Perfectly Worded Endorsement

Michael Moore made some excellent points in his endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President. My favorites are in bold:

My Vote's for Obama (if I could vote) ...by Michael Moore

April 21st, 2008

Friends,

I don't get to vote for President this primary season. I live in Michigan The party leaders (both here and in D.C.) couldn't get their act together, and thus our votes will not be counted.

So, if you live in Pennsylvania, can you do me a favor? Will you please cast my vote -- and yours -- on Tuesday for Senator Barack Obama?

I haven't spoken publicly 'til now as to who I would vote for, primarily for two reasons: 1) Who cares?; and 2) I (and most people I know) don't give a rat's ass whose name is on the ballot in November, as long as there's a picture of JFK and FDR riding a donkey at the top of the ballot, and the word "Democratic" next to the candidate's name.

Seriously, I know so many people who don't care if the name under the Big "D" is Dancer, Prancer, Clinton or Blitzen. It can be Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Barry Obama or the Dalai Lama.

Well, that sounded good last year, but over the past two months, the actions and words of Hillary Clinton have gone from being merely disappointing to downright disgusting. I guess the debate last week was the final straw. I've watched Senator Clinton and her husband play this game of appealing to the worst side of white people, but last Wednesday, when she hurled the name "Farrakhan" out of nowhere, well that's when the silly season came to an early end for me. She said the "F" word to scare white people, pure and simple. Of course, Obama has no connection to Farrakhan. But, according to Senator Clinton, Obama's pastor does -- AND the "church bulletin" once included a Los Angeles Times op-ed from some guy with Hamas! No, not the church bulletin!

This sleazy attempt to smear Obama was brilliantly explained the following night by Stephen Colbert. He pointed out that if Obama is supported by Ted Kennedy, who is Catholic, and the Catholic Church is led by a Pope who was in the Hitler Youth, that can mean only one thing: OBAMA LOVES HITLER!

Yes, Senator Clinton, that's how you sounded. Like you were nuts. Like you were a bigot stoking the fires of stupidity. How sad that I would ever have to write those words about you. You have devoted your life to good causes and good deeds. And now to throw it all away for an office you can't win unless you smear the black man so much that the superdelegates cry "Uncle (Tom)" and give it all to you

But that can't happen. You cast your die when you voted to start this bloody war. When you did that you were like Moses who lost it for a moment and, because of that, was prohibited from entering the Promised Land.

How sad for a country that wanted to see the first woman elected to the White House. That day will come -- but it won't be you. We'll have to wait for the current Democratic governor of Kansas to run in 2016 (you read it here first!).

There are those who say Obama isn't ready, or he's voted wrong on this or that. But that's looking at the trees and not the forest. What we are witnessing is not just a candidate but a profound, massive public movement for change. My endorsement is more for Obama The Movement than it is for Obama the candidate.

That is not to take anything away from this exceptional man. But what's going on is bigger than him at this point, and that's a good thing for the country. Because, when he wins in November, that Obama Movement is going to have to stay alert and active. Corporate America is not going to give up their hold on our government just because we say so. President Obama is going to need a nation of millions to stand behind him.

I know some of you will say, 'Mike, what have the Democrats done to deserve our vote?' That's a damn good question. In November of '06, the country loudly sent a message that we wanted the war to end. Yet the Democrats have done nothing. So why should we be so eager to line up happily behind them?

I'll tell you why. Because I can't stand one more friggin' minute of this administration and the permanent, irreversible damage it has done to our people and to this world. I'm almost at the point where I don't care if the Democrats don't have a backbone or a kneebone or a thought in their dizzy little heads. Just as long as their name ain't "Bush" and the word "Republican" is not beside theirs on the ballot, then that's good enough for me.

I, like the majority of Americans, have been pummeled senseless for 8 long years. That's why I will join millions of citizens and stagger into the voting booth come November, like a boxer in the 12th round, all bloodied and bruised with one eye swollen shut, looking for the only thing that matters -- that big "D" on the ballot.

Don't get me wrong I lost my rose-colored glasses a long time ago.

It's foolish to see the Democrats as anything but a nicer version of a party that exists to do the bidding of the corporate elite in this country. Any endorsement of a Democrat must be done with this acknowledgement and a hope that one day we will have a party that'll represent the people first, and laws that allow that party an equal voice.

Finally, I want to say a word about the basic decency I have seen in Mr. Obama. Mrs. Clinton continues to throw the Rev. Wright up in his face as part of her mission to keep stoking the fears of White America. Every time she does this I shout at the TV, "Say it, Obama! Say that when she and her husband were having marital difficulties regarding Monica Lewinsky, who did she and Bill bring to the White House for 'spiritual counseling?' THE REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT!"

But no, Obama won't throw that at her. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be decent. She's been through enough hurt. And so he remains silent and takes the mud she throws in his face.

That's why the crowds who come to see him are so large. That's why he'll take us down a more decent path. That's why I would vote for him if Michigan were allowed to have an election.

But the question I keep hearing is... 'can he win? Can he win in November?' In the distance we hear the siren of the death train called the Straight Talk Express. We know it's possible to hear the words "President McCain" on January 20th. We know there are still many Americans who will never vote for a black man. Hillary knows it, too. She's counting on it.

Pennsylvania, the state that gave birth to this great country, has a chance to set things right. It has not had a moment to shine like this since 1787 when our Constitution was written there. In that Constitution, they wrote that a black man or woman was only "three fifths" human. On Tuesday, the good people of Pennsylvania have a chance for redemption.

Yours,
Michael Moore
MichaelMoore.com
MMFlint@aol.com

One Way or Another

If the Super Delegates don't follow the advice from Howard Dean mentioned in my previous post, we still have the opportunity to wrap up the Democratic Presidential Primary next Tuesday, in Pennsylvania.

You can help by making phone calls to Pennsylvania undecided voters. The first opportunity is to join Utah for Obama on Saturday to Phone Bank for Obama.

*Bring your own CELL PHONE*

Please join Utah for Obama for a Get Out The Vote phone banking session! We will be calling Pennsylvania. Change can’t happen without you!

The Obama campaign has asked us to make these calls, in an effort to get them out to vote! Please join us on Saturday, April 19 at The Pleasure Palace, to make phone calls from lists provided by the campaign. You do need to provide your own cell phone. We will not be able to provide any phones.

If you live too far away to attend, and would like help hosting your own phone banking party, please contact us.

Time:	Saturday, April 19 at 1:00 PM
Duration:	3 hours
Host:	Misty Fowler
Contact Phone:	801-386-7729
Location:	The Pleasure Palace (Salt Lake City, UT) 780 East South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84102 View Map: Google Maps MapQuest Yahoo! Maps

You can also make calls from your home (which isn't quite as much fun as joining the group on Saturday, but will still be enjoyable and helpful to the campaign!)

There are only five days left to go before the state's April 22nd primary, but there are still countless undecided Pennsylvania voters.

Like you, many of these voters are tired of the distractions and negative campaign tactics that we’ve seen over the last few weeks, and are eager to discuss real issues that effect Pennsylvanians and Americans across the country.

This morning, we launched a new calling campaign targeting these undecided voters. In conjunction with our Get Out the Vote operation on the ground, we’re making an effort to reach out to undecided voters throughout Pennsylvania and raise the level of debate.

With one on one contact, we can cut through the spin and the distractions to talk about real issues and real change. No matter where you are, you can help by making calls to Pennsylvania to share your story and to talk about why you support Barack.

It only takes a minute to get started making calls using our online phonebanking tools. There are five days left to make a difference in Pennsylvania – five days to let Pennsylvania voters know that their voices are being heard, and that their vote can make a difference.

Obama Puts Manufactured Political Distractions (by news media) On Notice in Surprise Colbert Report Appearance

I'm proud of our future president, Barack Obama.



In this surprise appearance on The Colbert Report, Senator Obama asks Colbert to officially put Manufactured Political Distractions "on notice". We're not putting up with them anymore! Do you hear that, ABC? We want more substance, and your pathetic attempt at a debate isn't going to be tolerated anymore.

Oh, and Hillary? Buh-bye. It's been fun while it lasted, and you almost had us worried a few times, but that just made us work harder for what we know is right, and for what we want as the future of America, the future that our children will live with. You didn't make the cut, and this continued attempt to subvert Obama in the general election is simply ruining your own chances for "next time". If you won't step down, I agree with Howard Dean - it's time for the Super Delegates to stand up.

Obama on Special Interest Communities

Barack Obama spoke to Advocate Magazine recently, and made a point that I feel compelled to share. When being questioned about why he hadn't spoken to more GLBT press, as Hillary apparently has, he gave the subject a broader context:

I guess my point would be that the fact that I’m raising issues accordant to the LGBT community in a general audience rather than just treating you like a special interest that is sort of off in its own little box – that, I think, is more indicative of my commitment. Because ultimately what that shows is that I’m not afraid to advocate on your behalf outside of church, so to speak. It’s easy to preach to the choir; what I think is harder is to speak to a broader audience about why these issues are important to all Americans.

If you read the context in the article, you'll see that what he's saying is that GLBT issues, or African American, or any other special interest communities like them, are every day issues, that shape his entire outlook, and don't concern him only when he's speaking to interested press. He doesn't have to pander to them as an audience, because these issues affect everyone in one way or another, and he brings them up often.

I very much appreciated his candor and honesty when being asked the "tough" questions on topics such as gay marriage and employment discrimination. His goal is to pass these laws as they should be, but that in each of them, he will take the issues as far as he can and still have them pass, even if they're not yet perfect. He isn't coloring his words to make them believe what they want to hear, and he's presenting his reasoning in a well-thought manner.

Later in the article he talks about how to have the difficult discussions:

I tell you what -- my campaign is premised on trying to reach as many constituencies as possible and to go into as many places as possible, and sometimes that creates discomfort or turbulence. This goes back to your first question. If you’re segmenting your base into neat categories and constituency groups and you never try to bring them together and you just speak to them individually -- so I keep the African-Americans neatly over here and the church folks neatly over there and the LGBT community neatly over there -- then these kinds of issues don’t arise.

The flip side of it is, you never create the opportunity for people to have a conversation and to lift some of these issues up and to talk about them and to struggle with them, and our campaign is built around the idea that we should all be talking. And that creates some discomfort because people discover, gosh, within the Democratic Party or within Barack Obama’s campaign or within whatever sets of constituencies there are going to be some different points of view that might even be offensive to some folks. That’s not unique to this issue.

And this is how he always is when talking about the difficult issues. Barack Obama will be a wonderful change from the lying bastard election stealing bigoted racist asshole currently occupying the White House.

Your Plans This Tuesday Evening

Note: I'd love to make this "about" Obama, which I will admit to doing when emailing a similar message to the Utah for Obama group earlier this evening. However, even if you're a Hillary supporter, the information below will benefit Democrats at every level, from the bottom, all the way to the Presidential nominee. I hope you'll give 2 hours next Tuesday and help make a difference.

This coming Tuesday, March 25, Democratic County Caucuses, aka Mass Meetings, will be taking place across Utah. Most of them are at 7 PM. The Democratic Party needs every one of you to participate. You can get information about the location of yours at the Utah State Democratic Party web site, or at the Salt Lake County Democrats web site.

What is a County Caucus?
At the County Caucus, the local Democratic party organizes at it's most basic level. Precinct Officers and Delegates to the County Convention are elected. Some of this varies by county, so do check into it for your county. For Salt Lake County, County Convention Delegates are also Delegates to the Utah State Convention.

A Precinct Officer is an elected representative for their precinct, which is a very small area in most cases. They should keep in contact with people in their neighborhood, so that everyone can feel connected to the Democratic Party. They are part of the gateway between the average person and the highest levels of the Democratic Party. They help candidates for elected offices organize local action, such as walking, phone banking, etc. Most of the year, this communication requires only a few hours a month, depending on what the Precinct Officer wants to do. When it gets close to election time, a Precinct Officer might spend a couple of hours per week helping organize the local action. Of course, there's not a "required" amount of time, but in general, a Precinct Officer should have an idea of who in their neighborhood might want to volunteer, and can help campaigns reach those people, and should help contact their neighbors to get them to vote in the election (Get Out The Vote - GOTV). Any further questions on this will be answered by the Legislative Chair at the Caucus.

A Legislative Chair is responsible for communication between the Party and up to 20 or 30 Precinct Officers, depending on the area. They will work very close with their State Representatives when there is a campaign going. Sometimes there could be a lot of work involved, which is why many areas choose to also elect a Legislative Vice Chair. In Salt Lake County, there is a Regional Director that they will work closely with, to help keep everything organized and moving, and keep the lines of communication with the County Democratic Party open. In other counties, they will work directly with the County Party. I am one of 5 Regional Directors in Salt Lake County, and I know that there is a lot of support for our Legislative Chairs, so don't be afraid to step up, if you're interested in doing this.

A Delegate represents the Democrats in a precinct at the County Convention, where they will vote. This is the really fun part! Some of the County Delegates are also State Delegates (this varies by county). If this is not the case for your county, another Caucus will be held where the County Delegates will elect the State Delegates.

And where this gets very exciting, in May, the State Delegates will be the ones who choose the National Delegates. National Delegates are the people who attend the Democratic National Convention in August to nominate the Democratic Presidential Candidate.

Now, there's tons more information about how that all works, and I'll be writing at a later date about that, but right now this means we need everyone to get involved with the local Democratic Party! In many places, the Precinct Officer positions are empty, because in the past, people have not known about them or feel like it's a waste of time. With what I've seen over the last year, I definitely know better than that, and I hope you do too! This is the year for Democrats in Utah! Many of us are seeing the opportunity around us, right here in Utah. We have been so close on so many elections in Utah, and your participation will make a difference! If you have any desire to be a part of this local change, please consider becoming a Precinct Officer, or a Legislative Chair or a Delegate. You won't be alone once you take one of these positions. The County Parties and the Utah State Democratic Party have really got good things going and will help you every step of the way. But, having people in these positions is vital to the success of Democrats at all levels, from City Council all the way to President, this fall.

And, even if you don't want to take one of these positions, please attend, and cast your vote for the person you think will be the best. This may seem like a light matter, but really, everything that happens at the County, State and National level with the Democratic Party is based on what happens at the Precinct Level. The people you vote for will directly impact this November's election. So, please attend. And get your friends and family to go, too.

More information about the Salt Lake County Caucuses can be found on the party web site.

If you are outside of Salt Lake County, check your local county Democrats web site, found through the Utah State Democrats web site.

Who can go?
Anyone who qualifies to vote this coming November can attend and participate in the Caucus.

Disclaimer
I have attempted to explain the information above to the best of my ability. It is possible that I don't have things exactly right, or that they vary from county to county. Please check with your local County Democratic Party with any questions you have, and for verification. The "legal jargon" for all of the rules surrounding the process can be found through each County Democratic Party. Feel free to let me know if you discover any errors in the above information.

Hillary, this is how it's done

The following article from Senator Obama was just published on Huffington Post, and I wanted to point out that condemning the statements of someone who is associated with your campaign not only can be done, but can be done with class.

Barack Obama: On My Faith and My Church

The pastor of my church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who recently preached his last sermon and is in the process of retiring, has touched off a firestorm over the last few days. He's drawn attention as the result of some inflammatory and appalling remarks he made about our country, our politics, and my political opponents.

Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.

Because these particular statements by Rev. Wright are so contrary to my own life and beliefs, a number of people have legitimately raised questions about the nature of my relationship with Rev. Wright and my membership in the church. Let me therefore provide some context.

As I have written about in my books, I first joined Trinity United Church of Christ nearly twenty years ago. I knew Rev. Wright as someone who served this nation with honor as a United States Marine, as a respected biblical scholar, and as someone who taught or lectured at seminaries across the country, from Union Theological Seminary to the University of Chicago. He also led a diverse congregation that was and still is a pillar of the South Side and the entire city of Chicago. It's a congregation that does not merely preach social justice but acts it out each day, through ministries ranging from housing the homeless to reaching out to those with HIV/AIDS.

Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he's been my pastor. And the sermons I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek justice at every turn.

The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.

Let me repeat what I've said earlier. All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn. They in no way reflect my attitudes and directly contradict my profound love for this country.

With Rev. Wright's retirement and the ascension of my new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, III, Michelle and I look forward to continuing a relationship with a church that has done so much good. And while Rev. Wright's statements have pained and angered me, I believe that Americans will judge me not on the basis of what someone else said, but on the basis of who I am and what I believe in; on my values, judgment and experience to be President of the United States.

Clinton distorts image of Obama in campaign ad to make him "blacker"

The details are over on DailyKos, but here is a summary.

Hillary Clinton put out a campaign ad where a picture of Barack Obama was used. The photo was altered to make his skin darker. If that wasn't bad enough, the ratio was also altered, or "squished", to make it seem as if he has a wide, flat nose.

In this ad, she also lies about his subcommittee, saying it's responsible for Afghanistan, and that he hasn't held hearings. Problem is, Afghanistan is under another committee.

Then, when confronted, the Clinton campaign denies that the ad is theirs. Except the ad was on Clinton's own site. Oops.

Seriously, go read this, look at the facts. This is absolutely horrible behavior. This woman does not deserve to be president, by any stretch of the imagination.

Newsflash, Hillary: Fear Mongering Is a Republican Tactic, Not a Democratic One

Yeah, we all know about the 3 am phone calls right now. And this does start out on that topic, but it gets much juicier.



I love the part where Bill tells the crowd (for Kerry during the '04 election):

Now, one of Clinton's Laws of Politics is this; If one candidate's trying to scare you, and the other one's trying to get you to think. If one candidate's appealing to your fears, and the other one's appealing to your hopes, you better vote for the person that wants you to think and hope.

I sure as hell don't want another 8 years of Bush style politics.

Daddy, I want to be president!

After the last video I posted of Hillary endorsing McCain, I stumbled upon this video.



This is exactly what Hillary has reminded me of so many times, and towards the end when it shows her saying she had a specific social security plan, then her saying she wouldn't endorse any social security plan until she's "approaching fiscal responsibility" just eats at me.

I saw Countdown earlier talking about her accusing Barack of making side deals with Canada about NAFTA, and a friend (hi, Nikki!) sent me a link to an article about it. As I told her in reply, tfahese are the things I've known about her since the start, just knew inside. She'd lie to get us to go to war just like Bush, if it suited her purposes.

And that's why, as much as I'd really, truly like to see a woman in the White House, Hillary is not someone I believe should be in there. I hope that tomorrow's primaries and caucuses (aka primacaucuses) will answer any doubt about the Democratic Nominee being Barack Obama. The Results Watch Party will be quite a thrill!

Hillary Clinton Abandons Democratic Party ...or... Clinton Endorses McCain

I'd like to find a more eloquent way of expressing what I think of this. More below.

CBS News titled this: Clinton Says She and McCain Offer Experience, Obama Offers Speeches

Hillary Clinton told reporters that both she and the presumtive Republican nominee John McCain offer the experience to be ready to tackle any crisis facing the country under their watch, but Barack Obama simply offers more rhetoric. “I think you'll be able to imagine many things Senator McCain will be able to say,” she said. “He’s never been the president, but he will put forth his lifetime of experience. I will put forth my lifetime of experience. Senator Obama will put forth a speech he made in 2002.”

The only thing I can say is "What a bitch!"

She has obviously abandoned the Democratic Party. Will they abandon her now?

Watch for yourself:

March 4 Watch Party (TX, OH, RI)

Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island will tell us on March 4th who they want to be the Democratic Presidential Candidate. Texas is the last state with over 200 delegates at stake, and between these states, there will be 355 delegates awarded based on the people's vote.

So, come watch the results with us at Mo Diggity's! This is a 21 and over event, because Mo Diggity's is a private club. You don't need to worry about a cover charge to come watch the debate, though.

Mo's has a really great kitchen (I recommend Tenley's Famous Philly!) and the room we will be watching the results in is non-smoking. There are Love Sacs and plenty of seating. Mo and Digg let us watch a debate here last fall, and everyone had a really good time.

I hope that you'll join us! More information may be available later, so please check back, or watch your email.

We are hoping to have as many watch parties as possible, so if you would like to host one yourself, please contact me.

Time:	Tuesday, March 4 at 6:00 PM
Duration:	3 hours
Host:	Misty Fowler
Contact Phone:	8013867729
Location:	Mo Diggity's (Salt Lake City, UT) 3424 S State Salt Lake City, UT 84115 View Map: Google Maps MapQuest Yahoo! Maps
Directions:	Look for Arby's, and you'll find Mo's in that parking lot!

You can RSVP here, to stay informed of any additional information.

Obama Needs The Spanish Vote

I saw this over on Brown Views, and just about died laughing. That was before I even had the lyrics translated for me!



According to my friend Joe, here's the translation:

in order for obama to win.

he needs a lot of latin votes

up up, i will register.

I am not a clinton supporter

obama......

in order for obama to win.

he needs to explain his positions

for you and for me

in order for obama to win.

he brings change

the kennedys like him, and so does oprah, and scarlet johansen

Obama's Victory Speech

I received this email from Senator Obama earlier this evening:

Misty --

Today, the people of Wisconsin voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new kind of politics.

They rejected an onslaught of negative attacks and attempts to distract them from the common concerns we all have about the direction of our country.

No doubt we'll hear much more of these attacks and distractions in the days to come.

But the noise of these tired, old political games will not drown out the voices of millions calling for change.

You can help bring a new voice to our political process. By giving through our matching program, you will double the impact of someone giving for the first time this year.

We're nearing our goal of 500,000 people giving so far in 2008. You've already donated to this campaign -- but now you can help push us over the top and bring in someone new.

Make a matching donation right now:

https://donate.barackobama.com/promise

We won't know until late tonight the results of today's Hawaii caucus, but we'll let you know how that turns out tomorrow.

If we win in Hawaii, it will be ten straight victories -- a streak no one thought possible, and the best position we can be in when Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont vote on March 4th.

Thank you for making this possible,

Barack

Congratulations to Senator Obama on Wisconsin Win!

I am looking forward to finding out how the Hawai'i caucuses went, but in the meantime, Obama's 9th straight win in Wisconsin is great news!

According to MSNBC, he split the female vote in Wisconsin with Hillary, which makes me believe that women who previously were going for Hillary solely because of her gender may now be looking for something more, and have found that in Barack.

With 60% currently reporting, Barack has 56% of the vote, with Hillary at 43%. That should give Barack a pretty good chunck of Wisconsin's 74 delegates.

Yes we can!

Ben and Jerry to unveil new flavor?

This really belongs in a "Things You Must Read" post, but it'll have to do all by itself.

Barack Obama's latest round of endorsements includes Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. You read that right, folks. Ben and Jerry of ice cream fame have endorsed Senator Obama.

My main question here is.... what's the new flavor going to be?

Barack Needs Your Help Today!

I just got this email from Anne Filipic, the Obama Utah Director:

Today is Utah's chance to help make Barack Obama the next President. Please help us get as many people to the polls today as possible!

Three easy ways to do this:

1) GO VOTE
2) Tell all your friends, neighbors and co-workers to go vote. Send out an email to your whole list, call through all the numbers in your cell phone, etc. There are a lot of people in Utah who still don't realize that today is the presidential primary and the best person to tell them why they need to go vote for Barack is YOU!
3) Help us make calls and knock on doors to Obama supporters. Call 801-886-2262 or come down to our office at 1747 South 900 West in SLC if you can help out. (We also have locations in Park City, Ogden, and St. George if you are closer to any of those locations and want to help out there.)

There is a lot of support for Barack in Utah but it won't mean anything if we don't get our supporters to go VOTE! We'll be on the phones and the doors all the way through 8pm, when doors close. Please help us help Barack!!

Grateful Dead Concert for Obama Live NOW!

Dead Heads for Obama '08

Michelle was Amazing!

I just got back from the Salt Palace, and it was amazing! I believe I'll be able to find video later, and will blog that as soon as I can. I'm on cloud 9, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, Michelle Obama will be our next First Lady, and she will make America proud. She is beautiful and eloquent, and means every word she says.

Here are the photos I took. I hope to have other photos later.

Yes, we can, Utah! And we will!

Chills, I tell you! [Update]

Idaho isn't too much different from Utah, really. They are about as red as us, and they have a high LDS population. And when Barack's visit to Utah was canceled, it was to Idaho that he headed.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is what a movement looks like:

Click on it, and let it load - talk about amazing! BoiseNoise took this panoramic photo of the 15,000 people there to see Barack.

Yep, I said 15,000. Say it with me, slowly. Fif-teen thou-sand people. In Idaho. Did you get the shivers, too?

Here's what the photographer had to say:

I volunteered to help with Obama's visit to Boise. When we breifed we expected to fill up maybe four sections of the Taca Bell Arena at BSU. There was a curtain placed behind the stage as they often do with small crowds. Well we had more than a small crowd. Between 14000 and 15000 people attended the event. This was a great surprise to everyone. Idaho is traditionally a strict Republican state.

At this point I'd have to say get on the train. Don't stand in front of it. There's too much momentum.

Yes, we can!

[Update] In 2004, Idaho had 642,000 registered voters. 172,000 of them voted. If you look just at Boise, there were 159,000 registered voters, and 25,000 of them voted. And on Saturday, 15,000 people showed up to see Barack? Simply amazing!!

Politics as Usual

The LA Times broke this story today:

Ed Coghlan was just starting to prepare his dinner in the northern San Fernando Valley the other night when the phone rang. The caller was very friendly. He identified himself as a pollster who wanted to ask registered independents like Coghlan a few questions about the presidential race and all the candidates for Super Tuesday's California primary.

Ed, who's a former news director for a local TV station, was curious. He said, "Sure, go ahead."

But a few minutes into the conversation Ed says he noticed a strange pattern developing to the questions. First of all, the "pollster" was only asking about four candidates, three Democrats -- Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, who was still in the race at the time -- and one Republican -- John McCain.

Also, every question about Clinton was curiously positive, Coghlan recalls. The caller said things like, if you knew that Sen. Clinton believed the country had a serious home mortgage problem and had made proposals to....

freeze mortgage rates and save families from foreclosure, would you be more likely or less likely to vote for her?

Ed said, of course, more likely.

Every question about the other candidates was negative. If Ed knew, for instance, that as a state senator Obama had voted "present" 43 times instead of taking a yes or no stand "for what he believed," would Ed be more or less likely to vote for him?

"That's when I caught on," said Coghlan. He realized then that he was being push-polled. That malicious political virus that is designed not to elicit answers but to spread positive information about one candidate and negative information about all others under the guise of an honest poll had arrived in Southern California within days of the important election.

And there's plenty more before the story wraps up this way:

Phil Singer, the spokesman for the Clinton campaign. was contacted by e-mail last night. He answered that he was there. He was asked if the Clinton campaign was behind the push-poll, knew who was behind it or had any other information on it. That was at 5:27 p.m. Pacific time Saturday. As of this item's posting time, exactly eight hours later, no reply had been received.