Unity, Schmunity!

So are all you Hillary supporters energized to vote for Sen. Obama now that they had their mutual appreciation show in (gag me with a spoon) Unity, N.H.? I didn’t think I heard a summer of love type reaction…
     After she won such a large proportion of the votes, it kills me to see her have to be trotted out like this by the Democratic Party. Talk about humiliation… especially after they stole away some of her hard-earned votes!
     Here’s a read from the Arizona Republicabout the growing Dissident Dems for Hillary Movement.

Clearing the air

Let’s get one thing straight about the tenor of this blog. I do not hate Sen. Barack Obama. I do not think he is a terrorist-embracing closet Muslim. I do not think his wife Michelle hates whites. I find it best to steer clear of all that sensationalist crapola. Focus on the real concerns of this election.
     What I do think is that Sen. Clinton is more experienced and has proven she can weather the toughest of storms (from the personal to the 9/11 attacks on the state she represents). She has proven her tenacity. She was the first person to tackle America’s health care crisis head on.
     I’m tired of being painted by the media as either mistrusting black men or being an angry Hillary fanatic. She is logically the best choice. That’s it. God knows the next president will have a heck of a tough job ahead. I prefer a proven record to generalities about change. What’s fanatical about that?

Things that make you go hmm… Nancy Pelosi’s lack of support

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, giver of little support for Hillary during her campaign, has also offered little support for pushing for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney before they leave office. Why? That’s a point Marc McDonald raises in this interesting commentary. He notes that the impeach-the-lawless-bastards movement is gaining steam with, of all camps, right-wing conservatives. On the go-get-’em list you’ll find Lou Dobbs, Pat Buchanan and Chuck Hagel. What gives, Nan? Perhaps this is the key to national unity, not the divisiveness you fear.

Back-stab & smile

ABC’s Jake Tapper has an interesting read on behind the scenes of the Obama and Clinton camps right now. He notes some resentment that instead of trying to unify the Democrats by asking them to help “retire Clinton’s debt,” the “first fundraising solicitation Obama sent out was not for Clinton but instead one to benefit the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.” Should be interesting next week when she joins him on tour…

Promises, promises

Some might call it smart strategy to counteract all the Republicans have in their dirty tricks arsenal. Others are disappointed that a movement for campaign finance reform has been knocked backwards into oblivion. In either case, the reality is that Sen. Barack Obama broke a promise made to use only public financing should be named the party nominee for president.
     Does this mean he fears the launch of a “swiftboating” campaign  by 527 groups against him?  Darn tootin’!
     In a statement he issued to his supporters Thursday, Obama said “… join me, and declare your independence from this broken system and let’s build the first general election campaign that’s truly funded by the American people.” In reality it’s back to whoever has the most $$$ in a war chest may have the best chance in November. So much for empowering those with fewer assets from pursuing public office…

Hint from the headlines: Something’s amiss

Found this ABC News headline today of interest: “‘Danger Signs’ as Clinton Supporters Resist Obama” The news story adds that an ABC News/Washington Post poll “indicates that Obama did not get the traditional “bounce” in the public’s opinion by finally defeating Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and getting her endorsement as the Democratic presidential candidate.
     “While leading among young voters and other key demographics, ABC News chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos saw what he called “danger signs” for Obama.”

Today’s buzz: Obama picks Hillary campaign alum as chief of VP’s staff

There is a fascinating discussion going on over at Marc Ambinder’s blog for TheAtlantic.com about the meaning of Sen. Barack Obama selecting Patti Solis Doyle as chief of staff for the VP candidate. Solis Doyle, of course, was a longtime friend of Sen. Hillary Clinton and chief of her staff.
     Readers are debating what this means.
     “My sense is that this is a cunning way to make it really unpalatable to Hillary behind the scenes while publicly looking as if you are seriously considering it,”  one writes. “Is it normal to appoint a COS to a VP before appointing a VP? I.e., isn’t it bizarre that the veep doesn’t get to choose their own chief?”  says another. One angle is filled with intrigue: “If Hillary IS NOT CHOSEN VP, this will make it clear that Patti Solis Doyle may have been an Obama bug or spy at the very top of the Clinton campaign,” or “Now, will Hillary Clinton be VP? Patti S. Doyle as chief of staff means either (1) this is a clear indication Hillary Clinton will be VP; or (2) it is a slap in the face to both Clinton and Solis Doyle (she gets to run some other person’s VP election?).”
     This also comes on the day when Obama received the endorsement from former Vice President Al Gore. 
     Interesting timing…

No alternatives

I saw a button on Facebook that shows a snarling John McCain with the slogan “Bush v. 3.0″. I think that sums up my assessment of where Senator McCain will take us should he win the election. Invade Iran. Drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Tax the middle class out of existence.
     Forget it McCain supporters if you think that because I’m angry at the DNC, I’ll slide easily into your camp. That is simply not an acceptable alternative.
     In the meantime, Senator Obama’s lead in the polls over McCain is slipping. What are you going to do, oh DNC wonder boys, if his numbers take an even deeper turn down before the convention? Do you have a Plan B?
     I think there should be a Plan C, like the old days, in which the party’s candidate was brokered on the floor of the convention hall. The glow of hope around Obama’s mantra of change has dimmed when held up against outrageous gas prices, food safety crises, natural disasters upon natural disasters and, oh yeah, that little side issue called Iraq (not to mention the thousands of young men and women who will return with injuries the system is ill prepared to handle).
     Plan C also stands for Plan Clinton. She’s the candidate who can wrestle with these tough issues and help America weather its current storms. I’ve met her twice and in our conversations I was extremely impressed by her intelligence, ability to understand complex issues and offer solutions and most of all, her obvious pride in this country and love for the brilliance of its Constitution.
     Sorry, there are no alternatives. Enact Plan C for Election ‘08.

Just say no deal

A story in Thursday’s Daily News bears the headline: “Hillary Clinton fanatics keep fight alive”. Interesting choice of words. One man’s fanatic is one woman’s ardent supporter, though.
     The story talks about the scramble for the votes of “grieving” Clinton supporters. Some say they think they’ll (translation, we) will fold in line with the Obama ticket. Others think its wiser to vote McCain because a write-in vote will supposedly be lopped onto Obama’s numbers anyway.
     A group calling itself PUMA (Party Unity My Ass) has launched a Just Say No Deal in response to the DNC handing over some of Hillary’s hard-earned primary delegate votes to Obama. To learn more about this effort, visit justsaynodeal.com

“You’re good enough, Hillary”

Do you remember when Sen. Barack Obama said that to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton during the debates? It was a little aside, meant to add some levity to the debate. But I have to admit it, it bothered me and grated against me. I have to admit, in that moment Sen. Obama lost some of his appeal to me.
Why are such comments still allowable in our society? Can you imagine if Hillary had said the same thing in the same manner about Obama? There’d be a public outcry and it would be all over the media 24/7 that her underlying racism was peeking through.
Some sniggered at Katie Couric raising the sexism word, but she’s right. The truth is American society has not fully embraced the concept of gender equality. I should know. My scalp has more than a few bruises from that damn glass ceiling.
The comment made by Obama was kind of like a “Don’t you fret now, we’re listening to what you have to say even though you’re the only woman in the room.”
Dammit, Hillary’s better than “good enough.” She’s the best candidate for the job. And voters in the millions agree!
Let’s not roll over and play dead on this issue. Let’s make sure the DNC selects the most qualified candidate who can surely beat Sen. John McCain in November: Hillary Rodham Clinton!