NewscomaGot A Two-Pack Habit And A Motel Tan

I missed this with all apologies to Lee as I was working on NewsTechZilla, but the snark is just about perfect.

Post-election, as Barack Obama has been selecting his cabinet, the rest of the entire Democratic party had only two responsibilities of importance. One was to fill Obama’s vacated Senate seat in Illinois, the other was Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat in New York.

How’s that going?

I’m a leftie but I have to say, that’s just about right.

As a political junkie that occasionally plays armchair pundit, I just need to say that for the first time last night I realized with wild abandon that November 4 cannot get here soon enough.

I have a lot of acquaintances and friends who I think very highly of but sometimes I have to listen to political rants. The one I heard last night was epic. It was my friend. I dig this guy but I have to tell you, when I told him I didn’t want to talk politics over an adult beverage, he just kept on. I was nice but, in all honesty, talking politics over a bar is not one of my favorite things to do when the ranting starts.

You know me, I love a conversation but when someone is a bit angry, I check out mentally and look for the exit sign.

You see, Jane get it so right in this post that I just want to drive to Nashville and shake her hand because I wish he would read her post (he’s not a blog dude though.) It was what I wanted to say last night. I tried but it wasn’t a conversation. It was a monologue and I was the audience.

People just have to agree to disagree.

And I was saved, fortunately, by my new friend Dababa who very cleverly got me out of nodding and sighing because by that point I had zoned out like those zombies I know and love.

Listen, my fellow left-leaners, if you don’t want to vote for Barack Obama, don’t, but could you at least write-in Hillary Clinton if that’s your choice.

I mean seriously. And if you are going to forcefully talk at me over adult beverages, could you at least buy me a beer or something?

Shesh.

I’ll write about this historical meeting a bit later, but it was truly an amazing moment to watch.

Sen. Hillary Clinton asked to cut the roll call short saying, “With eyes firmly fixed on the future, and in the spirit of unity with the goal of victory, with faith in our party and our country, let’s declare together with one voice right here, right now that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president,” she said.

Delegates then affirmed Obama as their choice with cheers.

Clinton and Obama were on the ballot at the party convention on Wednesday.

The states announced their votes in alphabetical order. The voting was to continue until a candidate received 2,210 delegates — the threshold needed to secure the nomination.

While most delegates cast their votes for Obama, some were voting for Clinton.

It was truly a very neat thing to watch as Clinton made the nomination and asked for an acclamation vote.

Pretty nifty, watching history being made.

Photo credit CNN

Well, it’s the same drink but with different packaging from Jones Soda.

Whitney has the scoop.

For this election season, Jones has launched a series of “Campaign Colas.” They come in three varieties: Yes We Can Cola, Pure McCain Cola and Capitol Hillary Cola. I’ve tried all three, and they taste exactly the same! The only difference is the labeling.

Apparently this site is keeping tracks of the sale.

For more information, head to Campaign Cola 2008.

Barack Obama is currently kicking everyone’s butt over there.

I won’t serve as an apologist for the weak backbone of the Democrats in Washington right now. In my personal political views, I am very liberal when it comes to social causes because they impact me personally and actually more fiscally conservative when it comes to this nation’s money because it’s my money.

No, this does not make me a Blue Dog Democrat as the lot of them tend to vote very far to the right on social issues.

Sorry, I’m just not into that whole mindset.

But there is one thing, ONE THING, that irritates me in politics more than anything. Today, I’m aggravated with the Democrats on FISA and it goes back to something I said a year ago which is coming to fruition at this time. My thoughts, (and I can’t find the post) was that whoever we elected to lead this country, well, would they be willing to strike down some of the directives that BushCo has put in place? My lack of optimism, if I recall correctly, ran pretty deep. Would our elected officials be willing to make decisions that wouldn’t violate a person’s rights and be willing to stand up to corporate greed in a country where the rich get richer and the poor are eating ramen noodles?

The answer is bleak.

In an analysis released Tuesday, Maplight.org, a nonprofit campaign finance watchdog group, found that lawmakers voting Friday in support of the wiretap deal averaged roughly twice the donations from the nation’s leading telecoms — Verizon, Sprint and AT&T — over the last three years as those voting against it.

The figures might not have raised eyebrows except that the proposal contained a gift for the industry, effectively granting retroactive legal immunity to the telecoms that enabled the Bush administration’s warrantless eavesdropping program. The immunity provision — blasted by civil libertarians for putting industry concerns above Fourth Amendment rights against search and seizure — rescues the companies from the roughly 40 lawsuits pending against them. Some money-in-politics watchdogs say the connection between the contributions and votes is no accident.

There is no such thing, in my book at least, as a reluctant vote. And it wasn’t just Barack Obama, who I might remind you didn’t even show up for this vote, it was a whole mess of democrats and republicans.

Only a few stood firm on this including Russ Feingold.

Language that appears likely to let telecommunications companies escape lawsuits over the Bush administration’s warrantless surveillance program drew sharp opposition from liberal Democrats such as Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold.

Feingold said the bill would be a “get out of jail free” card for companies that went along with a program critics say was illegal, and would give the government sweeping powers to spy on Americans.

“This legislation is going to be remembered as the legislation in which Congress granted the executive branch the power to sweep up all of our international communications, with very few controls or oversight,” he said.

I may be getting my libertarian on here but this just reeks. It’s like in the movie of the Shawshank Redemption where Andy Dufresne takes that small rock hammer and over years creates a big enough hole to get out of the prison.

That’s how I feel about our government right now. They are creating holes when it comes to civil liberties. And I’m with much of the progressive blogosphere when we see that Barack Obama said he would filibuster this bill last year and he didn’t. I ain’t happy, campers. Obama simply blew it.

Our elected officials are taking small pieces out of our individual rights such as the Fourth Amendment. This is basically being gutted and whittled away and one of these mornings, we are going to wake up and find that all the words we keep hearing about  the constitution have just been that, words. I’d like to see some action please.

I thought, naively, that I might get a Camelot with either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama this year.

I won’t.

It’s just politics as usual.

Last night I missed all the fanfare in a monumental day in history. I was sitting in a local, very emotional board meeting that I’m not going to talk about here. I usually talk around the items that happen in my day job anyway and just write about my reaction to what I do for a living. It’s called a blog where we get to navel gaze about our lives.

So I missed the speeches and probably won’t get to watch them until later today when I have some time.

With that said, I have read the reaction of how folks perceived the last day of the democratic primary. I find that people usually deal with politics from an emotional level. Be it locally or nationally.

I read with great disappointment these posts from Aunt B. Left Wing Cracker and Mack regarding Tennessee Guerilla Women. That blog has won national kudos and has done a great deal for communicating the ongoing battle for women’s rights. I don’t want to take that away from TGW but I must say that as a woman in my 40s there is one thing that I’ve realized as the gray at my hairline becomes a bit whiter and that is not everyone who disagrees with me is out to get me. Sometimes it’s just a different philosophy.

Was there misogyny in this race? Yes.

As a woman, I cringed at moments where Hillary Clinton was asked about her pantsuits and pictures were photoshopped making her into some sort of wicked witch. I hated that.

Was there a covert, and sometimes blatant, thread of racism in this contest? Yes. I felt the nasty sting of Bill Hobbs’ attack on Barack Obama and I have listened to some rather nasty words thrown at the candidate.

And although I don’t always write about feminism here doesn’t mean that I don’t live a life of being a professional woman in a male-dominated world.  During my career in news and social work, I’ve had some rather nasty words thrown at me as well as other women have as well.

I try to let my actions speak louder than my words. People that know me know that I’m more than this blog.

So speeches were given last night and in internalizing the immediate needs of my particular community, I find my concerns about this country are more than just race and sexism which can’t be fixed in a day but should be fixed nonetheless. I don’t want my nieces listening to the nastiness that I have on occasion. With that said, there has to be a unified effort to make sure they are okay. And taking our toys and going home because our candidate of choice didn’t win doesn’t cut it for me. I just want something different from the last eight years.  This country has had a rough run. And I don’t want those same nieces to ever go through something like this ever again.

My concerns, for right now at least, are about the economy and the war (where women and people of color die too), about a recession in my community that has no access to rural public transportation and where gas prices have created such hardships where I’ve seen people reduced to tears choosing between milk and getting to work. Jackson Miller posted this yesterday and that’s what I’m talking about.

Politics are emotional and I don’t care what anyone says, it is. But there has to be unity in fixing some of the things in this country that are impacting regular people. It’s the only way.

It’s the last day of the Democratic Primary. I know, it’s been a long primary season. I think it started in 1999 and I, for one, am ready for the next stage.

Today we have Montana and South Dakota. Tonight we have a big speech coming from Hillary Clinton that the major cable networks are drooling over.

As things in news and politics can change in exactly 12 minutes, I can’t see Clinton conceding today but then again, who knows. Obama leads in the delegate count 2,074 to 1,917 for Clinton, with 2,118 needed to clinch the nomination, and South Dakota and Montana award a total of 31 delegates. Our governator, Bredesen, is saying that he will throw out his choice after these primaries.

The Page is posting clues on if Clinton is leaving a trail of clues about her speech tonight. Interesting,  Nothing on the schedule later this week but comments about “superdelegates can change their mind.”

But there are some major things going on now in this country. When I talk to regular folks, they indicated they are weary as well with what feels like the longest primary season ever. We are still talking about gas here.

And what’s going on this week in Washington? Fixing the Farm Bill, which suffered a clerical mistake that has become a legislative nightmare.

And in this stream of consciousness blogging I’m vested in this morning, something cool happened yesterday. We did a story about a couple living on a fixed income that were basically rationing food a couple of weeks ago.

A woman called me and said that would not abide. She said on the phone “I have plenty and I want to share. I don’t want them to worry about eating.”

She called them to help out.

There are good folks in this world.

I am an average woman in my early 40s stumbling through life as best I can. I’m human. I’m flawed. And I get tired. Sometimes I say stupid things. Other times I’m reasonable. There are times my confidence is lost. There are other times I’m boisterous and on top of the world. There are times I am excessive. There are other times that I’m kind.

I’m many things. I say again, I’m human.

I have said repeatedly that the idea of a Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Bush, Bush and then Clinton presidency was something I just didn’t really want.  In this republic we live in, if Clinton were to have won the White House, I couldn’t help but think of three decades of two families being so immersed in the leadership of this country. We are not a monarchy.  I liked Bill Clinton and I don’t have a problem with Hillary but I don’t think she would have gotten the national attention she has if it weren’t for his popularity as president. There is no doubt she is a smart politician. But I’ve said before she is a divisive force amongst voters. I’ve said that since the inception of this blog. Could she run this country?

Sure she could.

Speaking of being tired, this election with relentless, and at times bitter, campaigning has lasted forever. I don’t remember a time in my adult life seeing anything like this and I’m somewhat of a political junkie.

If the American public is suffering from campaign fatigue, I can’t imagine what the candidates are going through, all three of them.

They are not deities. They are human as well.

The remarks made yesterday by Hillary Clinton were stupid. There isn’t any getting around it. But I also understand being exhausted. I can give her the benefit of the doubt about the whole thing because I get tired too. I’ve wanted something so bad and not been able to get it before. I can relate to those things.

Clinton can stay in the race until doomsday if she chooses because that’s her right. Her remarks were not thought out but I think she was speaking of a time frame regarding June in her reference to the assassination of Robert Kennedy.

The one thing that I don’t think Clinton remembered in that moment that in this new age of politics is every word is dissected by the media and the blogosphere. She has thrown some verbal grenades in the past specifically trying to put out questions about Barack Obama. She has done this. And because we’ve seen this with all three candidates using words as weapons of mass distraction, there obviously is going to be scrutiny of rather or not she was trying to create an earworm, if you will, again.

But this time, I don’t think this was the case. And, in politics, you win. There is no second place. It’s just politics. I don’t think she threw one of those loaded statement in this particular instance with her comments but she did made a nation shudder, to quote Holly from a Twitter post.

They are all tired. WE are all tired. I get that.

I realize this probably isn’t popular to say because we aren’t supposed to treat politicians as human beings but they are.

Whether they know it or not.

I woke up this morning and did some early morning blogging over at Music City Bloggers while drinking my morning joe watching CNN.

The audio started acting wonky and it sounded like John Roberts was the devil. Of course I don’t want my newscasters to sound like Beelzebub so I turned the channel to, and the irony it burns, Morning Joe.

As it is primary day, I thought watching the news would give me some insight into the election. Joe had Pat Buchanan on.

I have to tell you, Pat B. always looks mad. He looked mad when he was on Crossfire a kajillion years ago. He just has this look of perpetual pissdom.

Well, they played all of the negative ads running giving everyone a freebie on national television and I kinda zoned out because we won’t know until tonight.

Here’s what I think, and I could be wrong, will happen today. Obama has to close the deal if he wants the nomination. Clinton, well, I’m not happy with her at all right now but she’s probably going to do well.

More democrat fighting for six more weeks! Woot. *snark*

Who knows at this point. All I know is I’m still suffering Election Fatigue Syndrome.

So, back to my morning, Tiki Barber and Pat Buchanan are pontificating about Hillary Clinton as I write this.

Huh?

This is a combination of political punditry I would have never considered in my entire life.

If you don’t want to know anything about the Pennsylvania Primary, I suggest that you look at this picture of a man who had an alligator in his car when he was arrested.

George Bush is on Deal or No Deal. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain got their wrestling on.

Ahh, the joys of American Politics and how it seeps into pop culture.

I don’t know who is going to win today. I assume Clinton will but not by the landslide predicted a couple of months ago.

And the story that sits on the backburner as candidates run like hyenas toward a wounded gazelle is that it’s okay for felons to join the military but not gay people.

Felons.

Under pressure to meet combat needs, the Army and Marine Corps brought in significantly more recruits with felony convictions last year than in 2006, including some with manslaughter and sex crime convictions.

Data released by a congressional committee shows the number of soldiers admitted to the Army with felony records jumped from 249 in 2006 to 511 in 2007. And the number of Marines with felonies rose from 208 to 350.

Notice the words “sex crime convictions?”

I am constantly perplexed by our government.

Because you know you need it, finger puppets of the three remaining candidates for president.

The FoldUSCandidate site.

I’m trying it out right now.

I think everyone should do this craft right now. I am not a craft kind of person, but this is one I think children far and wide will love.

Hat Tip To Neatorama and photo credit here.

Right now, I know who I voted for in the primary and I’m not ashamed of it. I’m sitting back looking at the different candidates’ behavior. Thus far, I am not liking what I see. I still feel I voted for the guy I wanted to win but I’m seeing some things from everyone that makes me think of the race in 2000.

I don’t like it. Not one bit.

First out, John McCain. He gets information on global policy wrong sometimes. Here’s what bugs me: we have a president that does that now. Whoever is our next president needs to know about the different cultures all residing in Iraq and their different philosophies especially when you are in their country when you are on a political junket. We’ve buried four soldiers here in Hoots. Singing “Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb” to the tune of Barbara Ann did not endear me to him nor did it to others I’ve spoken to. I used to, before the Savings and Loans fiasco, though McCain was a moderate. I can’t help but wonder what deal he made with Bush and Co. back in 2004 because I think he did. He was one of their harshest critics and then they are doing a group hug? We don’t need Bush Lite in office in November. I think he’s smarter than Bush. Of course, Cheney is the president and likes money so I digress. We have MORE government from a party that promised us LESS government.

Remember that political spin?

Second out, Barack Obama. I didn’t see anything wrong with him talking about bitter, disenfranchised voters in Pennsylvania. His comments, although not the most well-thought out when spoken, does hit on a very crucial element about people are hanging on to the familiar because they are tired of struggling. Regardless of what one might thing, we live in hard times. Hell, Bill Clinton did a version of it himself back in 1992 and you didn’t see people going ape-poo. Let’s take rural voters from my neck of the woods for an example. I can beg, plead, cajole and talk about what a wonderful thing it is to vote and they don’t. Our last few elections, state, national and local have seen less than 25 percent of registered voters hitting the polls. People are bitter about government and disenfranchised by hearing words that aren’t backed up by actions. What I don’t like that Obama has done, and I’m trying to be fair about it, is that sometimes he backtracks. Here’s the thing, just own it Senator which you do sometimes and don’t others. I believe faith is important and it goes without saying that many people tie in their faith with the way they vote. But it seems that, once again, faith (an important personal issue for so many Americans) is being used as a political weapon. I was raised Presbyterian and I understand the importance of feeling connected. My dad was Church of Christ growing up (imagine my confusion with those two denominations mixed in the bag.) But, you know, it just seems disingenuous at times when it’s brought out conveniently for a speech or a jab. I have a friend who is a Buddhist. I don’t see them talking about that. Obama is going to have to take the heat and he would make me a happy camper if he starts talking about those changes again he mentioned a few months ago. Focus on the long-term goals of the party, just don’t change the party’s mission for the sake of the win.

On to Hillary Clinton, to my dear friends who support her, I respect your commitment to her, but I don’t like the way she’s running her race. There, I said it. She pounces on Obama when I think she needs to be pouncing on McCain. She may have expected an easy race, but in the long run, she didn’t get it. Right now, what I’m hearing is give McCain a shot if I can’t have it so I can have it in 2012. I know she isn’t saying that but it’s the vibe I’m getting. I think Clinton’s policies are basically the same as Obama’s. I think she is a savvy and clever woman, but if anyone is utilizing the tired Rovian playbook, it’s Clinton. Don’t get me wrong, it okay to be critical and I don’t think she’s a bad person I just think she wants to get the win more than anything. And at this point, I’m thinking she just might.I said months ago if she won, I’d happily vote for her before all this crap started. Now, I will begrudgingly vote for her if this kind of behavior continues. She spoke of change too. I’m ready to see it. Ms. Clinton, make me believe. I could care less if you shot a duck and had a shot of whiskey with the boys. I want to know if you can fix the economic mess in this country. Remember, people voted for Bush because he was “the guy they wanted to have a beer with.” Clinton’s policies are sound. Obama’s are similar. Let’s talk about the issues, not pulling phrases out and bashing the hell out of him.

And, as my head is filled with many things this morning other than just politics, we had to have a forum on COMPASSION?

Jeez, I thought that was ingrained in us. Golden Rule stuff. Treat others they way you want to be treated. Candidates, you don’t want to see people losing their jobs or eating six-packs of chicken ramen noodles because that’s all they can afford, then start talking about ways to stop this nonsense.

The news cycle in this race is short. We have new media bombarding us with information so quickly it’s hard to keep up. It’s time for our candidates to keep up to.

Most of the folks I know here in rural west Tennessee are second amendment, blue dog Democrats. (I know, I’m largely in the minority. Guns and church are a way of life here. I don’t participate in either one but I have no problem with it, quite frankly, which may put me on the list of some liberals.) They vote too (and sometimes Republican nationally, but I have a feeling they aren’t buying any of it. We are smarter than you guys stereotype us to be.

Start remembering you are campaigning for votes from average people. I think the Superdelegates are eating just fine and aren’t rolling pennies to put gas in their cars

I said this before and I will say it again, it’s too fuzzy.