May 7, 2008
The Night the Old Politics Died (Brent Budowsky)
The old politics died on May 6, 2008, as the predictable and inevitable happened and the voters said no to business as usual.
The voters said no to the most phony and fraudulent proposal in memory for a gas tax cut that would never happen, that would profit the oil companies that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) falsely said she was fighting with it, that would do nothing for the people she falsely claimed she was helping with it.
The most reprehensible and shameful aspect of this gas tax fraud was in its cheap exploitation of people who are hurting, and fearful. There is nothing lower in politics that exploiting people who are hurting, trying to deceive them. The voters said no.
The voters said no to the politics embodied by the shameful ABC debate of Gibson and Stephanopoulos that was nothing more than an oppo-research festival. Voters said no to the Tim Russert “Meet the Press” that insulted them last Sunday, wasting time with more than a dozen questions about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright rather than a serious discussion of national issues
The voters said no to the insider pundits who pontificated about what a brilliant and clever tactic the gas tax fraud was, about how Hillary is on a huge roll and Barack looked broken and on his heels only hours before he won a crushing and devastating victory.
Soon, as I predicted some time ago, Hillary will withdraw and the superdelegate surge will reach a juggernaut pace that has already begun.
Soon, there will be new talk about 2 million Obama donors that will rise to 3 million. There will be talk of a historic voter registration program that has already been approved and will exponentially strengthen democracy and build even more voter turnout, voter excitement and voter enthusiasm.
Soon, there will be talk about a Democratic landslide throughout the Congress as Democrats come together and coordination begins between the presidential and the congressional Democrats.
Soon, there will be talk about the outpouring of enthusiasm around the world from good people everywhere ready to begin a new day of American world leadership based on the great role we have played in the past.
It was the night they drove old Dixie down, the night the old politics ended, the night a great new era in American politics truly began.
The battle now begins in earnest. On Tuesday, May 6, 2008, the Rubicon was crossed.
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Brent, I could not have said it better. Even though it was a victory for Obama, it seems like we still can't celebrate yet. It doesn't feel right to not have the party unified at a time we should be celebrating. I don't know why Hillary decided to drag Obama through the mud, but all it did was backfire on her. She used Republican tactics against her own party, I don't know ow she expects to get super delegates on her side when she decided to destroy the Democratic party. Surely she knows that's what they are thinking.
Comment by Yvonne — May 7, 2008 @ 9:46 am
,,,,And all the bells were ringing, nah, nah nah nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah nah nah nah.
Yes we can, defeat facism.
Spot on as usual Brent.
Comment by Lester — May 7, 2008 @ 10:32 am
Thanks, Yvonne. My own opinion which I've
expressed publicly is that Hillary decided
some time ago that if she could not be
nominated she wanted McCain to defeat Obama.
Therefore her campaign of personal attack
and personal destruction against Barack.
Hopefully she will now take the high road
and I am 100% confident that a rush of
superdelegate endorsements to Obama is now
immminent. Brent
Comment by Brent — May 7, 2008 @ 10:43 am
Brent,
As an Obama supporter, I would like all that you said to be true, but I think your scenario is just a little too hopeful and simplistic.
Rumor has it that HRC is going to demand the second slot on the ticket this fall. That is a deal Obama cannot make and retain any sense of intergrity with his supporters.
As it stands now, the Clintons and their supporters feel they must have access to the White House to hide past deeds continue to make deals and money; Bill must be able to peddle his poisonous influence. To that end, Clintons' surrogates are now telling people watching CNN that Obama can't win with "eggheads and African Americans," thus attempting to diminish the breadth of yesterday's vote.
Hill and Bill are vampyres sucking the life out of the Democratic party, and the breath out of what's probably the country's last chance for an honorable future.
Despite yesterday's abysmal performance in the wake of such high hopes, HRC will hang in there to the detriment of us all!
With HRC's lastest lending of $6.5 million from her and Bill's coffers, we can see they're not going away anytime soon.
Comment by barbara day — May 7, 2008 @ 11:06 am
Brent;
Great post once again. I have waited a long time for a day like this and hopefully we democrats can come together and crush McCain in November. Get ready for Igor, RR, Simmons and the rest of the gang to start their rant. You know like the sun coming up, they're heading your way.
Comment by Mike Coleman — May 7, 2008 @ 11:10 am
Brent, when you're on you're on, there's none better. Now it's time to sink the knuckle-draggers deep in their own lies and misconceptions.
Igor, I mean you, where are you? Throw up another gas-balloon so I can shoot it down.
Comment by Don Bacon — May 7, 2008 @ 11:17 am
what plan has burok hussain have .was going to vote for hillary but now its mccaine shame on you hope your voted out of office
Comment by don finley — May 7, 2008 @ 12:00 pm
When Bill Clinton tried marijuana he claims he never inhaled. When Hillary tried it she never exhaled cause she can't let anything go.
Comment by james d granata — May 7, 2008 @ 12:15 pm
I salute the deserved positive sentiments in favor of Senator Obama's virtual locking-up of the Democratic Party's nomination for president. However, the undead Dracula of divide-and-rule fascist Republican-Party politics in America never dies. Pronouncing it dead only encourages suicidal complacency. Freedom, as Thomas Jefferson said, comes at the price of eternal vigilance.
As for You-Know-Her and her low-road neo-conservative gutter politics combined with her reckless and genocidal threats against millions of Iranians who have never attacked America, the Chinese have an ancient aphorism: "The centipede is dead, but not stiff." I haven't seen rigor mortis set in yet and until we have the political equivalent of a CSI autopsy on Bawl and Pillory formally filed for the historical record, we Democrats had better keep up the campaigning for Senator Obama while encouraging the Partners in Pathos to deplete their own personal fortune only to achieve what Mitt Romney did by pursuing the same "strategy."
Comment by Michael Murry — May 7, 2008 @ 12:37 pm
There is an article today in the New York Times that indicates that Barack Obama and Reverend Wright were aware over a year ago that their relationship might cause problems. The article contains references to a strategy they cooked up to deal with the ramifications. That would indicate that Barack Obama's so called civil rights speech was totally phony, totally staged, but totally predictable, because he's simply another slick politician who is adept at precisely what you claim died, old style politics. In addition to that, go to the web site for his church and go to the bottom and read
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — May 7, 2008 @ 12:49 pm
Reverend Wright's talking points. Here's the link. Look at Marxism that is on display there that Barack embraces. Why hasn't the media pointed this out? It's been there forever. Here's the link. Check it out.
http://www.tucc.org/talking_points.htm
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — May 7, 2008 @ 12:51 pm
Yes, Obama gets the black vote at close to 100%. If the entire country was like the northern Lake county he'd be a shoo-in in the general, but since it isn't I hope he enjoys his moment in the sun while it lasts.
The debate was an oppo-research festival? Don't the damn moderators know that they are card-carrying Democrats and they should never ask questions damaging to their party? Silly, silly Boy George, your loyalty to mommy dearest got the best of you. You're gonna be the poster child on how the fairness doctrine will be applied to liberals as well.
Comment by Igor R. — May 7, 2008 @ 1:42 pm
Brent…i miss your conmments and your clear thoughts on the primary and politics in general on the Randi Rhodes Show…Keep up the good work and Godspeed…!!!
Comment by Manny T — May 7, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
Hey Brent, did you hear that George McGovern (yes, that same George McGovern that did so very well in 1972) today called Hillary Clinton and is trying to convince her to drop out of the race and that, according to him, Obama has the best chance of winning this fall? Wow, now isn't THAT a great endorsement for Obama? Remind me, Brent, how many states did George McGovern carry in 1972? Brent, who do you think is going to endorse Obama next, Michael Dukakis or Walter Mondale?
Comment by Libertyship46 — May 7, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
Okay Coleman — don't want to disappoint you. If Obama has it so together and is such a shoo-in, why hasn't he won more states? Why didn't he win Indiana last night or Pennsylvania a couple of weeks ago? We get it, he doesn't McCain or Clinton's gas tax plan, most American's don't either, so what is his plan?
Comment by John Simmons — May 7, 2008 @ 2:12 pm
Yes. We are witnessing the end of the Clintonian dynasty, Billary is not going away easy. I agree with Barbara, she will try to get herself on the ticket. Last night however, made this scenario increasingly difficult. Besides, I am not sure that her ego would allow it and Obama would never tolerate Billary lurking in the WHO, second guessing him.
Dems have a lot of work to do, the party is bitterly divided but I don’t subscribe to the idea that HRC as VP will help unite it. Some of her supporters will stay home or vote repub, her negs and the uncanny ability to drive conservatives to the polls outweigh the benefit of HRC on the ticket.
Comment by Theard — May 7, 2008 @ 2:24 pm
Right on!!!
Comment by Doug King — May 7, 2008 @ 2:27 pm
Excellent Post Brent,
I am getting goose bumps reading your article. I and I am sure many others have been waiting a long time for this wrap up.
Thanks for keeping our heads up! with your knowledge, good sense and insight.
Comment by Eman — May 7, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
Igor plays the race card and the "liberal media" card, big surprise. Real issues — like the death of old politics — are so difficult for some people to deal with.
Comment by Don Bacon — May 7, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
RR, you've finally convinced me; I've decided not to vote for Reverend Wright for President!
Comment by Smilinjack — May 7, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
Yes, Igor can't handle the fact of blacks and whites getting together and voting for the best candidate. I still think he won Indiana. We will see.
Comment by Yvonne — May 7, 2008 @ 3:41 pm
Simmons:
You are obvious very stupid, can't read and can't understand math. Out of 47 contests, he has won 33. Now what part of that didn't you get? It is past obvious that the only thing you can do now is put up other goalpost since he has pass all those that were thrown in his direction. I am not going to rub it in - not. Here is me doing an endzone dance on your face:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHMyshL8jJo&feature=related
Enjoy!
Comment by Mike Coleman — May 7, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
Yvonne, he WOULD'VE won Indiana if the party bosses in Gary had a little more time before they were called out on what they were planning to do. But you explain to me why the black are voting for him at close to 100%. Must be his tax policy.
Comment by Igor R. — May 7, 2008 @ 4:24 pm
For those who are getting goose bumps or tingles down their legs with a thought of obamabarack reaching the White House, please calm down a bit. Brent's empty words are no different than Barack's. Please, remember that this country is facing extremely serious problems in a very dangerous world, where our entire survival may be at stake. When you people just want to feel good by nominating that slick community organizer with no qualifications whatsoever to be commander-in-chief, with questionable ties to America hating thugs, with failed third world ideology who plans to use America's resources to fight world hunger instead of investing in our military or infrastructure, you people deserve nothing else…except being water boarded.
Comment by Misha F — May 7, 2008 @ 4:28 pm
There's Igor, playing the race card again. See, to Igor, African-Americans are even dumber than Russian-Americans. They're so stupid, in fact, that given a choice they will vote for one of their own no matter what the candidate stands for. Why, they would even vote for Clarence Thomas over Hillary Clinton. That's it, their own interests be damned, black people vote strictly on race because they're so stupid, according to Igor.
Hogwash and poppycock. I'll tell you one thing, Igor, African-Americans are street-wise and people-smart BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH RACISTS LIKE YOU THEIR ENTIRE LIVES. They know what's coming down, and it isn't the establishment as usual that Clinton was selling, and it won't be the racial hatred that the Repubs like you are selling. So put that in your borscht and eat it.
Comment by Don Bacon — May 7, 2008 @ 4:53 pm
RR, Igor, Simmons and Misha;
Take this!
http://www.nhlcyberfamily.org/special/happydance.htm
Comment by Mike Coleman — May 7, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
HUZZAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Marie Lambe — May 7, 2008 @ 5:06 pm
Misha F - "Please, remember that this country is facing extremely serious problems in a very dangerous world, where our entire survival may be at stake."
Yea, Misha, these "serious problems" rest at the feet of idiots like you (and Igor and RR) who fell for Dumbya's scare tactics. You supported the worst president in the history of this great nation; twice. So yea, we got "serious problems" that require adults (like Obama) to remedy, like the disaster you have posed upon this country. Misha, give serious consideration to sitting out this next election.
Comment by Lester — May 7, 2008 @ 6:16 pm
Brent,
I think you are right. I also think that the media-driven talk about droves of Clinton supporters voting for McCain are just that - talk.
Once the Clinton supporters have a chance to "lick their wounds" (real and imagined), and they have a chance to think about what a McCain presidency would mean for America - in terms of the Supreme Court; the Occupation of Iraq; tax cuts for the rich made permanent; Global warming, etc., etc., ad nasueum, they will fall in line behind Obama.
I am a Democratic Precinct Captain, and once Hilary makes a graceful exit, I intend to have a "Democratic Party Unity party" in my neighborhood. Its time us D's to "bury the hachet" and drive the GOP (the party that doesn't believe in government) out of the Federal Government.
Comment by Krashkopf — May 7, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
Yes, watching Baracka march towards the Democratic self-induced annihilation is something to behold. He sat and listened to the craziest loon since Jim Jones for 20 years, said he couldn't denounce him, and promptly denounced him? No problema, it's just a distraction. A terrorist and his terrorist wife helped launch his career? Guilt by association, these are just folks from the neighborhood. They like to do the twist on top of the American flag? Put them on Dancing with the Stars!
"The fixer" Rezko helps Barry with a strange-sounding real estate transaction? There's nothing to look at here, move along folks and talk about "the issues".
The separationist Michelle (yes she was under their influence in college, she said) spouts incomprehensible nonsense about "them" moving the bar, while "you" do "what's expected of you"? Why she is simply a busy housewife balancing the bills the best she can. Just because she looks like the lady at the DMV who told you to go back to the back of the line because you used the wrong pencil, and her smile looks like she just overdosed on lemons, that's no problem, she'll be the First Country Denouncer of great fame! First lady proud for the first time, isn't that special!
Barack's issues? Tax the hell out of the "rich" who are not very rich and lose in Iraq. Give the savings to UN to spread, I mean fix, poverty in the Third World. Health care from the people who brought you the IRS and Walter Reed, "do your own cancer surgery and tooth extraction kit" not included.
Can any sane person believe anything this cat says? No, but the Dems are a party of insane "caring nurturers" marching towards self-destruction. Thank god for small miracles!
Comment by Igor R. — May 7, 2008 @ 6:36 pm
One of the things that has griped me most about Obama's pounding on Hillary to Get Out and Get Out NOW campaign, is the fact that he has been entirely willing to dis-enfranchise the voices and votes of millions and millions of Americans during these primaries.
Everywhere, in every state, the turn-out has been record breaking. Reports, on the ground, on election days state the the voters are "enthusiastic" and "excited".
For the first time in forever, the people believe that their voices and their votes MATTER. The people feel a renewed sense of citizenship and they love it.
But no, Obama wants to short circuit the process. He wants the nomination without the votes. She is supposed to hand it over to him. And these voters are supposed to realize that they are just too unimportant to matter and their votes are irrelevant.
Hillary has every right to take this as far as she wants to or can. Millions of people WANT the opportunity to see her, and him. These primaries are about a whole lot more than just who the nominee will be.
They are about bringing the American People back to the polls so that a measily 30% of us no longer elect buffoons.
Hillary is making a contribution to the Body Politic. In presiding over the demise of the "old politics" Hillary has done the only thing that really matters. She has brought Americans out to the polls. After all, who is going to show up to vote for only one candidate on the ballot?
Comment by banjobailey — May 7, 2008 @ 6:39 pm
Lester, what makes Obama an adult compared to anyone in particular? Does he have a particularly mature demonstrated judgment ability?
Comment by Igor R. — May 7, 2008 @ 6:45 pm
Yes Kashkopf, believing in government is a true triumph of hope over experience! The war on poverty is such a great success, the war on black family is out of this world, let's have these folks do more! And since they have the presses, they will pay for everything with new cash and nobody will be any worse for wear. After all, since the founding of the Republic till the invention of the Federal Reserve the total inflation was 10%. After the Federal Reserve: 2000%. Free mortgages for everyone! Government is our savior!
Comment by Igor R. — May 7, 2008 @ 6:54 pm
Lester is once again demonstrating the "blame America first" Democratic thinking. Even if you believe that the Republicans are evil, his belief that all the serious problems are caused by them show the typical Democratic attitude: America's enemies can do no wrong, everything that's wrong with the world originated with the evil oppressors found only in the good old USA.
Comment by Igor R. — May 7, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
Don Bacon - if blacks don't vote strictly on race, then given that barack's and Hillary's positions are nearly identical on most major issues, why barack ends up with 95% of the black vote? The answer is: "slaves built it, get our brother to that White House".
Comment by Misha F — May 7, 2008 @ 7:25 pm
Lester, so far I have not seen any serious policy statement from barack other than standard parrot-like nonsense about change/hope written for mindless revolutionaries like yourself. If he's the one to fix it, God help us…
Comment by Misha F — May 7, 2008 @ 7:29 pm
This is a statement from Obama today: "Barack Obama has always believed that our court should stand up for social and economic justice, and what’s truly elitist is to appoint judges who will protect the powerful and leave ordinary Americans to fend for themselves."
Social justice? Anyone who knows what that code phrase means understands that Obama has no intention of upholding the constitution. THAT's why it's important to understand the roots of Wright's ideology, namely the social justice movement in Latin America and what it means to the future of the US. When Obama's is talking change, he doesn't mean friendlier IRS agents.
Comment by Igor R. — May 7, 2008 @ 7:31 pm
Don Bacon, Please look up in the US Patent's office and/or Nobel Prize list for mathematics, medicine, biology, chemistry, economics and other core disciplines how many prize winners are of Russian descent vs. blacks and you'd see that you are making a fool of yourself with your "street-wise" and "people-smart" comments.
Comment by AK47 — May 7, 2008 @ 8:54 pm
To me, Osama's social & economic justice means "we'll take your neighbor's Lexus, sell it and use the proceeds to buy school lunches to those kids that walk to school hungry each day…" Bolsheviks tried this in Russia nearly 100 years ago, but in this country we have Second Amendment rights.
Comment by Dr. Pupsik — May 7, 2008 @ 9:34 pm
Igor, the question is, why aren't whites voting for her? Obama could win nothing if the only thing he was winning was the black vote. But the reality of this is too horrible for the media to face since they are the ones that are always race baiting.
Comment by yvonne — May 7, 2008 @ 9:44 pm
Igor and Misha should be the models in the next attack ad against John McCain. They should be seen shooting at our troops with their guns since they are always on this site supporting the war. . Don't forget to include their friend John.The voters spoke. Hillary, as usual thinks their voice doesn't matter. That's how it is in communism. Every time they vote against her, she comes up with another way to win, because after all, she's lost every contest, even the ones she thinks she's won. She can't even bow out gracefully.
Comment by yvonne — May 7, 2008 @ 9:54 pm
Misha, I just read your statement#35. Are you afraid of someone black getting into the white house because of slavery? I'm biracial and even I see what's behind your statement.Well, if that's the way you feel. thanks for letting me know that it was slaves that built the white house. Maybe the descendants of slaves should be in it.
Comment by yvonne — May 7, 2008 @ 10:01 pm
Government is our saviuor Igor when it benefits people like you. An example? How all of a sudden people think that school vouchers for low income people are a disgrace. Catholic schools and private schools have been using school vouchers, I mean 'scholoarships' that have been paid for by the government since the 1940's. Parochial and private schools have been funded by the government as another way to segregate schools. Need more about how the government has been the saviour of some and not others? FHA loans have been avaible to 'some' since 1960. Only available to'others' in the mid 80's and even then they were next to impossible to get. The G.I. bill was a way to get educatiion but the interest rate was so different for 'some' that it was as impossible as getting a regular loan because for 'some' just being in the military entitled you to it. But for 'others' you had to have been in the military and meet 'other' qualifications. So yes, the government has been a saviour to all in one way or another. What's done in the dark comes to the light. No one is disputing that discrimation exists. But when the people who are responsible for perpetrating and keeping it going starts to complain, we've got problems.
Comment by yvonne — May 7, 2008 @ 10:15 pm
banjobailey I don't what you are watching or hearing, but Obama never asked her to get out of the race. It's her own people telling her to get out. And she doesn't have to hand anything over to him. She doesn't have anything to give. She should step oout while it makes her look like she cares about the party, not for him. He can't lose now. The only way she stays in is to attack him and we see where that has gotten her. She even had the media on her side. I swear, last night I thought these commentators were going to cry. They just can't figure out why she can't close the deal. The american people know why she can't close it though. It's because they think he's the better candidate. One vote at a time, no matter the race or gender. You gotta take a look when the polls say one thing but the voters say another. Some one is lying and it's not the voters.Hillary could care less about letting the voters have their say. That's why she keeps changing the rules, because the voters are saying they don't want her.She keeps moving the goal posts, and he keeps kicking a field goal.
Comment by yvonne — May 7, 2008 @ 10:25 pm
A possible blessing from this long Groundhog Day primary race is also that the Dems have been "forced" to do a solid fifty-state ground-up organizing campaign. I think this is going to pay off in spades. Think about it.
Comment by Marti Reed — May 7, 2008 @ 10:34 pm
Igor, let's get the sequence right. It's racists like you that cause people like Rev. Wright to say what they say and do what they do, and we don't need a racist like you to tell us about a "code phrase." Your whole warped outlook is a code phrase for keeping others down.
Comment by Don Bacon — May 7, 2008 @ 11:10 pm
Misha, you're a racist who doesn't understand that Hillary Clinton represents the War Party, the old guard Democratic establishment and Barack Obama is an outsider who threatens the establishment. That's what African-Americans identify with. Clinton is no more like Obama than McCain is like Romney — does that put it in language your racist Repub mind can understand?
Comment by Don Bacon — May 7, 2008 @ 11:15 pm
I'm scanning, scanning trying toi find anything of substance that Igor has said that I can shoot down and I've come up empty! Can anyone find anything worthwhile to debunk?
Comment by Don Bacon — May 7, 2008 @ 11:18 pm
I cannot understand why everyone seems so afraid of Hillary and Bill Clinton. Why are pundits David Gergen and Jeffrey Toobin and the whole gaggle of cable pundits cutting her breaks, talking about her "intestinal fortitude" in putting on her game face and addressing her Indiana audience Tuesday night? Intestinal fortitude? She has demonstrated quite vividly that she is a loose cannon who has exhibited bizarre, unstable behavior these past fifteen months, ("How many angels dance on the head of a pin?"), unable to find her own voice, leaning on what this adviser says one day, that adviser the next, then firing both (always someone else's fault) lacking any originality of thought as she blathers on, peppering her responses with irritating valley girl "you knows" while she conjures up her packaged lines, canned lines of the groaning type which continued to fall on incredulous ears ("change you can xerox.").
Why does it seem that everyone or nearly so is afraid to talk about the gorilla in the room, that has been screaming for attention, and tell it like it really is with this highly dysfunctional family? The press is barred from asking Chelsea any questions? Are you kidding me? What, is she still twelve?
My tipping point was Wednesday morning, the day after IN and N.C. primaries, when Sen. Clinton was talking to reporters in W.VA:
"…And you know if we had the rules that the Republicans have I already would be the nominee."
What? You gotta be kidding me. Did she really say that? What are we to surmise, that even her own party is against her? Given her behavior I wouldn't blame them if they were. And she accuses her opponent of whining? Why isn't the media talking about this? She's a crybaby. Oh I see, it's nothing, just more of her tired and very enervating blame game. She sounds pathetic, complaining from early on about the media and now, as an apt bookend to her early cries of victimization, she blames her own party for not being more Republican.
That's rich. You know what Hillary? You seem to love the Republicans so much, using their campaign tactics to try to drag your opponent down to your subterrainean level, and saying McCain and you but not Obama have passed your arbitrary "commander-in-chief threshold," if you're so down on the Democratic Party for deserting you, for not getting on its hands and knees and anointing you queen, then why don't you go ahead and join John McCain on his ticket?
Or, better still, and much more preferable, take your husband–who somehow found new ways to consistently outdo himself and be even more disappointing these past long months (like playing the S.C. race card and, like Geraldine Ferraro, claiming reverse racism)–and "saddle up" and ride on.
Right out of town.
Comment by Rob — May 8, 2008 @ 3:26 am
Brent- it's very disconcerting to read your excellent, spot-on essay with Lanny Davis' picture in the corner of my eye. It'll be great when the Clintons are finally history, and all the Davis' of the world will disappear.
Comment by Michael Davidson — May 8, 2008 @ 4:32 am
While I am glad to see the clintons exposed for the disgustingly criminal Elmer Gantry hucksters that they have always been, that they have lasted this long betrays the lack of democrat principles and the willingness to countenance anything to win.
Barack Obama will be the Barbara Walters of American politics. The first one through the door based solely on gender or race, solely because s/he is different. For modern progressive liberals that is enough. It checks the block, assuages the guilt and provides a puppy to point to as evidence that 'they care more than you do.'
Barack is a typical leftist, statist, Chicago machine politician with his own criminal and questionable
'friends,' with a bitter and entitled spouse, but with a slicker schtick. That I notice the incongruities between his words and his life, between his words and the words of those closest to him, that I don't fall for his fluffy platitudes offered in a rehearsed faux MLK cadence, that I don't swallow the same old statist wine in a brand new bottle doesn't make me a racist, it makes me smarter than your average democrat. It betrays the real core of democrat principles and their willingness to countenance his manufactured image (while toe-ing the ideological partyline) over revealing their ideology openly. (And Hillary's shot of Irish whiskey makes her a conservative and blue collar … please!!!)
That so many here need to believe Obama is 'new' and
'different,' that so many here need to believe that their own country, or President, or Exxon or WalMart is their enemy and/or the 'problem,' that so many believe a profoundly indebted government will provide them 'cost-free benefits' betrays a profound lack of analysis, objectivity and a whimsically sophist perspective on selecting a decision maker in these profoundly (dangerously) important times.
Barbara 'the first' just wrote her autobiography and her accomplishments were so many and so profound, she was so 'new' and 'different' that she had to add a salacious 30 year old affair to make the book interesting … and "if I were a tree" I still don't know what tree I would choose to be.
Comment by Tyranno — May 8, 2008 @ 5:46 am
The only thing missing from the Trinity Church is the kool aid.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — May 8, 2008 @ 6:17 am
So, this is the "new politics," eh? For all its pious preaching on diversity and colorblindness, the Democratic Party has proven more beholden to race and gender politics than any institution in recent memory. The blacks vote for Obama en masse; white females vote for Hillary in overwhelming numbers. Guess we need to institute some party-wide sensitivity training. In the meantime, wannabe emperor Obama still has no clothes, in case anyone is looking (oh, sorry, looking is forbidden, especially if it is for answers to legitimate questions - only softballs for rookies). The "new politics," celebrating form over substance. Obama is already primed for the double-speak that thrives inside the Beltway - members of his spiritual advisory committee are not his spiritual advisors. Soon, Obama will usher in world peace.
Comment by Jonathan J. — May 8, 2008 @ 7:34 am
We had been "fooled or lied to before" the Iraq War and people are a lot smarter now!
I don't think any smart Hillary people will hold a grudge that long and not vote for Obama because they are mad that Hillary did not win, especially when Obama won it fair and square and cannot be accused of being nasty or demeaning in anyway. And, because he represents a new way of doing things — a change that is desperately needed in our politics… which will point and lead the way to a better life-style for Americans and the world! He represents Unity and Goodwill, engergies needed in our American Society if we are to emerge as a people with an intent to look and face our fears and our problems and then find solutions. We can't do this divided or bitter or angry.
Comment by Angellight — May 8, 2008 @ 7:36 am
Brent, I hope you are right. The problem has never been Nixon or Bush or Cheney or Pearle or Wolfowitz. The problem has always been the American voters and their willingness to believe nonsense and bluster, while billionaire thieves looted this country. "Obama" is far more important as a social/political movement than as a man or a president.
Power to the (well informed) people. Turn off FOX.
Comment by orangutan — May 8, 2008 @ 10:50 am
Misha;
Lester is right we blacks just don't vote fro a person because of their color. As an example have you heard of Sen. Michael Steele, how about Sen. Alan Keyes? You hadn't and they're both black. We vote on the issues unlike you. We vote for the best canadidate, unlike you. So the next time you pulled that from whatever part of your body it came from, remember the two names from above.
Comment by Mike Coleman — May 8, 2008 @ 10:56 am
I wouldn't count any chickens just yet.
The Bushies will cancel the election because they plan to bomb bomb bomb Iran before they leave office…that is IF they leave office.
I have my doubts and actually believe that either the coming economic collapse or the war with Iran will prompt the Bushies to activate Executive Order 51, suspend the elections and declare martial law.
I don't believe they've spent the last 8 years amassing dictatorial powers just to give it up now.
Comment by getaclue — May 8, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
"Lester is once again demonstrating the "blame America first" Democratic thinking." Igor
OK Igor…
define "America" as it is used in your comment.
Comment by getaclue — May 8, 2008 @ 12:23 pm
Yvonne, I have no problem with having a black President as long as that person follows the constitution, believes in capitalism and does not have hatred towards America as Michelle Obama expresses with barack's permission. Condi Rice would be one example, or Alan Keyes. I don't think slaves actually built the White House, but I am sure they were not responsible for its architectural design. I don't consider myself a racist, but based on my long life experience I am entitled to an opinion about specific groups of people, their history, family values, culture and accomplishments.
Comment by Misha F — May 8, 2008 @ 1:42 pm
Yvonne, young people and highly educated liberals (of all colors) are voting for Obama, middle-aged women and blue collar whites are voting for Hillary. I dislike the females-for-Hillary vote just as much as blacks-for-Obama. Still, it's unprecedented to see 92% of an ethnic group to vote for one candidate in a 50-50 election. If anyone thinks it's anything other than racial solidarity, the reverse side of racism, they are wrong.
The troops now Iraq, for the most part, volunteered after the beginning of the Iraq war. You treat them like mindless children sent to be killed for no purpose. My sense is that while there is a great diversity of opinion among them, many feel that we are winning now and are surprised by the press coverage when they are on leave, and even a bigger proportion, including some that disagree with the war, want to finish the job. I read an articl in NY Times yesterday about their own Iraqi correspondent returning to Iraq after a year in Syria (because it was too dangerous). They are calling Americans now "Ansar al Sunna", basically the saviors of the sunnis and and depending on them for now because as he put it "the militias will eat out bodies if they leave prematurely". You can think what you want about that, but war isn't such a simple thing that one can always be against it.
On vouchers: I'm totally for them, so please don't ascribe to me opinions I don't have. I'm not for or against any policies because they benefit me or the opposite, I always think about the good of the country when expressing an opinion on them.
Comment by Igor R. — May 8, 2008 @ 2:52 pm
getaclue, I gave some context to what I meant in the original statement. I understand that people like Lester and Mike want to totally dissociate themselves from any decisions by the evil Republican administration, yet they would never even claim that any enemies of America are evil, the only evil originates in the US.
Comment by Igor R. — May 8, 2008 @ 2:56 pm
As independent voter, the unfair treatment on Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama's inability to convince me that he could CHANGE American politics with his inability to CHANGE Rev. Wright, I am turning RED this year although I have been voting for the BLUE!
Comment by Chicagoan — May 8, 2008 @ 3:22 pm
Yea Misha, and I'm entitled to my opinion about your crazy-assed ramblings; a waste of a mind and valuable time. Misha, will you write in Dubya's name this election?
Comment by Lester — May 8, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
Misha, in response to your #24 post and after reading several of your others, I'm satisfied that in your mind and from your own admission, water boarding would be fine for anyone that disagrees with your thought process.
Also, to comment on your hate festered rant towards Obama, you might pause and remember that this country that "is facing extremely serious problems in a very dangerous world, where our entire survival may be at stake" was not in such a dilemma during the Clinton years. Ditto for the economy, housing, general trust in government, and perception from the rest of the world. I, like about 70% of the people, certainly don't want another 4 years of this type of governance. McCain has promised nothing but the same, a war with no end, and a continued coddling of the rich at the working man's expense. Oh, and like you, he seems to be fine with torture too.
Comment by andy42302 — May 8, 2008 @ 6:20 pm
Misha, it's a new age. If you know how to use the Web, go to BarackObama.com. You will find detailed policy goals for many problem areas.
By the way, no gas tax holiday that I could see.
Enjoy!
Comment by smilinjack — May 8, 2008 @ 8:30 pm
Well Misha if your long life experiences include lynchings, breaking up families on the slavery auction block, uprooting japanese americans from their homes and taking everything they owned because they were half japanese and we were in a war against japan, turning around shiploads of jews who were fleeing hitler, denying military help from the people in Rawanda because they didn't matter, using mexicans for cheap labor, and gaining on capitalism by having people in third world countries work in sweat shops, Then I guess you are entitled to your opinions. My experiences in life thus far has been to treat everybody the way I would like to be treated whether they like me or not and vice versa. It's just human decency.
Comment by yvonne — May 8, 2008 @ 8:35 pm
I do not support either Obama or Hillery,But it is my beleif that on general election day when the majority of people step behind that curtain they are not going to elect a black man to the presidency of the U.S.A.
Comment by GT — May 9, 2008 @ 8:52 am
Misha;
Do you have a problem with George W. Bush. He called the Constitution a "God Damn Piece of Paper". He spied on us. He lied us into a war for oil. He corrupted the law for his own means. If you like GW, don't give me any lip about Obama.
Comment by Mike Coleman — May 9, 2008 @ 10:32 am
Mike Coleman, yes I do have a problem with GW Bush. His IQ is below average, he's poor communicator and decision maker. He's not on a ballot and it's no reason to embrace Obama's vision.
Comment by Misha F — May 9, 2008 @ 11:21 am
Igor i have problems with your castigating anyone who opposes the draconian and criminal policies of this administration as an "America basher"
Criticizing government ESPECIALLY in wartime (and particularly in a manufactured war like this), far from being "bashing" is the HALLMARK of America.
Don't overgeneralize and use right wing talk show rhetoric. It makes you look like an idiot.
Comment by getaclue — May 9, 2008 @ 11:42 am
igor one more thing:
no one with even one functioning brain cell could fail to realize that the interference in the governance and distribution of natural resources of soverign nations by the United States over the last FOREVER, have contributed to the creation of enemies of the United States.
It's not wrong to point that out. It is ignorant to pretend that the transient office holders who occupy positions of power in the U.S. government have NOT engaged in egregious policies of interference around the world. And they have not done so even handedly. It's not "bashing America" to point out the flaws of a nation.
Moreover, I don't mean to say that because the U.S. has made enemies, that those enemies are blameless for attempting to avenge their anger, resentment, etc. That's not "America bashing" either — whatever you mean.
But the point of my original question is WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "America" in the phrase "America bashing"?
Is it the land mass between Canada and Mexico?
Is it the 360 million people who are comprising the American people?
Is it the constitution of the United States of America?
The problem is, the phrase "America bashing" is hollow and is intended to inflame, without having any intrinsic meaning of its own.
Please explain what you mean by "America" as used in your phrase "America bashing"
Comment by getaclue — May 9, 2008 @ 11:50 am
andy, liberals speak of "a war with no end" as if was some despicable hobby, like dog fighting that could be just stopped at will. This is a war with Islam, however it's opponents and clueless proponents want to spin it, and America didn't start it.
Comment by Igor R. — May 9, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
getaclue, maybe you should just ask Rev. Wright. It's the same America he meant when he said "God Damn" it and the same one whose Chickenssss are coming home to Roosssssssst.
Comment by Igor R. — May 9, 2008 @ 2:43 pm
Igor, if you're talking about Afghanistan, I agree. We did not start this war. If you're talking about Iraq, the country that from Bush's own admission had nothing to do with 9/11, I strongly disagree.
Comment by andy42302 — May 9, 2008 @ 5:45 pm
Yvonne, stop making a fool of yourself by twisting my postings. While I am in favor of using cheap mexican labor, I deplore lynchings, slavery and refusing to allow ships with Jewish refugees to dock in US harbors. However, the question about Japanese internment camps is a more difficult one. It's a common knowledge that Japanese imperial forces had excellent intelligence prior to attacking Peal Harbor. It had to come from someone permanently living there, i.e. sympathetic Japanese residents of Hawaii. I am sure such massing rounding of Japanese in continental US disrupted communications and intelligence gathering capabilities of Japan naval forces and as a result saved America lives. Naturally, the blame for forced repatriation of Japanese Americans lies squarely at the Empire of Japan who started the war.
Comment by Misha F — May 10, 2008 @ 1:55 am
Andy5digit, during Clinton years our enemies were in a uninterrupted, detailed planning stage while we were all enjoying good economy. If Bill had paid attention to daily intelligence reports re: bin Laden on his desk instead of Monica under his desk, may be Sept 11th attacks could have been averted, and our defense doctrine would not have changed so drastically as to make it unacceptable for Saddam to play WMDs manipulation games to scare his neighbors. That's what caused Iraq war to be launched in a first place.
Comment by Misha — May 10, 2008 @ 2:07 am