It's Not Over until the Lady in the Pantsuit Sings

The Seething from the Clinton Camp

After the Rules & Bylaws Committee reached its decision Saturday, Hillary's staunch supporters on the committee - Harold Ickes and Tina Flournoy - issued a statement on Hillary's website, saying, "This decision [to take delegates away from Hillary in Michigan] violates the bedrock principles of our democracy and our Party."

What follows the statement are blog-posts from Hillary's rank-and-file, some of which are quite disturbing. Here are a few samples:


"I am extremely upset as to the way this whole thing is being run. Does every vote count or just who the delegates and super delegates feel like voting for. I want Hillary and I will not vote for bHo !!! I refuse to vote for him. We can tough it out another 4 years with McCain."

"Is this democracy? This entire election is so unfair to Hillary. I can honestly say that if BHO wins this I will not vote for him. 4 more years is not that long to put up with McCain. I guess it's the principle of the entire process. R&B committee has people so angry we will never be united."

"I have complete records of all my donations over the years and after today's sickening farce of a meeting of the UNdemocratic RBC, I will be requesting they return my money in full."

"Yo, this DNC be trippin' if they be thinkin' be gonna be standin' for this. That's what's up!"

"This is not over until the lady in the pantsuit says it is and she’s in it to win:) "

"Four years is not that much to put up with..."? Have they forgotten what Bush did in the first four years? In the first three? Heck, in the first year?

What strikes me about this gushing venom is that the conventional wisdom says that most of these folks will end up voting for Obama. It's hard to see from this how we get there, but get there we must. A call for unity must come from Hillary herself, and she must rally those who are so disappointed to get behind the nominee. She doesn't have to be on the ticket (in fact, I hope she isn't), but as a force of nature, she can really swing into action for the Democrats and for our country. Any deal that closes this cycle has to include her calming her supporters who feel disenfranchised, and motivating them to vote for the change, if they can't bring themselves to vote for the man.

-PBG

Needed to Nominate

Consensus, Compromise and a Head-On Collision

As I watch the DNC Rules Committee hearing today, there are a couple of things that come into my mind.

First, though I hate that the Democratic process has been like watching the slow motion crunch of an Alligator Alley head-on collision, it is a really great thing that this is happening now instead of on the Convention floor in August. We need a nominee.

That brings me to the second thing. I have one word for the Rules Committee: consensus. I've heard them talking about compromise, but that means someone has to give up something they are attached to, like Hillary would have to let go of her campaign's dogged determination to seat and count every delegate in Michigan and Florida as they voted. Given her rhetoric in a May 22 e-mail:

"I'm so proud that so many people -- more than 300,000 of you -- are standing with me to ensure that the 2.3 million votes cast in Florida and Michigan are counted. It's such an important principle in our country: when the voters speak, we count their votes.

"Your commitment to that principle means a lot to me, and to the people I talk to in Florida and Michigan who want to make sure they have a voice in this election. Yesterday, I spoke to voters in Florida, and they are all too familiar with the consequences of not counting every vote.

"On May 31, we'll hear the decision from the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee on whether they'll seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida. And while we wait to hear their ruling, you and I must keep fighting together to win every last vote in the final three races."

-Hillary for President email, May 22, 2008

I would find it quite surprising that she would be willing to compromise, and an unwillingness for compromise is an unwillingness for consensus. To be sure, compromise is not needed for consensus because the latter means wanting what is best for everyone in the party. But Hillary wants what's best for Hillary, and her campaign seems to think that what is best for Hillary is what's best for the Party.

Yet the consensus that must emerge by the National Convention cannot be the result of a resignation or capitulation. Consensus here comes from realizing the consequences of continuing a potentially devastating intra-party fight. Consensus comes from stepping up and being supportive of the process, the Party and the nominee. There are no losers when we stand together.

-PBG

Moulting Hulls: A New Way to Campaign

How Barack Obama is Changing the Conversation of Political Campaigning

Picture a beach. Large, with windswept dunes, tall, dry grass spears from it as sparsely as the hair on John McCain's head. Scattered across the sandy hills are old bunkers, built by Nixon, Reagan and Bush 1 and 2, and even JFK, LBJ and WJ Clinton. There old fart politicians wait for the new politicians that dare to challenge their turf. They have survived by keeping their big guns sighted on the sea.

When the new ships carrying hopeful politicians attempt to cross the narrow bay, the old guard opens fire. They don't aim to sink the approaching boat - merely to make it list a little. That way, they can bring it in to shore in the guise of offering assistance.

"I don't know who shot at you," they say. "I just heard an explosion and came running. But you're lucky. We just happen to have a plan, er, I mean a shipyard where we can make the repairs for you and you can be on your way. Oh, don't worry. We've been doing things this way for years."

The fresh faced politician looks forlornly at this unwelcome handler.

"Oh, don't worry about the money. You're one of us. As long as you need your ship patched, we will be here for you. Now off you go."

Sure enough, a couple of days later, the new politician's ship is ready to set to sea. Indeed, it is repaired, and though a couple of planks, some nails and some pitch don't make it too attractive, it is seaworthy. So off he goes, charting a course to success on unpredictable surf.

But the people on other islands, who need him to give them a lift, see the poorly dressed gash in his ship's hull, and don't trust the repair. They definitely are hesitant to get on board. Then they look around at the other ships making their way to the harbor and shudder. Everywhere they look, on every hull, is an equally nasty patch.

The town crone hobbles up to them and, seeing their concern, says "Don't worry, dearies. This always happens. Just pick the boat you hate the least and climb on," and up a gangplank she waddles.

A lot of the other older folks do the same thing. Some of them even convinced their neighbors and family to join them. "Hurry up or you'll be left behind! You won't have a say about the ship's course," they shout from the deck rails.

Then, from the direction of the bunkered beach island, they see something miraculous. A smoldering ship begins to list, but instead of heading for the old shipyard, it turns and makes a heading toward them. They all gasp as they see it begin to list, smoke pouring from its side. They all see the smoke and they all know what happened. Those who haven't chosen a boat shake their heads in disbelief. Those on the old decks cackle with laughter and point at the fool coming towards them.

Suddenly, as they are all watching, the smoke stops, and slowly, the ship begins to right itself. "Look at that," says a young girl standing at the harbor, pointing. There, in the wake of the ship, the old smoldering hull is sinking. The boat now wears a shiny new hull, a confident one, and the people on shore rush to meet it. They cannot wait to climb aboard and meet the captain.


Somehow, Barack Obama has found a way in politics that doesn't involve putting a patch on controversy and hoping you don't see it. He's found a way to turn attacks into gold because it's not about the ship; it's about commitment to a destination. Instead of standing up like a petulant child and saying, "I'm not bad. They are," he stands firmly and says, "This is what the real issue is. It's racism. It's divisiveness. It's dismissiveness. But if we confront that, this is what's possible. We maintain our ship because we are committed to our course."

His biggest challenge will be going back to the bunkered island, his ship constantly renewing itself under their fire, and seeing if he can get the old farts to get on board.

-PBG

So Much to Talk About

Holding On to My Voice

It has been a long time since I last posted, and I have a lot on my mind. Part of the time I was sick with that flu thing that's been going around. Now, my wife has it. I used a lot of my free time to edit a tribute video for a friend's 50th birthday, and I have actually had sporadic employment.

The NY Times McCain Story
I'm going to start with a brief response to the NY Times story last week about McCain's 2000 campaign: I don't care. As far as it being fodder for the fall presidential race, it would be like the canon is firing oatmeal: it's a little sticky but easily washes off. Neither the close ties to lobbyists nor the implied ties to one lobbyist in particular matter to me. Except for the assertion that he has, in the past, had lapses of judgment, it's not news. Special Interests glom onto politicians like remoras on a shark, like hookers on conventioneers. It's the nature of the business. Besides, what's the relevance to this year's race?

I'm less interested at what someone running for president did eight years ago than I am with the unconstitutional, criminal behavior over the last eight years that the Bush administration is apparently going to get away with.

Bad Pelosi
Nothing about the present Congress disappoints me more than Nancy Pelosi's stubbornly keeping impeachment "off the table." It's like that old parlor trick. She's pulled off the tablecloth but the grounds for impeachment remain in place. I understand not wanting to create a quid pro quo impeachment scenario between the Legislative and Executive branches when they are run by opposite parties, but a violation is a violation, and perjury over infidelity is not the same thing as violations of the Constitution and our civil liberties.

Good Pelosi
On the other hand, I applaud the House for refusing to rubber stamp the domestic surveillance bill, albeit by hanging their hat on the immunity clause for the telecoms involved in warrantless wiretapping. I am sorely disappointed in the Senate for passing it, though.

How many times have the senators in the presidential race had to defend their awkward voting record? You'd think that after the Iraq War vote and the vote authorizing torture and the continued funding of the war, the majority would get tired of the backpedaling and move forward with resolve toward stopping an insane administration bent on the disintegration of the country's dignity and respect. By continually agreeing to an incompetent president's self serving requests, the Senate enables the continued degradation of America's standing in the world, even as they try to blame it all on Bush.

The B-Movie Nightmare Ticket
Speaking of senators running for president, I want to make it clear - and I hope that the majority of Democrats are with me on this - that despite Wolf Blitzer wanting to make it so, Obama and Clinton are not a "dream ticket," no matter (you should pardon the expression) who is on top. The only way that it could resemble a dream is if they were both president, that is, a hybrid - Clibama, if you will, or Obinton. That's something, though, that could only happen in a Hollywood movie, which may be why the LA debate crowd were so enthusiastic about it.

Don't Make Me Ralph
Finally, I hope I am right in believing that only a modicum of seething is appropriate over the news that Ralph Nader has entered the presidential race as a third party candidate. I trust that it is too late for even him to have an impact. As he said this morning on Meet the Press:

"If the Democrats can't landslide the Republicans
this year, they ought to just wrap up,
close down, emerge in a different form."

Ya think?

-PBG

Integrity Wanted: Voter in Search of an Activist Politician

Hillary Clinton would be the USA's first woman president; Barack Obama, the first African-American. A declared desire to lead is relegated by the media to the politics of context that potential leaders can't wave off with a turned head and polite "p'shaw". By what means do politicians ink their names on history's pages? Being political pioneers is just the hook, but all the typical trade tools still come into play: running a smart campaign, raising more money and getting the most good press.

What if the way to get elected was to actually show some leadership? I don't care if the president has people who can raise a lot of money. I care if he or she can lead. Leadership is not only an accountability for the actions of those to whom authority is delegated. We also expect a sense of responsibility that would move them to act with wisdom and foresight. Otherwise, we are electing people because we think they deserve a really nice government pension.

The problem is that while the declared candidates are in campaign mode, they tend to play it safe, pandering enough to the party faithful to keep their names forward, and not doing anything that conventional wisdom declares as "politically risky" between now and the primaries.

But all one has to do is to look at the fervor around the move to draft Al Gore to run again to see evidence that even political risk has its rewards. Taking a stand shouldn't be risky if it's something in which you believe. Here is where things can change.

There are a lot of members of Congress in the 2008 prez race. They are lawmakers, not outsiders. If they would take some of those campaign promises to the House or Senate floor, they would be demonstrating that they believe in what they are saying today, and just maybe create some credibility based on action rather than charisma or electability. Why wait until after '08 to start a bill about real universal health care? If it's a critical enough issue to talk about now, it really can't wait until a new president takes office 2 years from now!!!

Those who currently hold no office, like Senator Edwards, can demonstrate their commitment to a healthy, clean and peaceful planet by being more active in those causes.

Health care your thing? Meet with drug manufacturers and the AMA to talk about health care. Find forums to bring America's "medical industrial complex" leaders together with those from countries where universal health care is available. Making a profit is an American right, but that doesn't mean another child has to die because his mother can't afford it.

World Peace your bag? Mediate a conflict. Stage a march. I know that's an oversimplification, but at least you will show a commitment to what you believe.

Anyway, you get the idea. We need leadership NOW. America's President Albatross has become a lame duck. There are no leaders left in the White House. We are starved for real leadership. That's why we changed congress. Please step up and lead. Take a chance that you might stand out. Some of us would appreciate it.

After all, we are the ones who must choose the names this nation's history books will remember, and I want to cast my vote for a person of action. I've had enough promises. Time for you to act.

-PBG