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VOTERS, NOT LAWYERS
In Chicago, Obama used lawyers to prevent the voters from having any choice except Obama.
His fancy Harvard law buddies caught minor technicalities on the petitions of Obama's opponents, and effectively kicked them out of the running.
This included rights activist, Alice Palmer.
Now, hotshot lawyers are preventing the voters in TWO STATES from the democratic process. Hillary Clinton has the popular vote. But the technicalities are being inforced to keep the will of FL voters from being carried out. Voter Suppression. All nice and Legal.
This is undemocratic.
This is the worst abuse of lawyers in the history of this country.
LAWYERS EXIST TO SERVE THE CITIZENS, NOT TO RULE THEM
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Comments (17)
First, you have zero back-up for your claims. Not a single news story about this on any major newspaper? I can't find one. Lot's of opinions, but precious few facts.
Second, the whole idea that he "forced her" off the ballot is counter to the actual historical facts in 1996. Alice Parker gave Barack leave to run for her seat when she left the Illinois senate to run for Congress. She even introduced him to all her supporters and contributors to make his neophyte campaign more competitive.
Doesn't sound like she was forced off of anything to me.
Not entirely sure why you persist in putting this non-story, but without a whole lot more proof, it is yet another baseless attack by someone who has consumed way too much Clinton Koolaid.
May 30, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
There were "minor" technicalities? Right. The petitions that were questioned had illegal signatures on them -- some forged signatures, some non-existent people. One of the opponents admitted he paid $5 per page to kids for signatures that were forged. So yes, lawyers were used, but the petitions were indeed illegal. Absolutely nothing wrong with using the laws. I'm totally surprised that a Clinton supporter would make an issue of this when she is exploiting every possible legal avenue and loophole to try to gain a nomination that she hasn't earned.
May 30, 2008 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama has less interest in the fraudulent caucuses that worked in his favor.
May 30, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, I assumed that most people reading TPM have basic common knowledge of current events.
But since apparently, you have been living on another planet, start here:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/29/obamas.first.campaign/index.html
May 30, 2008 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jason -
Some of what you say is true and some of what Present says is true.
Alice did give Obama leave to run for her seat. However when Her run for the Congress wasn't working out she tried to get back on the ballot for her seat. Unfortunately she rushed the petition process and it appears a couple of her campaign workers took turns filling out the petitions trying to change their signatures to look different. Hence her signatures were challenged by the Obama campaign with the board of elections and found wanting.
Presents problem is the fact that he challenged signatures at all.
Like it or not all candidates challenge other candidates petition signatures in Chicago. Sometimes it works to their advantage, sometimes it doesn't. It's just part of Chicago politics.
May 30, 2008 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Blocking FL votes is American and perfectly legal.
Handing one more state to McCain, in order to make Obama
the nominee.
Because Obama is ALL that matters.
It's all about Obama.
May 30, 2008 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama is, in fact, all 30 members of the RBC.
May 30, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't claim to know anything about Chicago politics, but this story seems to be half myth and half rumor with just enough "truth" to become a talking point.
May 30, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
PS: Thanks for the context. That sounds like a more complete and less partisan version of the story.
May 30, 2008 1:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Believe what want to believe.
That's what it's all about in Nixonland. I mean, Obamaland.
May 30, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
The short and sweet of it. Alice gave Obama her blessing. Then when she lost her run for congress she wanted her seat back, after Obama was already in full campaign mode. The time for filing signatures was short and Alice did not have nearly enough. So she did a little underhanded ghost signature petition thing and Obama called her on it - as he should. Obama ran is campaign fairly and honest. It was Alice who wanted to change the rules in the middle of the game. Obama was right to call her out on her dishonesty. Apparently the legal system thought so too.
So "present", how is this a bad thing? It seems the only one dealing in dirty Chicago politics was Alice Palmer.
May 30, 2008 1:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. So disenfranchising honest voters in FL is a good thing?
2. Honest Obama has done nothing about the fraudulent caucus goings on - even reported in Iowa.
Seems like his righteousness indignation only occurs when it serves his personal ambition?
3. did exactly the same thing to the other opponent.
Obviously, sloppy petitions are the norm to this area.
He and his fancy Harvard pal took advantage of the status quo to knock off his competition.
He would have lost the election if the voters had picked the candidate.
4. I admire Obama for his righteousness. Like hijacking all of the progressive blogs, and hiring operatives to pump out hate rhetoric that is seriously dividing the party.
What I love most about Obama is his telling the Canadians that his words to the citizens of Ohio were just "Campaign rhetoric."
I love the way his operatives over-ran the caucuses, the same
way they took over the political blogs - and shoved aside the competition.
He's a lovable little guy, that Obama!
May 30, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Riiight. So let me get this straight. It is a great big left wing, MSM, Newspaper, Air America, progressive, internet conspiracy against Clinton?
And Fox News is Fair and Balanced right?
http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/36988-want-to-know-what-happens-when-we-sing-fox-s-praises
Whoa talk about loosing a grip on reality.
May 30, 2008 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
From the Chicago Tribune:
and this
So it seems, my dear "present", he was actually bucking Chicago Politics establishment.
May 30, 2008 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
So how is Fl Obama fault? Did he move up the primary date?
And if you are going to accuse fraud in the caucuses please provide some proof. Just because you say it's so doesn't make it so.
Again please provide proof that he has hijacked the blogs.
So far Present all I see is opinion and no facts.
May 30, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama worked behind the scenes to prevent a revote
in FL and in MI.
The truth is, my friend, the Obama that you love would
never have done that to his friend Alice.
Would he?
That's the kind of thing you would claim Clinton would
do, isn't it?
Obama, that sweet, mellow guy, wants change. He would
never grab his hyper smart buddy into TRICKING HIS FRIENDS
IN THE HOOD. The people who HELPED HIM. Then using
that help to CANNIBALIZE ON THEM. THAT'S SOMETHING A WHITEY WOULD DO. ISN'T IT?
BECAUSE OBAMA IS FOR DECENCY, NOT CLEVERNESS.
AND HE TRANSCENDED RACE BY FIRST FRAMING CLINTON,
WHO DID MORE FOR BLACKS THAN ANY PRESIDENT IN HISTORY, AS A RACIST. AND TAKING OVER THE AA RADIOWAVES TO BLAST VENOM THAT THE CLINTONS ARE RACIST. THEN TO GET IN AND SAY THAT IF OBAMA LOSES, THERE WILL BE A RIOT AT THE CONVENTION. A LITTLE "BLACK" MAIL.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR, LITTLE MAN BEHIND THE BIG AVATAR?
May 30, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow talk about sexist!
May 30, 2008 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
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