May 17, 2008
Maryland Superdelegate Greg Pecoraro Endorses Obama
"Over the past five months, we have watched an extraordinary and historic race for the Democratic Party’s Presidential Nomination. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have given our party a difficult choice between two outstanding candidates. It has been especially exciting for me to watch as so many people have registered to vote so that they could participate in this selection, and have turned out to vote in record numbers in primary elections across the nation. Today, I am very excited to join the large majority of Maryland Democrats who expressed their enthusiasm for Senator Obama’s candidacy in our state's presidential primary. Like them, I believe Barack Obama is the right leader for our time. With Barack Obama as our nominee and as our President, we have real hope that a new way of governing the nation is at hand. I strongly believe that Senator Obama offers us the best opportunity we have had for many years to turn away from the politics of division and despair, and look towards an America of opportunity and progress.
As the primary season draws to a close, Democrats across the country will come together and unite behind Barack Obama. I know the leadership and members of Maryland’s Democratic Party will join together over the next few months to deny the Bush-McCain Republicans a third term in the White House, and I look forward to working with them in that important effort."
Top 10 Reasons Obama Defeated Clinton for the Democratic Nomination
It's worth looking systematically at the major factors that gave victory to Obama.Robert Creamer | Huffington Post | 5/17/08
Now that the outcome of the battle for the Democratic nomination has been settled beyond a reasonable doubt, it's worth looking systematically at the major factors that gave victory to Obama. After all, fifteen months ago, conventional wisdom viewed Obama as an audacious long shot. The very idea of a first-term African American senator with a name like Barack Obama defeating the vaunted Clinton machine seemed preposterous.
Here are my Top Ten reasons why lightning struck in the contest for the 2008 Democratic nomination (apologies to David Letterman ):
#10. Great Team. Obama assembled a great team that could work together. He stayed away from lobbyist insiders like Clinton's Mark Penn or McCain's Charlie Black, and choose political professionals who are committed to progressive values like David Plouffe, David Axelrod, Steve Hildebrand and Paul Tewes. From the first he insisted on one key rule: no drama. There was little of the infighting and division in the Obama operation that ate away at the Clinton campaign. Clinton had many capable staffers and consultants, but Penn's divisive leadership style and failures as a strategist doomed the campaign organization to dysfunction. When the brilliant Geoff Garin was tapped to succeed Penn as Chief Strategist in April, it was simply too late.
#9. All-State Strategy. Mark Penn was convinced that Clinton could sew up the nomination by Super Tuesday focusing only on the big states. In fact, some have reported that he mistakenly believed that California had a "winner take all" primary. Obama's team hunted for delegates in every nook and cranny of America -- especially in the caucus states that Clinton really didn't contest. Obama ran an active, on-the-ground campaign in every contest, from California to Guam. As a consequence, as one anonymous Clinton insider reports, Clinton lost the nomination in February after Obama ran the table in 11 straight states.
#8. No Plan B. The Clinton campaign had no fall-back plan when it failed to capture the nomination on February 5. There was no money, no organization and no plan to contest the states that lie in the land beyond Super Tuesday.
#7. Excellence in Execution: Great Field. Obama ran the best field operation in American political history -- particularly in the all important Iowa Caucuses. His campaign left no stone unturned, or a vote on the table, in any state. It opened offices everywhere, hired and trained great staff, and managed through simple, streamlined structures. It would have been easy for Obama to squander the massive influx of volunteers who were mobilized through his inspirational message. But the campaign developed structures to integrate and effectively use volunteers, both on the ground and through the Internet. In particular, it developed highly sophisticated new Internet tools to allow volunteers around the country to participate meaningfully in voter ID and get out the vote operations.
#6. Explosive Obama Fundraising. Obama's ability to compete everywhere, to build great field structures and to out-communicate Clinton in the paid media rested squarely on the massive fundraising operation. Obama's traditional fundraising program ended up matching the vaunted Clinton fundraising machine. But the newly developed Internet operation provided a massive advantage. So far Obama has recruited over one-and-a-half-million donors. In other words, by the time the primary season ends, almost one of every ten Obama primary voters (so far there have been 16.3 million) will have made a financial contribution to his campaign. That is beyond unprecedented.
#5. Obama Out-Communicated Clinton Using One Consistent Message. Obama's message has been consistent from Day One. Clinton lurched from "experienced insider" to "populist outsider" from Margaret Thatcher-like "Iron Lady" to a "victim being bullied." And of course, Obama's huge small-donor-driven fundraising advantage gave him the ability to out-communicate her in the paid media -- often by a factor of two-to-one.
#4. Hope and Inspiration trumped Fear and Anger. A core element of that Obama message has always been hope and inspiration. Early on, John Edwards hit an important cord of populist anger that is critical to any successful Democratic campaign. Right now especially, people want their leaders to be populist outsiders not "competent" insiders. But Edwards was unable to resolve that anger into hope. Obama touched the anger but also held out possibility. When Hillary "found her voice" as the fighting populist at the end of the campaign, she tapped into anger as well. She didn't hesitate to play the fear card -- both when it came to foreign policy, and by channeling the Republican frame that "elitist professional types" are trying to destroy your way of life. But she never managed to inspire and resolve that fear into hope.
Inspiration is the one political message that simultaneously persuades swing voters and motivates mobilizable voters who rarely come to the polls. The North Carolina landslide provided a striking example of how inspiration can generate massive mobilization at the same time it appeals to independent swing voters.
#3. Unity Trumped Division. Obama showed that appeals to division -- whether from elements that stirred up fear that a "black candidate couldn't win" -- or from his former pastor -- could be overcome by America's overwhelming hunger for unity. Americans -- and particularly young Americans -- are sick of Republican appeals based on the things that divide us, particularly race. It isn't 1988 anymore. A whole generation has passed from the scene and been replaced by young people who simply don't get the passions that allowed the fear of "Willie Horton" to decide the 1988 presidential race.
#2. Change Trumped Experience. Clinton Chief Strategist Mark Penn's fundamental strategic error was to position Clinton as the "Experience" candidate, when America desperately wanted change. Eighty percent of the voters think America is on the wrong track. They want change in general -- and most importantly, they want change in the way special interests dominate Washington. Mark Penn, the consummate lobbyist-insider himself embodied the very thing people believe is wrong in Washington. It's no wonder he made this catastrophic strategic blunder.
#1. Obama is an Extraordinary Candidate. Inspirational, articulate, brilliant, funny, attractive and naturally empathetic -- his history as a community organizer, his experience abroad, his beautiful family, accomplished wife, and adorable kids: Obama is the kind of candidate any campaign manager would want in any year. But he is perfect for this year. While the Clintons represented the Bridge to the 21st Century, Obama is the 21st century. His own, multi-cultural story is the future of America. As the campaign tested him, he showed he was cool, deliberate and effective under fire.
In the end, people vote for people. Campaigns are ultimately about the qualities of candidates --about whether or not people want them to be their leaders. Potentially, Barack Obama could become an historic, transformational leader. But John McCain has many qualities that are attractive to swing voters as well. Nothing is preordained. Now it will be up to every Democrat, every Progressive, to take advantage of this historic opportunity to make Barack Obama the American President who leads the world into a new progressive era of unprecedented possibility.
May 16, 2008
'Democrats should choose Obama' - Lexington Herald-Leader Endorses Obama
Ill. senator suited to lead U.S. into futureMay 16, 2008
Voters are feeling bruised and conflicted as a long, grueling battle for the Democratic presidential nomination comes down to the wire.
So, before Kentuckians go to the polls Tuesday in one of the last primaries, let's just pause to savor this moment in history: For the first time in 232 years of nationhood, an African-American or a woman will lead a presidential ticket.
That alone makes this election a hopeful turning point.
The opportunity for national renewal will be even greater if, as appears almost certain, Sen. Barack Obama is the nominee.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has waged a tough campaign. Her experience and mastery of the challenges facing the next president are impressive. So is her ability to connect with voters. She has emerged as a political force in her own right, outside the orbit of her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
Both Democrats are more than qualified to be president.
But while Clinton is an adept practitioner of politics as we know it, Obama is offering something new. He makes a convincing case that he can lead this country without sowing fear and dividing people, the cynical ploys of a political era that has run out of steam.
Obama has given voice to a widespread yearning not just for a changing of the guard but for a changing of the game. And that ability to express a people's aspirations is a mark of leadership.
Like President John F. Kennedy, another senator who electrified young people, Obama also has the substance to transform idealism into action.
The current storyline that he is an elitist who doesn't identify with the struggles of average people is absurd. His is a classic rags-to-riches story in the finest tradition of the American dream. He was still paying off his college loans until a few years ago.
It's worth remembering that Kennedy's Catholicism seemed as large an obstacle to popular acceptance in 1960 as Obama's biracialism today. Our endorsement of Obama is also a statement of our faith in the electorate to look deeper than skin tone.
It's disappointing that we haven't seen more of Obama in Kentucky, and more important, that he hasn't seen Kentucky beyond Louisville and Lexington.
This primary campaign has revealed a gap in his support, one that will be evident in Kentucky on Tuesday, as lower-income, less-educated, older and rural white voters line up behind Clinton.
Obama needs to better connect with these voters and learn about their concerns, if not to win, then to govern in the unifying way that he has promised.
Americans in huge numbers are fed up with an economy built on reckless borrowing, tax policies that favor the richest few, a bellicose and aimless foreign policy and an unnecessary war that has been incalculably costly.
Obama and Clinton both promise an exit from Iraq, though not precipitously. But only Obama called the war a mistake from the start.
On most issues, Clinton and Obama have few differences. Clinton's plan for covering the health care of all Americans is more comprehensive.
But Obama has shown a greater willingness to tell the truth about the choices confronting us. Case in point: the proposed gas-tax holiday. (Clinton, at least, would pay for it with a windfall profits tax on oil. Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain's support for suspending the federal gas tax is pure unfunded pander.)
This country will have to face up to some hard truths, especially about our energy policy, to get back on course. But never underestimate the ingenuity and power of the American people.
Obama is uniquely suited to lay out the challenges, reignite this country's can-do spirit and lead us into a better future.
Congressman Pete Stark, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, Endorses Obama
By Josh Richman | from an article in the Oakland Tribune | 5/16/08Rep. Pete Stark is throwing his endorsement and support as a Democratic National Convention superdelegate to presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
"I could've supported either, but I think he has captured the imagination of the American public, I think he's responsible for bringing millions of new voters, new Democrats into the party, and I haven't seen that kind of movement among young voters since I first ran and saw (George) McGovern do the same thing in 1972," the 18-term incumbent Democrat from Fremont said Thursday.
Obama now seems "on his way to capturing the nomination," Stark continued, and "with the greatest respect for Senator Clinton and her service, I just think we're at a point now where we can begin a move to unify the Democrats — which is why I've held out this long — and bring us to focus entirely on (apparent Republican nominee John) McCain."
Stark said he has "never been happy with Senator Clinton's explanation or statements on votes going into the war in Iraq"...
..."The truth is that I voted initially for (John) Edwards...Stark said Edwards' endorsement of Obama on Wednesday, plus other California House members' endorsements this week, helped move him toward announcing his decision...
Olbermann to Bush: "4,000 Americans give up their lives and your sacrifice was to give up golf!"
In light of George Bush's outrageous comments in Israel about 'appeasement' - we will do well to listen to Keith Olbermann's commentary about George Bush from earlier this week. Mr. Olbermann continues to be the conscience of America - a voice we need now, more than ever - zjmPerfect timing: Obama's super show-stoppers
By JEANNE CUMMINGS | 5/16/08With her deep party ties, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was supposed to own the superdelegate primary.
But in the last two months, it’s been the rookie, Democratic rival Barack Obama, who has maximized his superdelegate moments.
When new images of Obama pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s “God damn” America sermon emerged in March, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was escorted to a stage to dub the Illinois senator “a once-in-a-lifetime leader” and steady the candidate.
In the aftermath of another staggering wave of Wright publicity and after getting thrashed in the Pennsylvania primary, it was former Democratic National Committee chairman and Clinton backer Joe Andrew’s turn to stem the bleeding as Obama fought for a close finish in Andrew’s home state of Indiana.
And then there was former presidential challenger John Edwards on stage this week in Michigan endorsing Obama and putting the brakes on any momentum Clinton might have seized from her West Virginia primary rout.
It is unclear whether the timing of the show-stopping endorsements is the product of luck or design. Both the candidates and the superdelegates are on virgin turf, feeling their way through a primary phase that has never been tested since the nominating rules were written in the late 1980s.
Obama’s campaign won’t elaborate on its superdelegate strategy. “As people tell us they support us, we release it,” said Bill Burton, a campaign spokesman.
That’s pretty much how it worked in Andrew’s case.
In an interview, the former DNC chairman said the campaign never overtly asked for his support since he’d already announced his backing of Clinton. But it stayed in contact with him, seeking guidance on issues or strategy.
That lack of pressure impressed Andrew, who said he viewed it as “part and parcel with their commitment not to play the political game the old way.”
Once he made up his mind to switch his pledge, he called the campaign on a Tuesday and said he’d like to go public on Thursday when he could get back home to Indiana from Washington.
“They said, ‘O.K.,’” Andrew said.
Such a hands-off approach, of course, doesn’t fully explain the made-for-television moments that surrounded the Edwards and Richardson endorsements. And people close to the campaign say that some superdelegate announcements have been delayed a day or two to ensure full impact.
Richardson, a former Clinton cabinet secretary, has told reporters that he decided to endorse Obama a week before it became public. The Obama campaign, on the day of the announcement, said only that the governor had informed it “recently” about his decision.
There is no doubt, however, about the impact of the March 21 event in Oregon that came on the heels of Obama’s well-received speech in Philadelphia about race in America.
“It’s like playing a Bridge hand,” said Peter Hart, a Democratic polling expert. “You want to use your trump cards at the right time and in the right way.”
Beyond the big names, the Obama campaign has also employed his superdelegate pledges to create a lower decibel -- drip, drip, drip -- feeling of inevitability to his nomination quest.
It began as trickle after Super Tuesday, with two superdelegates announcing one day, followed by another one two days later. Then they came in threes and fives. Now there seems to be a steady flow, boosting Obama to what is currently a 288.5 to 270.5 advantage over Clinton.
In addition to unveiling Edwards, Obama countered Clinton’s West Virginia win this week with endorsements from another former Clinton-era DNC chairman, Roy Romer, the steelworkers union, NARAL Pro-Choice America abortion rights group, and three former Securities and Exchange commissioners.
“You don’t have control of your own destiny because a lot depends on when these people want to come out and they have different ways to stage it,” said Bill Carrick, a neutral Democratic consultant. “But when you have three or four a day, you have a story every day about it.”
The incremental nature of the process runs counter to rumors earlier in the campaign that the Obama camp had a sizeable bloc of superdelegates that planned to endorse him after Ohio or North Carolina and decisively shift momentum in the race. Burton dismisses those strategic musings as “just rumors.”
Doug Schoen, another independent Democratic consultant, says that ultimately a slower strategy is the best one for the campaign.
“By doing it that way, they are avoiding the charge that the bosses, the party leaders and insiders, are conspiring to deny Hillary a voice and voters a choice,” said Schoen.
“My sense of it is that everything is working to their advantage. They get more press each time they do it. They are not looking like they are trying to steamroll Hillary. And the inevitability is fed,” he added.
Communications Workers of America President, DNC Member, and Superdelegate Larry Cohen, is Throwing His Support Behind Senator Obama
"I’m convinced that Senator Obama’s message of hope and ‘change we can believe in’ has resonated across our country. He is building a broad base of support, inspiring new voters to join in the political process and demonstrating great appeal to all those who are looking for positive leadership to move us beyond politics-as-usual in Washington. CWA is focused on four key issues to restore our nation’s middle class – real health care reform, jobs and fair trade, retirement security and the restoration of real workers’ rights through the Employee Free Choice Act. On these and more, Senator Obama has a solid program to move our nation forward and bring about the positive change and economic justice that American families need, now more than ever.
Senator Obama will present a new direction globally and will work to resolve issues through discussion, diplomacy, partnership and coalition-building. I am confident that we can develop meaningful trade policy that considers working families in the United States and in our trading partners. This represents a tremendous change from the past seven years of the Bush administration.
Senator Obama is uniquely positioned to broaden the Democratic Party base and lead the party to election gains at every level this year as well as reclaiming the White House. He has the vision, passion, judgment and problem-solving ability that we need from our next president at a difficult time for our country at home and abroad."
Two Key California Congressmen and Committee Chairmen, Henry Waxman and Howard Berman, Endorse Barack Obama
Chicago, IL - Congressman Henry Waxman and Congressman Howard Berman, major committee chairmen and California superdelegates, endorsed Barack Obama today, citing his ability to unite the country and put and end to eight years of failed Bush policies. Congressman Waxman chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; Congressman Berman chairs the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Both are respected leaders in the American Jewish community and major voices in Democratic policymaking.
"Senator Obama's vision for change has inspired tens of millions of Americans," Chairman Waxman said. "And he's also proved that he has the experience, judgment, integrity, and toughness to bring real reform to Washington. Our nation faces big challenges. We need to bring our troops safely home from Iraq. We need to solve global warming and finally enact universal health care legislation. And we need to create new jobs and strengthen our middle class. Senator Obama is the leader we need both here and around the world. He will be an extraordinary President, and I look forward to working with him to make his vision for change the new reality in Washington."
"Barack Obama has laid out a foreign policy vision driven by principle and conviction, and he understands that our moral authority and our safety as a nation go hand in hand," Chairman Berman said. "I spoke with him about a number of foreign policy issues that most concern me. He assured me that he shares my views. The moment President Obama takes office, we'll send a powerful message to the world that America is back and ready to lead again-that we haven't abandoned the values that made us the light of the world, and neither should anyone else."
Edwards Endorsement Provides Obama 7 More Delegates
BATH, S.D. -- May 15, 2008Barack Obama collected the support of seven of John Edwards' Democratic National Convention delegates on Thursday. Edwards, who endorsed Obama on Wednesday, won 19 delegates before departing the presidential race in January. Within hours, Obama picked up the backing of five delegates from South Carolina, one in New Hampshire and one in Iowa.
May 15, 2008
Washington State Congressman, Jim McDermott, Endorses Obama
May 15, 2008Rep. Jim McDermott on Thursday became the fourth U.S. House member from Washington to endorse Barack Obama for president.
The Seattle Congressman told the P-I's Joel Connelly that Obama is his pick because "I am confident as president he will end the war in Iraq and bring our sons and daughters home."
McDermott has represented Seattle for 19 years and is one of the more liberal voices in the Democrats' 235-member House caucus. He is the last House member from this state to declare his support for a presidential candidate.
McDermott joins at least four other Washington "superdelegates" who have endorsed Obama in the race for the Democratic nomination: Gov. Chris Gregoire; Reps. Rick Larsen, Adam Smith and Brian Baird; and Pat Notter, a member of the Democratic National Committee.
Sen. Hillary Clinton has the support of five of the state's superdelegates, including Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, Reps. Norm Dicks and Jay Inslee, and King County Executive Ron Sims.
Obama won Washington's caucuses earlier this year.
Ex-President Bill Clinton staged a fundraiser in Seattle in the fall of 2006 to help McDermott pay legal bills from his long-standing civil litigation battle with GOP House Minority Leader John Boehner, which McDermott eventually lost. McDermott said Thursday he had repeatedly tried, without success, to reach Hillary Clinton to tell her he was endorsing Obama.
McDermott was elected to the Washington Legislature in 1970 from a district that included the University of Washingotn. McDermott said he has been greatly impressed by Obama's appeal to young people.
"They have not only shown up, but they have stayed involved in the whole thing (campaign)," McDermott said.
While endorsing Obama, McDermott said he does not envy the the challenges that America'as 44th president will face. "The situation is that the country is in such peril. That he can give hope and get people working," but he added that "tough changes are in order in order to lift the country out of a stalemated war."
"If you look down the list of problems he's going to catch a connonball in the chest when he''s in the White House," McDermott argued.
McDermott said he's still fearful that the Bush Administration will manufacture a crisis with Iran as a way of reigniting voter fears of the Democrats' ability to handle security issues.
Obama won Washington's caucuses earlier this year.
International Executive Board of the United Steelworkers Votes Unanimously to Endorse Barack Obama for President
May 15, 2008When the presidential primary contests began last year, our Union felt strongly that because of Senator John Edwards’s deep commitment to working people and because of our shared beliefs, he deserved our strong endorsement. His belief that unfair trade policies must be changed, his commitment to pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) to restore workers’ rights to freely choose workplace representation, and his proposal for universal health care were widely shared by our members.
Today, by virtue of a unanimous vote of our International Executive Board, we find ourselves once again in agreement with Senator Edwards, this time with his decision last evening to endorse Senator Barack Obama. And thus today, the United Steelworkers enthusiastically endorses Senator Barack Obama to be the next President of the United States.
Senator Obama’s call for a significant change of direction amounts to far more than a compelling rallying cry. It is buttressed by his record of consistent support for workers, by his call for sweeping changes to our health care system, by his unflinching support for Employee Free Choice, and by his insistence that America’s trade policies must, first and foremost, serve the interests of America’s working families.
Senator Obama has shown his commitment to working families by proposing significant investments in the future of American manufacturing, in the revitalization of our nation’s infrastructure, and in 21st century clean energy technologies that will lead to significant growth in domestic jobs. He is clearly the candidate who can best lead our nation out of the dark period of economic decline created by the Bush administration’s allegiance to Wall Street profiteering at the expense of worker prosperity.
We share Senator Obama’s call for significant changes to these bankrupt policies, just as we earlier shared Senator Edwards’ And all of us, including we hope Senator Clinton for whom we have the utmost respect, must now do everything we can to ensure that Barack Obama is the next President of the United States. Now is the time for contention and division to cease, and for us to unite behind the changes for which Senator Obama and our members are calling.
America’s workers cannot afford another four years of rehashed Bush administration policies, another four years in which the National Labor Relations Board shills for corporate misconduct, or another four years of a Secretary of the Treasury who considers it his “job” to bail out Wall Street speculators at the expense of hard working families loosing their homes.
Nor can those of us who are committed to changing the direction of the country afford any more racial profiling of an election, when either Democratic candidate would be far superior to Senator McCain’s lock-step commitment to four more years of the broken Bush economy and the broken Bush foreign policies.
We are proud and honored to join Senator Edwards in endorsing Senator Barack Obama to be the next President of the United States. We commit ourselves to working tirelessly for his election and for a new age of cooperation among Democrats, Independents and thoughtful Republicans alike in which working Americans are restored to a place of dignity in society and in the American economy.
'Clintons have No Shame' - Bob Herbert of the New York Times
Bob Herbert, New York Times columnist, has written a very important opinion on the shameful tactics of both Bill and Hillary Clinton. This is a MUST read! On the video clip below, Bob Herbert discusses his column and the implications for the fall campaign. This is a MUST see.zjm
Way More Than an Endorsement: Obama and Edwards Forge a Partnership to Change America!
A funny thing happened last night in Grand Rapids. Despite Hillary's continuing efforts to foment America's turbulent and lingering race pot, one of those 'good ol' white boy male voters that will never vote for Barack Obama,' did just that -
"There is one man who knows and understands that this is a time for bold leadership," said Edwards, standing next to Obama at a rally in Grand Rapids, Mich. "That man is Barack Obama."
I encourage you to take the time to watch the full remarks of John Edwards - for they are much more than a political endorsement of a particular candidate. They embody a call to conscience and to action; a call to change America into "one nation, with liberty and justice for all - a truly great American speech.
zjm
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses Obama
Washington, DC - Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, released the following statement today, announcing that her organization's political action committee proudly endorses Sen. Barack Obama for president. "Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC is proud to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president. Sen. Obama has been a strong advocate for a woman's right to choose throughout his career in public office. He steadfastly supports and defends a woman's right to make the most personal, private decisions regarding her reproductive health without interference from government or politicians.
"Sen. Obama has been a leader on this issue in the United States Senate. Since joining the Senate in 2005, he has worked to unite Americans on both side of this debate behind commonsense, common-ground ways to prevent unintended pregnancy. Sen. Obama supports legislation to provide our teens with comprehensive sex education, prevent pharmacies from denying women access to their legal birth-control prescriptions, and increase access to family-planning services.
"We are confident that Barack Obama is the candidate of the future. Americans are tired of the divisive politics of the last eight years, and will unite behind Obama in the fall. We look forward to working with a pro-choice Obama White House in January."
Keenan also praised Senator Clinton as a pro-choice leader. "Americans have been fortunate to have two fully pro-choice candidates in the race for the Democratic nomination. But only one can go forward to the general election. It is truly historic for us to have these two outstanding candidates in the race."
Hillary's Scorched Earth Plan
Lisa Van Dusen is not only an excellent writer - what she says when she writes is important to how we think about things. Take a little time to read her other work.
http://lisavandusen.com/home
zjm
By LISA VAN DUSENMay 15, 2008
Of all the other things it told us about the Democratic nomination fight, Hillary Clinton's victory in West Virginia on Tuesday did nothing to diminish that seemingly superhuman sense of her own inevitability.
After beating Barack Obama, by a massive 40-point spread, Clinton told her supporters, "It's not over! I am more than ever determined to carry on this campaign until everyone has had a chance to make their voices heard."
In the same speech, she cooked the numbers needed to win to create the perception Obama is further from victory than he is, and demanded the Florida and Michigan votes be counted as cast, essentially laying the terms for a long, dirty fight she can't win any other way.
It's looking more and more as though Clinton is planning to push on not only until the last primaries in South Dakota and Montana on June 3, but to the convention floor in August.This is the scorched earth strategy, also known as the nuclear option.
The only reason for her to do it, given the damage a floor fight would do to the Democratic party (Democrats have lost every election that followed a convention fight for the past 40 years), would be to win one way or the other; even if Obama wins the fight at the convention, he'll lose the election two months later, leaving her a clear shot in 2012 when John McCain will be 75 years old.
TACTICAL FLATTERY
Senator Clinton's tactical flattery of hard- working white voters ahead of West Virginia, a state that is 95 per cent white and overwhelmingly working class, not only echoed the race-baiting she and her husband have used ahead of every primary in every state with a sizeable working class white population, it paid off.
Exit polls showed racially motivated voting at higher rates than any recent primary, at 20 per cent.
Scorched earth is scorched earth.
One of the best windows on Senator Clinton's mindset on the question of her own resiliency came in an interview with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes in February, when she was asked whether she was prepared for the possibility of losing.
"You can't think like that. You have to believe you're going to win," Clinton said. "Otherwise leave the field and let somebody who has the confidence and the optimism and determination that a leader has to have get on that field instead."
So, it's never, ever, about the voters or the party or the good of the country, it's about her. Hillary vs. reality.
The thing is, she just might pull it off.
Meanwhile, it's like the final scene from an old Jimmy Cagney movie; Hillary Clinton holed up in a rickety tenement, holding a gun to the temple of the Democratic party while everyone from the priest to the fire chief to the dog catcher is staring up from the sidewalk below, waiting for her to come out with her hands up.
JUST TELL HER
In this version, they're tossing the megaphone around like a flaming potato because nobody wants to be the one to tell her it's over, just in case she comes out with both guns blazing.
Only with Hillary, she isn't yelling, "You'll never take me alive!"
She's yelling, "You'll never take me as long as he's alive!"
May 14, 2008
Oklahoma Super For Obama
Morgan’s endorsement means that Obama has been endorsed by 288.5 superdelegates. Obama is 134.5 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.
Morgan said, “Senator Obama embodies the character of a leader that I believe all Oklahomans and all Americans want—principled and strong and ready to change the way business is done in Washington. He understands bringing people together and giving everyone a seat at the table will move our state and our country forward, and I deeply admire that about Senator Obama.”
Morgan, who serves on the board of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee whose mission it is to elect Democrats in all 50 states, said key to his decision to support the Illinois Senator was Obama’s electability and how having Obama at the top of the ticket will help down ballot candidates this fall.
Morgan added, “The job of the DLCC is to ensure Democrats are positioned to win in legislatives races throughout the United States. Senator Obama’s message is spreading like wildfire and creating enthusiasm from voters unlike anything we have seen in our lifetime. I believe that enthusiasm will affect down ballot races—helping elect Democrats to legislative seats in record numbers and ultimately lending a voice to the causes about which all Americans care deeply.”
Senator Obama said, “I am grateful for Senator Morgan’s support. He has been in the trenches as a Democratic legislator in Oklahoma, and has worked hard to bring two parties together to create real change in his home state. This November, we have a chance to win in so-called “red states” like Oklahoma and unite Americans for change. That change happens in state houses all across this country and I am proud to have his support.”
Wisconsin Superdelegate Declares For Obama
CHICAGO, IL – Today, Wisconsin Superdelegate State Senator Lena Taylor endorsed Barack Obama, citing his ability to unite Americans for change.Taylor said, “After much reflection and soul searching I am pleased to announce my endorsement for Senator Barack Obama. After a review of my recent County Executive race I am more aware then ever of the need to galvanize, motivate and inspire political participation by every member of society. Senator Obama has been a lightening rod in the effort to return citizens to the process. He’s awakened a sleeping giant – the people. He has reenergized those weary of politics as we have come to know it by demonstrating both character and personal strength. He has connected with a cross-section of Americans, with a desire to do things better then we have done before. He has an energy and commitment that is inclusive, thoughtful, contagious and deliberate. Senator Obama has the essential skill set to foster positive changes desperately needed for our nation. His track record on policy, his diplomatic approach to conflict resolution and his keen awareness of the issues have positioned him to be the catalyst for change we need. Visionary, courageous and capable, Senator Obama is not only prepared to answer that 3am crisis phone call, he’s smart and experienced enough to avert it. I’m proud to endorse him today.”
More Super Support: College Democrats President and Vice President Endorse Obama
Chicago, IL – Today, the College Democrats of America (CDA) President and Vice President endorsed Barack Obama, citing his ability to inspire young voters to become a part of the political process, and the record numbers of young voters who have come out to the polls during this election season.
CDA President Lauren Wolfe said, "We reached out to college students nationwide through Facebook, MySpace and YouTube and the responses were overwhelming. College students want change - and Senator Obama offers an opportunity for all of us to move forward in this country to talk about the issues that matter. We've struggled under the burden of college loans that pile up day by day; while the average casualty age for an American soldier in Iraq is 21. Young people are the ones paying the price for George Bush's failed leadership. Senator Obama offers us a new beginning and wants to make our voices heard in our government."
"We are ready to roll up our sleeves for Senator Obama by working with Students for Barack Obama and the millions of students ready for change."
CDA Vice President Awais Khaleel said, "As college students, we've come of age under the failed leadership of George W. Bush and we are excited that we finally have a candidate who speaks to our issues. Senator Obama is talking about the issues we care about as college students – whether that's college affordability or ending the Iraq War.
"We've heard from thousands of youth voices through Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and email. Without a doubt, college students are ready for change and a new kind of leadership. Senator Obama empowers our voices and makes us feel like an important part of the process. That is why we support him to be the next president of the United States."
Senator Barack Obama said, "At this defining moment in our nation's history -- a moment when we can finally come together and bring about the change that is so desperately needed in this country -- I am proud to accept the support of the College Democrats of America's President and Vice President - Lauren Wolfe and Awais Khaleel. The College Democrats represent the future and their work is critical to a Democratic victory in November. They have worked hard to organize at the grassroots, energize their college campuses, and mobilize students for change. During this primary, young people have proven to be an incredibly powerful force at the polls and I am grateful for their support. I look forward to working with the College Democrats to continue building our grassroots movement for change in colleges and universities across the country."
Hillary the Ex-Candidate
This Is an Ex-CandidateBy Dana Milbank | Washington Post | Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Customer: "Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now."
Pet-shop owner: "No, no he's not dead, he's -- he's resting! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian blue, isn't it, aye? Beautiful plumage!"
-- From "Monty Python's Flying Circus"
11:45 a.m., Melrose Hotel, Foggy Bottom: It's Day 7 of the Clinton Campaign Death Watch -- a full week since the official arbiter of the Democratic primary, Tim Russert, declared the campaign over and Barack Obama the nominee. Hillary Clinton's advisers continue to insist that the candidate's prospects are very much alive, but the press isn't buying it. Exhibit A: There are two press buses waiting at the hotel here for Clinton's trip to her victory rally in West Virginia, but the entire press contingent doesn't quite fill one. It isn't until the entourage arrives at Dulles Airport that Clinton aides learn that the second bus is still idling, empty, at the hotel.
If there is importance in the results of the primary in West Virginia, the press corps isn't letting on. During the security sweep at Dulles, some play Hacky Sack with a cigarette carton. Awaiting the candidate on the tarmac, two guys from CNN toss a football. Aboard the plane, one member of the press corps entertains his colleagues by flopping down the aisle on his belly, like a fish.
But Clinton, wearing a salmon-colored jacket and dark sunglasses, is all smiles as she boards the jet. She hugs and kisses her campaign chairman, Terry McAuliffe. Still grinning, she helps herself to a cracker with spread from the snack tray as the plane taxis to the runway. And why shouldn't she be happy? Within minutes, Clinton has crossed the Blue Ridge and is over the green hills of West Virginia, home of what she calls the "hardworking Americans, white Americans." This is Clinton Country.
Customer: "That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not half an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it being tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk."
Pet-shop owner: "Well, he's, he's, ah, probably pining for the fiords."
2:57 p.m., Yeager Airport, Charleston, W.Va.: A steep descent brings Clinton's plane to Charleston's hilltop airport. After an appropriate wait, she steps from the plane and pretends to wave to a crowd of supporters; in fact, she is waving to 10 photographers underneath the airplane's wing. She pretends to spot an old friend in the crowd, points and gives another wave; in fact, she is waving at an aide she had been talking with on the plane minutes earlier.
On the way into town, she makes an unscheduled stop at an upscale farmers market, but about 30 Clinton supporters, several wearing AFSCME T-shirts and waving Clinton campaign signs, have somehow gotten wind of it. Clinton works the crowd, signing autographs and making small talk ("Is that your dog?"). She makes her way past rows of geraniums and marigolds.
But even among the blooms, Clinton is reminded of her troubles. She stops at Ellen's Homemade Ice Cream and orders a scoop of espresso Oreo and a scoop of butter pecan. "Ooh, that looks good," she says after taking the confection, then pauses. "Now, let's see. Who's got my money?" asks the woman who has lent her campaign $11 million to keep it afloat. She laughs. "Where -- where'd they go, the people with my money?" Finally, two aides arrive to retire Clinton's dessert debt.
Customer: (Takes parrot from cage, bangs its head on counter, lets it drop to floor.) "Now, that's what I call a dead parrot."
Pet-shop owner: "No, he's stunned! . . . You stunned him, just as he was wakin' up! Norwegian blues stun easily, Major."
7:30 p.m., South Hall, Charleston Convention Center: The moment the polls close, the networks declare Clinton the winner of the primary. This is no surprise: Exit polls show a 2 to 1 margin for Clinton.
There is no television playing on the red-carpeted floor of the convention center, where all of 89 Clinton supporters have arrived so far. After a 12-minute delay, somebody thinks to turn on the TV in the hall, and the small group breaks into a chant: "It's not over."
Or is it? A week ago, Clinton won the Indiana primary by two percentage points -- and the media decreed that she had lost. Now she's trouncing Obama by double digits in West Virginia -- and nobody seems to care. This, no doubt, has something to do with the fact that she is trailing Obama in the popular vote, states won, pledged delegates and, now, superdelegates. Even Clinton loyalist James Carville calls Obama the likely nominee.
But Clinton aides press on in their effort to demonstrate life in her candidacy. At the Charleston victory celebration, McAuliffe charges up to the lectern. "Hillary Clinton is in this to the end," he tells the crowd. "She's going to Denver as the nominee!"
Customer: "He's not pining! He's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! He's expired and gone to meet his maker! He's a stiff! Bereft of life, he rests in peace! . . . His metabolic processes are now history! He's off the twig! He's kicked the bucket, he's shuffled off his mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleeding choir invisible! This is an ex-parrot!"
9:06 p.m., still in the South Hall: The announcer has just introduced "the next president of the United States." And with the TV now turned off, it almost seems possible. The confetti guns are loaded and ready. The streamers hang from the ceiling. And the crowd -- now up to 500, all but about 10 of them white -- is rapturous as Clinton rebukes the "pundits and the naysayers."
"There are some who wanted to cut this race short!" Clinton says from the faux-wood lectern. They boo.
"I am more determined than ever to carry on this campaign," she says. They cheer.
"There are many who wanted to declare a nominee before the ballots were counted or even cast," she says. They boo.
"This race isn't over yet," she says. They cheer.
The sound system emits a loud screech of feedback. The confetti cannons fire.
See? She wasn't dead; she was just pining for the fiords.
Obama Picks Up 1 1/2 Superdelegates
May 14, 2008Obama, meanwhile, keeps on keeping on. He has already added two more superdelegates this morning. That makes 32 since his resounding victory in North Carolina last week.
Indiana Congressman Pete Visclosky endorsed Obama, saying in a statement: “America needs a President who offers a vision of the future comprised of sensible solutions to today's troubles. My choice is Senator Barack Obama, who promises to seek pragmatic, progressive solutions to problems like jobs, Iraq, the energy crisis, and healthcare. Barack Obama will bring people together, give them hope, spur change, and set the U.S. back on a course toward progress, prosperity, and global leadership.”
Three former U.S. SEC chairmen endorse Obama
Wed May 14, 2008
SOUTHFIELD, Mich, May 14 (Reuters) - Three former chairmen of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Wednesday, bolstering the Illinois senator's economic credentials and bipartisan appeal as he closes in on his party's nomination.
Former SEC head William Donaldson, who was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush, joined Arthur Levitt and David Ruder in backing Obama, who leads rival Hillary Clinton in the number of delegates necessary to become the Democratic White House nominee.
Levitt was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, while Ruder was appointed by former President Ronald Reagan, a Republican.
"Each of us has been committed to prudent economic policy and effective financial regulation for many years," the men said in a joint statement along with former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, also an Obama supporter.
"We believe Senator Obama can provide the positive leadership and judgment needed to take us to a stronger and more secure economic future."
In the statement they praised Obama's "reasoned approach" in analyzing "the current financial crisis and the need for balanced regulatory reform."
"We believe that such a constructive approach can be extended broadly in the economic area as well as elsewhere," they said.
Obama has distinguished his economic policies from Clinton, a New York senator, and presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, an Arizona senator, in recent weeks by opposing a reprieve on a gasoline tax over the upcoming summer months.
May 13, 2008
It's Not West Virginia That Matters - The Real News Was Made in Mississippi...
The AP reports that "Mississippi Democrat Travis Childers won a special election to Congress on Tuesday, helping his party to a third victory in recent months for seats long in Republican hands."Barack Obama had endorsed Childers - as he did the other two Democratic candidates in their races - reinforcing the belief of a growing number of superdelegates that Obama as the nominee of the Democratic Party will have the longer coattails in the November election - zjm
Barack Obama issued the following statement:
"I want to congratulate Congressman-elect Travis Childers on winning this special election. By electing Travis in this traditionally overwhelmingly Republican district, the people of Mississippi voted to end the politics of division and distraction, and bring about real change. This is the third special election in recent months that Democrats have won in traditionally Republican areas -- an unmistakable sign that Americans want to make a clean break from the failed Bush policies of the past - and are not looking for four more years of those failed policies from John McCain. I look forward to working with Travis in the months ahead to fix our economy, and make a difference in the lives of America's hardworking families.""She has no alternative. Just as sharks swim in order to breathe, candidates run in order to exist."
Hillary wins — does anybody care?By ROGER SIMON | 5/13/08
If a tree falls in the forest when everybody expects it to fall, does it make a sound?
Yes, says Hillary Clinton. It makes a deafening roar, says Hillary Clinton.
SHE WON THE WEST VIRGINIA PRIMARY BY A KAZILLION PERCENTAGE POINTS TUESDAY NIGHT, AND THAT, SHE SAYS, HAS TO MEAN SOMETHING!
Except the press doesn’t think so. The press is unimpressed. This may be the first time in election history in which the press has withdrawn from a race before the candidate.
As John Harwood of the New York Times and CNBC said on MSNBC Tuesday several hours before the polls closed, “The headline tomorrow will be: ‘Hillary Clinton Wins Big in West Virginia; Democratic Party Yawns.’”
Wrong! says the Clinton campaign. The party is not yawning, the party is finally waking up to the fact that Barack Obama is a loser!
As Howard Wolfson, Clinton’s communications director, said Tuesday: “I think superdelegates who have been moving toward Barack Obama in the last week are going to wake up tomorrow and say, ‘I’m a little concerned about the fact that our nominee, presumptive nominee, can’t win West Virginia. I’m a little concerned that he can’t win Pennsylvania or Ohio, or Michigan, or Florida.’”
To which the Obama campaign says: “What, us worry?”
Obama, who made only two trips to West Virginia, is doing the equivalent of flicking dust from his shoulders. He didn’t even bother making a concession speech Tuesday night. He was campaigning in Missouri instead.
Missouri is a state he already won in the primaries, but that was the point: He doesn’t care about primaries anymore. Actual voters casting ballots? That is so yesterday.
As everyone knows, the Democratic nomination is determined not by voters actually voting, but by superdelegates choosing whomever they please. (They are the Democratic Party’s equivalent of the Electoral College, a safeguard against too much democracy. Unlike the Electoral College, however, superdelegates were not created in the 18th century but in 1984.)
What counts to Obama is that since his victory in North Carolina and narrow loss in Indiana last week, he has picked up 27 superdelegates and Clinton has picked up one and a half.
Roy R. Romer, a former governor of Colorado, a former Democratic Party chairman and a superdelegate, endorsed Obama on Tuesday, saying: “The math is controlling. This race, I believe, is over.”
Why did Romer decide to back Obama? Obama’s health care plan or his policy on Iraq or his position on the Alternative Minimum Tax? Naw.
“I watched all of these primaries and caucus states and decided Barack Obama was the most electable,” Romer said. Which is what superdelegates, the party insiders, were created to do: make cold calculations instead of giving their hearts away.
His calculations are wrong, says the Clinton campaign. He doesn’t realize that Obama has all these problems: He can’t win working-class voters, he can’t win voters who lack college degrees, he can’t win all sorts of voting groups that Democrats need to win in this fall. (And he has trouble with white voters in certain states: An incredible 20 percent of white voters in West Virginia said race was a factor in their vote, according to exit polls, a percentage second only to that of Mississippi.)
The Obama campaign has three answers to this: First, just because Obama loses a voting bloc in a primary does not mean he will lose the same group in the general election. The Democratic base is going to vote for the Democratic nominee no matter who it is. And among general election voters, Obama aides say, Obama is doing just fine. (And, besides, no Democratic president since Lyndon Johnson has won the white vote, anyway.)
“Put your brains back in your head and look at the national polls instead of local, primary polls,” a senior Obama aide told me Tuesday in a phone interview. “In national polls, we win every income group against John McCain except those people making $100,000-plus, where we lose by one point, which is a tie.
“Among white, non-college voters, McCain leads Obama 52-40 and he leads Clinton 52-44. A four-point difference between us and Clinton, well within the margin of error.
“Overall in head-to-head matchups, we are beating McCain by more than she is. And, most importantly, we are winning independents 51-42 against McCain, and Clinton loses independents 49-46 against McCain. Se we are plus nine among independents and she is minus three.”
Obama’s second argument is that the slicing and dicing of the electorate into neat little groups misses what he is about: He is unifying figure. He represents change, he says, and he will attract the votes of people who want change, regardless of the neat boxes that pollsters put them in.
Third, Obama believes he is the victim of a dirty trick. He used that phrase. And all he needs to do, he believes, is get the truth out in order to build his numbers.
He was at Schultzie’s Billiards in South Charleston, W. Va., on Monday when a reporter asked, “How problematic are those rumors ... that you don’t pledge allegiance, that you’re a Muslim? They are out there.”
Obama replied, “They’ve been out there since the beginning of this campaign. This is something that has been systematically fed into the bloodstream. We notice these e-mails get sent out in each successive state that we were campaigning in, which indicates that it is not just a random sort of viral thing. I think you know this is a dirty trick that folks are playing on voters.”
As an antidote to dirty tricks, Obama stated -- once again -- that he is a Christian.
Given the long odds of actually defeating Obama, however, why does Clinton keep running?
Because, she said, Tuesday night, “I am more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has had a chance to make their voices heard.”
She has no alternative. Just as sharks swim in order to breathe, candidates run in order to exist.
The Fat Lady 'Himself" Has Sung
From an article by JOHN O’CONNOR | 5/13/08“I think the great likelihood is that Obama will be the nominee. As soon as I determine when that is, I’ll send him a check.”
James Carville
Superdelegate News From MSNBC
*** UPDATE 3 *** NBC News has allocated the final remaining pledged delegate in North Carolina to Obama. The count is updated below. *** UPDATE 4 *** We have also reduced Clinton's total by one after a superdelegate tells NBC News they are not, in fact, committed to either candidate.
Superdelegate Update From MSNBC
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroObama picked up the endorsement of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (a Louisiana add on) and former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer is set to hold an Obama conference call at 11:00 a.m. ET. Romer is currently uncommitted.
Obama has now picked up 25 (with Romer would be 26) this past week. That's more delegates certainly than Clinton will net out of the West Virginia's 28 delegates at stake. And If Obama rolls out four more, he'd have gained more superdelegates in the past week than there are delegates at stake in West Virginia.
We'll update with any news from the call.
*** UPDATE *** The Obama campaign confirms Romer will be endorsing Obama.
*** UPDATE 2 *** WashingtonPost.com's DC Wire reports Anita Bonds, the DC Democratic party chair, previously uncommitted, says she'll support Obama. (Also, there was a Maryland pledged delegate, Jack Johnson, who says he'll vote for Obama at convention, but he is not factored into the superdelegate count.)
That gives Obama 27 in the past week.
A Two-for-One Campaign
by George McGovern | New York Times | 5/13/08The competition for the Democratic presidential nomination between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has been long and intense. The news media have given it round-the-clock coverage, including seemingly round-the-clock debates between the two candidates. The campaign has been good not only for the Democratic Party but also for America. It has made millions of voters excited about selecting our next president.
We are witnessing two of the most talented candidates for high office this country has ever produced. Hillary Clinton is one of the great women of our age. Her husband, Bill Clinton, may be the most admired political leader in the world today. Together, they demonstrated a remarkable mastery of the American political system in 1992 and showed that Democrats could get back to the White House — not once but twice.
And in Barack Obama, Illinois has given us a candidate with some very impressive qualities. During this campaign, Senator Obama has exhibited great character and intellect. (Disclosure: I endorsed Senator Obama last week and am now working for his campaign.)
The length of this campaign should not be worrisome for Democrats, as long as it ends peacefully. Senator Obama appears to have an insurmountable lead for the nomination, but Senator Clinton, as she has the perfect right to do, has said that she will remain a candidate through the remaining primaries, which conclude on June 3 in Montana and my home state, South Dakota.
Yet lately, I have been troubled by certain memories from my experiences as a presidential candidate. In 1968, we Democrats tipped the election to the Republicans and defeated our able nominee, Hubert Humphrey, by splitting our party wide open over the war in Vietnam.
That year, after Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated, his staff talked me into running for the nomination and taking over his delegates. At the convention in Chicago, after Vice President Humphrey won the nomination, one of my fellow candidates, Eugene McCarthy, perhaps understandably, refused even to stand next to him on the convention stage in a show of unity. I believe that our party’s divisions cost us our chance to prevent Richard Nixon, who at that time had been out of office for eight years, from ever becoming president.
Four years later, in 1972, President Nixon was re-elected and I was defeated as the Democratic nominee because our party was again divided. After winning the California primary in June, I thought I had the nomination in hand. But a desperate slash-and-burn effort was pressed against me by the candidates I had defeated. California’s delegates that year were allocated under a winner-take-all system, but my opponents — led by Senator Hubert Humphrey, my lifelong friend — began clamoring to change the rules and to assign the state’s delegates proportionally.
They carried the battle all the way to the convention floor. Instead of receiving a much-needed breather between the final primary and the national convention, I had to work nonstop to save our California delegates. I was on the telephone night and day, calling delegates and asking them not to change the rules after the votes were in. My campaign staff and I staggered into the convention exhausted. We had spent almost no time preparing the convention agenda or selecting and vetting a running mate.
To reduce the risk of creating the kind of divisions that afflicted Democrats during my campaigns, here is a proposal that I hope Senators Clinton and Obama and our party will consider.
After today’s vote in West Virginia, the two candidates should agree to make joint visits to the sites of the five remaining primaries (in Kentucky, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota).
During these visits, Senators Clinton and Obama should agree not to criticize each other. They would simply state what each would do if elected president. They would also point out why President Bush’s policies have failed and why they would continue to fail under John McCain.
After each candidate speaks for 15 minutes or so, they would then be taken to a reception where citizens paying $50 a ticket would mingle with the two candidates. The money raised would go to the state Democratic Party to assist local and state candidates in the fall elections.
The two candidates should also visit the two disputed states, Michigan and Florida. No matter what happens to the delegations from those states, their voters are entitled to see and to hear these two historic candidates.
This is an agenda that could unite our party and prepare us for a successful convention with a big victory in November. It would also be a refreshing and welcome change for American presidential politics.
