The teejster must be REELING from Ciro Rodriguez's win last night as the Democratic MAJORITY in Congress grows even larger with another Republican loss in TEXAS. Did li'l t finally get the MEMO from the AMERICAN people? His president, his party, and his ideology have been served with a STUNNING rebuke. What else can explain such a clumsy misstep as actually posting a link to Free Republic, one of the wingnuttiest of the WINGNUT sites.
Teejy should really read that MEMO. It's right under the one about the TPS cover sheets. The Deanster just led the DEMOCRATS in a monumental electoral ROUT of the hapless Republicans. YEEEEEAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHH indeed.
Not to take a lot way from Dean, but Rahm Emanuel and Chuck Schumer had as much, if not more, to do with the Democrats' victory in November as Deand did. I remember reading an article about Emanuel and how he was sleeping like two hours a night and had lost 15 lbs. during the campaign (as DCCC chair).
While that's true about Emanuel, it was Dean who insisted that the democratic party set up grassroots’ campaigns and make itself viable in all 50 states. There was a lot of back and forth between Dean and Emanuel/Schumer about how party money should be spread around and how the party should use their resources. I think Dean did a brilliant job!
Bob Kerrey's national ticket dreams are done, same with Biden. On the other stuff, what does anyone know about any potential presidential candidates? It's always a crap shoot. Voters care about how the candidate makes them feel (do they inspire) and do they have a comelling biography (which is of course related to how they make you feel and whether they inspire). Excluding Bush I, II and Kennedy, all the modern presidents share great bios of overcoming adversity (alcoholic parents, poverty stricken hometowns etc.). You look at where they came from and where they were able to go. This then lets people know they have a good shot at handling whatever gets thrown at them. Then, voters look at where they stand on issues, but in a very abstract sense. Simply, are they liberal, conservative or moderate. Campaign plan/promises rarely actually make it into law. Where is Clinton's health care? Where is Bush's private social security? What was Nixon's secret plan to win in Vietnam? None of those were real. What was real was that Clinton was a moderate Democrat and he governed like a moderate Democrat. Bush was a big oil Republican and he governed like a big oil Republican. (Of course, Bush also campaigned as an isolationist...). Obama has has a great bio and he is more inspiring than any candidate I have ever heard. He is unapologetically liberal. Unlike other Democrats (See Clinton) he explains why he is on the left instead of apologizing for not being on the right. Surely there are issues where we still need to know where anyone stands. There always are. But at this point in the game, issues are irrelevant. All that matters is bio and that certain something that makes voters feel good. Anyone without those better have a hell of a war chest or they are wasting their time. Rudy is a candidate not because of how he satnds on a single issue. He is a candidate because it was his city that got hit on 9/11 (bio) and because he was down there in the trenches (inspiring). This is partly why Tom Vilsack and Mike Huckabee are my dark horses, see below for excerpts from the wikipedia bios: "Tom VILSACK was orphaned at birth and placed in a Roman Catholic orphanage. His adoptive mother was an alcoholic and abused prescription pills." "When elected governor of Arkansas, Mike HUCKABEE was significantly overweight. During 2003, physicians diagnosed the governor with adult-onset diabetes and informed him that he would not live more than 10 years if he did not lose weight. This diagnosis (as well as the subsequent death of former Governor Frank D. White, whose obesity led to a fatal heart attack) shocked the governor into reflecting on his own mortality, and his ability to serve as the governor of Arkansas. Huckabee subsequently lost over 110 pounds through a disciplined diet and exercise, according to a New York Times article at a pace so rapid that "it was as if he simply unzipped a fat suit and stepped out." The governor now wakes up at approximately 5 a.m. for a five-mile jog, and he and his wife routinely pack his own healthy meals for lunch and dinner in a portable cooler--even when attending political, ceremonial, or fund-raising events. He has publicly recounted his previous burdens as an overweight man: the steps of the Arkansas capitol building from the entrance of the building up to the Governor's office were so long and steep that Huckabee would be out of breath and exhausted by the time he reached the top of the stairs; Huckabee secretly feared that he would be interviewed by media at the top of the steps, and that he would be unable to respond appropriately due to his overexertion and breathlessness."
I happen to like Bob Kerrey a lot. I just think the Thanh Phong Massacre finished him off. I could be wrong. Regardless, I'd love to see him in a high level cabinet post.
Yeah, I assumed you knew it would be obvious but TJ doesn't know how to use google so I thought I would provide some support. The real point is - look at what is already out there and Obama is only toying with the idea. If he commits and is the frontrunner pretty soon more than just nutjobs will believe and promote it. Not sure if this "not you?" was directed to me. If so, I like Obama while also aware that he caters to money just like every one else (the E85 pimping, for example - big money in Illinoise). He somehow manages to talk easily with active progressives, conservative Christians, and big business. He is compelling (somewhat superficially) and non-threatening to all...despite his "fitting in" with the others. So, yes, I like Obama and would vote for him. Hell, I would vote for him just because he is black and has a "funny" name. For me that alone would be a big enough national issue. Of course, I am far too cynical about where American culture is at the moment to think of him as a viable candidate. As such, I am not excited about him running in '08. Could such an intense and negative public assasination postpone even longer the day we have a minority (race, gender, religion) presidnet/vice president/etc.? Not sure.
Mark Warner, the former Virginia governor? I meant someone with foreign policy experience...or were you talking about John Warner, the Virginia senator? He was married to Elizabeth Taylor. If you ever read the book Prodigal Soldiers Kitfield talks about how Taylor was ranting about something at a dinner party and Goldwater got angry told Warner to shut her up, so Warner walked over to her, slapped her on the ass and told her to sit down. I wonder why they didnt make it...
I don't want to give too much away, but expect some news to hit if/when Hussein Obama declares himself a candidate. Again, don't want to spill the beans, but it could be along the lines of a BIMBO ERUPTION.
Drudge is gonna tell bald-faced lies like he did about Kerry and the staffer? By the way, Skippy; at which JIB is your boy, Orlando Sanchez, currently flipping burgers? Thanks in advance. DESPERATION.
This is hilarious and incredibly shoddy thinking. Barack Hussein Obama is running from his heritage? After writing a book whose central premise is his search for his father's roots? After naming his daughters Malia and Sasha? Please. This thesis might have legs if Barack Hussein Obama had changed his name to "Jesus American Washington" right before he entered politics. Obama: On the bimbo front, that dog won't hunt anymore... So what if Dems like women. Let's have that debate. Obama's already fessed up to more than a few indiscretions. Besides, I think people will be more OK with a Dem nailing a few women than a Repub who has to prove his manhood by sending a few thousand Americans to die.
I'm sorry you're such an incredible ass. It's sad and I am sorry about it. I'm sorry too that you're a xenophobic, racist bigot. That's even sadder. I'm so sorry. Now how bout you apologize to me for saying I lied about Obama's standing O at the mega church. While you're at it, you could also apologize for repeatedly insisting I heart Osama and Saddam and jump for joy when Americans die. And you could apologize to Obama for repeatedly questioning his veracity in matters of faith -- that's low as hell. And you could apologize to all blacks for your racist junk about Obama and to all Muslims for your xenophobic junk about Muslims. Or you could run away like you like to do. Whatever. serious black is very right about Bob Kerrey. That Nam stuff was the end of him for sure. I'm less convinced about Biden, though I can't imagine him successfully combatting the plagiarism thing in the current political climate. I think serious is very wrong about Vilsack. He doesn't have the fire in the belly of a Clinton -- even a fifth rate one -- and I think it will be impossible for him to break out of the pack. I'd rank him behind HRC, Obama, Edwards, Clark, Bayh, Biden, Gore, Kerry and Richardson on that quality (or lack thereof) alone. And I would remind serious that he was once optimistic, if only in the tiniest way, about a Kucinich candidacy along the same life story arguments. Achilleus: I saw that Hardball and I think you're way off. I expect that Edwards and Obama like and respect each other a lot. I'm sure Edwards would rather Obama wasn't sucking up so much air and attention right now, but there's no way there's bad blood between them. rimbaud: Yeah, the "not you?" was directed to you. I understand your cynicism -- I just think it's outdated. Maybe I'm wrong about that but I hope you are.
I don't know if it can be outdated when we have never had any kind of nationally elected minority or woman. Ferraro was a big risk and disaster and nobody has followed for 22 years. Clinton created an uproar in '93 for putting his wife in charge of health care (before the disasterous result and with the established record of being named one of the nations best lawyers a few years prior, leading successful Arkansas initiatives, etc.). Outdated when women and minorities still do not make comparable wages to white men?
I don't disagree with any of that, but it's not going to seem realistic until it has happened. Do you think that total equality (in wages and otherwise) will predate a woman or minority president or VP? I don't. In fact, I find that scenario to be ever more unrealistic. There was a time that America was "not ready" for a Catholic president. And then we had one and we were ready. I don't disagree that there are states that are not ready. Tennessee, where nothing short of a blatant racist attack ad (the brainstorm of McCain's new campaign manager) torpedoed the very strong Harold Ford in favor of the unpopular, incompetent Bob Corker (who couldn't even get 911 to work when he was mayor). But TN was going to go red anyway. Which of the states that Kerry won in 04 do you think is too racist or sexist to vote for Obama or Hillary? Do you not think that even one state is, at this point, progressive enough to vote for a woman or minority Dem in addition to the ones Kerry won? Even in light of the recent blue-red realignment?
please- the ad was not a racist ad, unless you're uncomfortable with the idea of white women sleeping with black men. and your objections would carry a lot more weight if you were similarly outraged by B-HO's blatant appeal that black voters should vote for Ford so he wouldn't be "lonely" in washington.
