DrSue'sView

Denver Convention – Day Four (Thursday)

2008-09-01T13:51:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a night! Wow! That was fun. We knew that we were going to have an interesting evening as we boarded the delegate buses outside of the Sheraton headed for Invesco Field. There was that special buzz in the air that we were participating in an historic occasion. All the preliminaries were finished and tonight was the culmination of a week of conversation, debate, protests, and parties. I think that I would have had that feeling regardless of the candidate, but this night was even more historic.

We had slowly been given the story of this young man and his family and were interested in how we would feel when we had a chance to see him up close and personal. Fortunately, I was able to sit on the floor level with Pat and a group of her women friends who all had come to Denver with mixed emotions since they had all worked their hearts out for Hillary. We had all been through an amazing transition during the week, but the Obama and Hillary sides were still being overly polite to each other because no one really knew how they were going to feel at the end of the evening.

The Hillary delegates I was with had cast their votes on Wednesday and were surprised when the California delegation passed at their turn. Hillary had met with all of her delegates and told them to vote their consciences. As a result, many delegates felt that she had signaled that they vote for Obama and the totals were very different than the actual votes. As you know when the vote came to the New York delegation, Hillary took the microphone and declared all of her votes for Obama and requested that he be nominated by unanimous acclimation. The hall went wild and it was a done deal. We Hillary people now had to determine what our individual reactions would be.

The stadium energy was contagious and we rocked to Stevie Wonder. Al Gore came in and clearly called on us to take responsibility for the planet and global warming. Bill Richardson left us flat, but Biden’s introduction of a series of “average Joe and Joan” Americans who had been overlooked by the Bush government electrified the crowd. And then this young man we came to hear took the stage and gave the best speech of his life. Apparently, many pundits called it the best convention speech since John Kennedy. I’m sure most of you have seen it by now, but I must share that the emotion in that stadium was very poignant. Many people had tears running down their cheeks when Obama listed the components of the American Dream his grandparents had taught him. Turns out that his grandfather was the image of many of our Dads – and that was his point. The reality is that the country he described is one that we all believe in and would love to see. The crowd roared when he said that the election wasn’t about him, but was about us and it leaped to its feet when he called on all fathers to put their families first.

I know that the networks perversely insist on showing the 200-300 odd humans who wear crazy hats and clothes, but in general this crowd was dressed in professional attire and showed amazing gentility in their treatment of each other. Slowly, the Hillary people recognized that the future Obama presented was the one that we had protested and marched for during the sixties. It was our dream that he was sharing rather than the opposite. It was the post-racial, ethnic and gender divide that we had fought for all of our lives that he was attempting to bridge. Could we dare to hope, as Bill Clinton said to us, that this young man with his incredibly diverse global background could possibly be uniquely positioned to help the human race finally get past our differences and learn to work together to create a better world?

The list of challenges he detailed were so daunting that only a young person could imagine achieving all of them. When I looked around the stadium at all of those young, inspired faces, I was reminded of my own youthful idealism when I touched John Kennedy’s hand at the Nassau Coliseum and signed up to join the Peace Corps at fourteen. While I was getting tired of standing up and down every other minute, the twenty and thirty year olds around me were becoming more energized and focused. It was clear that they were ready to bring the American Dream back and all they needed was a leader. By the end of his speech, I was left with the feeling that if this young man and the 80,000 people in the stadium multiplied by millions truly decided to change this country back into a place where government helps people rather than hurts them and where we see our success in the success of others, I surely was going to support them.

My husband and I marched in the 60’s for an end to racism and a war that put us on the wrong side. In the 70’s I became a feminist in New York City to fight for equality for myself and our daughters and future granddaughters. We moved to California in the 80’s to continue to be a part of the Dream that Americans would use our genius to "slip the boundaries of Earth" and explore the Cosmos and that we, in my field, could teach leaders that humans could find humane ways to manage the workplace and allow people to achieve the highly motivated environment by being treated with dignity and respect. I have devoted my life to teaching and sharing the communication skills that are absolutely critical for leaders to learn if we are to avoid the real possibility of destroying our planet by making war instead of love. So, I have a great deal invested in the platform Obama details and I wish him well.

The factor that surprised me last night was not the inspiration, but the anger. The crowd really leapt to its feet when Obama shouted “Enough”! And when he declared that we are not red and not blue, but all red, white and blue – all Americans - and that no one should ever question the patriotism of Democrats. But what rang home to those around me was his repudiation of the "ownership society" in which government and big business declare "you are on your own". If there is anything that should scare John McCain, it is the sense of anger this audience feels about this betrayal of their E Pluribus Unum America.

As I sit writing this in the Denver airport at 8 PM after having been unable to get United Airlines to load my bag this morning causing me to miss my 11:20 AM flight, it occurs to me that I share this anger as well. I have been treated like the enemy of the airline instead of a passenger who needs assistance. I stopped flying United several years ago because I could never find anyone who would take responsibility for anything that happened. An inexpensive fare lured me back and now I remember why I stopped flying them, after a supervisor told me that the delegates should have known to be at the airport at least four hours in advance. What Obama is tapping is the fury of the public at their government and corporate America for making us feel like marks who should be relieved of our money rather than respected citizens and patrons. This may be his ace.

And now we have Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as the VP candidate on the Republican ticket. She is describing herself as just a “hockey mom” on the CNN airport monitor. Karl Rove certainly stole the news cycle and it is a risky chess move. I must say that McCain looks a lot perkier standing with his arm around her. It appears that this election will stay very interesting after all. The buzz at the airport is all about whether the Hillary supporters will go to her. She is not pro-choice, but with the morning after pill abortion is becoming an ancient technology. A number of wealthy white women in the Democratic Party remain so angry that Hillary is not on the ticket that they are wondering whether this is their party. I honestly am not sure how they will react.

We are certainly engaged in a fascinating political season, are we not?

Denver Convention - Day Three

2008-08-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Hello all:

What an incredible set of days. While the Democratic Party has been putting together their family, my family has been busy. My daughter, Jennifer, just called and announced that we have finalized a fabulous venue for her wedding next May. For this mother, that is as important as anything happening on the floor last night.

Which just goes to prove how important family is in all of this. As is true for many of you, I feel like the Clintons are a part of my extended family and it was very emotional listening to Bill last night. He is so brilliant and just so wonderful at clarifying the situation. I needed to hear him say that he thinks that Obama is the right guy in the right place at the right time and he did. The two issues he clarified for me is that this young man may just be able to finally put racial and ethnic divides behind us. This is something I have been fighting and marching for since I was in college and if it can be done here, I am all for it.

Bill also laid out the winning strategy. McCain is not a bad man, the problem is that he and the Republican model are just plain wrong. Their solutions cause the problems (and make their cronies rich) and Democratic solutions solve them. I just pray that the party leadership can get their jealousy of Bill out of the way and realize that they are getting top notch advice from the greatest politician of our day. The hall was electric when he spoke and tears were running down the faces of many of us. The Clintons showed such generosity of spirit that all of us have a great deal to learn from them.

The word in the hall was that if John Kerry had been able to summon last night's passion for his own campaign, he would have been elected and we wouldn't be in the fix we are in. And, finally, Joe Biden - what a sweetie. I thought it was most interesting that the most important thing they could say about him was that he was a working Dad who made sure he was there for his children. You can well imagine how that resonated with the Hillary working moms in the audience. Wasn't Bo great? And, how smart to bring in Mom Biden. The Finnegans are in town! If there is a chance to take this country beyond race, these two men may just be the team to do it. It would be nice to have that problem off of the list of challenges facing the human race. I wish them well.

I did get to Barbara Boxer's party yesterday afternoon and she was very clear on how important it is for Democrats to win this election. I also met John Chiang, Controller of the State of California and congratulated him on fighting Arnold Swartzeneger for trying to fire 10,000 state workers to fix the hole he created in the state budget by creating tax cuts no one wanted or needed. When will the Republicans learn? John is looking forward to speaking before our own Newport Beach Women's Democratic Club. Let's face it - even the Mafia didn't go after people's families. The word here is that "Arnold, the Groper" is going to go after Boxer's seat. We'll see.

Thanks to my daughter-in-law, Bronwyn, for figuring out and sending the link to the Tonight Show so we could watch the Mo Rocca bit with me in it. What fun! Here it is if you watch to catch it.

http://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/video/episodes

Choose August 26th and (Democratic National Convention). Select Episodes (Mo Rocca).

We are leaving for Invesco Field shortly to see the big show. Oprah was having lunch right across from us this morning with Mohammed Ali and others. The press squeeze was almost frightening. Rumors are flying about who will be there. Stevie Wonder is opening it and no one knows if Springsteen or Bon Jovi will appear. It promises to be a great party and a great show. I hope all of you enjoy it.

Time for me to get going - until tomorrow, Suzanne

Denver Day Two - Jay Leno and Hillary

2008-08-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

Hello all:

What an incredible day. I went out to Invesco Field again to take up my role as Tour Guide in the Oval Office room at the 40,000 sq ft tent that houses The Presidential Experience. This exhibit includes an Air Force One from the Reagan era as well as extensive information on all American Presidents and it tours the country providing attendees with a great educational experience. Thursday will be VIP day and it will be interesting to hear what Clinton and Carter think about it.

I came back to downtown on the light rail system which is quite efficient when it is not being closed down by the Secret Service when they are moving VIPs around. You are dropped off at the 16th Street Promenade which bisects the downtown and is similar to the Santa Monica promenade, with free electric trams traversing it every few minutes. Great energy exists there and it is even fun to pass the protesters and hear what they have to say. I am staying at the Adams Mark Sheraton Hotel and it is right in the middle of the action. We were actually locked down Monday night when the police were interfacing with some white supremacists, anti-abortionists and Re-Create '68 protest groups. All interesting examples of free speech. The anti-abortionists are right outside the door of the Sheraton rather than being shuttled to a far location like they did in Bejing and everyone is handling it just fine.

My sister, Margaret, just called to let me know that Jay Leno did air the Mo Rocca bit we taped in the mock Oval Office. I haven't seen it since we didn't get back from seeing Hillary at the Convention until midnight. Thank goodness she and Scott have taped it for me. I hope you enjoyed it.

Hillary was so wonderful after the boring speeches before her that the hall was filled with emotion. She made every one of us, as her supporters, so proud of her and a little perplexed that she is not on the ticket. I do think that her supporters will come around because four more years of Bush-McCain will be a disaster. But, you cannot help but feel that not having her on the ticket was a missed opportunity. I was interviewed by Japanese television about that just before the Emily's List party in the afternoon. It is the big question and the Obama people in the hall tried to be very respectful of the emotions of the Hillary people last night. It is a complicated matter. It will be fun to see Bill tonight - no one quite knows what to expect, but he and she are clearly rock stars at this event.

The phone is ringing and I'm outta here. I'll try to add more tomorrow.

It is fabulous to be a part of what makes this country great!

Day One at Denver Convention - on Jay Leno?

2008-08-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

Hello all:

Today has been a very interesting first day at the Democratic Convention in Denver. I have been given a role standing in the mock Oval Office in an exhibit called the Presidential Experience introducing visitors to the Presidential office and the artifacts within it.

Suddenly, a television crew from Jay Leno's Tonight show asked me if they could interview me and I agreed. It turned out to be a tongue-in-cheek comedy treatment of how things would have to change if McCain or Obama became President. They said that if it appeared, it would air on Tuesday or Wednesday's show. I have no idea what will be shown, but it certainly makes clear that you never know what will happen next here.

I have been very fortunate to be able to get, through Pat, credentials for Tuesday (Hillary), Wednesday (Biden) and Thursday (Obama's speech at Invesco Field) so I'm thrilled. I'll be attending the Emily's List Party tomorrow afternoon and am looking forward to that. If I have the opportunity, I will be adding to my blog, but I wanted to get this out just in case you get a chance to see the Oval office bit.

I hope you are enjoying the coverage. I haven't been to Denver in over a decade and this city has been transformed. The downtown is delightful and everyone has been very welcoming to the delegates.

Oh, I just heard that there is a big protest going on outside and the hotel has been secured - what fun!

Best, Sue

Until I make my brothers understand........

2008-07-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends of Hillary: http://DrSuesView.blogspot.com/

"Until I make my brothers understand......"

I am sure that we are all in various phases of processing the suspension of Hillary's campaign. It is a loss that many of us have felt deeply because we were so committed to our outstanding candidate and the possibility of making history with the first woman President. I actually did go away with a good friend to a remote place called Sea Ranch just below Mendocino on the Northern California coast to process and grieve the loss. It was very healing to be in a place where cell phones and satellites could not reach us and seek to regain the larger perspective of why we cared so much.

When I came home, we had the first meeting of our Newport Beach Women's Democratic Club since the end of the primary. A local columnist joined us and quickly asked the key question of how many of us were so upset that we would vote for McCain or just stay home. My own belief is that it was too soon for us to address this, but our members were willing to talk. Several did share that they considered voting for McCain or staying home. There was still deep discomfort with the DNC Rules Committee dispersal of Michigan and Florida delegates in Obama's favor. And there were those who believe that Obama is not electable and therefore were annoyed that the Democratic Party seemed to be throwing away another election. We were also joined by a number of Hillary supporters who immediately moved on to Obama and some who had always supported Obama. So, as you can imagine, it was a very American night with all of us trying to find common ground and show respect for each other while dealing with our own emotions and beliefs.

I left that meeting thinking that this group may well be the greatest outcome of this primary cycle. One of our very wise members, Smita Patel, suggested that the best thing about Hillary's campaign was that as she found her voice, American women found theirs. The women in the room responded in agreement and we committed ourselves to supporting local candidates who agree with our progressive views and principles. There was widespread agreement that the innuendos and sexist comments in the media had to stop and that we should become active in making our voices and those of our candidates heard.

As my friend and I drove through Sonoma County on our way back to civilization, we were very fortunate to find a spot on the Russian River where we could listen in on our cell phones to Hillary's good-bye conference call. She sounded exhausted, but thankful to all of her supporters. She addressed her surprise and distress at the mysogyny and pledged that she would take a leading role in making sure that sexism was identified and rejected in our society. She also asked for her supporters to help her pay the vendors, some of whom had risked their businesses to help her campaign. And she pledged to continue to fight for the principles of the Democratic Party, which includes supporting the party's candidate.

Personally, I have asked everyone who knows me to give me time to come to my own conclusions about how I feel and what I will do. After all, this has all just occurred. I have requested that respect for all Hillary supporters. Several have told me that they will not support Obama if he does not at least offer Hillary the Vice Presidency. They require this show of respect to give their support. Others think that a cabinet or Supreme Court post would suffice. Some believe that she shouldn't take the Vice Presidency, but stay where she is in case Obama doesn't win and we need her as our candidate in 2012. There are reports that she is ambivalent about the Vice Presidency. I can understand that. There are already ugly accusations from some Obama supporters that his loss would be the Clintons fault - they really do need to get those people off the air.

Our ninety year old member passionately said that Hillary should not reduce her ambition to a lesser post because she is so uniquely qualified. And others believe that her supporters will just follow her lead. We had a wonderful post-meeting discussion of whether she should play Barbara Boxer (the committed ideologue who is always taken for granted by the Democrats) or Dianne Feinstein (who makes her party and the Senate pay a dear price for every vote she casts). It is clear that Hillary is a major power broker and that her 18 million votes can have a great impact on this election. Many of us want her to use that power to ensure that the Democratic Party and this country shows real respect for women and working and middle class families.

So, there are many options available and each of us will come to terms with what has happened in our own way. The one conclusion I have drawn, though, is that I have no regrets. I could not be prouder of this woman and how she conducted herself and this campaign even under the most virulent attacks in the media. She may end up our modern Susan B. Anthony finally exposing the bigotry of sexism. And that may be what must happen for a woman to be elected and, once elected, to be able to lead effectively. I do know that a major reason for my passion is that I am the grandmother of three magnificent young girls and I want them to have every opportunity to fulfill their own destinies.

If you are able and can afford to do so, please consider helping Hillary pay off her debt before you move on to something else. She is not taking a penny to pay herself back, but will not rest until she repays her vendors. This will allow her to be able to continue to be there for all of us. And do take the time to continue to make your voices heard as we move forward to the next phase of our lives.

I thank all of you for your feedback and support as we have travelled this journey together and look forward to future times where we pool our shared strength and experience to move our country closer to the goals we share.

God bless,

Suzanne

Dr. Suzanne Savary
drsue@aol.com
www.NewportBeachWomensDemocraticClub.com

June 5th - Mixed Emotions....

2008-07-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow Hillary supporters:

Well, this has been quite a week for all of us. Everyone I know is filled with mixed emotions. We are so proud of our candidate, but also very sad that those who could not see how terrifc she is chose to fight her for the nomination and, due to some insane party rules, were able to prevail in the delegate count. I am deeply saddened by this, mostly because of the incredible talent we will be missing in the White House.

We were prepared to follow her right to the convention, but it appears from her latest communication that she will concede this Saturday at a thank you rally in Washington D.C. Some ask why her backers supported her for so long. I think part of that for many women is that we simply had to stop listening to "conventional wisdom" years ago or we never would have become who we are. I also think that she would have been the better general election candidate. But, mostly, we waited to see what she, and Bill, would decide to do and how the Obama campaign would react to her. If they are not totally respectful of her and the power she brings in 18 million voters, I could see those voters turning away from the Democratic Party. If she is interested and they offer her the Vice-Presidency, then the Democratic Party may come out of this unified.

One of the most poignant responses I have seen to the current situation is the Amy Rao letter I was forwarded by Pat yesterday(see below). It speaks to the sadness we all feel, but it also speaks to the way true champions respond to setbacks. She shares her personal conversation with Hillary and Hillary's response that she feels good and that she will continue to press forward to help those who need her. We have all learned a great deal from Hillary in handling adversity and we need to continue to press forward and work for what we believe. Amy chooses to work to make Hillary the first female Vice-President and urges all of us to go to www.voteboth.com to sign a petition telling the Obama campaign that we want her to be the choice for Vice President.

Like some of you, I may need another day to nurse my wounds before signing on to the next battle, but I am spending a few days with my daughter and my grand-daughters and becoming the first female Vice-President is still making history and moving the world one step closer to a shared responsibility between women and men leading the world. I do admit to some feeling that Obama can't win without her and then she would win after four more years of Bush-McCain, but four years can be a long time. I'm sure I'll resolve my feelings over the next few days as I watch carefully how the Obama camp reacts to her and whether the VP spot is offered. But, at this moment, I want to tell you how much I appreciate your support for Hillary and thank you for your comments to me and the tremendous efforts you all made on her behalf. We, each of us, can be very proud of being part of history being made and we need to remember that.

In my opinion, she has earned the offer of a VP position and going to www.voteboth.com is a simple way to continue to break down the barriers my grand-daughters and yours might face in the future. Keep the faith.

With fondness,

Suzanne (see below)

From: Amy Rao
Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 4:49 PM
Subject: We have to support her and this is what you can do for her.

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to send a note out to you today that hopefully will give your heart and your head a moment of peace… and give you something you can do today for Hillary.

I’m sure many of us if not all of us were going through the same emotions last night. I was numb and angry and couldn’t stop the flow of tears. I just couldn’t believe what was happening and how it was happening. On top of that, I was at the ballpark in SF chaperoning my daughter’s Journalism class (20 students and me.) I rode up on the train reading emails from friends, unable to watch Hillary’s speech—just reading notes from those that were sending. Tears just streaming down my cheeks the entire way—I sat far away from the kids.

The night wore on and I just wanted to go home. Then at 9:30 my phone rang with the number of my dear friend Susie who was in NY. She handed Hillary the phone. Hillary told me that she felt good, in fact she said “Amy, I feel good, I feel great. … I am so proud of what we have all done together. I meant every word I said tonight….. I am not in this for title or power I am in this to help everyone in this country who needs a leg up who shouldn’t have to worry about healthcare and losing their home or their job….you know this is who I am… my life’s work….” I told her that we were so happy to know that tomorrow we would still be able to get up and fight another day. We spoke briefly, for about 3 minutes and then she had to go. I did get to tell her that we all loved her and we are so SO PROUD of her. That we all are with her until the end whatever she chooses to do.

I got off the phone and felt this wave of peace and calmness. This woman is so much bigger than I or I’m sure any of us have ever realized. In her voice I could hear a sense of relief that the primaries had finally ended. She is feeling hurt by the party and is well aware that they abandoned her—but she is bigger than this. She was already 6 stages beyond me in the grieving process and was already focused on our party winning in November. I knew on the call she was asking each of us to reach inside ourselves and be bigger than we thought we could be. I am in awe of this woman. She is an emblem of courage and grace.

So here we are today and we must begin to follow her… and it will take us time to catch up but we haven’t much time to spare. We need to do everything we can to make sure that Hillary is on the ticket. So today I ask you to go to www.voteboth.com and click on the petition addressed to Senator Obama and to sign it. We all know that Hillary was magnificent last night. The power in the room was remarkable and for every loyalist of Hillary in that room with her last night there were thousands around the country who want Hillary on the tickets. We need to harness our strength for Hillary as quickly as possible. In the 2004 primary season 7.4 million women went to the polls to vote in the democratic primary. In the 2008 democratic primary, over 21 million women cast their votes. MOST of them voted for Hillary.

Here is action you can take right away. Go to www.voteboth.com; click on the petition and sign it.

We want Hillary on the ticket as the Vice-Presidential nominee because we do not believe we will win if she is not on the ticket.
While this is obvious to us, there is little evidence the other camp understands how critical she is to the success of the ticket.
2,000,000 signatures behind this idea will go far in demonstrating the power of Hillary’s support.
We believe Hillary must be on the ticket because it is the only way many women, seniors, Catholics, working class men and women, Hispanics, and Jewish Americans will vote for the ticket.
We believe Hillary must be on the ticket because she polls ahead of McCain in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan; states critical to our victory this fall.
We believe Hillary must be on the ticket because she wins the big states and the swing states; states the Democrats need to reach the 270 electoral votes required for success in November. States won by Hillary represent 300 electoral votes; states won by Obama represent 217.
We believe Hillary must be on the ticket because more Americans voted for her than for any primary candidate in history. 18,000,000 Democrats chose her to lead the country and the free world.
We believe Hillary must be on the ticket because it is the only way we will be willing to put our full, essential energy and effort behind the ticket between now and November.

Please forward this email to others who share your commitment to Hillary on the ticket, quickly. Every signature is another ‘vote’ for Hillary on the ticket.

I ask you to follow Hillary’s lead, and be bigger than you thought you could be. Do this for her. Do it for our country.

With love from my heart—what an amazing journey and it continues onward!

Amy

Please read and act

2008-05-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow Hillary Supporters:

Please read below and let the Democratic Party Rules Committee know that you expect them to keep their compact with all Democrats in all 50 states when they meet on May 31. There is nothing I can say after reading Hillary's remarks that would be more powerful. We are just fortunate that someone of her caliber is willing to fight this fight. Please read below...and then go to the website and act..

Hillary Clinton Remarks in Florida on Counting Every Vote

Hillary Clinton delivered the following remarks this afternoon at a "Solutions for America" event in Boca Raton, FL:

It’s exciting to be with some wonderful supporters and friends. I thank your senator and my friend, Ted Deutch, he’s a real leader. He and I have talked about the issues that matter to you over many years, and I’m so grateful to have his support. Commissioner Burt Aaronson, who has also led the way in so many important things here in Palm Beach County. I want to thank Jean Enright, one of your port commissioners. I want to thank Anne Gannon, the tax collector who is here, Representative Kelly Skidmore. And I am especially pleased to be accompanied today by a longtime friend of mine, Congresswoman Corrine Brown, who is a real fighter and a champion. She has a tremendously important position in the House of Representatives, where she does work on behalf of veterans and the needs, not only of her constituents in the Jacksonville area, but indeed all of Florida and America.

Now, this year’s presidential election is like none other in history. And we have had more people engaging and volunteering, casting their ballots, than ever before. Everywhere I go, people tell me, “I’ve never given money to a campaign in my life; this year is different. I’ve never followed an election before; this time I can’t stop watching.” And there’s a reason for that. With our economy in crisis, and with two wars and our children’s future in the balance, more people than ever before are taking politics seriously.

I happen to welcome that because this is a democracy, and we’ve all got to participate. In fact, we want more democracy, not less democracy. We want more people taking a part in the selection of their president.

Here in Florida, more than 1.7 million people cast their vote, the highest primary turnout in the history of Florida. And nearly 600,000 voters in Michigan did the same. And not a day goes by that I don’t meet someone who grabs my hand or holds up a sign, no matter where I am, in Kentucky or anywhere else, and says, “Please, make my vote count.”

I receive dozens and dozens of letters and emails and phone calls, every couple of hours it seems like, all making the same urgent request: please count my vote. We used to be worried about voter apathy, didn’t we? We worried why Americans didn’t participate. Now, people are worried that their participation won’t matter.

I believe the Democratic Party must count these votes. They should count them exactly as they were cast. Democracy demands no less.

I am here today because I believe that the decision our party faces is not just about the fate of these votes and the outcome of these primaries. It is about whether we will uphold our most fundamental values as Democrats and Americans. It is about whether we will move forward, united, to win this state and take back the White House this November. That has to be the prize that we keep in mind.

Because here in America, unlike in many other nations, we are bound together, not by a single shared religion or cultural heritage, but by a shared set of ideas and ideals, a shared civic faith, that we are entitled to speak and worship freely, that we deserve equal justice under the law, that we have certain core rights that no government can abridge and these rights are rooted in and sustained by the principle that our founders set forth in the Declaration of Independence. That a just government derives its power from the consent of the governed, that each of us should have an equal voice in determining the destiny of our nation. A generation of patriots risked and sacrificed lives on the battlefield for that ideal.

The union they ultimately formed was far from perfect. It excluded many of our citizens; people like Congresswoman Brown, me, my daughter. But it was an ideal that set forth a goal that we have consistently worked for.

Fortunately, in each successive generation, this nation was blessed by men and women who refused to accept their assigned place as second-class citizens. Men and women who saw America not as it was, but as it could and should be, and committed themselves to extending the frontiers of our democracy. The abolitionists and all who fought to end slavery and ensure freedom came with the full right of citizenship. The tenacious women and a few brave men who gathered at the Seneca Falls convention back in 1848 to demand the right to vote.

It took more than 70 years of struggle, setbacks, and grinding hard work and only one of those original suffragists lived to see women cast their ballots. There are women here today – as with my own mother – who were born before the Constitution granted us the right to vote. This is not something lost in the mists of memory and history; this is real. The generations here in this room have seen change. The men and women who knew their Constitutional right to vote meant little when poll taxes and literacy tests, violence, and intimidation made it impossible to exercise their right, so they marched and protested, faced dogs and tear gas, knelt down on that bridge in Selma to pray and were beaten within an inch of their lives.

Some gave their lives to the struggle for a more perfect union. There is a reason why so many have fought so hard and sacrificed so much. It is because they knew that to be a citizen of this country is to have the right and responsibility to help shape its future, not just to make your voice heard, but to have it count. People have fought hard because they knew their vote was at stake and so was their children’s future. Because of those who have come before, Senator Obama and I and so many of you have this precious right today. Because of all that has been done, we are in this historic presidential election. I believe that both Senator Obama and myself have an obligation as potential Democratic nominees – in fact, we all have an obligation as Democrats – to carry on this legacy and ensure that in our nominating process every voice is heard and every single vote is counted.

This work to extend the franchise to all of our citizens is a core mission of the modern Democratic Party, from signing the voting rights act and fighting racial discrimination at the ballot box, to lowering the voting age so those old enough to fight and die in war would have the right to choose their Commander-in-Chief, to fighting for multi-lingual ballots so you can make your voice heard no matter what language you speak. I am proud of our work today. We are fighting the redistricting initiatives that would dilute African American and Latino votes. We are fighting efforts to purge voters from the rolls here in Florida and elsewhere. We are fighting voter identification laws that could wrongly keep tens of thousands of voters from casting their ballots this November.

We carry on this cause for a simple reason, because we believe the outcome of our elections should be determined by the will of the people – nothing more, nothing less.

We believe the popular vote is the truest expression of your will. We believe it today, just as we believed it back in 2000 when right here in Florida, you learned the hard way what happens when your votes aren’t counted and the candidate with fewer votes is declared the winner. The lesson of 2000 here in Florida is crystal clear. If any votes aren’t counted, the will of the people is not realized and our democracy is diminished. That is what I have always believed.

My first job in politics was on the 1972 presidential campaign registering African-American and Hispanic voters in Texas. That work took me from home to home in neighborhood after neighborhood. I was determined to knock on every door and sign up every voter I could find. While we may not have won that election, I have never given up the fight. It is a fight I continue to this day.

Because I think it is appalling that in the 21st century, voters are still being wrongly turned away from the polls, ballots are still mysteriously lost in state after state, African-American and Hispanic voters still wait in line for hours while voters in the same state, even in the same county can wait just minutes to cast their votes. That’s why I’ve been working since 2004 with my dear friend Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones to pass the Count Every Vote Act; comprehensive voting rights legislation designed to end these deplorable violations. It will ensure that every eligible voter can vote, every vote is counted, and every vote can verify his or her vote before it is finally cast.

I will continue to fight for that same principle every day in this campaign. The fact is, the people of Florida voted back in January. You did your part. You showed up in record numbers and you made informed choices. But today, some months later, you still do not know if these votes will help determine our party's nominee. You still don't know if this great state will be represented at our convention in August. It is time you knew, because the more than 2.3 million people who voted in Florida and Michigan exercised their fundamental American right in good faith. You watched the news. You went to the candidates' web sites, you talked to your friends and neighbors, you learned about our records and policies so you could make informed voting decisions. You didn't break a single rule, and you should not be punished for matters beyond your control.

Now, I know that Senator Obama chose to remove his name from the ballot in Michigan, and that was his right. But his choice does not negate the votes of all those who turned out to cast their ballots, and we should not let our process rob them and all of you of your voices. To do so would undermine the very purpose of the nominating process. To ensure that as many Democrats as possible can cast their votes. To ensure that the party selects a nominee who truly represents the will of the voters and to ensure that the Democrats take back the White House to rebuild America.

Now, I’ve heard some say that counting Florida and Michigan would be changing the rules. I say that not counting Florida and Michigan is changing a central governing rule of this country - that whenever we can understand the clear intent of the voters, their votes should be counted. I remember very well back in 2000, there were those who argued that people's votes should be discounted over technicalities. For the people of Florida who voted in this primary, the notion of discounting their votes sounds way too much of the same.

The votes of 1.7 million people should not be cast aside because of a technicality. The people who voted did nothing wrong, and it would be wrong to punish you. As the Florida Supreme Court said back in 2000, before the United States Supreme Court took the case away from them, as your Supreme Court said, it's not about the technicalities or about the contestants. It’s about the will of the people. And whenever you can understand their intent, it should govern. It’s very clear what 1.7 million people intended here in Florida. Playing a role in the nominating process in a two-party system is just as important as having a vote in the presidential election on Election Day count.

We know it was wrong to penalize voters for the decisions of state officials back in the 2000 presidential election. It would be wrong to do so for decisions made in our nominating process. Democrats argued passionately. We are still arguing, aren't we, for counting all the votes back in 2000, and we should be just as passionately arguing for that principle today, here in Florida and in Michigan. It is well within the Democratic Party rules to take this stand. The rules clearly state that we can count all of these votes and seat all of these delegates, pledged and unpledged, if we so choose. And the rules lay out a clear process for doing so.

With this process, if hope we will honor the will of those who came out to cast votes. Think of how that day was. Workers who rushed to the polls between shifts; students who came between classes, parents who rearranged their family's schedules, senior citizens who arranged transportation to the polls, all so you could have your votes counted. And whether you voted for better schools for your kids or a secure retirement for your parents, for jobs you can raise a family on, for health care you can afford, to bring your son, your grandson, your daughter or your granddaughter back from Iraq or bring back America’s reputation in the world. Whether you voted for me or Senator Obama or Senator Edwards or someone else, each vote you cast is a prayer for our nation, a declaration of your dreams for your children and grandchildren; a reflection of your determination to ensure that our country lives up to its promise. Each vote is a tool, one used throughout history to break barriers, open doors, and widen the circle of opportunity.

I remember when President Lyndon Johnson addressed the Congress and the nation urging the passage of the Voting Rights Act. He declared, “I speak tonight for the dignity of man and the destiny of democracy.” It was urgent, elevated language, but it was not hyperbole. Now, as back then, those are the stakes. That's why here in Florida, even when you were told your primary might not count, you voted anyway.

A Floridian I know from Tallahassee told me about his mother's canasta club. It’s a group of women in their golden years who gather every week to play cards and visit. They talked about that Florida primary every week as they gathered around the card table. They followed the news closely. They discussed the candidates and their positions on the issues. They knew about the dispute over the primary schedule and the question of seating delegates. And when it came time to vote, like so many other good citizens of this state, the ladies of the canasta club dutifully cast their ballots for the candidates of their choice. They made informed choices. They did nothing wrong, and they should not be punished for doing their civic duty.

You knew then what Americans know, that this political process of ours is about more than the candidates running, the pundits commenting or the ads blaring. It’s about the path we choose as a nation. If anyone ever doubted whether it mattered who our president was, the last seven years with George Bush should have removed every single doubt from anyone's mind.

That’s why you voted, and that's why I’m running. And that's why you've been organizing and raising your voices, hoping to have your votes count. You refused to stay home then, and you refuse to stay silent now. Because you want to change America’s future and you have faith that your party, the Democratic Party, will give you that chance. I’m here today because I believe we should keep that faith, listen to your voices and count every single one of your votes. If we fail to do so, I worry that we will pay not only a moral cost, but a political cost as well.

We know the road to a Democratic White House runs right through Florida and Michigan. And if we care about winning those states in November, we need to count your votes now. If Democrats send the message that we don't fully value your votes, we know Senator McCain and the Republicans will be more than happy to have them. The Republicans will make a simple and compelling argument. Why should Florida and Michigan voters trust the Democratic Party to look out for you when they won't even listen to you?

Now, if you agree with me, I urge you to go to my website, HillaryClinton.com, and join the more than 300,000 who have already signed our petition asking the Democratic National Committee to count your votes. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the territories will have a chance to play a role in this historic process. Now is not the time for our party to have a dialogue about which states and which votes should count. The people of Florida are all too familiar with where that discussion can lead. In the end, we cannot move forward as a united party if some members of our party are left out. Senator Obama and I are running to be president of all Americans and all 50 states. And I want to be sure that all 50 states are counted and your delegates are seated at our convention.

So will you join me in making sure your voices are raised and heard so that your votes can be counted? Because remember, it's been the mission of the Democratic Party, guided always by the understanding that as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “the ultimate rulers of our democracy are not the president, the senators, the members of Congress and government officials, but the voters of this country.” In this Democratic Party, the voters rule. So let's make sure your voices are heard and your votes are counted.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Until I make my brothers understand...IV

2008-05-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

Until I make my brothers understand...IV

Hello friends of Hillary:

Reading the papers and viewing the pundits on television is almost like watching an exercise in corporate totalitarianism. How dare the New York Times, LA Times and television news act like surrogates for the Obama campaign? It feels very like what I watched when the Republicans stood outside the room in Florida in 2000 and kept banging on the door to upset the vote counters. How dare the media side with one candidate when the race is so tight? It was very enlightening to hear President Jimmy Carter tell Tavis Smiley that not only did Ted Kennedy fight him right through the convention but that Kennedy refused to shake Carter's hand when he won. Talk about splitting the party and then going on to win! To ignore her win in Indiana and diminish the fact that she shaved his 25 point lead in North Carolina to 15 points is to miss the entire concept of putting things in context. Now, Terry McAuliffe is showing that if Florida and Michigan are seated, Hillary will actually have won the popular vote by the end. There is NO precedent for calling for her to quit. Particularly when you look at the history of Obama's biggest supporters. One after the other is a member of the "effete elite" who take the banner and then fail the Democratic Party by not be able to close the deal. John Kerry, George McGovern, Ted Kennedy, Bill Bradley - all "wanna-be" Presidents who couldn't make it happen, now want us to support a man who has only won by putting a coalition of African-Americans, limosine liberals, independents and students together to highjack the Democratic Party from its middle and working class members. BO has won caucuses in states that will not go our way in the fall giving us four more years of the current policies. An article in today's LA Times quotes scholar and philosopher Jean Houston, who has worked with the Clintons, as saying that Hillary has suffered deep loathing from some people because she represents the "rising feminine" and augurs a world where men and women share full partnership over the domain of human affairs. I am fortunate to be surrounded in my life by many men who are secure and honorable and who have given Hillary credit where credit is due. So, it always surprises me to see how many men will go to extreme steps to avoid sharing leadership with women. Now, it appears that those men, the ones who can't close the deal, are willing to risk the party's future on an unknown who was elected to one of the safest seats in Illinois and in the Senate rather than put us in the hands of the Clinton team which has a 4-0 record against the Republicans. The articles below argue against the outrage of calling on her to quit and give a scenario that certainly is more believeable than many of the "Cinderella team" victories we have seen in the last moments of hard fought sports championships. So, to the effete elite of the Democratic Party, "IT AIN'T OVER UNTIL THE LADY IN THE PANTS SUIT SAYS IT IS!!!"

Today's Must Read: Quitters Never Win
Washington Post: Quitters Never Win
By Ellen R. Malcolm

Full Article:

When I was growing up in the 1960s, I wanted to play basketball. In those days, the rules said girls could dribble only three steps and then had to pass the ball. To make sure we didn't overexert ourselves, we weren't allowed to cross the half-court line. It's a wonder our fans (our mothers) could stay awake when a typical game's final score was 14-10.

It's remarkable that my generation of women entered the workforce and began to compete in business, politics and the hurly-burly of life outside the home. How did we ever learn to locate, much less channel, our competitive instincts in a world that made us play half-court and assumed that we would be content staying home to iron the shirts? It's a tremendous tribute to women of my generation that we sucked it up and learned to compete in the toughest environments.

Which brings us to Hillary Clinton running for president. This brilliant woman believes that she can compete for the most powerful office in the world. She believes that she can do a better job than any of the men running to lead our country through these challenging times. And millions of Americans, women and men, believe that she is correct.

Yet over and over again the media and her opponents have claimed that she is defeated -- it's over, she can't win, she's a loser. And over and over again -- in New Hampshire, on Super Tuesday, in Texas and Ohio, in Pennsylvania last month, and in Indiana this week -- female voters poured out of their homes to cast their ballots for her. They know that women can compete, and they want to make sure that women, especially this woman, can win.

It's not surprising that low-income working women are the cornerstone of Hillary's success. Many of these women live on the edge of disaster. A pink slip, a family member's illness, a parent who can no longer live alone, a car that won't start or a mortgage rate that goes up -- all are threats that could devastate the family. And yet these women do what women have done for ages. They put on a confident face, feed their children breakfast and get them off to school. They don't quit. They suck it up and fight back against whatever life throws their way.

They see in Hillary Clinton a candidate who understands the pressures they face. As they watch her tough it out against all odds, refusing to quit and continuing to compete against whatever the media and her opponents throw her way, they see a woman as tough and resilient as they are. They clearly want her to win. Her victory, I believe, is their victory.

So here we are in the fourth quarter of the nominating process and the game is too close to call. Once again, the opponents and the media are calling for Hillary to quit. The first woman ever to win a presidential primary is supposed to stop competing, to curtsy and exit stage right.

Why on earth should one candidate quit before the contest is finished? Democrats need not be so fainthearted. Both of the party's remaining candidates have raised tens of millions of dollars. Both have the respect of Democrats nationwide. Each has a progressive agenda that stands in stark contrast to Sen. John McCain and his adherence to Bush administration policies.

So why are some Democrats so afraid? We simply need to count every vote, let the remaining states have their say and see the process through to its conclusion.

Hillary Clinton certainly has the right to compete till the end. But I believe Hillary also has a responsibility to play the game to its conclusion. For the women of my generation who learned to find and channel their competitiveness, for the working women who never falter in the face of pressure, for the younger women who still believe women can do anything, Hillary is a champion. She's shown us over and over that winners never quit and that quitters never win. We'll cheer her on until the game is over. And we hope that when the final whistle blows, we will have elected the first female president and the best president our country has ever had.

The writer is founder and president of Emily's List.

Article here
RealClearPolitics HorseRaceBlog
By Jay Cost HorseRaceBlog Home Page May 09, 2008
Not Quite Yet
Elite opinion on the Democratic race has congealed around the idea that it is over. Clinton has no chance whatsoever to win the nomination now. There is a minority of analysts out there - maybe 5%, maybe even less - who see her path to the nomination as much narrower than it was four days ago, but who still see a path.
I'm with the minority on this one. I think she is nearly finished, but not quite yet.
As those who know me in personal life can attest, I am a contrarian. For better or worse, when I see everybody looking right, the first thought in my head is, "What's over there on the left?" So, the following might just be a product of my contrarian instincts, but I have to say that I just can't get to where most everybody is on this race.
Two things are holding me back: West Virginia and Kentucky.
The conventional wisdom has it that Clinton did herself major damage Tuesday night by getting blown out in North Carolina. I completely agree. This hurt her with the pledged delegate count. Much more important, I think, is that it hurt her with the popular vote count, which she must win to press an argument with the superdelegates.
However, it is possible that she could counter Tuesday's blowout with two big blowouts of her own in the next two weeks. This could undo most of the damage done by her big loss in North Carolina, and put her back on track.
West Virginia is 95% white, and one of the poorest states in the nation. Demographically, Pennsylvania's twelfth congressional district is a decent proxy of it. Clinton won Pennsylvania's twelfth by 46 points. A recent Rasmussen survey put her up 29 points in the Mountaineer State, with 17% undecided. Another poll had her up 40 points, with Obama under 25%.
Kentucky is not as poor or as white as West Virginia, but it is nearly so. Demographically, Kentucky falls somewhere between Ohio's sixth congressional district, which went for Clinton by 45 points, and the seventeenth, which went for her by 28 points. A recent Survey USA poll of the Bluegrass State had her up 34 points - with a staggering 72 point lead in the east, where Obama was winning less than 20% of the vote. Rasmussen recently had her up 25 points with 13% undecided.
Courtesy of the perspicacious Sean Oxendine, here's a graphical representation of how Appalachia has performed. The deepest blue represents countywide Clinton victories of 30+.
As Oxendine says in his analysis of Indiana and North Carolina: "Appalachia didn't budge [on Tuesday]. She is going to absolutely blow him out of the water in West VA and KY."So, here's my question. What happens to "It's Over" if Clinton pulls a 40-point victory in West Virginia on Tuesday, then follows it up a week later with a 30-point victory in Kentucky? If these states turn out in the same margins that states since March 4th have averaged, that would imply a net of about 290,000 votes for Clinton. That puts her within striking distance of a reasonable popular vote victory. "Over" will be over as we turn our attention to Puerto Rico.
There are good reasons not to take Puerto Rico lightly, even though the press has continued to do exactly that. I would note: (a) Puerto Ricans vote in large numbers (2 million in the last gubernatorial election); (b) Puerto Ricans have never had this important a role in United States presidential politics; (c) Puerto Rico's politics is focused at least partially on how (if at all) to adjust its relationship with the United States; (d) Puerto Rico's is an open primary, and the residents of the Commonwealth, who are United States citizens, do not see themselves as Republicans or Democrats.
The inference I draw is that Puerto Ricans could turn out in huge numbers. If they do, and they swing for Clinton in a sizeable way, the popular vote lead could swing, too. Add 290,000 votes from West Virginia and Kentucky to 250,000 votes from Puerto Rico, account for expected losses in Oregon, Montana, and South Dakota, and you get Clinton leading in many popular vote counts, some of which are really quite valid. If she has one of those leads when the final votes are counted on June 3rd, the race will go on to the convention.
Am I predicting that all of this will happen? No. That would be quite presumptuous. The problem is not that any of these incidents is individually unlikely. It is not unlikely that Clinton will get a huge victory in Kentucky, West Virginia, or Puerto Rico. Theoretically, I would wager at least one of the three will happen. The problem is that she has to do all three. What's more, she has to keep it competitive in Oregon (just how competitive depends on her margins in the other states). That's a tall order - four big things to do with no margin for error. I'd never predict that she could do all four. I may be a contrarian, but I am not an idiot!
Her biggest impediment might be the development (finally!) of some momentum. With the crush of stories touting the end of the race, will her vote be depressed in Kentucky and West Virginia? I doubt her voters would actually go for Obama - but they might stay home, thus diminishing both her overall margin of victory and/or her net vote score. Incidentally, I did find some good news for Clinton: finals week at WVU ends on Saturday.
My point is that those in the media who are declaring this race to be over are necessarily predicting that she can't do all of this. That's a conclusion I can't go along with. It's quite unlikely, but it is still possible - and it is more possible than the "Obama might have a meltdown" scenario.
Minimally, I will predict that West Virginia will be either her best or her second best finish, behind only Arkansas. Kentucky should come in right behind the two. This alone should be enough to induce some caution. I think it is too hasty to declare her finished just days before two of her three best states.

Am I on to something here, or is this merely my contrarian streak running amok? I'll let you decide. In fact, I'll help you make an informed decision! I have updated my vote spreadsheet to include all contests through Tuesday. I encourage you to play around with the numbers yourself. Follow this link to Predict the Race for Yourself, Version 2.0.

At the time of its initial publication, I had not put much thought into Clinton's vote margins in Kentucky and West Virginia. I merely used the results from Tennessee as a rough baseline. I think this was a bit naïve, given what we now know about the white vote in Appalachia. So, those numbers have been updated. I also updated the turnout projections, based on new data. Once again, you can adjust these figures however you like.
Posted by Jay Cost at 12:00 AM

Until I make my brother understand, - redux...

2008-05-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow Hillary Supporters:

Well, here we go again. Hillary reduces BO's lead in North Carolina by 10 points and comes from behind and BEATS him in his neighboring state of Indiana and all the pundits can do is drum the beat for her to give up! The media bias is absolutely mind blowing!

SHE IS IN THIS RACE TO WIN AND WILL LEAVE ONLY WHEN EVERY BALLOT IS COUNTED! And, by then, hopefully she will be ahead on all counts.

I wonder if the American press realizes how close they are to becoming pure propaganda machines rather than purveyors of hard news and facts. No analyst worthy of the name has any business not examining these results in light of expectations and providing perspective from that basis.

As a retired Professor of Communications, I can tell you that their former professors would fail every one of them. They are not professional journalists. They are like gossip mongers in a junior high school playground. Shame on them. Read BELOW for a far different read on exactly the same numbers from the campaign and don't lose faith.

I'm glad both candidates indicated their intention to heal the party once all of the votes have been counted. Sounds reasonable to me. I agree 100%. BUT, IF EVERY VOTE IS NOT COUNTED, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WILL NEVER RECOVER.

So, it is critical that all of us contact the DNC and demand that this race count the delegates from Michigan or Florida or conduct a recount. Obama's people have been blocking a recount and 50% of Hillary's supporters said that they would not support B O and I believe this is why. Your voices will have an impact. Send emails, cards and letters to the DNC and Howard Dean to demand that they either seat or re-vote so Florida and Michigan are counted before a standard bearer is chosen.

Please read below to see what actually happened during yesterday's vote.Together we can win this...keep the faith!

CAMPAIGN MEMO

To: Interested Parties
From: The Clinton Campaign
Date: May 6, 2008
RE: Tie-Breaker

In April, Barack Obama called Indiana a 'tie-breaker' for the Democratic nominating process: "You know, Sen. Clinton is more favored in Pennsylvania and I'm right now a little more favored in North Carolina, so Indiana right now may end up being the tiebreaker. So we want to work very hard in Indiana."

At the time, Senator Obama's comments seemed to be part of an elaborate plan to lower expectations for the Indiana contest. After all, roughly 20% of Indiana Democratic primary voters have been exposed to Senator Obama for years because they live within the Chicago media market. He's never lost a state that borders his home-state of Illinois.

The fact that Indiana was an open primary – Republicans and independents can vote in the Democratic contest – also augured well for Senator Obama. He has regularly argued that he should be nominated because he "appeal[s] to Republicans and Independents in a way that none of the other nominees can."

Throw in the fact that Senator Obama outspent the Clinton campaign by a 2 to 1 margin on Indiana television and Indiana seems to be more of a lean-Obama state than a toss-up.

So Hillary's victory in Indiana – fought out against the backdrop of an ailing economy – is all the more incredible. We started out behind in both the public and internal polls.

For example, our March 13 poll showed Hillary trailing by 8 points, while our latest poll gave Hillary a 5 point lead.

We saw Hillary Clinton's margin flip from -19 points among men in Indiana back in March to +1 among men in our final poll. Among women, Hillary's margin increased from +1 in March to +8 now.

Similarly, in mid-February, the Howey-Gauge poll had Barack Obama 15 points ahead of Hillary Clinton (Feb 16-17: Obama 40 / HRC 25). By April 23-24, Hillary had narrowed the gap to only 2 points in the same poll (Obama 47 / HRC 45). The late momentum was critical – according to the exit poll, Hillary won by 18 points among those who made their decision in the last three days.

Hillary won by appealing to voters in almost every key demographic group. According to the exit poll, Hillary won among men and among women, in northern, central and southern parts of the state, among those who earn more than $50,000 per year and those who earn less, union voters and non-union voters, suburban and rural voters, churchgoers, gun-owners, and those who have not graduated from college.

Hillary also won among those who say the economy is the most important issue, those who are affected by the recession, those who say health care is most important, electability and experience voters. Hillary also led Obama on commander-in-chief.

What drove Hillary's strong support – especially among downscale voters, suburban and rural voters, churchgoers, gun-owners and those who are affected by the recession?

- Gas tax summer holiday – making oil companies pay the gas tax instead of American families through a tax on oil company windfall profits
- Tough stance on NAFTA and other trade issues
- The only candidate – Democrat or Republican – with a health care plan that covers every American
- Support for cutting middle-class taxes

Indiana Victory
·
In April, Barack Obama called Indiana a ‘tie-breaker’ for the Democratic nominating process: "You know, Sen. Clinton is more favored in Pennsylvania and I'm right now a little more favored in North Carolina, so Indiana right now may end up being the tiebreaker. So we want to work very hard in Indiana.” Before last night BO went 2 straight months without a primary win and he lost a state HE expected to win handily - Indiana. · Roughly 20% of Indiana Democratic primary voters have been exposed to Senator Obama for years because they live within the Chicago media market. He’s never lost a state that borders his home-state of Illinois until last night when he lost Indiana. But when it came time for him to talk directly to hard working middle class families about their economic concerns, he fell short.
· The fact that Indiana was an open primary – Republicans and independents can vote in the Democratic contest – also augured well for Senator Obama. He has regularly argued that he should be nominated because he “appeal[s] to Republicans and Independents in a way that none of the other nominees can.”
· Obama outspent the Clinton campaign by a 2 to 1 margin on Indiana television.
· Hillary started out behind in both the public and internal polls. For example, our March 13 poll showed Hillary trailing by 8 points, while our latest poll gave Hillary a 5 point lead. We saw Hillary Clinton’s margin flip from -19 points among men in Indiana back in March to +1 among men in our final poll. Among women, Hillary’s margin increased from +1 in March to +8 now.
· Similarly, in mid-February, the Howey-Gauge poll had Barack Obama 15 points ahead of Hillary Clinton (Feb 16-17: Obama 40 / HRC 25). By April 23-24, Hillary had narrowed the gap to only 2 points in the same poll (Obama 47 / HRC 45). The late momentum was critical – according to the exit poll, Hillary won by 18 points among those who made their decision in the last three days.
· Hillary won by appealing to voters in almost every key demographic group that are critical in the general election. According to the exit poll, Hillary won among men and among women, in northern, central and southern parts of the state, among those who earn more than $50,000 per year and those who earn less, union voters and non-union voters, suburban and rural voters, churchgoers, gun-owners, and those who have not graduated from college.
· Hillary also won among those who say the economy is the most important issue, those who are affected by the recession, those who say health care is most important, electability and experience voters. Hillary also led Obama on commander-in-chief.
· Now we move on to West Virginia, which is a state Hillary is favored to win next week and she is there campaigning today.
· Hillary continues to be the strongest candidate against John McCain.

No Need to Cut this Process Off
The primary process is energizing the Democratic Party:

NC
Turnout 2004: 17,420 (caucus)
Turnout 2008: 1,571,363

IN
Turnout 2004: 317,211
Turnout 2008: 1,253,945 (+295%)

If asked about Hillary's Loan to the Campaign
Hillary’s financial investment – the loan - demonstrates her personal commitment to this campaign. Her personal, financial investment in her campaign also demonstrates a belief in the strength of her candidacy and to her commitment to waging a competitive campaign on an even-level playing field.

Talking Points about the Delegate Math
Background: 2209 delegates are needed to clinch the Democratic nomination when ALL states and territories are counted in the process. The DNC’s Rules & Bylaws committee meets on May 31 to consider challenges aimed at ensuring that the ENTIRE country decides the Democratic nominee.

2209 delegates are needed to secure the Democratic nomination for President.

All the states and territories must play a role in the process and the elections from ALL of the states count. A nominee cannot be decided by just 48 states.

The idea that we’d exclude 2.5 million voters who cast ballots from deciding the nominee is an affront to our democracy and is inconsistent with the ideals on which our nation was founded.

The Democratic Party is the party committed to making sure that every vote counts. Democrats can’t kick off the general election campaign by disenfranchising the nearly 2.5 million people who voted in Florida and Michigan.

Barack Obama has said that his campaign’s position “consistently has been that the Michigan and Florida delegations should be seated.” [NPR, 3/14/08]

We assume Barack Obama shares Senator Clinton’s view that every vote counts – including those from Michigan and Florida.

FAQs
Q: Aren’t you changing the rules?
A: The Clinton campaign has always believed that all the states and territories should be counted. All the states and territories must play a role in the process and the elections from ALL of the states count. A nominee cannot be decided by just 48 states.

Q: If Barack Obama gets to the magic number of 2025, will you recognize him?
A: The nominee needs to be decided by all states and territories, and the DNC process will validate that view when it’s completed.

Q: Will you take this fight to the credentials committee at the convention?
A: We don’t think it will come to that. We believe Democrats think all fifty states should play a role in the process.

Until I make my brother understand, -

2008-05-02T13:42:00.000-07:00

Dear fellow Hillary supporters:

"Until I make my brother understand..." Helen Reddy, 1971

The tide continues to turn in Hillary's favor as you will see in Harold Ickes memo below. Her voluminous knowledge, passionate commitment, and backbone of steel have persuaded American voters that we have a candidate who is tested and ready to lead us in this dangerous world. Her candidacy is the absolute win-win for this country. Obama has become known and, assuming that he continues to be a force for good, he will be the first black President - just eight years down the road. That is a tremendous accomplishment. But, now is Hillary's time and she is ready.

I know that there is an Obama campaign strategy to call her the source of dirty campaign tactics. This is patently untrue. She has been amazingly generous in her comments and positive in the extreme. It is really a lesson for all of us to just stay focused, despite all the pressure to throw her (and us) off message. During the long history of politics, young new faces on the scene run a campaign, make themselves known, and set the stage for future elections. It is only when supporters of that young politician decide to ignore the rules do they start dirty, political maneuvering that will backfire on their candidate.

Like this nonsense of creating a drumbeat to have her quit. How SILLY! I just came back from being on the Race Results Committee for the National Ocean Racing Association's Newport to Ensenada Sailboat Race. Almost four hundred boats participated (and then partied in Ensenada - what fun!). As I just wrote to a gentleman who wrote one of those articles predicting the end of the Democratic Party if Hillary didn't just drop out of the race, his recommendations are almost unthinkable. I guarantee you that if someone suggested to the crew of the boat which was 1% behind the lead boat and gaining, that they should drop out of the race with one-fifth of the race yet to go, they would have been strung up on the mast! That is not how Sailing Races work, nor is it how politics works.

I started my political blog at http://DrSuesView.blogspot.com/ with verse after verse from Helen Reddy's 1971 I Am Woman song and I have come to the last verse, "...until I make my brother understand". I apologize to my readers who went around all day with "I am woman" ringing in their ears as a result. ;-)

But, as always, each verse has reflected this campaign. It has become increasingly clear to me that the Obama supporters have become more inappropriate, hostile, and strident recently. We actually had one man in a sandwich board with Obama information standing directly at the entrance door of our Clinton caucus. Upon being asked to move, he became hostile in front of two ninety year old Hillary supporters. Despite asking three times, our Caucus Convener has yet to hear an apology from the Obama organization. Threatening Democratic women did not work there and will not work nationally.

So just as Helen Reddy predicted, our brothers (and sisters) who support Obama need to be reminded that there are rules in politics just as there are in all sports and in life.

POLITICS 101 FOR OBAMA SUPPORTERS:

Presidential candidates come from a group of knowledgeable, seasoned professionals who have been around the political world for long enough to be vetted, learn from their mistakes, and become better under pressure. This role as the most powerful person on earth is so important that making a mistake as a result of learning on the job can literally blow up the world. No, I mean NO RISK MANAGEMENT MODEL would support putting this job in the hands of a newbie. So, the way politics works is that new, young candidates roar and take on the seasoned party leaders and become known as "future leaders". Neither they or anyone else takes them seriously. Only last summer, Barack Obama said that he thought it would be a "stretch" for anyone to seriously vote for him for President.

If things had been allowed to proceed normally, Hillary would have been our candidate the minute John Edwards dropped out and the Democratic Party would have had all kinds of time to prepare for McCain.Instead, Oprah Winfrey stepped in (to her eternal shame) and told Obama he "didn't have to play by the rules" and "didn't have to wait his turn". If the Democrats lose this election, Oprah is where the blame lies. Slowly, the old losers and wanna-be kings (Kerry, Kennedy, Richardson, Bradley) and their minions saw a way to spite Bill Clinton (he really does use up all of the oxygen in the room) and created this insanity. The insane idea is that we should put a wet-behind-the-ears kid who has never run anything in charge of the world. Obama's votes break down into African-Americans (who are completely perplexed), independents (who are not committed to a party), limousine liberals (who are jealous of Bill), and young people (who cannot even articulate why, but can repeat the jingle). Maybe breaking all the rules seemed fine because they were running against a "girl", but it is just not so.

Now, the American people have woken up and are wondering what is going on. The shock is not that the "kid" is being embarrassed by his preacher. Of course he is. This kind of thing happens to young politicians all the time in their own states or congressional districts. The shock is that we are being put through the growth pangs of an amateur on the national stage. Everything about this is fine in a local race. But, it could have been the Premier of China, instead of Jeremiah Wright, that Obama disrespected and God knows what the outcome might have been. Many wars have been started for less - only this war will end our planet.

So, rational behavior is returning to the voters and the Obama supporters need to take heed. Making scurrilous attacks on Hillary's campaign tactics will make you no friends. Banging the drum for her to drop out prematurely (before the convention) makes you look desperate and silly. And, finally, even trying to make it possible that the voters from Florida and Michigan not be seated (or re voted), will make you the highjackers of democracy. Instead of leaving you with a brilliant future President, Obama will represent the man who was willing to cheat the voters from two major swing states to win. He will become a pariah, known for throwing his pastor and his party under a bus.

Make no mistake, Hillary's supporters are with her until the last vote is counted on the last moment of the last hour at the convention and we are going to win this. Why? Because our planet and our children are at stake.The Republicans will make mincemeat of Obama. The Clintons have won four and lost none against the worst that the Republicans can throw at them. Both former NYC Mayor Guiliani and NY Governor George Pataki dropped out of her second New York Senate Race because they couldn't touch her. She and Bill may just be the two smartest public policy people on the planet. She has won in the only states the Democrats will win in November. And, I don't know one honest Republican here in Orange County who believes that McCain can beat her.

Now, add to that the ABC News analysis last week that, if you count Florida and Michigan, she is ahead in the popular vote, delegate count and superdelegates, why are we still having this conversation?

So, my "brothers" (and "sisters" of the Obama camp), stop drinking the Kool-Aid, calm down and wake up. We can have it all if you get perspective on this thing. If you have a tantrum, proceed and try to win by denying the voters of two states, you will destroy the party. If you step back and take a deep breath, you can see eight years of Hillary followed by eight years of Obama. We know how much good can be undone in only eight years of Republican Bush rule, so it might take sixteen years to really make this country live up to our dreams for it.

I know I am asking Obama supporters to practice delayed gratification. Maybe we can't buy a new car and a new house in the same year, but if you step back and realize what is going on, you will see that we have everything in our grasp now.

So, Hillary supporters, please get this message out to our fellow Democrats who are currently supporting Obama, but continue to contribute, call, and campaign for our girl. Because, you and I are really fighting for all of our future girls and boys so they can inherit a country that will lead humans in learning to respect each other and the planet we share.

Warmly, Suzanne

Ickes Memo

To: Automatic Delegates
From: Harold Ickes
Date: May 1, 2008
RE: HRC Strongest v. McCain

A spate of new public polls out this week confirms what we have been arguing for some time: Hillary Clinton is the strongest candidate to beat John McCain in November.

The data shows that Clinton not only outperforms Obama in head-to-head matchups, but is also stronger in the all important subcategories that serve as bellwethers for a candidate’s overall strength. In addition, new data out today in three swing states vital to Democratic prospects in November show Clinton beating McCain.

HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH MCCAIN: In a hypothetical general election match-up with McCain, Clinton wins handily (50-41) while Obama is virtually tied with McCain (46-44), according to the AP-Ipsos poll released Monday. A new poll from CBS/NYT show Clinton beating McCain by five points (48-43), while Obama ties McCain (45-45). The new Fox poll has Clinton beating McCain by one point (45-44), while Obama trails McCain by three points (43-46). And in Gallup's daily tracking poll, Clinton leads McCain by one point (46-45) while Obama trails McCain by two points (44-46).

SWING STATES: New Quinnipiac polls out today show Clinton dramatically outperforms Obama in the critical swing states of Ohio in Florida. In Ohio, Clinton beats McCain by ten points (48-38), while Obama loses to him by one point (43-44). In Florida, Clinton beats McCain by 8 (49-41), while Obama loses to him by one point (42-43). Hillary also tops McCain by 14 points in Pennsylvania (51-37), while Obama's lead over McCain is in single digits.

CLINTON BEATS MCCAIN AMONG INDEPENDENT VOTERS; OBAMA TIES HIM: The new AP poll has Clinton leading McCain among independents (50-34) while Obama is tied with him (42-42). The NBC/WSJ poll notes that Obama’s negative ratings among independents are they highest they have ever been.

CLINTON IS THE CANDIDATE VOTERS TRUST WITH THE ECONOMY: The economy is the top issue among voters and is likely to remain so through November. In the CBS/NYT poll, Hillary beat both Obama and McCain as the candidate who is talking about the economy most by a margin of 25% to Obama’s 13% and McCain’s 7%.

OBAMA UNFAVORABLES RISING QUICKLY: In the CBS/NYT poll, Obama’s unfavorables increased by ten points in the last month (24 to 34%) while his favorables decreased by four points. In the CBS/NYT poll, Obama’s unfavorables among independents rose to 31%. The Fox poll shows that in the last two months, Obama’s unfavorables have increased by nine points (33 to 42%) while his favorables decreased by seven points (54 to 47%). In the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, Obama’s negative ratings increased by five points in the last month (32 to 37%) while his positive ratings decreased by three points in the last month (49 to 46%).

CLINTON STRONGEST AMONG SWING VOTING BLOCS: The new AP-Ipsos poll shows Clinton leading McCain among seniors (51-39) but has McCain BEATING Obama (49-38). She runs stronger against McCain with those under 30 than Obama does, pulling two-thirds of the young vote while Obama gets 55% against McCain. And she wins the Catholic vote against McCain (58-35) while McCain beats Obama (46-43).

TOGETHER, WE WILL WIN!

But I'm still an embryo, with a long, long way to go...

2008-04-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

But I'm still an embryo, with a long, long way to go... Helen Reddy, 1971 http://drsuesview.blogspot.com/

Thank God for John Stewart on the Daily Show (see link below) and his brilliant writers, one of whom was a close friend of my daughter's at Cornell - attaboy, Jason. Last night, they showed clip after clip of those bellowing for Hillary to leave the race and then said that it is an impossiblility for Barack Obama to win the nomination without the superdelegates, (same is true for Hillary) unless he follows a little known procedure: make Hillary quit! Then Stewart moaned, :"Too much democracy, uh, uh, uh, killing the Democratic Party..."

This entire Obama strategy was designed to do one thing and it has, unfortunately, succeeded. That was to drive the story of Obama's racist spiritual counselor out of the headlines. Obama has run on one thing - his judgement. And nothing could be more flawed than his judgement of choosing this man as his personal adviser. So, attack Hillary. What is still disgusting is to watch CNN and NBC provide the chorus behind the campaign.

On the same page as the Daily Show clip was a U-Tube clip of Keith Olbermann haranging Hillary over Geraldine Ferraro's comments. He prefaced his comments by saying that he acknowledged that he had a deep personal debt to Hillary, Bill and her family because when his show was teetering on the brink of cancellation because he dared question the Bush Administration, they supported him and helped keep his show on the air.

Then, he went on to excoriate Hillary for Ferraro's remarks. For shame. I just wonder how people can do that. Acknowledge that you wouldn't be there without Hillary's direct intervention and then turn around and attack her for something she didn't do and didn't say? This is why I have so much difficulty with the Obama supporters. For eight years, Democrats have talked about going back to the "good" economy and positive world opinion, oh yes, and musn't forget the peace and prosperity, of the Clinton era and, now, when they have the chance, these people choose to back an unknown, untested, and unprepared candidate. That is called being an ingrate.

What most Hillary supporters will say is that it is nothing to us if someone else is an ingrate, but don't cause our party to choose a candidate who cannot beat John McCain because you are. I have put my name in as a long-shot possible delegate to the Democratic Convention only because I think that this campaign will come down to a choice at the convention. That, of course, is what the convention was originally designed to be.

I have heard stories of the Obama supporters in state caucuses trying to push people around just as they are trying to push Hillary out right now (see article below). So, I'd like to be there to be sure she has the support she needs to push back. For those of you who support Hillary, the California caucuses will be at 3:00 PM on Sunday, April 3rd. Just go online to http://www.cadem.org/site/c.jrLZK2PyHmF/b.3643973/ to find out where the Hillary caucus is in your congressional district. Listen to the delegates speak and vote for individuals who will be able to withstand the "pushing around" the Obama campaign is famous for. If there is one thing Hillary has taught us, it is to never give up as long as any chance exists.

Over the years, I've heard a number of people say that if Florida had pulled on Bill Clinton, what they pulled on Al Gore, Bill would still be on the Florida Supreme Court steps counting every vote. Just like Hillary and Bill, we are in this until the end and I truly believe in my heart that she will emerge victorious in Denver and in November. At the Hillary Summit in New York, someone asked Ann Lewis, Hillary's right hand person forever, what she thought would happen and she said that she believed that in the voting booth when everything is said and done, the American voter will come to terms with the seriousness of this choice and they will elect the best person - Hillary - to be President.

I think she is right, but it is our job to make sure that we talk to every young person and independent who are being sold Obama as if he were a rock star and convince them that casting their ballot is a very serious and important right they gained only through the sacrifice and hard work of many people. To cast their vote for a candidate because of pure packaging and no substance is an insult to those who fought for suffrage, like in the article below. It is an insult to every soldier who fought and died to make them free.

Because they are young, they do not get to abdicate full responsibility for vetting the candidate, learning about issues, seeing them live and listening to their ideas. The Internet is being used to make young people feel like the vote is a generational choice, like getting a tattoo. All the codes that say to youth that you are different are being used to separate sons from fathers and daughters from mothers and the wisdom they have gained.

As we have learned in the drug wars, children do listen to their parents and every one of us has an obligation to have a conversation with young voters to share with them the obligation their vote brings. Nothing is improved because immature minds manipulated by mass market ploys join our party in droves.

Carl Sagan produced the COSMOS series, which Ken and I came to California over, because he wanted to use the medium of television to educate the masses. He believed that our democracy was at stake if we didn't use television to educate citizens rather than to market to mind-numbed consumers. He said that a democracy can only work with an educated electorate. Because people can vote, whether illiterate, starving third world people, or marketing campaign dominated first world consumer youth, does not mean a democracy exists. Democracy exists when an educated, informed electorate takes full responsibilty for electing the best possible leaders to ensure access and opportunity for all.

Below you will find a wonderful article called My Mother, Hillary and a Banner Day by Alida Brill; a second article called TRYING TO PUSH HILLARY ASIDE, and some campaign updates, including the link to the Daily Show. But, before that is Maya Angelou's Poem in Praise of Hillary's Campaign.

I offer all of these to you in the hope that you agree with me that the "embryo" that we were in Helen Reddy's 1971 song, has now been born and has grown. That we have gained wisdom and are able to share our deep conviction that we can bring to be the America that gives opportunity to all under the guidance of tested, experienced and wise leadership during these challenging times.

Warmly, Suzanne

Maya Angelou's Poem in Praise of Hillary's Campaign

"You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may tread me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

This is not the first time you have seen Hillary Clinton seemingly at her wits' end, but she has always risen, always risen, don't forget she has always risen, much to the dismay of her adversaries and the delight of her friends.

Hillary Clinton will not give up on you and all she asks of you is that you do not give up on her.

There is a world of difference between being a woman and being an old female. If you're born a girl, grow up, and live long enough, you can become an old female.

But to become a woman is a serious matter. A woman takes responsibility for the time she takes up and the space she occupies. Hillary Clinton is a woman.

She has been there and done that and has still risen. She is in this race for the long haul. She intends to make a difference in our country. Hillary Clinton intends to help our country to be what it can become.

She declares she wants to see more smiles in the family, more courtesies between men and women, more honesty in the marketplace.

She is the prayer of every woman and man who longs for fair play, healthy families, good schools, and a balanced economy.

She means to rise.

Don't give up on Hillary.

In fact, if you help her to rise, you will rise with her and help her make this country the wonderful, wonderful place where every man and every woman can live freely without sanctimonious piety and without crippling fear.

Rise, Hillary. Rise."

WMC Commentary
My Mother, Hillary and a Banner Day
by Alida Brill
March 31, 2008

http://www.womensmediacenter.com/ex/033108.html

My mother's birthday was March 4. She turned 100, becoming a centenarian. My friends stop for a moment trying to do that calculation in their heads because the arithmetic doesn't work automatically-until they remember that I was born in her 40s. She was far ahead of her time in late childbearing and in most other things as well.We celebrated this milestone with a small but festive dinner attended by six close friends and my father (a mere 96).

My mother had not received a telegram or a letter from President George W. Bush, although any number of people had said she would. She didn't actually care about the letter from the president, but she had hoped that somehow she might get a letter from Senator Hillary Clinton. Anxiety was the other guest at the table, because this was the Tuesday of the Texas and Ohio primaries. My father, not completely in the present these days, was very much aware of the double significance of my mother's big day and Hillary's big challenge. "Don't count her out," he said to me coherently and clearly. The words would echo Hillary's own later that night. My mother was confident. "Hillary will win tonight. It's my 100th birthday and I'm her good luck charm."When my mother was a little girl, her own mother dressed her up in a white dress, put a banner in her hand and took her to a "parade," as my mother continues to call it. It was a march for suffrage, and the banner said: "Votes for Women." She remembers the banner and even what her dress looked like, but more than anything else, she remembers laughter. "

They were laughing at us." The men were laughing at these women marching down the streets of Detroit, Michigan, in the early years of the 20th century proclaiming their right to vote. When my mother and her mother returned home, they were greeted with more derision. More than anything else, she remembers that even the men in her own family thought it was a joke to let women vote and that she and her mother had made a public spectacle of themselves.

A few days before my mother's birthday and the two primary elections, I heard from a young man in Chicago. Through the Hillary campaign, we have become friends by email. He's "all-Hillary-all-the-time," and I was moved by his understanding of the significance of her candidacy and by his comprehension of her qualities as a leader. I was stunned by his ability to decipher the subtle codes of sexism when the media was attempting to be sly. I was astounded when his anger was equal to mine over a Chicago Sun Times cartoon depicting Senator Clinton as a "witch" in a boxing ring down for the count. I emailed him, "who are you?" I learned he was a man whose mother and grandmothers had both died and that all of these women in his life had told him, at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton, that he should keep his eye on Hillary for the future. He was the feminist child I never had, but he was a young man and not a young woman. Perhaps that is when I understood that not only is her candidacy good for young women; it is essential for young men.

His email to me, and many others, prior to my mother's birthday, was that it was Chelsea Clinton's 28th birthday. He asked us to contribute $28.44. The 28 dollars was for Chelsea's year and the 44 cents for her mother to become the 44th president of the United States. I did so immediately and so did hundreds of others. I smiled when I read his email and was still smiling when I contributed this symbolic amount. It was not, however, a laughing matter.I thought of the arc of my mother's life and how much she had experienced and how much even I had experienced in the post-suffrage years and the second wave of the women's movement. I thought about how much better our country was for the campaign of Hillary and her daughter's involvement and the involvement of young men like Kevin in Chicago. I thought nothing about this is a joke any longer.

The next weekend I spent time with a dear friend and her young daughter. In the window of their home is big "Hillary for President" sign. My friend and I were talking about the "monster" remark from a woman in Senator Obama's campaign. We talked about our rage at the unfair remarks, the double standard in the spin rooms of the television stations. Suddenly, I was angry in a way I had not expected I could be any longer. I turned and there was 11-year-old Maddy standing next to us in the dining room. I was in the middle of a frothing feminist moment, and at first I was horrified at what she might have heard me say. I looked at her, and she was smiling, in fact, she was laughing-not with derision, but unbridled joy. She got the picture.

Our passion for Hillary made her happy. My anger did not scare her; her eyes were wide and admiring.Maddy already has pictures in her mind that are profoundly different ones from those lodged in our memory banks-mine, my mother's, Hillary's mother, Hillary's and even Chelsea's. Maddy lives in a country where even if Hillary is not the 44th president of the United States, the notion of a woman sitting in the Oval Office is very real and dare I say the word, absolutely "normal" for her and her generation. My mother carried a banner that said Votes for Women when it was still only a dream. Now, we may vote for a woman and carry banners that proclaim her name.

I hope Maddy never has to be as angry as I have had to be on behalf of women's rights as civil rights. I hope she will never have to recite the lesson that sexism is as corrosive to democracy as racism. Then, I realize if she needs to be angry, she will be angry, without fear of laughter from the men. For this fact alone, I am grateful to Hillary for her refusal to collapse under unbelievable pressure.

I think fondly and proudly of all the historic banners all of us have been brave enough to carry aloft through now three centuries of the fight for women's rightful place, including the ones that say: "Hillary for President." Whatever happens in the next months, Susan B. Anthony really was right, "failure is impossible."

April 01, 2008
Trying to Shove Hillary Aside

By Marie Cocco

WASHINGTON -- Have you noticed something similar about those Barack Obama campaign surrogates and the media soothsayers who have started a drum-beat to force Hillary Clinton out of the Democratic presidential contest? Hint: They tend to share a certain anatomical attribute.
I guess the boys are just being boys again. They've failed to dispatch Clinton in the race thus far -- remember, they were predicting the fall of the "house of Clinton" in New Hampshire. Then Kennedy magic was supposed to transform Obama into the anointed nominee on Super Tuesday, but star-power appearances in California by the women of Camelot failed to help Obama there, and not even Ted Kennedy could deliver his home state of Massachusetts. Clinton won decisively in the Bay State and took all the big states on Super Tuesday, except Obama's home state of Illinois and in Missouri, where he edged her by a single percentage point.

Clinton then was supposed to bow out after March 4 if she did not win the crucial states of Texas and Ohio. But darn! She messed up their game plan again by winning both of those states -- and Rhode Island, too.
Those looking ahead now see no way, based on current polling and the way the demographics of Pennsylvania break down, that Obama will win that next mega-state on April 22. Those looking even further ahead see only more uncertainty -- a series of contests lasting until June in which some states seem to naturally favor Clinton (Kentucky, West Virginia) while others seem to favor Obama (North Carolina, Oregon).
Since we're talking boy-talk here, we might as well get right into their rhetorical comfort zone: Obama now is ahead by a field goal in the third quarter. But the fourth quarter has yet to be played and who knows what the score will be at the end of regulation? So here's their plan, hatched in the locker room: Push Clinton off the field now so that Obama can take his early victory lap.
Obama denies that he is personally behind this strategy. But let's face it. The pronouncements by Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn., both big-name Obama supporters and superdelegates, that Clinton needs to limp away with her head held low looked terribly orchestrated.
Leahy was particularly odious when, after declaring Clinton had "no way" to win the nomination, he offered her a very warm seat. It happens to be one she already holds and it is, of course, comfortably below the glass ceiling. "Frankly, I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate," Leahy declared.
If it weren't so galling, it would be amusing to watch the Democratic men shuffling nervously in their television studio chairs, trying to conceal the audacity of their arrogance. For they have something in common besides their anatomy: It's Hillary Clinton. For nearly two decades, she's raised more money for more Democrats than anyone except, perhaps, Bill Clinton. She's certainly done more obligatory "Women-for-(Your Candidate's Name Here)" events than, say, the Obama girl on YouTube.
Now Clinton's methodical, dogged history of work for the Democratic Party is treated just like the methodical, dogged histories of so many women in the workplace: Having come this far she must not go too far. She must step aside to take the smaller office, with the lesser title and the lower pay to make room for the younger guy with the thinner resume. And please, would she just go quietly like a good girl?
Maybe it is true that Clinton has no realistic way to win the nomination. But Obama hasn't won it either -- and contrary to the myth his campaign has spun, Obama can't win without superdelegates to put him over the top.
Somehow the Obama campaign has come to believe that insulting Clinton is the same as beating her. It isn't. And insulting her supporters -- especially women and, in particular, working-class women, who have clung to her candidacy all these months -- isn't much of a general-election victory strategy. Women were 54 percent of the electorate in the presidential election of 2004. Without their support, Al Gore would not have won the popular vote in 2000 and John Kerry wouldn't have come so close in 2004. Women voters put Democrats in control of Congress in 2006.
So, the Obama campaign can continue trying to get its allies in the media and various party pooh-bahs to push Clinton aside early. Or Obama can welcome the fight -- and win it like a man.

mariecocco@washpost.com
Copyright 2008, Washington Post Writers Group

From the campaign:

Swing State Lead: A new Quinnipiac poll shows Hillary leading in key swing states. In Florida, she leads McCain 44-42 while Obama trails McCain by 9 points. In Ohio, Hillary leads McCain 48-39 while Obama is only ahead of McCain by 1. Read more.

Strong on the Economy: Today, Hillary wraps up her “Solutions for the Pennsylvania Economy” tour with a 21st Century Jobs Summit in Pittsburgh, PA focused on Hillary's “insourcing” agenda that provides $7 billion in tax incentives and investments for firms creating jobs in America. Preview the Summit here.

Recapping Yesterday: Hillary announced her plan to create 3 million jobs by investing in infrastructure at the AFL-CIO in Philadelphia, PA. Read excerpts of the speech.

Recalling Rocky: Yesterday Hillary “recall[ed] a famous scene on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art [and] said to end her presidential campaign now would be as if 'Rocky Balboa had gotten halfway up those art museum steps and said, 'Well, I guess that's about far enough.''” Read more.

Too Much Democracy?: On last night's Daily Show, Jon Stewart pokes fun at calls for Hillary to quit: “Too much democracy… killing Democratic Party… must make it stop.” Watch here.

Run, Hillary, Run: A North Carolina columnist writes “With the race so close, Clinton would be a fool to hand Sen. Barack Obama a nomination he has yet to legitimately earn.” Read more.

A Record to Run On: In the Senate, Hillary has sponsored or co-sponsored 54 bills that became law. Read more

By the Primary Numbers: A new SurveyUSA poll shows Hillary leading in Indiana by nine points (52-43).

AS I SPREAD MY LOVING ARMS ACROSS TH E LAND...

2008-03-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

"As I spread my loving arms across the land,"- Helen Reddy, 1971

Helen Reddy's song just keeps on giving... This is the first time I have had a chance to write this blog for several weeks. My mother's youngest sister, Dorothy Wisdom, passed away and I went back to New York for the services.

Aunt Dottie was my "young aunt" on my mother's side (only seventeen when I was born) and I spent a lot of time with her and her handsome husband, Jim as they married and had a family. Theirs was one of the great love affairs I have known. In my eyes, she was Judy Garland to his, Gene Kelley, and it lasted right through the end as he cared for her as she became more and more ill. As I looked around the room and observed the incredible legacy this hard working woman left in her devoted and close children, caring grandchildren and lovely and well-mannered great grandchildren, I thought deeply about the sum of a life. Things were not alway easy, but whether caring for her patients or her family, this woman could be counted upon to do her best.

That I have known so many women and men like this may be why I am so passionate about Hillary Clinton. I have used the phrase, "...the salt of the earth..." to describe people like Hillary. My husband was one of them. I remember Gentry Lee, Carl Sagan's business partner and Project Engineer for many NASA Projects saying, "Ken is the go to guy. The one you turn to when you come up with a brilliant idea and ask if it can actually be done." Some people use the terms "dreamers" and "doers" to describe the complementary combination.

I believe in my heart that after eight years of the Bush debacle, we are desperately in need of a "doer" with her feet planted firmly on the ground. When I am in New York, I have the opportunity to reconnect with my giant family and good friends. The stories I was told by Dottie's son, Jim, my union official cousin about Hillary coming to the union every month and working hard to help them warmed my heart. On the other hand, hearing about my cousin who is a company president having his position threatened by wild buyouts and the friend who's son-in-law may be a Bear Stearns casualty brought home the danger to good people by the lack of oversight of unregulated free market hedge fund game playing and unconscionable, greedy sub-prime mortgage practices.

None of this should have happened. When Ken and I applied for our first mortgage, not a bank in America would lend you money unless your monthly payment was less than forty percent of your monthly income. Yes, these banking professionals were protecting us against ourselves and protecting their industry against precisely the kind of potential failure we are facing. The hedge funds are so irresponsible that they make a business of cannibalism.

When I watched Barack Obama, on The View on Friday, say that he was the guy who could bring everyone together and that he is someone "who does not believe that the Democrats have a monopoly on wisdom", it became very clear once again why it is unthinkable to me that he becomes the standard bearer of the party. Just as when he said that he thought Reagan was a good President, which Hillary firmly disagreed with, Obama reveals his lack of the very knowledge we most need in the next President. Hillary has deeply studied Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and how they were reviled as "traitors to their class" by putting the economic policies of the New Deal in place in the 1930's. My mother tells stories of the real fear that capitalism had failed during the Depression and that without those policies, this great American experiment based in the well-being of the middle class may have, indeed, failed.

These were the very policies that the Voo-Doo Economics of the Reagan Revolution in the early 1980's effectively destroyed. Reagan's first act in office was the destruction of the airline traffic controller's union and the second was to dismantle all of the Roosevelt regulations and protections that led to the empowerment of the middle class and the most prosperous and successful decades in our country's history - the mid-twentieth century. What Mr. Obama doesn't know is the fundamental differences between the parties and their policies. This difference is why, historically, the more educated an individual is; the more likely he or she is to be a progresssive Democrat.

Democratic, progressive policies have always sought to create the best life for all citizens - John Kennedy's "a rising tide raises all ships". It is THE AMERICAN DREAM and it works admirably as any study of the Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, Clinton years will show. The Republican, conservative model is focused on keeping (conserving) the power and money in the hands of those who have it (inherit, earn, or steal it) and consolidating that power by whatever means necessary. Now, you ask, what is wrong with that? The reason educated people become Democrats is that the conservative model, "let them eat cake" is unsustainable and eventually leads to oppression, overthrow or collapse.

These differences are abundantly clear in the Clinton and McCain responses to our economic challenges. She follows Roosevelt's successful model by creating a new Home Owner's Loan Corporation, to allow homeowners to restructure and keep their homes. McCain, on the other hand, suggests voluntary restructuring on the part of banks (patent nonsense) and the biggest welfare bailout in history, handing JP Morgan $30 billion dollars to buy Bear Sterns, the owner of the two most egregious hedge funds who imploded on their own greed causing investors to justifiably begin a run on the company. (By the way, this is precisely the way free markets dispose of bad players, unless everyone is playing bad, therefore creating the specter of a systemic collapse - sound familiar?)

There is a brilliant NY Times article by Paul Krugman below detailing why Senator Clinton's detailed plans position her as the candidate of choice.

That article is followed by information from the campaign detailing Hillary's momentum with the voters and just how close the race is. It is very clear to me that General Electric has given a clear message to NBC that completely biased reporting on the part of NBC News and Tim Russert and Chris Matthews is acceptable. Thank goodness that even G. E. could not shut up Lorne Michaels and Saturday Night Live. But, watching NBC legitimize the Obama strategy of trying to drum Hillary out of a race with less than 1% difference between the candidates is disgusting, particularly when real issues exist when Obama's chosen spiritual adviser makes us question his judgment - his supposed advantage.

So, I continue to be awed at Senator Clinton's equanimity and willingness to be, like my aunt, the one who toils day after day to put her arms around us and to spread her loving arms across the land. And, in spite of these scurrilous attacks, she continues to try to make life better for all of us.

Now, we share the burden of taking up her cause and making sure that she is in a position to accomplish that come November. Because, if we fail, she will go back to the Senate and go home with Bill and we, and our extended families, will pay the price.

Peace, Suzanne

New York Times
Op-Ed Columnist

Loans and Leadership
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: March 28, 2008

When George W. Bush first ran for the White House, political reporters assured us that he came across as a reasonable, moderate guy. Yet those of us who looked at his policy proposals — big tax cuts for the rich and Social Security privatization — had a very different impression. And we were right.
The moral is that it’s important to take a hard look at what candidates say about policy. It’s true that past promises are no guarantee of future performance. But policy proposals offer a window into candidates’ political souls — a much better window, if you ask me, than a bunch of supposedly revealing anecdotes and out-of-context quotes.
Which brings me to the latest big debate: how should we respond to the mortgage crisis? In the last few days John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have all weighed in. And their proposals arguably say a lot about the kind of president each would be.
Mr. McCain is often referred to as a “maverick” and a “moderate,” assessments based mainly on his engaging manner. But his speech on the economy was that of an orthodox, hard-line right-winger.
It’s true that the speech was more about what Mr. McCain wouldn’t do than about what he would. His main action proposal, as far as I can tell, was a call for a national summit of accountants. The whole tone of the speech, however, indicated that Mr. McCain has purged himself of any maverick tendencies he may once have had.
Many news reports have pointed out that Mr. McCain more or less came out against aid for troubled homeowners: government assistance “should be based solely on preventing systemic risk,” which means that big investment banks qualify but ordinary citizens don’t.
But I was even more struck by Mr. McCain’s declaration that “our financial market approach should include encouraging increased capital in financial institutions by removing regulatory, accounting and tax impediments to raising capital.”
These days, even free-market enthusiasts are talking about increased regulation of securities firms now that the Fed has shown that it will rush to their rescue if they get into trouble. But Mr. McCain is selling the same old snake oil, claiming that deregulation and tax cuts cure all ills.
Hillary Clinton’s speech could not have been more different.
True, Mrs. Clinton’s suggestion that she might convene a high-level commission, including Alan Greenspan — who bears a lot of responsibility for this crisis — had echoes of the excessively comfortable relationship her husband’s administration developed with the investment industry. But the substance of her policy proposals on mortgages, like that of her health care plan, suggests a strong progressive sensibility.
Maybe the most notable contrast between Mr. McCain and Mrs. Clinton involves the problem of restructuring mortgages. Mr. McCain called for voluntary action on the part of lenders — that is, he proposed doing nothing. Mrs. Clinton wants a modern version of the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation, the New Deal institution that acquired the mortgages of people whose homes were worth less than their debts, then reduced payments to a level the homeowners could afford.
Finally, Barack Obama’s speech on the economy on Thursday followed the cautious pattern of his earlier statements on economic issues.
I was pleased that Mr. Obama came out strongly for broader financial regulation, which might help avert future crises. But his proposals for aid to the victims of the current crisis, though significant, are less sweeping than Mrs. Clinton’s: he wants to nudge private lenders into restructuring mortgages rather than having the government simply step in and get the job done.
Mr. Obama also continues to make permanent tax cuts — middle-class tax cuts, to be sure — a centerpiece of his economic plan. It’s not clear how he would pay both for these tax cuts and for initiatives like health care reform, so his tax-cut promises raise questions about how determined he really is to pursue a strongly progressive agenda.
All in all, the candidates’ positions on the mortgage crisis tell the same tale as their positions on health care: a tale that is seriously at odds with the way they’re often portrayed.
Mr. McCain, we’re told, is a straight-talking maverick. But on domestic policy, he offers neither straight talk nor originality; instead, he panders shamelessly to right-wing ideologues.
Mrs. Clinton, we’re assured by sources right and left, tortures puppies and eats babies. But her policy proposals continue to be surprisingly bold and progressive.
Finally, Mr. Obama is widely portrayed, not least by himself, as a transformational figure who will usher in a new era. But his actual policy proposals, though liberal, tend to be cautious and relatively orthodox.
Do these policy comparisons really tell us what each candidate would be like as president? Not necessarily — but they’re the best guide we have.

FROM THE CAMPAIGN: Here's the most important thing you need to know about this race: it's neck-and-neck. Only 130 delegates separate Hillary from Senator Obama -- and that's not counting Florida and Michigan. The difference in popular vote is less than 1 percent, and millions of voters have yet to make their voices heard. This election should be about their choice. From

Mark Penn, Hillary's pollster:March 20th:

There are some pretty big changes happening out there with thevoters. Barack Obama recently declared himself the frontrunner in therace, although there are 10 contests remaining and MI and FL have notyet been decided. But a look at the polls shows that Sen. Obama's leadnationally with Democrats has been evaporating. The Gallup dailytracking poll shows Hillary leading Sen. Obama among Democrats by 7points, and the latest Zogby/Reuters poll has Sen. Obama's lead downfrom 14 points last month to just 3 points now. This suggests a strongswing in momentum in the race to Hillary since the Texas and Ohioprimaries earlier this month.

The more that the voters learn about Barack Obama, the more hisability to beat John McCain is declining compared to Hillary. For along time we have explained that poll numbers for a candidate who hasnot yet been vetted or tested are not firm numbers, and we arebeginning to see that clearly. Just a month ago, the Obama campaignclaimed that the polls showed Barack Obama doing better than Hillaryagainst Sen. McCain. Now such numbers are a lot harder to find.

In the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, Hillary leads John McCain by 5points (Hillary 51 / McCain 46) while Sen. Obama is only 2 pointsahead of Sen. McCain (Obama 49 / McCain 47). This is a reversal fromFebruary, when Sen. McCain led Hillary by 4 points. The latest CNNpoll also shows that Hillary leads Sen. McCain by a bigger margin thanBarack Obama.In several key states, Hillary is a stronger general electioncandidate than Barack Obama against John McCain. For example, thelatest Survey USA poll has Hillary leading Sen. McCain by 6 points inOhio while Sen. Obama trails Sen. McCain by 7 points. In Kentucky,Hillary's margin against Sen. McCain is 26 points better than BarackObama's. In Missouri, Sen. Obama lags John McCain by 14 points whileHillary comes within 2 points of Sen. McCain.

In Florida, the latestPPP poll shows Barack Obama losing to John McCain by 11 points whileHillary comes within 4 points of Sen. McCain. Last week's Universityof Central Arkansas poll showed Hillary leading Sen. Sen. McCain by 15points in that state while Sen. Obama trails Sen. McCain by 16points. And the latest Rasmussen poll showed Hillary leading Sen.McCain by 11 points in New Jersey while Sen. Obama trails Sen. McCainby 2 points.Moreover, 24 percent of Florida Democrats say that if Florida'sdelegates are not counted at the Democratic convention in August, theyare less likely to vote for a Democrat in November, according to thelatest St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9/Miami Herald poll.

SinceFlorida is the single largest and most important swing state in thecountry and nearly 1.8 million Florida Democrats voted in the Januaryprimary, Democrats must find a solution to allow Florida's delegatesto count if we are to have any hope of winning in November.And in the crucial state of Pennsylvania - the next Democratic primarybattleground and the biggest state which has not yet voted - thelatest Quinnipiac poll shows Hillary doubling her Democratic primarylead over Barack Obama from 6 points to 12 points.

In Pennsylvania,Hillary improved among men, maintained her 24 point advantage among women, and improved among younger, older, more educated and lesseducated voters. She leads in every region across the state (NE, SE,NW, SW, Central, Alleghany) with the exception of Philadelphia.Ultimately, this Democratic nominating process is meant to select thecandidate who will: a) be the best president - the best commander-in-chief, steward of the economy, and exercise leadership; b) defeat JohnMcCain; and c) promote and defend core Democratic principles such asuniversal health care. On all three fronts, Hillary is the best choicefor the Democratic Party.Hillary is the runaway leader on most qualified to be commander-in-chief.

In the Ohio exit poll, 60 percent of Democratic primary voterssaid Hillary was most qualified to be commander-in-chief, comparedwith 37 percent for Barack Obama. In Texas, she led by 16 points, andin most other states, she led by 10 points or more. She also wonamong those who said the economy was the most important issue - by 12points in Ohio, for example. And in the latest CNN poll, more voterssay Hillary would do a good job on the economy than Barack Obama orJohn McCain.

Finally, in the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, Hillaryleads Barack Obama on strong and decisive leadership, managing thegovernment effectively and having a clear plan for solving thecountry's problems.

See me standing toe to toe,- March 6th

2008-03-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

See me standing toe to toe,-... Helen Reddy, 1971

Wow! I am literally buzzing with energy after this morning's conference call with Terry McAuliffe and Hillary. She was so wonderful, warm, and appreciative even as she is fighting to keep from losing her voice. She has been truly touched by the astonising outpouring of support. You can read the specifics in Bill's letter below that they raised $3 million dollars in the first 24 hours after the three wins.

But, as she expressed her gratitude, you could also hear her sense of responsibilty to be the best candidate and President she can be to repay so many of us for our support now. Then, Terry McAuliffe, the most energized human on the planet, shared his assessment of why she is the must-win candidate for the Democrats.

If you look at a map of the United States, you will see that she has consistently won the big states, which are sometimes referred to as the "Blue" or Democratic states. Obama, with his help from cross-over Republicans, Independents, African-Americans and young people, has won in traditional "Red" or, generally, Republican states. With some give and take, the professionals pretty much expect the states to stay fairly consistent and that means Republicans will take most of the Red states and that the Democrats must take the "Blue" states to win the general - this is where her strength is and this is why she MUST be the nominee if Democrats are to take back the White House.

This gives Obama four to eight more years to gain the maturity he needs to do the job. It is just like we asked when Bush rushed us into war in Iraq - what is the rush?. Ask your Obama supporter friends, what is his rush if we can put our most likely candidate to win in office and he can gain the experience and take over when he is ready. After all, she was the change candidate long before he entered the scene and started copying her themes and proposals. I have her Ready for Change Poster in my window that I got from her campaign before I ever even heard his name.

WHAT IS THE RUSH? Is it so Oprah can run the world? By the way, I am asking every woman and man I know to do a minor thing. Stop watching this woman who's own naked ambition is such that she has thrown the Democratic Party into this craziness. Hillary didn't cause this, Oprah did. And we have the opportunity every day to let Oprah know that. For her candidate, learning and maturing, and taking hard votes when necessary and calling even one hearing when you are the Chair of the Senate oversight committee of Afganistan - a country where the Talibana and Al Quaeda are re-grouping, and not taking money from known hoods, like Rezko, and not playing wink-wink by saying one thing on the campaign and another in private meetings with other countries, like Canada, etc. are all of the growth experiences he needed before running for President.

Click, click, turn Oprah off. Shame on you, Oprah, for trying to buy the Presidency.

I cannot believe that the press are saying that Obama has taken the high road when he has done everything to try to hang Bush's war around her neck and used misleading mailings about her position on NAFTA. Oh, please...The Law of Unintended Consequences again...Maggie Williams said two weeks ago, "Just wait until Ohio, when our movement meets their movement. Fair men and women across the nation are standing up and saying, get the truth out and get the press to level the playing field and give this woman, who has spent a lifetime fighting for all of us, the chance to make this a better world.Go Hillary!

Keep those cards, letters, phone calls and contributions coming! That famous guy, Mo Mentum, is on our side and we will win this thing...

Letter from Bill Clinton:

Did you feel the race shift? Those last few days before Hillary's big wins, could you feel the difference? The crowds, the energy, the momentum of the whole race seemed to be shifting in Hillary's direction. That was you. You fueled Hillary's stunning comeback, and she and I both know that this campaign would not be where it is today without you.

You should be incredibly proud of what you have accomplished. And in the last 24 hours, you did it again, raising an extraordinary $3 million. We worked too hard to get to this point to do anything except drive towards victory in Pennsylvania and beyond. And doubling the $3 million you just raised -- reaching $6 million in 48 hours -- will make it clear to everyone watching that we're playing to win. Give Hillary a head start with another $3 million day. Let me put what you accomplished yesterday in perspective. More than 45,000 of you contributed to Hillary's campaign in the wake of her wins in Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island. You didn't just make her comeback possible.

You are providing the resources it takes to win big races. We need to hit the ground running in Pennsylvania, and thanks to your commitment to Hillary, we are doing exactly that. No one thought we could compete on the air in Ohio and Texas -- but thanks to you, we did. You are making the impossible possible and meeting every challenge. That's just what Hillary will do as president, just so long as we keep working with her to win. Can you help put Hillary in the position to win Pennsylvania with your contribution today? Hitting another $3 million goal in 24 hours will give her a big head start. Contribute now to give Hillary another $3 million day.

I know I speak for Hillary when I tell you that we both know how deep your commitment to her campaign runs. And she is matching that commitment with her effort every day on the campaign trail, because your support deserves nothing less. Thank you so much for everything you are doing to help Hillary win.

Sincerely, Bill Clinton

I am Woman, watch me grow,-

2008-03-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

I am Woman, watch me grow, - Helen Reddy, 1971

Hello all:

I received the following email message from Hillary at 9:03 pm last night. So much for the theory that her campaign is in disarray. She is known widely for those very human touches like a thank you note.

Oh, what a night! Thank goodness for the end to the writer's strike and the return of smart people (writers) to the national media. Yeah to Tina Fey and Saturday Night Live for shaming the national media into taking another look at this guy who came from nowhere and tried to hang George Bush's war around Hillary's neck. Talk about negative campaigning!

And the arrogance of him standing in Austin acting like he didn't just lose three out of four contests...amazing condescension. The sea change has occurred, Barak. So, here is Hillary's message, and below that, a little humor with a point to those who choose to be condescending to women. :-) Enjoy!

From Hillary to all of us:

It's a pretty incredible feeling, isn't it? After our victories tonight we have the momentum, thanks to your will, determination, and hard work.

Some people were ready to count us out. But you and I proved them wrong, just as we have every time they tried to declare this race over prematurely. And we're going to keep showing them exactly what we can do. We're going to do it for everyone across America who's been counted out -- but refused to be knocked out. For everyone who's stumbled -- but stood right back up. And for everyone who works hard -- but never gives up. I hope you enjoy our victories tonight as much as I am.

We won this one together, and that makes it that much better. Thank you so very much for all you have done for our campaign. Let's build on this remarkable momentum. Each and every one of you can make a statement tonight by going to www.hillaryclinton.com Thank you so much for everything you did to make this night possible.

All the best, Hillary

The Female Genie

While trying to escape through Pakistan , Osama Bin Laden found a bottle on
the sand and picked it up.
Suddenly, a female Genie rose from the bottle and with a smile said,
"Master, may I grant you one wish?"
Osama responded, "You ignorant, unworthy Daughter-of- a-flea-bitten camel!
Don't you know who I am? I don't need any common woman giving me anything."
The shocked Genie said, "Please, I must grant you a wish or I will be
returned to that bottle forever."
Osama thought a moment, then grumbled about the impertinence of the woman
and said: "Very well, I want to awaken with three American women in my bed
in the morning. So just do it and be off with you."
The annoyed Genie said, "So be it!" and disappeared.
The next morning Bin Laden woke up in bed with Lorena Bobbitt, Tonya
Harding, and Hillary Clinton at his side.
His penis was gone , his knees were broken,
and he had no health insurance.

And I come back even stronger, not a novice any longer,- cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul,

2008-03-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

And I come back even stronger, not a novice any longer,- cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul, Helen Reddy, 1971

Hello to all of you, particularly, friend, Jen, who writes, "I am keeping the faith and hoping against hope that Hillary’s fortitude and that of the masses of women who spent the past 4 decades of their lives in the trenches, believing in change, that it will happen for HER, and US!!" Thanks to Jen and to the many of you who keep hitting that Contribute button, Hillary will be able to give it her best shot!

As my friend, Pat, said at the beginning of our involvement, "If it doesn't work out this time, it won't be because we didn't do our part." I'm reminded of my mother telling me about the speech that was given at the dedication of the Women's War Memorial in Washington, D. C. only about ten years ago.

What meant a great deal to her was that the women were finally thanked for their service. They were told, "When the call went out for help, you were the ones who stepped up and volunteered." Mom's mother passed away when she was 15 and, as the oldest sister, she had to take up the slack at home, so she gave up a number of opportunities for herself. So, when she heard her country's call, she made the decision, against her father's wishes, to do her part.

After the war, my father came back and they were married, moved to the suburbs, and had five children. She left that segment of her life behind except for the stories she would periodically share with us about taking over the men's job's in the offices of Manhattan so they could go to war. Interestingly enough, in her sixties, she was contacted by and became involved with a group of former NAVY WAVES in Suffolk County on Long Island, who met to enjoy each other and to support the building of the Women's War Memorial.

Now, in her mid-eighties, she still attends their meetings periodically although the group grows smaller every year. I think that group of intelligent and courageous women is one of the great joys of her life as they rightfully celebrate the time they became a part of history by stepping up when the call came.

So, as my friend, Jen says, keep the faith and do your part. If you can make get out the vote calls today, see below for instructions and another Joseph Wilson article on Obama for inspiration, and hopefully the outcome will be positive.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-wilson/obamas-hollow-judgment_b_89441.html

Be well,

From the campaign:

Are you wishing that you were in Ohio or Texas helping out? Don't fret. We have a way for you to make a difference, right from your home. All you need is a computer and a phone and a few free minutes...do it this evening or during your lunch break or before dinner tomorrow, just pledge to help out with 24 calls to voters in Texas and Ohio, in the next 24 hours.

Check out http://www.hillaryclinton.com – all of the instructions are on the home page. You'll get a phone number and a first name of a voter who fits our voter profile, and it's easy as can be. The instructions are simple. Just click on "Make Calls" on Hillary's home page and simple instructions will appear.

It’s so important to make contact with our voters. You can be part of making history, and you don't even have to leave home. Please pass this message onto Hillary's friends and ask them to commit to 24 over 24. We've got 24 hours to make our statement. Please pledge to make 24 calls to get Hillary's voters out in Ohio and Texas, then we cross the Delaware.

Many thanks for all you are doing.

'Cause it only serves to make me more determined to achieve my final goal."

2008-03-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

"'Cause it only serves to make me more determined to achieve my final goal." Helen Reddy, 1971

Helen Reddy's song continues to predict Hillary's response to the vagaries of the campaign. If anything, adversity seems to fire her up. She is everywhere and looks like she is having a great time.

Here are some fun videos: the first two are from this week's Saturday Night Live and, then, you have the YouTube "jack" video.

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=224734 (theMSNBC debate parody)http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=224732 (Hillary)

Jack Nicholson on Hillary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mOa3sXjqE4
This one is fun.

Hillary will be on the Jon Stewart show tonight at 8 pm.

60 minutes on Ohio http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3897988n

Remember to make get out the vote calls if you have the time at www.HillaryClinton.com/makecalls

Right now, the polls say she has Ohio and Texas is a dead heat. Imagine what this race could have been like if the Press had not been biased against her all along. Watching corporate America shove a candidate down our throats just reminds me of that wonderful old film about the future called Rollerball. Four corporations have split up the world and they control and disperse all knowledge. Sound familiar?

All of a sudden. McCain's campaign is now saying that Obama will be the easier of the two to beat.
No surprise here.

Keep the faith...

You Can Bend, But Never Break Me,-...

2008-02-28T13:27:00.000-08:00

You can bend, but never break me,- Helen Reddy, 1971

Hello All:

WOW!!! I just hung up from a conference call with the Clinton campaign and a absolutely energized Terry McAuliffe, Campaign Chairman, announced to over 500 supporters that the Clinton campaign has, just in February alone, RAISED $35,000,000 DOLLARS!

Over 300,000 donors, 200,000 of them new, have made contributions of $5, $10 and $25, averaging $70, to give the campaign twice as much money as had been raised in January, the former highest amount!

"YOU CAN BEND, BUT NEVER BREAK ME".

McAuliffe believes that there is such admiration and support for Hillary, that when America learned that she had dipped into her own pocket, they stepped up to the plate and have been giving at a rate of over $1 million dollars a day ever since. Letters abound from couples who decided to forego Valentine's Day dinner and students who gave up a meal, just to support the Senator in her bid to bring America's pride and prosperity back.

Maggie Williams said that the campaign still needs support to fight the fight to the end, but that they have the resources to take the fight home in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont. There are 16 state contests to go, many of them the big states that Hillary has won consistently in the campaign. Both campaigns agree that neither one can win in Denver without the Super Delegates. They are only 93 delegates apart out of 2700, after his best run, and her delegates, despite press reports, are holding strongly to her with a minor exception here and there.

Harold Ickes said that this is a very tight race and that, up till now, the press has given Obama a pass. Now he expects the press to start to scrutinize him and that will be interesting. Nothing about Hillary is an unknown and virtually everything about Obama is. By the way, for avid supporters, McAuliffe says to turn off the cable stations and their nonsense and forge ahead - we will win!!!

Please see below how you can help push the press to do their jobs and also, the "Smokin' Gun", what you can expect from Obama, based upon his current lack of performance on oversight of Afganistan.

As I have shared with you before, I have just become President of the Newport Beach Women's Democratic Club which has tripled in membership in just one month. Members report being "closet Democrats" in a town where you can lose friends easily by having progressive views. These women are fired up and on the move to stand up and be counted and do whatever it takes to put Bush and his party behind us. We were cautioned last night at our meeting, by a Democratic organizer, to take nothing for granted about a win in November,

That, to me, is the greatest argument of all for Hillary. She has repeatedly beaten the Republican machine and will do it again. So, please read below, and go up on HillaryClinton.com, make whatever donation you can, and join the effort to make calls (both personal and through the website) this weekend to tell voters in those states, particularly Texas and Ohio, why you think that she is the best candidate to win. See below:

THE DEBATE:

Kudos to Hillary in Tuesday's debate for remaining the "fighter" and "embracing her inner B", in spite of the best attempts of biased MSNBC to make a mockery of the concept of professional journalism. Listening to Tim Russert and Chris Matthews talking about "catching her and reeling her flopping into the boat", was a lot like listening in to two dirty old guys in a locker room reveling in their pornographic fantasies.

As I have said before, this is not a Hillary issue, this is a woman issue and this kind of sheer pornographic disrespect for 52% of the population should be met with total scorn and a demand that both of them be censured.

If you agree and are a woman or the son, brother,or father of a woman you respect, please add your voice and tell NBC and MSNBC to stop it immediately. If Matthews called Obama "uppity", as he has done with Hillary, all hell would have broken loose. The link below will connect you to a mechanism to send NBC management how you feel.

Remember, " All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men (women) to do nothing."

Link to NBC management:

http://emilyslist.org/news/send_msnbc_letter

OBAMA - Chair of sub-committee with oversight of Afganistan

This is the smoking gun of the Obama candidacy and the single most telling piece of information about this person since the campaign has begun. Obama could have (should have) held oversight hearings on Afganistan - indeed THAT WAS HIS JOB - and he hasn't held one!

THIS IS THE GREATEST OUTRAGE I HAVE HEARD IN THE ENTIRE CAMPAIGN!

When are his supporters going to wake up and see that they have been hoodwinked? If you care about electing a President who will do the job we need done, 1. read the campaign's comments below, 2. click on the link to the U-tube clip on the debate, and 3. join those of us who really want change in America in making those calls that will put Texas and Ohio in the big state win category. (Instructions below.)
Warmly,
Suzanne

The Clinton campaign says the following:

Barack Obama has presented himself as a unique political figure who says what he means and does what he says. Last night, we saw a glimpse of the real Barack Obama -- the Barack Obama who became chair of a national security subcommittee, put it on his resume, but did not hold a single oversight hearing because he was too busy running for President; the Barack Obama who spends his time talking about change you can believe in instead of change you actually can count on.

Given the opportunity to take the reins of leadership and shape two critical areas of U.S. foreign policy -- Afghanistan and our alliances in Europe -- Senator Obama has done next to nothing. As chairman of a key Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee, Senator Obama had an opportunity to assert his leadership and set an agenda for America to help address the war in Afghanistan and strengthen some of our most important alliances.

But by his own admission, he was too busy running for President to conduct a single substantive hearing of the committee he chairs. So he would rather talk about what he would do rather than do it through the responsibility he had. Hillary Clinton doesn't just WANT the job of President. She wants TO DO the job or President. How can we tell what Barack Obama would be like as president if he did not carry out his responsibility here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIfYkmieurw

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I Am Strong,- I Am Invincible,- I Am Woman...

2008-02-27T13:39:00.000-08:00

I am Strong,- I am Invincible, -I am Woman... Helen Reddy. 1971

Wow! What a week! Tina Fey for Vice-President! With the end of the writer's strike came the return of some of our most insightful minds and they have quickly turned their attention to some of the most egregious behaviors of these past months.

Tina Fey, writer and star of 30 Rock on NBC, returned to her original home at Saturday Night Live and skewered the completely biased reporters at CNN who were shown fawning over Barack Obama and completely ignoring Hillary. Then "Barack" goes on to make a speech on why journalists can now say, "Yes, we can," to giving only their own biased opinion rather than objective or neutral news. Enjoy!

Democratic Debate
Obama and Hillary face off http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=221776

But, that wasn't even close to the best skit of the evening. Apparently, Tina and SNL were as offended by the anti-woman attacks that have been used as a justification to move away from Hillary. I was outraged by the LA Times Op-Ed piece providing the ultimate junior high rationale of not being able to vote for Hillary because she is the classic "Good Girl", who, will not let us screw around if she is in charge. Unfortunately, such infantile rationales really are being used to make the most important civic decision of the year by some true "mental midgets".

While I am annoyed by this, I also have to laugh when I remember that the "good girl" in question, not only takes care of everyone as good girls do, but she also goes to bed at night with arguably the sexiest man on the planet. Good girls rule!!! It appears, though, that women leaders always have to fight both sides of this bigotry. While some hate her because she is too good; if she tries to defend herself aggressively, she is called a "bitch".

Well, Tina Fey tackles this one full on and she could not have done a better job! ;-) Viciously biased Tim Russert smugly disparaged Hillary for not picking one message and sticking to it this week. Well, Tim, I think that Tina Fey named that message. Call Barack on the two-faced behavior of speaking on the high road and pulling Karl Rove tactics in his attacks on Hillary's healthcare and NAFTA positions. Show him up for the substanceless revival hall preacher that he is.

Fight like hell and you go, girl!!!

Does this make her a BITCH? You bet and just like all of those teachers and strong women Tina cites(SEE LINK BELOW), hopefully, she will finally own it and be embraced for it by women, just like men embrace strength in other men.
As Tina shouts in the end of her bit, "BITCH IS THE NEW BLACK!!!"

Tina Fey on Update
Tina returns to Weekend Update http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=221773

Or, as the great t-shirt, introduced to me by my friend, Ohioan Sylvia Hines, says, "Well-behaved women seldom change the world!" Go, Hillary!

Embrace your inner bitch ...I Am Woman....

If I Have To, I Can Do Anything...

2008-02-24T15:15:00.000-08:00

If I Have To, I Can Do Anything... Helen Reddy, 1971

Growing Up

It is becoming abundantly clear that something fundamental is taking place in the epic struggle that is the Democratic Primary. Family members are pitted against each other: husband vs. wife, mother vs. daughter. It was painful to watch on PBS's Bill Moyer show, the tension between 1960's feminist Lettie Cottin Pogrebin and her daughter, with the bewildered mother decrying the daughter's "abandonment of the first viable woman candidate for President vs. a "wet-behind-the -ears candidate".

Op-ed pundits are outdoing themselves in an attempt to provide the right metaphor. TA Frank in the 3/24 L A Times examines the old/young, experience/hope, and Mac/PC metaphor choices and then focuses on Barack Obama's personal choice: Moses/Joshua. In extending this metaphor, Obama shouts, that "we are the ones we're waiting for". But as Frank points out, what follows in the Bible is that, with one exception, every living thing in Jericho is destroyed as a result. Frank then ends his op-ed piece, with an extraordinarily cavalier comment, "Hey, no metaphor needs to be perfect."

To those of us weaned on the, "He who does not understand history is doomed to repeat it" point of view, this reaction is pure junior high school rather than grown-up journalist on the part of the Editor of the Washington Monthly. Almost as juvenile as the "Too Good To Win" op-ed piece by Joel Stein in the same paper on Feb, 22nd. Stein whines that Hillary cannot win because she is the classic good girl. Good girls are, says Stein, the "People who will clean up the messes created by people like me, who will do the hard detail work and, most important, who will get really upset whenever the rest of us do anything fun."

This may be the "ah ha" moment for those of us who have been at a loss to explain the appeal of Obama, who to us is the epitome of the young flim-flam man. He has no record, no substance and no experience, and even his supporters are at a loss to provide the basis for their support, besides "hope". For the rest of us, still smarting at an electorate who decided to vote in George Bush twice because he was the "candidate I'd most like to have a beer with...", are deeply concerned. The consequences of such a cavalier and juvenile attitude to electing our leader have lead us to a disastrous economy. endless war, pre-emptive strike model, worldwide disrespect, and the diminishment of the very middle class which powered the success of this country. But, at least, so far, we have avoided Joshua's outcome. But, it is what is at stake.

My professor, Neil Postman, decried the dumbing down of America in his classic book, "Amusing Ourselves to Death". Not only do the young voters rushing to Obama have a lack of knowledge of history, they are being package fed the candidacy for President as a horse race without consequence by a profit and ratings-mad media. The Obama campaign is feeding them a rock star in a revival tent, rather than a serious contender for the job of the person who must protect the human race from annihilating itself as more rogue states gain nuclear capability.

My mentor, Carl Sagan, produced THE COSMOS series because he believed that democracy could only survive with an educated electorate who could make thoughtful choices at the polling place. Carl believed that television could serve a role in providing the electorate with the knowledge needed the make the right choice in a world, as he put it, "...where we are up to our knees in gasoline and we are lighting matches".

During the past eight years of the macho, militaristic posturing of the Bush Administration, I have heard many people ask plaintively, "Where are the adults?" Well, my mentors were the adults and, I'm sure, they are rolling in their graves at our junior high school mentality over this election.

And, yes, in this election of the "good girl vs. the flim-flam, rock star, boy-man", Hillary is the adult. And, she may just expect you to step up to the plate and do what you should do. Let's face it, all civilization was and is built on the shoulders of the "good girls" who bore you, fed you, raised you, healed you, served you, loved you and kept you safe.

The risks are low in junior high school. It is time to grow up. The stakes are enormous. As John Kennedy, whom Obama resembles not in the slightest, said, "Either war is obsolete, or people are." So, Joel Stein, when your children are facing radiation sickness because of the mistakes of a well-meaning, but un-seasoned flim-flam man, you tell them again why you voted against the Good Girl.

Yes, I paid the price, - but look how much I gained...

2008-02-19T17:08:00.000-08:00

"Yes, I paid the price,- but look how much I gained..." Helen Reddy, 1971

I have been fascinated to see the revival of the feminist movement, not in response to Hillary's candidacy because that was just a natural legacy of all that work over the past decades. No, the revival is in direct response to the ugly and unfair media coverage about Senator Clinton's efforts. Since the 1970's, truly denigrating sexist comments have been out of favor and have been considered unacceptable behavior in polite conversation and illegal in the workplace. The management at NBC Television and other major media outlets have apparently not communicated that to Chris Matthews and his ilk and the return of that kind of abusive language has created clicks or re-clicks all over America.

I remember clearly the process through which I became a feminist in 1970. Of course, I was fortunate to have two parents who said you can be anything you want to be and I had read Betty Friedan's provocative book, The Feminine Mystique. I raced down to Bryant Park on the day my husband and I were moving into our first apartment in Manhattan. I knew history (or herstory ;-)) was being made that day as Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, and others marched down 5th Avenue to the rally in the park behind the New York Public Library. I ran into the park just in time to hear Friedan saying, "Men are not our enemy; women who teach their sons not to respect women are." At that stage, I was still an interested onlooker. It took the next three months to turn me into a lifelong feminist.

In the 1950's, girls experienced different treatment from boys - I remember being confused about why my brothers could play Little League ball, but no teams existed for girls. But, they had to put out the garbage and lift heavy things, so I accepted a separate, but equal model throughout my school years,
But, after I graduated in 1969 and spent one year teaching, my husband and I were now living in New York City and I was ready to take my place in the larger world. Excitedly, I read the ad for an entry position at TWA headquarters and applied for the job, only to be told at the interview that my qualifications were exactly what they were looking for and, if I were only male, I would have had the job, ATT told me that I couldn't have the job because I would quit to have babies and company after company blatantly told me the same thing - it wasn't illegal then.

I did land a horrible job in a personnel agency and dejectedly walked past Hunter College and decided to check out the requirements for a master's degree. By the end of my first interview with the department chair, I was offered an adjunct professorship and graduate fellowship. I had been so beaten down by the sexism I experienced that it took an effort to remember the impressive credentials I had brought into those interviews with me. I spent the seventies working my way up to a full-time Assistant Professor position while earning my master's and Ph.D. degrees (while also the mother of two children) only to receive a check from a class action lawsuit that found that the City University of New York was so egregiously discriminatory (the higher you went the fewer women, etc.) that just the fact that I was female guaranteed that I had been denied equal treatment. So many female professors filed law suits with the Equal Employment Commission, that it was the one group that was forced to file class actions.

Over the next decades, feminists used the courts and legislation to right wrongs and gain opportunities for women. Many things improved and women gained admission to schools, funding for athletics and diversity programs in companies. My husband and I moved to Los Angeles to work with Carl Sagan during the COSMOS series. Ken became one of the rocket scientists who brought you Saturn, Jupiter, our boat's namesake, the asteroid, GASPRA, and Neptune. I started my own management consulting firm and was fortunate to teach training and management skills to US companies reeling from the onslaught of Japanese management.

Even though I became President of Glendale Soroptimists, a business group pledged to the best for women and the Glendale YWCA, renowned for its domestic violence program, my focus, like that of many dedicated feminists, turned elsewhere. There were ominous signs though. When I joined the faculty of the business school at USC, my students asked if I'd be the faculty sponsor of an undergraduate women's club so they could give each other the support they were not receiving in the classroom. Professor Carol Gilligan, at NYU, in reporting on the women's vote in 2004, found that 25% of the women working in 2000, were no longer in the work force. In increasing numbers, women were burning out as they found male corporate cultures difficult to reconcile with their female instincts. And, the arrogant, macho mentality of the Bush Administration and the Bully-In-Chief flew in the face of the enlightened model of collaborative progressivism practiced by the Clintons. We thought everyone who grew up during the Mutually Assured Destruction cold war had learned JFK's lesson, "Either war is obsolete or people are." Not so, for Bush.

Great social movements run out of steam once they have accomplished their goals. We had done it. Real opportunity existed for our daughters and our sons admired and married women who were strong, equal partners. And, finally, here was Hillary giving a serious run at the Presidency. And, then, it began. Vicious diatribes by spittle spewing pundits who mocked and made fun of a United States Senator because she was a woman. Snide locker room comments and one sided commentary that consistently diminished her accomplishments. The funny thing is that the movement being re-ignited would not have occurred if the contest was being played out on a level playing field. Indeed, that was all women have ever wanted. But, the extreme bias and unfair coverage have combined to do the very thing the pundits least expected. In Chaos Theory, the Law of Unintended Consequences suggests that the fluttering of a butterfly's wings in China can set off a series of events that can lead to the formation of a hurricane on the other side of the planet. So it is with social movements. The right reason for feminism to re-form might have been the growth of fundamentalist movements worldwide. Whether the larger group is Muslim, Mormom or Baptist, fundamentalism always has at its core the denigration of the freedom of women. But, no. The return of the clicks turned on the unfairness of the American Press Corps, male and female. What irony! See below, the manifesto of feminists nationwide and the new women's media watch website. Feminists - older, wiser, richer and more powerful - the new game in town. Should be interesting... "Yes, I paid the price,- but look how much I gained..

Christine Stansell
Feminists for Clinton
Posted February 15, 2008 05:41 PM (EST) The Huffington Post
We are women who support Hillary Clinton for the presidency of the United States. We do so because we believe that she will be the best president for the entire country. And as feminists, we also believe that Clinton is the best choice for attending to issues of special importance to women.
because it's time for feminists to say that Senator Obama has no monopoly on inspiration. We are among the millions of women and men who have been moved to action by her. Six months ago, some of us were committed to her candidacy, some of us weren't, but by now we all find ourselves passionately supporting her. Brains, grace under pressure, ideas, and the skill to make them real: we call that inspiring. The restoration of good government after eight years of devastation, a decent foreign policy with ties to world leaders repaired, withdrawal from Iraq and universal health care: we call that exciting. And the record to prove that she can and will stand up to the swift-boating that will come any Democratic nominee's way: we call that absolutely necessary.
Clinton's enormous contributions as Senator, public servant, spokesperson for better family policies and the needs of hard-pressed women and children are widely known and recognized -- even by her opponent. Her powerful, inspiring advocacy of the human rights of women at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 was heralded around the world as a stunning departure from the normal anodyne role of First Lady. Corporate special interests managed to defeat the health care program she advocated in 1994, and her own leadership opened the plan to attack. But she kept on fighting, acknowledging her mistakes, and in ensuing years she succeeded in winning expanded coverage for children. Now she has crafted the only sensible and truly universal health care proposal before the voters.
On the Iraq war, many of us believe she made a major mistake in voting for Joint Resolution 114 in 2002 -- along with the 28 other Democratic senators, including John Edwards and John Kerry. But we also note that her current opponent, when asked about that resolution in 2004, responded that he did not know how he would have voted had he been in Congress then. We do not know either. But we do know that at the time, his opposition to the war carried no risks and indeed, promised to pay big dividends in his liberal Democratic district.
Now, the two candidates have virtually the same plan for withdrawal from Iraq. And on the critical, broader issues of foreign policy, we believe that Senator Clinton is far more consistent, knowledgeable, modest, and realistic -- stressing intense diplomacy on all questions and repairing our ties with world leaders.
We are keenly aware that much is at stake -- not just on national and international security, but on the economy, universal health care, the environment, and more. Our country needs a president who knows the members and workings of Congress, and has a proven record on Capitol Hill of persuading sympathizers, bringing along fence-sitters, and disarming opponents. There is an irony in her opponent's claim to be able to draw in Republicans, while dismissing her proven record of working with them as a legislator. We need a president who understands how to make changes real, from small things like the predatory student loan industry to large things like the Middle East. Hillary Clinton has the experience, knowledge and wisdom to deal with this wide range of issues.
Our country also needs a president who has a thorough mastery of "details" --yes, details -- after eight years of Bush and Cheney. The job of restoring good government is overwhelming, and will require more than "inspiration" to accomplish it. We believe that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Justice Department, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, the Environmental Protection Agency, and many more can be restored to full and effective functioning only by a president who understands their scope, regulations, personnel, problems and history. Knowing these "details" and acting on them are essential to begin the healing and recuperation of the country.
How many of us have heard brilliant and resourceful women in the workplace dismissed or devalued for "detail-orientation" in contrast to a man's supposed "big picture" scope? How many of us have seen what, in a man, would be called "peerless mastery," get called, in a woman's case, "narrowness"? How many women have we known -- truly gifted workers, professionals, and administrators -- who have been criticized for their reserve and down-to-earth way of speaking? Whose commanding style, seriousness, and get-to-work style are criticized as "cold" and insufficiently "likable"? These prejudices have been scandalously present in this campaign.
With all this in mind, we believe that Hillary Clinton is the best candidate for president, because she is the surest to remove the wreckage and secure the future. Politics is not magic. Hillary Clinton as president promises what government at its best can truly offer: wise decision-making and lasting change.

Ellen Carol DuBois, Professor of History, University of California, Los Angeles
Christine Stansell, Distinguished Service Professor, University of Chicago
Gloria Steinem, writer, New York City
Michele Wallace , Professor of English, Women's Studies and Film Studies, City College of New York and CUNY Graduate Center
Faith Ringgold, artist and Professor Emeritus of Art, UC San Diego
Robin Morgan, writer, New York City
Janet Holmgren, President, Mills College
Deborah Nelson, Director, Center for Gender Studies, University of Chicago
Jennifer Baumgardner, writer, New York City
Peg Yorkin,, Chair, Feminist Majority Foundation, Beverly Hills, CA
Heidi Hartmann, President, Institute for Women's Policy Research, Washington, DC
Catherine Stimpson, Professor, New York University
Judith B. Walzer, former Provost and Professor of Literature, The New School, New York City
Margot Canaday, Society of Fellows, Princeton University
Ellen Chesler, Director, Eleanor Roosevelt Initiative at Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute, Hunter College, CUNY
Blanche Wiesen Cook, Professor of History, John Jay College and Graduate Center/CUNY, New York City
Sonya Michel, Professor of History, University of Maryland, College Park
Alice Echols, Associate Professor. University of Southern California, Department of English Vivian Gornick, writer, New York City
Wendy W. Williams, Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center
Carol Berkin, Presidential Professor of History, Baruch College & The Graduate Center, CUNY
Morgan Lawley, film director, Los Angeles
Clare Coss, playwright, NYC
Jean Baker, Professor of History, Goucher College
Batya Weinbaum, Writer, Empire State College, Saratoga Springs, NY
Ellen McCormack, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Chicago
Deirdre Bair, biographer, NYC
Esther Rothblum, Professor of Women's Studies, San Diego State University
Amy Richards, writer, New York City
Ann Snitow, Eugene Lang College
Megan Marshall, biographer, Boston, MA
Irene Tinker, Professor Emerita, University of California Berkeley
Kristen Timothy Lankester, former United Nations Deputy Director for Women's Rights
Florence Howe, Publisher, Feminist Press at CUNY, NYC
Cynthia Harrison, Associate Professor of History, Women's Studies, and Public
Policy, The George Washington University
Gloria Feldt, writer
Laura Karpman, Film composer , UCLA, Los Angeles
Anne K. Mellor, Distinguished Professor of English, University of California, Los Angeles
Beth Baron, Professor of History, City College and Graduate Center, City University of New York
Marilyn Boxer, Professor of History, San Francisco State University
Ellen McCormack, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Chicago
Marjorie J. Spruill, Professor of History, The University of South Carolina
Louise W. Knight, biographer, Evanston, IL
Karen Offen, historian, Stanford, CA
Claire Moses, University of Maryland
Marla Stone, Professor of History, Occidental College
Carrie Menkel-Meadow, A.B. Chettle Jr. Professor of Law, Dispute Resolution and
Civil Procedure, Georgetown University Law Center
Judy Lerner, International Committee of Peace Action at the United Nations
Carmen Delgado Votaw, President, Pan American Liaison Committee of Women's Organizations, Bethesda, MD Rochelle G. Ruthchild, Professor Emerita, The Union Institute and University,
Cincinatti, OH
Chin Jou, graduate student, Princeton University
Abby Arnold, Santa Monica, CA
Roberta McCutcheon, Chair, History Department, Trevor Day School, New York City
Helen Tilley, Assistant Professor, History Department and African Studies, Princeton
University
Linda Frank, Graduate Student, UCLA
Barbara Gershen, Program Manager, Program in the Study of Women and Gender, Princeton University
Vivian Endicott Barnett, New York City
Barbara Gault, Silver Spring, MD
Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D., Clinical professor of psychiatry, UC/San Francisco
Beverly Wildung Harrison, NYC
Anne Goodwyn Jones, Whichard Distinguished Professor in the Humanities, East
Carolina University
Dr. Marcia Synnott, Professor of History Emerita, University of South Carolina
Dr. Judith S. Weis, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University
Maribel Morey, JD, graduate student, Princeton University
Cynthia Boiter, Lecturer in Women's Studies, University of South Carolina
Nancy P. Moore, South Carolina
Alida Black, Editor, Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, George Washington University
Artemis March, Director, The Quantum Lens, Cambridge, MA
Sandra F. VanBurkleo, Assoc. Prof. of History; Adjunct Prof. of Law, Wayne State
University
Linda Stein, New York City
Lauren Sklaroff, Assistant Professor of History, University of South Carolina
Greta Krippner, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Michigan
Heather Arnet, Pittsburgh, PA
Mary Shorba, Chaplain, Phoenix Hospice, Mendocino County, CA
Linda Jupiter, Jupiter Productions, Fort Bragg, CA
Jean Twitty, Republican officeholder, Springfield, MO
Suzanne Roberts, Columbia, South Carolina
Susan Deller Ross, Professor of Law, Georgetown University
Carter Heyward, Cambridge, MA
Susanne Smith, Principal of Student Services, Spackenkill Union Free School District, Poughkeepsie, NY
Pamela Ellen Ferguson, Austin, TX
Lois Rudnick, Chair, American Studies Dept., University of Massachusetts/ Boston
Cynthia Burack, Associate Professor of Women's Studies, The Ohio State University
Chocolate Waters, New York City
Glenna Mathews, Visiting Scholar, Starr King School for the Ministry, Berkeley, CA
Laurie Swindler, Normal, IL
Jayne Baron Sherman, New York City
Marianne C. Fahs, Professor of Urban Public Health, Hunter College, City University of New York.
Fran Diamond, California League of Conservation Voters, Los Angeles
Linda Lucks, President, Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, Los Angeles
Sally Miller Gearhart, writer, San Francisco
Tobe Levin, University of Maryland in Europe, Frankfurt, Germany
Sheriden Thomas, Tufts University, Medford, MA
Kathryn Yandell, Professor Emerita, Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, TX
Holly Elliott, Washington D.C.
Jane Gurko, Professor of English, San Francisco State University
Marlene Springer, President Emerita, College of Staten Island
Dr. Susan Corso, Somerville, MA,
Margaret Sears, Essex, MA.
Manette van Hamel, Woodstock NY
M. J. Bridge, , Alexandria, VA
Claire Reed, New York City
Kate Black, Willits, California
Keithe Bisnett, Cathedral City, CA
Naomi Williams, Encinitas, CA
Rose Mary Mitchell, San Francisco
Zoe Ann Nicholson, President, Pacific Shore, CA NOW
Jenny Warburg, Durham, NC
Anita Taylor, Professor Emerita, George Mason University, Fairfax VA
Jan Levy, New York City
Donna Deitch, Desert Heart Productions. Venice, CA
Beth Holmgren, Professor, Duke University
Daysi Morey,, Miami, FLA
duVergne R. Gaines, Los Angeles
Mary Lee Warner, Radio Kansas Public Radio, Lawrence, Kansas
Margaret Moore, Director, National Center for Women and Policing, Feminist Majority Foundation, Los Angeles
Michele Kort, Journalist, Los Angeles
Sandra Saathoff, Medical Lake, WA
Linda Fowler, Asheville, NC
Dorothy Haecker, San Antonio, Texas
Melissa Sue Kort, Professor of English, Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa CA
Valerie Fields, Member, Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education
Linda Hunt Beckman, Professor of English, Emeritus, Ohio University, Athens, OH
Kate Ullman, Palm Desert, CA
Margaret Blanchard, Professor Emerita, Graduate Studies, Vermont College of Union
Institute & University
Lesley Stein, Bradenton, FL
Susan Rennie, Emerita Professor, Vermont College of the Union Institute, Montpelier
Kathleen Herrington, Montpelier, VT
Judy Murphy, State Coordinator, Vermont NOW
Ruth Cooper Reidbord, American Institute of Certified Planners, Pittsburgh, PA
Linda Boyd Kavars, Editor, Inside/Out, New Paltz, NY
Kristin L. Bishop, Chair, Women's Political Action Network, Riverside County, CA
Karen Storey, President, SuccessStory, Inc., Palm Springs, CA
Sally Apfelbaum, New York City
Anne Cognetto, Hudson Valley, NY
Lauren Levy, Catskill, NY
Elizabeth W. Oakman, Columbia, SC
Patricia Wilson, Ossining, NY
Rona Fields, Washington, D.C.
Barbara Ottaviani, Hunter College, New York City
Jane Dreher Emerson, Columbia, SC
Veena Talwar Oldenburg, Professor of History, Baruch College and Graduate Center/CUNY, New York City
Deanne Upson, Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth Quinn, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY
Nancy Moore, Folly Beach, SC
Stephanie Rex, Slippery Rock, PA
Joyce Berkman, University of Massachusetts/ Amherst
Lisa M. Brennan, Stratford, CT
Victoria M. Capozzi Stratford, CT
Jan Whitman, Director, Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY
Heidi Li Feldman, Professor of Law, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Georgetown
University
Katheleen Loughlin, Professor of History, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN
Mollie Camp Davis, Professor Emerita, Queens University, Charlotte, NC
Lupe Anguiano, Director, Stewards of the Earth, Oxnard, CA
Marie Deyoe, Schenectady,
Lucia Petrulli, Belmont, MA
Vivian A S Power, Mendocino College, Ukiah, CA
Corin R. Swift, Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Syd Whalley, Executive Director, Western Center of Law and Poverty, Vallejo, CA
Shauna Lani James, Government Department, Harvard University
Sharon Isbin, The Julliard School, NYC
Ana I. Schwartz, Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Texas/ El Paso
Sandra R. Levitsky, Department of Sociology, University
of Michigan
Sally Schindel Cone, Greensboro, NC
Rachel Lulov Segall, New York City
Patty Mooney, Crystal Pyramid Productions, San Diego CA
Mary Warshaw, Beaufort, SC
M. Junior Bridge, Alexandria, VA
Nina Sundell, NYC
Nieves M. Zaldivar, M.D., Delmarva Foundation, Washington, DC
Pat Cohen, Farmingdale State College, Farmingdale, NY
Liz Snow, NYC
Marion Browning-Baker, Portsmouth, VA
Margaret McKean, Associate Professor of Political Science, Duke University
Adele W. Miccio, Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and
Disorders, The Pennsylvania State University
Angie Sadeghi M.D. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los
Angeles
Barbara Helmick, Washington DC
Barbara Bonfigli, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Bethany C. Tronsky, New York City
Carole Emberton, Assistant Professor of History, SUNY-Buffalo
Carrie Bills,Green Mango Real Estate, Austin, Texas
Charlene Ellis, East Dummerston, Vermont
Christine Steiner, Los Angeles, CA
Ellen Gavin, Brava/Theater Center, San Francisco
Esther Rothblum, Ph.D., Professor of Women's Studies, San Diego State University
Gail Rogers, Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
Janet Sunter, Molecular Virology, University of Texas at San Antonio
Susan Swinney, Colchester, Connecticut
Mia Mildred Yang, Colchester, Connecticut
Judith Kroll, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Linguistics, and Women's Studies
Pennsylvania State University
Julie Young, Santa Barbara, CA
Kathy Weber, Artistic Environments, Santa Monica CA
Rabbi Leila Gal Berner, Dept. of Religion, George Washington University, Washington
D.C.
Kirsten Grimsad, Professor, Antioch University Los Angeles
Gay Cheney, Browns Summit, NC
Kathleen Daugherty, Newport Beach, CA
Jo Oppenheimer, NYC
Wendy L. Kahn, Washington, D.C.
Paola Dussias, Department of Spanish, Italian, Pennsylvania State University
Mitt Seeley, Topanga CA
Judith G. Miller, French Department, New York University
Elisa Gonzalez, San Antonio, TX.
Stephanie A. Shields, Professor of Psychology & Women's Studies, The Pennsylvania State University
Donna Fairfield, Greensboro, N.C.
Juanita Castro, Miami, FLA
Jane Kinney-Denning , Pace University, NYC
Barbara Posner Beltrami, Setauket, NY
Jan Doerler, Vermont Woman newspaper, South Burlington, VT
Ashley Bogosian, NYC
Carolyn J. Brown, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Daphne Uviller, writer, NYC
Gretchen Gross, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Vermont
Manuela Soares, Pace University, NYC
Daniela Gioseffi, writer, NYC
Kay F. Turner, Performance Studies, Tisch School/ NYU, NYC
Miriam Grace Monfredo, writer , Rochester, NY
Eileen Kessler, OmniStudio, Inc., Washington DC
Judith Johnson, Professor Emerita, English and Women's Studies , SUNY/Albany
Beverly Salerno, North Caldwell, NJ
Deborah Siegel, Woodhull Institute, Ancramdale, NY
Kathleen J. Hancock, University of Texas, San Antonio
Eileen Andrade, University of California /Berkeley
Carolyn T. Green, Executive Director, Piedmont Senior Care, Greensboro NC
Elaine D. Ingulli, Professor of Business Law & Women's Studies, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
Marilyn E. Vito, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
Dorothy Goldeen, President, Dorothy Goldeen Art Advisory.
Pam Turkett, Piedmont Senior Care, Greensboro NC
Frances Sjoberg, Literary Director, University of Arizona Poetry Center, Tucson, AZ
Mary Anne Ferguson, Professor Emerita, English and Women's Studies, University
of Massachusetts/Boston
Geri Critchley, Washington, DC
Lisa Mullenneaux, Penington Press, NYC
Jil Clark, Boston, MA, Albany, NY
Lily Rivlin, NYC
Carol Leung, Texas Teachers Retirement System
Judith Lorber, Professor Emerita, Graduate Center and Brooklyn College, CUNY, NYC
Dorothy O. Helly, The City University of New York
Jillian Denby, artist, NYC
Stacy J. Mara, Little Chute, WI
Adrienne Marcus, Lexington Center for Recovery, Hudson Valley, NY
Karla Tonella, Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Iowa
Jane Augustine, writer, NYC
Barbara Marks,, Professor Emeritus, UCLA School of Theater, Film, Television &
Jacqueline R. Kinney, Attorney, California Legislature
Deniz Ozan-George, Refugee Services Coordinator, MA Office for Refugees and Immigrants, Boston, MA
Maria Meilan, NYC
Elisabeth Prugl, Associate Professor, Department of International Relations, Florida International
University, Miami
Terry Weaver, Greensboro, NC
Diana Festa, NYC
Pat Ashbrook, Flagstaff, AZ

Women's media center website:www.womensmediacenter.com

Oh, Yes, I Am Wise, But It's wisdom Born of Pain...

2008-02-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

Oh, yes, I am wise, but it's wisdom born of pain... Helen Reddy, 1971

The oft-quoted saying, "All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men (women) to say nothing," seems very pertinent considering the blatant misogyny and sexism being tolerated by what used to be one of the most respected news organizations in the world - NBC News.

To allow Chris Matthews to call it knee-capping when the Clinton campaign rightfully demands an apology from his colleague's use of the word "pimping" to describe Chelsea Clinton just makes it clear that NBC management is condoning behavior, which if aimed at Barack Obama's daughter would have gotten him fired.

In an outrageous use of any attack that would get them ratings, MSNBC is out-foxing Fox in their disregard for what is news and their unconscionable personal attacks on Hillary Clinton. While ignoring the fact that she won the New Mexico Presidential Primary, they and other media continue the drumbeat for Obama, regardless of his lack of credentials. This is the same drumbeat the media used to help George Bush rush us into war. After all, war and the public flogging of women bring ratings...

Even worse, those who position themselves as defenders of the downtrodden have not uttered a sound. Howard Dean, where are you? It is becoming increasingly clear that SEXISM is in full play in this election.

My former colleague at USC, the brilliant Dr. Kathleen Reardon has written a very insightful article on just this problem below. Following that article, my Washington DC cousin gives her take on the Potomac Primaries.

Silence Is Assent: What the Democratic Party Apparently Thinks of Women

Posted February 15, 2008 10:52 AM (EST) ! Huffington Blog

Who could have predicted how much a presidential race in the 21st Century would damage women's progress? When Betty Friedan and I taught classes together in the mid 1990s, she'd moved beyond The Feminine Mystique to what she called "the second stage," a time when men and women would reconcile their differences so all might benefit. Were she alive today, she'd be shocked and furious at the deplorable way in which Hillary Clinton's campaign is being used by the media as an excuse to slap women back into what my very much "steamed" 83-year-old mother-in-law, Connie, described yesterday as "our supposed place." Were Betty around now, she'd be shouting before even entering my car, asking me why my generation wasn't doing more. Why we're allowing this to happen?

Part of the problem is that Hillary is running against a very popular Barack Obama. To stand up against media demeaning of his opponent takes a level of sportsmanship by his supporters we're willing to teach our children in soccer and baseball but apparently unwilling to expect of ourselves. "I'm for Barack Obama, so I must be OK with despicable attacks on Hillary" is how too many people think. These, no doubt, are the same people who will expect a rush to Barack's side by Hillary supporters should he win the nomination. They'll be saying, "Put it behind us and let's move on. Get over it."

Not so fast. During a recent radio interview I said that were Barack to win the nomination, he'd have my vote. But with each day the Democratic Party is losing its appeal. And I'm far from the only one thinking this way. Where are senior Democrats calling for civility at least from their own members? How about a letter from them to the corporate media culprits? Where is Howard Dean? Why didn't Ted Kennedy bother to give a noticeable nod to women and their struggle to see one of their own become president before his ecstatic leap into the Obama camp? Wouldn't he have acted differently if he'd thrown his support the other way? Why does it take people outside the party and even opposed to Clinton to decry insults to her body, her face, and her every move?I'd like to know, too, if Barack Obama really stands for change, why this Democratic race is more of the same in terms of demeaning women so men might advance. There are times when silence is assent -- and this is one of them. I'm not suggesting he come to Hillary's aid. I'm suggesting he comport himself as the agent of change he so confidently claims to be.Barack isn't to blame for the nastiness. But he's hardly denounced it. Many of his supporters revel in it. I've written about political courage, most recently in the Harvard Business Review. And this isn't it.Corporate owned media flinging vile attacks at Senator Clinton should elicit from Senator Obama as much disdain as corporate lobbyists do. But he gives the former a pass at great expense to women -- those who notice and those who haven't yet.Each rung of the ladder onerously constructed and climbed by women in the past and present is being damaged by the current Democratic presidential race. I knew things weren't perfect -- that we weren't in any sense solidly in the second stage. I just didn't think vile media attacks on Hillary that resonate for all women would go largely unchallenged by the Democratic Party -- that people supposedly on the side of equal regard for all would be, by their silence, little better than those on the attack.If a vote for the Democratic Party means condoning incivility toward women and giving the most vile in the media and ones who take their lead from them free, unchallenged reign, then the Democratic Party is a shadow of its former self -- and may indeed be deservedly so in numbers before the vicious game they've condoned is over.
Dr. Reardon blogs at bardscove.com

POTOMAC PRIMARIES

My Washington D C cousin writes in utter disgust with the outcome of the Potomac Primaries,

" Virginia will not allow a woman to be top dog. Mary Sue Terry was Attorney General for Virginia for 8 years,but anything higher? They used underhanded attacks on her sexuality and would rather have George Allen. A man whose only claim to fame is that his father was the coach of the Redskins.Let's look at Maryland. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. She had been Attorney General of Maryland, Lieutenant Governor for 8 years. Rather then elect the first woman governor of Maryland, Marylanders decided to elect the first Republican in 40 years to the governorship.

What about DC? In the 90s we had Sharon Pratt Kelly. She was the person elected after Marion Barry was busted smoking crack in a hotel room with a woman not his wife. She served the city well, but when DC was given the choice of reelecting her and electing a crack abusing womanizer, they chose to reelect Marion Barry.

Given the choice between any man and a woman, all three states have consistantly chosen the man. I think that says a lot about more about the Potomac Primaries than anything that is being said by the media."

No one's ever gonna keep me down again...

2008-02-15T15:36:00.000-08:00

"No one's ever gonna keep me down again" Helen Reddy

What a great Valentine's Day for Hillary! She wins in New Mexico and the polls find her way up in Ohio, Texas and Pennslyvania. (see below)

It horrifies me that the major news media ran headlines over one superdelegate changing his vote for Obama and didn't even have one full story on Hillary winning one of the states in the union! I continue to hear from women all over the country who feel strongly that the media are completely out of line with their endless attacks on Hillary and seeming adulation of Obama.

This display of partisanship in the press is so egregious that I can hear the quiet fury of millions of women who are recognizing it for the pure sexism that it is. I no longer care whether they like Hillary, they have no right in this democracy to be acting like a propaganda machine for another candidate. She has no problem fighting Obama, But, Obama, the sexist media and the Republicans - that is a pile-on and is unacceptable.

If you feel that way, make your voice heard. Blog, write letters to the editor, op-ed pieces and call and contact the media outlets demanding fairness. When Emily's List demanded an apology from MSNBC's Chris Matthews, he was forced to give it. Obviously, more of that is needed. Or, make your voice heard on the phone for Hillary at HillaryClinton.com/make calls. That is fun!

I do believe that The Law of Unintended Consequences is in play and that the sleeping giant of feminism is waking up in fair men and women and the reaction will be profound.

I have copied Joseph Wilson's insightful article, Battle-Tested, at the end of this message to make sure everyone knows what is at stake.

If you need a little inspiration please watch: http://youtube.com/watch?v=cySK6q2P_Nw

This is Alicia Keyes, song, Superwoman - a tribute to Hillary. Best, Suzanne

February 14, 2008, 6:07 pm
Clinton Wins New Mexico
By Ariel Alexovich

Hillary Rodham Clinton has been declared the winner of the New Mexico caucuses, nine days after the event. Mrs. Clinton edged out Barack Obama by 1,709 votes, party officials announced.
The delay in naming a winner was due to organizational difficulties at some precincts. Long lines and a ballot shortage forced some 17,000 voters to cast provisional ballots, which had to be hand counted.
Mrs. Clinton gains 14 delegates from New Mexico, compared to 12 for Mr. Obama. She was the most popular candidate in 27 of the state’s 33 counties. In total, Mrs. Clinton earned 73,105 votes, besting the 71,396 cast for Mr. Obama.
The Clinton campaign released this statement from the senator immediately after the announcement:
I am so proud to have earned the support of New Mexicans from across the state. From strengthening the economy to providing health care for every American to jumpstarting a clean energy future, New Mexicans want real solutions to our nation’s challenges.
As president, I will continue to stand up for New Mexico and will hit the ground running on day one to bring about real change.
___________________________________________________________________________New

Polls: In Ohio, a new Quinnipiac poll has Hillary up by 21 points over Sen. Obama (55-34)… In Texas, a new Public Opinion Strategies poll has Hillary up by 8 points over Sen. Obama (49-41)… In Pennsylvania, a new Quinnipiac poll has Hillary up by 16 points over Sen. Obama (52-36).

________________________________________________________
Battle-Tested

By Joseph C. Wilson
With the emergence of Sen. John McCain as the presumptive Republican nominee, the choice for the Democrats in the 2008 presidential election now shifts to who is best positioned to beat him, in whatpromises to be a more hard-fought campaign -- and perhaps a nastier one -- than Democrats anticipated.Sen. Barack Obama's promise of transformation and an end of partisanpolitics has its seductive appeal. The Bush-Cheney era, after all, hasbeen punctuated by smear campaigns, character assassinations andideological fervor.Nobody dislikes such poisonous partisanship, especially in foreignpolicy, more than I do. I am one of very few Foreign Service officerswho have served as ambassador in the administrations of both GeorgeH.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, yet I have spent the past four yearsfighting a concerted character assassination campaign orchestrated bythe George W. Bush White House.Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is one of the few who fully understood thestakes in that battle. Time and again, she reached out to my wife --outed CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson -- and me to remind us that aspainful as the attacks were, we simply could not allow ourselves to bedriven from the public square by bullying.

To do so would validate the radical right's thesis that the way to win debates is to demonize opponents, taking full advantage of the natural desire to avoidconfrontation, even if it means yielding on substantive issues.Hillary knew this from experience, having spent the better part of thepast 20 years fighting the Republican attack machine. She is afighter.But will Mr. Obama fight? His brief time on the national scene giveslittle comfort. Consider a February 2006 exchange of letters with Mr.McCain on the subject of ethics reform. The wrathful Mr. McCainaccused Mr. Obama of being "disingenuous," to which Mr. Obama meeklyreplied, "The fact that you have now questioned my sincerity and mydesire to put aside politics for the public interest is regrettablebut does not in any way diminish my deep respect for you." Then one ofMcCain's aides said of Obama, "Obama wouldn't know the differencebetween an RPG and a bong."Mr. McCain was insultingly dismissive but successful in intimidatinghis inexperienced colleague.

Thus, in his one face-to-face encounterwith Mr. McCain, Mr. Obama failed to stand his ground.What gives us confidence Mr. Obama will be stronger the next time hefaces Mr. McCain, a seasoned political fighter with extensive nationalsecurity credentials? Even more important, what special disadvantagesdoes Mr. Obama carry into this contest on questions of nationalsecurity?How will Mr. Obama answer Mr. McCain about his careless remark aboutunilaterally bombing Pakistan -- perhaps blowing up an alreadydifficult relationship with a nuclear state threatened by Islamicextremists? How will Mr. Obama respond to charges made by the Kenyangovernment that his campaigning activities in Kenya in support of hisdistant cousin running for president there made him "a stooge" andconstituted interference in the politics of an important and besiegedally in the war on terror?How will he answer charges that his desire for unstructured personalsummits without preconditions with a host of America's adversaries,from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Kim Jong Il, would be little more thanpremature capitulation?

Senator Obama claims superior judgment on the war in Iraq based on onespeech given as a state legislator representing the most liberaldistrict in Illinois at an anti-war rally in Chicago, and in so doingimpugns the integrity of those who were part of the debate on thenational scene. In mischaracterizing the debate on the Authorizationfor the Use of Military Force as a declaration of war, he implicitlyblames Democrats for George Bush's war of choice. Obama's negativeattack line does not conform to the facts. Nothing could be fartherfrom the truth. I should know.

I was among the most prominent anti-warvoices at the time -- and never heard about or from then IllinoisState Senator Obama.George Bush made it clear publicly when lobbying for the bill that hewanted it not to go to war but to give him the leverage he needed togo to the United Nations and secure intrusive inspections of Saddam'ssuspected Weapons of Mass Destruction sites. Who could argue with thatgoal? Colin Powell made the same case individually to Senators in therun up to the vote, including to Senator Clinton. It is not crediblethat Senator Obama would not have succumbed to Secretary Powell'sarguments had he been in Washington at the time. Why not? Obamahimself suggested so in 2004. "I'm not privy to Senate intelligencereports,' Obama said. 'What would I have done? I don't know." He alsotold the Chicago Tribune in 2004: "There's not much of a differencebetween my position and George Bush's position at this stage."According to press reports, Powell is now an informal adviser to Mr.Obama.

In his tendentious attack, Obama never mentions that Hans Blix, thechief United Nations weapons inspectors, declared that without thecongressional Authorization for the Use of Military Force theinspectors would never have been allowed into Iraq. Hillary's approach-- and that of the majority of Democrats in the Senate -- was to letthe inspectors complete their work while building an internationalcoalition. Hillary's was the road untaken. The betrayal of theAmerican people, and of the Congress, came when President Bush refusedto allow the inspections to succeed, and that betrayal is his and hisparty's, not the Democrats.Contrary to the myth of his campaign, 2008 is not the year fortranscendental transformation.

The task for the next administrationwill be to repair the damage done by eight years of radical rule. Andthe choice for Americans is clear: four more years of corruptRepublican rule, senseless wars, evisceration of the Constitution,emptying of the national treasury -- or rebuilding our government andour national reputation, piece by piece. Obama's overtures toRepublicans, or "Obamacans" as the Senator calls them, is a substitutefor true national unity based on a substantive program. His marginalappeals have marginally helped him in caucuses in Republican statesthat Democrats won't win in the general election. But his vapidrhetoric will not withstand the winds of November. His efforts will becorrectly seen by the Republican leadership as a sign of weakness tobe exploited. While disaffected Democrats may long for comity in ourpolitics after years of being harangued and belittled by the rightwing echo chamber, the Rovians currently promoting Obama are lookingto destroy him should he become the nominee.

Obama's claim to floatuniquely above the fray and avoid polarization will be short-lived. Heis no less mortal than any other Democrat -- Michael Dukakis, Al Gore,John Kerry -- all untouched at the beginning of their campaigns andall mauled by the end. We should never forget recent history.In order to effect practical change against a determined adversary, wedo not need a would-be philosopher-king but a seasoned gladiator whounderstands the fight Democrats will face in the fall campaign and ingoverning.Theodore Roosevelt once commented, "It is not the critic who counts:not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where thedoer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the manwho is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweatand blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short againand again, who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of highachievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he failswhile daring greatly."If he were around today, TR might be speaking of the woman in thearena.

Hillary Clinton has been in that arena for a generation. She isone of the few to have defeated the attack machine that is today'sRepublican Party and to have emerged stronger. She is deeplyknowledgeable about governing; she made herself into a power in theSenate; she is respected by our military; and she never flinches. Shehas never been intimidated, not by any Republican -- not even JohnMcCain.Barack Obama claims to represent the future, but it should beincreasingly evident that he is not the man for this moment,especially with Mr. McCain's arrival. We've seen a preview of thatcontest already. It was a TKO.

This article is adapted from a piece published in the Baltimore Sun onFebruary 12, 2008

" ...And, I've been down there on the floor."

2008-02-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

My Dad would often repeat the quote, "Failure isn't falling down; it is staying down", when any of his children received a difficult blow in our various endeavors. I have been reminded of that heavily in recent days and I have been so proud of Hillary's ability to stay focused and positive even when the news is difficult. We are so fortunate that this woman has chosen to devote her life to the public good.

I went to an NYU Alumni event in Century City last night to see University President John Sexton who gave a wonderful, inspiring speech. But, at our table, all of the talk was about Hillary and everyone's disbelief that Obama was being taken seriously as the potential Democratic candidate and possible leader of the free world. The conclusion of the discussion was a giant re-committment to help Hillary fight back against the dis-information and attacks by the media, the Obama campaign and the Karl Rove operatives who are supporting Obama now because they know they can pulverize him in the general election.

Below are two incredible articles. One by former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who's wife, Valerie Plame was outed as a CIA agent after he exposed the Bush WMD claims as fraud. He paid a heavy price then for telling us the truth and is out there telling the truth again. If you really want to understand Hillary's vote on the war, read this.

The second article is a factual analysis of delegate count and winning the big states by Mark Penn from Senator Clinton's campaign.

Battle-Tested
By Joseph C. Wilson

With the emergence of Sen. John McCain as the presumptive Republican nominee, the choice for the Democrats in the 2008 presidential election now shifts to who is best positioned to beat him, in what promises to be a more hard-fought campaign -- and perhaps a nastier one -- than Democrats anticipated.Sen. Barack Obama's promise of transformation and an end of partisanpolitics has its seductive appeal. The Bush-Cheney era, after all, hasbeen punctuated by smear campaigns, character assassinations andideological fervor.Nobody dislikes such poisonous partisanship, especially in foreign policy, more than I do. I am one of very few Foreign Service officers who have served as ambassador in the administrations of both George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, yet I have spent the past four years fighting a concerted character assassination campaign orchestrated bythe George W. Bush White House.Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is one of the few who fully understood the stakes in that battle. Time and again, she reached out to my wife --outed CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson -- and me to remind us that as painful as the attacks were, we simply could not allow ourselves to be driven from the public square by bullying. To do so would validate the radical right's thesis that the way to win debates is to demonize opponents, taking full advantage of the natural desire to avoid confrontation, even if it means yielding on substantive issues.

Hillary knew this from experience, having spent the better part of thepast 20 years fighting the Republican attack machine. She is a fighter. But will Mr. Obama fight? His brief time on the national scene gives little comfort. Consider a February 2006 exchange of letters with Mr.McCain on the subject of ethics reform. The wrathful Mr. McCain accused Mr. Obama of being "disingenuous," to which Mr. Obama meekly replied, "The fact that you have now questioned my sincerity and my desire to put aside politics for the public interest is regrettablebut does not in any way diminish my deep respect for you." Then one ofMcCain's aides said of Obama, "Obama wouldn't know the difference between an RPG and a bong."Mr. McCain was insultingly dismissive but successful in intimidatinghis inexperienced colleague. Thus, in his one face-to-face encounterwith Mr. McCain, Mr. Obama failed to stand his ground.What gives us confidence Mr. Obama will be stronger the next time he faces Mr. McCain, a seasoned political fighter with extensive nationalsecurity credentials? Even more important, what special disadvantages does Mr. Obama carry into this contest on questions of national security?

How will Mr. Obama answer Mr. McCain about his careless remark about unilaterally bombing Pakistan -- perhaps blowing up an already difficult relationship with a nuclear state threatened by Islamic extremists? How will Mr. Obama respond to charges made by the Kenyan government that his campaigning activities in Kenya in support of his distant cousin running for president there made him "a stooge" and constituted interference in the politics of an important and besiege dally in the war on terror?How will he answer charges that his desire for unstructured personal summits without preconditions with a host of America's adversaries,from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Kim Jong Il, would be little more than premature capitulation?

Senator Obama claims superior judgment on the war in Iraq based on onespeech given as a state legislator representing the most liberal district in Illinois at an anti-war rally in Chicago, and in so doing impugns the integrity of those who were part of the debate on the national scene. In mischaracterizing the debate on the Authorization for the Use of Military Force as a declaration of war, he implicitly blames Democrats for George Bush's war of choice. Obama's negative attack line does not conform to the facts. Nothing could be fartherfrom the truth. I should know. I was among the most prominent anti-war voices at the time -- and never heard about or from then Illinois State Senator Obama.George Bush made it clear publicly when lobbying for the bill that he wanted it not to go to war but to give him the leverage he needed togo to the United Nations and secure intrusive inspections of Saddam'ssuspected Weapons of Mass Destruction sites. Who could argue with that goal? Colin Powell made the same case individually to Senators in the run up to the vote, including to Senator Clinton. It is not credible that Senator Obama would not have succumbed to Secretary Powell'sarguments had he been in Washington at the time. Why not? Obama himself suggested so in 2004. "I'm not privy to Senate intelligence reports,' Obama said. 'What would I have done? I don't know." He also told the Chicago Tribune in 2004: "There's not much of a difference between my position and George Bush's position at this stage."According to press reports, Powell is now an informal adviser to Mr.Obama.

In his tendentious attack, Obama never mentions that Hans Blix, the chief United Nations weapons inspectors, declared that without the congressional Authorization for the Use of Military Force the inspectors would never have been allowed into Iraq. Hillary's approach-- and that of the majority of Democrats in the Senate -- was to let the inspectors complete their work while building an international coalition. Hillary's was the road untaken. The betrayal of the American people, and of the Congress, came when President Bush refusedto allow the inspections to succeed, and that betrayal is his and hisparty's, not the Democrats.

Contrary to the myth of his campaign, 2008 is not the year for transcendental transformation. The task for the next administration will be to repair the damage done by eight years of radical rule. Andthe choice for Americans is clear: four more years of corrupt Republican rule, senseless wars, evisceration of the Constitution, emptying of the national treasury -- or rebuilding our government andour national reputation, piece by piece. Obama's overtures to Republicans, or "Obamacans" as the Senator calls them, is a substitutefor true national unity based on a substantive program. His marginal appeals have marginally helped him in caucuses in Republican states that Democrats won't win in the general election. But his vapid rhetoric will not withstand the winds of November. His efforts will becorrectly seen by the Republican leadership as a sign of weakness tobe exploited. While disaffected Democrats may long for comity in ourpolitics after years of being harangued and belittled by the rightwing echo chamber, the Rovians currently promoting Obama are lookingto destroy him should he become the nominee. Obama's claim to floatuniquely above the fray and avoid polarization will be short-lived. He is no less mortal than any other Democrat -- Michael Dukakis, Al Gore,John Kerry -- all untouched at the beginning of their campaigns and all mauled by the end. We should never forget recent history.

In order to effect practical change against a determined adversary, we do not need a would-be philosopher-king but a seasoned gladiator who understands the fight Democrats will face in the fall campaign and ingoverning.Theodore Roosevelt once commented, "It is not the critic who counts:not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where thedoer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the manwho is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweatand blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short againand again, who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of highachievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he failswhile daring greatly."If he were around today, TR might be speaking of the woman in thearena. Hillary Clinton has been in that arena for a generation. She isone of the few to have defeated the attack machine that is today'sRepublican Party and to have emerged stronger. She is deeply knowledgeable about governing; she made herself into a power in theSenate; she is respected by our military; and she never flinches. Shehas never been intimidated, not by any Republican -- not even JohnMcCain.Barack Obama claims to represent the future, but it should beincreasingly evident that he is not the man for this moment,especially with Mr. McCain's arrival. We've seen a preview of that contest already. It was a TKO.

This article is adapted from a piece published in the Baltimore Sun onFebruary 12, 2008

From: Mark Penn, Chief Strategist
Re: The Path to the Nomination
This election will come down to delegates. Votes are still being counted and delegates apportioned, but Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are separated by approximately 40 delegates right now - that is,barely 1% of all the delegates to the Democratic convention.Change Begins March 4th. Hillary leads in the three largest, delegaterich states remaining: Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania. These threestates have 492 delegates - 64 percent of the remaining delegates Hillary Clinton needs to win the nomination.

According to the latestpolls, Hillary leads in Texas (IVR Jan 30-31), Pennsylvania (Franklin& Marshall Jan 8-14) and Ohio (Columbus Dispatch Jan 23-31). AfterMarch 4th, over 3000 delegates will be committed, and we project thatHillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be virtually tied with 611delegates still to be chosen in Pennsylvania and other remainingstates. This does not even include Florida and Michigan (whereHillary won 178 delegates), whose votes we believe should be counted.The reason Hillary is so strong in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania isthat her message of delivering solutions resonates strongly withvoters in those states. Hillary is the only candidate who can deliverthe economic change voters want - the only candidate with a real planand a record of fighting for health care, housing, job creation andprotecting Social Security.The demographics in these states also favor Hillary Clinton. Hillary won among white women by 6 points in Virginia and 18 points inMaryland, and white women make up a much bigger share of theelectorate in these states (41% of 2004 Ohio Democratic primaryvoters, for instance, compared with only 33-35% of 2008 Maryland andVirginia Democratic primary voters). Hillary has also won largemajorities among Latinos nationwide - 73% in New York, 67% inCalifornia, 68% in New Jersey, 62% in New Mexico, 59% in Florida and55% in Arizona. Latinos made up 24% of Texas Democratic primaryvoters in 2004, and may be an even larger share in 2008.Hillary Clinton has shown that she has the ability and organization tocompete financially and on the ground. She raised 10 million dollarsin just three days last week, and will be competitive with BarackObama in fundraising and TV advertising from now through March 4th andbeyond. She has a strong organization in each of these key states andendorsements from Governor Strickland, Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, andformer Senator John Glenn in Ohio. Hillary had a huge 12,000 personrally in El Paso last night to kick off her Texas campaign.Again and again, this race has shown that it is voters and delegateswho matter, not the pundits or perceived "momentum." After Iowa,every poll gave Barack Obama a strong lead in New Hampshire, but heended up losing the state. And after a defeat in South Carolina,Hillary Clinton went on to win by large margins in California, NewYork, Florida, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Arizona, Tennessee, Oklahomaand Arkansas.As history shows, the Democratic nomination goes to the candidate whowins the most delegates - not the candidate who wins the most states.In 1992, Bill Clinton lost a string of primaries before clinching thenomination. He ceded Iowa, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland,Arizona, Washington, Utah, Colorado, Rhode Island, Connecticut,Delaware, Vermont and South Dakota. Similarly, in 1984, WalterMondale also lost a series of major primaries before winning thenomination, including New Hampshire, Vermont, Florida, Massachusetts,Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Indiana, Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana,Mississippi, Colorado, Ohio, and California. And in 1976, JimmyCarter lost twenty-three states before winning the nomination,including: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, WestVirginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Illinois, Mississippi, Minnesota,North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon,Nevada, California, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah.

'Cause I've Heard It All Before...

2008-02-13T15:12:00.000-08:00

"Cause I've heard it all before..." Helen Reddy or

"It ain't over till its over." Yogi Berra?

It seems like all of the pundits want to declare the race over way before it is finished. They would have us believe that Barack has momentum and a movement. Meanwhile, during the best week Obama has ever had, this man, with all of his advisers and his campaign, and all of his efforts only leave him with 25 delegates ahead of Hillary, 1223 - 1198. The news media has been so biased that you would think that a major difference existed. This is not momentum, it is just a good media tease. The headlines could just as easily have read, "After biggest week ever, Obama only manages barest edge with opponent's big states ahead".

Senator Clinton and Maggie Williams, in a conference call this morning, reminded all of us that the Clinton campaign embarked on a big-state strategy many months ago and that is just what is playing out. You might find Dan Balz's Washington Post article, below, interesting on what is going on.

The other issue that I believe is in play, but has had no media coverage, is the fact that Obama wins consistently in states with large African-American populations or caucus states. This weekend, every state was a caucus, except Louisiana. As I have shared with you in the past, women in the Iowa caucus shared the intimidation they felt when they had to cross a room filled with their church and community members and husbands to stand in Hillary's corner. Remember, these are many small states where independent women are reviled as femi-nazis and worse. When those women stand in a polling booth, as in New Hampshire, results seem quite different. This is why Shirley Chisolm said that the challenges she faced because she was a woman far exceeded the challenges she faced because she was black.

Maggie Williams, on today's conference call, said that on March 4th, his movement meets our movement and will be stopped. That means that every true Democrat who believes what JFK taught us, that a rising tide raises all ships, needs to stand up for the Clinton team who made that happen in the 1990's when they fought for and protected the middle class. That also puts the burden on every member of organized labor to stand by the person who has worked hard to protect America's middle class. It also means that minorities of all types need to stand in the corner of a team that has fought for a better life for all.

And, finally, feminism, the fight for equality for women, is one of the most powerful movements the world has ever known. Enlightened attitudes toward women are the mark of advanced societies. Western women are under attack by fundamentalists at home and abroad. No wonder, there is such an alignment of negative energy (think Rush Limbaugh) toward Hillary. I quote Madeleine Albright, who said, "There's a special place in hell for any woman who does not support other women." We know, throughout the world, that when women hold office, the world becomes a better place for families. We are at a crossroads when militaristic, fundamentalist men on both sides would thrust us another hundred years of war, rather than learn and practice the skills that Bill and Hillary Clinton used to make the world a better safer place. Irish leaders on both side credit Hillary, not Bill, with finally bringing peace to that terrible ordeal.

We cannot afford to have someone learn on the job and possibly make an error that sets off nuclear holocaust. Let's redouble our efforts and put the right person in the White House and help her pursue her pragmatic, enlightened approach to making our world a better place for all of us. Warmly, Suzanne

Dan Balz's Take Why a Clinton Losing Streak Won't Mean it's Over
By Dan Balz
Unless she manages to win one of the Potomac primaries Tuesday, Hillary Clinton will wake up Wednesday having lost eight consecutive contests to Barack Obama in just five days. That kind of losing streak has often been fatal in nominating campaigns and may prove so again -- but not necessarily in this odd and unpredictable year. Momentum has been an illusory concept in the Democratic race. Obama had it for four days after Iowa and then saw Clinton rise up and stop him in New Hampshire. By the time the campaign moved toward South Carolina, it was Obama who badly needed a victory. Obama seemed to have momentum again on the eve of Super Tuesday. He won South Carolina decisively, after which he was embraced by much of the Kennedy dynasty. Crowds packed his events from Boise to Boston. Had Obama won California a week ago, as some polls were predicting, he would have unmistakably been on a roll. Instead, he and Clinton split the nearly 1,700 delegates at stake on Super Tuesday and she avoided what could have been a devastating blow by capturing four of the five biggest states voting that day. The calendar is the culprit for some of the confusion about who has the upper hand in this year's Democratic contest. The calendar is more compressed than ever, but more importantly, the states Democrats have looked to in the past to settle close races are not playing their traditional roles. Iowa and New Hampshire played their accustomed roles -- not in deciding the nomination, as their critics feared, but in determining the finalists, although there was never much doubt about a Clinton-Obama final. But other states -- particularly big states -- have done little to resolve the race. The New York and Illinois primaries often have been decisive contests in the past. Bill Clinton effectively sealed his nomination in 1992 by first winning Illinois and several weeks later taking New York. This year, neither counted for much because of the home state advantage for Obama in Illinois and Clinton in New York. Michigan and Florida are two other states that Democrats have relied on to help determine their strongest nominee. Jimmy Carter's victory in Florida in 1976 helped build on his successes in Iowa and New Hampshire and put him on the path to winning the nomination. Michigan's union and blue-collar tradition has long been seen as a pivotal test for any Democratic candidate. But this year, thanks to the calendar controversies, Michigan and Florida have been turned into contests that do not count -- at least not yet. In Florida, 1.7 million Democrats voted, and half supported Clinton. But there was no campaign there because the candidates had agreed to abide by the decision of the Democratic National Committee, which had sanctioned Florida for moving up its primary. In Michigan, almost 600,000 people voted in the Democratic primary. Clinton was the only major candidate on the ballot; Obama and most others took their names off after the DNC decertified the state. California and New Jersey are two other big states that often have been decisive in determining the nomination and in the old days they were the two cleanup contests at the end of the calendar. California was where Bobby Kennedy won in 1968, a victory that likely would have given him the nomination over Eugene McCarthy had he not been assassinated leaving his victory celebration. New Jersey was a crucial state for Walter Mondale in 1984 in his long battle against Gary Hart, who was winning California the same day. Clinton won both California and New Jersey on Super Tuesday, but because they were but two of 22 states voting last week, their influence was diminished. Next week, Obama will look to Wisconsin and Hawaii to add to his momentum. Hawaii should be a gimme because he spent part of his childhood there. Wisconsin has a tradition that is favorable both to insurgents and eventual winners. Hart beat Mondale there in 1984. Clinton narrowly defeated Jerry Brown in 1992. Kerry dispatched John Edwards in 2004 in their Badger State showdown. Which brings us to Ohio and Texas on March 4 and Pennsylvania on April 22 -- all big states that have been touchstones in past contests. The Lone Star State has not been critical since 1988, when Michael Dukakis narrowly there and Florida on a southern-dominated Super Tuesday that established him as the Democratic front-runner. Most recent Democratic nominees have won both Ohio and Pennsylvania, but in the two competitive nomination battles of the 1980s -- Carter-Kennedy and Mondale-Hart -- the states have split. Ted Kennedy lost Ohio but defeated Carter in Pennsylvania in 1980 and kept his campaign alive to the convention. Mondale defeated Hart in Pennsylvania but narrowly lost in Ohio, extending their contest to California and New Jersey. The new calendar this year has generated a new dynamic, which is now playing to Obama's benefit. His success on Super Tuesday was due in large part to his ability to win smaller states, often by big margins. His strength in red states has added to his argument that he could expand the electoral map in the fall in a way Clinton cannot. States like Idaho and Kansas -- both won by Obama -- have not been players in past campaigns, but by claiming more states won than Clinton and by forging a lead among pledged delegates, he has shrewdly taken advantage of a calendar and has put Clinton on the defensive. Winning states is obviously important. In 1980, Kennedy won four big states -- California, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania -- but Carter won 37 overall to Kennedy's 12 and held onto the nomination. Obama is on his way to winning a majority of states against Clinton, but can he afford to lose Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania and still claim the nomination? By the pledged delegate numbers, it's possible but risky, given the number of uncommitted superdelegates who would be reluctant to move en masse to him in the face of three big losses. For Clinton, the calculation is obvious: they are all must-wins. Until those states are heard from, this will remain a volatile race.

I know too much to go back to pretend...

2008-02-10T18:16:00.000-08:00

While I feel that there are several things at play in the Obama wins this weekend, I have become convinced that the real Democrats who are voting for Obama are motivated to do so by a sincere optimism that the world can be a better place and they are trying to send the message that they want to stop the political infighting in Washington.

I was once again reminded of my own years of such optimism. I have often told the story of being deeply inspired by John Kennedy to," Ask not what your country can do for you, Ask what you can do for your country". So, on a nationwide tour with my parents in 1961, I signed up at the Seattle World's Fair for the Peace Corps. I was mortified when my parents requested my application back because I was fourteen. I still can hear my Father asking, "Just what is it that you think you have to teach the citizens of some country halfway around the world?" And, I look back now and can laugh, but at the time, I felt such a sincere, but admittedly naive, optimism.

The optimism of Camelot lasted until November 22, 1963 and then it was deeply shaken with the death of John Kennedy. Every one of age on that day can still tell you exactly what he or she was doing. We sat in history class in shock until the loudspeaker announced his death. I didn't stop crying for three days. But the optimism came back and lasted for sit-ins and teach-ins, campus take-overs, peace marches and civil rights rallys. It was challenged by deaths of classmates in Vietnam; the tragic loss of Martin Luther King; compounded by the murder of Bobby Kennedy and, finally, having the background images of my honeymoon be students like me beaten into the ground at the Democratic convention. But, it was Kent State that stopped the music. My government was shooting to kill students -us - on a campus. Our best man's next door neighbor in Massapequa, Long Island, was one of those shot on that fateful day. Unlike the Weathermen and the Black Panthers, a deep resolve took place deep inside of most of us. We were not going to change this sexist, militaristic, authoritarian society from without.

So, when corporations and graduate schools discriminated against minorities, we passed legislation and moved up; when the men standing next to us at rallys demanded that we march and cook and clean; we embraced feminism, when a President embracing dictator tactics at the Watergate and "enemies lists", we impeached him. For forty years, we have been in a pitched battle with those who's values are diametrically opposed to ours. Jimmy Carter healed us, then Reagan-Bush in twelve years turned us from lenders to debtors and sold us out to Japan and Saudi Arabia.

Eight years of the Clinton team gave us exactly the peace, pride, and prosperity we knew would result from intelligent economic and public policy. The relentless, hypocritical Republican mudslinging of that time was Newt Gingrich's philosophy of partisanship without limits. Then in 2000, the Supreme Court helped George W Bush steal the White House and the two oil men have intentionally created a war that has enriched Haliburton and provided obscene profits for oil companies(see Exxon this quarter). Gingrich made a public offer to be McCain's VP several days ago and McCain's statement that we would stay in Iraq for 100 years was code for, " I'll keep military-industrial coffers full."

Forty years of battles are exhausting and it is understandable that Democrats want partisanship to stop, but if the other side won't quit, that's choosing to give up on everything you have been fighting for and giving up the battle.

So, for those of us who have been on the front lines fighting the good fight for all of these years, it is incomprehensible to see Democrats turning to an untested candidate who has yet to even been subjected to one negative ad and is, indeed, a return to a naive sincerity. This headlong rush to an unproven conclusion reminds me of nothing so much as Bush racing to war in Iraq and look how that turned out. What is the hurry? This man has years ahead of him to gain the experience and seasoning that the leader of the free world needs. Look at what happened to Al Gore who actually won the popular vote. How can you imagine a different outcome when the opponent knows no shame?

This contest is about people versus property; those who believe that a just and equal society will bring the greatest gain for all and those who would destroy our stability and economy for the personal gain of their supporters. It is unthinkable to me that we have the choice of the very team who beat back these forces and created eight great years and that we might be throwing that choice away. The Clinton team knows how to make this economy work for everyone and they know how to beat political operatives with no shame. When Obama fails and the Clinton team is not there, just who will we turn to?

It is time to re-double our efforts to make history with Hillary.

"...in numbers too big to ignore..."

2008-02-08T16:11:00.000-08:00

Wow! "...In numbers too big to ignore..." Who knew that Helen Reddy's words would be so predictive?

Today, Patti Solis Doyle sent the campaign supporters a message that Senator Clinton has received contributions from over 75,000 people totaling over $8 million dollars since the primary vote! Talk about momentum! I'm hearing those clicks all over the place. That is great, but the challenge is full on now. She has to beat Obama at the same time that the Republicans start in on her. Your support is more important than ever. We will make history!

What started as a few friends discussing the campaign over wine here on Balboa Island has blossomed into a thirty-five member strong group calling ourselves the Newport Beach Women's Democratic Club. We have applied for our charter and are growing by a member a day. There is a real sense of camaraderie and, frankly, relief in sitting in a room of Democrats and like-minded others here behind the Orange Curtain in Reagan Country. Turns out that there are a lot more Dems out there than anyone thought. What fun we are having. Our poll watch party was a joy. All of a sudden, the O C has become Hillaryland! Clinton 141,668 - 56%...Obama 96,967 - 38%. I'll keep you posted.

Hear me Roar

2008-02-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

Hello all:
As those of you who read the articles I sent you yesterday recall, I was very interested to see the famous feminists of yesteryear having their say. Like most of us, I have been willing to be an observer, admittedly occasionally yelling at the television, for most of this season. But, I was so personally offended by the overt media bias against Hillary that I actually wrote a letter to the editor (below) and learned how to blog on the Huffington site (By request, my daughter, Jen, sent a quick tutorial on blogging - below).
I actually thought about swimming - we have a few in the family - and I know that when a swimmer wins by one-hundreth of a second, the media do not spend the rest of the article talking about the "momentum" of the second place finisher. Particularly, if you check the facts and find out that the majority of those on Tuesday who decided in the voting booth, voted for Hillary. Nor, do I think that I am only offended because I am a woman. My father was a giant Hillary supporter and my brother was the first one to email me questioning what on earth Ted Kennedy was thinking. My life is filled with incredible, intelligent men who support Hillary because they think she is the best candidate. No, I believe that the media have just plain been unfair. I, actually, did not read one thing that Bill said, like his comment "You (the media) are turning this into a horse race rather than a political campaign", that I wouldn't agree with. But, they managed to muzzle him. I do love the Law of Unintended Consequences, though, and it appears to be in full force. American women and Hillary supporters are all over the Internet today and are giving to Hillary's campaign in record numbers - over $4 million dollars as I write this and gaining. Many contributions are $50 - the price of a dinner - so imagine the numbers of people contributing. The new Gallup Poll has Hillary up nationally by 13% - 52% to 39% (see link below). The first $3 million came from over 35,000 people who contributed in the first 24 hours at www.hillaryclinton.com/contribute/x6bc.Could it be that when people say, "Throw the bums out" and "we want change" that they are talking about, not just George Bush, but the press that aided and abetted his criminal move to war in Iraq because war is good for ratings? If you feel the same way, make your voice heard. Emily's list had people email MSNBC to stop Chris Matthews from saying misogynistic, anti-female comments on the air and he made a public apology. Obviously, he needs more mail. If you feel the same way, contribute. She is trying to raise $6 million by Friday night - the time is now and $50 is fine. And, if you feel the same way, sign on to HillaryClinton.com and volunteer to make phone calls and connect with your own personal network to stop this travesty of letting the press tell Democrats what to think. Now that Romney has dropped out of the race, all of that RNC money that was backing him is going to be aimed at taking Hillary out in the primary because they know they cannot beat her in the Fall. This is the time for every American to say to the corporate and media interests who want to control us that we won't take it anymore and we are taking our country back. Let's make history together.Lastly, at the bottom of this email is a Seattle Times analysis of what we know about Obama which quotes him, as recently as last summer, saying that it would be a "...stretch for anyone to consider voting for him for President." Even he knows, in his heart, that it is too soon.Warmly, SuzannePotential NY Times Letter to the Editor (I'm taking odds on this being published.. ;-0)Dear Editors:"I Am Woman; Hear me Roar!" Say it already! She won!. Patrick Healy's article, (Thur.2/7) while better than some illustrates why women are hearing "The Click" like it has not been heard since 1970. Not because Hillary is in a tough fight. No, women are always in a tough fight. It is because in this male dominated, competition obsessed country, a win is a win and is always called so if men are involved. Not a draw; not a dead heat - A WIN! "A miss is as good as a mile" is the right expression, I believe. But not when Hillary wins. She won the popular vote, she won the delegate vote, she won in Kennedy and Kerry's state, and even took the fabled "youth" vote in California and Massachusetts. By the way, did I mention the landslide in California? No wonder feminists are full of fury and on the move. Robin Morgan and Erika Jong rightfully are demanding that the press give Hillary a level playing field and reign in misogynists like CNN's Chris Matthews. How does the expression go? Oh, yes, "There is no power on Earth like that of a woman scorned." The press better mend their ways or the sleeping giant that is feminism will awaken and the reverberations will be felt for years to come. She won and, oh, by the way, took in $ 3 million dollars yesterday in campaign contributions. DrSueFrom the campaign...CONTRIBUTE:February 5th and has created a wave of support for Hillary. Thecampaign raised $3 million on line in the first 24 hours from 35,000donors. They were over $ 4million this morning and have a challenge toget to $ 6million by Friday night.Meanwhile, the new rolling Gallup Poll has Hillary up nationally 13%;52% to 39%.http://www.gallup.com/poll/104200/Gallup-Daily-Tracking-Election-2008.aspxThere is clearly tremendous support for Hillary's candidacy. It isbreathtaking. Thank you all for what you have done.However, due to the proportional nature of the delegate allocation,the path to the nomination is going to be a long, competitive,expensive slog. Even though the Clinton campaign raised a record $13million in January, Barak raised $32 million. It is unprecedented.The campaign applied its resources to February 5th and now needs ourhelp to replenish for the primaries coming up.www.hillaryclinton.com/contribute/x6bcBLOGGING: (Thanks to Jen ;-))
check out different sites:
http://www.dailykos.com/

http://blog.aboutpolitics.com/

or go on cnn.com and read the news stories - then post your comments - tons and tons of people do that - click on Add a comment or Comments under the story you want to yap about

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

This one will get you fired up:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/02/07/obama-raises-3-million-in-24-hours/#comments

or find one locally - like the OC register or something -

Also - ask your campaign friends what blogs they think are important to watch and participate in - blogging and viral videos are the # 1 advantage Obama has with the young people - he is there -

check out his website - blog is one of his top options -
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hqblog/

hillary has a bunch -

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/blog/

http://blogsforhillary.com/

http://www.bloglines.com/public/Hillary

http://hillaryrodhamclinton2008.blogspot.com/

ON DEADLINE: Obama Has Much Yet to Prove
By RON FOURNIER
Associated Press Writer
Amid the poetry and promise of Barack Obama's election-night address came this hard truth: "There will be setbacks," he said, "and we will make mistakes."
Whether intentional or not, the Illinois senator set the tone for the grueling next phase of his presidential campaign. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will look to set him back. And she will seize on every mistake.
The rivals fought to a draw on Super Tuesday, splitting the delegates almost evenly while each emerged with bragging rights. Obama won the most states. Clinton seized delegate-rich California and New York.
The calendar now favors Obama, whose strength among blacks and upscale, educated voters gives him the edge in states holding contests this month.
He also has a cash advantage after raising more than twice as much as Clinton in January.
So why worry? Despite Obama's successes so far, it's hard to argue with Bill Clinton that it's a "roll of the dice" to vote for a freshman senator less than four years removed from the Illinois legislature. Obama still has much to prove. The potential for setbacks and mistakes is high.
REZKO: Obama's relationship with indicted businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko threatens his image as an antidote to the poisons of Washington. Rezko, accused of scheming to pressure companies seeking state business for kickbacks and campaign contributions, poured thousands of dollars into the campaigns of Obama and others. Rezko also helped Obama increase the size of his yard in a transaction that the Illinois senator now calls a "boneheaded" mistake.
RECORD: Scrutiny of Obama's record will increase with each step he takes toward the Democratic nomination. The New York Times recently poked holes in Obama's explanation of his role in legislation that ultimately benefited a nuclear energy company whose executives and employees have donated more than $200,000 to his campaigns.
RACE: Obama makes history with every victory as the first black candidate with a serious shot at the White House. But the question persists: Can a black man win it all? Obama drew support from four in 10 whites across 16 states _ more than he had captured in earlier primary states. He and Clinton tied among white men while Clinton led among white women. Clinton won six in 10 Hispanic voters, a crucial group that helped her win in California and Arizona.
TEMPERAMENT: Unlike his rival, Obama has never experienced a tough campaign _ and it shows at times. Remember when he said in New Hampshire that Clinton was "likable enough"? It grated on female voters. He needs to avoid looking rude, crabby or cocky. His friends would tell you that's not always easy for him.
EXPERIENCE: The unusually self-aware Obama acknowledged last summer that it was "a stretch" for voters to consider him for the presidency. He needs to avoid a miscue that underscores his inexperience. About one-fifth of the Democratic voters Tuesday said they favored a candidate with seasoning, and Clinton won nearly all their votes.
The good news for Obama: A majority of Democratic voters want change, and 70 percent of those voters backed the Illinois senator.

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time," Obama told supporters Tuesday night. "We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
That is a killer line, the kind the sends chills down voters' spines. But it was another line, much earlier in the address, that reflected a more pragmatic side of Obama. The side that wonders and worries about what the his-and-her Clinton candidacy has in store for him.
Indeed, there will setbacks and mistakes, Obama told the adoring crowd, and "that is why we need all the help we can get."
___
EDITOR'S NOTE: Ron Fournier has covered politics for The Associated Press for nearly 20 years. On Deadline is an occasional column.

I Am Woman

2008-02-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers:

This blog is a copy of a message I sent to my network of friends and family about two articles (below) on the Sept. 5th Democratic Primary Campaign reacting to the unfair media treatment of my preferred candidate Hillary Clinton. My discomfort with the media treatment of Senator Clinton prompted me to begin this blog. I will continue to share my views on this site. Welcome to my world and the view from here.

Hello all:

In the seventies, feminists talked about a moment in time when they got it and called it "hearing the click". I'm starting to hear that sound again and it seems to be coming from all over the country. It is disturbing to her supporters that Hillary won in California by 10 points and all the big states with a 100 point delegate lead and we cannot find that simply stated without a caveat about Barack and his momentum. When a swimmer wins the race by one-hundreth of a second, the press does not focus the entire article on the momentum of the runner-up. Maybe that's the thing causing the click.

Something is clearly wrong in the hostile and biased news coverage Hillary is receiving. Please read the articles below and form your own opinion. Feel free to leave your thoughts as well.

Warmly, Sue

Robin Morgan's Article

Something every one of us needs to read:

FEEL FREE TO SHARE WITH YOUR NETWORKS AND LISTSERVS, TO POST ON YOUR WEBSITES, TO PASS IT ON . . .

GOODBYE TO ALL THAT (#2) by Robin Morgan
http://www.womensmediacenter.com/ex/020108.html

“Goodbye To All That” was my (in)famous 1970 essay breaking free from a politics of accommodation especially affecting women (for an online version, see http://blog.fair-use.org/category/chicago/). During my decades in civil-rights, anti-war, and contemporary women’s movements, I’ve avoided writing another specific “Goodbye . . .”. But not since the suffrage struggle have two communities--the joint conscience-keepers of this country--been so set in competition, as the contest between Hillary Rodham Clinton (HRC) and Barack Obama (BO) unfurls. So. Goodbye to the double standard . . . --Hillary is too ballsy but too womanly, a Snow Maiden who’s emotional, and so much a politician as to be unfit for politics. --She’s “ambitious” but he shows “fire in the belly.” (Ever had labor pains? ) --When a sexist idiot screamed “Iron my shirt!” at HRC, it was considered amusing; if a racist idiot shouted “Shine my shoes!” at BO, it would’ve inspired hours of airtime and pages of newsprint analyzing our national dishonor. --Young political Kennedys--Kathleen, Kerry, and Bobby Jr.--all endorsed Hillary. Sen. Ted, age 76, endorsed Obama. If the situation were reversed, pundits would snort “See? Ted and establishment types back her, but the forward-looking generation backs him.” (Personally, I’m unimpressed with Caroline’s longing for the Return of the Fathers. Unlike the rest of the world, Americans have short memories. Me, I still recall Marilyn Monroe’s suicide, and a dead girl named Mary Jo Kopechne in Chappaquiddick.) Goodbye to the toxic viciousness . . . Carl Bernstein's disgust at Hillary’s “thick ankles.” Nixon-trickster Roger Stone’s new Hillary-hating 527 group, “Citizens United Not Timid” (check the capital letters). John McCain answering “How do we beat the bitch?" with “Excellent question!” Would he have dared reply similarly to “How do we beat the black bastard?” For shame. Goodbye to the HRC nutcracker with metal spikes between splayed thighs. If it was a tap-dancing blackface doll, we would be righteously outraged—and they would not be selling it in airports. Shame. Goodbye to the most intimately violent T-shirts in election history, including one with the murderous slogan “If Only Hillary had married O.J. Instead!” Shame. Goodbye to Comedy Central’s “Southpark” featuring a storyline in which terrorists secrete a bomb in HRC’s vagina. I refuse to wrench my brain down into the gutter far enough to find a race-based comparison. For shame. Goodbye to the sick, malicious idea that this is funny. This is not “Clinton hating,” not “Hillary hating.” This is sociopathic woman-hating. If it were about Jews, we would recognize it instantly as anti-Semitic propaganda; if about race, as KKK poison. Hell, PETA would go ballistic if such vomitous spew were directed at animals. Where is our sense of outrage—as citizens, voters, Americans? Goodbye to the news-coverage target-practice . . . The women’s movement and Media Matters wrung an apology from MSNBC’s Chris Matthews for relentless misogynistic comments (http://www.womensmediacenter.com/). But what about NBC’s Tim Russert’s continual sexist asides and his all-white-male panels pontificating on race and gender? Or CNN’s Tony Harris chuckling at “the chromosome thing” while interviewing a woman from The White House Project? And that’s not even mentioning Fox News. Goodbye to pretending the black community is entirely male and all women are white . . . Surprise! Women exist in all opinions, pigmentations, ethnicities, abilities, sexual preferences, and ages--not only African American and European American but Latina and Native American, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Arab American and—hey, every group, because a group wouldn’t be alive if we hadn’t given birth to it. A few non-racist countries may exist--but sexism is everywhere. No matter how many ways a woman breaks free from other oppressions, she remains a female human being in a world still so patriarchal that it’s the “norm.” So why should all women not be as justly proud of our womanhood and the centuries, even millennia, of struggle that got us this far, as black Americans, women and men, are justly proud of their struggles? Goodbye to a campaign where he has to pass as white (which whites—especially wealthy ones--adore), while she has to pass as male (which both men and women demanded of her, and then found unforgivable). If she were black or he were female we wouldn’t be having such problems, and I for one would be in heaven. But at present such a candidate wouldn’t stand a chance—even if she shared Condi Rice’s Bush-defending politics. I was celebrating the pivotal power at last focused on African American women deciding on which of two candidates to bestow their vote--until a number of Hillary-supporting black feminists told me they’re being called “race traitors.” So goodbye to conversations about this nation’s deepest scar—slavery—which fail to acknowledge that labor- and sexual-slavery exist today in the US and elsewhere on this planet, and the majority of those enslaved are women. Women have endured sex/race/ethnic/religious hatred, rape and battery, invasion of spirit and flesh, forced pregnancy; being the majority of the poor, the illiterate, the disabled, of refugees, caregivers, the HIV/AIDS afflicted, the powerless. We have survived invisibility, ridicule, religious fundamentalisms, polygamy, teargas, forced feedings, jails, asylums, sati, purdah, female genital mutilation, witch burnings, stonings, and attempted gynocides. We have tried reason, persuasion, reassurances, and being extra-qualified, only to learn it never was about qualifications after all. We know that at this historical moment women experience the world differently from men--though not all the same as one another--and can govern differently, from Elizabeth Tudor to Michele Bachelet and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. We remember when Shirley Chisholm and Patricia Schroeder ran for this high office and barely got past the gate—they showed too much passion, raised too little cash, were joke fodder. Goodbye to all that. (And goodbye to some feminists so famished for a female president they were even willing to abandon women’s rights in backing Elizabeth Dole.) Goodbye, goodbye to . . . --blaming anything Bill Clinton does on Hillary (even including his womanizing like the Kennedy guys--though unlike them, he got reported on). Let’s get real. If he hadn’t campaigned strongly for her everyone would cluck over what that meant. Enough of Bill and Teddy Kennedy locking their alpha male horns while Hillary pays for it. --an era when parts of the populace feel so disaffected by politics that a comparative lack of knowledge, experience, and skill is actually seen as attractive, when celebrity-culture mania now infects our elections so that it’s “cooler” to glow with marquee charisma than to understand the vast global complexities of power on a nuclear, wounded planet. --the notion that it’s fun to elect a handsome, cocky president who feels he can learn on the job, goodbye to George W. Bush and the destruction brought by his inexperience, ignorance, and arrogance. Goodbye to the accusation that HRC acts “entitled” when she’s worked intensely at everything she’s done—including being a nose-to-the-grindstone, first-rate senator from my state. Goodbye to her being exploited as a Rorschach test by women who reduce her to a blank screen on which they project their own fears, failures, fantasies. Goodbye to the phrase “polarizing figure” to describe someone who embodies the transitions women have made in the last century and are poised to make in this one. It was the women’s movement that quipped, “We are becoming the men we wanted to marry.” She heard us, and she has. Goodbye to some women letting history pass by while wringing their hands, because Hillary isn’t as “likeable” as they’ve been warned they must be, or because she didn’t leave him, couldn’t “control” him, kept her family together and raised a smart, sane daughter. (Think of the blame if Chelsea had ever acted in the alcoholic, neurotic manner of the Bush twins!) Goodbye to some women pouting because she didn’t bake cookies or she did, sniping because she learned the rules and then bent or broke them. Grow the hell up. She is not running for Ms.-perfect-pure-queen-icon of the feminist movement. She is running to be President of the United States. Goodbye to the shocking American ignorance of our own and other countries’ history. Margaret Thatcher and Golda Meir rose through party ranks and war, positioning themselves as proto-male leaders. Almost all other female heads of government so far have been related to men of power—granddaughters, daughters, sisters, wives, widows: Gandhi, Bandaranike, Bhutto, Aquino, Chamorro, Wazed, Macapagal-Arroyo, Johnson Sirleaf, Bachelet, Kirchner, and more. Even in our “land of opportunity,” it’s mostly the first pathway “in” permitted to women: Reps. Doris Matsui and Mary Bono and Sala Burton; Sen. Jean Carnahan . . . far too many to list here. Goodbye to a misrepresented generational divide . . . Goodbye to the so-called spontaneous “Obama Girl” flaunting her bikini-clad ass online—then confessing Oh yeah it wasn’t her idea after all, some guys got her to do it and dictated the clothes, which she said “made me feel like a dork.” Goodbye to some young women eager to win male approval by showing they’re not feminists (at least not the kind who actually threaten the status quo), who can’t identify with a woman candidate because she is unafraid of eeueweeeu yucky power, who fear their boyfriends might look at them funny if they say something good about her. Goodbye to women of any age again feeling unworthy, sulking “what if she’s not electable?” or “maybe it’s post-feminism and whoooosh we’re already free.” Let a statement by the magnificent Harriet Tubman stand as reply. When asked how she managed to save hundreds of enslaved African Americans via the Underground Railroad during the Civil War, she replied bitterly, “I could have saved thousands—if only I’d been able to convince them they were slaves.” I’d rather say a joyful Hello to all the glorious young women who do identify with Hillary, and all the brave, smart men—of all ethnicities and any age--who get that it’s in their self-interest, too. She’s better qualified. (D’uh.) She’s a high-profile candidate with an enormous grasp of foreign- and domestic-policy nuance, dedication to detail, ability to absorb staggering insult and personal pain while retaining dignity, resolve, even humor, and keep on keeping on. (Also, yes, dammit, let’s hear it for her connections and funding and party-building background, too. Obama was awfully glad about those when she raised dough and campaigned for him to get to the Senate in the first place.) I’d rather look forward to what a good president he might make in eight years, when his vision and spirit are seasoned by practical know-how--and he’ll be all of 54. Meanwhile, goodbye to turning him into a shining knight when actually he’s an astute, smooth pol with speechwriters who’ve worked with the Kennedys’ own speechwriter-courtier Ted Sorenson. If it’s only about ringing rhetoric, let speechwriters run. But isn’t it about getting the policies we want enacted? And goodbye to the ageism . . . How dare anyone unilaterally decide when to turn the page on history, papering over real inequities and suffering constituencies in the promise of a feel-good campaign? How dare anyone claim to unify while dividing, or think that to rouse US youth from torpor it’s useful to triage the single largest demographic in this country’s history: the boomer generation--the majority of which is female? Older woman are the one group that doesn’t grow more conservative with age—and we are the generation of radicals who said “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” Goodbye to going gently into any goodnight any man prescribes for us. We are the women who changed the reality of the United States. And though we never went away, brace yourselves: we’re back! We are the women who brought this country equal credit, better pay, affirmative action, the concept of a family-focused workplace; the women who established rape-crisis centers and battery shelters, marital-rape and date-rape laws; the women who defended lesbian custody rights, who fought for prison reform, founded the peace and environmental movements; who insisted that medical research include female anatomy, who inspired men to become more nurturing parents, who created women’s studies and Title IX so we all could cheer the WNBA stars and Mia Hamm. We are the women who reclaimed sexuality from violent pornography, who put child care on the national agenda, who transformed demographics, artistic expression, language itself. We are the women who forged a worldwide movement. We are the proud successors of women who, though it took more than 50 years, won us the vote. We are the women who now comprise the majority of US voters. Hillary said she found her own voice in New Hampshire. There’s not a woman alive who, if she’s honest, doesn’t recognize what she means. Then HRC got drowned out by campaign experts, Bill, and media’s obsession with All Things Bill. So listen to her voice: “For too long, the history of women has been a history of silence. Even today, there are those who are trying to silence our words. “It is a violation of human rights when babies are denied food, or drowned, or suffocated, or their spines broken, simply because they are born girls. It is a violation of human rights when woman and girls are sold into the slavery of prostitution. It is a violation of human rights when women are doused with gasoline, set on fire and burned to death because their marriage dowries are deemed too small. It is a violation of human rights when individual women are raped in their own communities and when thousands of women are subjected to rape as a tactic or prize of war. It is a violation of human rights when a leading cause of death worldwide along women ages 14 to 44 is the violence they are subjected to in their own homes. It is a violation of human rights when women are denied the right to plan their own families, and that includes being forced to have abortions or being sterilized against their will. “Women’s rights are human rights. Among those rights are the right to speak freely--and the right to be heard.” That was Hillary Rodham Clinton defying the US State Department and the Chinese Government at the 1995 UN World Conference on Women in Beijing (the full, stunning speech: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/hillaryclintonbeijingspeech.htm). And this voice, age 22, in “Commencement Remarks of Hillary D. Rodham, President of Wellesley College Government Association, Class of 1969” (full speech: http://www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/Commencement/1969/053169hillary.html) “We are, all of us, exploring a world none of us understands. . . . searching for a more immediate, ecstatic, and penetrating mode of living. . . . [for the] integrity, the courage to be whole, living in relation to one another in the full poetry of existence. The struggle for an integrated life existing in an atmosphere of communal trust and respect is one with desperately important political and social consequences. . . . Fear is always with us, but we just don't have time for it.” She ended with the commitment “to practice, with all the skill of our being: the art of making possible.” And for decades, she’s been learning how. So goodbye to Hillary’s second-guessing herself. The real question is deeper than her re-finding her voice. Can we women find ours? Can we do this for ourselves? “Our President, Ourselves!” Time is short and the contest tightening. We need to rise in furious energy--as we did when courageous Anita Hill was so vilely treated in the US Senate, as we did when desperate Rosie Jiminez was butchered by an illegal abortion, as we did and do for women globally who are condemned for trying to break through. We need to win, this time. Goodbye to supporting HRC tepidly, with ambivalent caveats and apologetic smiles. Time to volunteer, make phone calls, send emails, donate money, argue, rally, march, shout, vote. Me? I support Hillary Rodham because she’s the best qualified of all candidates running in both parties. I support her because her progressive politics are as strong as her proven ability to withstand what will be a massive right-wing assault in the general election. I support her because she’s refreshingly thoughtful, and I’m bloodied from eight years of a jolly “uniter” with ejaculatory politics. I needn’t agree with her on every point. I agree with the 97 percent of her positions that are identical with Obama’s—and the few where hers are both more practical and to the left of his (like health care). I support her because she’s already smashed the first-lady stereotype and made history as a fine senator, and because I believe she will continue to make history not only as the first US woman president, but as a great US president. As for the “woman thing”? Me, I’m voting for Hillary not because she’s a woman--but because I am.

ERIKA JONG'S ARTICLE

Hillary vs. the Patriarchy

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Hillary vs. the Patriarchy

This is a clearer link (Thanks, Elizabeth) to the earlier article I sent you by Robin Morgan.http://www.womensmediacenter.com/ex/020108.html

Erika Jong's (Fear of Flying) article below.

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By Erica JongMonday, February 4, 2008; 12:00 AM
"Look, the only people for Hillary Clinton are the Democratic establishment and white women," said Bill Kristol yesterday on Fox News Sunday, one of the many "news" outlets to expose Kristol's reliable sexism. "The Democratic establishment would be crazy to follow an establishment that led it to defeat year after year," Kristol continued in his woolly, repetitive style. "White women are a problem, you know. We all live with that."
Bill Kristol has been much criticized for his war mongering, arrogance, poor writing and lack of fact checking. But at least the guy is honest. He considers women a problem -- especially white women. And he feels confident enough as an alpha male to be open about it. "I shouldn't have said that," he demurred. But he can say anything he likes and still fall eternally upward. He's a white man, lord of all he surveys -- including Hillary Rodham Clinton.
I, too, have been watching Hillary Clinton with admiration, love, hate, annoyance and empathy since she appeared on the national scene 16 years ago. (Can it be only16 years?) I've had a hard time making up my mind about her. Perhaps that's because I identify with her so strongly.
I'm hardly the only woman who sees my life mirrored in hers. She's always worked twice as hard to get half as far as the men around her. She endured a demanding Republican father she could seldom please and a brilliant, straying husband who played around with bimbos. She was clearly his intellectual soul mate, but the women he chased were dumb and dumber.
Nothing she did was ever enough to stop her detractors. Supporting a politician husband by being a successful lawyer, raising a terrific daughter, saving her marriage when the love of her life publicly humiliated her -- these are things that would be considered enormously admirable in most politicians and public figures. But because she's a white woman, she's been pilloried for them.
She's had to endure nutcrackers made in her image, insults about the shape of her ankles and nasty cracks from mediocrities in the media like Rush Limbaugh, Chris Matthews and Kristol.
When she decided to run for the Senate she was called a carpetbagger. When she won the hearts of her most conservative constituents by supporting their actual needs, the same poisonous pundits who said it couldn't be done attacked her.
Nor are poisonous women pundits any more kind. Maureen Dowd regularly gives her a drubbing. And "progressives" from Susan Brownmiller to Oprah Winfrey sport Obama buttons.
I, too, was a bluestocking from a woman's college, straight-A student, Phi Beta Kappa, who found my voice as a writer while exiled to the boonies with a husband who cheated. With every book I published, I saw more clearly how uneven was the playing field for women. We were let into the literary world on sufferance. Unless we wrote unreadable academic tracts that nobody bought, or mysteries or romances or something called "chick lit" (whatever that is), or biographies of Great Men, we were booed off the stage.
I chanced to get famous for my work. Hillary got famous in the unspeakable role of "First Lady," which Jackie Kennedy Onassis thought sounded like the name of racehorse. If she seemed uncomfortable in her skin, if she kept changing her hair, her image, her style, her way of speaking, how could we blame her? She was trying to be self-protective. Who wouldn't be if constantly attacked by a beastly press?
Little by little, she loosened up. She learned how to dress and speak and smile and relax on the podium. I've watched this whole process with immense admiration.
Fame in America is unforgiving. And she had to grow comfortable in the spotlight -- something very few people can do without having a nervous breakdown or drinking or popping pills. Hillary made it without self-destructing. She was a tower of strength to her husband, who seems to have little impulse control, and her daughter whom she obviously loves and whom she never exploited even in the worst of times.
She cannot have enjoyed her husband's playing around. She certainly never condoned it. But he was clever enough for her, he supported her dreams, and they both loved their smart and beautiful daughter.
Besides, what does anyone know about anyone else's marriage? As a novelist I understand that I can't even invent the complexities most people live with, the compromises made, the deals negotiated and renegotiated. If it works, let's say hallelujah, rather than pick and quibble. It took me three marriages to find my soul mate. Maybe Hillary was luckier.
In the 1990s, when they became "Billary" as president, she gave her all. When the White House beckoned, she was true blue. When he took the hardest job in the world, she helped. And when he rewarded her by letting some tootsie do whatever it was they did in the Oval Office, she got really mad.
But she was wise enough to know what it did and did not mean. She did what smart European and Asian women have done through the ages: She kept her marriage but changed her focus to her own ambitions.
As a senator she has learned compromise and negotiation. She has gotten to know red America as well as blue. If she could win over the rednecks in upstate New York, she can win over any American. She knows this country is full of "security" moms as well as soccer moms. Since she is a woman, she has to show she's ready to be commander in chief. Hence her "triangulation" on Iraq and her signing the absurd Lieberman-Kyl resolution, which calls on our government to use "military instruments" to "combat, contain and [stop]" Iran's meddling in Iraq.
By the time it came up she must have known the Cheney-Bush war profiteers would never embrace even partial peace. She had to win over her America and theirs.
Who ever got elected in the United States without moving to the center? Not Ralph Nader the narcissist, nor Ross Perot the spoiler, nor certainly Adlai Stevenson the "egghead," nor Ronnie Reagan the red-baiter from Hollywoodland. Dubya presented himself as a "compassionate conservative" and our dopey press bought it. They inflicted him on us because they thought Al Gore was a nerd. The right-wing media barons happily smeared the better man for no good reason. Noam Chomsky predicted all this 25 years ago, when he said that the concentration of the media would rob us of real news.
It certainly has. We can read all we want about Britney, Paris, Heath, Tom Cruise, the Spice Girls and all their buds -- dead or alive -- but we can't read about how many children have been maimed in Iraq, or their dead and legless or armless mothers and fathers who were shocked and awed. But we know it's happening. And we feel the great weight of our complicity.
You will point to Hillary's complicity. You will quote crazy-like-a-fox Ann Coulter, who claims to be voting for her.
You will also quote left-wing bloggers who love Barack Obama, and MoveOn.org peaceniks (I am one) who see no evil in him (nor do I). But I see little experience either. Obama is smart and attractive. Maybe he'll be president someday.
He was lucky enough not to be in the Senate when the Iraq war resolution was floated after then-Secretary of State Colin Powell lied about WMDs. That was the true tragedy of race: a black man lying for a corrupt white administration that was using him as a token, much as they use Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice now.
Obama is also a token -- of our incomplete progress toward an interracial society. I have nothing against him except his inexperience. Many black voters agree. They understand tokenism and condescension.
I understand my hopeful friends who think an Obama button will change America. But I'm sticking with Hillary. I trust her because all her life, her pro bono work has been for mothers and children. And mothers and children -- of all colors -- are the most oppressed group in our country. I trust her to speak for our children and grandchildren -- and for us. She always has.
officejongleur@rcn.com