Russert is gone; hypocrisy lingers on

This is the first Sunday when Tim Russert will not be presiding over “Meet the Press”.
Whilst many mourn the passage of Tim Russert, others are making political hay over it one way or the other.
Many of the “progressives” who have not had one nice thing to say about Russert EVER now make “we have had our differences” posts eulogizing him. Let me make it clear I am not condemning each and every person who has posted with heartfelt sympathies.
I am talking about those who turn their “emotions” on a dime for cheap, callous politics. Those who praise Caesar whilst wiping his blood from their knives.
It is to retch. It would be better that they stay silent than soil the landscape with their hollow praise.
The most obscene and Bill O’Reilly like example is one who could naught but spit venom at Russert did the following.

• 1. made a saccharin post about Russert, half absolving him of his “sins”
• 2. recommended his book “Big Russ” as a fitting memorial and Father’s Day gift.
• 3. put Russert’s book on the poster’s amazon.com site to make a few bucks off the hypocrisy and crocodile tears.

Rest in peace, Mr. Russert. I seldom watched, praised or perhaps even appreciated your work. According to your friends, most colleagues and a wall filled with awards, you did all right for yourself.
Cheers!

Texas Dem’s: Can we silence the majority? Yes we can! Shut out seniors, the poor & single moms? Yes we can!

One Citizen’s Opinion by Lee Dunkelberg

Texas Democrats in convention in Austin last weekend passed on giving the people a true voice in picking presidential candidates.

Though they voted to “study” the system, basically, the Dems let stand the precinct conventions, which effectively give most voters only two thirds of a vote for their presidential candidate.

Granted, we are told the system will be studied. However, I sense more of an “out of sight, out of mind” coalition here.

As it stands right now, in order to get your full vote for your presidential candidate in the Texas Democratic Party, you are two-timed by the party. You cast your vote at the polls, and you get two-thirds of a vote. Then, you have to attend the precinct convention after the polls close to qualify for your remaining third. No matter, if your job, family obligations, physical condition, age, illness or any other reason prevents you from attending.

[blog editor note - I caucused for neither Sen. Obama or Sen. Clinton.]

It comes as no surprise, as the system was set up to make sure the vote of the majority could be “corrected” by party loyalists. Now, the Obamgelicals head the party machinery. The precinct conventions allowed them to subvert the majority vote on election day, and they are unlikely to undo a system that has served them so well.

See what a difference a successful (though totally mismanaged) caucus makes.

This is from The Dallas Morning News following the senatorial district and county conventions (the ones following the election-night precinct conventions fiasco).

After watching a tedious credentials fight at his convention in Dallas, Sen. Royce West [blog editor note - Sen. West is an Obama supporter] said something needs to be done to avoid a repeat in four years.
“If we’re going to keep the caucus system, there should be an extended time period between the primary and the senatorial conventions,” he said.
“You program a period of time where credential challenges are determined.”
Mr. Richie [blog editor note - Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie, an Obama supporter] said he anticipates a vigorous debate at the state convention in June over resolutions to change – or scrap – the caucus process.

Here is what happened at the state convention, this time from the San Antonio Express-News.

In an effort to avoid a convention fight over changing the system, party Chairman Boyd Richie named a special committee headed by state Sen. Royce West, an Obama supporter from Dallas, to report any needed changes to the state convention in two years.
West defeated efforts to debate the caucus system, which could have resulted in an immediate vote. West appealed for delegates to allow his committee to conduct public hearings around Texas so more Democrats could participate in the discussion. West prevailed on his motion to table debate, 6,042 to 1,637.
West said avoiding the fight this year is an important part of healing the party for a unified front for Obama in the fight against presumptive Republican presidential nominee U.S. Sen. John McCain in November.
“There’s strong feelings all over the place about this issue,” West said.
“The issue is a visceral, divisive issue that would not be appropriate to take up at this convention.”
Delegates got a party questionnaire on what changes should be made and got the chance to vent at a hearing that was transcribed for study later. Some on the convention floor had signs that read: “End the Texas Two-Step. Count Votes Equally. Primary System Only!”

Many supporters of the precinct convention offer the Orwellian argument that less democracy is more democracy, as the conventions are a way to pump up the grassroots. It brings more people into the fold. It rewards those who care enough to know the secret handshake of the party, the real Democrats.

They, of course, ignore the fact that there is no problem holding the conventions, passing whatever resolutions they want, deciding who will be delegates to the next step in the convention process and then adjourn with hugs and Kumbaya if they want. That way, the party fertilizes its grassroots without denying a full vote to most of its members.

To quote a popular phrase – “Can we fix it? Yes, we can!”

However, unlike Bob the Builder, I fear it is unlikely Obamgelicals will fix this obvious block to complete openess. Hope and change will only go so far.

Many Obama supporters helping McCain/Bush campaign.

Note to all you Obamadilloes out there: “Get over it [expletive deleted]!” is not a welcoming, conciliatory tone.

When John Edwards quiit the race, I declared myself neutral. Neither of the two remaining candidates offered enough pizazz to me to take sides. However, I committed myself to fully support the nominee of the Democratic Party. When I did that, I got snarky remarks from both Obama and Clinton supporters.

Thus, I knew whichever side that won was going to sorry winners and whichever side that lost was going to be sore losers. I was right. Right now, the McCain/Bush campaign is opening its web to attract as many Clinton supporters as it can as they flee from Obama. Obama may be talking unity, but much of his flock is talking penance.

Now, it seems like many Obama supporters are taking up after the post-war Democratic Party, and I mean post Civil War congress. They want to impose a form of Reconstruction. In order for those who did not support them to join the Obamadillo ranks, penance must first be done. You are welcome to help us, as long as you are appropriately humble, appropriately servile and completely and abjectly apologetic.

How many times did I hear knothead Obama supporters say they would vote for McCain/Bush, Nader, whoever the Libertarian guy is or just stay home if Clinton won the nomination? Well, guess what, there are Clinton people just as passionate and just as loyal. Many of them embrace the same knothead thinking as you do.

If you are a Hillary supporter and you wish for four more years of Boy George Bush, fine! Go ahead and vote for higher gas prices, more “pro-life” judges who embrace death penalties, more troops for Iraq, less benefits for those troops, unending and unfocused war, a failing economy, a dipping dollar, playground bully diplomacy and more tax breaks for the wealthy, from which you not only will not benefit but will be forced to finance.

Finally, Obamadilloes, as passionate as you are for your man, if the situation was reversed, would you want him to throw in the towel? Would you want him to keep fighting? Would you be bitter about those who defeated you? Unless you are a liar, the answer to at least one of those questions is “yes”. So, maybe it’s time a little of this compassion we keep hearing about from the mountain tops trickle down to the grass roots?

Why are you throwing aside everything you say your candidate stands for in order to make a few, very cheap and cheesey “gotchas”?

As for the Clinton supporters, rest and relax. Count to about one million and ten. Then, please, try to remember who the common enemy is and join ranks against McCain/Bush. It may hurt at first, but it will worth it in the long run (and, if anyone is snarky to you, let me know).

Sen. Clinton will be condemned for not begging for mercy

I never was a supporter, but I was interested i what the campaign was up to. So, I got on the mailing list.
I fear this will not be enough for many of Sen. Barack Obama’s supporters. They will settle for nothing less than shaving Sen. Hillary Clinton’s head and parading her through town as the French did with women “collaborators” once France was liberated from the Nazis.
One major difference here is that, while many of the Obama camp would like to join in on the shaming ritual, they fully expect Sen. Clinton to do it to herself for penance.
Our long national nightmare is not over.

Dear Lee, I wanted you to be one of the first to know: on Saturday, I will hold an event in Washington D.C. to thank everyone who has supported my campaign. Over the course of the last 16 months, I have been privileged and touched to witness the incredible dedication and sacrifice of so many people working for our campaign. Every minute you put into helping us win, every dollar you gave to keep up the fight meant more to me than I can ever possibly tell you. On Saturday, I will extend my congratulations to Senator Obama and my support for his candidacy. This has been a long and hard-fought campaign, but as I have always said, my differences with Senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with Senator McCain and the Republicans. I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party’s nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise. When I decided to run for president, I knew exactly why I was getting into this race: to work hard every day for the millions of Americans who need a voice in the White House. I made you — and everyone who supported me — a promise: to stand up for our shared values and to never back down. I’m going to keep that promise today, tomorrow, and for the rest of my life. I will be speaking on Saturday about how together we can rally the party behind Senator Obama. The stakes are too high and the task before us too important to do otherwise. I know as I continue my lifelong work for a stronger America and a better world, I will turn to you for the support, the strength, and the commitment that you have shown me in the past 16 months. And I will always keep faith with the issues and causes that are important to you. In the past few days, you have shown that support once again with hundreds of thousands of messages to the campaign, and again, I am touched by your thoughtfulness and kindness. I can never possibly express my gratitude, so let me say simply, thank you. Sincerely, Hillary Rodham Clinton If you feel you have received this message in error, we apologize. You can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy Paid for by Hillary Clinton for President Contributions to Hillary Clinton for President are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Corporate contributions are prohibited by law. All content © 2008 Hillary Clinton for President 4420 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203

Obama wins nomination! Will his supporters queer the deal?

In claiming the Democratic Party nomination for president, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama was magnanimous in his praise of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, who has battled to the end for the nomination.

I keep thinking of Pres. Gerald Ford’s words to the American people as he took office on the heels of Pres. Richard Nixon’s resignation in disgrace.

“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.”

However, as Sen. Clinton did not roll over and die whilst singing the praises of Barack Obama, many Hillary-hating BO supporters (their own acronym, not mine) are still spewing venom on the web.

You tell me where is the unity in that speech. She is all about her. I now know I made exactly the right decision to not support her.

I am JUST AMAZED –I cant even believe it was as bad and divisive as it was
So she thinks bullying him and threatening him she can make him make her VP

Makes me sick to my stomach

Wait until you see the debt her campaign will expect him to pay off

It is that kind of welcoming attitude that will turn off Clinton supporters – spurring them to . . .

read more and view video