lmay7:57PMMay 16th 2008

This out today......

I now have it from two three sources close to senior Republicans that they have video dynamite–Michelle Obama railing against “whitey” at Jeremiah Wright’s church. Republicans may have a lousy record when it comes to the economy and the management of the war in Iraq, but they are hell on wheels when it comes to opposition research. Someone took the chance and started reviewing the recordings from services at Jeremiah Wright’s United Church of Christ. Holy smoke!! I am told there is a clip that is being held for the fall to drop at the appropriate time.

Bring it on...It's gonna be released before November!!Lets get Hillary to the White House!!

Go Hillary!!

tfitz10178:09PMMay 16th 2008

Nobody cares about these things anymore, Greg.
Except LMAY, of course.
It was a weak spot, anyway.
You should have gotten the Huckabee eff up. You would have done a good job-t

james taylor8:55PMMay 16th 2008

I got this in an email today. It clears up any doubts that Michigan & Florida will help Clinton.


WASHINGTON — Michigan and Florida alone can't save Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign.

Interviews with those considering how to handle the two states' banished convention delegates found little interest in the former first lady's best-case scenario. Her position, part of a formidable comeback challenge, is that all the delegates be seated in accordance with their disputed primaries.

Even if they were, it wouldn't erase Barack Obama's growing lead in delegates.

The Democratic Party's Rules and Bylaws Committee, a 30-member panel charged with interpreting and enforcing party rules, is to meet May 31 to consider how to handle Michigan and Florida's 368 delegates.

Last year, the panel imposed the harshest punishment it could render against the two states after they scheduled primaries in January, even though they were instructed not to vote until Feb. 5 or later. Michigan and Florida lost all their delegates to the national convention, and all the Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign in the two states, stripping them of all the influence they were trying to build by voting early.

But now there is agreement on all sides that at least some of the delegates should be restored in a gesture of party unity and respect to voters in two general election battlegrounds.

Clinton has been arguing for full reinstatement, which would boost her standing. She won both states, even though they didn't count toward the nomination and neither candidate campaigned in them. Obama even had his name pulled from Michigan's ballot.

The Associated Press interviewed a third of the panel members and several other Democrats involved in the negotiations and found widespread agreement that the states must be punished for stepping out of line. If not, many members say, other states will do the same thing in four years.

"We certainly want to be fair to both candidates, and we want to be sure that we are fair to the 48 states who abided by the rules," said Democratic National Committee Secretary Alice Germond, a panel member unaligned with either candidate. "We don't want absolute chaos for 2012.

"We want to reach out to Michigan and Florida and seat some group of delegates in some manner, at least most of us do. These are two critical states for the general (election) and the voters of those states who were not the people who caused this awful conundrum to occur deserve our attention and deserve to be a part of our process and deserve to be at the convention," she said.

Just as Democrats across the country have been divided over which candidate would make the better nominee, most of the panel members also bring personal preferences to the table.

Many are long-standing party officials with close ties to the Clintons. The former first lady has 13 members publicly supporting her, including campaign advisers Harold Ickes and Tina Flournoy who are working to build her delegate count. Eight are openly aligned with Obama. Nine others are officially undeclared.

"We have to have delegates, and they have to be delegations that reflect the opinions of those two states," said former DNC Chairman Don Fowler, a committee member supporting Clinton. "How we get there is very different because everyone sees these questions of who it helps and who it hurts. I don't think the formulation has been found that will get around the piece at this point." But he said a solution is probably possible among the diverse interests.

Because Obama is in the lead for the nomination, his camp heads into the meeting in a position of strength. It is possible the Illinois senator could clinch the nomination by the time the panel meets if he picks up the pace of superdelegate endorsements in the coming weeks.

But Obama has such a lead that he may be able to afford to be generous and give Clinton most of the delegates. That would help put the issue behind them and help him build goodwill in Michigan and Florida heading into the November election.

Still, some think the fairest solution is to disregard the primary votes and split the delegations evenly between the two candidates. Yvonne Gates, a member of Nevada who said she is keeping her candidate preference private until after the meeting so her decision won't be questioned, said she isn't sure what position she would support at the meeting but that it must be fair to both candidates.

"My definition is a 50-50 split is something that is fair," she said. "It cannot be a situation where you give one candidate more votes than the other. In my opinion that wasn't an election when they didn't have a chance to get out and talk to the people of that community."

It's also possible that any vote that recognizes the Michigan and Florida results would legitimize their elections. Clinton has been arguing that she leads in the popular vote, but that's only when both states are included and it is very slim _ fewer than 5,000 votes out of 34 million cast.

Her accounting also doesn't include some caucus states that favored Obama and where the popular vote wasn't tallied. The measure of winning the nomination is not the popular vote but whoever can get the majority of delegates _ currently 2,026 are needed for the nomination although adding Michigan and Florida back in would change the threshold.

Obama climbed to 1,904 on Friday, according to The Associated Press count. Clinton has 1,719 delegates and is trying to use the popular vote argument to win over more.

Clinton encouraged supporters in an e-mail Friday to sign a message to the DNC asking them to count Michigan and Florida in the May 31 meeting. "I need you to remind them that in the Democratic Party, we count every vote," her e-mail said.

Fourteen of Clinton's Hispanic supporters in Congress sent a letter to the Rules and Bylaws Committee Friday arguing that disregarding the votes cast by Hispanics, 12 percent of the primary vote in Florida, could damage the nominee.

So far, Obama's campaign has not been giving direction publicly or privately to panel members. The Clinton campaign's official position has been full reinstatement, but her advisers acknowledge they are considering an idea before the panel to seat the delegates with half a vote each. Clinton campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that they "certainly might" accept a compromise to seat half the delegates.

If their elections had been held according to party rules, Michigan and Florida would have allocated a total of 313 pledged delegates based on the outcome of the vote. Using the results of the January elections with no votes for Obama from Michigan, Clinton would get 178 to Obama's 67, giving her a 111-vote advantage. As of Friday, she was behind 185 delegates, so that would not catch her up even under that unlikely scenario.

The plans before the committee will be more generous to Obama. The Michigan Democratic Party has proposed giving 69 of its 128 delegates to Clinton and 59 to Obama, an advantage of 10 delegates for Clinton.

A proposal from Florida would halve its 185 delegates. From that, Clinton would get 52.5 and Obama 33.5, a 19-delegate advantage for Clinton.

"I think it's a reasonable solution to the problem that was created, and my hope is that we'll be able to get past this and move on," said Allan Katz, an Obama supporter who serves on the panel but won't be able to vote on any Florida solution because he is from the state.

The committee is not bound to select the proposals offered and has authority to reinstate any number of delegates and divide them in any way.

An open question is how to handle the other type of delegates each state lost _ the superdelegates who are party leaders not bound by the outcome of the vote and are free to support whatever candidate they personally choose. Michigan has 29 superdelegates, and Florida 26. A total of nine have declared for Obama, 15 for Clinton and the rest are undeclared.

JOHN MANN8:56PMMay 16th 2008

Presently: Obama campaign's math is only 17 elected delegates away from the pledged-del majority, a number that Obama is guaranteed to pull off next in Oregon & Kentucky and expect then -- Superdelegates to break their way to Obama on the basis he has the popular mandate to be the nominee.

OBAMA 20089:03PMMay 16th 2008

All over but the shouting!!!

vlg9:04PMMay 16th 2008

"Political courage is essential in a President. Clinton has demonstrated it. Obama has not."

No matter what happens, that hasn't changed.


(Quote from Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Tom9:11PMMay 16th 2008

I WILL VOTE FOR HILLARY CLINTON OR JOHN MCCAIN.
NO OBAMA

OBAMA 20089:15PMMay 16th 2008

5-12-08 - Added Rep. Tom Allen (ME) for Obama
- Added DNC Dolly Strazar (HI) for Obama
- Added Sen. Daniel Akaka (HI) for Obama
- Added Idaho Democratic Party Chair DNC R. Keith Roark (ID) for Obama
5-13-08 - Added Rep. Joe Donnelly (IN) for Obama
- Added LA add-on Ray Nagin (LA)# for Obama
- Added DPL Roy Romer (CO) for Obama. Romer removed from Pelosi Club.
- Added DNC Anita Bonds (DC) for Obama
- Added DNC Awais Khaleel (WI) and DNC Lauren Wolfe (MI) for Obama
5-14-08 - Added DNC Christine Marques (DA)* for Obama
- Added Rep. Peter Visclosky (IN) for Obama
- Added TN Add-on Vicky Harwell (TN)# for Clinton
- Added DNC Mike Morgan (OK) for Obama
- Added DNC Lena Taylor (WI) for Obama
- Added DNC Robert Ficano (MI) for Obama
5-15-08 - Added Rep. Jim McDermott (WA) for Obama
-Added Rep. Howard Berman (CA) for Obama
-Added Rep. Henry Waxman (CA) for Obama
- Added DNC Larry Cohen (DC) for Obama
5-16-08 - Added Rep. Pete Stark (CA) for Obama
- Added DNC Keith Umemoto (CA) for Clinton. He endorsed "months ago" but just made it public.

TJ9:18PMMay 16th 2008

WHAT RELIGION WAS OBAMA BEFORE JEREMIAH WRIGHT CONVERTED HIM???. 20 YRS AGO, WHAT DID OBAMA BELIEVE??
WE DONT KNOW??
WHATEVER THAT WAS, IT SHOWS AND IT SOUNDS TOO MUCH LIKE COMMUNISM OR SOME CRAZY MUSLIM FAITH..ANARCHY.
DEMO PARTY IS IN A HURRY TO LOSE WITH OBAMA AND,
SURE, WE'LL HELP OUT. WE'LL VOTE HILLARY OR MCCAIN
JOHN EDWARDS AND RICHRDSON CALLED OBAMA "A GREAT LEADER?" WHAT HAS HE LED??? BOOMS HIS VOICE INTO THE MIC?
HE HAS LED NOTHING. ZERO LEADERSHIP.

JOHN PAUL9:29PMMay 16th 2008

These are the suggested 5 scenerios regarding the issue of counting Michigan & Florida. See below.

In ALL 5 scenerios, Barack Obama still will have the lead over Clinton.

The 5 scenarios are:


(1) - Do not seat Florida or Michigan. Current Official DNC rules.


(2) - Seat Michigan based on new Michigan Democratic Party Proposal of 69-59 split with full vote for superdelegates, but not Florida.


(3) - Seat Florida, based on January election, but not Michigan. FL Pledged delegates get ½ vote, superdelegate get a full vote.


(4) - Combine scenario 2 and scenario 3. FL 1/2 vote, MI 69-59 split and Super full vote.


(5) - Seat FL & MI based on the elections that have taken place. (Obama does not gets MI 55 uncommitted). This scenario is in the left sidebar.

frank johnson9:41PMMay 16th 2008

Clinton above all knows her political math. Clinton will make a turnabout soon and throw her support to Barck Obama and campaign for him. She leaked that in her last speech. That is what every loyal Democrat Party member does when the signs indicate they can not fight the math. I commend Clinton for her wisdom and her loyalty to her own Party. You might say, her suitcase is packed but Clinton will make her exit at the appropriate time she sees fit to. Most likely going public via the media. Clinton knows elections are about win or defeat. This was not her year!

JOHN MANN9:53PMMay 16th 2008

UPDATED RESULTS: May 16th, 2008. Obama and Clinton today added 1 superdelegate each.

California Representative Pete Stark has endorsed Barack Obama saying,

“Senator Barack Obama has captured the imagination of Americans in a way we’ve not seen for decades. He’s inspired millions of young people to register to vote and join the ranks of our Democratic Party, he’s consistently opposed the war, he advocates universal health care, and he delivers a message that transcends party politics at the same time.

“I have the greatest respect for Senator Clinton and for her many years of service, but I believe the time has come to unify our party. The outcome we need in November is a Democratic President. To achieve that, we must turn our focus squarely on Senator McCain and his quest to continue another four years of the failed Bush agenda.

“Barack Obama is the person we need as the next President of the United States of America. I’m excited to help him achieve that goal.”

Clinton got an endorsement from California DNC member Keith Umemoto.

Clinton lost a delegate based on the updated results, but she picked up the California superdelegate who made his choice public Friday after privately endorsing Clinton months ago.

Keith Umemoto of Sacramento told the AP Friday that he has endorsed Clinton.

kenny cooper10:01PMMay 16th 2008

MSNBC just announced that the North Carolina delegate result has changed. Obama gets 67 Clinton gets 48 for a net pickup of 19 for Obama.

JOHN MANN10:11PMMay 16th 2008

More good words for Barack Obama:

CONGRESSMAN HARRY MITCHELL ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA


United States Congressman Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) endorsed Barack Obama for president and said, “I’m proud to support Barack Obama for President. Senator Obama and I worked together last year to improve care for our soldiers and veterans in the wake of the scandal at Walter Reed, and I know that, as President, he will work hard for our men and women in uniform. Like the primary voters of my congressional district, which Senator Obama carried, I am inspired by Barack’s vision for America, his ability to unify our country and bring much-needed to change to Washington.”

Tejano10:15PMMay 16th 2008

If the Democratic leadership does not let MI. & Fl. vote Obama's nomination will not be legit or fair. If this is the case, she should run as an INDEPENDENT in NOV.

Tejano10:23PMMay 16th 2008

My Theory is: 1. A Republican will not be elected in NOV. because of the status quota, 2. By default, this could leave Obama as an alternate, because the COMMON man & woman will not vote for Obama because of suspicions/fear, 3. This leaves Mccain as the "less of two evils" 4. But if Hillary runs as an INDEPENDENT, the vote will naturally go to her, 5. The reality is that Obama will never win in NOV.

Mary O\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\10:27PMMay 16th 2008

Pay attention DNC: Women have been messed over for many years by the Democrat Party and it appears that millions of “US” will be returning the favor, should this primary season continue on its current path. Hillary Clinton is clearly the best choice to be our party’s nominee for President. As a life-long Democrat, age 55, I think the way my party has hosed Hillary and their most loyal and largest voting block; women intolerable. I am confident the Democrat Party will pay a severe price for this blatant assault on women in November. Cry all you want about this being “sour grapes” but little good will result from your on-going efforts to rally Hillary’s staunch supporters around your chosen candidate instead of the people’s choice. Now, the Democrat Party leaders want women to get their pre- selected from the start, elite, wimp, Barack Obama elected in November. It will be cold day in hell before I comply and I also hope Hillary walks away from this Party. Most of the women, and many men as well, with whom I have contact are finished with the Democrat Party, now and forever. Also, many of “US” are starting a grassroots movement to insure these kind of sorry tactics employed by my now soon to be former party, never happen again. This clear favoring of Obama, making him the nominee because the party doesn’t want a woman, especially a Clinton woman, is more that I can tolerate. Of all the gall, the Democrat Party now expects “US” girls, including Hillary, to turn over our undying support to Obama. Sorry guys, this is not going to happen. Obama has no shot of winning in November without Hillary’s help and all of us, her supporters. Not on your life or in your wildest dreams is this going to happen. Democrat Party leaders take heed and you superdelegates had better wait to declare your support until the final results of all the primaries are tallied and the voices of all 50 states and territories are heard from. At that time, the real nominee of the people can be declared for the fall election. Let it be known that the damage has already been done to the largest voting block in America. However, it remains to be seen how deep these “bitterly disappointing and highly blatant attacks” are to women. In my mind, this is a travesty and affects all women of America. I for one will change my registration to Independent, and possibly Republican, on the day I vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton in the KY primary. Bye, bye and good riddance from Mary O’Bryan, Louisville, KY, to my former party, no matter what happens in the primaries left to come.

John10:31PMMay 16th 2008

FLORIDA DEMANDS REPRESENTATION (FDR) CALLS ON ALL VOTERS, NATIONWIDE, TO STAND WITH US.

PLEASE HELP US IN GETTING OUR VOTES COUNTED AND OUR DELEGATES SEATED BASED ON THE OUTCOME OF OUR VOTES.

SIGN OUR PETITION AND SEND IT IN:

Http://www.FloridaDemandsRepresentation.org

COME TO OUR WASHINGTON DC RALLY ON MAY 31st

PLEASE POST THIS INFORMATION ON AS MANY WEB SITES ARE YOU CAN. THANKS!

P.S. SUPER DELEGATES: If our votes don't count, why should YOURS?

Tejano10:41PMMay 16th 2008

It's all a BIG SCAM. So if Hillary won the popular vote in Texas, how is it that Obama won the caucuses and walk away with more delegates?? The relationship should be DIRECT, if Hillary won TEXAS, she should DIRECTLY get the majority of Texas delegates. But of course, this was not the case, in TEXAS and in FL., and MI., and...

summitbay10:47PMMay 16th 2008

YES WE CAN.

WE WILL VOTE HILLARY. WE WILL WRITE IN HILLARY.

Voters, if you don't vote it means plus 1 for Obama.
However, if you write in Hillary, vote Hillary, she can take us all the way.
Alternate vote is McCain.
Either way, voting Hillary or McCain will mean -2 against Obama.

HILLARY SUPPORTERS, DO THE RIGHT THING.
our voice must be heard. Vote Hillary of McCain.

GOD BLESS HILLARY AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.