Obama’s Gesture
By Riverdaughter on August 5, 2008 at 5:00 PM in Barack Obama, DNC, Democracy, Democratic National Convention, Democratic Nomination, Florida, Michigan, Rules and Bylaws Committee
From my blog, The Confluence.
______________________
What have we here? Obama has asked the Credentials Committee to seat Florida and Michigan at full strength? (Read the comments to see how the average reader interprets Obama’s letter.)
I can’t decide what I loathe more: that Obama all but acknowledges he stole the primary or that he assumes that the average Hillary supporter will be in any way assuaged by this obscene gesture of asking the credentials committee to restore full voting rights to Florida and Michigan now that he’s taken his victory lap and then poked us in the eye with his Grand European/Mid-East Tour.
Back when his “magnanimity” would have counted, he would have suffered small hit in his delegate lead and everyone would have been happy and impressed by his sense of fairness to the voters. But back then, no amount of pleading could convince him to ask for such fairness. He couldn’t even be moved to join in a revote effort.
The reason is very clear. Without Florida and Michigan, Hillary’s other states lacked the critical mass of delegates that would have put her on an even footing with him. In fact, if FL and MI had been counted fully from the beginning, it would have been all over by February 5th. Her substantial and decisive wins in FL, MI, CA, NJ, NY, MA, and AZ would have dwarfed his insignificant wins in the western caucuses.
The weightiness of all of those big D and swing states would have had him barely hanging in the race. OH and TX would have finished him off. We all know this. That’s why it was so important for him to screw FL and MI back in February. It doesn’t make them any less screwed now that he’s sent a letter.
No, instead, Hillary was forced to pole vault a 435ft bar all primary season while Obama was allowed to gently ease his way over a knee wall, assisted by a boost up from his friends in the media and the RBC committee. Obama successfully kept these two states out of the tallies until he could get the Rules and Bylaws committee to grudgingly give them half of their voting strength, while at the same time awarding Obama uncommitted Michigan delegates that should have remained uncommitted. And he stole 4 of Clinton’s delegates.
He must think we are really stupid if he thinks we can’t see through this meaningless gesture:
- He still selfishly retains 4 of Hillary’s Michigan delegates. He doesn’t give up a single Michigan delegate that should have remained uncommitted.
- The number of delegates needed for nomination has now changed. It’s a higher threshold number now but there is no acknowledgment that this is the case. Does he even qualify as the “presumptive nominee”?
- Unless there is a nomination for Clinton at the convention, the restoration of Florida and Michigan to full voting strength doesn’t count. They can only vote for one person, Obama, or their votes will count as “present”.
- If the delegates can’t vote for Clinton for nomination, even if she doesn’t win it, there is no way for MY vote in NJ to count. I am officially a non-voting voter as far as the DNC is concerned. My delegate has about as much of a voting right as a Berliner.
- It does nothing to achieve party unity. In fact, there won’t be party unity until every delegate has the right to vote for the person he pledged to and have that vote count. Otherwise, the convention is nothing but a sham, a Potemkin election where everything is scripted and a facade is erected to make it look like we are all onboard when nothing could be further from the truth. But the degree of the disunity will be felt in November when Obama goes down to defeat behind the unpopular party’s nominee.
Why bother, Barack? Are the numbers starting to frighten you? Did you decide you needed Florida and Michigan after all, as if any voter from these two states can’t see through this? How about you give back your ill-gotten booty in Michigan and take off the sash that says “presumptive nominee”? Why not leave it up to the voters in Denver to decide if you deserve that title? It would be the sincere thing to do, the honest thing to do, the courageous and unselfish thing to do.
Yeah, right. Why don’t you just brush those inconvenient Hillary voters off of your shoulder?
about 2 nights ago, middle of the night i sadly saw on cnn a tape of obambi (now) asking for those delegates to be seated.. fk him- words cannot describe how much i hate this prick-
OT
On the race card issue, here’s another one, is he going to claim this also is not him playing the race card?
“Quote of the Day
“If you’ve got Michelle as first lady, and Malia and Sasha running around on the South Lawn, that changes how America looks at itself.”
– Sen. Barack Obama, in an interview with Essence magazine. “
Barack proposed counting Florida and Michigan now because he and the DNC have been busy these last couple of months replacing pledged Hillary delegates with delegates “owned” by Obama. Heads, I win; tails, you lose.
Obama’s Game is:
Heads I Win. Tails I Win too.
No matter who wins the White House the first family will include people of color as John & Cindy McCain’s adopted daughter, Bridget, is from Bangladesh. However, John & Cindy don’t broadcast the fact to win votes or guilt people into voting for them.
Hillary or McCain in 2008!
Not to me does it change how I look at America. I see it as the land where people, families strive to grow and succeed. Maybe it takes three generations like John Adams once wrote, but it can happen. Whenever, Mr. O writes or talks of his blackness or his family’s blackness I am taken aback. I wonder what he is talking about. I have to consciously think of him, his family as black.
Here is the part of the article that was on my mind~It disturbs me because the focus is on one group alone, every race in this country has a racial history, every race. You cannot expect anyone to continue to be supportive of a campaign that directly looks to support one race over others. Yes, I do understand a racial history, and as I have said before we have all suffered for being “different”, in one way or another, however at some point a culture must move forward. That doesn’t mean history is ignored, but it also doesn’t mean one select group requires more than any other. In order to succeed as a country all citizens must have equal value, no matter what history they come from. A poor person is a poor person, lacking the same opportunities as any other poor person, an empty stomach knows no color.
Not being able to be treated for illness because you don’t have the money is also color blind, if you don’t think that’s true, try it.
There are so many points to be made about all this, but truly what I know in my heart, blood is red, tears are clear, pain is heavy but colorless.
Suffering only requires one be a human being.
On Race in This Country:
“I don’t believe it is possible to transcend race in this country. Race is a factor in this society. The legacy of Jim Crow and slavery has not gone away. It is not an accident that African-Americans experience high crime rates, are poor, and have less wealth. It is a direct result of our racial history.”
essence.com/essence/lifestyle/voices/0,16109,1660030,00.html
heres a link the dem leaders dont want you to read, they wouldnt have a reason for you to vote for them!
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Security/Default.aspx?id=203686
tish,
The yellow cake you speak of has been known about all along. It was not discovered. It is left over from Saddam’s original program and was documented.
Bush is not exonerated by this information.
Steven
This is bull. It took the government five years to find yellow cake uranium 12 miles outside of Baghdad? This story makes no sense.
According to Bush and his administration they already found the yellow cake uranium five years ago and that was the justification for war.
Now the story is that they found it five years later?
Okay.
That uranium was accounted for prior to the “invation”. One can read about it in a multitue of UN reports. Scott Ritter spoke about, Richard Butler (UNSCOM) discussed it. As does the Dulfer report, among others.
But who really knows what has happened in the interm. Was it sitting in Iraqi somewhere?
Ignorance piled on ignorance. Take your religious horseshit and stuff it.
Beautifully expressed, Katmoon.
Thanks.
the poll numbers must be looking awful bad.
This was the plan all along - I remember Donna Brazile stating that the full seating could still happen at the convention. Well, here we are.
How in the hell did Donna Brazile get the right to determine this???
I am soo completely done with the Democratic Party, I don’t believe I can ever return. Only if Hillary runs in 2012.
I want Obama, Dean, Brazile, Pelosi, Reid, Kerry gone from the Democratic Party. I detest this group of deceivers.
You don’t need to register as independent and vote with your heart.
Screw the parties they both suck!
That’s what I became just by leaving the dem party. I think I like it better on the outside. It gives one an entirely new perspective.
Bombshell: Stanley Kurtz Discovers Obama’s “Lost” Papers
(Excerpt)
Race
Any rounded treatment of Obama’s early political career has got to give prominence to the issue of race. Obama has recently made efforts to preemptively blunt discussion of the race issue, warning that his critics will highlight the fact that he is African American. Yet the question of race plays so large a role in Obama’s own thought and action that it is all but impossible to discuss his political trajectory without acknowledging the extent to which it engrosses him.
In 2004, a U.S. District Court disallowed the ordinance under which Chicago required the use of at least 25 percent minority business enterprises and 5 percent women’s business enterprises on city-funded projects. In the immediate aftermath of the ruling, Obama and Jesse Jackson were among the prominent voices calling for a black leadership summit to plot strategy for a restoration of Chicago’s construction quotas. Obama and his allies succeeded in bringing back race-based contracting.
No Hispanics Encroaching in Black Areas
When the 2000 census revealed dramatic growth in Chicago’s Hispanic and Asian populations alongside a decline in the number of African Americans, the Illinois black caucus was alarmed at the prospect that the number of blacks in the Illinois General Assembly might decline. At that point, Obama stepped to the forefront of the effort to preserve as many black seats as possible. The Defender quotes Obama as saying that, “while everyone agrees that the Hispanic population has grown, they cannot expand by taking African-American seats.”
http://countusout.wordpress.com/
A couple of nights ago on CNN, Donna Brazile said that Obama can ask for all the delegates to be seated but they only get one half vote each, because
of the DNC “rule is a rule” decision. She said by seating them all the party would create unity??
Yeah, sure……
Someone needs to return the gesture. I think the bird would be appropriate.
Obama changes positions on everything. How can anyone trust him. Has anyone heard about this? A friend told me that her son who is in college plays this new game or whatever, called “Change”. Remember the Bob Newhart show where whenever they said “Hi Bob” people would take a sip of their beers. Well they listen to Obama’s speeches and anytime he says “change” everyone drinks a shot. Guarantee you everyone is smashed within two minutes of the speech.
It infuriates me even more…as if that could be possible. The Obama campaign has missed the call every time when it comes to Hillary supporters. There is absolutely nothing he can do at this point to change his huge miscalculation.
McCafferty now on CNN reporting that Independents on the rise…almost enough to form a third party. Of course, he spins this as bad for the GOP. It will take this election to let them know that it’s disenchanted Democrats that will make the difference. They alluded to it last night in a poll that said Hillary supporters were not coming on board for Barack and that might make the difference in the GE. As said earlier…welcome to the real world, CNN. Ignore us at your peril. In the final analysis, it will be shown that all of you so called MSM were so off base as to be irrelevant.
He ought to write another book titled “Dreams Of My Family”
Or Voices in My Head and Other Names I Go By
ROFL!!!!!!!!!
The Story of O, except its already been used. Then again, that has not stopped him before.
The Story of O Perfect.
Amazon.com description:
“The classic erotic novel, THE STORY OF O relates the love of a beautiful Parisian fashion photographer for Rene. As part of that intense love, she demands debasement and severe sexual and psychological tests. It is a unique work not to be missed.”
Was Oblahblah ever in Paris in drag?
That is a very loaded question, given recent political ads.
Berry Obama was Barry? Who knew!
ROFL
Ferdberfle
Perfect! What a hoot!!
Thank you very much. He always looks as though he’s channeling something/someone when he tries to speak extemporaneously.
“Go to the light” or…
Poltergeist
What is it with him and the “way America looks at itself?” He is obsessed with sticking it to America, this is more bs from Wright’s church. He doesn’t care one bit about the problems or the strengths of America only in anointing himself as the one to change America’s direction. His ‘gesture’ is the epitome of cruelty–yes, he’s an angry, passive aggressive, repressed, rageful sociopath–he and his thugs(yes thugs that makes me a racist bring it on)destroyed the democratic party, for what? To lose in November. He’s worse than Wright, his mentor created a monster and it will be Never when his kids and that racist anti-American wife of his run around the south lawn.
Do you honestly believe that Rev. Wright led Obama down a path he wasn’t already comfortable with personally?
I believe Rev. Wright merely reinforced what the Obamas thought personally.
Therefore, while I find Rev. Wright’s sermons to be despicable–it is the Obamas I hold in higher contempt. They knowingly chose to sit in a church which preached a message of hate they were comfortable with because they share similar views.
It’s true. It is like complaining about a television show, then get up and change the channel or turn off the television if you don’t like it. If you don’t like what is being taught at a church you always have the option to leave. Obama didn’t exercise that option, that was his choice; that is what we are all responsible for our choices, we don’t get to blame others. Free will is a fine thing, it won’t fail you.
No one took away Obama’s free will, he didn’t use it, but I also believe he does this so he can be a blamer, he does that one thing very well. His behavior, generate his actions, which display his choices.
wow….GE numbers must looking very scary…(without the MSM magical Barry glasses on)
I’m cynical.
There is an easy explanation for his gesture.
He can place the blame elsewhere if Hillary’s name isn’t placed for a vote at the convention.
In a “let’s just get along” speech moment, Obama will then be able to say:
“According to the Rules Committee, there is nothing that can be done. While I am just as upset as you over these developments, we must unite to change the rules for the next time.” Or something ridiculous like that.
This gesture as it is being called is more like a Cover Your Own Ass gesture.
Just my opinion on the matter.
It is with the sense of being in a foreign neighborhood that I just wrote to Jay Inslee, my Western WA Super running for re-election that due to his support for OBlowMe in Denver, I must regrettably withdraw my support for his re-election bid and now give my support to his opponent Larry Ishmael, who has not thrown me under a bus or brushed me off his shoulder.
I feel like a stranger in a strange land but oddly emancipated.
Uniting with Obama or the Dems responsible for this fiasc would be like trying to unite with my abusive alcoholic husband. It Ain’t gonna. Happen. Period.
Betrayal, Lies, Cheating and with No remorse?? No way. NOBAMA!
good for you for getting out!
I had this sent to me today. I thought the video said alot about Obama. Can’t wait to see the whole thing.
http://www.phforamerica.com/
Here’s hoping that the MI and FL delegates give their votes to HRC. I hope they were smart enough to play along, but show him that voters rule.
HA! now that would be a gesture, just like the one fingered salute.
And he loses the nomination at the hand of the states he denied.
Also please go over and see Larry’s new site. You can learn alot about Obama and his so called friends.
http://www.larrysinclair0926.com/
It sure would be nice if 18,000,000 people would walk away from the democratic cheating party.
Keep your mind closed and keep listening to only one side, the path to ignorance is all yours.
Sorry this was meant for Mike S. above.
Pretty sad,Obama even had the nerve to have the letter written on Hillary’s web site…Was the letter head also Hillary’s? Oh and where does Obama keep coming up with 56 States, and Territories?
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=7913
Actually, if BO had a ANY brains he would not have posted this on “Hillary’s”
website. All it does is further irritate 18 million people. Perhaps the NYT should have run it.
It is the height of bullshit misogyny. Web Jacked.
ATV/Zogby Poll Toss-Up! McCain 42%, Obama 41% as Undecided Voters Increase…
[ read on ] (8/4/08)
Obama puts a new spin on that old Victorian phrase: “Beneath contempt”. I just received a scathing email from the DNC when I sent in my Puma Pac request that Hillary’s name be put on the rolls at the convention. I can’t tell you how favorably I respond to insults and disdain. Looks like the cabal that now runs the Democratic party will have to be chastened this time around too. Just what is it about this party? I have a suggestion for a new logo for them as they put a entirely novel spin on that old biker phrase: “Born to loose”.
Can you post the letter?
I second that!
Woofie reporting on CNN that Tyra Banks and other black models will be in a photo shoot for Harpers Bazzar (Bizarre) portraying MO and BO in the White (Black) House. Saw one photo of the faux MEchille standing to the side (with important looking papers in her hand!) of the faux Barack sitting in the chair in the Oval Office.
Well, they do do fantasy features all the time. Guaranteed to have a backlash. People are sick of the presumptions of the extreme left…not to mention air heads in the fashion biz.
BARF
Welcome to the Bigtop!
A three-ring circus with nothing but clowns.
Why’d they pick a black model?
That’s RACIST!
Is Urkel Oblowme?
Good grief, this makes me angry. Whatever happened to “rules is rules” and all that crap? Oh, now we suddenly care about equal representation and party unity? Now we want to seat the delegates, now that Obama has gamed the system that is. What a jerk.
Look how these radical leftist have infilitrated the democrat party. It is embarassing watching Obama on stage trying to discuss serious issues. AL I hear is an angry, shrilly attack on republicans for mocking his tire inflation idea. This guy has no humor. Hillary did the work and got no thanks.
Obama did nothing but sat in a church listening to hate for 20 years and got all the praise from democrats. Now his campaign immaturity and his inexperince is on show for all the nation to see. The guy is dropping in the polls and he is shouting at his townhalls. It will be rather ironic if his decision to opt out of campaign finance comes back to bite him after the convention.
Barack Obama gives a good prepared speech. I have said this before but Obama is allowing David Axelrod and David Plouffe to turn him into their little marketing puppet. All these shifting positions in such a short period of time is quite frankly ridiculus. David Axelrod is shameless in making a parody of Obama’s core issues. I have to wonder, is Obama a leader or a follower. Is Obama easily led and manipulated?
David Axelrod has exposed Obama’s indecisive positions on core democrat principles. Sorry but Obama is a puppet politician. I am sorry but I feel very sad for BArack Obama. It truly pains me to see him on stage having no clue how to explain core demoratic priniciples without his telepromter. Obama is regurgitating too many cliches and repeating too much of other people famous lines. HIs most recent atatcks on JM portrayed him as shouting. I want originality from Obama.
The person with the most honor in this is Hillary who continues to rally for him and have shown nothing but respect to all her critics. HRC was in this race for love of country. OBama demsie will not be his race, it is his ego and flippant views that will defeat him.
Can the most powerful nation in the world be led by someone whose views are so unprincipled?
Nader/Mccain 2008, HRC 2012.
It’s obvious that Obama has views and values, he just knows that if he admits what they are he won’t get to white house.
When Obama is officially coronated as POTUS in January 2009, you’ll see the real Obama. Once in office, Obama can fly any mandates past the current spinless Dems in in Congress. Some of us in those swings states will not forget how are votes were stolen and diminished to give Obama a few freebies just in time.
Straight ticket Republican this year for me and I don’t care what sweet Mikie calls me for saying it. When Democrats aren’t democratic anymore, it’s time to rethink priorities and show my party resistance for attempting to silence the voice of many.
PUMA
McCain 08
The Dems are hurting. I just recieved the second call in days asking me to come help at the local Dem Office. I told them never as long as Barry remains the candidate.
I am in a strong democratic part of Ohio. Barry is TOAST here. I really can’t see it any other way.
What if there is a nomination for Clinton at the convention?
How empty would his “gesture” be then?
Look at Page 16 of the 2008 Convention Rules. What is there to keep Hillary Clinton from being nominated from the floor–provided she’s willing to accept being nominated?
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:jgT0TJaGb8oJ:s3.amazonaws.com/apache.3cdn.net/c313170ef991f2ce12_iqm6iyofq.pdf+%22democratic+national+convention%22+rules+nomination&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us
I believe he can replace the delegates from FL and Michigan as well, get rid of the delegates that were for Hillary with his own, remove one whole vote with a half a vote….
You seem to attribute some fairly amazing powers to a guy you think of as nothing more than an ineffectual empty suit.
“Pledged delegates reflect the preferences of voters but are not actually legally bound to vote for the candidate they represent. However, since candidates may remove delegates who they feel may be disloyal, the delegates generally vote as pledged.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)_presidential_primaries,_2008
Yeah. Generally. They’re not legally bound to do so.
If Michigan and Florida are fully restored, who’s been removed that you know of?
Like I said. This is more than an empty gesture.
By removed is meant replaced. You’re right, it is more than an empty gesture: it is an empty gesture with a middle finger behind it. Now go back to your comic world, obamaziggybot.
Have any Clinton delegates in Florida, Michigan, or anywhere else been replaced?
Do you really think Obama could risk doing that just before the convention vote and get away with it? The results would be politically disasterous for him.
What’s with you people? An opportunity presents itself, and you dump all over it because Obama is willing to endorse letting it happen?
Surely the PUMA people are taking a close look at what this development might mean. If they’re not, they’re completely nuts. Up until now it’s seemed like they actually had a pro-Clinton agenda–not just an anti-Obama agenda.
There was just a post about a woman in WI.
Yeah. Debra Bartoshevich, a democratic delegate from Wisconsin who publicly announced she was supporting the election John McCain in November, was officially removed as a delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
http://www.hillaryclintonforum.net/discussion/showthread.php?t=21273
What a shocker. I’m totally astonished at the injustice.
Oh ziggy you don’t get it I am one of those Florida voters, his gesture is way too little way way too late. PANDERING A LITTLE ARE WE!!!
I just John McCain addressing the crowd at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Take the challenge: Can you watch it without cringing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK-LEyyf7d4
Then we’ve got John making a pitch for nuclear power at Fermi 2–sister to the Fermi 1 reactor that nearly nuked Detroit. Good choice of venues for that particular message.
You’re sure you want this guy to be Commander in Chief?
You need to pull your head out and do some homework.
Ziggy, quit with the star dust…please?
Take Jimbo’s advice.
GWB got elected twice, so it is possible. Good analogy, huh.
As per Katmoon’s statement:
That was my understanding, too. Hillary’s delegates will be replaced with BO supporters, so the gesture is absolutely empty. Like the man and his campaign.
I have a gesture for Obama, a one finger salute.
A previous poster named “youdontownme” harkened me back to a favorite song of mine from the 60’s…
Super Delegates’ Song
(Adapted from Lesley Gore)
You don’t own us, we’re not just one of your many whims
You don’t own us, don’t say we can’t vote for other Dems
And don’t tell us what to do
And don’t tell us what to say
And please, if we’d campaign for you
Don’t put us on display, ’cause
You don’t own us, don’t try to change us in any way
You don’t own us, don’t tie us down ’cause we’d never stay
Oh, we don’t tell you what to say
We don’t tell you what to do
So just let us speak as Dem’s
That’s all we ask of you
PUMAS were Dem’s and believed our own infinity
We voted and proved our might
To improve ALL lives for humanity
And to say and do what we thought was right
A-a-a-nd don’t tell us what to do
Oh-h-h-h don’t tell us what to say
And please, if we’d campaign for you
Don’t put us on display
We should tell you what to say
Oh-h-h-h should tell you what to do
So just let Hillary be her own way
That’s all we ask of you
We were Dem’s and loved being Dem’s
We’re still free and love to be free
To vote the way we were meant to be
Bravo, wll done thank you!
Riverdaughter, thanks for the read.
Never has a candidate created such divisions within his own party. During the Iowa primary, Joe Biden used to
look out at the crowd of bused-in from Chicago Obama armtwisters and shout, “Hello, Chicago.” Since Obama has no record of doing anything good for most of the people in his district (poorer blacks) were these the Hyde Park “liberals”?
Gaming the caucuses is what got Obama as far as he got, that and the fact that he is the vessel for the Dean Plan–no national name recognition, no record, arrogant, a cipher, able to win over the so-called Web influentials such as former Republican Huffington of HuffPoop and Markos of DailyObama. The perfect product for Axelrod (Daley’s ad man) to sell. He could even re-use the Hope+Change(TM) campaign that got Deval Patrick elected (another unqualified).
Obama is a Manchurian candidate. Now the Dems have their own arrogant, empty suit.
I am so done with that party.
Rise, Hillary, Rise! If God is on our side, she’ll win by
some miracle, but I think it is the end of this empire, and Obama is just a reflection of no real 4th Estate, corporate bottom-lining of everything, money making by selling houses to each other while China pays our bills, the demise of public education, the disintegration of our infrastructure.
Nancy P. does have a Soros connection in a bank that will benefit with Obama in office. It will be the Halliburton of rebuilding our infrastructre. Lots of $$$$$$$$.
I’ll vote mccain, just to stick it to Dean and his puppet!