Hillary Clinton may be slowly taking herself out of the race for Vice President with her speech where she stopped short of conceding to Senator Barack Obama, who's the presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee. On CNN and on the blogs and in listserves, Clinton's being skewered, and even CNN's Jeffrey Tobin, long a kind commenter on the Clintons during this campaign, called her speech an example of "deranged narcissism".
..and the commenters over at The Huffington Post agreed with her:
Jeffrey Toobin: Clinton's Refusal To Concede "Deranged Narcissism"
stumble digg reddit del.ico.us news trust buzz up
Huffington Post | June 3, 2008 11:30 PM
- CarmenCameron See Profile I'm a Fan of CarmenCameron
The math doesn't convince her that she actually LOST. A title won't convince her that she's not ACTUALLY president. Her insanity would have her dictating policy and negotiating treaties with other countries.
HRC is mad and so is our nation if we support her hell-bent, out-of-control and plain-ol' SICK demand for power.
Mr. Toobin is not only RIGHT, he's the only MSM talking head with GUTS to say out loud what the vast majority of Americans ARE thinking!
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:56 PM on 06/04/2008
- FearlessSpeech See Profile I'm a Fan of FearlessSpeech
BEST pundit quote of the campaign. Thanks for the honesty Mr. Toobin!
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:53 PM on 06/04/2008
- MrsPeel See Profile I'm a Fan of MrsPeel
I absolutely agree.
I saw watched this live. Despite David Gergen's immediate distancing from Toobin's comment, I think Toobin told it like it is.
Some folks say the media have been against Hillary. IMO, I think she's had it fairly easy. I could use a few more like Toobin speaking up.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:51 PM on 06/04/2008
- sage25 See Profile I'm a Fan of sage25
Toobin took the words right out of my mouth!
I love it when someone loses his or her PC media facade and just belches out the truth.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:51 PM on 06/04/2008
- JeffWasHere See Profile I'm a Fan of JeffWasHere
Hillary is the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. "I'm invincible. The Black Knight always triumphs. Oh, I see. Running away. Come back here and take what's coming to you. I'll bite your legs off!" Actually, she's worse than the Black Knight, because when both his arms and legs were chopped off, he at least conceded a little and said "All right, we'll call it a draw."
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:48 PM on 06/04/2008
- dm92 See Profile I'm a Fan of dm92
I can't catch my breath right now I am laughing so hard....
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:24 PM on 06/04/2008
- portchester See Profile I'm a Fan of portchester
Jeff Toobin ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:44 PM on 06/04/2008
- dm92 See Profile I'm a Fan of dm92
honesty and b*lls for a change on the corporate media - great!
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:25 PM on 06/04/2008
- sueno See Profile I'm a Fan of sueno
Toobin is the man!
Obama won!
Why is everyone soo worried about Clinton!
She's acting like a spoiled child-
Don't you think that something deeper is wrong with the display that she's putting on.
She's willing to hold the democrats hostage- so that she comes out on top!
Her popular vote argument is also little pychotic, yet nobody wants to correct her-
Why does she have to be pampered off stage? particularly after the bombs, she and bill dropped.
The media's thirst to suck up to her is un-real! Is the media's debt to the Clinton's finally over?
CAN THE PUBLIC NOW RECEIVE UNBIAS COVERAGE, WITHOUT PEOPLE LIKE CARVILLE & DAVIS ON IT'S STAFF.
Toobin's right- OBAMA WON, WHERE'S THE JOY?
Or if not the Huffington Post, then James Fallows over at The Atlantic, who wasted no time in lowering the boom on Senator Clinton.
You HAVE LOST the nomination. There are NO MORE primaries. And you're urging your supporters to nurse their bitter feelings on your web site, and keep selling their bikes to give you money that you'll spend on... what? The unseemliness -- and, yes, destructiveness -- of this is too obvious to mention, though perhaps not obvious enough to have occurred to you.
This is a new low.
Indeed, between HRC's no-concession speech, Bill Clinton's skewering in the Vanity Fair, and the former President's reported cursing at Rep Jim Clyburn, the Clinton's popularity meter -- let's call it a "Populometer" -- is at an all time low. They're in a damage control situation and the trouble is they don't act like it.
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Oakland Focus and SF Politics | SF Scene Have Election Recaps
For those in Oakland and San Francisco and the SF Bay Area, we have direct coverage of the local election races and with a personal perspective. Just click on the "Oakland Focus" tab above and you can visit both our blogs on Oakland and SF happenings and politics.
Did Hillary Clinton miss her moment?
In real estate, it's "location;" in politics, it's "Timing, timing, timing!"
Senator Clinton had an optimum moment in terms of what impact her concession might have had, and the attention that was focused on her and her statement. Senator Obama managed even more gracious praise for her contributions and efforts as he spoke last night at the XCEL Center in St. Paul, Minnesota - and the crowd was with him in that sentiment, clearly. He held the 20,000 people inside the arena nearly transfixed, and they roared approval when he held forth on Senator Clinton’s strengths and character.
The press will not ignore whatever subsequent statements she makes - and obviously it’s premature for an outsider to suggest concession is the course of action she will follow - yet at this juncture it’s already clear that the effect and the interest are rapidly, moment by moment, diminishing.
There are many effective, influential women rising through the ranks of political influence, so others will run and win soon. But it is difficult to predict there will be another moment when Hillary might soar as high as she could have - should have - on Tuesday night.
Did Senator Clinton miss her moment? Yes, I'm afraid she did.
Senator Clinton had an optimum moment in terms of what impact her concession might have had, and the attention that was focused on her and her statement. Senator Obama managed even more gracious praise for her contributions and efforts as he spoke last night at the XCEL Center in St. Paul, Minnesota - and the crowd was with him in that sentiment, clearly. He held the 20,000 people inside the arena nearly transfixed, and they roared approval when he held forth on Senator Clinton’s strengths and character.The press will not ignore whatever subsequent statements she makes - and obviously it’s premature for an outsider to suggest concession is the course of action she will follow - yet at this juncture it’s already clear that the effect and the interest are rapidly, moment by moment, diminishing.
There are many effective, influential women rising through the ranks of political influence, so others will run and win soon. But it is difficult to predict there will be another moment when Hillary might soar as high as she could have - should have - on Tuesday night.
Did Senator Clinton miss her moment? Yes, I'm afraid she did.
Barack Obama Speech and Process To Nomination
This video series by YouTuber JoeJack101 captures the process leading up to his historic speech:
1) CNN Announces that Obama Has Reached the Delegate Milestone
2) The Speech:
1) CNN Announces that Obama Has Reached the Delegate Milestone
2) The Speech:
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Barack Obama Gets 2,118 Delegates To Officially Seal The Nomination!
Barack Obama sealed the deal. He's officially done it! He's the Democratic Nominee!
Barack Obama Clinches Democratic Nomination
What began as a farfetched and idealistic quest 16 months ago against an established and legendary candidate, has now transformed into reality. Yes, Barack Obama, a young and visionary community organizer from the south side of Chicago has prevailed against the entrenched Hillary Clinton in one of the most unlikely and improbable political contests in United States history.
While on the subject of history and momentous events, it's essential to recognize that 43 years after the ratification of the voting rights act and 54 years after the desegregation of schools in Brown V. Board of Education, an African-American is the presumptive nominee of a political party.
The milestone achieved by Obama extends not only for new founded opportunities to blacks, but for all Americans, and most notably young Americans. Tonight, a significant generational shift has been established in which the thunderous voices of millions of young people have been heard . Mobilized and energized, young people across the nation are on board with the astounding movement created by Senator Obama.
For a 45-year old man, whether white, black, Hispanic or Asian to have eclipsed a plethora of insurmountable barriers in a quest to stake their claim as a potential commander in chief is astronomical and noteworthy.
For all Democrats ready to rise up against John McCain, it's time to get up, speak up, let our voices be heard and make that change. The first change being to elect Barack Obama to the White House.
While on the subject of history and momentous events, it's essential to recognize that 43 years after the ratification of the voting rights act and 54 years after the desegregation of schools in Brown V. Board of Education, an African-American is the presumptive nominee of a political party.
The milestone achieved by Obama extends not only for new founded opportunities to blacks, but for all Americans, and most notably young Americans. Tonight, a significant generational shift has been established in which the thunderous voices of millions of young people have been heard . Mobilized and energized, young people across the nation are on board with the astounding movement created by Senator Obama.
For a 45-year old man, whether white, black, Hispanic or Asian to have eclipsed a plethora of insurmountable barriers in a quest to stake their claim as a potential commander in chief is astronomical and noteworthy.
For all Democrats ready to rise up against John McCain, it's time to get up, speak up, let our voices be heard and make that change. The first change being to elect Barack Obama to the White House.
Eyes On November
With the AP news (see below) that Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination for President, all Democrats must now turn their eyes toward the November election. This has been a contentious race for the nomination. Racism and sexism have dominated the landscape in a party normally known for inclusion and tolerance.
But with some Democrats claiming that they would rather vote for John McCain than Barack Obama, how do we, as a party, forge a path of unity in just the next five months? What rallying cry will get Democrats to remove their blinders and see the urgency of retaking the White House, candidate partisanship be damned?
Do you have ideas? Let's hear them. Leave your comments below.
But with some Democrats claiming that they would rather vote for John McCain than Barack Obama, how do we, as a party, forge a path of unity in just the next five months? What rallying cry will get Democrats to remove their blinders and see the urgency of retaking the White House, candidate partisanship be damned?
Do you have ideas? Let's hear them. Leave your comments below.
U.S. Auto Industry Crumbling Under The Weight Of High Gas Prices
This is a developing but depressing story of an American industry that's made a heavy bet on large vehicles and lost as gas approaches $5 per gallon. Stay tuned.
AP: OBAMA CLINCHES DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION!
After over a year of working and fund-raising, the Associated Press has reported that Senator Barack Obama has reached the targeted number of delegates -- 2,118 -- needed to clinch the Democratic Nomination.
It's over. We -- the new America of a diverse collection of people who really love this country and want to bring everyone together -- won! Obama for America!
Congratulations to everyone on the Obama staff both nationally and locally in the San Francisco Bay Area, and other states and cities.
It's over. We -- the new America of a diverse collection of people who really love this country and want to bring everyone together -- won! Obama for America!
Congratulations to everyone on the Obama staff both nationally and locally in the San Francisco Bay Area, and other states and cities.
No, I Did Not Contribute $17,000 To The Obama Campaign
The current -- as of today -- Oakland Tribune article reads that I contributed $17,000 to the Obama for America campaign. I did not. What I told Barbara Grady, who's a great person, is that I raised that much, mostly from an event held at the Mark Hopkins last year on St. Patrick's Day 2007 and which I co-chaired (there were about 25 co-chairs) and created an online sign-up and website for. I managed to get 15 people to sign up online there at $1,000 each, so that's $15,000 alone.
But I wish I had $17,000 just laying around.
But I wish I had $17,000 just laying around.
An Obama / Clinton Ticket Is What The Democratic Party Needs
Ok, I've written it, and I'll stand by it. I think a Democratic ticket with Senator Obama and Senator Clinton on it as VP will not only heel Democratic Party wounds, but bring the country together and confound Senator Clinton's more reason-challenged supporters.
Obama / Clinton has a nice ring to it for a host of reasons. First, it's a change ticket because for the first time we would have an African American man and a European American woman running together. Morover, it would fuse two campaigns that have done an extraordinary job of raising money. Senator Obama's campaign alone has taken in over one-third of a billion dollar, a level never before seen in American politics. Senator Clinton has a large list of well-known donors, and while may of them would come over Senator Obama anyway, having her on the ticket makes this process a certainty.
Finally, it's a good marriage of the Clintons, who are the ultimate insiders and Senator Obama, who's the best outside-insider. Senator Obama's the best example of a corporate heretic America Politics has ever seen. He's arugably better than Bill Clinton, which brings me to my next point.
Obama will have Bill at the ready in a unique role that seems taylor made for him. Look, I could care less about the Vanity Fair article for many reasons, but foremost amoung them is that it's tone was really personal and read like an attack on Clinton as a man, not as a politician. I'll get to that later, but in my view, it's time for us -- including me -- to lay down our arms and bring the Democratic Party together. The war's over; let's not take it to the convention.
Another Sad Example Of Clinton Backer Racism
I just saw and read this story on a listserv I'm a member of and it presents the "major problem we as Obama supporters must attack". To save you the gory details, it's about a call the person, who worked for the Democratic Party, took from a Clinton supporter.
The caller can be identified as 1) expressing stereotyped views, 2) getting them from television (generally CNN, FOX, and MSNBC), and then expressing racist views (and racism as we know is a mental illness), where the person would say, referring to Barack Obama, "A person from that kind of a culture that is not advanced on the evolutionary scale cannot serve as the President of the United States."
What?
This is a statement not far from that made by Harriet Christian, the DNC Rules Committee visitor from New York, who was thrown out ofthe meeting for launching into a racist rant, and who's the new image of modern racism, and seems to have Clinton supporters on message boards like HillaryClintonForum.com, who support her really, well, paranoid views (paranoia is a foundation of racism, and also is found to be a psychotic behavior.)
The problem is bigger than just one for Obama supporters, but its for the Democratic Party. We're allowing a mix of television producers and execs who are used to manipulating our fears for ratings, racists, and the totally under-educated to hijack the Democratic Party.
We've got to take it back.
This is the full post from "irish09,"
This is what we need to address
by irish09, Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 11:32:48 AM EST
I am an intern for the Democratic Party in a swing state. Part of my duties today (besides making coffee of course!) was to answer incoming phone calls. Some people in this area decide to call the local Democratic Party to vent their anger and frustration regarding the primaries and their results. Many of them are angry Clinton supporters, though there are some Obama people who are very upset that she hasn't stepped out yet. I want to tell this community of a conversation that I had this morning with a Catholic woman who identified herself as a lifetime Democratic voter.
This caller is a Clinton supporter and she started the conversation by asking, "Why did our party make this mistake of nominating an inexperienced candidate with so much baggage from Chicago?" I of course provided the company line that the Democratic Party has not endorsed a candidate and that ultimately we are going to support whichever candidate is nominated.
She pressed further, "but even him?!" This is when I started to engage with her and try to push her towards the candidate that does appear to be our persumptive nominee. In regards to the lack of political experience, I told her that Barack Obama has been in elected office for more years before the presidency than George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and many former presidents, including Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Franklin Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson. What matters in this election is judgement, which can be achieved through the sheer number of years in government or the ability to appropriately see a problem and find its solution. In regards to Obama, we know that he wants to push for an end to the war in Iraq, economic reform, and greater health insurance benefits. For McCain, we know that he wants 100 years in Iraq, no substantial change to our nation's "markets," and reductions in a number of items that affect our nation's safety net. Who has the better judgement there to solve our problems?
From here, this caller discussed how women feel so shunned in this process because the Democratic Party itself decided to throw women to the side. I calmly told her that the party doesn't get to decide the nominee, that voters decide through the primary and caucus process. And I told her that women made up the majority of voters in all contests for the Democratic nomination, except for in Puerto Rico. She said that McCain and the Republicans "are moving towards the center and his policies really can appeal to me and many other women." I tried to point out certain policy proposals that I feel would really upset women, including cutting SCHIP, but this didn't seem to go over well with her.
Finally, she went on about Obama's "baggage" which consists of "Chicago machine politics, Farakhan, Ayers, Wright, and that church of his which is so against what I as a Catholic believe in." This was a doozie. I started by asking for where she heard this information - and she said TV. Of course, I told her that she shouldn't accept everything she sees on TV wholesale, which she said that she didn't. I talked about how almost every politician will have a connection to a political machine - it's part of the game. The bigger issue is how a candidate attempts to run a campaign that is as clean as possible, which made me bring up that Obama doesn't accept a dime from lobbyists. I informed her politely that there isn't a connection at all between Farakhan and Obama and that the media, regardless of party, will always blow non-stories into front page news. I also mentioned that all candidates have baggage, include the Clintons.
Then, she asked, "well what about the church? They all hoot and holler." I, like the caller, am a Catholic. I also major in Theology at the University of Notre Dame, which has allowed me to experience all kinds of faith experiences. I told her that I have attended African-American churches that are much like Senator Obama's now former church. It is a completely different style of worship that is interactive and focuses on creating the fire of the Holy Spirit in the church members. It is a wonderful way to express faith and to form a religious community.
Her response, "but what about saying 'God damn' during church services?" I kindly pointed to the former rite of the Catholic Church that included many uses of the word "damn" or "damned." The word "damn" in a religious context has no value as a modern curse word.
Now this set her off, though. She went on, "A person from that kind of a culture that is not advanced on the evolutionary scale cannot serve as the President of the United States. Thank you for listening to me, good bye." Quite the horrible, race-based ending to our conversation.
This phone call shows what exactly we need to address during this campaign. Obama's lack of experience and "baggage" need to be artfully addressed. I obviously failed today because the woman was receptive to none of it. We need to be prepared for this sort of thing, especially as we unify this party. It is also clear that the media narrative about maverick McCain is too quickly accepted by even core Democratic groups. It's obvious that the minute that Obama hits the magic number, he needs to run a biographical ad, and then he, along with 527s and whatever the DNC can muster, need to put together a constant negative ad campaign out against McCain that highlights his many failures in judgement.
Finally, we need to remember that there is a race element to this campaign. That is the world that we live in. We need to find a way to not allow the media's narrative to become one of Obama being a "scary black man." Frankly, talking to this woman, and others over the past few weeks, I am afraid that we are unable to reach many voters who are in our base camp because of certain prejudices. What can we do to look up this base? We need to decide that as soon as possible or else John McCain will run away with this thing and be George Bush's third term.
*I'm not saying that Clinton supporters are all inherently racist. I am merely saying that race is probably a problem for at least some of her voters, which is a reasonable statement.
Update: Thanks for placing me on the rec list, my first time! These are important issues and to move forward as a party searching to create change not only in this election but in our culture, we need to discuss them.
The caller can be identified as 1) expressing stereotyped views, 2) getting them from television (generally CNN, FOX, and MSNBC), and then expressing racist views (and racism as we know is a mental illness), where the person would say, referring to Barack Obama, "A person from that kind of a culture that is not advanced on the evolutionary scale cannot serve as the President of the United States."
What?
This is a statement not far from that made by Harriet Christian, the DNC Rules Committee visitor from New York, who was thrown out ofthe meeting for launching into a racist rant, and who's the new image of modern racism, and seems to have Clinton supporters on message boards like HillaryClintonForum.com, who support her really, well, paranoid views (paranoia is a foundation of racism, and also is found to be a psychotic behavior.)
The problem is bigger than just one for Obama supporters, but its for the Democratic Party. We're allowing a mix of television producers and execs who are used to manipulating our fears for ratings, racists, and the totally under-educated to hijack the Democratic Party.
We've got to take it back.
This is the full post from "irish09,"
This is what we need to address
by irish09, Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 11:32:48 AM EST
I am an intern for the Democratic Party in a swing state. Part of my duties today (besides making coffee of course!) was to answer incoming phone calls. Some people in this area decide to call the local Democratic Party to vent their anger and frustration regarding the primaries and their results. Many of them are angry Clinton supporters, though there are some Obama people who are very upset that she hasn't stepped out yet. I want to tell this community of a conversation that I had this morning with a Catholic woman who identified herself as a lifetime Democratic voter.
This caller is a Clinton supporter and she started the conversation by asking, "Why did our party make this mistake of nominating an inexperienced candidate with so much baggage from Chicago?" I of course provided the company line that the Democratic Party has not endorsed a candidate and that ultimately we are going to support whichever candidate is nominated.
She pressed further, "but even him?!" This is when I started to engage with her and try to push her towards the candidate that does appear to be our persumptive nominee. In regards to the lack of political experience, I told her that Barack Obama has been in elected office for more years before the presidency than George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and many former presidents, including Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Franklin Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson. What matters in this election is judgement, which can be achieved through the sheer number of years in government or the ability to appropriately see a problem and find its solution. In regards to Obama, we know that he wants to push for an end to the war in Iraq, economic reform, and greater health insurance benefits. For McCain, we know that he wants 100 years in Iraq, no substantial change to our nation's "markets," and reductions in a number of items that affect our nation's safety net. Who has the better judgement there to solve our problems?
From here, this caller discussed how women feel so shunned in this process because the Democratic Party itself decided to throw women to the side. I calmly told her that the party doesn't get to decide the nominee, that voters decide through the primary and caucus process. And I told her that women made up the majority of voters in all contests for the Democratic nomination, except for in Puerto Rico. She said that McCain and the Republicans "are moving towards the center and his policies really can appeal to me and many other women." I tried to point out certain policy proposals that I feel would really upset women, including cutting SCHIP, but this didn't seem to go over well with her.
Finally, she went on about Obama's "baggage" which consists of "Chicago machine politics, Farakhan, Ayers, Wright, and that church of his which is so against what I as a Catholic believe in." This was a doozie. I started by asking for where she heard this information - and she said TV. Of course, I told her that she shouldn't accept everything she sees on TV wholesale, which she said that she didn't. I talked about how almost every politician will have a connection to a political machine - it's part of the game. The bigger issue is how a candidate attempts to run a campaign that is as clean as possible, which made me bring up that Obama doesn't accept a dime from lobbyists. I informed her politely that there isn't a connection at all between Farakhan and Obama and that the media, regardless of party, will always blow non-stories into front page news. I also mentioned that all candidates have baggage, include the Clintons.
Then, she asked, "well what about the church? They all hoot and holler." I, like the caller, am a Catholic. I also major in Theology at the University of Notre Dame, which has allowed me to experience all kinds of faith experiences. I told her that I have attended African-American churches that are much like Senator Obama's now former church. It is a completely different style of worship that is interactive and focuses on creating the fire of the Holy Spirit in the church members. It is a wonderful way to express faith and to form a religious community.
Her response, "but what about saying 'God damn' during church services?" I kindly pointed to the former rite of the Catholic Church that included many uses of the word "damn" or "damned." The word "damn" in a religious context has no value as a modern curse word.
Now this set her off, though. She went on, "A person from that kind of a culture that is not advanced on the evolutionary scale cannot serve as the President of the United States. Thank you for listening to me, good bye." Quite the horrible, race-based ending to our conversation.
This phone call shows what exactly we need to address during this campaign. Obama's lack of experience and "baggage" need to be artfully addressed. I obviously failed today because the woman was receptive to none of it. We need to be prepared for this sort of thing, especially as we unify this party. It is also clear that the media narrative about maverick McCain is too quickly accepted by even core Democratic groups. It's obvious that the minute that Obama hits the magic number, he needs to run a biographical ad, and then he, along with 527s and whatever the DNC can muster, need to put together a constant negative ad campaign out against McCain that highlights his many failures in judgement.
Finally, we need to remember that there is a race element to this campaign. That is the world that we live in. We need to find a way to not allow the media's narrative to become one of Obama being a "scary black man." Frankly, talking to this woman, and others over the past few weeks, I am afraid that we are unable to reach many voters who are in our base camp because of certain prejudices. What can we do to look up this base? We need to decide that as soon as possible or else John McCain will run away with this thing and be George Bush's third term.
*I'm not saying that Clinton supporters are all inherently racist. I am merely saying that race is probably a problem for at least some of her voters, which is a reasonable statement.
Update: Thanks for placing me on the rec list, my first time! These are important issues and to move forward as a party searching to create change not only in this election but in our culture, we need to discuss them.
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