An Open Convention in August Protects Democracy
By Ani on July 4, 2008 at 3:35 PM in Barack Obama, DNC, Delegates, Democracy, Democratic National Convention, Disenfranchisement, Hillary Clinton, IOwnMyVote.com
As reported by Marc Armbinder, at a meeting of Hillary’s fundraisers last Thursday, Senator Obama was asked if he would accept a roll call vote at the Convention. His response, according to a participant:
“Hillary and I are going to negotiate this thing and talk about it, and obviously we’re going to do what is right for the party. We’re all going to make sure we agree.”
There is nothing to negotiate. To remove anyone’s name from the ballot is not legal or moral. Senator Clinton has more than earned the right, in the closest Democratic Primary in history, to have her name put forth into nomination on the first ballot at the Democratic Convention and have a roll call vote.
This is about respect. Respect for 18,000,000 voters, and respect for the pledged delegates whose allegiances were assigned based on the votes cast over the last six months.
Achieving true democracy takes courage. If Senator Obama is truly the ‘uniter’ he claims to be, he would never want his fellow Senator’s rights to be negotiated away.
He would be absolutely committed to respecting all of Senator Clinton’s voters as much as he respects his own. After all, isn’t the eventual goal a Democratic administration? Unity stems from fairness. Not backroom deals or untoward pressure for a powerful opponent to bow out.
The is where The Denver Group comes in, an organization dedicated to ensuring that all delegates can vote on the first ballot as originally pledged, Super Delegates are free to vote their conscience, and most importantly, where both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton’s names are on the ballot. No coronations, thank you.
It certainly looks as though Senator Obama’s campaign fears a roll call vote at the Convention. Given all the gaffes and dustups and policy flip-flops of the last three weeks, I can understand why.
The DNC cannot afford to ignore Senator Clinton’s voters any longer by pretending her name should not be put forth. Even Howard Dean, who only had 130 delegates pledged to him in the 2004 primary, had his name on the first ballot.
While Chairman Dean has made some vague rumblings that this will be an open convention, we have seen that the DNC may not be as committed to the rules as they pretend. Perhaps voters need to both remind and pressure them to do what they know is right. In this regard, the almighty dollar speaks louder than anything else.
Senator Clinton has endured misogyny and bias at the hands of the media. Sometimes, the only way to break through that bias is to get our own message across in the media and one of the best and most reliable ways is to buy it.
Fundraising is not my favorite thing, but three months ago, I was still a “lurker” and not a “blogger”. Until two weeks ago, I had never put a guest post on a site such as this one. I am finding a new comfort with many things. The loud cries we are hearing in the blogosphere, and the resulting movement growing by the day, demonstrates a power that is hard to ignore. A friend said to me today that a full page ad in the Washington Post will send a bigger message to the DNC than 100,000 letters. An ad says money and since The Denver Group cannot accept corporate or union donations, grass roots assistance from everyone out there will send a very powerful message indeed as to the number of voters standing together to achieve one goal.
Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Donna Brazile will hear my message loud and clear – they will know how many donors like me it took to have a full page “voice” in the Washington Post or a 30-second TV spot. Imagine if millions of supporters gave even as little as $5 to the cause. That’s a war chest that will make the DNC sit up and take notice. Money equals power in a situation like this one.
I am not content to restrict myself to writing letters to the DNC or expressing my disappointment privately. Taking action on behalf of The Denver Group is one of the best ways for me to insist that democracy not be taken away.
I will not be disenfranchised. My vote did and does count. I want my voice to be heard. I stand with and will contribute to The Denver Group to make sure that it will be heard loud and proud at the Democratic Convention in August.
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Editor’s Note: Don’t miss this week’s NQ Radio Interview — The Denver Group.” You’l also find more links related to The Denver Group.
There is nothing to negotiate. Hillary deserves to be on the first round ballot- case closed. Obama is not thinking of the Democratic party- he is thinking of HIMSELF and ONLY HIMSELF. This has been his campaign message- YES I CAN. He is the most arrogant individual in politics today- I find this so appalling- that he would try to make the rules for himself. Sounds like Tricky Dicky Nixon politics to me. Unbelievable- especially on this July 4 when we are supposed to be celebrating our democracy. This man wants to take it away.
That’s all the Obamas ever think about - themselves. That goes for Michelle as well as Barry. His arrogance is truly intolerable. What is it going to take for Hillary to back off and let him fend for himself?
http://www.TheOtherDemocrats.com
The only way to achieve this goal is to relaunch the Boston Tea Party (as I keep suggesting) and dump tea on the steps of the DNC headquarters. They are not going to respond to letters or reason, but only to shame and public repudiation for their tyranny. The next few weeks are probably all we have left to save this country from another 4-8 years of ruin. Retiring Sen. Clinton’s debt should not be a priority and a protest at the convention will be nothing more than a protest at the convention.
Instead, we should be running an ad in the Wash Post (as I keep suggesting) and explaining the absurdity of Florida and Michigan having their delegates stripped for voting 1-2 weeks early, when superdelegates got to “vote” 3 months early. The argument is so basic that Americans get it. They will support us now, but not later, when the media is comparing the protest in Denver to the one in Chicago in 1968.
By stopping business as usual at the DNC - until they back down on their coup de tat and bring Clinton’s campaign back online - we can only WIN. She can then announce she’s running as an Independent in order not to aggravate the African American community by challenging Barack, and then a no-budget, grassroots campaign will take her over the top. This is so within our grasp, while retiring a $20 million debt is not.
As long as our candidate continues to endorse Obama, we have no prayer. (For an article on the people behind Obama’s candidacy, please click on my screen name.) Also please join this campaign to get Congress to investigate media bias.
http://www.thecityedition.com/Pages/Archive/Winter08/MediaPushbackCampaign.html
All 20 of you.
We have fork lifts now.
Your IP address says your not in the UK, are you lying about being from England or did your fellow Brits wise up and deport your sorry pale ass?
My IP address confirms I am in the UK.
We never had any doubt you were in Underachievers Kindergarten. We’re just happy you have a place to call home.
Interesting, cause sitemeter doesn’t show anyone in the UK right now, unless you’re one of the Unknowns.
Maybe UK works for a financial institution. Wonder why he would care so much about our quaint little democracy?
If you’re in London, perhaps we can arrange for one of my friends from Islington to take you for a long walk.
Figured as much since so many of your posts would have been ocurring during the middle of the night BST.
My guess is your in your Mom’s basement someplace in…erm, New Jersey.
UK, If you would spend more time on your own affairs, maybe Tony Blair wouldn’t have been George Bush’s lap dog!!!
UKforDems, to quote one of my favorite soccer songs, is “Dead from the neck up.”
He’s wprking hard as an Obamabot sp that he can a shirt with a color that matches the stain in his shorts.
He’s convinced that “UK” makes you think that he is a europeeing his pants to get an Obama presidency to restore US standing in the world. He doesn’t realize we’re just thinking about our own future!
Try 2 million of us at the moment–that’s a one month number. Add 2 more months, more disaffected and disenchanted Hillary supporters, MSM advertising, and additional Obama shifts and gaffes and then we’ll talk about PUMA power and its relevancy in Denver.
Until then, sit on it!
PUMApower.org
What is there to negociate? I can not believe that we have to change all the rules and laws to fit Hussien Obama’s wishes and demands so that he can get elected. who the hell he think he is? It has been always the rule, and there should not be any exception. Any candidate who wishes to be on the roll call can do so without getting permission from the so called presumptive nominee! who is he ? a dictator?
who the hell he think he is?
Haven’t you heard? Rules are for little people.
What is there to negociate? I can not believe that we have to change all the rules and laws to fit Hussien Obama’s wishes and demands so that he can get elected. who the hell he think he is? It has been always the rule, and there should not be any exception. Any candidate who wishes to be on the roll call can do so without getting permission from the so called presumptive nominee! who is he ? a dictator?
Here is a document that should be presented to all the delegates before the convention and posted on the doors of every democratic headquarers by Monday:
http://annabellep.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/declaration-of-objections/#comment-294
THE DECLARATION OF OBJECTIONS!
Check out this link, print out the document, and post, email and distribute!
Check out this article - link it - laugh like mad.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/06/clinton-suppo-1.html
UK, I heard the gas in your country is $10.00 a gallon; How’s that working for you?
No, haven’t you heard. Carmakers in England have developed a new alternative enegry to power automobiles, hot air. Yeah, UK is actually one of the UK’s newest millionaires! He has the largest personal reserve of hot air in the British Isles.
LOL
He takes the tube. And he is thrilled. He loves socialism. It suits him just fine.
Actually I despise Socialism; in the UK I vote Conservative. Our Conservatives are not religious war mongering nut jobs, unlike McWar. You lot make the BNP (our equivalent of the KKK) look moderate. However at least you showed how strong you really were the other day. TWENTY. So so funny.
ROFLMAO BOBOweenies always showed up to the Medicine show a thousand times stronger then any one else. LOL and BOBO still got only half the votes.
So funny that they didn’t have Obomba’s infamous buses to pick up the people in different states in order to drive them. The working class can’t afford to show up at every protest or rally because they have fucking jobs, you stupid ponce.
I saw the Georgetown University law school buses at the May 31 RBC meeting, in the parking lot. They bused Obamabots in using gray GU buses. Hope the university got paid for their vehicles.
They are scared SHITLESS that if there is a Roll Call Vote, a Roll Call Revolt might occur. They know just how dangerous the ground they are treading on is and they want to protect their selectident at all costs.
This people are not democrats, they are fanatics who want to supress all dissent.
Immoral, Illegal, and Downright Dirty.
I wonder what Donna’s Mamma taught her about cheating lying stealing and subverting the process to justify the ends.
i sent donna a letter and asked her about how she felt and said about the same thing you stated above. she told me she was turning me over to a hate monotoring group…..lol, screw her, she is a cheater.
That seems to be “their” response if we don’t, won’t or can’t vote for snObama — RACIST.
Donna the Racists Brazile is the one who is the racist — I’ll bet she also goes to a racist church.
And this isn’t “reverse” racist — their hatred is of a whole group of individuals based on skin color. THIS is racism.
The are more reasons NOT to vote Obama than to vote FOR Obama — it is a simple game of numbers — he has very high negatives.
And on this 4th of July — I say he’s NOT patriotic and he is a security risk!
A hate monitoring group? Are you serious? So, anyone that disagrees with Donna and the Rules Committee is also a racist? Who do these people think they are?!
It is not a question of suppressing dissent. Every RNC Convention that has led to victory has been a model of unity. That Unity has been strictly enforced. Every DNC Convention has had some kind of fight. Get rid of the fights and win.
The reality is you lot do not want him to win so there are no lessons here.
It took you thins long to realize we don’t want BOBO elected? LOL was it a time zone thing for you or was it that we are two peoples separated by a common language?
Yeah. “Fights.” Like threatening to riot in the streets …. Democracy should never be compared to the RNC. We have always believed in votes. Well. We used to. BO … Before Obama.
And what is it to you, anyway? Worry about your own politics and stay out of ours. Anyone who wants Obama in the WH is an enemy of this country.
The reality is you lot do not want him to win so there are no lessons here.
No shit, Sherlock.
Well, that seems pretty obvious. The outrage is that the rest of the Dem leadership is supporting Brazile’s undemocratic agenda. Never vote for any of them, ever.
Obama must have fired his paid bloggers.
They used to moniter this site to be the first to post. I have also noticed on another website I visit (not political) that the rabid Obama bloggers are not longer there defending him and trashing Clinton (or McCain now).
What I have noticed is that now that these paid bloggers are no longer ebullying people from the other website I visit, 80% of the comments from regular people are negative towards Obama.
sorry for the typos.
Then you must not be on the Orange Monster. They’re still there and as vicious (and blind) as ever. Actually, I think it’s one of the most racist sites on the web, thanks to the Obamazombies.
This is why
It’s true, we Hillary supporters don’t do the whole mindless masses thing very well.
True, we are not mindless followers and are not a mob.
Information suppression. Do you know that we go to the BBC for actual news about what happens here in the US? Amazing that you are citing ABC …. do you not receive the BBC?
I would rather become a close minded sheet wearing extremist PUMA supporter than rely solely on the BBC (or any single news network for that matter)
LOL from your monolog we pretty sure you get tangled up in the sheets. Hopefully your bathroom isn’t to far away during the night.
20 minutes …??? are we down to a NY minute?
UKforDems
Don’t you have enough problems in the UK, I am sure that youe “insiteful” comments could be of more benifit there,judging from what I read about the problems in your goverment. Thanks for NOTHING
Listen A-Hole, you guys didn’t do such a great job with your colonies, or fact of the matter, dealing with Hitler..Its just not Hillary women supporters, either! Hispanic, Asian, yes, even some Blacls who have seem thru the puppet and men who will not vote for the controlled, blaclmailed, compromised, closet Homosexual. Nothing against gays, just not another crack-addicted blackmailed, controlled idiot in the W/H. Not butt out, meathead.
I haven’t witnesses this myself, but if it is occurring, it may be a result of the short piece in the NY Times about Blogger and the Obama trolls harassing people. They may have wanted to prevent any fall-out.
What? The NYT FINALLY acknowledged B.O. Troll harassment?
Which issue? I have to see this.
All the paid bloggers are over at Taylor Marsh. They’re all talking to themselves, hardly any real Democrats go there anymore, now that she’s writing stuff like “Obama’s hardest fight was winning (?) the nomination. He has trouble appealing to partisans because he’s not partisan. (?????)
Whatever. I think she’s getting paid by the Obama campaign to push him.
Wonder how much Soros dangled under her nose.
TM lost herself and her original goals trying to jump on what she assumed would be a winning bandwagon. I was very sorry to see this.
I think, unfortunately, she is now paying the price for this disingenuous behavior.
Time to STOP thinking about tomorrow, assholes.
Yesterday`s gone
Yes-ter-day`s gone.
Hey! Everyone check their shoes… I smell shit in the room!!
at least get the lyrics right dummy:
Dont stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Dont stop, itll soon be here,
Itll be, better than before,
Yesterdays gone, yesterdays gone.
Thunder only happens when it’s raining
Players only love you when they’re playing
Women, they will come, and they will go
When the bus rolls over you, you’ll know
hope floats,
roflmao
More BS from BO!
There’s nothing to negotiate. EXACTLY!
Throughout this primary, he hasn’t done anything honorable. Fear of losing is why he’s always “negotiating”.
If the obama campaign had their way, only Bacrackhead Obullshit would be on the ballot in the general election. Just like in his first successful senate race in Illinois where he disenfranchised the voters and got his opponent kicked off the ballot by contesting every signature until there were not enough to allow her on and no time for the opponent to contest his dirty politics.
Yup. Tried to push Hillary out, couldn’t do it, trashed the greatest Democratic legacy since FDR and now he has to pander to Repugs because Democrats won’t vote for him. He’s so vile.
Correction. He got rid of 3 opponents in the same manner, not just one. He’s an a**hole to the nth power. A black woman, I grew up in the James Brown “I’m black and I’m proud” era. This guy makes me ashamed to be black!!
If they don;t honor and proceed by the rules, then there WILL be riots in Denver.
They can get away with it at caucuses, but HOW can they legally get away with this in the Convention????? WTF??! WHAT country is this again???!
We now live in the United Marxist States of Obama….Apparently.
…and DNC now stands for the DARE NOT CHALLENGE party!!
Legally - these are Party selection rules and the Party chooses how to select a Candidate. The election is November.
Care to state the law?
Law? Fact? Rules? they don’t need no stinking facts!
hi i just wanted to say i am glad that you are spending so much time on these message boards blowing the hopium smokerings as it limits any potential procreation time for you.
I’m gay and have an enjoyable active sex life.
Got a crush on Obama?
It’s all beginning to make sense now…
It’s America, the new banana republic.
So, what is the news about Denver? Are there planned demonstrations as of yet?
I hear PUMA is already reserving 500 buses to go there.
Given the size of the last demo - that means 25 buses per person. I trust that to offset that carbon wastage you will be planting trees.
Ha Ha Ha Ha… BOBO has a problem with scale too.
i’m planning to be there, along with my sister.
Just saw over on huffandpuffpo that Oblahblah is thinking of giving his nomination speach at Invesco Field.
My, all the little Brownshirts will have such a good time.
this guy’s ego knows no bounds, and what is scary is that he might actually be able to fill the place up. i’m sorry, but there is something not rational going on when that many people feel the need to come see a half term senator with no real accomplishments to his name who talks like a WWF wrestler hogging the mic before a match. the term “cult of personality” comes to mind. if Obama is the best the democratic party has to offer, we are screwed indeed.
I’ve been beat up fighting for Civil Rights in the ’60s, gased protesting Vietnam war and Nixon… and I have NO qualms “getting mad” at the convention in Denver…
Enough is enough!
sjc, I wish I can physically join you at Denver. I pray the media will not print the low number of attendance, just when they reported 20 protestors at a recent event for Hillary & Obama.A single opposition’s voice is louder than none.
My thoughts and spirit will be with you all at Denver.
Barack Hussein Obama (his parent’s gave him that name)was shown at last night’s CNN : He was talking of making a extreme make-over for the White House! He said he was undecided whether to take down the flat TV in the Lincoln Room!
Obama is the MOST ARROGANT person I’ve seen.He gave me a nightmare.
HILLARY OR MCCAIN ‘08
President Barack Obama. Two term Democrat President.
Enjoy.
Ha Ha Ha Ha the fringe conservatives would say democrat president too.
Maybe in Second Life. Not in the real world, sweetie!
Margaret Thatcher–five term PM for UK. Enjoy!
Funny, my English friends tell me all the indigenous white people in England are leaving in droves to go to U. S. and Spain because they’re so racist toward the ethnic immigrants coming into England.
Maggie - a bit too old now but certainly better than Bliar.
As for emigration - well you only talk to bigots and Tesco can sell them some extra value white sheets.
Look at the bright side. It won’t be long before you have it all to yourself.
Please post a link to that. Thanks.
I saw it on Hannity & Colmes last night as well. And it was Colmes who said it; not Hannity.
http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/03/is-it-time-for-a-lincoln-bedroom-makeover/
Are you serious? Did that asshat really say that?
I meant about bo redecorating the white house.
DENVER. PUMA.
The biggest problem is her delegates are being strong armed and threatened and bribed to abandon her and for “unity” bs, to support him with their first vote even if pledged to her.
There will be a roll call or else there will be anarchy and chaos. Some of her supporting delegates would walk out in protest and it would not be good PR for the DNC to have delegates chanting PUMA!
July and August will continue to open peoples eyes as they focus on ob. The SD’s can flip any time.
And yes, his attitude all along has been condescending, he has acted as though he grants her permission to breathe. He LET her remain in the primary race, he acted as if he had control to stop her when it wasn’t his call. He always was running a power trip and usurping her power. Arrogant sham.