Both Sides Now

I’m feeling a bit numb, but not comfortably. Just letting everything settle in. Although I had Patron on election night and not Southern Comfort like madamab, I’m moving a bit slowly, but no migraine!

I thought that November 5th would be the day that my life would return to normal, and mark my political devotional journey’s end. One way or the other, I could return to civilian life. Heh. Hasn’t happened yet. Tomorrow. Apparently, it’s hard to get moving, or declare a direction for myself after stopping short.

The morning after, Riverdaughter congratulated Obama and his supporters, whose dreams were fulfilled, saying she understood their joy. She made some waves! I get what she was feeling, because I saw it wash over her at our NYC election night gathering. Congratulations to Obama and The Democrats! And really, would we have wanted them to be sore losers? (Whoops, I forgot: they already were–to Hillary.) From what we’re seeing, Obama’s election to the Presidency is a huge participatory be-in where African Americans can finally be vindicated, feel and see that there’s a way up for them, and that we respect them.

Baby boomers who fought in the civil rights movement are celebrating that they don’t have to leave the country, that their sixties spiritual dreams are fulfilled, and that anything is possible. Even some of my mom’s generation, who were born eighty-something years ago and live in Florida, went for Obama. Hard-core feminists disliked and demonized both Clinton and Palin, and went to Obama. I’m writing, keeping to myself at home, so they don’t see the tread marks up my back.

By any measure of my life up to this year, I’d be as happy as a clam at the big win. Instead, I feel let down. I’m an emotional being. My beef all along has been about the means, the dirty means, the integrity-less, back-stabbing, issue-equivocating, race-baiting, misogynistic, homophobic, money-mongering, combo far right/left MEANS. Period.

Had either Hillary or Sarah gone to the White House, I don’t see that women and men would have universally and spontaneously rejoiced in the streets all over the country like they did for Obama. Do you? Reclusive Leftist wrote that women are just supposed to wish that everyone else does well, regardless if it’s to their own detriment. I’m thinking about that, thinking and wondering.

Some ardent feminists are such fishes in water that they can’t really tell they’re in the tank. Gloria Steinem was on post-election Oprah, and the gist was: Palin had no content, wasn’t fit to be VP or President, and it’s McCain’s fault for choosing her. Gloria said that the more people found out about Palin, the more they went away from her. (These days, I’m feeling that way about Gloria.) She pontificated that women’s issues are about substance not form: it’s what you’re for that matters, not just being a woman. It’s not that she’s wrong, I just don’t like the holier than thou attitude. Hmmm, more tread marks from another feminist who’s absolutely confident within herself, and elated that Obama’s in.

The MSM and FOX News are doing entire segments about Palin’s reported temper and refusal to be coached before the debates. Perhaps they’re right, who knows, but I feel that once again a woman is being scapegoated by Looooo-sers. Her governor rating WAS over 80% BEFORE the MSM, pundits, and Obama got a-hold of her. I guess I should be glad that Obama won, because Hillary’s treatment would have been far worse had he lost.

Although the spiritual and progressive Left are elated, and Obama’s background agendas and means to power have escaped their horizons, I don’t fault anyone’s celebrations. I understand their genuine joy, but am saddened by what they chose to see and what they chose to gloss over, ignore, or spin. Michelle’s Narciso Rodriguez dress got more perusal than Obie’s record. Yet, a majority of Democrats complained that Republicans ran a more negative campaign. They thought that questions about background, associations, decisions, and policies were extraneous, old-style politics, and off-the-mark. They were all for women in high office, just “not those women.”

I don’t see that Hillary Clinton will be supported by the Dems for Majority Leader. David Gergen was also on Oprah I-didn’t-use-my-TV-show-to-promote-Obama. Gergen said that Hillary Clinton came so close but did not make it through the door this year, but that she made 70 different appearances for him, and women will have their time. Obama’s alliances are made, and despite her generosity, it will never be enough. Just like he treated Alice Palmer. It’s rumored that Rahm Emanuel will be Chief of Staff, and that he and the Clintons are enemies. Right now, Hillary’s rise to Majority Leader or President seems as probable as Obama’s choosing her for VP. (But, I’d love to be proven wrong.)

I always “made the holidays” for my kids. When we lived in a collective household, I’d cook and prepare and engage others to help, and we’d celebrate the Jewish holidays (along with all the other holidays of whomever lived there) — Passover, Chanukah, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur. After the Farm, when my kids were growing up, and even after they were on their own, I kept up with our traditions, inviting friends and family. It was always lovely and warm.

When I moved to New York three years ago, I expected it would be the same. However, when I called to make plans, they said, “Mom, we have our own thing, with our group of friends. You’re welcome to come, though.” Well, as a parent, that was a whole re-orientation—a “mother, please! I’d rather do it myself” moment. I wasn’t in charge of the family holidays anymore, which was a surprise but good for two reasons: 1) my apartment and kitchen are teeny, making complicated meal prep tricky, and 2) I must have passed on the holiday tradition in such a way that they wanted to carry it on themselves, with no prodding or guilt from me.

In Obama’s acceptance speech, I didn’t hear an attempt to lower expectations, I heard a call to action, an exact echoing of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We may not get there in one year or one term . . . It’s your moment, your time, and get ready to work. Everybody who voted for Obama, everybody who was dancing in the streets and cried for that moment: You’re on! Let’s see who steps up. YOU can make the holidays for us now.

I’m an optimist. Maybe it’s good. Obama got people to move on his behalf for whatever they thought he stood for, and Obama says that brothas should pull up their pants. (Maybe my son will do it, too. Sorry, dear.) Now that’s something that just might happen in an Obama administration!

I don’t mean to make light of the serious problems ahead, and I’m not saying people aren’t allowed to make mistakes, and I hope for every success, because we’re all in this together now. Some voters, though, might be a little surprised when and if they discover what they actually bought. To them: you wanted it, you got it. And I’m glad you’re going for it. Enjoy! God bless us all, and God bless America!

PUMAs, we still have work to do! Thank you for reading my stuff, helping me keep my sanity, being here to raise each other up, and remaining a strong, clear voice for truth and fairness.

[cross-posted at The Confluence]

Hillary’s Convention Speech: Keep Going!

What a speech! Many tears were shed, as we were again touched by the most Presidential, brilliant candidate of our lifetime. For us, “it’s been a privilege.” Here at Puma Headquarters for hours afterward: lots of happy partying — is there another kind? The mood was extremely upbeat and festive, and we are so proud of our true Democratic candidate.

Your determination to keep going, often in the face of enormous obstacles . . . you taught me so much.

To my supporters, to my champions, to my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, because you never gave in, and you never gave up. Together we made history. . . .

And even in the darkest moments, that is what Americans have done: we have found the faith to keep going.

My mother was born before women could vote, my daughter got to vote for her mother for President. This is the story of America, of women and men who defy the odds and never give up.

So how do we give this country back to them? By following the example of a brave New Yorker, a woman who risked her lives to bring slaves to freedom along the underground railroad.

On that path to freedom, Harriet Tubman had one piece of advice:

‘If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If they’re shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop, keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.’

And even in the darkest moments. That is what Americans have done. We have found the faith to keep going.

We do not yet know the results of the floor vote petition. Word is that the ballots went out to the delegations on Tuesday night. In the face of enormous odds, from our hearts, we can do no less. We keep going.

Keep Going (click to play)

[by Pearl Harbor and The Explosions]

[cross-posted from The Confluence]

Breaking: Hillary on Ballot at Convention!

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.

From HillaryClinton.com:

8/5/2008

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’?

Hell No, I Didn’t Give Up: I’m Back, Madam President!

Dear Readers,

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.

No woman, no cry.

Everything’s going to be alright.

So, no woman, no cry.

PUMA 08 Conference: Denver and Beyond

Video by boowitch13

“Surrounded by Liars and Thieves” by Satellite Nation

PUMA is having a Pre-Convention PUMA Conference to prepare and train people for Denver and beyond. If you plan to go to Denver and can also make it to DC — GO!

I’ve included boowitch13’s fresh video, “Surrounded by Liars and Thieves,” for your viewing and motivational pleasure. Do I want to set the mood that the PUMA 08 Conference will be angry and vengeful like the twenty-four year old Obamamen who spew at me? No! But, we can’t forget why we are doing this, and why we are here! It’s because we were swindled out of our votes and our rights as citizens by “liars and thieves!”

It’s time for us to gather, meet each other and plan for the future. Remember: Dean and Donna ‘n them began building their organizations and planned takeover back in 2004. Actually, they began earlier, if you count from when Dean began his Presidential run.

PUMAs have written, blogged, emailed, protested, petitioned, and broadcast our message through the mainstream media, and our own shows on blogtalkradio. Now it’s time to meet in the flesh, plan, and build our energy, vision, and intention for the future.

What can you offer? What’s your skill set to contribute to the planned protest in Denver, getting Hillary on the ballot, or creating our own media messages? What can you add to the movement? Do you connect well with people and like to talk and organize at the grass roots level? Do you like to write letters? Raise money? Network people together? Are you a tech genius? Video producer? Graphic designer? How can you add your talents to the cause?

PUMA 08 PRE-CONVENTION CONFERENCE

August 8 – 10, 2008, Washington, D.C.

Wardman Park Marriott

What will be the message and purpose of our movement in Denver and beyond? At the PUMA CONFERENCE:

There will be workshops for those who are starting PUMA chapters, and other informative sessions on media training, fundraising, and boosting traffic to your blog/website during this election cycle.

At the end of the conference, each person will have a solid action plan for Denver and their potential plans through the November election for each possible scenario. They will have a clear picture of the PUMA movement itself, and how we will move forward.

Who Should Attend: Those who want to have an active say about the direction of the PUMA movement in Denver and the role of PUMA as it develops.

Who Should NOT Attend: Those who would need to choose between Denver and DC. Our conference is secondary and meant to act in a supportive role of the Convention itself.

COST: $250—Includes price of ENTIRE CONFERENCE and:

• Lodging at FIVE STAR hotel – the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. for THREE nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday)
• Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
• Lunch on Saturday

REGISTER NOW!!!

Just Say No Deal Answers Questions on Sirius Radio

Just Say No Deal Coalition Interview on Sirius Radio

Just Say No Deal spokespersons, Will Bower of PUMA and Diane Mantouvalos of HireHeels.com, were on satellite radio today. This is the question and answer part of their interview.

On the show, Will and Diane effectively frame the questions — including “he won, she played negatively, DNC, 50 state campaign, caucus problems, the rules, and switching things in the middle of the game” — that many democrats have about the protest vote movement. They address why we are standing on principle and justice, rather than blindly supporting a Party that went astray.

Will introduced himself at The Confluence yesterday:

Two big things happened to me this year. I became a writer for the Huffington Post *and* I became an administrator for the largest pro-Hillary group on FaceBook (called “Hillary Clinton for President – One Million Strong”), which then had a membership of 27,000 people.

A third big thing happened to me. I met Harriet Christian at the DNC’s RBC hearing. You can read my account of it here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/will-bower/my-evening-with-harriet-c_b_104594.html

I also met someone else that night — “Sista Christian Louboutin” of HireHeels.com. It was Sista who later mentioned me to Diane Mantouvalos and vice versa. HireHeels.com, of course, was the nucleus around which “Just Say NO DEAL” would later be born.

Will describes how Just Say No Deal was quickly formed and caught on fire:

After another member of the FaceBook group (Thuc Nguyen) created some images for us, I took the PUMA / Party Unity My Ass concept to my FaceBook group with the idea of having it be a mascot and a call to arms…. and it caught fire there *immediately*. Within a few days, “The National” contacted us for an interview, which you can read about here:

http://thenational.ae/article/20080607/FOREIGN/763911149

Meanwhile, Diane was preparing the conference call that would give birth to “Just Say No Deal”. Being that she knew of me through “Sista” and through The Huffington Post and through the PUMA article in The National, I was invited to participate.

Press coverage and an angry electorate that felt swindled made for a quick launch:

http://tinyurl.com/6e2wak

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/06/12/2008-06-12_hillary_clinton_fanatics_keep_fight_aliv-1.html

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/13/1138240.aspx#comments

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/13/a-clinton-backer-turns-to-mccain/

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/256106

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/McCain_mingles_with_Clinton_supporters.html

* Hat tip to commenter Henry Dubb for posting interview link on The Confluence. And to the Confluence who published Will’s intro letter, excerpted here. Thanks to Will and Diane for their organizing wizardry and for articulately stating our concerns to the public.

Obama’s Return to Michigan: Will They Remember?

It appears that Obama is intent on winning no matter how many longtime loyal Dems or states he has to throw overboard. I wonder if Michigan voters can forgive and forget how he treated them in the primary? 55 percent voted for Hillary Clinton; Obama took his name off the ballot in a state where he was not expected to win, and his campaign blocked various re-vote and fair voter reflection measures. Is Al Gore to the rescue enough?

From The Hill, June 16, 2008 by Sam Youngman, on Obama’s return to Michigan and the AP Story about his nontraditional campaign strategy:

Obama’s two-day visit to the state underscores just how important his campaign views Michigan to its electoral success.

The Associated Press reported Monday that Obama’s campaign is looking at a strategy that would allow the Illinois senator to lose the traditional battlegrounds of Florida and Ohio, but he would need to hold onto three states Sen. John Kerry (Mass.) won in 2004 — Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Michigan. Gore won Michigan in 2000.

Just about every poll recently conducted in the state shows Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) with a narrow lead. The RealClearPolitics average of polls has McCain leading Obama by less than two percentage points.

Obama has an uphill battle against McCain in Michigan in his bid to claim the state’s 17 electoral votes.

Not only did McCain win the primary there in 2000, but he competed vigorously in this year’s primary before losing to native son and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) by nine points. McCain’s defeat there was considered respectable since Romney’s father served as governor of the state.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), one of the only Democratic candidates who didn’t remove her name from the Jan. 15 ballot, won the primary with 55 percent of the vote. Because there was still a full slate of Democratic candidates — former Sen. John Edwards (N.C.), New Mexcio Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Joseph Biden (Del.), although they were not on the Michigan ballot — it is difficult to tell how many of those who voted for “uncommitted” did so as a protest vote in favor of Obama.

Yee-upp. Shaking my head. Sigh.

More here on Obama’s new strategy. Hat tip to Riverdaughter. Wha hap-peen here? I thought this was to be a 50 stater. How many are overboard as of now? Apparently when you begin with 57, you can afford to lose a few. Okay, I be nice.

What Don’t They Get About “Voter Revolt”?

Most lifelong Democrats who are defecting en masse from “Our Party” have no illusions about the obvious drawbacks of a John McCain Presidency when it comes to our core beliefs. This is nothing less than a voter revolt. From The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2008:

re·volt / riˈvōlt/

• n. an attempt to put an end to the authority of a person or body by rebelling: a countrywide revolt against the central government | the peasants rose in revolt. ∎ a refusal to continue to obey or conform: a revolt over tax increases.

Should we stand idly by as our most basic rights of representation are stripped from us by our own Party in nothing less than a calculated coup? And now rumor has it that Clinton’s name will not be placed on the first nominating ballot. Wake up! This isn’t about winning or losing. This is about creeping fascism.

If the leftover and shiny brand-new Party members are so concerned about what would be further lost with four more years of Republican rule, let them fight that agenda themselves. After all, they said they could do it without us.

Obama has gotten new and crossover voters that will take up the slack.

We will win without you.

I wouldn’t be on Hillary’s side, if I were you, when it all comes down.

Since you all have decided that you are no longer Democrats, go to the Republican National Convention and stay away from our convention.

Leave us Democrats alone.

It is time for someone to kick his dumb A out of the party.

The problem is that we have too many of these losers running around parading as democrats.

They belong in the other guy’s party.

They should have considered their base and The Issues, which frankly Obama has no concern for nor record of supporting, before shoving him down our throats. They will not succeed, because in the long run Country and Constitution trump Party, brand, and bully tactics.

Obama supporters who would naysay this as petulance or shooting ourselves in the foot just don’t get it. In case you haven’t tried to swim out of the DNC, Obamalite, MSM net, our issues of contention are much, much broader than the sexism and misogyny that were promulgated freely and without check during the Democratic primaries. Our bigger beef has to do with the willful manipulation and coercion of rules, primaries, penalties, voters, caucuses, committees, delegates, and superdelegates by the Party Elite to select the untested, teflon-like candidate of their choice.

It is incomprehensible that the one candidate in the history of our country who has earned more votes than anyone else ever in a primary contest would not be placed on the initial ballot at her Party’s Convention.

Keep in mind the words of our founding fathers, but make no mistake, lest the thought police be tempted to come haul me off: I am not advocating overthrow of the government. I am providing justification from within our founding principles, to protest and withdraw from Our Political Party, based on same principles that hold representation sacrosanct. Although our 2008 situation is markedly less extreme than the colonies faced under British rule, can you see any similarities? From The Declaration of Independence, In Congress, July 4, 1776: (emphasis mine)

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

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He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

Gallup Presidential Poll: It’s A Tie (Again)

Gallup’s Daily Poll conducted June 12-14, 2008 reports a virtual tie between presumptive Presidential nominees Obama and McCain. 44 percent of the nation’s registered voters are for Obama, 42 percent are for McCain. However, 15 percent are undecided, the highest percentage of the year so far.

This most recent tie brings to mind the one that Democrats just experienced on June 3, 2008, discussed here in “Did Hillary Lose? Not So Fast: Taking Stock.” In that tie, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, while Obama was declared winner due to Superdelegate and caucus wins, which gave them undue weight by awarding similar amounts of delegates for comparatively low representation. Before suspending her campaign one long week ago, Clinton had maintained that she was the candidate best-prepared to beat John McCain in November. (I can guarantee you this: Hillary would not be using gun ‘n knife fight analogies to frame her ideological arguments. Yes, I later found out it’s a movie reference, but still shaking my head — it’s a bit rough around the edges for this lady’s taste. But . . . I digress.)