Evidently the thought of a probable Barack Obama presidency is making Pat Buchanan lose his mind. I see the fear in his eyes.
I'm glad Pat is still on TV. Every day he exposes himself for the racial dinosaur that he is.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Pat Buchanan in Racist, Paranoid Meltdown
Chris Matthews Stumps Right-Wing Radio Host
Right-wing radio host Kevin James proves he doesn't know what the hell he's talking about.
GOP "Southern Strategy" Dying?
The South might go from red to purple.
From New York Times:
Across the South, Barack Obama’s smashing primary victory in North Carolina last week reflects a new reality — a half-century of rising Republican red tide has crested, with signs of receding.
A week ago yesterday, Democrats won a special Congressional election in a Louisiana district held by Republicans since 1974. That outcome might well be replicated Tuesday in Mississippi, where a biracial Democratic coalition is optimistic in the second round of another special Congressional election.
...In response to Mr. Obama’s energizing of black Southern voters, enlightened self-interest may well convince many of the region’s undecided superdelegates to endorse him. Over the last two years, there have been little-noticed Democratic gains in Congressional and state legislative elections across the South, as the solid black Democratic base has been joined by whites disenchanted with the Bush administration. New concern about the economy may be adding momentum.
Read more here
Bush Compares Obama to Nazi Appeasers
Hmmm... Will McCain denounce and reject?
From The Huffington Post:
President Bush has said repeatedly that he would not insert himself into the presidential race, but that stance changed dramatically today during his trip to Israel. After likening Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Osama bin Laden, Bush compared Barack Obama to Nazi appeasers:
"Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along," said Bush, in what White House aides privately acknowledged was a reference to calls by Obama and other Democrats for the U.S. president to sit down for talks with leaders like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"We have heard this foolish delusion before," Bush said in remarks to the Israeli Knesset. "As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American Senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."
Read more here
Barack Obama on Human Rights and Africa
Bloggers Unite and Amnesty International have called for today to be a national day of human rights recognition throughout the blogosphere.
So, with that in mind, below are Barack Obama's positions on some of the most pressing issues involving Africa.
Stop the Genocide in Darfur:
Barack Obama has been a leading voice urging the Bush Administration to take stronger steps to end the genocide in Sudan. He worked with Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) to pass the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act. Obama has traveled to the United Nations to meet with Sudanese officials and visited refugee camps on the Chad-Sudan border to raise international awareness of the ongoing humanitarian disaster there. He also worked with Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) to secure $20 million for the African Union peacekeeping mission. Obama believes the United States needs to lead the world in ending this genocide, including by imposing much tougher sanctions that target Sudan?s oil revenue, implementing and helping to enforce a no-fly zone, and engaging in more intense, effective diplomacy to develop a political roadmap to peace. The international community must, over the Sudanese regime?s protests, deploy a large, capable UN-led and UN-funded force with a robust enforcement mandate to stop the killings.
End the Conflict in Congo:
An estimated 3.9 million people have died from war-related causes since the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo began. Barack Obama wrote and passed legislation to promote stability in the Congo. Obama revamped U.S. policy in the Congo to include a commitment to help rebuild the country, develop lasting political structures, hold accountable destabilizing foreign governments, crack down on corrupt politicians, and professionalize the military. The bill also authorizes $52 million in U.S. assistance for the Congo.
Bring a Brutal Warlord to Justice:
Former Liberian President Charles Taylor has been accused of committing war crimes by international prosecutors. After taking the presidency following a brutal civil war that decimated Liberia's population, Taylor created a rebel group that fought in neighboring Sierra Leone's civil war. These rebels committed a range of atrocities including rape, murder and the use of child soldiers. On July 19, 2005, Obama passed a bipartisan amendment, along with Senators Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) to provide $13 million for the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Signed into law in November 2005, the Obama amendment provides critical funding to keep the Court up and running and dramatically enhances efforts to bring Charles Taylor to justice. Taylor was arrested in 2006. His trial began in June 2007 and was postponed until January 2008.
Read more here
Newsflash: Southern Redneck Sells Racist Obama Gear
Marietta, Georgia, bar owner Mike Norman thought it was "cute" to sell T-shirts with Obama as a monkey eating a banana. Even though he is a southerner and would presumably be well-aware of the history of these types of images, he sees "nothing racist" about the T-shirts.
Just like George Allen "didn't mean it" when he called the Southeast Asian reporter "macaca," which is another kind of monkey.
What will those crazy southerners think of next?
How original. Black man... monkey... get it? Yuck. Yuck.
I would let this slide and categorize it as idiotic except for the fact that there are black children living in this town. And they have to see that T-shirt, and they know that old white man ain't talking about Curious George.
So, for that reason, please contact the publisher of Curious George. Here's the contact page for Houghton, Mifflan, Harcourt: http://hmlt.hmco.com/Contact.php
And while you're at it, PBS broadcasts Curious George. Contact them as well: http://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/
UPDATE: The publisher is considering legal action. So, keep sending those emails to let them know your thoughts.
Let the Smear Campaign Begin!
I try to avoid going into the gutter when writing about this campaign. But I just want folks to know that there is a definite smear campaign out against Obama that attempts to scare people and preys on ignorance.
I believe the best way to fight it is to expose it.
So, while I won't post every single piece of misinformation that's out there, from time to time, I'll just let you in on a little bit of the anti-Obama underworld.
As they say, sunlight is the best disinfectant!
Here's a book that is listed on Amazon.com written by Webster Griffin Tarpley (let me guess... self published?) called Obama -- The Postmodern Coup: Making of a Manchurian Candidate.
The description:
Barack Obama is a deeply troubled personality, the megalomaniac front man for a postmodern coup by the intelligence agencies, using fake polls, mobs of swarming adolescents, super-rich contributors, and orchestrated media hysteria to short-circuit normal politics and seize power. Obama comes from the orbit of the Ford Foundation, and has never won public office in a contested election. His guru and controller is Zbigniew Brzezinski, the deranged revanchist and Russia-hater who dominated the catastrophic Carter presidency 30 years ago. All indications are that Brzezinski recruited Obama at Columbia University a quarter century ago. Trilateral Commission co-founder Brzezinski wants a global showdown with Russia and China far more dangerous for the United States than the Bush-Cheney Iraq adventure. Obama's economics are pure Skull & Bones/Chicago school austerity and sacrifice for American working families, all designed to bail out the bankrupt Wall Street elitist financiers who own Obama. Obama's lemming legions and Kool-Aid cult candidacy hearken back to Italy in 1919-1922, and raise the question of postmodern fascism in the United States today. Obama is a recipe for a world tragedy. No American voter can afford to ignore the lessons contained in this book.
I know it's crazy and doesn't make any sense. But these are the kinds of "facts" being emailed about Barack Obama. And, unfortunately, a good number of people believe them.
Obama Unveils Manufacturing Agenda
Barack spoke in Macomb County, Michigan, and unveiled his national manufacturing agenda. He urged a return to an economy driven not by foreign debt, but by American innovation:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Message from Barack on Edwards' Endorsement
From Barack Obama:
I have some very exciting news.
My good friend John Edwards is endorsing our campaign and joining our movement for change.
We're here in Grand Rapids, Michigan -- and if you receive this message in time, you can probably turn on your TV and be part of the moment.
I'm deeply honored by John's support. He is a true leader who dedicated his career to improving the lives of ordinary Americans.
John ran a strong, principled campaign for president, focusing on a number of important issues where we share common ground -- universal health care, bringing our troops home from Iraq, and eliminating poverty in America.
The way he ran his campaign was also important. He ran in a way that reflected our shared conviction that we need to fundamentally change politics.
Like our campaign, John's campaign never accepted donations from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs.
Let's welcome John Edwards to the campaign with an outpouring of the kind of grassroots support that is bringing our political process back to the people.
Make a donation of whatever you can afford now, and if you choose, include your own note to Senator Edwards. I'll make sure he gets them:
https://donate.barackobama.com/edwards
Thank you for all that you're doing,
Barack
John Edwards to Endorse Barack Obama!
Breaking news: John Edwards is expected to give his endorsement of Barack Obama at a campaign rally in Michigan. You can watch it live here!
Bloggers Unite for Human Rights
Bloggers Unite is harnessing the power of the blogosphere and calling for a worldwide day of recognition of human rights.
If you're a blogger, please sign up and write a post about human rights issues on May 15. 
West Virginia Turnout "Average"
Hillary Clinton won the West Virginia primary, but there was not the voting surge that the other states have seen. Obama barely campaigned there. From McClatchy:
Turnout in West Virginia appeared average, according to Sarah Bailey, West Virginia's deputy secretary of state. That would be a letdown from the surge of voting in earlier states, a reflection perhaps of the fact that Obama didn't compete heavily in the state or that voters sensed that the four-month campaign was nearing a conclusion.
Obama has the ability to excite and inspire people and get NEW voters to show up to the polls, thus expanding the Democratic Party's base.
Democrats Abroad Chair Endorses Obama
Democrats Abroad Chair and superdelegate Christine Schon Marques endorsed Barack Obama for president.
As a Democrat abroad, I've seen the repercussions of the Republican Administration every day, in the diminished reputation of the United States and in the lack of real leadership both at home and abroad, from the economy to the war in Iraq,” said Schon Marques. “I'm proud to be a Democrat, and proud of both our candidates. Today I pledge my support to Senator Barack Obama because I believe that he will take our country in the right direction, he will restore America's reputation, he will honor the men and women who are bravely serving our country, and he will reach out to Americans across the country and around the world. I hope that voters overseas join me in registering today at www.VoteFromAbroad.org so that all our voices are heard this November.
Native American Endorsements
The Obama campaign announced today the endorsements of the Crow Nation and the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation. Tribal leaders cited Sen. Obama's commitment to Indian Country and to the issues facing its residents.
"Sen. Obama's leadership qualities and commitment to issues of importance to Indian country distinguish him from his opponents" said Chairman A.T. Stafne of the Ft. Peck Tribes. "Our twelve voting members in the Tribal Council passed this endorsement resolution unanimously. I was personally impressed with his commitment to a true government-to-government relationship and his promise to appoint a Native American policy advisor in his White House. "
"Senator Obama understands the challenges facing Native Americans in Montana," said Crow Nation Chairman Carl Venne. "His record as a US Senator shows that he cares about Indian communities. He respects Indian sovereignty and is a strong advocate for Indian healthcare and education."
Read more here
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Is West Virginia Welcome in the Democratic Party?
An insightful Daily Kos diary written by an Obama supporter on the importance of not writing off states like West Virginia.
It's gotten a lot of media play and was discussed on Air America this morning.
It will take more than hope for West Virginia. It will take hard work and understanding. It will take urban city liberals [edited because this hick didn't realize urban meant black, sorry!] getting off of their high horses and coming down to our level -- the level of ordinary folk who are ignorant, misinformed, maybe even, shall we say the word, bigoted. That's right I said our level. I'm an agnostic Democrat who votes on economic and social justice issues, but I'm still more like them than I am like you.
Over the last week or so, I've heard a lot of kossacks writing off West Virginia, making fun of West Virginia, and even saying West Virginia doesn't matter. Some have painted all of Appalachia as racist homophobes who will never change. Some even said that Obama is in mortal danger there. Some have suggested that we revert to Clinton-style "states that matter" campaigning, leaving West Virginia and Kentucky behind altogether.
Well, progress hasn't left us behind, and I hope that progressives won't either. If you think progress is impossible in my neck of the woods, follow me after the jump...
Read more here
Liveblogging the Convention
The Oblogger will definitely be at the Democratic National Convention in August. We'll have a team of bloggers and video journalists providing footage that gives you up-to-the-minute coverage that goes beyond the mainstream media.
We are looking for advertisers and sponsors. If you are interested, email us for more info.
Be an Obama Organizing Fellow
Take part in history. Get involved with this unprecedented grassroots movement. Sign up as an Obama Organizing Fellow.
This summer we are looking for students and recent graduates who want to be a part of a new generation of leadership that believes, like Senator Obama, that real change comes from the ground up.
Fellows will be trained on the basics of organizing & campaign fundamentals and then placed in a community to carry out grassroots activities. Fellows will be asked to commit to a minimum of 30 hours per week and will:
* participate in training on field organizing, messaging, and other activities
* organize in a community, working in conjunction with grassroots leaders and campaign staff
* continue to build the movement
Click here to apply. The deadline has been extended to Thursday, May 15.
Vote for Change
From the campaign blog:
In March of 2007, only a couple months after Obama announced his candidacy, the campaign launched its first nationwide grassroots event -- Hope Action Change. Thousands of people from all across the country who had used online tools at My.BarackObama.com to organize locally, got together, discussed their concerns, and shared their hopes for a better America.
Over a year later, it's remarkable to see how far this movement has come and how much ordinary people from all across this country have accomplished. From the first national canvass in June of 2007 to the extraordinary work by our volunteers over the past 48 elections and caucuses -- this campaign has truly been powered by the grassroots.
This past Saturday, the Obama grassroots took its organization to the next level, kicking off a 50-State voter registration drive. Hardworking volunteers brought scores of new voters into the process and continued the process that began back in their living rooms in March of 2007 -- reinvigorating our democracy.
This is the story of Vote for Change...
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Obama Polling Well With Jewish Voters
From the Chicago Tribune:
Here's an interesting finding from Gallup's pollsters -- almost as many Jewish voters say they would vote for Sen. Barack Obama for president against Sen. John McCain, the all-but-official Republican presidential nominee, as say they would vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton against McCain.
According to Gallup, 61 percent of Jewish voters surveyed said they'd vote for Obama in the general election versus 32 percent who say they'd vote for McCain.
Read more here
Great McCain Source
This is a great site that really debunks the whole "Straight Talk Express" myth about John McCain.
Check it out http://www.mccainsource.com/index_html
Top Vice Presidential Choices
Will Thomas of the Huffington Post speculates who Obama's top v.p. choices might be. His top three are Jim Webb, Bill Richardson, and Hillary Clinton.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Barack Obama on America's Relationship with Israel
Here's Obama's statement on Israel's 60th Independence Day...
This week marks the 60th anniversary of the fulfillment of a dream -- the independence of the State of Israel. Throughout many centuries, Jews held fast to the hope of returning as free people to the land of their ancestors. Blessed with visionary leaders like Theodore Herzl and David Ben-Gurion, in the 20th century they began to take the practical steps necessary to build a modern state. Against all odds, and overcoming obstacles from international indifference, to hostile opposition in the region, to the murderous crimes of the Nazis, the leaders of the Zionist movement declared the establishment of the State of Israel in May 1948. In their moment of triumph, they were immediately plunged into a war for their new nation's very survival. Because of the courage and commitment of its people, Israel did survive. While threats to its existence have endured, Israelis have built their nation into a strong, vibrant democracy, with a prosperous economy, a rich cultural life, and a deep friendship with the United States that benefits both our peoples in so many ways. Even in hard times, Israelis have so much to be proud of. As the Jewish State continues to grow and prosper, the United States will always stand with Israel to ensure it can defend itself against threat of terrorism and violence, from as close as Gaza and as far as Tehran. We must never waver in our unshakeable commitment help Israel achieve its goal of true security through lasting peace with its neighbors.
On this happy occasion, I send congratulations and warm wishes to President Peres, Prime Minister Olmert, and the Israeli people, and I join with Jews and friends of Israel everywhere in celebrating Israel's 60th Independence Day.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
CA Superdelegate Wants $20 Million
Uncommitted superdelegate Steven Ybarra won't endorse until either Barack or Hillary commits to a $20 million voter registration drive aimed at Mexican American voters.
Clinton Campaign Didn't Understand Democratic Primaries
Evidently, Clinton's campaign manager, Mark Penn, thought that the Democratic primaries were winner-take-all, rather than proportional.
From Time Magazine:
Clinton picked people for her team primarily for their loyalty to her, instead of their mastery of the game. That became abundantly clear in a strategy session last year, according to two people who were there. As aides looked over the campaign calendar, chief strategist Mark Penn confidently predicted that an early win in California would put her over the top because she would pick up all the state's 370 delegates. It sounded smart, but as every high school civics student now knows, Penn was wrong: Democrats, unlike the Republicans, apportion their delegates according to vote totals, rather than allowing any state to award them winner-take-all. Sitting nearby, veteran Democratic insider Harold M. Ickes, who had helped write those rules, was horrified — and let Penn know it. "How can it possibly be," Ickes asked, "that the much vaunted chief strategist doesn't understand proportional allocation?"
Read more here
Cindy McCain Will Never Release Tax Returns
On Cindy McCain's interview with Ann Curry on NBC, Cindy says she will NEVER release her tax returns, even if she were First Lady...
According to Cindy, she is not the candidate and that info is "private."
Clinton Plays Race Card
It's the only card she has left. I guess the gender card didn't work.
How about we look at it this way, Hillary... white voters are the ONLY voters who will support you!
I'm not surprised that she's finally out in the open with her race card, it's been under the surface all along.
I really believe some Clinton supporters are just flabbergasted that the Democrats would run a biracial (black) candidate.
Despite all the pretension about the Democratic Party being the "big tent" party, their so-called common wisdom boils down to one factor... Obama can't win because he's black.
Hey, Hillary, I thought that by your playbook, that sexism trumped racism. That's what your supporters were telling the media.
I thought you might leave with some grace and dignity, but I see now that it's gonna get ugly.
From USA Today:
Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed Wednesday to continue her quest for the Democratic nomination, arguing she would be the stronger nominee because she appeals to a wider coalition of voters — including whites who have not supported Barack Obama in recent contests.
"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."
"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.
Read more here