Rabbits Birthing Rabbits

Being Fair To Justin Krebs

"You just met me!"

That was him saying meeting many times is not what does it, or you have met me many many times, and nothing has happened. Take this guy with you right now. It is okay this is the first meeting.

He is like. I am your friend. I will move you from Brooklyn to Manhattan. I will engineer a step-up for you. This is a banker lady. She floats in money. You don't look like no banker to me.

Krebs is a political entrepreneur extraordinaire. Rabbits birthing rabbits, that is his organization.

First day he saw me, he ordered pizza for everybody when he saw me eat hot dogs, and we had not even talked yet. Besides, how did he find out I am kind of crazy about pizza? But by the time pizza got there, I had had three hot dogs, so I was not able to eat the pizza. It felt like such a missed opportunity. I felt stupid. Damn those hot dogs. I never saw him do that again: order pizza for everybody.

And for the longest time I did not know he was a Harvard guy. Like for months. Then one day an Indian college friend of his shows up, a doctor now in Memphis, just passing through town. I gravitate to the only other Indian. We talk. He says he is a friend of Justin. I am not impressed. That is what people say in this town to impress you. Oh, hello, I am a friend of Justin.

Then he says he is a college friend. That got my attention. Really? And where was that?

"Harvard."

"Justin went to Harvard!?" I said in mock disbelief.



My Third World People Don't Get To Vote In This City

I am a Third World guy, that is who I am. That is my identity for this lifetime. I think about deaths on a daily basis. Deaths to stupid violence, petty disease. My company's mission statement is to do with the fact that it is the internet that will bridge the gulf between the so-called First World, and Third World.

There was a lone Chinese guy at the Irish Rogue debate watch that I mention in my previous post, he was sitting all alone, so I approached him. And he says, hi, I am a friend of Justin. I had never seen him before, have not since.

Being Fair To Dan Berger

How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head

One day I got an email from Dan Berger. Hello, this is Dan Berger from DL21C - as if I would mistake him for any other Dan Berger - can I have your number, I needed to call you up. He got my number but never called me up.

I think that was after I had shared Barack's Harvard Law classmate story with Caputo over email. I met Terrence Yang at the Texas debate watch party. He was with an Indian friend of his. "Meet Samir."

Who is this guy Dan Berger, and why is he so unusual?

Berger was saying. It was not a banker thing. It was a DL21C thing. You are a weird guy who shows up for all DL21C events but refuses to join the organization. She asked for your number, I asked for your number.

The Jewish Identity In New York City

At the NYU event, I was making small talk to Berger. So if Hillay were to become president, do you think Rangel will become Senator? I did not realize Elizabeth had come to stand next to me by then. Berger did.

"I am hot!" he said. As in, you are trying to show off to me that you are a hot guy.

Why else would Caputo come stand next to me other that I am a hot guy?

Being Fair To Liz

I am talking to Lee Motayed, this young Indian woman. In front of me is a chair. On that chair is Liz' bag. She comes and gets it and walks to some other part of the room. It is called right to private property. That is my bag on that chair, and I can pick it up.

I think I misunderstood.

At the 2006 victory party, Caputo did the exact same thing to me. I did not see her put her bag near me. But I did see her pick it up and take it away. I said, oh, hey. She did not respond. She was mad.



Online Autobiography: Being Fair To Me

Autobiography

I don't think I could have thought in terms of a relationship, or even my company if I had not spilled it all out. I needed that to become whole again, something ongoing. I needed to get stuff out of the system.

I am guilty of some random lashing out at random white guys. Sometimes I have a valid reason to do so, sometimes I don't. It is better to work further on the online autobiography than to engage in random lashing. I am going to lash stronger for valid business and political moves. So I should save the energy and not go after potential allies and friends.

This is a progressive city, the progressive capital of the world. We are all progressives around here.

Being Fair To Mike Lupinachi

What he did at the Rangel event, and at the event after that: that was poetry. Pollak pulled the same poetry at the December Baby party. Cordelia walked over to me for two seconds at that party. She is here!

Being Fair To Lewis Cohen

Lewis Cohen, the DFNYC grand wizard. At the Washington governor event, I said to him, "Lewis Cohen, important guy!" He really liked that. This guy is saying I am an important guy.

Bobby

Bobby Jindal became governor of Louisiana. DL21C did an event with a Louisiana Senator not long after. The beginning and the end of that event was a little unpleasant to me, end more than beginning.

Moral of the story is, Caputo's Republican opponent is going to be Jindal.

But don't mistake me for Bobby. I am better looking. My name is not Anglo. I am a Buddhist. I converted to Buddhism in Bible Belt Kentucky. I am a progressive. Bobby never ignited a French Revolution, so you could say I am smarter.

Some day I am going to say to the Indians of the world, if the idea is to take pride in an Indian, why can't you take pride in me? Why do you need Bobby?

But the split second shouting match with Berger was good for me. Getting angry was an icebreaker. Otherwise I was getting socially ossified. I should get angry more often. Vent it, just vent it.


Small Town

You know 50 people and you know all the progressives in town. You meet some of the same people over and over again.

Weak Social Muscles

That has been the price to pay for some amazing 2.0 work.

The Clinton Dynasty

Hillary dispatched hubby Bill to South Carolina. Obama won that state in a landslide. Hillary dispatched daughter Chelsea to Hawaii. The landslide there was bigger.

I am thinking the Clintons as a political dynasty are overrated. What do you think?

The Kennedys on the other hand have oomph. Look what Caroline and Ted endorsements did to Obama 08. We have not had to look back since.

Ohio

Everybody thinks we will take Texas.

I am thinking we will take Ohio as well. The momentum is so obvious. Besides, I am gonna be there.

Going To Ohio
Rabbits Birthing Rabbits

In The News

Hillary Should Get Out Now Newsweek to withdraw this week would be the best thing imaginable for Hillary's political career ...... In Pennsylvania, which votes on April 22, the Clinton campaign did not even file full delegate slates. That's how sure they were of putting Obama away on Super Tuesday. ....... It's time to stop overlearning the lesson of New Hampshire. .... He has brought up his game so sharply ...... the odds of Hillary's looking bad on March 4 are high ..... the Clintons approach power the way hard-core gun owners approach a weapon—they'll give it up only when it's wrenched from their cold, dead fingers ..... These are the same loyalists who told Hillary that she was inevitable, that experience was a winning theme, that going negative in a nice state like Iowa would work, that all Super Tuesday caucus states could be written off. The Hillary who swallowed all that will never withdraw. ...... She described what "an honor" it was to be in a campaign with Barack Obama, and seemed to mean it.
Nepal government hopeful of end to ethnic unrest AFP In Nepal, hill-origin elites dominate local and national government as well as the security forces.
Utah's superdelegates having second thoughts in light of Obama ... Salt Lake Tribune Obama's commanding victory in Utah's Feb. 5 vote has softened their support for Clinton. Obama, who is considered the front runner after winning 11 contests in a row, took 57 percent of the vote in Utah to Clinton's 39 percent. ..... the excitement of an Obama candidacy will boost the chances of Utah Democrats running in state races. ...... Obama has picked up 25 superdelegates in the past two weeks, while Clinton has lost two
Superdelegates Are Flocking to Obama The Associated Press
Superdelegates switching allegiance to Obama Guardian Unlimited
Democrats focus on Ohio as Clinton denies looming defeat AFP
Ohio, Texas Uphill Climbs for Clinton The Associated Press independents and crossover Republicans are welcome to vote in their Democratic primaries. .... The political calendar of late winter has been less than kind to the embattled presidential contender, who once figured that a big day in early February would affirm her march to the presidential nomination and the rest would be icing. Instead, it's been slippery ice at every turn ..... Among independents, Obama is leading Clinton by 14 percentage points in Ohio and by 13 in Texas ... In the 22 contested Democratic primaries so far, independents made up 22 percent of the vote and they supported Obama by an overwhelming margin of 64 percent to 33 percent. Crossover Republicans, a far smaller percentage in the Democratic primaries, backed him 55-33. ..... the kind of grunt work where Obama's forces have excelled ...... Clinton's lead in Ohio polling has slipped into single digits, less than half of what it was only weeks ago. .... The awarding of half a delegate comes from expatriate and U.S. territorial Democratic contests.
Clinton Soldiers On Despite Setbacks Washington Post
Clinton: "Shame on You, Barack Obama" CBS News Clinton slammed Obama and his campaign for distributing mailings to Ohio voters attacking Clinton’s universal health care plan and her position on NAFTA. ..... Meet me in Ohio and let’s have a debate about your tactics and your behavior in this campaign
Clinton on the ropes: How she got there Seattle Times She had everything going for her. The most famous name in politics. A solid lead in the polls. At least $133 million. ..... an unusually gifted speaker with a face that appeals deeply to the Democratic Party. He also had a better-organized campaign. ..... She chose an inexperienced campaign manager, crafted a message that didn't match the moment, fielded poor organizations in key states, and built a budget that ran dry when she needed money most. ...... "To think that someone named Clinton with $130 million could end up here is amazing" ....... the New York senator has fallen awfully far awfully fast. .... she'll be a heavy underdog in Mississippi and delegate-rich North Carolina. ..... "He is a once-in-a-generation politician." ..... Starting with Iowa, Clinton was outhustled and outorganized in almost every state that had caucuses rather than primaries. ...... "They seemed to give up on organization," one Democratic strategist said. "To lose every caucus but Nevada is to say we do not care about organization. ...... "There was never any concept of how South Carolina should be addressed in terms of identifying voters and getting them out. The skill set of people in the Clinton campaign was pretty low, and there was no central guidance or direction. They had plenty of resources; money wasn't a problem. They just didn't execute." ..... Worse, Clinton and her husband, former President Clinton, hit Obama heading into the South Carolina primary in terms that struck many African Americans as racially charged. ...... "They blew up in South Carolina," said a white Democrat who worked in the Clinton White House. "It changed everybody's perceptions of them." ..... he's a better speaker. He has a better speech ..... "Bill Clinton had people who had run campaigns. Patti and Maggie were there by virtue of their personal loyalty, not their campaign experience." ..... "Every decision that was made — whether it was spending or the message or what states to invest in — was a collaborative process," the other strategist said. "It's unfair to Patti to blame her. It was a ministerial position."

Going To Ohio

So. I am going to Ohio. I have decided. I did not think I would do it. But I am going. All political junkies I know are going. This is too much peer pressure. It is like, if you are not going to Mecca, how are you a Muslim?

Since I moved to NYC, I once went a few hours out to New Jersey for a Christmas party with the Madhesi friend who authored the idea of me moving to the city, her boyfriend's family's place, second home. They actually live in Fairfield, CT. I actually did not like the idea of going out of the city.

But this is going to be a big one, an entire weekend out. Adam tells me once in a while you have to get out of the city. So when you come back in, you get excited all over again.

Anything for Barack. Anything for Godfather.

Barack's Mother Makes An Appearance
Barack Has To Talk Much About His Mother

But I am Obama 2008's self-appointed national shadow Campaign Manager. Campaign Managers don't go knock doors, hand flyers. We inspire. So I think I am going to be doing a lot of sightseeing in downtown Cleveland. And I am going to meet as many Obama people as I can. I am sure this is like Iowa. Barack is already on schedule to winning Texas. So the feeling must be, let's take Ohio, and then we are done. I am sure there are Obama volunteers there from literally all over the country. I know Kathleen Sebelius is there.



This is going to be an entire weekend totally offline. That might be good for me. I need to get into the talkative thing. I think I might end up with dozens of new Facebook friends by the time the weekend is over.

It is between sightseeing and just whiling away at the headquarters. And some knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door.



Come to think of it, Cleveland is the first American city I went to. Cleveland, Indianapolis ("But where are the people?"), Atalanta. I covered those three the first year. Downtown Atlanta was quite a feeling. In Cleveland, I kept bugging people, but where is the water, where is the water, show me the water. So they took me. Deep in the night. You could hear the water. The lake.

I have figured out the logistics. Wear jeans. Take one small bag: guys are stuck with the shaving thing. Be super light. Two days of eating out, six meals, okay so that is some more money. And some extra cash, in case you get left out for some reason and have to make the return trip on your own.

I once got left out. I was five, maybe less. This was some relative's wedding. Weddings back there are like this trip to Ohio. They last full three days. So you show up Friday evening. All of Friday night is rituals. All night, I am not kidding. So when my running mate and subsequent SGA Vice President Damien got married, I am like, wait a minute, I was just warming up, the ceremony is already over? It lasted all of 20 minutes.

So you show up, and they feed you Saturday, three fancy meals. Sunday they feed you, and then you leave. And it is not always a weekend thing. Depends on when the holy days are.

So I get taken to this wedding. And Sunday morning everyone leaves. In the confusion, I get left behind. Then someone in the jeep asks, Where is Pappu? Where is Pappu? And they turn around and drive back. This is on mud roads. Jeeps raise dust like it was a tornado trying to rise up from the ground up.

They found me all by myself, not a soul in sight, crying.

So carry extra cash just in case you have to buy a ticket back to the city.

$110 is an extremely good deal. I like Walmart, Dell, that 99 cent pizza place on 41st and 9th. I like the low price businesses. They are democratizing. $110 for round trip, and lodging and pizza. How did they do that?

I emailed saying I want to pay cash. Cash is real money.

DL21C Bus Trip to Cleveland, Ohio

Friday, Feb 29 - Sunday, March 2, 2008

Welcome to DL21C's Buckeye State road trip! We hope you'll join us next weekend. We expect the bus to fill up quickly, and the only way to confirm your spot is to sign up here.

The cost for the trip is $110 which covers roundtrip transportation on Campus Coach luxury bus lines, lodging (3-4 per room at the Holiday Inn Express, downtown Cleveland) as well as bus trip, pizza and beverages. You will sign a release upon departure and be responsible for all other incidentals not related to travel and lodging. Dress warmly (lake effect snow!) and be prepared for lots of walking to get out the vote!

Itinerary
(we will mail a complete itinerary to you early next week):

Friday, February 29
6:30pm Depart Penn Station via Campus Coach (pizza and welcome party on the bus!)

Saturday, March 1
2:00 am Arrive Cleveland, OH (Accommodations at Holiday Inn Express downtown, around corner from campaign headquarters)
8:00am-8:00pm Volunteer work with campaign of your choice (Cleveland and surrounding suburbs)
9:00pm Dinner and DL21C party - downtown Cleveland

Sunday, March 2
9:00am - 4:00pm Volunteer work with campaign of your choice
5:00pm Depart Holiday Inn for return to NYC
12:30am (Monday) Arrive Penn Station

Please email campaignvol -at- dl21c -dot- org with any questions or if you need more information.

We look forward to you joining us and being a part of history next weekend!

In The News

Superdelegates switching allegiance to Obama Guardian Unlimited After once leading Obama by a 2 to 1 ratio in the superdelegate chase, Clinton now has 241 to his 181 ...... the trickle of superdelegates who have defected from her corner to Obama's. The shift comes as she failed to deliver a telling blow on him in their penultimate TV debate before the Texas and Ohio primaries ...... two percentage points in Texas, well within the margin of error, and seven points in Ohio ..... "I think that it will sort itself out," Clinton said. "We will have a nominee, and we will have a unified Democratic party, and we will go on to victory in November." .... Superdelegates who represent areas won by Obama face pressure to declare for him.
In South Texas, Obama Focuses On Hispanic Voters Washington Post Clinton led Obama 59 percent to 36 percent among likely Latino voters ...... Obama offered a brown-black connection with the largely student audience with references to Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez, who organized the United Farm Workers Union in California. King, he said, had once written to Chavez to say their causes were one. ...... "Crank it up, guys," he said to the reporters huddled over their laptops. "Words matter. Don't listen to Hillary."

Obama Campaign On "The Moment" Atlantic Online the difficulty Hillary Clinton would have drawing a clear contrast with John McCain in a general election was when she, quizzically, attacked him for supporting the war in Iraq. Clinton also voted for the war