Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

yay!!!

now I'll go read

It's worrisome that the plethora of States who vote in February will be getting their information about candidates from the media since MSM has already anointed Hillary as the Democratic nominee and has thrown John Edwards to the wind. Goddard's Political Wire says this AM that Hillary is the predicted winner in PA. Well, I'm in PA, and I'm not voting for her, nor are people I know in PA and West Virginia. I'm calling foul against MSM for this one.

Big Blog phonies like Josh Marshall and Huffington who pretend to be impartial while shilling for Obama also prattled about how bad Big Media is while ignoring their own bias and barely veiled sliming of Hillary Clinton. http://www.hillaryis44.org/index.php?s=josh+marshall

good morning, GORDO - you certainly have a point. I question, though, whether the criticism of HRC is thinly veiled, at least at HuffPo, where it has seemed to be pretty blatant. Are you calling hipocrisy?

Pa polls show apparently Collen doesn't know every voter in PA

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/pa/pennsylvania_democratic_primary-240.html

What is the lie Bill Clinton told about Obama?

This is nothing but a blatant attempt by Obama to mute Bill Clinton and the media is piling.

Fortunately Bill Clinton doesn't care about the media
and after February 5 it will all be a moot point .
Obama has already said if he loses he will never run again. On Februaruy 6 I expect he will pick up his toys and go home. Maybe he will detour by the Reagan Museum on the way home for one last tribute.

hey, a. mouse, who do you believe? me, or your lyin' eyes?

I don't think either HuffPo or Kos consider themselves to be impartial. What nonsense.

Taylor Marsh had a “wonders never cease” moment at Josh Marshall’s mild notice that his “marvelous” Obama has not been vetted. Maybe like Ben Smith, Josh Marshall will wait until the “ruthless GOP oppo research cadre” explains who the real Obama is and explains with more force than the swiftboaters - the full Obama/Rezko story - complete with TV ads.

Josh Marshall and his fellow piano players are not innocent bystanders in the vetting process. Big Media and Big Blogs and all the blowhards employ an “aw shucks” attitude but the question remains: why are they not vetting Obama? Why are they not lifting the Rezko rock before the election? From:http://www.hillaryis44.org/index.php?s=josh+marshall

At last I have an opportunity to C-List today with old friends and nemesis (I am not sure about the plurla of that). I will be checking in and offering my know-it-all commentaries...

-Aging Hipster

Did Bill Clinton lie about people following him around with the Union Workers and making out work schedules to keep them from voting for his wife? I dont know whether he did or not, but i would sure like to see the proof. Because I don't think there is any. I think we see what happens when Hillary Clinton takes actions based on what a President says without having any proof to back it up.

-The Aging Hipster
Shilling for Obama

Josh Marshall has never pretended to be impartial. He has a post today about Clinton's culinary nonsense.

-Aging Hipster

Obama's goal to elect John McCain
The only liar Obama
No wonder Kerry likes him.
Obama was against the war before he was for it.

I think Bill Clinton or someone he trusts actually observed at least one instance of the situation he described........I wont believe that he simply made it up from scratch.......you dont have to trust someone everywhere to have trust in them on certain points.

hi, Hipster!

Call me stupid/ignorant, but who, or what, is Rezko? May I have a link, please?

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/audio_listen_to_bill_clinton_alleged_that_he_personally_witnessed_voter_supression_by_nevada_culinar.php

Hi Collen!

"Obama lied?" That's it? That's the answer to asking for proof about Clinton's claims? That's what Republicans do. I already know what Clinton said. I've already seen the Marshall post.

Here's what I need: proof. A name. An instance. Anything.....

Until I see one, this is just another example of a person with great responsibility making crap up and then having it played over and over on television. Its like Bush and Cheney and Colin Powell running around talking about Mushroom Clouds and chemical weapons on trucks, and how we "already know where the weapons are." Where is the proof?

Say what you want about McCain. He will tell you he "has no problem with us being in Iraq for 100 years." If thats what you want, go ahead and vote for the old mummy.

-The Aging Hipster

"Fortunately Bill Clinton doesn't care about the media"

Oh please, annoying mouse, it's one thing to advocate for your client but get a grip. The only bigger media whore out there these days is Brittney Spears. At least Bill wears underwear.

What lie did Clinton tell?
Obama voted for all of the war funding. His voting record on Iraq issues is identical to Senator Clnton's
No wonder Kerry endorsed him. He was against it before he was for it.

"At least Bill wears underwear."

You sure? Maybe that explains the hesitation on the "boxers or briefs" question...

Clinton does not pander to the media unlike Obama.

No, he just throws hissy fits to keep the spot light on Bill.
Step away from the kool-aid bar, judging by the tone of your posts you've been there far too much.

The following quote from the Chicago Sun-Times reveals who the real corporate Democrats are:

Michelle Obama resigned Tuesday from the board of TreeHouse Foods Inc., a Wal-Mart vendor, eight days after husband and White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said he would not shop at the anti-union store.

Obama has been a director of the suburban Westchester food maker since June 27, 2005. Board chairman Sam Reed received a resignation letter from Obama Tuesday. The company said she quit because of "increased demands" on her time. Obama was re-elected to the board April 19 for a term ending in 2010 -- during a period she was preparing to take on a larger role in the campaign.

In a statement issued by the campaign, Obama said, "As my campaign commitments continue to ramp up, it is becoming more difficult for me to provide the type of focus I would like on my professional responsibilities." She said it was in "the best interests of my family and the company" she quit.

Wal-Mart is a target of organized labor in the U.S., a Democratic constituency playing a key role in determining the 2008 Democratic nominee. Obama's link to Wal-Mart through TreeHouse was a potential liability for Sen. Obama. On May 14, during an AFL-CIO forum in Trenton, N.J., Sen. Obama was asked about Wal-Mart. "I won't shop there," he said.

In a SEC filing, TreeHouse stated Obama's resignation "is not due to any disagreement with the company on any matter.''

According to the Obamas' income tax returns, Michelle Obama collected $51,200 from TreeHouse in 2006.

Although Barack Obama claims he would never shop at WAL-MART, he and his family have enjoyed their share of that corporation's profits.

More Kangaroo Court stuff about Obama. Every time you go to this ridiculous "Obama lied" card you are simply proving you are in the indefensible position of backing up Clinton's statement about culinary workers. This is the oldest trick in the book, and I have seen FryDaddy use this over and over: if you are in a weak position, simply answer with countercharges. You asked when he lied...its in the very link you provided at Marshall's blog. Did you listen to the clip?

Answer the question- Where is the proof that there was ever a single time when Union Officials were following Bill Clinton around saying people's schedules would be changed if they voted for Hillary Clinton? Clinton said Union officials were following him around telling people their schedules would be changed if they supported Hillary. Thats exactly what he said. Now, here's what i want to know. Who is he talking about? Where is any worker who will swear that this is true?

-Hipster

"I have a dream" speech being delivered in toto on Imus' show .......

Perhaps Clinton's animosity towards unions stems from the time his wife served on Wal-Mart's board.

Speaking of lying, why does Sen Clinton say she has 35 years of experience? Most people don't include time in grad school as experience.

What lie did Bill Clinton tell about Obama?

Krugman takes Obama to the woodshed over his reaganomics

"What lie did Bill Clinton tell about Obama?"

Jebus.

Clinton said Union Officials were following him and telling people if they were Hillary Clinton supporters their work schedules would be changed so they couldn't vote in Saturday's caucuses. Thats what he said. There's nothing about Obama. Satisfied?

Now, let's get to the heart of the matter.

Where is any shred of proof.....anything anywhere....to back up Clinton's claims about voter suppression? Whats the name of the official that was following him around? Where is one worker who was told this?

How hard it must be to defend a statement like that.

-Hipster

Hipster !!
If only one is it nemesis, and multiple is nemeses. But I think I am only one?

Maybe on of the three blind mice is here? I think the question you ask is very clear.

Clinton is the Master of the stage

I'd be willing to wager (it is vegas, after all....) that said worker will soon be in front of a microphone somewhere.......

And the spat that BRC (Bill Rodham Clinton) had with the reporter, Put him in a corner with the lie and he becomes Wild Bill... (Brian can finish the remainder)

The Obama charge is that Clinton lied is about his record not the voting in the casinos and by the way the Obama campaign made similar charges about voter intimidation and suppression in the Nevada caucuses.

Is that a lie too? Oh right only the magic negro tells the truth

Obama's fame right now has little to do with his political record or what he's written in his two (count 'em) books, or even what he's actually said in those stem-winders. It's the way he's said it that counts the most. It's his manner, which, as presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden ham-fistedly reminded us, is "articulate." His tone is always genial, his voice warm and unthreatening, and he hasn't called his opponents names (despite being baited by the media).

Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,5335087.story?coll=la-opinion-center

Whew, what a speech. Thanks sturg.

Pong,

YOU old friend are not a nemesis. You are just a guy who sees things diffferently.

"Oh right only the magic negro tells the truth"

I see.

I guess that pretty much takes care of that little argument. I can see where this person is coming from now.

Anyway....

I doubt you will see anything from Clinton (the man I voted for twice) proving his allegations. You certainly aren't going to see it from someone who sits around quoting racist Rush Limbaugh skits.

David Ehernstein, the man who wrote the LATimes op ed piece has nothing to do with Rush Limbaugh.
In fact, could not be farther from Limbaugh.

I guess that is the new Obama response to questions. If you challenge me you are Rush Limbaugh.

Rezko Info: http://www.hillaryis44.com/

In a futile attempt to steer the conversation back to somewhere within the galaxy of the blog topic, here's the Intrade Democratic Presidential Futures Market in Florida. I suspect these numbers will change quite a bit as we get closer to the 29th.

Chance to Win (FL - DEM)
Clinton (89%)
Obama (12%)
Gore (0.3%)
Edwards (0.2%)

"magic negro" is one of the most offensive, racially-charged phrases to darken these pages in a long, long while. I would hope we would all have the moral fortitude to refrain from wallowing in such muck, even if it is a quote from a supposedly reputable reference, and raise the discourse to a higher level.

GORDO - thanks for the link

spike - Gore beats Edwards? Yikes!

from Salon:

I saw it all at the Paris: It was union member vs. union member, men against women, blacks against Latinos. An AFSCME worker (she wouldn't give me her name) was riling up the Clinton crowd, and got into a shouting match with an Obama supporter. "Hillary Clinton has never walked a picket line in her life," shouted Ray Wadsworth, an African-American pantry worker at Bally's casino who was just laid off. "I've walked picket lines with Hillary Clinton," the AFSCME woman shouted back. A Latina worker at Paris started yelling at Wadsworth: "Show respect, she's a woman!" At the worst of it, Wadsworth and other Obama supporters were yelling insults about Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, while the heavily Latino Clinton caucus was trying to shout them down with chants of "Hillary!" In the end only a handful of Latinos seemed to be among Obama's 98 caucus supporters; African-Americans were, by comparison, better represented in the Clinton delegation, but most caucused for Obama. (Only five caucus-goers supported John Edwards, which seemed to herald his dismal showing in the caucuses overall; he got only 4 percent of the vote.)

I watched the caucus battle with one of my oldest friends, someone I attended the 1984 Democratic convention with, a California labor organizer and politico who happened to be attending as an official Obama observer. Back then, in San Francisco, we cheered speeches by Jesse Jackson and Geraldine Ferraro together, so happy for the step forward both candidates provided to the party. There was little to cheer today. "Have you ever seen anything like this?" he asked me, with some alarm. I had to tell him no. Maybe we have to pass through this state of bitterness and chaos to get to a multiracial promised land, but it's not going to be a fun trip.

There's some reason to think the Paris situation was an only in Las Vegas aberration. The ugly atmosphere was certainly fueled by overreaching by the Culinary Workers Union, which faced accusations of strong-arming workers into supporting Obama. While Bill Burton, Obama communications director, told me those charges had been "debunked" on Friday, it was clear they were still roiling workers. I interviewed Sylvia Antuna on Friday, after her account of CWU intimidation was dismissed by both the Las Vegas Sun and the Obama campaign. Even if she was just one potential voter, her tale of coercion by CWU Obama supporters was disturbing. But it was clear on Saturday that she wasn't alone. "It has been really bad," cocktail server Nicky Nicolescu told me Saturday before the caucus began. "We could have a black president or a woman president, it should be great, but the union made this deal for power." Nicolescu said her boss was more help getting her free from work to caucus than the union was.

"I think the union is gonna be very surprised," Paris banquet server Patricio Gajardo told me a few minutes later. "They misjudged the Hispanic population. We don't think with an accent," he said, adding, "Write that down." I wasn't clear what he meant, and he elaborated: "A lot of us come here, we don't speak much English, they think we're naive, and they take advantage of us. We may never lose our accent, but we don't think with an accent; we understand what's going on." Paris worker Pauline Tilley added: "I came here almost 40 years ago, I'm a citizen, I still have my accent, and I support Hillary!" Tilley and Gajardo told of witnessing CWU leaders harassing Clinton supporters, refusing to help them get off work to caucus, removing Clinton fliers from the cafeteria. "We had to get H.R. to tell them to put them back," Gajardo said. In the end the Paris caucus site broke 2-1 for Clinton.

When I got back to my room at the Paris after the caucus, I found five housekeeping workers speaking in Spanish about Clinton's surprising win. Except it wasn't surprising to them: All had caucused for her. One of them told me she's a CWU leader who was appalled at the union's decision to support Obama; she asked that I not use her name. "They were going to stay neutral. They wound up pushing too much. Yesterday, when Chelsea Clinton came here, we had shop stewards saying, 'Kick her out! Kick her out!' I thought that was real rude; it sounded dirty to me." This Paris worker was also appalled by the Spanish-language ad sponsored by CWU's parent, UNITE HERE, that claimed Clinton didn't "respect" Latino people. "Hillary's been there for us. They just pushed too hard. It was dirty."

I'm off to work, gang, but i plan on C-listing again today. see you all in an hour.

Hipster
The Magic Caucasian.

Anonny-mouse

Treehouse is a "Vendor" of Wal-mart. They are not "Owned" by Wal-Mart. I'm a Hillary supporter, but do try to keep the stories straight. As usual, you can go to the British press if you really want to know details.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/13/wobama13.xml

"David Ehernstein, the man who wrote the LATimes op ed piece has nothing to do with Rush Limbaugh.
In fact, could not be farther from Limbaugh.

I guess that is the new Obama response to questions. If you challenge me you are Rush Limbaugh."

Nope, its my response. I'm not sure you ARE Limbaugh. I am saying you are quoting him.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_052107/content/01125106.guest.html

Funny. Note this person brought up race when asked to back up Clinton's statement.

It is what it is.....

Jamie,

I dont hold this against Hillary supporters. I just think it is one person who very obviously has a problem with black people. Now I am off to work
Hipster
The Magic Caucasian

Both articles say the same thing about TreeHouse and the ethical problems

It is a problem

dnd

Aren't you quibbling just a bit? Her first job after graduation was 1974 for Children's Defense Fund. That is "34" years, but her time with the Yale Study Center 1972 to 1974 prior to graduation when she did actually "WORK" at New Haven Hospital, and took on cases of child abuse and the city Legal Services, providing free legal service to the poor.

I hope you aren't taking the road that if it is free, it isn't "work". A lot of housewives who spend their career years raising children, supporting their husband's careers, and volunteering in their communities for charitable, educational and community service just might want to rip you limb to limb.

Colleen -- "Gore beats Edwards? Yikes!"

Statistically speaking, they have an equal chance of winning....

from the English version
"Mrs Obama, 43, was re-elected to the board last month for a further three years, a period that would overlap with her husband's time in the White House if he becomes America's first black president.

Mrs Obama is Treehouse's senior non-executive director and sits on the company's audit and nominating and corporate governance committees. Her Treehouse connection is not the only awkward ethical question that has confronted Sen Obama as his past is dug over.

Earlier this year, in response to a newspaper investigation, he said he was unaware that his broker had bought $50,000 worth of stock in two speculative companies whose leading investors included some of his biggest political donors.

He has also apologised for his "boneheaded error" in striking a property deal with Tony Rezko, a Chicago Democrat operative facing a federal indictment

Re "Magic Nego" This is a term popularized by Spike Lee to describe a particular type of character in movies and other media in the American culture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro

Can't say I'm fond of it, but it is a legitimate term and description.

thanks for the reference, Jamie. I don't care, however, who supposedly legitimizes it, including Spike Lee, of whom I'm a fan. It's emotionally-laden race-baiting. Guess Mr. Spike Lee will be hearing from me!

Annonymouse. So a vendor is equal to a subsidiary?

So if I sell something at a garage sale, it means the person who bought it owns me?

There is sure enough news about Bill Clinton and this election , isn't there? Don't know if any of you heard the Conan O' Brien joke from awhile back. He said, "Last night during the Democratic presidential debates , Senator Barack Obama accused Hillary Clinton of frequently changing positions. After hearing this , Bill Clinton said , "I wish."

It's "Blue Monday".......the most depressing day ot the year according to some wisenheimer study......

"I have a dream" is on Imus again

As with many words and commentaries, this is an example of a neutral description being used for evil purposes following the invention of the term.

I agree that courtesy of being associated with a living person (Obama) and then parodied by Rush Limbaugh, "Magic Negro" has now become a racial epithet.

Anything coming from either Limbaugh or O'Reilly is automatically suspect when discussing racial matters.

The word negro, now considered archaic and offensive, is used intentionally to claim that the archetype is a racist throwback, an update of the "Sambo" and "savage other" stereotypes.

from wikipedia

Treehouse is not a garage sale. They are dependent on Walmart which is the biggest purchaser of their goods.

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_5389746

Perhaps the Obama's can donate their profits to the folks who lost their jobs

Annony thou art a troll

Darn, I was trying to do a cute word art sign that said

"DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS"

Oh my, I can't seem to make it work.

Love and kisses every one
This troll is climbing back in the rafters.

tata

Anna Moose

We will get busy on a bridge for them to sit under. The season will be over someday and they can go back into hibernation.

World Markets aren't too fond of the Bush plan for economic recovery

http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/21/news/international/world_markets.ap/index.htm?cnn=yes

Sturgeon,

We have to stop sharing the same brain. People will talk.

By the way, I in no way blame any skirmishes during those casino caucuses on Obama. In the long run he was probably unfairly hurt by the union. Gender probably did play a big role in the Nevada vote. That story about union guys shouting Kick Her Out at Chelsea came from Latinas. Also, Dolores Huerta and the Farmworkers blasting back on Hillary's behalf had to help. I think these caucuses are a poor way to hold an election.

About Bill Clinton: I think his coming out swinging is more about him than Hillary. Obama dissed his presidency.

And about the WalMart issue....Michelle Obama isn't the one who sat on WalMart's board. That would be Hillary.

But in the end, it will, I think, be the Reagan/Republican comments that hurt on Feb. 5. Republicans are making a big deal of it on the news shows, almost smacking their lips. Two people have called me infuriated at Bill Bennett's smirking over St. Ronnie. Independents and people too young to remember Reagan may not give a damn, but the base may very well. And argue till doomsday about what was really meant (I think it was pandering to a conservative newspaper and to the upcoming California vote) but for the base...well, as many here have noted, perception is everything.

Anonnymouse

It is still a VENDOR - Does Walmart own them? Is Walmart their only customer? Does Walmart own even a significant percentage of their stock? Is there a legitimate connection other than one company buying a product from another company? If Wal Mart didn't exist, would they still have a product for sale?

If the answer is "NO" - then there is nothing unethical here on the part of Michelle Obama and the charge of any conflict of interest is still totally spurious.

Now if you have something against people getting rediculously wealthy from their corporate associations, you might have an argument.

Obama has fallen into the trap set by Bill Clinton. He has stepped down from his media-created "pedestal". Obama is coming across as weak and whiny.

I’m not sure how the Reagan remark will end up playing out. It may be a clever thing. It may be a way for Obama to use him during the general.

Hipster

I keep seeing Obama bashers on here refer to “a media created pedestal” and such. Wasn’t there someone who wrote a book about blaming the media for all their candidates problems? Can anyone refresh my memory?

-Hipster

:-)
-Hipster

Patsi

Just read your 8:49 post. Thanks very interesting

" It may be a way for Obama to use him during the general. "

I understand that, Hipster. But the general ain't the primary.

Ya Know I've heard this Walmart connection story and always makes me want to say
"So what?"
Someone had a contract with Walmart, You know there are lots of people out there with Walmart contracts. Walmart works with minority owned and woman owned small businesses, mentors them and helps them expand.
It can be dangerous for them because a large Walmart contract is like crack cocain. When Walmart starts pushing for lower costs(and they always will) it is very hard to say no.

One other thing.
Pushing the anti Walmart stuff is a loser for the Democrats. There are more Walmart shoppers then Democrats and most of them are potential democratic voters.

Jack

Gotcha Patsi. From a purely strategy standpoint, the timing is off. Edwards tried to use it against Obama but didn’t get any traction whatsoever. Question for everyone. At what point should or will Edwards drop out? I cant see him going any where if he doesn’t beta either Obama or Clinton in SC.

-Hipster

Rudy down by double digits in New York

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/poll_rudy_trailing_mccain_by_double_digits_in_new_york.php

-Hipster

Patriots win again....... YEEEEEHAAAAWWWW!

Dex.... you are a sport's game visionary.... you said the Red Sox would beat Cleveland when I almost gave up hope.... you were right..... and you predicted that the Giants would beat the Packers.... you were right..... hey maybe I should start listening to you...... :0}

I think this whole Clinton vs Obama stuff is caca poo poo (hope that's mild enough for your child's eyes, Gordo).... as I said.... I voted for Hillary and now I let it go..... que sera, sera.....

Patsi.... glad to see you resurface....

whskyjack..... welcome to the blog.....

Hipster,

I see Edwards definitely going through Super Tuesday, and then starting negotiations in February as King Maker. He's holding enough delegates that it could make a difference, but timing will be everything.

If Super Tuesday puts Obama and Clinton in a virtualy tie, Edwards will really have a controlling position going into the last of the primaries.

What I wonder is if any of the Edwards delegates would turn faithless electors on the first ballot at a contested convention or would they wait until after the first round to change their votes?

"Patsi.... glad to see you resurface...."

Renee -- I'm on a deadline now and the next two months are going to be hellish.

Craig....
I hope you enjoy the political scene moving down to your state....
I agree.... I think it will be important to the Dems too....

I thought it was amazing the other night that you had to explain to Matthews the significance of Feb 5th..... he's just so caught up with his big analogies of historical context that he misses what's obviously right in front of his face.....

I think Edwards will stick around as long as he can to keep his anti-corporate welfare agenda alive.

An aside....I wish to hell race wasn't involved in this Bill/Obama thing. If it was not, I'd be loving it. Think about it, one unbelievably charismatic guy comes out and basically throws down the gauntlet, saying, "I came up in Chicago street politics. I can play this game." (I heard him say it...) The other guy, also a larger than life charismatic, came out of Arkansas dirt road politics. DAMN! It would have been fun. Talk about sucking the oxygen out of the room!

RR- Congrats on the Patriots winning. I cant see them screwing up now, but I am still rooting for the Giants.

I’m thinking that Edwards has a pretty firm grasp of who his delegates are after having built all this organization over 4 years. With delegates split based on the percentage in each state and super delegates breaking for Clinton, he is indeed going to be in a very strong position.

-Hipster

mornin' all.

Colleen, I'm in WV and I'm planning to vote for HRC, and I do know plenty of folks who are planning to do so, and my review of the polls in PA.

Hipster, welcome back into the blog-o-chat-o-sphere. I think Ping is right, that would be nemeses, of which I am not one, although people have gone to jail for life on the "evidence" of one eyewitness.

OK, for all you Obamaites out there, you're just going to have to get over the fact that the CWA gambit in NV to get its candidate a win did not work, and that HRC happens to be married to a media sponge. Does anyone really believe that Bill's claim is incredible - that the CWA guys would finagle schedules to achieve a result? Think other unions have manipulated their membership to swing an election? Hipster, I know Bill has lied in the past, but not every word from his mouth is a lie, and it certainly is not presumed to be a lie just because he said he saw it occur. As a former steelworker, I can say that pressure to vote one way or the other was not uncommon. I do question one thing - do the union stewards set CWA workers' schedule in NV? That function varies from industry to industry. Anyone know?

Portrait of Insuregnts in Iraq

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/20/AR2008012002609.html?hpid=topnews

Hipster

anybody watching this MLK event in Columbia? I think Obama is chewing gum. Which is OK,, just a little odd

Sturge

a few years ago, on MLK day, when my kids were 13 and 15, we were driving home from some meeting and our local radio station played the entire speech... I dont think I'd ever heard it in its entirety.. just memorable sentences.. My kids and I sat in the driveway..spellbound.... i downloaded it to my computer that night, and I listen to it on occasion (like today).. .. I also sang along to Abraham Martin & John (at the top of my lungs, much to my daughter's chagrin) in the car yesterday..

when one looks back.. is it not incredible that it was, in the grand scheme of things, such a short time ago?

CC

Are you chewing gum to stop smoking???

Hope you are well

Hipster

probably breath gum, craig :)

Thanks Pogo! Good to be back, though i will have to disappear again soon---but not forever

Tylenol- I have shown the whole 17 minute speech to my Eight Graders and it is always a hit.

-Hipster

On MJ, Joe mentioned Obama's drug use. I need help. Please, someone explain why they always say "drug" not cocaine. Sorry to bring this up again, but I just do not understand. If it is to protect Obama, then why say anything.

Pogo....I posted a long report from a caucus attendee...obviously these are just stories from one casino....but it's up above in the thread.

no redst3, bearing down on 4 weeks cig-less. chomping on chopped off plastic straws instead of gum. mebbe Obama is chewing nicorette.

Pogo, no doubt arm twisting goes on. No doubt Bill is a truth stretcher and finger-wagger….but where is his proof? The dead horse has now officially been beaten!

-Hipster

CC

you are doing great! Dont go back. those things are bad for you

-Hipster

Hipster..i think the speech is as important to America as Kennedy's "ask not what your country can do for you.." speech.. of all time... actually, i was thinking back to the DNC convention, the year Jimmy Carter won.. and Ted Kennedy was keynote speaker I think.. anyway.. Ted gave a BARNBURNER of a speech.. I was majoring in journalism in college and I remember all of us being bowled over..

Lunch time----back in a while gangy

-Hipster

pogo,
"I know Bill has lied in the past, but not every word from his mouth is a lie,"

The problem is knowing which is and which ain't.

Just a hint of what's coming at any Democratic candidate:

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/005103.php

I have always found Bill Clinton to be quite a reasonable fellow.. and quite possibly the smartest man to ever have been president.. if he had kept his penis in his pants for those 8 years everyone would be talking about how great it was to have an egg-head president..that he had so much vision.. I've gone to a couple of events in Montreal in the past 8 years that Clinton was at.. the climate change conference and a lefty think-tank conference...I dont give a rat's ass about his (or anyone else's) sexlife...

I have a question for everyone.. do you think an unmarried candidate could win the presidency?

dnd -- aside from lying about sex (a VERY human fault), what lies do you speak of?

About the sex thing....when all that was going on I got one of those "HANG this immoral Devil" emails from a guy I went to high school with. He sent the email out to about 50 people in our hometown. Now the fact is, this guy knocked up a 15 year old sophomore when he was an 18 year old senior, married her....then not only fooled around all the time, but tried to get her involved in a three-way deal. That's when she took the kids and left. When he found out one of his sons was gay, this guy turned his back on him. Even when the young man was very ill with AIDS his father-the-outraged refused to visit or allow the son the visit him. Not until the night the son was dying -- at which time the father brought a preacher to his son's bedside to try and get him to repent.

I sent the email back to my former classmate (and all the people he'd sent it to) and reminded him that everyone in town knew he'd screw a bush if he thought a snake was in it.

Besides, I'll take Clinton's brain over Dubya's any day of the week

Gordo

Try rephrasing that question so that neither the candidates name nor whatever he might be ingesting appear in the request. Otherwise you are just a troll and not worth the effort of answering.

here I am with my subway sandwich- SUBWAY has OUTLETS IN WALMART!!!!MY GOD!!!! I am a tool of Walmart's---He hee

anyway here i am with my subway reading about Bill Clinton. as I said, i voted for him in 1992 and 1996. My issue with him is this particluar Culinary Workers thing. i think he is lying about people threatening to change workers schedules. Thats all i am saying.

-Hipster

Patsi,
Are you saying Bill Clinton is like your philandering homophobic former classmate?

Interesting ;-)

in memory of Dr. King, Sarah Vowell takes the high road. If you don't know her, she's well worth reading:

Radical Love Gets a Holiday

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/opinion/21vowell.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Patsi,

While we have had bachelor or widowed presidents before, I think it might be difficult for an unmarried candidate to reach the office these days. He or she would have to be almost enormously impressive to get there simply because so many people look to the family to decide if they "like" the person running for office. They would need some sort of "family" to mirror their private life for the electorate.

that surprises me, hipster.. unions are always pressuring their members ..for all sorts of things..

Walmart is only an issue because Obama made it an issue

Obama clear: He's pro-union

May 15, 2007
BY LYNN SWEET Sun-Times Columnist
TRENTON, N.J. -- He won't shop at Wal-Mart. He is for a law making it easier for people to join unions. If president, his appointees would be "sympathetic" to labor. He said he walked picket lines while a state senator.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/385406,CST-NWS-sweet15.article

Patsi , I saw your post on the shouting matches at the casino and found it very interesting - it sounded much like a contentious day in the House of Commons. I think it more than anything demonstrates why caucuses are a frickin' stupid way to decide anything. They are anti-democratic in the sense that we think of democracy as being based on the secret ballot and the concept of one person, one vote (which is further bolstered by seeing an electoral college system at the national level and district contests at the state level that do not reflect popular vote margins, but don't get me started on that!!!).

dnd, and others, yes, if you think Bill's past liberties with the truth about his pecadillos suggests he's not generally honest, it makes it difficult to figure out whether he is telling the truth this time - but I do not agree that is the case. Hipster, what's he supposed to do? Take down names, get affidavits? If he saw it, he saw it. Maybe we should ask Chelsea - she was supposedly there when it happened if I read what he said correctly. Would that do? I will note that I haven't seen anyone post a link to any piece of news that tens to refute what Bill said. If it's so far fetched, where is the screaming denial?

Gotta go run the kid and dog around for a while - later.

So Obama went on GMA today to whine about how the Clinton's are being too mean to him?

Pass the smelling salts!

Someone needs to inform the Obama's that this is Presidential politics. Further, if this is how Obama is going to over-react to what has been a very, very, mild and civil campaign, it gives me no confidence in his ability to withstand the the ruthless GOP attack machine.

All of the candidates have spouses who are strongly advocating for their respective spouses. Bill Clinton has every right to make his case as he sees fit.

Further, whatever the media thinks about Bill Clinton is irrelevant. Ultimately, it's for the voters to decide.

And if the the election results and exit polls from NH, MI, and NV are any indication, the voters seem support the conclusion that Bill Clinton knows what he's doing.

JoeChi

Nice cut and paste job there from talkingpoints memo comments section. You must be going around lots of sites reposting it.

Hipster/Tylenol

If you don't have or are not familiar with "In Our Own Words". It is well worth investigating for anyone who likes great speeches.

http://www.amazon.com/Our-Own-Words-Extraordinary-Speeches/dp/0743410521/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200933843&sr=1-11

Come on, Pogo. He's basically accusing union officials of voter intimidation. Innocent until proven guilty?

You haven't seen a denial, but you haven't seen a single witness confirm it.

Its just swiftboating. At least when the swiftboating happened, they produced a bunch of creeps to tell the lies. In this case, its just President Clinton blabbering, hoarse and red faced.

Where's Hillary in all this any way? Which one of those two characters is actually running??

-Hipster

hoarse and red faced. That was a good one

Tylenol,

If the Kennedy speech you remember was "The Dream Will Never Die" convention speech, it is on You tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydHc-ExClqw"

" I interviewed Sylvia Antuna on Friday, after her account of CWU intimidation was dismissed by both the Las Vegas Sun and the Obama campaign. Even if she was just one potential voter, her tale of coercion by CWU Obama supporters was disturbing. But it was clear on Saturday that she wasn't alone. "
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/01/20/nevada/

You know I always loved that old JFK speech that came out around the time of Birmingham. It was something to the effect of “we have to ask ourselves if we want to live in one America or two. One where we have two kinds of citizens: Black and white” I cant remember the exact oratory but it sure was a good one. Anyone know the reference?

-Hipster

An interesting article from the "Las Vegas Sun"

One advantage to having Bill Clinton is he gets instant access.
The Casinos were restricting access to their workers so this meant that only th union had direct access on the job. When Bill Clinton called they found themselves in a bind, so they changed their policy and let the campaigns have access.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jan/21/campaigns-big-dawg/#/Sen._Hillary_Clinton_on_Jan._19_2008/

BTW there are several very good in depth articles in the column on the right.

"Are you saying Bill Clinton is like your philandering homophobic former classmate?"

Uh, no, dnd....I was saying my classmate is more like many of you men who were outraged by the sex and the lie about it...of course, not YOU personally....:)

Hipster

Is this the one you want

http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Speeches/JFK/JFK+Pre-Pres/Address+of+Senator+John+F.+Kennedy+to+the+Greater+Houston+Ministerial+Association.htm

It is in written and recorded form.

good catch Jack

Thanks for the article

Thats not it Jamie, but I will fish around for it.

This was around the time of Bull Conner and the firehoses---he was already President

Hipster

If not, you can find a table of contents and all the JFK speeches linked to it here:

http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Speeches

Hipster:

One of the Las Vegas Sun's reporters used the term pushy when discribing the unions last minute organizing.
One mans pushy can be another mans intimidation.

Notice that the stories are flying from both camps and a person would have to be very naive to believe that nothing of that sort happened.

Jack

Krugman takes Obama to task for Reagan remarks

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/opinion/21krugman.html?ex=1201582800&en=1b18e0da9d0ed91a&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Hipster

Thanks Jamie

Rudy's Campaign Crash

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0108/Rudys_precipitous_drop.html

Hipster

Bull Connor would have been 1963. Here is a JFK speech on civil rights from the same time period.

http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Speeches/JFK/003POF03CivilRights06111963.htm

Some thing from over at TPM election central.
http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/obama_lit_in_south_carolina_pushes_back_on_false_muslim_smears.php

Obama is distributing a mailer that talks about his faith and Christian beliefs.
They seem to think it is a pushback on the muslim/madrass email.
While it would do that I don't think that is its main purpose.
I think the strong Christian statement gives Obama an easy twofer. First, it reminds and reenforces to the black community that he is one of them. It does so in a way that can't be attacked by the opposition. Second, it will attract the nonracist religious conservative white vote. I have talked to several religious conservative whites , who express an interest in Obama. One even told me that Obama was more conservative than people thought. She was referring IMO , to his faith.
All in all a good positive flyer that can attract independents and and Republicans to cross over and vote for him.

Jack

I've been getting that Obama/muslim email ever since he was elected to the Senate. And it sure wasn't coming from any Democrat. My sister the Repub gets them too, and she says they are being forwarded from evangelicals and right wingers she knows....

All Brian From NYC cares about is OBAMA... Listening to him you would think that the Clintons have done nothing correct in their years of public life. Are you sure you aren't a Repug Brian?

Patsi

I think I've basically piss off all the family that used to send me a lot of forwarded trash. I got myself off the worst offenders list when they sent me email about the toxic tampon. I sent a long snarky "you are an idiot" reply that amounted to as 50yr male I didn't think that would be a worry and clicked the send all box.

My other major source was from my days as a community organizer. Something about those dogooders they do love to trade gossip and scare each other.

Jack

Thomas Freeman good manners prevent me telling you what you can do to yourself.

Anyone have any info about what's going on in Minn. and Al Franken's bid?

Thank you Brian. We all know that NYC is the bastion of good manners in the our fine country.

I am originally from Minnesota, a state that really WAS a bastion of good manners. :-) I hope Al Franken gets the nomination. He is intelligent, witty and funny. He would be a great addition to the U.S. Senate.

Brian being called a Republican? Thats a new one. Where's Frydaddy when you need him?

The truth has never stopped one evangelical from spreading mass internet e-mail lies, such as...

1. Bill Clinton is responsible for every murder in Arkansas in the last 30 years.
2. Ollie North warned Al Gore about Bin-Laden
3. Al Gore reversed the Chatahoochies River for a photo op in 2000.
4. Hillary is an illuminati Lesbian witch
5. Ollie North and Bill Clinton ran cocaine to fund the contras
6. Obama is a Muslim

Blah blah blah

They send this crap out and forward it to everyone without regard to the truth. They don’t care.

-Hipster

I don’t tangle with Brian much. That whole gun dust up we had one fateful day left me totally convinced he is no Republican.

-Hipster

Thomas you're just proving yourself to be an ass, really you should stop attacking people because they don't support your chosen candidate.

bang bang hipster!

LOL

Well Brian, you are unarmed (hee hee- Let's not start that one again).

What's truly weird Hipster is that I hadn't made a post in about 7 hours and this Thomas person comes out an attacks me. Makes me think it's one of my "fans' using another nick name looking to cause trouble. boring.

Hipster

Examples 1 through 6 among many, many others are why SNOPES is on my "Get Me There At The Speed of Flying Electrons" list.

Of course there are the funny ones that you just enjoy without believing a single word

http://www.snopes.com/humor/nonsense/head97.asp

Speaking of past elections, and I am not sure we were, but what the heck? 1984 was a pivotal year for me. I moved to Mpls to Seattle and got immediately involved in the Mondale/Ferraro campaign. It was awesome! I really believed we were changing the world, and naively, I thought adding Ferraro would cinch the election of the former Vice President. I was 25 but it was my first ever campaign. Even on election day, where I worked at a polling both, I thought we were winning. I mean, everyone I knew was voting for Mondale. We took over 70% in liberal Seattle and still lost King County. I was pretty devastated. Maybe because it was the first campaign I worked on, and also because I was a Minnesotan, I never felt quite the same about campaigns again. I have always voted passionately and was a voter registrar in Washington State (and an alternate delegate for Jesse Jackson). Even so, there's nothing like the first campaign you work on, the excitement, the adrenalin, the belief in social change and making the world a better place. Four years later it was Dukakis and I didn't care. Clinton I liked immediately and I was glad to cast a vote FINALLY for a winning candidate when Bill won the 1992 election. On Inauguration day 1993, Western Washington had a total power failure (just as I was watching the festivities). The right wing fundamentalists, of course, said it was God registering his disapproval over Bill Clinton becoming President. And the attacks against Bill has never stopped.

Brian, I may be many things, but I have NEVER been anonymous. http://www.myspace.com/eurotom

Well, what can one say? Just another day at the office, you Obama supporter you.

Troops I am out of here. I have a gang of basketball playing middle schoolers to coach. I plan on telling them I am going to bench them unless they help me put out Obama signs in the South Carolina upstate this weekend.

Someobody forward this to old red faced Bill Clinton so he can complain about it!

Ha Ha

Good to be C-listing again. As I said earlier, I have to disappear again for just a few more days. Look for my return after Feb 1st.

Peace
Hipster

Brian,

I have an alibi and a witness. :-)

Next time Rudy Giuliani says "9-11" ask him if he's talking about the range of his IQ.

Next time John McCain says "my friend" as he addresses you, ask him to lend you some money.

Next time Hillary Clinton says she has "35 years experience," ask her if she was in a drug-induced coma the other 25 years of her life.

Next time Tweety comes on TV, turn off your set.

Tom,

If you plan to be a regular "Trailmixer" (formerly Crawdads) and want to do it, there is a link to all the blogs belonging to people who contribute here.

Under "Links", just click on Blogroll and then on Trailmixers. There is also a map under blogroll for our locations with links to our blogs. (The lights are Blue - Liberal; Purple - Moderate; and Red (Conservative)

Let us know and Ran or Tiptoe can make it happen pretty fast.

drug induced coma, haha!

Thank you Jamie. I wouldn't mind having my site added. Would I add my whole myspace or myspace blog?

Thomas,

Just tried to send you a message on you My Space blog. It won't let you do that unless you are a "friend" and some people don't like being on My Space. Do you have a second blog. If so, I would recommend using that one just for ease of communication.

Thanks for all the eye candy though. :-)

WHY are the repubs driving around with Reagan in the trunk? (who said "weekend at ronnies" last weekend? that was funny!) Giuliani's new mantra "reagan" ..wonder if he can fit Reagan and 911 into one sentence?

haha...mr tylenol just said he likes the way i say 'caucus'

I do have a blogspot but ... I haven't used it lately... I suppose I could check it out... I wasn't too interested in MYSpace either, but a friend here in Belgium got me signed up, and after several months I finally did something with it. It's been responsible for me finding old high school mates and other friends I lost contact with. I know MySpace isn't for everybody but peeps can register with a private profile if they want. Anyway, it's 8 pm here and I am tired. Bye for now.

HIpster, been out for a couple hours doing the kid/dog bus routine. Yes, I find it credible that union officials were trying to coerce their members to vote for their chosen candidate - they do it all the time. Granted, I find it more comical to conceive of that in the CWU - I don't really equate them with the UMWA or the SEIU - both of whom I have had extensive contact with over the past decade or so, or the steelworkers whose pressure to vote for their candidate I personally experienced much longer ago than that; but if the election tactics of the CWU even approximate those of the other unions I mention, coercion is a rather mild name for the pressure they were exerting.

Thomas Freeman, it's amusing to hear someone say all Brian can think about is Obama - until about a week ago, you couldn't get a word out of him about anyone but Edwards (unless vocal criticism of Clinton counts). What you'll see is that Brian is very opinionated and doesn't care what anyone holding his beliefs or other beliefs thinks. It annoys some, others find it amusing in that it keeps the conversation here lively. He and I haven't agreed on a candidtate yet, but I think we will after the Dem convention.

ty, using Joe Biden's Rudi sentence formula, he can indeed fit Reagan and 9/11 into a sentence - but Reagan will have to be the subject. Reagan [insert verb here] 9/11. See how easy that is?

Craig, if you stay put there, you'll finally be in the midst of a primary!

tt

wow..pogo..yer right.. it IS easy

Craig asked me to put up a brief explanation of the Intrade Presidential Futures Markets...So here it goes...

Intrade Political Futures Markets

Intrade.com has created an exchange for individuals to trade (speculate) on politics. For example, "Will Hillary Clinton win the Democratic Nomination". Each contract is an event with an unambiguous result, either Hillary Clinton will be the nominee or she won't. Individuals trade (speculate on) what they think the outcome of that event will be.

Let's use one of the contracts as an example - Will Hillary Clinton become the Democratic nominee? There are only two possible outcomes for this contract - Yes, she will be the nominee or No, she will not. When the nomination process is over and the result is official, if Hilliary Clinton receives the Democratic nomination, that contract will close at 100.

If on the other hand she fails to win the nomination, the contract - Will Hillary Clinton receive the Democratic nomination - will close at 0. However, until the nomination is over that contract will fluctuate in value between 0 and 100 just like a stock, reacting to the news of the day and buying & selling by you the trader.

Who determines the prices?

Thousands of traders around the world. Just like the price of Microsoft stock is determined by the buying & selling activities of thousands of traders in the financial markets, the price of each contract is determined by traders who are confident enough to back up their opinion by risking real money.

What do the numbers mean?

Since the contracts trade between 0 and 100, you can think of the price at any time to be the percentage probability of that event occurring.

Let's go back to our Hillary Clinton example, on November 1, 2007 the Hillary Clinton nomination contract was trading at 71, meaning, traders gave her a 71% chance of being nominated.

If you thought Hillary Clinton will be nominated, you would expect that price to go up - towards 100. In that case, if you bought one contract at 71 and Senator Clinton did get the nomination, you would profit the difference between your purchase price - 71 - and the closing price - 100 - or 29 points, or 29 points per contract you purchased.

For the analysis for which I derive the daily graphs, the probability for each of the major candidates is combined to create the total probability for the combined candidates. This total, however, can be less than or greater than 1.

To make the numbers more understandable, the probability for each candidate is then recalibrated by multiplying each candidate's "raw" probability times the inverse of the total probability. This rescaled number then becomes percentage of the total (i.e., the "Market Share) each candidate would be predicted to have on a given day.

How accurate are futures markets?

Professors at the Tippie School of Business at The University of Iowa have, since 1988, done extensive research on futures markets (Iowa Electronic Markets). In over 450 markets tested, the average absolute error between the predicted and actual percentages has been approximately +/- 2 percent. In addition, for political markets studied, the futures markets correctly predicted the "winner" approximately 76% of the time.

Pogo i knew you could be counted on to support an Obama/Edwards ticket!
:)

ANY dem ticket!

We now have a measurement of Craig's power. If he can't go to the campaign, the campaign comes to him.

We could start calling him Craig Mohammed Crawford.

Send out a group email on the name!