I thought the goal of the Obama Administration was to bring unemployment numbers down, not add to the problem.  Why is President Obama trying to urge Governor Paterson not to run for election?  DId they not learn from the whole crown Princess Caroline as Senator movement that David Paterson is not likely to submit to out of state pressure to curry favor with the Democratic establishment?  David Paterson is deeply unpopular already but has more than a year left in office.  You don't think these calls will further weaken Paterson for the time he has left in office?

What have New Yorkers done that Obama feels it's his business to butt in to who represents our state in the Senate and as Governor?   Seriously, try focusing on health care reform, cap and trade, regulating the out of control fiance industry, figure out where our effing TARP money went, a plan for Afghanistan, solve the problems of the Middle East, etc etc etc.  New Yorkers are more than capable of making these decisions on our own. We got this.  MYFB.

Josh has a post on the front page regarding Tom Daschle's withdrawal from consideration for HHS Secretary and wondering if Health Care Reform would be in a better place had Daschle been running point.
Seriously?  How quickly we forget.  D-Ass-Schill not only didn't pay his taxes, he was deeply involved with the health care lobbyists.  Or as I politiely put it when he finally withdrew from contention:

Toodles! Should have had some decency and left earlier rather than dragging Obama and the Democrats into defending his tax-evading, semi-lobbyist, influence peddling, funded by health care interests ass.

I mean almost the first prominent democrat to give the shaft to the public option as non-essential was none other than Tom Daschle way back in June 2009, right after a poll that indicated 76% of Americans waned a government-run public option as part of health care reform.  This is the guy who would have led us to victory?  I'm just a smidge skeptical.  Granted Sebelius has been ineffective and invisible in the health care reform debate, but at least she's not getting paid by the health care corporate interests like Daschle.  
Of course Sebelius is insignificant by design.  Daschle was chummy with the health care lobbyists by design.  The Administration did not want a vigorous voice for a public option in charge, which why Obama repeatedly passed over Dr. Dean (who I'm still peeved with from the primaries, but was hoping he's be named as head of HHS).  The only consistently strong voice for the progressive position on public option has come from Dr. Dean.  The goal here was to give the power for the Health Care Reform process to a "bipartisan" group of Senators - bipartisan meaning Republican & Republican-er.
Obama came to change the way thing are done in Washington by... doing things exactly the way they've been done in Washington.  Gone are the promises of transparency and health care negotiations taking place via C-SPAN.  Instead we have behind the scenes shady deals with PhRMA that the administration will not even make public what the terms of the deal are.  The Obama administration won't make a strong stand for a public option, but will defend their deal with their lobbyist friends at PhRMA.  Where health care reform stands now is Obama's responsibility.  He chose bipartisanship and compromise and capitulation.  
At least I can't say Obama wasn't honest though.  He promised change, and he gave us change alright.  He's changed so much I barely recognize him. I never bought into the whole Obama-mania, but I seriously never anticipated with a massive mandate via the election, with a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, with the stars aligned to make real progress, that he would fall so short so quickly.  Epic Fail.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/12/pelosi.waterboarding/index.html

Since Senator McCain has taken to making rash policy decisions in the middle of debates to try to get someone, anyone to seriously contemplate voting for him, thought I'd give him a hint about how to earn my vote.

Meet Smokey:

She's an angel only cat and a bundle of joy to be around on those rare occasions that she doesn't have a serious case of catt-itude.  She is kind of extremely spoiled and has PLENTY of toys that I trip over whenever I dare to venture into her space (which is currently defined as my entire apartment).  But a few months ago Smokey decided her new toy was going to be a spool of thread that she happened to knock off my table.

Word to the vast cat-vatar TPM community - cats and thread don't mix.  I took Smokey to the doctor after she didn't eat for two days and found that she swallowed the thread and it was knotting up her intestines.  Emergency cat surgery was needed for her to survive.  The vet stepped out of the room and sent in the Veterinary Assistant with the bill.

Read more »

As I'm sure you are all aware, September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day.  This calls for a post from our very own Pirate_Peet.  Might I recommend some CAPITALIZED EXPERT OPINION on the financial bailout?
Thanks in advance.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/pelosi-clinton-did-face-sexism/

As a Hillary supporter, I've dealt with my share of disappointments this election season.  I know there are many disillusioned and angry Obama supporters right now who may appreciate some tips on working through the anger.  In the spirit of unity, here are my top 5 coping mechanisms:

1. Fleur de Sel Caramel Ice Cream - Haagen Dazs.  Instant nirvana.

2.  Run on treadmill with iPod set to ANGRY.  My personal faves are List of Demands (Reparations) - Saul Williams and Killing in the Name of - Rage Against The Machine set on repeat for 45 minutes (cool down to Eye of the Tiger as always :)).  Alternate with kickboxing class.  Instead of doing your usual visulaizations of the final battle scene in The Karate Kid, picture landing a roundhouse kick to Howard Dean or whomever has offended you most that day.  Bonus - this helps counteract overindulgence of #1.

3.  Come to TPM to express your anger and outrage.  Some would say we should just bottle up my disappointments and sweep them under the rug.  I respectfully disagree. So please engage others and tell them why your so pissed.  Please note engaging in actual dialogue means acknowleding and listening to other points of view so that you can tell them exactly why they are an idiot or assacious.  Verbal body slams and jousting helps us to vent our frustrations in a positive manner.  And sometimes even in disagreement we find common ground in our core beliefs.  Makes you realize that democrats are not as divided as we tought.

4.  Remember what this election is all about: NOT MCCAIN

5.  After you've vented your anger & come to the realization of what's most important, go back to your iPod to the mellow songs and play Love is Stronger than Pride.

I wont pretend that I intend to stop living
I wont pretend I'm good at forgiving
But I can't hate you
Although I have tried
Mmmm

I still really really love you
Love is stronger than pride
I still really really love you
Mm mm mm mm mm

Sitting here wasting my time
Would be like
Waiting for the sun to rise
Its all too clear things come and go
Sitting here waiting for you
Would be like waiting for winter
Its gonna be cold
There may even
Be snow

I still really really love you
Love is stronger than pride
I still really really love you
Love is stronger
I still really love you
Love is stronger than pride

Words: sade adu

Yes, I am pissed at the Democratic party for a host of reasons and this FISA crap adds another layer of outrage, but when it comes down to it I know my party can be better than this.  The FISA vote is a betrayal, but I'll be waiting for the sun to rise after we elect a democratic president and increase our majorities in the House & Senate.  Love is stronger than pride. 

 Howard Dean found out about the horrors of sexism in the media during the campaign at the RBC committee meeting.  Appaently he doesn't watch cable news and was wholly unaware Hillary had been the subject of sexist attacks in the media. Or perhaps now that Hillary's campaign had effectively ended, we could go back to actually speaking out against misogyny and sexism - you be the judge. The actual problem of sexism within the media in the context of the political campaign and is just starting to get the attention it deserved now that Hillary is no longer a candidate. I hope people and especially democrats in time will be able to look at what happened dispassioantely and say is this what a female politician, presidential candidate, public figure should expect?

Below is a link to the NOW website Media Hall of shame, a compliation of the greatest media hits on Hillary in this campiagn season.  Don't be scared to click on it!  I promise it won't make you stop shaving your legs, hate men, or enroll you in Hillaryis44! 

http://www.now.org/issues/media/hall_of_shame/index.html

They are still taking contributions and the list is far from complete, so if your personal favorite sexist moment is missing send you nominees to:

http://www.now.org/issues/media/hall_of_shame/suggestion.html

My personal favorite was Alex Castellanos on CNN saying it is NOT sexist to call Hillary a bitch because.... some women are actually bitches!  I don't know how MSNBC let that stellar commentator get away - you know how MSNBC loves disrespecting women!  I think they are being intentionally sexit to overcompensate for that very feminist MS. before NBC.

For those who denied sexism played any role in the primary campaign, I especially encouage you to view with an open mind and say if the same things are said about Michelle Obama (and believe me they will be) is this acceptable?

There once was a race between three candidates. Hillary was the power walker, Obama was the skate boarder and McCain was McCane on a cane limping because half of his base regarded him with scorn and distrust.  Hillary and Obama left McCain in the dust as they battled for the nomination.  Hillary was speed-walking her way to the lead with her Tony Robbins I Am Inevitable on her walkman.  Obama was the sk8erboi who surprise the powerwalker and came up on her quickly with his Yes I Can will.i.am crap blaring on his iPod.  It was a hard fought race but the sk8erboi won. 

So we forget about the old dude at the beginning of the race, but he has something we were not expecting.... A JAZZY!  The Jazzy is powered by smears and slurs from the GOP smear machine. The Jazzy has no regard for fairness or truth. The Jazzy has no compunctions about mowing us down like it's 3:58 and they simply must make the early bird special before it closes at 4pm. Beware the JAZZY!

If HRC's campaign taught us anything it is that inevitability is NOT our friend.  Even if you believe Obama will win, perhaps it's time to act like we are behind the eight-ball.  Obama excelled in the first half of this campaign because he went everywhere, did not back down from a debate, campaigned as if every vote mattered.  In the second half when Hillary came back, it was precisely because Obama was playing it too cautious.  Playing the inevitability of his delegate lead rather than going to WV, KY, meeting Hillary for debates to woo her voters before the primary ended.  If you look at the polls in WV, Obama is only down 8 against McCain.  How much lower would that lead have been had he actually campaigned in the state and spoken to those voters much as Jesse Jackson did when he campaigned in the hills of Appalachia on a platform of economic prosperity for all Americans?  I repeat inevitability is not our friend.  It makes us complacent and lazy and careful.

For us to have any chance to beat McCain, we need to come together as a party and unite on both sides.  John Kerry battled GWB with Bush's approval ratings sub 50% and a united democratic party behind him.  He lost because the GOP smear machine smeared John Kerry as an un-American, unpatriotic, antimilitary elitist who stole Purple Hearts despite the fact their own candidate hid behind daddy's skirts to avoid the draft.  The American people fell for that crap which does not reflect positively about the intelligence of our country in terms of voting in our own best interests.

There are Hillary supporters for whom this election is much more important than Hillary or Obama - it's about NOT MCCAIN.  Count me in that group.  There are others (20%) who are perhaps more moderate on foreign policy but liberal on economics who are not sold on the authenticity of Obama.  There are others who are still wounded by a party that did not speak up in the face of sexism and misogyny that Hillary faced in this campaign.  Now is not a time for gloating on one side or petulant pouting on the other.  It's time to confront that 20% of HRC supporters and argue why Obama based on policy and facts rather than get over it he's the nominee.   So rather than degenerating into Hillary is so divisive and the devil and even worse the gender based insults that tend to get me so aggravated, try appealing to Clinton supporters with reason.  Think back and figure out why it was they started to support Obama in the first place - whether that be policy or inspiration.  There is nothing less inspiring than being told you have no other choice.  There is nothing less inspiring than being told if you don't agree then you are not one of *us* - us being Democrats.  We cannot win this election divided and it is up to each of us who truly wants to see a Democrat in the White House to clean up this mess.

Hillary took her speech last night to speak for the 18 million people who've supported, campaigned for her and care passionately about her goals. If you take a look at the segment of the speech "What does Hillary want?," it expresses to a tee why I've cared so much about her campaign. It's not about her being the first woman or him being the first African American. It's about those progressive liberal policies that I truly believe in and yes, I am saddened by the fact that with Hillary exiting the race, so goe sthe hopes for truly universal healthcare, aggressive foreclosure prevention policy, and a foreign policy based on aggressive diplomacy.

Obama folks were so angry she didn't concede last night that they couldn't even acknowledge the obvious - there is much common ground in her speech with her and Obama - much more so than McCain.

And Hillary folks were angry because Obama and his campaign would not give Hillary the space to give Hillary and her supporters one night to celebrate her campaign before moving in to the next phase of the election. I hate to use Jesse Jackson as a reference for democratic primary candidates since that would make me a racist, but I do not recall him conceding the race to Dukakis in 1988 before the convention precisely because he wanted influence on the issues of the party platform. Obama's policies can use some progressive liberal influence. We have great hopes of expanding the democratic margins in the House and Senate. Now is the not the time to be safe and timid with our economic policies. If there was ever a time to achieve truly universal healthcare a presidential goal, it is NOW.

In the spirit of unifying the party had I been Obama's campaign, I would have let the voters speak last night in SD & MT rather than pressuring super dels to put him over the top before voting had ended. I would have given Hillary one speech to her supporters to thank them for their dedication to her campaign. I would have taken the Clinton campaign at their word that they were NOT conceding Tuesday night. I would have scheduled this victory rally jointly with Senator Clinton conceding to the delegate lead to him publicly in a campaign rally like last night. THAT would have been a move towards party unity. I regret that is not the way it played out.

I will say this for Obama - his campaign knows how to play harball and has done it to stunning effect. They've demonstrated the Rovian skill to smear and slur and attack without appearing to get their hands dirty (who me sending out memos about the Clinton's being a racist? We would never push the RFK assasination story except in memos to the press! What's in those tax returns?!?!?!) That bodes well for November in that perhaps they can slur McCain as well (he's a nutjob! what's the deal with that black baby! he's senile! his time in captivity made him psycho and not likeable enough!), but in the meantime has left many Hillary supporters angry that the candidate we believed could win and bring the best progressive policies to the table was being unfairly attacked not on substance or policies but on is she likeable enough and is she member of the Klan. The way she has been treated by the Obama campaign and the media has been appalling.

Obviously time is necessary to heal the breach and move forward to November, but I would ask the Obama supporters to go back and take a look at her actual speech rather than just continuing to attack Hillary over and over again which I can say with conviction will just continue to deepen the divides in the Democratic party. Isn't what Hillary wants what we all want?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/us/politics/03text-clinton.html