Bill Stumps In Wisconsin

With Hillary and Barack being the two candidates running for President, many often overlook Bill Clinton's stumping for his wife across the country.  But as these two videos demonstrate, Bill is still the greatest politician and best speaker (as far as connecting with an audience) this country has:

The Daily Dose---2/16 (Part II)

Sexism At Play?

I'm a Clinton supporter, and I've got to be honest, I don't think Barack Obama is sexist, but then again I didn't think the Clintons were ever racist, but many did.  Many, mainly African Americans, said they could pick up "code words" in President Clinton's language that blacks knew to be racially offensive. Well if the media is going to overly play the race card, they should at least be fair and investigate Obama's use of words that could be seen as sexist.  ABC News did and here are some of their findings, which I wish were getting more attention:

"You challenge the status quo and suddenly the claws come out," Obama said.

Then yesterday Obama told reporters who had asked about Clinton's latest attack ad, "I understand that Senator Clinton, periodically when she's feeling down, launches attacks as a way of trying to boost her appeal."

That prompted some female TV reporters to question the language he was using.  Language such as "when she's feeling down" "periodically" she "launches attacks."----

(the following is from MSNBC)

Nora O'Donnel: "It's getting a little personal."

Andrea Mitchell: "It's getting a little personal and, very frankly, you know how deeply we interpreted every comment to look for some sort of racial motivation before South Carolina. A lot of people said it was there. But, you know, when you start describing a female candidate as being 'down' and 'striking back,'  I don't know, that's a little edgy, don't you think?"

Nora O'Donnell: "Yeah."--------

(Taylor Marsh also commented on the choice of words being used by the Obama campaign)...words like this, in her view, indicate "a way of thinking about women. A way of demeaning women in power; even saying we're not up to the job. Seriously, Senator Hillary Clinton is a woman running for president. Not some emotional menopausal diva popping pills because she's depressed she broke a nail".  "Claws"…"feeling down"...I find it hard to envision Obama using the same language if he were facing, say, former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC."

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Making Calls

Little do many casual voters know, one of the biggest ways they can help their candidate of choice is by making phone calls to encourage others to support your choice candidate.  Sen. Clinton has launched an effort to try to get a million plus calls out in the next few days.  I encourage all of her supporters to pick up a phone and make a call or two.  Seriously, just one or two calls can make a difference.  All you have to do is follow the instructions on this page here.  The campaign produces a phone number for you to call and all you do is follow the script.  _________________________________________________

Rep. Clyburn Agrees With Clinton on Super Delegates

As reported by The State:

"While Clyburn said he'd prefer superdelegates not announce their support until much later in the nominating process, he said he also doesn't agree with superdelegates shifting support from one candidate to another based on how their constituents vote in a primary or caucus.

He addressed the issue several days after a former Clinton supporter announced his intent to vote for Obama at the Democratic National Convention. Georgia Rep. David Scott said he felt compelled to change his allegiance after more than 80 percent of his district voted for the Illinois senator in the Feb. 5 Georgia primary.

Clyburn said superdelegates are not in place simply to mirror the popular vote. "I don't think people are really thinking through what they're saying," he said.... He said the historical role of a superdelegate is in part to be ready to act in case of an emergency, like to throw support behind a runner-up in case a front-runner cannot continue after the convention."

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Obama Not as Pure on NAFTA as He Says

Obama has been hammering Sen. Clinton on her support for NAFTA, but as several sources have reported, Obama is just as big of a supporter of free trade as Sen. Clinton, if not more:

-"Obama said the United State should continue to work with the World Trade Organization and pursue deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement." (AP, 9/8/04)

-"Obama said the United States benefits enormously from exports under the WTO and NAFTA. He said, at the same time, there must be recognition that the global economy has shifted, and the United States is no longer the dominant economy. 'We have competition in world trade,' Obama said. 'When China devalues its currency 40 percent, we need to bring a complaint before the WTO just as other nations complain about us. If we are to be competitive over the long term, we need free trade." (Decatur Herald & Review, 9/9/04)

-Obama, just recently, has been one of the biggest advocates of a new free trade deal with Peru.  

For The Girls...

Here's a video I found on YouTube that has to be truly inspirational to girls everywhere.

The Daily Dose---2/16

Strength to Fight the Tough Fights---A Follow Up

NBC Nightly News had this story last night on Sen. Obama and his "watering down" of a bill that was originally intended to fight nuclear waste, but ended up helping big corporations like Exelon, a major Obama contributor.  

New Politics or More of the Same?

Sen. Obama has long been saying that we need to turn the page on politics of the past.  In his own book, Obama claimed that many politicians have their words distorted and their motives mischaracterized.  I strongly agree with the junior Illinois Senator on these issues, however, I would appreciate if he would practice what he preaches.  

Why do I say this?  Because, the Obama campaign has sent out a mailer to Ohio voters that quotes Sen. Clinton as saying that NAFTA was "a boon" to the economy.  As it turns out, Sen. Clinton never said this.   The following is from Newsday:

"In an effort to score points, Barack Obama has been dropping a mail-piece that repeats a charge he has made several other times during the campaign -- that "Hillary Clinton believed NAFTA was 'a boon' to the economy."  This attack has attracted a flurry of attention, from Clinton's campaign and some reporters. As it turns out, the primary source is us...

In it, we did not have the Clinton campaign using the word "boon" in describing NAFTA. The word was our characterization...We do not have a direct quote indicating her campaign told us she thought it was good for the economy...

Obama's use of the citation in this way does strike us as misleading. The quote marks make it look as if Hillary said "boon," not us. It's an example of the kind of slim reeds campaigns use to try to win an office."

My Letter To Keith Olbermann

This is a letter that I am emailing to Keith Olbermann, asking him to end his bias reporting and commentary in favor of Sen. Obama and against Sen. Clinton.  I encourage all of you who read this and feel the same way to also write Keith.  

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Mr. Olbermann,

I have, for a long while now, been a huge fan and supporter of Countdown and your political commentary, but you have, as of late, been taking it too far, and I'm getting sick of watching.  Could your bias in favor of Sen. Obama be any clearer?  Could your disdain for Sen. Clinton and President Clinton be any more obvious?  

By coming as close to endorsing Obama as one can without actually doing it (obviously NBC wouldn't allow that),  you are hurting not only your audience, whom many are Clinton supporters, but you are also damaging the Democratic Party.

I myself am for Sen. Clinton, but I don't consider myself against Sen. Obama.  On the other hand, you are for Sen. Obama, but overly against Sen. Clinton.  You and your show were best when you stood up as a voice for the progressive movement; when you stood up to and challenged the warped ideology of neoconservatism.  Your show is at its worst currently, as you misrepresent and demonize Sen. Clinton, who has done more for the progressive movement than many would like to admit.  

Night after night now, I see you only give one side of the story----Obama's side.  I wouldn't be surprise if you're paraphrasing lines straight off Obama's website.  It truly is uncalled for, sir.  You and other journalists would do a great deal of good, both to your own reputations and on behalf of your viewers, if you look at this race objectively.  Sen. Obama has become the media-darling; you all can't get enough of him, and in the end, that's not good for America.    

As of late, you have made the target of your criticism Sen. Clinton and her campaign.  I don't think that you believe Sen. Clinton is the real enemy, more so than the Republicans, but that is sure how you've been reporting it.  So, what I'm asking for, Mr. Olbermann, is an apology for the mischaracterizations of Sen. Clinton and the one-sidedness of your recent commentary.  But first and foremost, I'm asking for a return to the old Countdown with Keith Olbermann.  The one which unites the Democratic party and progressive movement and challenges the lies and hypocrisy of the right.  

Thanks and I hope to see the old Keith back on Monday,

J. Patrick