Day: August 13, 2008

Hillary Supporters At The Convention

CQPolitics reported this situation developing.

To say that some Hillary Clinton supporters are still angry at Barack Obama and the Democratic party would be putting it mildly.

Ever since the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee hearing in early June where Obama essentially secured the nomination, incensed Clinton supporters have mobilized online with the goal of getting the former First Lady nominated at the Democratic party convention in Denver.

The Internet is awash with pro-Clinton groups such as PUMA – Party Unity My Ass (or, alternatively, People United Means Action) – and Just Say No Deal, that say the nomination was stolen from Hillary Clinton. On blogs, forums, social networking sites and YouTube, pro-Clinton activists vent their frustration at the Democratic party.

While unlikely, there is a path to a Clinton nomination. First, 300 delegates need to sign a petition to put Clinton on the ballot. Bower says they still need another 100-150 signatures.

Then, Clinton herself would have to sign the petition. While unwavering in her support for Obama since the primary ended, she did hint at a recent fundraiser that she wouldn’t rule out submitting her name for nomination: “I happen to believe that we will come out stronger if people feel that their voices were heard and their views respected. I think that is a very big part of how we actually come out unified,” Clinton said to a small group of cheering supporters.

PUMAs think she could get enough delegates during floor votes to actually overtake Obama and win the nomination.

Dems Abortion Plank To Platform

Left-leaning opponents of abortion rights are hailing the new Democratic Party platform agreed to last weekend by the Obama campaign and other Democrats as a sign of a new common ground in the abortion debate, right up there with last year’s sleeper hit indie film, “Juno,” in which Page’s offbeat pregnant teen character eschews abortion and gives her baby up for adoption.

On a conference call Tuesday, a half-dozen anti-abortion pro-Democratic thinkers and religious leaders claimed victory for the party’s new abortion plank, which they said took a big step in their direction by more explicitly stating the party’s support for women who choose to carry their pregnancies to term. By doing so, they said, the Democrats were moving closer to the middle ground where most Americans reside — not wanting to criminalize abortions, but wanting to reduce the number performed.

New plank:

The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v Wade and a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right.The Democratic Party also strongly supports access to affordable family planning services and comprehensive age-appropriate sex education which empower people to make informed choices and live healthy lives. We also recognize that such health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. The Democratic Party also strongly supports a woman’s decision to have a child by ensuring access to and availability of programs for pre and post natal health care, parenting skills, income support, and caring adoption programs.

Catharsis? WTF?

Without using the term, Hillary Rodham Clinton has acknowledged that some supporters of her failed presidential campaign are sore losers. In a video clip posted — where else? — on YouTube, Clinton told fundraisers that “we will come out stronger if people feel that their voices were heard and their views respected.” It was the latest indication that so-called Hill-raisers are demanding a consolation prize from the victorious Barack Obama camp — when they aren’t rerunning the primaries. (This week, Clinton’s former communications director suggested that if erstwhile contender John Edwards’ infidelity had been revealed before the Iowa caucuses, in which he finished ahead of her, Clinton would be the nominee.)

It’s not enough for many Clinton supporters that their candidate will be a featured speaker at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this month. They want more. So far, Clinton hasn’t endorsed the most audacious idea being floated: that her name be placed in nomination at the convention, followed by a symbolic roll-call vote that would give new meaning to the term “hollow exercise.” But she seems to be holding out for some sort of therapy for her still-aggrieved followers because, in her words, “I know from just what I’m hearing that there’s incredible pent-up desire, and I think that people want to feel like, ‘OK, it’s a catharsis, we’re here, we did it, and then everybody get behind Sen. Obama.’ ”

All I can say is………tee hee.

Do Negative Ads Really Work?

A piece I found on Politico written by Mark Penn….and he should know.

Clever negative advertising works. That is reality.

The tactic meets with media and pundit disapproval and spawns accusations of negativity, but the reality is that a clever negative ad can be devastatingly effective.

The 2008 presidential race is shaping up to be a close battle, and the tighter it is, the more the advertising will be ratcheted up, by both of the campaigns and the myriad independent groups sure to emerge.

Of course, voters publicly condemn negative advertising and suggest they would never be swayed by it. That was my experience in focus groups more than a decade ago, which found negative advertising to backfire. But Republican consultants such as the late Lee Atwater have used these tactics successfully in campaign after campaign. When reality and research differ, it is the research that is wrong.

Some negative ads crystallize voters’ opinions without presenting any new information. That’s what was behind John McCain’s recent ad equating Barack Obama’s celebrity status with that of Paris Hilton — that viewers would associate the Democrat’s leadership with mere celebrity, not substance. Fair or not, as advertising it did its job: It used humor, stuck viewers with memorable images and created a debate, just as Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 “Daisy” ad, Walter Mondale’s “Red Phone” spot 20 years later and Hillary Rodham Clinton’s “3 a.m.” commercial in 2008 did.
Other types of negative ads use candidates’ own words against them. During Bill Clinton’s 1996 campaign, we used to devastating effect the speeches that Republican nominee Bob Dole and House Speaker Newt Gingrich gave — especially a speech in which Gingrich admitted that his balanced budget plan aimed to cut off Medicare funds so the social insurance program would “wither on the vine.”

So far in the 2008 contest, neither candidate has connected with any ads that explosive. But fresh information about their past views in their own words could shake up the race.

Today In Labor History

13 August

Striking miners at Tracy City, Tenn., capture their mines and free 300 convict strikebreakers. The convicts had been “leased” to mineowners by officials in an effort to make prisons self-supporting and make a few bucks for the state. The practice started in 1866 and lasted for 30 years – 1892

Newspaper Guild members begin three-month strike of Hearst-owned Seattle Post-Intelligencer, shutting the publication down in their successful fight for union recognition – 1936

Civil rights leader and union president A. Philip Randolph strongly protests the AFL-CIO Executive Council’s failure to endorse the August 28 “March on Washington” – 1963

US Denies Military Aid To Israel

The American administration has rejected an Israeli request for military equipment and support that would improve Israel’s ability to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The Americans viewed the request, which was transmitted (and rejected) at the highest level, as a sign that Israel is in the advanced stages of preparations to attack Iran. They therefore warned Israel against attacking, saying such a strike would undermine American interests. They also demanded that Israel give them prior notice if it nevertheless decided to strike Iran.


As compensation for the requests it rejected, Washington offered to improve Israel’s defenses against surface-to-surface missiles. Israel responded by saying it reserves the right to take whatever action it deems necessary if diplomatic efforts to halt Iran’s nuclearization fail.


Now, Israel is awaiting the outcome of the latest talks between the West and Iran, as well as a formal announcement of the opening of an American interests section in Tehran. Israel views the latter as sure proof that Washington is not planning a military strike.

2008 Anal-Ocity

Another gem for consideration for the “Assie” Award.  This one comes from the Attorney General Mukasey.  The statement was made at a meeting of the American Bar Association.

“”…not every violation of the law is a crime.”

I did not know you could get a law degree from Sears.

Will Russia Be Punished?

Furious over Russia’s invasion of Georgia, the United States and its allies are weighing steps to diplomatically isolate Moscow as punishment for the conflict, senior administration officials said Tuesday.

The United States boycotted preparatory meetings Tuesday for a NATO meeting with Russia, and NATO has canceled a naval exercise with Russian forces in the northern Pacific.

Washington and its allies also are discussing whether to drop Moscow from the Group of Eight industrialized economic powers, the official said.

Russian President Dimitry Medvedev had pledged to strengthen Russia’s role in the international community and world economy.

President Bush said Monday that Russia’s actions “substantially damaged Russia’s standing in the world” and “jeopardized its relations” with the United States and Europe.

In the long run, Russia will have its pee pee whacked, but that will be about it.  Nothing will be done to jeopardize any US business dealings in the country.