Atlanta Tornado Kills 1; $150 Million In Damage; My Mom Got Out Of Town!

The Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that one person died and there was $150 million in damage after a tornado whipped through Atlanta and damaged several buildings including the Georgia Dome and the CNN Headquarters.

My Mom lives in suburban Southern Atlanta and got out just fine. She boarded a plane to Chicago for the weekend.

Here's a video of how the tornado effected the play of an NCAA basketball game at the Georgia Dome:

"Obama Pastor" Whites Attend Trinity; Say Obama Not Muslim

This is a great video issued by the Obama campaign and featuring Jane Fisler Hoffman, who's a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ congregation. She says that she drives almot an hour to Trinity in Chicago.

Jane also explains that Senator Obama is a Christian and a member of her church. Jane goes a long way toward helping to drown out the stupid "Talor Marsh" and Old Media voices that are trying to divide America and damage the Obama campaign. The smear tactics are terrible and the Mainstream News Media should be fined by the FCC for what they're doing.

Billy Kristol's Only Spring Training At Bat - Video

Ashley Alexandra Dupre - Eliot Spitzer's Call Girl

Ashley Alexandra Dupre - One of Eliot Spitzer's Call Girls

Ashley Alexandra Dupré was revealed to be one of Former NY Governor liot Spitzer's Call Girls. But she's also an amazing singing talent. It seems the Gov. may have done her a favor in all this.

This is from Ashley Alexandra Dupre's MySpace Page

About Ashley Alexandra Dupré

I am all about my music, and my music is all about me… It flows from what I’ve been through, what I’ve seen and how I feel. I live in New York and am on top of the world. Been here since 2004 and I love this city, I love my life here. But, my path has not been easy. When I was 17, I left home. It was my decision and I’ve never looked back. Left my hometown. Left a broken family. Left abuse. Left an older brother who had already split. Left and learned what it was like to have everything, and lose it, again and again. Learned what it was like to wake up one day and have the people you care about most gone. I have been alone. I have abused drugs. I have been broke and homeless. But, I survived, on my own. I am here, in NY because of my music. It started when I moved in with a musician during my odyssey to New York. One day, I was in the shower singing “respect.” He and his lead guitarist burst in, had me repeat it and it started. We wrote, rehearsed and toured. After recording a bit with them, I decided to move to Manhattan to pursue my music career. I spent the first two years getting to know the music scene, networking in clubs and connecting with the industry. Now, it’s all about my music. It’s all about expressing me. I can sit here now, and knowingly tell you that life’s hard sometimes. But, I made it. I’m still here and I love who I am. If I never went through the hard times, I would not be able to appreciate the good ones. Cliché, yes, but I know it’s true. I have experienced just how hard it can be. I can honestly tell you to never dwell on the past, but build from it and keep moving forward. Don’t let anyone hold you back or tell you that you can’t…because you can. I didn’t and here I am, just listen to it…. What we Want is my latest track. It’s really about trust, something my past has made very difficult for me to feel. This one was inspired by a guy, who taught me not to confuse my dreams with the sounds of the city…I hope you like it.
I created my own profile using nUCLEArcENTURy.COM and you should too!

Ashley Alexandra Dupré: General Info
Member Since 4/7/2006
Band Website amiestreet.com/ashleyalexandradupre
Influences My Brother, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera, Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, Carly Simon, Diana Krall, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Aerosmith, Lauryn Hill, Keisha Cole, U2, Jack Johnson, Vivian Green
Sounds Like Me.
Record Label None.
Type of Label None

Dr. Mary Frances Berry Defends Geraldine Ferraro And Pisses Me Off!

I just saw Civil Rights Pioneer Dr. Mary Frances Berry on CNN after the Geraldine Ferraro disaster and was really upset with what I heard her say. She essentially gave Geraldine Ferraro a "pass" on her terrible comments. The scene prompted me to write this letter to Dr. Berry.

Dr. Berry,

I want you to pay attention. Close attention to what I'm writing. I am VERY UPSET and DISAPPOINTED with how you allowed yourself to be portrayed on CNN on Wednesday. I -- until today -- was very proud of your history. You set a standard that many should know and follow -- I thought. My Mom -- Pat Abraham Yerger -- would sing your praises and I would listen.

No more.

First, you're a Clinton supporter; why, I do not know.

Senator Barack Obama is the first true African American candidate who can be President of the United States. I've raised thousands of dollars for him and over the last year worked the Internet to make sure his message is seen far and wide around the World. In my work I've seen many older African Americans like yourself ( I am younger) who come across as afraid to cause and see true cultural change where a Black man is in the position of the most powerful elected official in the World.

I've seen people like yourself pat people like the Clintons on the back for being "there" for civil rights. Well, I've got news for you Ms. Berry. They don't speak for young Black business owners like me. I'm not seeking protection for my civil rights -- I have them. I'm working to build a world where people like me are AUTOMATICALLY considered part of the business class and expected to make a contribution based on our merits. No handouts. And no people like the Clintons who always tell you how they've helped Blacks in the past.

That was then; this is now.

You need to grow and get with the 21st Century program because it's clear you're stuck in the 20th Century. This is 2008; not 1998. We are in an era where people are HUNGRY to get over our racial divide and many see Barack as a symbol of America's ability to grow.

Why you're not part of this desire is beyond me. It's terrible to see that you've taken this path. You do major damage by your appearance on CNN and views you expressed to young Black men who need to see that they too can reach for, and achieve, the American Dream. That you would even present your outdated views on television is a sure sign that the crab-barrel mentality is alive and well with you. I wish you would change; just plain turn on a dime and become a more productive member of MODERN American society.

Allowing Geraldine Ferraro to make her STUPID and idiotic and racist comments and then say that Obama should not have responded was patently silly. To place yourself in a postion where you allowed David Gergen to make you look like a self-hating Black person was worse, because that's what he did.

What the heck is wrong with you? Please tell me. That was painful to watch and terrible to recall as I write. You had no business letting that happen. But you did.

You can still improve. You can reach for that place that allows you to see and work for what can be done, and not wallow in a pool of sorrow and fear over a future that you and I know must happen: Barack Obama for President.

With much respect for -- and yet extreme disappointment with -- you.

--
Zennie Abraham, Jr.
Chairman and CEO
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Sports Business Simulations
510-387-9809
SBS Online Marketing at http://www.sbson.com

Keith Olbermann Takes Clinton To The Woodshed On MSNBC

Keith Olbermann delivered a classic and wonderful monologue on Geraldine Ferraro's racists commentary regarding Senator Barack Obama's run for President and Senator Hillary Clinton's very slow move to call for Ferraro's departure from the campaign, and her lack of a speech refusing and denying Ferraro and her words.

I personally don't think Clinton supporters like David Gergen get the negative power and impact of Ferraro's words. Keith Oldermann does. Here's a transcript of his classic work and the video of the television report he made on Tuesday:



Finally, as promised, a Special Comment on the presidential campaign of the Junior Senator from New York.
By way of necessary preface, President and Senator Clinton -- and the Senator's mother, and the Senator's brother -- were of immeasurable support to me at the moments when these very commentaries were the focus of the most surprise, the most uncertainty, and the most anger. My gratitude to them is abiding.
Also, I am not here endorsing Senator Obama's nomination, nor suggesting it is inevitable.
Thus I have fought with myself over whether or not to say anything.
Senator, as it has reached its apex in their tone-deaf, arrogant, and insensitive reaction to the remarks of Geraldine Ferraro... your own advisors are slowly killing your chances to become President.
Senator, their words, and your own, are now slowly killing the chances for any Democrat to become President.
In your tepid response to this Ferraro disaster, you may sincerely think you are disenthralling an enchanted media, and righting an unfair advance bestowed on Senator Obama.
You may think the matter has closed with Representative Ferraro's bitter, almost threatening resignation.
But in fact, Senator, you are now campaigning, as if Barock Obama were the Democrat, and you… were the Republican.
As Shakespeare wrote, Senator -- that way… madness… lies.
You have missed a critical opportunity to do... what was right.
No matter what Ms. Ferraro now claims, no one took her comments out of context.
She had made them on at least three separate occasions, then twice more on television this morning.
Just hours ago, on NBC Nightly News, she denied she had made the remarks in an interview -- only at a paid political speech.
In fact, the first time she spoke them, was ten days before the California newspaper published them... not in a speech, but in a radio interview.
On February 26th, quoting...
"If Barack Obama were a white man, would we be talking about this, as a potential real problem for Hillary? If he were a woman of any color, would he be in this position that he's in? Absolutely not."
The context was inescapable.
Two minutes earlier, a member of Senator Clinton's Finance Committee, one of her "Hill-Raisers," had bemoaned the change in allegiance by Super-Delegate John Lewis from Clinton to Obama, and the endorsement of Obama by Senator Dodd.
"I look at these guys doing it," she had said, "and I have to tell you, it's the guys sticking together."
A minute after the "color" remarks, she was describing herself as having been chosen for the 1984 Democratic ticket, purely as a woman politician, purely to make history.
She was, in turn, making a blind accusation of sexism -- and dismissing Senator Obama's candidacy as nothing more than an Equal Opportunity stunt.
The next day she repeated her comments to a reporter from the newspaper in Torrance, California.
"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."
And when this despicable statement -- ugly in its overtones, laughable in its weak grip of facts, and moronic in the historical context -- when it floats outward from the Clinton Campaign like a poison cloud, what do the advisors have their candidate do?
Do they have Senator Clinton herself compare the remark to Al Campanis talking on Nightline... on Jackie Robinson day... about how blacks lacked the necessities to become baseball executives, while she points out that Barock Obama has not gotten his 1600 delegates as part of some kind of Affirmative Action plan?
Do they have Senator Clinton note that her own brief period in elected office, is as irrelevant to the issue of judgment as is Senator Obama's…
…while she points out that FDR had served only six years as a governor and state Senator before he became President?
Or that Teddy Roosevelt had four-and-a-half years before the White House?
Or that Woodrow Wilson had two years and six weeks?
Or Richard Nixon… fourteen... and Calvin Coolidge 25?
Do these advisors have Senator Clinton invoke Samantha Power -- gone by sunrise after she used the word "monster" -- and have Senator Clinton say, "this is how I police my campaign and this is what I stand for," while she fires former Congresswoman Ferraro from any role the campaign?
No.
Somebody tells her that simply disagreeing with and rejecting the remarks is sufficient.
And she should then call, "regrettable", words that should make any Democrat retch.
And that she should then try to twist them, first into some pox-on-both-your-houses plea to 'stick to the issues,' and then to let her campaign manager try to bend them beyond all recognition, into Senator Obama's fault.
And thus these advisers give Congresswoman Ferraro nearly a week in which to send Senator Clinton's campaign back into the vocabulary... of David Duke.
"Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let's address reality and the problems we're facing in this world, you're accused of being racist, so you have to shut up.
"Racism works in two different directions. I really think they're attacking me because I'm white.
"How's that?"
How's that?
Apart from sounding exactly like Rush Limbaugh attacking the black football quarterback Donovan McNabb?
Apart from sounding exactly like what Ms. Ferraro said about another campaign, nearly twenty years ago?
Quote:
"President Reagan suggested Tuesday that people don't ask Jackson tough questions because of his race. And former representative Geraldine A. Ferraro (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday that because of his "radical" views, "if Jesse Jackson were not black, he wouldn't be in the race."
So... apart from sounding like insidious racism that is at least two decades old?
Apart from rendering ridiculous, Senator Clinton's shell-game about choosing Obama as Vice President?
Apart from this evening's resignation letter?
"I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign.
"The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you."
Apart from all that?
Well. It sounds as if those advisors want their campaign to be associated with those words, and the cheap… ignorant… vile… racism that underlies every syllable...
And that Geraldine Ferraro has just gone free-lance.
Senator Clinton:
This is not a campaign strategy.
This is a suicide pact.
This week alone, your so-called strategists have declared that Senator Obama has not yet crossed the "commander-in-chief threshold"…
But -- he might be your choice to be Vice President, even though a quarter of the previous sixteen Vice Presidents have become commander-in-chief during the greatest kind of crisis this nation can face: a mid-term succession.
But you'd only pick him if he crosses that threshold by the time of the convention.
But if he does cross that threshold by the time of the convention, he will only have done so sufficiently enough to become Vice President, not President.

Senator, if the serpentine logic of your so-called advisors were not bad enough...
Now, thanks to Geraldine Ferraro, and your campaign's initial refusal to break with her, and your new relationship with her -- now more disturbing still with her claim that she can now "speak for herself" about her vision of Senator Obama as some kind of embodiment of a quota...
If you were to seek Obama as a Vice President, it would be, to Ms. Ferraro, some kind of social engineering gesture, some kind of racial make-good.
Do you not see, Senator?
To Senator Clinton's supporters, to her admirers, to her friends for whom she is first choice, and her friends for whom she is second choice, she is still letting herself be perceived as standing next to, and standing by, racial divisiveness and blindness…
And worst yet, after what President Clinton said during the South Carolina primary, comparing the Obama and Jesse Jackson campaigns -- a disturbing, but only borderline remark...
After what some in the black community have perceived as a racial undertone to the "3 A-M" ad... a disturbing -- but only borderline interpretation...
And after that moment's hesitation in her own answer on 60 Minutes about Obama's religion -- a disturbing, but only borderline vagueness...
After those precedents, there are those who see a pattern... false, or true.
After those precedents, there are those who see an intent... false, or true.
After those precedents, there are those who see the Clinton campaign's anything-but-benign neglect of this Ferraro catastrophe -- falsely or truly -- as a desire to hear the kind of casual prejudice which still haunts this society voiced... and to not distance the campaign from it.
To not distance you from it, Senator!
To not distance you... from that which you as a woman, and Senator Obama as an African-American, should both know and feel with the deepest of personal pain!
Which you should both fight with all you have!
Which you should both insure, has no place in this contest!

This, Senator Clinton, is your campaign, and it is your name.
Grab the reins back from whoever has led you to this precipice, before it is too late.
Voluntarily or inadvertently, you are still awash in this filth.
Your only reaction has been to disagree, reject, and to call it regrettable.
Her only reaction has been to brand herself as the victim, resign from your committee, and insist she will continue to speak.
Unless you say something definitive, Senator, the former Congresswoman is speaking with your approval.
You must remedy this.
And you must... reject... and denounce... Geraldine Ferraro.
Good night, and good luck.

Clinton Backer Geraldine Ferraro Steps Down But Leaves Warning

Geraldine Ferraro stepped down from her post on Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's Finance Committee (no wonder they lost money), but left this letter to Clinton obtained by CNN's Suzanne Malveaux, which, to me, serves as a warning to Clinton and the Democratic Party:

Dear Hillary -

I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign.

The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you.

I won't let that happen.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to make this a better world for my children and grandchildren.

You have my deep admiration and respect.

Gerry

What this says to me is that Ferraro will continue to be a divisive force in the Democratic Party. What's bothersome is that she refuses to see that she's causing damage. She will drive a great many people to Barack Obama. I say, Horray! for this, but I'm concerned about the Democratic Party and I think Pelosi needs to step in and stop this crap once and for all.

Emperor's Club VIP Website "Disabled"

UPDATE: Spitzer's Call Girl

Emperor's Club VIP, the escort service that was to have played host to Eliot Spitzer's extramarital prostitution affairs, has a website which until this week probably saw very little traffic. Not anymore. Even though it does not come up on an Alexa search, it was reported when I Googled the site that it's "disabled" due to traffic.

Wow. But it's interesting that Alexa can't list it for ranking, but perhaps Alexa's overrated anyway!

UPDATE: Ashley Dupre A Millionaire From Scandal

GOV'S WANKY IN HANKY-PANKY!! > Spitzer Spent $80,000 On Prostitutes - NY Post

Ok. I had to try one of those NY Post-style headlines. What a riot! But less funny is the unfolding story of New Yok Gov. Eliot Spitzer and his reported fooling around with an escort service called Emperors Club VIP , (and for which its website has been "disabled").

Now the Post reports that Spitzer may have paid as much as $80,000 for call-girl service over a 10-year period. That's more than many people make in a year!

Stay tuned.

NY Senator Moynihan’s Widow Endorses Barack Obama

Mrs. Moynihan said, "...I know Pat would approve, applaud and encourage me to join Caroline Kennedy in supporting Barack Obama’s candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States." Senator Moynihan, who represented New York from 1977 to 2001, strongly supported Mrs. Clinton’s candidacy for the NY Senate seat. But it also telling that even as she supported Hillary for her seat, Mrs. Moynihan went against her for President. I think -- oh, and this is another Superdelegate win for Obama -- that there's some backlash agains the way the Clintons are ripping the Democratic Party apart for their own power grab.

read more | digg story

Mesquite Texas, Precinct 2312 - 200 Voters Locked Out

With the data coming in explaining that Barack Obama won the Texas Caucus, you'd think it was over, but not exactly. This voter, an Obama supporter named Avia Rice, is sharing what reads like a minor horror story down there..

Hello All:

I just got home from the Mesquite, Precinct 2312, and we waited for over 1 hour to only find out that our chairperson never showed up. We were given several numbers to call and nothing was ever resolved. The dallas county election person that handled the primary ran our meeting, when she shouldn't have, and assured us that our paper votes would count. THis was so discouraging. Once the announcments were made that we weren't aware of her wherabouts, about 20 people left and hten another 25 or so left when we were told that we were to vote on paper.
I will be calling and complaining to the Democratic party chair and well as trying to contact the media. Its very interesting that this was running rapid in Mesquite, Garland and Desoto where voters are heavily African Amercan and Hispanic. We got news that about 200 people in Desoto were locked out of the school and never let in to even try to Caucus.

What else should I do to report this?

Mayor Nutter: Clinton-Backer Says Obama Will Be President

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's backing Senator Hillary Clinton for president over Barack Obama. But that's not stopped him from predicting that Obama will be the 44th President of the United States. Read this from Ben Waxman's blog:

Nutter, Brady, Fattah, and Knox all appeared at a mayoral forum at Central High School in Philadelphia. They were asked to predict who the next president would be. Here is Nutter's answer:
The candidates also were asked to predict who would be the next U.S. president.
Taubenberger, who heads the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, named a fellow Republican, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. Brady was next: Hillary Clinton. "The Democrat," Fattah said. Knox seconded that.

"I'll go out on a limb. Sen. [Barack] Obama," Nutter said, yielding to a crescendo of applause and whoops from the young audience at the mention of the Illinois Democrat.



With that kind of reaction, Nutter should consider a switch. But that would be hard to obtain because Obama supported Nutter's Mayoral challenger U.S. Representative Chaka Fattah in the race for Mayor of Philadelphia. Nutter won, obviously. But it's also apparent to Nutter that he's backing the wrong horse in this presidential race.

Obama Wins Texas | Clinton Lost Texas | Obama Gains 99 Delegates

The Texas Secretary of State is set to certify the official election results for the Democratic primary. As predicted, Barack Obama has beaten Hillary Clinton. While Clinton won the state's popular vote, Obama racked up more caucus support, so that, now that the final tally is in, the Lone Star state's delegate total reads: Obama - 99 delegates versus Clinton's 95 delegates. So, if someone from CNN, or Fox, or MSNBC, or CBS, or ABC says Clinton won Texas, you can email this to them and laugh heartily.

read more | digg story

Clinton Backer Geraldine Ferraro's History Of Racism - Ben Smith In The Politico

Give Ben Smith credit for digging up this bit of history on Geraldine Ferraro's love of racist comments from 1988 using a Lexis search:

"If Jesse Jackson were not black, he wouldn't be in the race," she said.

Really. The cite is an April 15, 1988 Washington Post story (byline: Howard Kurtz), available only on Nexis.

Here's the full context:

Placid of demeanor but pointed in his rhetoric, Jackson struck out repeatedly today against those who suggest his race has been an asset in the campaign. President Reagan suggested Tuesday that people don't ask Jackson tough questions because of his race. And former representative Geraldine A. Ferraro (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday that because of his "radical" views, "if Jesse Jackson were not black, he wouldn't be in the race."

Asked about this at a campaign stop in Buffalo, Jackson at first seemed ready to pounce fiercely on his critics. But then he stopped, took a breath, and said quietly, "Millions of Americans have a point of view different from" Ferraro's.

Discussing the same point in Washington, Jackson said, "We campaigned across the South . . . without a single catcall or boo. It was not until we got North to New York that we began to hear this from Koch, President Reagan and then Mrs. Ferraro . . . . Some people are making hysteria while I'm making history."

I would say that Ferraro's making history again, er, "making hysteria" again, I should say.

Geez.

Also on February 27th she appeared on John Gibson and said the same "Obama's Winning Because He's Not White!" crap. Wow.

Obama Wining In Mississippi By 16 Points

As of this writing, Senator Barack Obama's winning in Mississippi by 16 points, 57 to 41 percent on Fox, CNN, and MSNBC. Obama's projected to win, so the only question is by how much. Stay tuned.

Ferraro: "They're Attacking Me Because I'm White!

One day after Clinton backer and former Vice Presidential Candidate Geraldine Ferraro said that Senator Barack Obama had the campaign advantage because he's Black, she's opened her obviously lively mouth again. Today, in the same publication where she gave the interview, Ferraro said "They're Attacking Me Because I'm White!"

The full text is here:

NEWSPAPER: But far from backing off from her initial remark, Ferraro defended it and elaborated on it.

FERRARO: "Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let's address reality and the problems we're facing in this world, you're accused of being racist, so you have to shut up," Ferraro said. "Racism works in two different directions. I really think they're attacking me because I'm white. How's that?"

Geez.

Senator Clinton has said that Ferraro's comments were not welcome. But now, she's got a fresh set of stupid Ferraro comments to deal with. Of course, all of this just fires up the Obama supporters and Ferraro may have sealed the deal for Clinton's eventual loss by pissing of rank-and-file Dems.

Clinton Backer Geraldine Ferraro's Racism In Full National View

Geraldine Ferraro was one person that, as an even younger version of me, I looked up to. After today, I don't. What's unfortunatel about this election is just how many Democratic poiticians I respected who've turned out to have such racist views.

It's something that I should have expected given that for the first time a man of African-American decent in Barack Obama has the chance -- a real great chance -- to be the next, the 44th President of the United States. This prospect has caused those like Ferraro to show their real "colors".

This is what Ferraro said to the DailyBreeze in Southern California :

NEWSPAPER: When the subject turned to Obama, Clinton's rival for the Democratic Party nomination, Ferraro's comments took on a decidedly bitter edge.

FERRARO: "I think what America feels about a woman becoming president takes a very secondary place to Obama's campaign - to a kind of campaign that it would be hard for anyone to run against," she said. "For one thing, you have the press, which has been uniquely hard on her. It's been a very sexist media. Some just don't like her. The others have gotten caught up in the Obama campaign.

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." Ferraro does not buy the notion of Obama as the great reconciler.

"I was reading an article that said young Republicans are out there campaigning for Obama because they believe he's going to be able to put an end to partisanship," Ferraro said, clearly annoyed. "Dear God! Anyone that has worked in the Congress knows that for over 200 years this country has had partisanship - that's the way our country is."

This is stupid. There were many "white men" in this position. I think of the excitement of Mario Cuomo's run. And what about John F. Kennedy. Let's see. JFK's a white man whom Obama's compared to.

Nuts. Totally awful how some Democrats -- ok, some white Democrats -- have revealed themselves to have such racist views.

McCain Advisors Lobbied For Airbus Deal Over Boeing

In a case of "WFT!?!" Senator John McCain's advisors lobbied for the Airbus $35 billion Air Force tanker contract over Boeing. That's an outrage and McCain should say "I'm sorry" to the people of Washington State.

Barack Obama: I Am Running for President of The United States

Senator and Presidential candidate Barack Obama, in a speech to Mississippi voters, gives the perfect comback to Senator Clinton's idea that he should be her VP running mate: I'm in the lead and running for President of The United States.

Sen. Chris Dodd Thinks Like My Mom: Split FL and Michigan Delegates

Two days ago my Mom, the most heroic person I know, Pat Yerger, said "Why not just split the delegates? Give half to Obama and half to Clinton and let's get on with it."

Well, I guess Senator Chris Dodd was listening, because that's what he suggests too!

Great minds think alike!

ELIOT SPITZER ACCUSED OF BEING IN PROSTITUTION RING

UPDATE: Video:




This is the classic "Big Story". According to The New York Times, but the NY Post has better and more detailed information, reporting that Fix News has stated that Spitzer's set to resign:

Feds last week busted a diamond-studded international call-girl ring that offered well-heeled johns "fashion models, pageant winners and exquisite students" for up to $5,500 an hour - after one of the prostitutes turned on her pimp. The Times reported that it was unclear whether this was the ring Spitzer was involved with...The Emperors Club, an upscale escort service, ranked its hookers on a seven-diamond scale on its Web site and then charged its wealthy clientele accordingly for "dates," court papers said.
Four people were charged with prostitution and tax crimes for allegedly raking in more than $1 million with a stable of 50 girls that serviced clients in New York, Washington, LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Las Vegas, London, Paris and Vienna.

You will hear accounts that Spitzer was a "clean cut" person and that as Attorney General, he essentially picked on the Wall Street establishment, and the online ticket industry. In the latter, without success.

Now Spitzer's speaking and appologizing to his family. He says that he failed to live up to the standard of himself the people of New York. He did not say he would step down but that he would get back to the public. He did not deny being part of the prostitution ring.

More later.

N.Y. Times: New York governor linked to prostitution

Governor Spitzer has been reportedly linked to a prostitution ring, The Emperor's Club, which charges $1000-5500 per hour for their promiscuous services. Undoubtedly, a damaging black eye for the maverick governor and former Attorney General for the Empire State.

In addition, the crime fighting governor has been reported by MSNBC to have sent text messages requesting various services to the ring.

NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Times is reporting that New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer has told senior advisers that he had been involved in a prostitution ring.

On its Web site, the newspaper cites an anonymous administration official as the source and says Spitzer was meeting with his top aides.

Spitzer officials wouldn't immediately comment on the story to The Associated Press. An announcement was scheduled for 2:15 p.m. at his Manhattan office

SXSW - Sara Lacy Of Business Week Gets Hammered for Softballing Mark Zuckerberg

Sara Lacy's being described as having given an interview of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg that was "flirtatiously awful" at SXSW. I usually don't hear about such matters on the blogsphere from SXSW in the past, so this one must have been a real toilet-dweller of a talk.

I'll go over to my friends Owen Thomas and Paul Boutin at Valleywag for the ulitmate take on all of this, since both were there while I'm here in Oakland playing host to my Mom, who's visiting. Owen agrees with the reviewers regarding the audience's behavior. Paul, who can turn a phrase with the best of them, wrote "if you really hated yesterday's big event, Austin attendees, blame yourselves. SXSW only gave you exactly what you wanted: A chance to relive Spring Break and the senior prom, but with you and your self-styled "geek" friends as the popular kids."

So just what happened? You can see it here, along with the audience reactions:



Just eyeballing it, it seems that Lacy was doing more talking than listening. It's as if Mark was the spectator.

Here's Sara's explaination of what happened:



According to Sara, the questions were a product of discussion by her and Mark, but she's taking the fall. Tisk. Well, this will all blow over in a few days, especially since bigger news like New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's alledged involvement in a prostitution ring is holding the Monday Zeitgeist space.

Lindsay Lohan - Who Is Lindsay Lohan - Video

I realized I don't even know who Lindsay Lohan really is, so I posted this video that was created to show her.

New England Patriots Spygate - NFL Near Deal With Matt Walsh - NY TIMES

Once the evidence he presents hits the media, the image-aware NFL will take swift action, for sure.


Let’s Make a Deal, Starring Matt Walsh
By ANDREW DAS - NY TIMES

In statements released to the news media Sunday night, the N.F.L. and the lawyer representing the former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh revealed that the sides were nearing a deal that would finally allow Walsh to reveal what he knows about spying in the N.F.L.

Corzine and Rendell Want To Back Florida and Michigan Revote? NO WAY JOSE!

Aww, come on! You've got to be kidding me. Let's see. We've got two Clinton-backers New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell offering to raise money for new revotes in Florida and Michigan?

You gotta be kidding me!

Just say no way Jose. Look, not only are they Clinton-backers, they're not known as having the greatest clean reputations in the World. Just go and type "Corzine Scandal" and "Rendell Scandal" in Google and you'll get a combined 245,000 results, and that's no accident.

We need a process Americans -- not to mention people in Florida and Michigan -- can trust. I'm way not for this at all. I don't think Senator Obama should be either.

"Breaking Bad" Is Great Television - Just Saw It

Ok, so I'm flipping channels and up comes the start of a program which features this shaved-headed, bespectacled man sitting next to a rather attractive , yet plain-looking woman. They're listening to a rather boring school PTA meeting presentation when we suddenly see the man slowly place his hand under the table and run it up the skirt of the woman. She takes his hand and places it away from her -- for a second. Then she takes it and moves it slowly up her skirt.

Just when it seems the hand will meet its destination, his name is called by the presenter, and he and she, and we, are snapped back to reality.

Welcome to "Breaking Bad."

"Breaking Bad" is a new show on AMC (American Movie Channel), which took the genius move of hosting it, is a story about your typical high school chem teacher who discovers he has lung cancer and elects to use his talents to create meth for sale on the open market. That's where things get interesting.

You'll have to tune in for the rest. Check it out.

Sean Hannity's Messed-Up Obama Reporting Features Security Threat

Yes, you read my title correctly. Fox News' Sean Hannity should be FIRED. Yanked off the Fox News telecast by his legs, upside down , by the Secret Service and in full prime-time view of the American Public.

Sean Hannity's a total jerk of a TV personality who thinks it's cool and good ratings to assist by association in placing a respected U.S Senator in danger, which is what he has done by featuring one man, a friend of Sean's who's a white supremacist named Hal Turner and who Sean's frequently had as a guest, and who also threatened Obama.

Yes, you read that correctly. Sean Hannity is -- as newshounds put it -- "ever-vigilant-against-black-racism but ever-sympathetic-to-white-racism". But to the point of allowing a person he's friendly with to threaten the life of Barack Obama? This is nuts, and Sean's just plain horrible.

Hal Turner's had bomb-making tips on his website and has written such dangerous and really sick words as ""smart Frenchman Burned The Place Down To Prevent More Savage Negros From Gaining Access To France" and who's page is linked to from a Neo-Nazi groups website. And add to that, he's not even supposed to have a webpage, because he's been rejected by so many people. Maybe the Secret Service should take this down.

And with all of this, Sean Hannity has a relationship with this idiot? WFT?!

(I'd link to Turner's page, but it makes me barf to even write the link code to do it. But on second thought, if it helps the FBI and the Secret Service, I'll do it...here's the link.)

This means Fox News speaks for Hal Turner.

I can't believe Fox News is to desparate for rating that on top of the whole short skirts, upskirt legs habit they've launched on the part of their female hosts, they harbor as a TV personality a guy who has no problem -- none at all -- giving voice to someone who wants to eliminate Barack Obama.

I can't figure out which is worst: Hannity or Turner, or Fox News itself. I guess I'll take all three of them put together.

According to Newshounds, Hannity, this total piece-of-shit fuck in my free-speech opinion regarding a public figure who's played agent to the threat of Barack Obama, has " has never renounced Turner." Moreover, according to McSweeney's Internet Tendency , Hannity has helped Turner overcome a drug problem and has invited him to the set of his TV show. Think about it. Sean Hannity maintains a friendship with a person in Hal Turner who -- again according to McSweeney -- advocates killing African Americans, and I'm way not making this up.

It's about time Sean rejected Turner on his show, or get booted from his show. But really, it's about time Fox News got some real balls and kicked Hannity off the air, regardless of the appology. It's totally un-American to have a person who's arguably a threat to national security on the public airwaves. Get his stupid, ignorant, racist ass off television now.

Now for those of you who think Hannity has a point about "The real Barack Obama," you're smoking something other than a very good Mike Ditka Cigar. According to Newshounds, which "watches Fox so you don't have to" ...

Obama has renounced Farrakhan and the radical organization the Weather Underground, of which two former members developed a seemingly loose association with Obama 40 years later. Naturally, those renunciations were not good enough for Hannity. But Hannity, to my knowledge, has never renounced Turner.

Obama’s “connection” to Farrakhan is tenuous at best. Obama’s pastor’s daughters awarded Farrakhan some kind of lifetime achievement award. It’s worth noting that Obama has said he disagrees with the award. But that did not satisfy the ever-vigilant-against-black-racism but ever-sympathetic-to-white-racism Hannity.

Obama’s connection to Ayers is also sketchy. It has been reported that Obama met with the two former radicals, Bill Ayers and his wife, Bernadette Dohrn, in 1995; Obama served with Ayers on the board of an anti-poverty group; Ayers donated $200 to Obama's 2001 state senate campaign;

I'm glad Patriot Boy called the Secret Service about Hal Turner; the Secret Service should keep a watch on Sean Hannity, too. I've seen the real terrorists, and they're Hal Turner and Sean Hannity.

There are some who say Hannity is a moron , but I say he's just plain a threat to our country. Please get him off the air; he's done far more damage than Don Imus ever did, and Imus got the boot. Hannity should get the jail.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger puckers up to Kim Klein

Arnold and Kim, originally uploaded by genexmagazine.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger puckers up to congratulate Kim Klein, the winner of the Fitness International Competition at The Arnold Classic. The Arnold Classic is an annual bodybuilding event the Governor established well before he became Governor of California.

Dick Morris: It's Over For Hilary Clinton

In Real Clear Politics, former Clinton aide and now enemy Dick Morris writes in a real clear way that it's over for Hillary Clinton:

"The real message of Tuesday's primaries is not that Hillary won. It's that she didn't win by enough.

The race is over.

The results are already clear. Obama will go to the Democratic Convention with a lead of between 100 and 200 elected delegates. The remaining question is: What will the superdelegates do then? But is that really a question? Will the leaders of the Democratic Party be complicit in its destruction?..

I don't think "The Superdelegates" will do that, because by the time we get to Puerto Rico, many of the undecideds will have moved to support Obama anyway. I think what will be written after all of this is just how much the Mainstream Media missed this story of Obama's rise, so intent were many in that camp on crowning Hillary Clinton.

HillaryIs44 Is Ran By Alex Rodriguez - Politico's Ben Smith

The anti-Barack Obama website called HillaryIs44 has existed for some months without anyone knowing who ran it. But thanks to Ben Smith of The Politco , that's not true anymore. The person's name is Alex Rodriguez. Somehow, Ben figured out that it was him and either played a hunch, formed a lie, and then watched as Alex Rodriguez took the bait, or he really did know.

In either case, the jigs' up.

Kellyanne Conway's Racism Shows Again - This Time On Larry King

Republican Pollster Kellyanne Conway's a person who just can't watch her mouth, and what comes out of it is not good at all. On November 24th of 2007, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann taggged her "The Worst Person In The World" for this comment:

"'It is,' she says, 'one day going to blossom into two air traffic controllers who don't speak great English because political correctness has made us appoint them to those positions. We're going to have two planes crashing in the sky. And that's not a dramatic example. That's what happens with slippery slopes.'"

Let me chime in here and explain how stupid that is. Not every air traffic controller in the World speaks perfect English, and in some cases they don't speak much at all, yet there's not been a major air accident tied to a language difference. I guess Conway didn't know that. Keith was right to tag her, but what she said on Larry King's show Friday March 7th 2007 at night makes her a far worst person in the World.

This is what she said:

KING: Kellyanne, you think he (Senator McCain) is enjoying this Obama-Clinton fight?

CONWAY: He ought to be. I have to slightly disagree. I don't know that he showed his temper. It's not like he hauled off and let her have it, or called her a monster or a liar like the other two are doing. But she really didn't have a follow-up question, Larry. He sort of politely gave her an opening to change the subject and she was tongue-tied in doing so.

John McCain is in New Orleans tonight addressing the Council on National Policy. It's been reported these are just the cream of the crop conservatives. This is what he's doing behind the scenes now while Hillary and Obama argue about whether she should let him sit on the back of the bus of her presidential ticket, or he argues whether or not she lied us into war in 2002.

So there he is doing something out of the headlines. For all the arguments that John McCain's not a part of the headline and the byline and the story line now, he's going to suffer. Hey, if the headlines are who is a monster, McCain's better off being in New Orleans, addressing these top of the line conservatives.

SIMMONS: Larry, we have to address that. We have to address that. This back of the bus comment is beyond the pale. I think Senator Clinton, whatever our disagreements are between the two candidates, Senator Clinton has never done or said anything that would imply that she would rather have Barack Obama sitting in the back of her campaign bus.

CONWAY: No, as V.P. You aren't paying attention.

SIMMONS: No, you are not speaking clearly, because that's out of line.

CONWAY: No, she doesn't want him to be the first black president. She wants him to be her V.P. She said that this week. She would consider putting him on her ticket, but I guess he wouldn't consider putting her on his ticket, would he?

KING: Did you use the term back of the bus?

CONWAY: I did. I just said --

KING: Meaning? CONWAY: Meaning that she wants -- she has said she would have Barack Obama as her V.P. Thereby she is denying something that many Republicans are not denying, that Barack Obama has a very strong chance of becoming this country's first black president, that someone like me respects.

That's called "foot in the mouth disease" and it's no wonder Conway was not seen after this segment. I can see the show producers smacking their heads and saying "What the....Get her outta here!"

And they did.

One online publication will cry that this is an example of political correctness run amok. But I will assert that any such argument is an example of the blind acceptance of racism.

One has to ask of all the possible statements Conway could have made, why in living hell did she have to use that one? Moreover, she doesn't even realize how incendiary her statement was. She just kept talking on and sticking her foot way down her mouth.

Good for Larry King to catch her statement however. Bravo.

Jason Calacanis' How To Save Money Running A Startup Misses Mark - Sort Of

There's a firestorm going on and at the hub of this is none other than Mahalo founder Jason Calacanis. Jason wrote a blog post called "How To Save Money Running A Startup" which has upset a number of people because it seems to reduce his employees to slave status.

Having ran Sports Business Simulations for over five years and without a million dollar or more investment -- we started with just $25,000 and later a loan from me to the firm of $18,500 -- I think I have a good list to "sort of" add to what Jason wrote.

Well, OK, more modify what he wrote.

First, don't hire employees, bring in independent contractors. The reason is that you do save money on liability issues and health insurance and equipment. Look, you're a startup, that's what startups do.

Second, don't promise a level of pay you can't achieve. If you know what you're going to have coming in, use that as a basis. Then offer percentage revenue deals to the contractor. In five years, I have yet to experience a controversy because I said I could make a payment I could not indeed do.

Third, work out of your house. You really don't need a large office and telecommuting is all the rage, so use your house or apartment and have a dedicated workspace. For extra space, use the kitchen and dining room.

Fourth, learn to love the Internet Cafe. There a lot of places to go to just get out of the house with your partners in work and get coffee, work on the computer, and admire the single talent when your mind wanders -- and you're single yourself.

Fifth, think of your co-workers as just that, co-workers; not slaves, or insects, or idiots, or expendable units. But you have to seek out people who themselves are entrepreneurial. Be very careful not to find people who want you to provide an employment structure because they will sap your energy dry. Remember, you're a startup. Start with contractors, make great deals, and grow the business first.

Sixth, make sure to find people who don't use company party time to get royally smashed and have you wonder why you contracted with them in the first place. Remember, startups are known for parties, but that doesn't mean you have to have a high booze tab.

Seventh, Jason's right about the cell phones.

In closing, you too can grow a startup with my advice. But don't stop with me, ask around. And remember that startups are fun!

Racist GOP Congressman Steve King Opens His Big Mouth

That's about all I'll say regarding GOP Congressman Steve King of Iowa. He's racist in my view, and thinks that the old trick of using Barack Obama's middle name, thinking that there are racists out there who will agree with him. Maybe someone will let him know this is 2008 and not 1808.

Barack Obama Wins Wyoming Caucus

CNN's Jessica Yelin announced that Senator Barack Obama won the Wyoming Caucus. I'm watching now and he has 58 percent versus 41 percent for Clinton. There are 18 delegates at stake.

Samantha Power On The "Clinton Is A Monster" Statement - Video

Obama Gains 4 Delegates From California Primary

According to Talking Points Memo and the DailyKos, Senator Barack Obama gained 4 delegates in the California Primary. In other words, Obama has 4 more California Delegates that was reported by CNN and other news outlets. That means Senator Clinton's initial pick up of 8 delegates on March 4th has been cut in half by this and will be eliminated by the outcome of the Texas Caucus.

Samantha Power Is Right; Clinton Is A Monster

Samatha Power, a celebrated foreign policy expert from Harvard and the director of Senator Obama's foreign policy strategy as he runs for Preident, resigned today , after referring to Clinton as "a Monster."

The trouble is, Power's right. Hillary Clinton has exacted a terrible toll of destruction of the ideals o the Democratic Party, from race-baiting campaign tactics, to insulting Martin Luther King's lagacy, and spreading the false idea that Senator Obama is Muslim, Clinton is a Monster.

Power is right. She always is. I think the Obama campaign should bring her back.

Larry David Says Hillary Clinton is Nuts - Larry David's Obama Ad

Larry David, the main writer behind "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiam" has set off a real barnburner of a blog post over at The Huffington Post.

David, as of to come to the aide of Obama Foreign Policy guru Samatha Power (who said Clinton was a monster), writes that Senator Hillary Clinton is nuts, and wonders how great it would be if Clinton actually did answer the phone at 3 AM.

This is a sample of David: Here's an idea for an Obama ad: a montage of Clinton's Sybillish personalities that have surfaced during the campaign with a solemn voiceover at the end saying, "Does anyone want this nut answering the phone?"

read more | digg story

Senator Clinton Brings NOTHING To Military Efforts

That's the view. Senator Clinton is in reality a FOREIGN POLICY LIGHTWEIGHT who has zero substantive experience that one can draw from. Barack Obama is in a better place to judge American Foreign policy.

Clinton Blueprint For Victory Would Tear Dems Apart

In today's Column, Washington Post columnist Chris Cillizza outlines what the Clinton Campaign considers its way to victory. It includes two actions that will drive the Democratic Party apart: 1) Clinton as fighter, which really means Clinton using racist means of campaigning, and 2) having Florida and Michigan count.

Look, I don't care what anyone else writes, Florida and Michigan are using their voters as tools to get what they want. That's smelly. Both states signed a contract and then violated that contract. So the voters should stay put and if they're pissed off about it, then they should throw their elected officials out of office.

Barack Obama's ahead -- deal with it.

Obama Raised $55 Million In February - A Record

I just got this from the Obama campaign:

Zenophon --

I want to add some more news to David's note about the state of the race.

As you know, we've won 27 of 41 contests and have maintained our commanding lead among pledged delegates.

But today I want to share another staggering number: supporters like you donated more than $55 million to this campaign in the month of February.

That's a humbling achievement, and I am very grateful for your support.

No campaign has ever raised this much in a single month in the history of presidential primaries. But more important than the total is how we did it -- more than 90% of donations were $100 or less, and more than 385,000 new donors in February pushed us past our goal of more than 1,000,000 people owning a piece of this campaign.

From the beginning, this campaign has always been funded by a movement of grassroots supporters giving whatever they can afford. And unlike Senator Clinton and Senator McCain, we have never taken money from lobbyists or PACs.

Senator Clinton has decided to use her resources to wage a negative, throw-everything-including-the-kitchen-sink campaign. John McCain has clinched the Republican nomination and is attacking us daily. But I will continue to vigorously defend my record and make the case for change that will improve the lives of all Americans.

Despite your generosity in February, I need your help to continue this battle on two separate fronts.

Please make a donation of $250 today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/delegatemath

Thank you for your support,

Barack

Charlotte Allen's WashPost Anti-Feminist Column Causes Firestorm

I first learned about Charlotte Allen's controversial column in a response writen by Alex Leo in the Huffington Post and titled "Charlotte Allen Is a Bigot", which is bound to get anyone's attention. But before I jumped on the Anti-Charlotte bandwagon, I figured I'd do two things: 1) read her column and 2) contact her.

I did both.

I got this response from Charlotte, who was kind enough to take the time to write back. Now, "CA" is her and "ZA" is me.

CA: Zennie:
I'll try to respond to your queries, but briefly:

ZA: I write a blog called Zennie's Zeitgeist
http://zennie2005.blogspot.com and I have a question for my post about
your column that has caused such controversy.

What was the movivating factor for writing it?

CA: Just fun--a friend of mine and I had been ventilating about all the dumb things women say and do.

ZA: Also, is there some discomfort with being a woman?

CA: I love being a woman?

ZA: In other words, what's wrong with essentially being how you're wired?

CA: Nothing--I'm not one of those gender studies types who believe that gender traits are all socially imposed.

ZA: Also, isn't it true that a lot of women aren't that way?

CA: Sure--I carefully pointed that out in the article.

ZA: I'm just curious. Also, did you expect to launch a controversy?

CA: I knew the piece would be loathed by many feminists, but not quite on this scale.

ZA: Would you still write the column if you knew it was going to piss off so many people?

ZA: It's been overwhelming trying to answer all the e-mails, but of course I'd do it. I refused to be intimidated by humorless politically correct types.

CA: Thanks! Hope this helps!

Actually, it does. I figured that Charlotte had -- as I told her -- her tongue way down her cheek when she wrote the column. I took the episode as something where she wanted to piss off a particular group of women who perhaps take themselves too seriously and she hit the mark -- bullseye.

Still, now there's a bullseye on her back. With so many calls for her head amoung the 1,000 comments and 10,000 blog responses, it will be interesting to see what happens to her. My bet is that she winds up on some TV show. Hey look, the WashPost editors must be loving this stuff. It's online churn of the first order.

I disagree with Alex Leo as I do think it was satrical and also balanced; not the divisive work Leo painted it to be.

NY Times Square Explosion - Biker Nearby Before Blast

The NY Post reports that a person on a bike acting suspiciously was seen just before a bomb went off at 4 AM EST today and wrecked a U.S. Military Recruiting Station there. No one was hurt and the person who did this is still at large.

Clinton / NAFTA - Campaign Told Canada's Ian Brodie Not To Worry About NAFTA

Once again the mainstream media screwed up a story. This one on NAFTAgate. It turns out that not just an Obama advisor talked to Canada's PM's Chief of Staff, Ian Brodie, but a Clinton Campaign representative did as well.

According to the Winnipeg Sun , Brodie said: "someone from (Hillary) Clinton’s campaign is telling the embassy to take it with a grain of salt ... That someone called us and told us not to worry.”

Government officials did not deny the conversation took place."

This news makes the Clinton campaign's claims regarding Obama look hypocritical. Read this take from the ObamaBlog , and here's the whole story from the Winnipeg Sun:

OTTAWA — If the prime minister is seeking the first link in the chain of events that has rocked the U.S. presidential race, he need look no further than his chief of staff, Ian Brodie, The Canadian Press has learned.

A candid comment to journalists from CTV News by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s most senior political staffer during the hurly-burly of a budget lock-up provided the initial spark in what the American media are now calling NAFTAgate.

Harper announced Wednesday that he has asked an internal security team to begin finding the source of a document leak that he characterized as being “blatantly unfair” to Senator Barack Obama.

What is now a swirling Canada-U.S. controversy began on Feb. 26, when the usually circumspect Brodie was milling among droves of Canadian media on budget day in the stately old building that once housed Ottawa’s train station.

Reporters were locked up there all day, examining the federal budget until they were allowed to leave once it was tabled in the House of Commons at 4 p.m.

Since the budget contained little in the way of headline-grabbing surprises, some were left with enough free time to gather around a large-screen TV to watch the latest hockey news on NHL trade deadline day.

Brodie wandered over to speak to Finance Department officials and chatted amiably with journalists — who appreciated this rare moment of direct access to the top official in Harper’s notoriously tight-lipped government.

The former university professor found himself in a room with CTV employees where he was quickly surrounded by a gaggle of reporters while other journalists were within earshot of other colleagues.

At the end of an extended conversation, Brodie was asked about remarks aimed by the Democratic candidates at Ohio’s anti-NAFTA voters that carried serious economic implications for Canada.

Since 75 per cent of Canadian exports go to the U.S., Obama and Clinton’s musings about reopening the North American free-trade pact had caused some concern.

Brodie downplayed those concerns.

“Quite a few people heard it,” said one source in the room.

“He said someone from (Hillary) Clinton’s campaign is telling the embassy to take it with a grain of salt ... That someone called us and told us not to worry.”

Government officials did not deny the conversation took place.

They said that Brodie sought to allay concerns about the impact of Obama and Clinton’s assertion that they would re-negotiate NAFTA if elected. But they did say that Brodie had no recollection of discussing any specific candidate — either Clinton or Obama. CTV News Vice-President Robert Hurst said he would not discuss his journalists’ sources.

But others said the content of Brodie’s remarks was passed on to CTV’s Washington bureau and their White House correspondent set out the next day to pursue the story on Clinton’s apparent hypocrisy on the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Althought CTV correspondent Tom Clark mentioned Clinton in passing, the focus of his story was on assurances from the Obama camp.

He went to air on Feb. 27 with a report that the Democratic front-runner had given advance notice to Canadian diplomats that he was about to engage in some anti-NAFTA rhetoric, but not to take it too seriously.

The report wound up on YouTube and caused an uproar in the U.S. race — influencing the final days of the critical Ohio primary, with every indication it will also play a role in the upcoming Pennsylvania vote.

Obama has been pilloried by his opponents and faced the most aggressive questioning of his heretofore smooth-sailing campaign.

Clinton used the story to cast him as a double-talking hypocrite — winking and nudging at Canadians while making contrary promises to American voters.

Republican nominee John McCain — who proudly dubs himself a straight-talker — has also seized on the incident to paint the Democratic front-runner as anything but.

When Obama’s campaign and the Canadian government denied the allegation, a leaked document was obtained by The Associated Press written by a Canadian diplomat. It chronicled a conversation between Obama economic adviser Austan Goulsbee and diplomats at Canada’s Chicago consulate.

The Obama aide has challenged the wording of the memo and says it characterized the conversation unfairly. A government official said that memo was initially emailed to over 120 government employees.

Harper has rebuffed opposition requests to call in the RCMP and also investigate the source of the original tip that led to the CTV report that triggered the diplomatic tempest. But a team of internal security agents has begun an investigation that will see dozens of bureaucrats and political staff questioned about their knowledge of the leak.

“This kind of leaking of information is completely unacceptable. In fact, it may well be illegal,” Harper told the House of Commons.

“It is not useful, it is not in the interests of the government of Canada — and the way the leak was executed was blatantly unfair to Senator Obama and his campaign.

“Based on what (investigators) find, and based on legal advice, we will take any action that is necessary to get to the bottom of this matter.”

NDP Leader Jack Layton is asking Harper to call on the Mounties to find out how the leaks occurred, and whether the Security of Information Act or any other privacy legislation was breached.

“There can be no doubt about it: the leak from within the Canadian government has had an impact now on the American elections,” Layton said Wednesday.

“That is about the worst thing a country could do to another country — to have an effect on their democratic process. . . If Mr. Harper isn’t willing to call in the RCMP that confirms our suspicion that this was intentional.”

Layton said Canadians would never accept Americans interfering in our elections, and we shouldn’t tamper with theirs. He said the incident is far more serious than another one last year in which the government called in the RCMP.

A temporary employee at Environment Canada was arrested in his office and marched out in handcuffs for allegedly leaking details of a government climate-change plan to the media.

Layton said that’s small potatoes compared with inflicting political damage on one of the three contenders to lead the world’s biggest superpower, and Canada’s neighbour and largest trading partner.

“He’s unwilling to treat it with the level of serious attention that he did when there was a junior bureaucrat at environment ... He called in the RCMP on that one.”

OK. The Racists Have Had Their Day and Are Gone - Back To Work

Barack Obama was right: no matter what happens tonight, we're on our way to winning this nomination. Clinton did not do a freaking thing to close the delegate gap, and is still chasing her tail. The mainstream media plays this up for ratings: "Tune in next week to see if Obama can bounce back." But they're also -- the mainstream media -- fueled by ads purchased by companies that have lobbyists that give money to Clinton.

Those lobbyists have a vested interest in an Obama loss. And Clinton's not above playing up the racist fears of the country, fears that are prevalent in Texas and Ohio. I think Obama has done very well and still has the lead and the nomination is still his to lose. Obama went into two very racist states, Texas and Ohio, and came away with near victories when just two months ago the campaign was double-digits behind.

Now, the race is still Obama's to lose and he's holding serve.

Now we're leaving the place where anyone Latino who may be like that Texas woman I pointed out who was so openly racist are out of the way. But now we need a strategy to "out and destroy" the message of anyone who is racist. The Obama supporters and campaign need to crush them. Grind those sickos into a fine dust.

That's the next step. With that, Obama can continue on his path to winning the Democratic nomination.

Mike Huckabee Drops Out Of The Race Tonight

I'm watching Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee give a speech that eventually will lead to his annoucing that he's dropping out of the Presidential Race according to the Associated Press. It's too bad because I thought in many ways he was a more compelling candidate than John McCain, who's the obvious Republican Presidential nominee at this point.

Well, he just is.

Congrats to McCain, but kudos to Huckabee for giving it his all.

Obama Ahead In Texas But With 2 Percent of The Vote

MSNBC's reporting that Obama's ahead and this is confirmed by a more reliable source, the webpage of the Texas Legislature. A review with just over 2 percent of the total votes reporting shows Obama actually increasing his lead by a percent, and is as of this writing about 11 percent ahead of her.

Right now, I'm at an Obama election party at Tosca, one of two I signed up to attend. And yes, I brought my video camera.

Super Tuesday Two - Early Returns Obama & McCain Wins Vermont

That's the report from a number of news sources but with 20 percent of the votes in, Barack Obama's projected to win Vermont, and John McCain has taken the state as well.

Campbell Brown's Legs: CNN Ratings Cure - Campbel Brown Should Wear Short Skirts

As it stands, CNN's getting clobbered by Fox News in the ratings, except for when CNN has debates and it's Super Tuesday coverage, but other than that, it's Fox all the way. Now, I personally don't like CNN's biased reporting, covered by the "idea" that they're the best political reporting team and all that crap, but if Dave Bohrman and the rest of the CNN producers get their act together they're on to something.

I think a good place to start is with Campbell Brown.

I mean have you seen her legs? And after she had her little one she's looking better than ever. Look, everyone knows CNN's biased and that's been quite obvious during this election with their constant pushing of Senator Clinton, who's not going to beat Senator Obama for the Democratic Primary. Why not just take off the venir of being unbiased and let it all hang out like Fox does.

Have fun. And while the fun's going, show Campbell Brown at her female best.

Look. NBC had no problem showing Campbell's legs as you can see here. And she didn't seem to have much of a problem with it either. Plus, if they bump up her pay and make her more of a focus, the ratings will skyrocket!