Florida Delegates Dealt Out

The Orlando Sentinel publishes the sad details:

The Democratic National Committee can penalize the Florida party by stripping the state of its convention delegates because it is holding an early presidential primary, a federal judge ruled today.

I know there are a lot of people in Florida that think the DNC is the evil guy in this story. Stripping Florida of its delegates for moving its primary to January 29 seems pretty harsh when you consider that the RNC only stripped Florida of half of its delegates. I'm just going to call it like it is.

The real Dr. Evil in this is the Republican Party. Make no mistake about it. This was a calculated move on the part of Republicans who control the State House and Senate to create disallusionment among Democrats in Florida. Does it seem reasonable, even plausible, that Republican party leaders in the state had some kind of deal worked out with their own party? It does to me.

The ads on this, including emails to Democratic voter lists and radio ads, have been telling the Democratic voters in Florida that Democrats don't want Florida to have a voice in the Presidential Race. The messages essentially say that Florida voters aren't important to the Democratic Party.

While this is essentially untrue - party nominations at the national conventions are coronations, not actual political processes - the message is playing well. At our county Executive Committee meetings, this has been a favored topic - the national party deserting us. At our local Democratic Club meeting, several new converts have expressed similar concerns.

For the first time in 20 election cycles, it looked like Democrats would make significant inroads in every level of the political spectrum. Only disenfranchisement with the Democratic Party could have undermined that. That was what this play was all about.

Do I feel punished? No. I am more resolved than ever to take the Republican Party to the woodshed. But, it does point out, once again, the ability of the Republican machine to manipulate the system to their best advantage, even with despicable actions like this.

In the end, it may not be much, but for now, it's causing a ripple.

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Hillary Clinton in KC - October 5

Hillary Clinton came to Kansas City today for a fundraiser and to meet with faith leaders from the community. After the fundraiser, she held a press conference in the Iowa Room of the President Hotel to discuss her meeting with the local faith leaders.

She entered a few minutes late, accompanied by Missouri Congressman and AME minister Emanuel Cleaver, Jackson County Executive and state campaign co-chair Mike Sanders, and about a dozen local clergy, who stood behind her as she took questions.

Dave Helling went first and asked about her philosophical differences with the ministers…issues such as reproductive freedom and gay marriage.

The Senator handled the question ably.

She pointed out that there was a whole lot more that they can find common ground on, and we need to listen to one another and treat one another with respect.

She mentioned specific points of agreement they share, on issues such as housing, and education, and healthcare, and stopping the revolving door between the prison and the street.

The next question was asked by Mike Mahoney. He asked her about something former President Clinton said the day before - that he [Bill Clinton] would not be surprised to see former presidents asked to serve in various capacities in a Hillary Clinton administration.

And she laughed (we'll get to that in a minute) before saying "I wouldn't be surprised to see that either!"

(Keep Reading)


She gave the current occupant credit for, in the wake of the Indonesian tsunami, asking former presidents Bush and Clinton to lead American efforts there, and it improved the image of America in the eyes of Indonesians and of people throughout the region.

Dave Helling then asked if she was planning on campaigning in Missouri, and brought up the Kerry campaign (Helling mistakenly stated that Kerry did not campaign here, but he did - he pulled out of the state three weeks before the election, but he most certainly did campaign here).

"I intend to campaign vigorously in every state.I want to represent the entire country." She responded. This is her second trip to Kansas City in recent months and her third or fourth to the state.

The next question was about the torture revelations of the last couple of days, and the incumbent saying today "We do not torture."

On this she grew quite serious. We are only finding out now how far the administration has gone, and she reminded all that there was no information forthcoming until the Democrats took over in January. She did state unequivocally that no administration, no person, no president should be above the law.

That was supposed to be the last question, but she took one more, on immigration.

She didn't come close to touching the current third rail of politics. She favors the standard "comprehensive immigration reform™" that every politician and their aunts, uncles, cousins and pets espouse. In her version it involves strengthening the borders and employing technology. She did give more than perfunctory acknowledgment to the idea that helping Mexico develop their economy so people won't feel like they have no choice but to leave their homes and families and enter the U.S. illegally to better their lives.

She didn't say anything new or controversial, but she did stress that business owners employing undocumented workers are a huge part of the problem and until they are held accountable, no other efforts will be truly effective.

Overall, I had a pretty positive impression of her. She was relaxed and composed and confident. She seemed to exude competence and ability. She was charming and well spoken and didn't butcher a single sentence. Overall, she seemed downright presidential. We could certainly do worse, as the last seven years have shown us.

Now - about the laugh.

Get over it.

The laugh is real. I was just a few feet away from it a few hours ago. It is genuine and there is a twinkle in her eyes when she laughs that ya just can't fake. That laugh endears her to me on a certain level. It is the same laugh that I stopped trying to stifle the first time I heard "Freedom Fries." It is the laugh that should assault Chris Wallace's ears every time he spouts a wingnut talking point. It is the laugh that should have issued forth thirty years ago when the foam flecked loonies and assorted hypocrites started emerging from the lunatic fringe.

People stopped laughing at the assorted array of idiots, and look where it got us! For the love of all that is holy, stop acting like the wingnuts have any credibility, stop taking them seriously, and start guffawing at these idiots every time they say something stupid.

And when the Maureen Dowds and Frank Richs and various M$M chuckleheads start obsessing about the authenticity of a presidential candidates laugh instead of the substance of their message…mocking, derisive laughter directed back at them is the only appropriate response.

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Debate Blogging

The ABC This Week Democratic debate just ended. I watched it with what started as a critical eye, set to pick apart the minutiae. Then I remembered that there are a gazillion blogs that will be doing that, so I’m just going to give my overall perceptions of each candidate.

I can’t really put my finger on it, but Barack Obama is like the guy from high school you wanted desperately to go out with, but once you went out with him, it turned out he does nothing for you. He's supposed to be perfect, so why is there no zip? Ladies? Know what I mean here? He presents himself very well, he has some good things to say, they are just so scripted it’s dizzying. Or they strike me that way, at least.

Hillary, too, is well scripted and polished and on-message. Of course, being able to control a message the way she does is a good quality in a lot of ways when it comes to selecting a president. She seems to be flirting with an apology for her vote on the AUMF.

John Edwards is forthright with his apology, and that plays well in a country that is sick to death of this war. He seemed to hit a lot of the right notes, and at times seemed downright presidential. At other times, he seems to flirt with schmaltz and that makes me roll my eyes.

Joe Biden amuses me. He always has, actually. I’m not sure what he is running for, certainly not president, most likely a cabinet position, and I think that would be just fine and dandy.

Chris Dodd is having a blast! He is having more fun than any candidate on the stage. That is because he might as well just come out and say “Hey, I’m running for Secretary of State!” And if we can’t get Bill Clinton, then Chris Dodd would be a good alternative.

Mike Gravel is clearly nuts. In his lucid moments, he says some things that need to be said, and makes some sense. But the rest of the time – that is to say most of the time – he’s the crazy uncle that you were afraid would send your significant other running for the exits when they met him. After one of his outbursts of unspeakable truth, my husband said “He’s insane. I love him.”

Dennis Kucinich – what the hell? He sure does say a lot of the things I want to hear, damn him anyway. Why does the Rob Schneider candidate have to be the one getting so much right?

Finally – as you might know if you have visited my blog, I am supporting Richardson in the primary. That is because he comes right out and says in plain English that he will restore the Constitution, Habeas Corpus and the Fourth Amendment. And damnit, that is the most important thing. I trust him to end the war, I trust him to negotiate first and give diplomacy it’s proper due. He simply has the best resume. His presentation needs a little tweaking, but his message is right. If he isn’t on the ticket, I would prefer him in a diplomatic role. In fact, he falls between Bill Clinton and Chris Dodd on my short list for Secretary of State.

It’s early, the first vote has yet to be cast. But any one of the candidates on the stage – Gravel included – would do a better job of governing than the slavering authoritarians on the other side that would just finish scrapping the Constitution and the ideals that make us Americans.

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