Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Rally

Only Bill Clinton could play the racial aspects of this or any campaign. I know it’s widely understood that his intentions with the black community have always been altruistic, but I didn’t believe it. I’ve always thought him a cad. Even before the Clintons misogyny was undeniable exposed. Every woman has had experience with cads, at one time or another, and I think all of can agree that cads are more easily spotted when they’re romancing somebody else. He’s been romancing the Soul Patrol (not my expression, but I like it) forever, and exactly what has he actually done for them? Sure, he’s got at table at Silvia’s, and knows to grab a hymn book, and sway with the music, but so what? Who did he hire?

If anybody else had tried these underhanded tactics, they would have been, quite rightly, stopped at the gate. But Bill Clinton gets a pass. Or rather thinks he does. But it’s become too obvious. People, who actually believed the things that Clinton used to promote himself, are now feeling a little bit betrayed. That’s a reference to liberal white people. People with a long history of public service, not the sort to be dismissed with a well placed anonymous rumor. These are people who have worked Clinton campaigns before, and they know the nuts and bolts. Now, they feel dirty.

What about the people of color who were around for the protest marches? I mean back in the day when protest marches were interesting, and dangerous. Leaders in the black community are hesitating to join Obama, what’s that about? Al Sharpton says that just because Obama looks like him, doesn’t mean he’s his kind of people. HUH? We’re talking about Al Sharpton; a guy who came running anytime somebody said a naughty word. As much as we’d all like such hypocrites get their comeuppance, the fight for civil rights has been an industry. The soul patrol (yes, it tickles me to say that) they worry about their mortgages, the children who have come to expect a higher education. Many of these people have made a living, yes, but also a life. Their business associates, friends, wives, all came from the movement. Now what? Where are they going to go every day? What are they going to talk about? Try to imagine the heartbreak that happens, when you’ve spent forty years working towards a goal, and the realization that once that goal is reached, you become instantly redundant. Instantly, you’ve got nothing to do.

I hate rallies. The people who go tend to go to praise themselves, for nothing more than disagreeing with the government. Big whoop. I went to American University, more on principle than interest, to watch the Kennedys endorse Obama. I was only there for a few minutes, as Obama was being introduced, and a bit after, but in that short time it was obvious that this was a completely different deal. The crowd didn’t energize the speakers so much as it was the other way around.

We don’t know what it is to hear people speak anymore. We are so accustomed to the sound bite, the bumper sticker, the rolling slogans, tailored to the latest polls, that to see a proper speaker, hold a crowd in his hand, is breathtaking. When the Obama crowd started to boo Hillary Clinton’s name, and Ted Kennedy quieted them. It wasn’t aggressive just masterful.

What the Kennedys did was more than an endorsement. It was permission. Just as the Clinton campaign gave people permission to vote against somebody for the color of his skin, the Kennedys gave the voters permission to not. In doing so, they may have just rescued the Democratic Party.

The Clinton campaign has been busted for exploiting the growing pains of the people of this nation. That’s why their words are being scrutinized.

I’m the kind who watches the crowd, and watch the crowd I did. As Senator Kennedy passed the torch, people were simultaneously cheering and crying. As cynical as I am, a new day may really be dawning.

I went to lunch afterwards, in the same place patronized by supporters, some of whom didn’t make it in the room; they were outside listening on speakers. I eavesdropped as the friends mimicked each of the attending Kennedys, their words, their pitch, and their tone. With great bravado, they their eyes the size of serving platters, they regaled one another with stories of how the candidate shook their hands. Too excited to eat, they ignored their food, stomped their feet, completely unaware of their naked grins stretching from ear to buzzing ear. Those students will tell those stories, will remember that day and how they felt for years.

When was the last time anybody said that about anyone at all?

Friday, January 25, 2008

Romney

Why didn't Mitt Romney whine when he was told that people don't like him? Didn't it hurt his feelings?

Bubba and the Little Girl

I'm of course referencing the question asked by a little girl, to the former president. Do we think he handled that better than Chelsea did? Just asking...

Thursday, January 24, 2008

MMFA

I was going to stay out of this one, I’m not a morning person, and by the time I noticed, it appeared to be over. I’ve reconsidered.

Media Matters for America enjoys a 503 nonprofit federal tax exemption. This is supposed to be reserved for organizations that do work for the greater good. Charity work, promoting sports programs, educational activities etc. Instead, MMFA has been acting as professional muscle, shutting down anybody unfriendly to its co-founder, Hillary Clinton, and her ambitions for the presidency.

Part of the reason MMFA has thus far gotten away with it is that they snuck up on people. I’ve heard it said that Imus was left out in the cold, was because nobody likes him, that he had a history of making insensitive remarks, I don’t agree. Of course his remarks are often insensitive, that’s been his trademark for many years. Of course powerful people liked his show, he had a loyal if not large audience, of mostly media professionals. I think it was the mulit-teir punch, of MMFA, Al Sharpton and some discrete upper management people who have an interest in promoting and protecting Hillary Clinton. Punishing those who don’t share their rabid devotion.

Here’s how they do it, using the recent Matthews brouhaha. MMFA writes an open letter to the big wig at NBC, Steve Capus. This is for show, public consumption. Capus also gets a quiet call from GE executive Steven Kluger demanding that Matthews be fired. Capus would rather not fire Matthews because his show has an audience, which pleases the advertisers, which generates money for NBC. Capus is between a rock and a hard place. Capus is a big deal at NBC, but GE is NBC ‘s parent company. To placate Steven Kluger, as a courtesy to Capus, and he wants Hillary Clinton to appear as his guest, Matthews agrees to an on air mea culpa. You’ll remember that Steven Kluger shared a house while at Vassar, with Rick Lazio, the guy who walked against Hillary Clinton in her bid for a seat in the Senate.

I know it’s commonly proclaimed that since Hillary Clinton was married to a sitting president that she is, by osmosis, qualified. I ask all feminists one question, is your husband qualified enough, competent enough, to do what you do every day?

Nobody begrudged your little protest march down memory lane. Nobody minds your designer duds, your over-priced lattes, your Ivy League diplomas, but you really did choose an undeserving cause. Did you even consider the harm you do to women in this country just to promote somebody in your cliché? A faux feminist, who deliberately mislead women in their quests for legal council to protect themselves from a hostile work environment, only to learn too late that the attorney they’d hired, was married the guy creating said hostile work environment.

MMFA has told CNN not to use Ralph Reed. This is by my count the third time inside of one year that MMFA has tried to have professionals blacklisted. Don Imus, Chris Matthews, Ralph Reed, big boys all, nobody’s worried about them. But not everybody has their assets. There are a lot of journalists, who don’t have the prestige to weather this modern day McCarthyism.

The Clintons along with MMFA are trying to end the careers of people, because they won’t drink the Kool Aid. MMFA is enjoying prestige and financial benefits from our tax dollars to shut down free speech, in concert with the Clintons.

They’re trying to control the airwaves, making sure that everything broadcast is to their taste, and suits their chosen politicians. A democracy requires discourse, discussion, and yes, disagreement too. Public money should not be used to suppress any American’s Freedom of Expression, tacky or not, it’s an offense against the Constitution.

MMFA has a pattern of trying to jettison working people from the civilized world; it shouldn’t be a one directional thing. Nobody should be able to do this with impunity. Broadcasters, it’s time to find a way to get their 503 status reviewed. Perhaps even revoked. Let the Clinton campaign pay its campaign workers.

It’s fraud.

It’s time for the media to stop airing the unwarranted attacks that Bill Clinton makes against itself. Do not air his unfounded accusations unless you have a proper rebuttal. I mean a pre-taped statement from a station owner, or manager, or president. Do try not to become the story.

If the Clintons don’t like it, let them sue. You have no obligation to report on things that you don’t find credible. No matter how silly his whiney, little tantrums make him look.

Changing the channel because you don’t like a show or a person on it is legitimate. Being an arbiter of the nation’s taste is not.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Slumlord

That comment Hillary made about Obama's ties to the slumlord seems to me pretty fair. I liked it. It's nice seeing Hillary going after a grown man, as opposed to a woman who isn't looking. Besides, I thought the term slumlord, might endear Obama to "Whitey"

Then somebody had to go ahead and check it out. Turns out, Obama as a junior lawyer did some due diligence on a real estate deal between slumlord and some church. Everything's warm and fuzzy. I'm disappointed.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Lewinsky

Why do we call the Monica Lewinsky scandal by that name? For those of you who are now old enough to vote, but whose parents forbade you to watch TV while the president was being impeached, here's a quick overview. A woman named Paula Jones had pushed an old issue of Bill Clinton sexually harassing her many years back. She was not the first to accuse Bill Clinton of creating a hostile work environment, but most of the other women had gone to the Rose Law firm for representation, and were greeted by Hillary Rodham. She was married to Bubba, but failed to mention. Anyway Hillary, who is now running for president, got these women to drop the proceedings. It's widely accepted that intimidation was used. Paula Jones tried to settle, but again offended by the form in which the Clintons conducted themselves. Plus, they didn't want to admit anything, which was kind of a deal breaker.

Through the years, Clinton continued his habit of dipping his pen in the company ink. Continued to lie about it. Hillary decided that just because it was her husband's habit of dipping his pen company ink, and she was either required to enable that activity, or happy to enable that activity, was no reason to think that he was continuing that activity. She hit the talk shows. Proclaiming a vast right wing conspiracy. She publicly that they were the cause of all of these accusations. Claimed that unless you can prove without a doubt, down to the toppings of the pizzas Monica and Bill shared, than the president was completely innocent. Past conduct didn't matter, and would not be addressed.

Bill Clinton saw fit to lie under oath. He got cute with definitions even of the word "is" as well as what was sex, with that woman. Details of the interaction were made public. Instead of just paying Paula Jones the agreed upon sum, and refraining from vilifying her, and many of the other women he'd targeted, his wife had targeted, the Clintons decided to put their interests ahead of the nation's, and an impeachment ensued.

All the Clintons had to do, was write a check, and shut their mouths. They did later write the check, and shut their mouths, but only after putting the American people through that international embarrassment. Bill was convicted of perjury, had to pay a fine, a suspension of his law license, basically the same stuff that Scooter Libby was punished with. Neither went to jail. It was arranged for Chuck Schumer to ask Hillary to run for Senate. It was arranged for Rick Lazio, Steven Kluger's Vassar housemate, to walk against her.

All the women who've complained about the Clintons harassing them continue to be punished. All the women, tarred for life.

Monica Lewinksy was 22 years old and did something stupid. Bill Clinton, was the sitting President and encouraged the stupid conduct. Clintons take no responsibility, and were simply victims of everything. Despite the fact that they had been participating this style of conduct since before Monica Lewinsky was a twinkle in anybody's eye.

The Clintons still hold a grudge against Ken Starr, who probably was assigned the job. Clinton's campaign has also accepted contributions from Ken Starr. Which is silly. Considering how consistently the Clintons have insisted on being placated with money and apologies, only to use said money and apologies as weapons, confessions etc., Starr should have kept his money.

PAY CUT

A few years ago when Chelsea Clinton began working, she bagged a low to mid six figure salary, now the NY Post is reporting that this year, with bonus and salary it's between $150,000 and $200,000. Why'd her pay get cut? Is somebody lying? She can't even talk to a nine-year-old kid reporter. The Clintons all think everyone else is stupid, or at least that's how they act. What exactly is special about them?

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Voter Intimidation?

Bill Clinton says that he, a former president WITNESSED voters being intimidated. Why did he not have the perpetrators arrested? He's got Secret Service agents with him, couldn't they have done something?

For any former president of the US to watch any crime and do nothing more than hold a press conference, it's just baffling.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Sorry

Has anybody else noticed that the Clintons, particularly Hillary Clinton, doesn't give public apologies? Nobody in Hillary's camp gives public apologies, they simple release a statement that they did apologize. I'm not saying, I'm just saying. Hillary is often apologized to, mostly from women who've had her husband, and the men who mention it, some of the women are given jobs, for a while, and others are savaged. It's very subjective.

What is with these feminist organizations who only like and respect those who dress like them? What's that about? The quality of a person is not determined by whether or not they're wearing a suit. The reason I didn't use the word PANTS SUIT is because the seventies were a long, long, time ago.

There are a lot of decent women in this world. Given Hillary's history, calling women names, sabotaging our careers, having us harassed, etc., why would anybody think that the sisterhood is anything more than a one way street?

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Newspaper Loop

Okay, I just found out that Bill Clinton claims that he found out about the lawsuit trying to suppress the Nevada vote by reading it in the newspaper. Remember, that's the same way he and Hillary found out about Monica too.

By the way, the ruling is that the caucuses will go on as planned, at least for now.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Fairness

So Bill Clinton is supporting a lawsuit designed to depress participation in the Nevada caucus. He said it was an issue of fairness. Well, in the interest of fairness, I think that if Chelsea Clinton refuses to give interviews while on the campaign trail, the media should stop covering those events. Her unabashed rudeness does not mean that Bill and Hillary are good parents, quite the opposite I think. She wants her privacy, she needs to off the campaign trail. This issue of fairness isn't designed to depress the vote.

Late Hit

The Clintons arranged for the dust up on race. Then, a truce was called. Then Charlie Rangel landed the late hits, while Sharpton shielded Bill Clinton. I mention because it's going to happen again, and again. It will continue to happen, for as long as it continue to play out as the Clintons want it to. Remember, it was Bill Clinton using the Chambers brothers to elevate himself.

By the by, Al Sharpton will be lecturing at Philander Smith, in Little Rock, on Jan. 17. Would I make that up? Sure, but I didn't.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Sharpton

How'd you like to be Al Sharpton right now? Man that's got to stink. For most of his career, he's called for career ending sanctions for anybody ever caught saying something they shouldn't have said. Now he's undermining the campaign of a viable African-American candidate for president, and promoting the campaign of non-African Americans. Awkward. He's got to know that everybody knows that that statement about HIllary's hair was "written" by the brother of Rick Lazio's college roommate. Sad enough to almost be funny. Poor guy, the parade's passing him by.

Monday, January 14, 2008

What?

Media Matters for America was founded by Hillary Clinton, for Hillary Clinton. This point is not mentioned on its website. Why? Could it be an attempt to be sneaky? Could it be that they’re flying false colors for a reason? As I know it, it can’t be a real secret. A little disclosure please.

Bill Clinton is a demagogue, who knew exactly what he was doing, when he associated “this whole thing” with a fairy tale. In his prior breath, he said that Hillary and Obama had voted the same way, leading one to deduce that there was no substantive difference between Obama and Hillary Clinton, permitting a voter to deem one was as good as the other, and we might as well vote style, as the substance was the same.

In contrast to the Clintons, Obama spoke out against the war, from the beginning. Hillary Clinton voted to go to war without reading the intelligence report.

They’re desperate to crush the competition. They don’t care what it does to the future of the Democratic Party. They don’t care what it does to the nation. Both the Clintons are treating this campaign like a trial, parsing everything, pointing fingers, and rewriting history. As we are rewriting history, do we have a word for people who themselves are above reproach on issues of race, but are willing to arrange for their surrogates to pitch up points of race? Is exploiting other people’s prejudices, racist? Or is it merely autocratic demagoguery?

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Dream...

I always thought the "I Have A Dream" speech, had more to do with the aspiration of a certain quality of life, than a piece of legislation. Luckily, we have a Clinton to correct that.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Not Sexism

The pundits didn't go after Hillary Clinton because of her gender, they went after her because she's a Clinton. They'd have a similar reaction if Roger Clinton ran for office, assuming he made a point out of being better than everybody else. Journalists know their jobs about as well as you know yours. They know about the shady deals, the women whom her husband has targeted, and they know how she went after them. Hillary Clinton has not proven her experience. Neither she nor her husband has enough influence to release the White House records. At least, that's the party line. Bill Clinton wrote a letter requesting the records not be released before the election. His choice, okay, but we should not be expected to take anybody's word alone, particularly when records do exist.

What exactly is obvious about Hilary Clinton's intelligence? Fashion not withstanding. Why are we calling her clothes pantsuits? It's a suit. Unless the word is predicated by the word polyester, it's a suit. Skirt or slacks, it's a suit.

By the way, that little "Iron my Shirt" demonstration was just dumb. The people involved were not old enough to have known the mantra. How retro are we going to go? They may have been part of a radio stunt. What the heck, as stupid as it was, it was also less tacky than the one that involved fornicating in Saint Patrick's Cathedral.

It's not about a sisterhood at all costs. The president is supposed to take care of the people not the other way around. I have no problem with a leader who cries. I have no problem with a leader who doesn't. Her ambitions are about her. She didn't fight the feminist fight, she only dressed to sit on the bench, and sabotage the real players.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Primary

Hillary Clinton chokes up, says she sees what’s going on, and that we have to reverse it, and in her next breath belittles her opponent. Did anybody feel included in that we? Did anybody think she was talking about anything other than her own ambition, as opposed to the nation? She says that running for president isn’t easy, is running for president supposed to be easy? Difficult odds? She’s been the odds on favorite from DAY ONE. She’s been involved with campaigns before, but yet she required a rather obvious learning curve.

Truth is, the media has been very kind to the Clintons. She’s been busted planting questions, (by the way, what do we know about this Marianne Perold-Young anyway?) having her surrogates slime her opponents. Bad fund raising practices, even having her picture taken with a fugitive. A judge that her legal husband appointed dropped her name from a lawsuit. Maybe journalist, who have to work in this town, know how to spot a one two punch when they see it slamming at them.

Hillary Clinton whines in public, and is declared the victim. In the debates, Richardson consistently protected her. The moderator offered each of the candidates an opportunity to take back anything they wanted, and she’s not obligated to answer the question. She didn’t lower herself to admit she’d made any mistake in any debate. Why do you suppose that she didn’t want to bring up the driver’s licenses?

Bill Clinton accuses the media of being mean to his legal wife, the frontrunner. He twists an example of a piece of a speech to prove his point. His rage wasn’t quite purple; I suppose that will be saved for the day before the South Carolina race, or maybe Super Tuesday. Odds are 6-5 she'll cry for herself by then.

I never thought she’d lose New Hampshire, at least not by much. It’s been called her firewall for a while. The Clintons never concede anything. They put the nation through an Impeachment because the words, “Okay, I’m caught” weren’t words he was willing to say, not even for the good of the country.

I’d be willing to buy her simpering was just her being tired, but for Bill’s performance, that cleavage conspiracy and the larger pattern of media manipulation. But I don’t think there’s malice in wanting to see the comeuppance of a person who has spent her entire career showing up those who didn’t have her legal husband’s resources. She'd has women hunted, just because she felt like punishing them. Whether or not they'd had her husband.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Chanting

During Hillary's speech, what was the crowd chanting? Four more years? No more tears? What was that?

Monday, January 7, 2008

Michigan

I don't mind the pundits predicting that Hillary Clinton will take the majority of the votes in Michigan, but I do mind them not mentioning that all of the candidates signed a pledge agreeing not to participate in that state. Only Hillary Clinton's name remains of that ballot. All of the other candidates honored the agreement. Disclosure please.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Trail

Almost everybody says something stupid every now and again, it isn't worth worrying about. Most people, but not the vapid Chelsea The Mute. I'm glad Hillary's keeping her on the trail, just to remind all of our military families, that although each of the Clintons have sent other people's children into combat, their own child, at age 27, is far too precious to deign to speak to even a 9-year-old kid reporter.

2,500 people showed up for Obama. 1,500 showed up to hear Hillary. She told people where to sit and declared herself a problem solver. No wonder her adult daughter is a jerk.

When you ask a direct question, don't you think you're entitled to something a little more direct than an old and tired non-denial, denial? Ask again. And again. Get yourself a real answer.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Day After

So we lost our lower tier of candidates. I think that's a little bit of a shame. I realize it had to be done, but I think we lost some good people, solid leaders whose accomplishments deserved better media attention. Unfortunately, all the air was sucked out of the room. Too bad, for them, and us.

No, I don't think that Hillary Clinton is a leader. Part of being a leader, includes inspiring people to follow, and aside from those loyal to her legal husband, and the Kool-Aide drinkers, she inspires no one.

I also don't agree that it is up to the American people to compensate Hillary for her legal husband's philandering. Her legal husband has compensated her for his many, many indiscretions, and that's their business. It is not the Clintons' place to deliberately interfere with the romantic relationships of others. It is not their place to spread lies about decent women. It is especially not their place to spread lies about decent women who haven't had Bill.

I do not support Hillary Clinton's political ambitions. Please stop asking, it makes my back hurt.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

The Day

Okay Iowa, this is it. History is happening, caucus for whomever you want. History will happen, try to remember that history is never kind to those who make history for the sole point of making it. A lot of people want a woman in the White House for the sake of gender, or because they find her husband charming. Or because they want somebody who, given enough notice, and hair and make-up can look coquettish under controlled lighting. Bad reasons. A lot of people want to vote for a person of color to show that they're not as racist, as they sometimes seem. So what if they occasionally suffer from foot-in-mouth disease. People don't want to be jettisoned from the civilized world just because they sometimes allow their tongues to tickle their tootsies. Edwards is a known quantity. Dodd makes a lot of sense, and he's got the resume. Biden is also a proven commodity. Richardson also has real experience. Kucinich is already pledging his supporters away. Let's face it, Gravel was also a trip.

I trust in your best.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Oh Wolfie...

So, now we're allowing a nine-year-old child to defuse the mess that Chelsea, the selfish, conceded, overly entitled rude little pig made. Nice. Chelsea Clinton relies on Howard Wolfsen to protect her from a nine year old? That's pathetic. Chelsea Clinton is five years older than Monica was, when the Clintons sicked the media on Mrs. Lewinsky's precious pearl. Chelsea Clinton, a millionaire, who doesn't do public works, will be living off the public teat for the rest of her life, and she can't be encouraging to a child? Nice. It is a big deal.

Truth is, none of the Clintons are answering questions right now. Which, although disrespectful of the Democratic process is probably best for all. They don't have to pretend they aren't trimming the truth, and we don't have to be shocked to learn they're liars. No matter your definition of the the "is" is.

Wolfie, I really need that rolled up newspaper...

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Vetted? NOT!

Who vetted Hillary Clinton? When was she vetted? Was she vetted, or did she simply tell everybody that she was vetted, and figured that nobody would check? Why didn’t Hillary Clinton get a security clearance? Did she ask her husband? Why not? If she did ask her husband, did he say, no? What’s up with that? Hillary Clinton is quoted as saying that she was often provided with classified information. What’s up with that? Why does anybody, without a security clearance need, want or receive classified information? That is very, very uncool. I think that there should be a law or something to discourage that sort of thing. I presume that Bill Clinton had the necessary security clearance during his time as president, but are those credentials still good? Does he have to renew them? What if Hillary says, no?

What about this dazzling intellect people keep chanting about? She’s 60 years old, aside from savaging her husband’s girlfriends, exactly what has she done? She passed the bar in Arkansas, but not in DC, and I don’t believe anywhere else. Did she ever take that federal bar exam? Or was she too busy, teaching her own daughter to grow up and become a rude little pig, shunning 9-year-old reporters, while insulting them?

What makes people believe that Hillary Clinton is smart? Most of her writings were gleamed from sources that weren’t even credited. She probably forgot all about the other people in the helicopter as she landed in Bosnia, too disappointed that there was no tea on the tarmac, good thing it was in her book.