimes we can have those conversations, other times we just have to shut up. Many dear ones and partners in the struggle have fallen away or say they will if we don’t quit. Yet we keep going, giving our very best to the principles and underpinnings that form the heart and soul of the laws of this country.
[Bob Marley - No Woman, No Cry]
I remember when we used to sit in the government yard in Trenchtown,
Observing the hypocrites as they would mingle with the good people we’d meet.
Good friends we have, oh good friends we’ve lost along the way,
In this great future, you can’t forget your past, so dry your tears, I say.
So what has and is to become of us die-hard Hillary Clinton for President supporters, who refuse to let the injustices perpetrated by the DNC, Obama, and the Democratic Party be swept under the rug and hidden from view? We continue to speak out and speak up to the world at large and especially to the Superdelegates, whom we urge to carry out their jobs in service to the voice of the People and electing the most qualified candidate as our President and Commander-In-Chief: Hillary Clinton.
Use the soundtrack to inspire you during today’s Puma Prowl. We may be broken-hearted — mostly due to the loss of truth and freedom in this election cycle — but we are NOT DONE taking action, bearing witness, and righting the wrongs that were foisted upon the voters of our country.
July 30, 2008
TO: Puma PAC Members
FROM: Murphy
Subject: Today’s PROWL
Hello Puma PAC,
Today we are holding accountable those Super Delegates who appear to have been for sale. After receiving donations from Barack Obama’s political action committee, the Hope Fund, these politicians endorsed him and pledged to vote for him as Super Delegates in Denver. EVEN THOUGH HILLARY WON IN THEIR DISTRICTS IN MARGINS AS HIGH AS 60 POINTS! Let that sink in for a moment. Barack Obama gave these Super Delegates LOTS OF MONEY and now they are going to OVERTURN THE WILL OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS IN DENVER.
FOR MONEY.
FOR SHAME!
Puma PAC, we MUST speak up! Fax the following document to the list of Super Delegates below. We will also be calling 3 of these Super Delegates today.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO MAKE NOISE PUMA PAC! IF WE DON’T TELL THESE POLITICIANS THAT OUR VOTES ARE NOT FOR SALE, WHO ON EARTH WILL??
Thank you and Good Luck,
Murphy.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FAXING:
Print and fax the letter to each of these Super Delegates. There are 15 names on the list. This PROWL will take about 20 minutes to complete. PLEASE DO IT.
Rep. Baron Hill: 202-226-6886
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter: 202-225-5822
Sen. Jeff Bingaman: 202-224-2852
Sen. Frank Lautenberg: 202-228-4054
Rep. Ron Klein: 202-225-8398
Rep. Joe Donnelly: 202-226-6798
Rep. Gerald McNerney: 202-225-4060
Rep. Jason Altmire: 202-226-2274
Rep. Niki Tsongas: 202-226-0771
Rep. Dennis Cardoza: 202-225-0891
Rep. Gabriella Giffords: 202-225-0378
Rep. Jim Costa: 202-225-9308
Rep. Zack Space: 202-225-3394
Rep. Charlie Wilson: 202-225-5907
Rep. Jay Rockefeller: 202-224-7665
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CALLING:
Today, at 2:30pm, eastern, call the following THREE Congressmen and tell them YOUR VOTE IS NOT FOR SALE BY THEM! Be civil but firm. Call for 45 minutes, until 3:15pm eastern.
SUGGESTED SCRIPT FOR CALL: “Hello, my name is — and I‚m a Democrat and member of Puma PAC in your district. I am calling to voice my disgust that the Congressman/Senator is planning to overturn the will of his/her constituents as a Super Delegate in Denver. Did the congressman/senator decide to support Senator Obama before or AFTER he/she received the $11,500 check from Senator Obama?”
(use the correct amount of the donation from the information below.
For Rep. Hill, use Bloomington, Indiana — zip: 47401, area code: 812
For Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, use Portsmouth NH, zip: 03801 area code: 603
For Senator Bingaman: use Santa Fe NM, zip: 87501 area code: 505)
Rep. Baron Hill. Call 202-225-5315. ($12,500 from Obama. $2,500 from Clinton. Hillary won Indiana by 2 points and his district by 30 points.)
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter. Call 202-225-5456. ($11,500 from Obama. $2,500 from Clinton. Hillary won New Hampshire by 2 points and her district by 14 points.)
Sen. Jeff Bingaman. Call 202-224-5521. ($4,200 from Obama. Zero from Clinton. Hillary won New Mexico by 1 point.)
COPY AND PRINT THE FOLLOWING FAX; THEN SEND IT TO THE LIST ABOVE. (Print out the list so you can have it handy at the fax machine!)
YOU RECEIVED UP TO TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM BARACK OBAMA. YOU NOW PLEDGE TO VOTE FOR HIM IN DENVER EVEN THOUGH THE VOTERS IN YOUR DISTRICT CHOSE HILLARY CLINTON BY MARGINS UP TO 60 POINTS.
YOU ARE OVERTURNING THE WILL OF AMERICAN VOTERS.
HOW DARE YOU?
I AM A MEMBER OF PUMA PAC, PEOPLE UNITED MEANS ACTION, AND MY VOTE IS NOT FOR SALE BY YOU OR ANYONE ELSE!
RT @ariannahuff: Bloomberg: "soothing words not enough." Candidates who want to be president should be talking about guns: http://t.co/e ... 10 months ago
RT @ariannahuff: People might say it's too early to have the gun discussion Mayor Bloomberg wants. Actually, it's too late. 10 months ago
RT @MikeBloomberg: It's time for the presidential candidates to step up & tell us what they'll do about guns in America: http://t.co ... 10 months ago
Broken hearted #Aurora. Obama's spiritual tone ok for today, but he shouldn't miss opp to address & act on gun control. Bloomberg is right. 10 months ago
