And The British Left India On Their Own

"Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ... [I]t took a president to get it done."

Hillary Clinton

Hillary's Racist Twang: Between Hope And Hard Work



Is this Hillary comparing Barack Obama to MLK or disrespecting MLK? I think both. America has had 43 presidents and one MLK. MLK stands in a league of his own. MLK stands in the same league as Gandhi. No American president save Lincoln stands in the same league as Gandhi. You don't get to compare MLK to Lyndon Johnson. That is like comparing Gandhi to Mountbatten.

I feared Barack smarting from the New Hampshire loss might play the race card wrong in South Carolina, but I am not worried no more. (How To Play The Race Card In South Carolina) Hillary just ran her Willie Horton ad, and this is not 1988 no more. She has grossly misjudged the mood in the country.



Hillary just handed Barack a nomination. Barack has to do three things. One, he has to take Hillary to task for disrespecting MLK. Two, he has to realize there is no escaping taking the race issue head on. Three, he has to take the high road on race and do a MLK on taking race relations in America to a new level, he has to come up with a message that appeals to both whites and blacks. MLK already taught us how to do that. I think I already wrote a perfect speech for him to deliver. (JFK, Obama Parallels: Catholic, Black)

It would be better still if he also snatched the gender theme from Hillary. Hillary has studiously avoided tackling gender as an issue. Women of America need more than crying. The gender issue can be had. If you want symbolic progress on gender, go with Hillary. If you want substantive progress on gender, come with my guy Obama. Let's declare a global war on domestic violence.

Hillary Cried, Women Responded, She Won
Muscular Gender Agenda

It Is Not Like Bill Clinton Took Us To The Moon

Bill Clinton looks good because people compare him to George W Bush. Bill Clinton looks good because people compare him to George H W Bush. He did give eight good years of economic stewardship. He is a smart guy, a Rhodes Scholar and all that. He does not come in the long tradition of racist white men from the South like Trent Lott does. He is on record attending black churches and singing too. But Bill Clinton never made any serious attempt to tackle the chronic poverty in the inner cities. Barack will. Bill Clinton was good. Barack will be great. Bill Clinton got into AIDS and Rwanda after he was no longer president. Barack will engineer total debt relief for Africa while president. (Africa And Colonialism 2.0)

And, besides, this republic was designed to tackle poverty and crime and education and health and space exploration and world peace. Under Bill Clinton the republic had to tackle Monica for over a year. That was an unnecessary burden on the system.

Iowa: One And A Half Victory Parties
Bill Clinton In Top 10, Barack Obama In Top 5

Ugh. I can't believe Hillary just went ahead and disrespected MLK. Who came up with this idea? Mark Penn?





Shame, Shame, Shame

Shame on the women in California who can't imagine a black man in the White House.

In The News

Clinton Says Obama Playing Racial Politics Washington Post and said that he has not yet been held to account for his record on the war in Iraq. ..... Several prominent African Americans have voiced concern about statements by Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, the day before the New Hampshire primary. ....... "Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ... [I]t took a president to get it done." ....... "This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen." After some complained, Clinton said that he was referring only to Obama's Iraq record and not his candidacy. ...... "Dr. King didn't just give speeches," Clinton said. He understood "he had to move the political process and bring in those who were in political power. ... He wanted somebody in the White House who would act," she said. .... "He gave a very impassioned speech against it and consistently said that he was against the war, he would vote against the funding for the war," she said. "By 2003, that speech was off his Web site. By 2004, he was saying that he didn't really disagree with the way George Bush was conducting the war. And by 2005, 6, and 7, he was voting for $300 billion in funding for the war. The story of his campaign is really the story of that speech and his opposition to Iraq. I think it is fair to ask questions about it." ....... "How do you translate your words into deeds?" she added later. "I think it is fair to point out that he has no record of actually producing positive change." ........ Edwards, on CNN's "Late Edition," reiterated his pledge to continue his campaign "through the convention." ....... Giuliani has staked much of his campaign on a win in Florida on Jan. 29, while Romney faces a big test on Tuesday in Michigan ...... "I hate to say poor Mitt, because a man with that much wealth is hardly poor anything," he added.

Clinton Accuses Obama Camp of Distorting Her Words New York Times Representative James E. Clyburn, the South Carolina Democrat who is the highest-ranking African-American in Congress. Mr. Clyburn had expressed disappointment in the Clinton campaign. ...... giving President Lyndon B. Johnson more credit than Dr. King for civil rights law. ...... use of the phrase “fairy tale” in talking about Mr. Obama’s views on the war in Iraq. ..... At a later stop, she said that her remark had not captured what she had sought to portray. ...... Asked what role she thought race would play in her contest with Mr. Obama, Mrs. Clinton responded, “I hope none.” ....... “I don’t think either Senator Obama or myself want to see the injection of race or gender into this campaign,” she continued. “We are each running as individuals. I think it’s absolutely extraordinary that the two leading candidates for the Democratic nomination for president are an African-American and a woman.” ...... the Democratic presidential fight between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama ....... the may not end on the mega-primary day of Feb. 5$20 million or so that they currently have on hand — to advertise heavily in the expensive media markets of California, New Jersey and New York ........ Among the new national finance leaders are four New Yorkers

Obama Calls Clinton Allegations “Ludicrous” FOXNews new endorser, Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) ...... Obama responded incredulously, “This is fascinating to me. I mean, I think what we saw this morning is why the American people are tired of Washington politicians and the games they play. But Senator Clinton made an unfortunate remark, an ill-advised remark, about King and Lyndon Johnson. I didn’t make the statement. I haven’t remarked on it and she, I think, offended some folks who felt that somehow diminished King’s role in bringing about the Civil Rights Act. She is free to explain that, but the notion that somehow this is our doing is ludicrous. I have to point out that instead of telling the American people about her positive vision for America, Senator Clinton spent an hour talking about me and my record in a way that was flat out wrong.” ...... Clinton Supporter, Darrell Jackson Calls Clinton Remarks Painful. “Sharp criticism of Barack Obama and other comments about Martin Luther King Jr. — all from people associated with Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign — have generated resentment among some black S.C. voters. ...... many black voters now are drawn to the prospect of a black man winning the presidency. Those on both sides say watching the battle unfold in the Palmetto State, where black voters could cast half of the votes in the Democratic primary, won’t be pretty. ‘To some of us, it is painful,’ said state Sen. Darrell Jackson, a Clinton supporter.” ....... his own phone had been ringing with friends around the country voicing their concern. “I’ve been concerned about some of those comments - and that there might be a backlash,” he said ...... Donna Brazile Lashed Into Bill Clinton For Comparing Obama To A “Fairy Tale” And Said “It’s An Insult… As An African-American” And That His Tone And Words Are “Very Depressing.” “Donna Brazile lit into Bill Clinton over his insulting comments of Obama, where he called him a “fairy tale” and said “I could understand his frustration at this moment. But, look, he shouldn’t take out all his pain on Barack Obama. It’s time that they regroup. Figure out what Hillary needs to do to get her campaign back on track. It sounds like sour grapes coming from the former commander in chief. Someone that many Democrats hold in high esteem. For him to go after Obama, using a fairy tale, calling him as he did last week. It’s an insult. And I will tell you, as an African-American, I find his tone and his words to be very depressing. … I think his tone, I think calling Barack Obama a kid, he is a United States senator.” ....... came perilously close to injecting racial tension into what should have been — and still should be — an uplifting contest between the first major woman candidate and the first major African-American candidate. ...... Why Mrs. Clinton would compare herself to Mr. Johnson, who escalated the war in Vietnam into a generational disaster, was baffling enough. It was hard to escape the distasteful implication that a black man needed the help of a white man to effect change. She pulled herself back from the brink by later talking about the mistreatment and danger Dr. King faced. Former President Bill Clinton, who seems to forget he is not the one running, hurled himself over the edge on Monday with a bizarre and rambling attack on Mr. Obama.
Clinton Surrogate Makes Veiled Reference to Obama's Drug Use ABC News "I am frankly insulted that the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood that I won't say what he was doing but he said it in his book." .... Carson speculated that Johnson may have been referring to Obama's time spent as a community organizer.
Bihar MLAs, MLCs to get laptops The Statesman
Laptop Project Would Welcome Intel Back Washington Post
Clinton: Obama camp is 'distorting' her remarks CNN
Clinton Takes Pride in Obama in SC Washington Post
Clinton and Obama Spar Over Remark About Dr. King New York Times
Clinton Supporters Come Out Swinging CBS News
Clinton hits back as race row sours White House contest AFP
Clinton makes push for Hispanics' support in Nevada Chicago Tribune
Clinton rolls the dice in Nevada to Obama's 'sure bet' union support AXcess News

Martha Outed Kenton And Women With Issues

An Open Letter To Elizabeth Caputo

Sunday, January 13

11:30 am

Women's Issues Committee Meeting
Become involved in the WIC: bring your ideas for events or topics you would like to discuss. We'll be planning events for the upcoming year and introducing new members.
Au Bon Pain
684 Broadway @ West 3rd Street

When I showed up in NYC summer of 2005, I started with DFNYC as a Dean 2004 alum. People were amused I had chosen to stay in Indiana for Dean 2004. Dean had zero chance of carrying that state, especially in Fall. Indiana is Sunday Bloody Sunday red. One of the amused was Howard Dean's brother. I would like to take some credit for Howard Dean's subsequent 50 state strategy.



When people found out I had gone to school in Kentucky, they are like, "Oh, Martha is from Kentucky. Have you met Martha?" Not yet.

When I finally met her, I said, "So you are from Kentucky?"

"Who outed me?"

Saying I was a refugee from Kentucky and getting along just fine with Martha went hand in hand. And then I went to an event where a Kentucky Dude (Kentucky Dude, November 29) spoke, and I was so surprised I was so excited to meet him. It helped that I knew the wife to his Chief of Staff very well. Here was homeboy: Kentucky is about to get itself a Jewish Senator, that is major progress from summer and Fall of 1997 that I know. Five years of staying in Kentucky, and I guess it does get into your system. Who would have thought? When I landed in Kentucky in 1996, I could not have told you the difference between Kentucky and California, the cultural nuances. I was just going to America.



I did meet a few bad apples in Kentucky, about a dozen, maybe more. But most people go out of their way to be nice. Or they are just plain ignorant. "Are you a Patel?" No, I am not a Patel. "Are you a doctor?" No, I am not a doctor, but I am very smart.

I once saw a billboard in Tennessee: "Motel, run by Americans."

And some are evil. This is a few weeks after 9/11. I am in this office setting in Lexington, KY. A guy in a nearby cubicle gets on the phone: "There is an Arab in my office!" The day 9/11 happened, I was in a small town in KY. The locals called the cops on me.

So I show up for this event today, DL21C women with issues. One noted I was there when the Washington sate Governor was in town. Five white women, one Asian woman, and one me. This was mandatory coffee territory. Evening events are mandatory beer. I might switch to mandatory pineapple juice. Bill Clinton's visits to the New York state fair: mandatory. "Most New York politicians can't tell one end of the cow from another."

Jennifer's final thing to say before she left was, "I got to go to the zoo." I thought that was so funny.

"Why are you here? You just like to hang out with women?" Naughty smile.

Well, all else equal, women definitely are more pleasant than men for mild company. Especially imbalanced men. Men who have no knowledge of the ying yang philosophy. Inside every woman, there is a man. Inside every man, there is a woman.

"My mother has had six years of schooling. Her cousin was Education Minister of Bihar, the second most populous state in India. I grew up in a very sexist part of the world. At some level, I feel like I need to atone for the sins of my part of the world."

There was some talk of women and the primaries. You could just smell New Hampshire. This was a Hillary crowd, except for Martha who chipped in for Edwards, saying it was a Southern pride thing.

One round of conversation was, what do you do, and what political organizations are you part of.

"I have a young, tech startup company. And I am a hard core Barack Obama guy in the city. The good news is I am rooting for Hillary for Vice President." Beams of smiles.

BarackObama.com finally gave me what I had been looking for while making the rounds of the political organizations in the city. I have from day one only been interested in experiencing events. DFNYC at one point thought maybe I want to become an Officer. No, thank you. Kristina Hoke tried to sign me up for MYD. When that did not go through, she thought I might get MYD a new website, that thing about Indians and software. Justin Krebs' one issue is every time I give this guy a button, and he goes home and leaves it there, and I have to give him a new button all over again. I think other organizations in the city could learn button technology from Drinking Liberally. I offered an AOL Time Warner merger with DL21C, but that organization is too drunk on being able to bring along VIP guests.

And that is not counting the Nepali organizations in Queens that tried to sign me up. In response, I started my own: Hamro Nepal.

The word blogger does not describe me. Call me a digital democrat. My organization style is the way the Wikipedia got written, the way the Al Qaeda operates: leaderless organizations. Going back to the way the Manhattan organizations operate would be to go backwards in time. It would be like going back to Windows 98. But just like you can still open up the latest Firefox browser even with Windows 98, I can still make use of all the Manhattan organizations if my only focus is on experiencing the events I show up for: no interest in event planning, no interest in the hierarchy of the organization, not necessarily even trying to get to know others who show up. You experience an event like it were a website to be soaked.

I showed up for the Manhattan For Obama Organizational Kickoff Meeting where the organizer Arthur Schwartz had me as the first speaker after his introductory remarks, and Bill Perkins was in the room.



And before the evening was out, one question I got was if I want to sit on the "media committee." No. (NYC, Obama, Structure, Me) I can't be part of the structure. Months later I was the one to step in to put out a minor fire. (Staff, Volunteers, Elected Officials) Noone else could have.

Nepal's April Revolution 2006 competes with the French Revolution. Howard Dean never instigated a French Revolution. Eliot Spitzer never instigated a French Revolution. (Spitzer Is Right, Albany Is Wrong)

I got Barack's ears early and strong. I identify with that guy at so many different levels. It is so very personal. I lost something in 1989. Through Barack's elevation to the White House, I get that back. That personal. And if America also gets health care in the process, all glory is to God.

I got Barack's ears entirely through 2.0. This has been a case of what you know, not who you know. I am not just a blogger, definitely not a webmaster, although I could hook you up with a friend of mine in Kathmandu who designs websites for real cheap. Getting the ears of the next President of the United States entirely through 2.0: that is cutting edge group dynamics.

The Largest Rally In US Presidential Campaign History
Give Me A Huge Rally In This City Before Summer Is Over
Michelle Obama Is Just Fabulous

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

Long Walk To Freedom
Long Walk To Freedom: Just A Third World Guy Dazzled By The City

I met Abhishek Mistry at DFNYC, Cornell guy. Then he was a PhD student, now he is a banker. I met him at the Holiday party last. ("Is This An Obama Party?") He had broken up with his college sweetheart. He had been in NYC, she had been in DC. I never met her in person, but she would make smart aleck comments at his blog. At first I thought Tracey Denton was a fan of Abhishek's blog. But this was another Tracey, the girlfriend Tracey.

"She wanted to raise a Jewish family."

I am like her. You don't start with personal feelings. In my case I start by saying, race is the number one issue in my life, all that means is I have to talk about it, if you are uncomfortable talking about it, you are a nonstarter for me.

When you go to an event that is almost all white, of course that is racial. Not racist, but racial. I am not someone trying to fit in, or assimilate. Trying to fit in and assimilate will cost me big bucks. In my business, a high premium is placed on out of the box thinking.

2.0 Screen Time, 5.0 Face Time, Of Racialism, Progressive Group Dynamics

All else equal, I'd rather go with someone from a different cultural background. First, someone from my particular background, that just does not exist. And to start with someone's cultural background would be succumbing to social segregation. But the political consciousness level comes into play. It is not about being white, black or brown, it is about recognizing race is the elephant in the room, and denial is not an option.

I have heard more anti-black comments from Nepalis in Queens than I ever did from white folks in Kentucky. And these people are not even kidding. For them it is their own version of Coming To America.



Thanks to the internet and New York City, someone like me does not have to fit in, assimilate.

"You are more individualistic than the Americans," the Senior Class President said the year I got myself elected SGA President as a freshman. They had to amend the constitution so I could run as a freshman. "Nick, man, I can't wait," I said to the reigning SGA President.

And it is not about being from a different background and so you bring along a "different perspective." Or you are Indian, so go raise money among Indians. How about Obama 2008's shadow Campaign Manager?

More than half the people at the event were from Booklyn. But the event was in Manhattan. Does not bother me. Once you get inside the train, does it matter?

At one point Martha wondered aloud about pro-choice women, but if they actually faced the choice, will they get the abortion?

The Swift Boat Aspect Of Hillary's New Hampshire Victory

Kerry backs Obama to 'turn new page' in US politics Independent, UK ....... the sharp media practices the Clinton campaign used to unsettle voters in New Hampshire. ...... a personalised and angry attack on the "fairytale" story of Mr Obama's candidacy. He queried Mr Obama's long-standing opposition to the war in Iraq. The Clinton camp also questioned the sincerity of his opposition to lobbyists and said that he was inconsistent on health care. ..... The style of attack echoes the black arts used to becalm Mr Kerry's 2004 campaign, in which an organisation calling itself "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" called his character into question. They made Mr Kerry's war record the issue, distracting voters from President Bush's dodging of the Vietnam draft.

The official story is Hillary cried and she won. And crying sure helped. People are like, oh lord, she is human. But the untold story was a whole bunch of negative campaigning spearheaded by the master of disaster, the one and only Bill Clinton. The dude just went berserk on Obama. To the point where Obama 2008 was found asking Clinton 2008 to take the false claims down. That is not how you fight. You don't have to go negative. But you do have to hit back with rebuttals. There were too many unanswered attacks from the Clinton camp.

How To Play The Race Card In South Carolina
Hillary Cried, Women Responded, She Won

Bill Clinton will do it over and over again. He is shameless that way. So what's going on? Is slash and burn politics back in vogue? Is the new kind of politics out the window? No. The new kind of politics does not escape from the fact that when you get hit, you do have to hit back. The difference is, you don't have to hit back negatively or with personal attacks, you don't have to engage in the politics of personal destruction, but you do have to issue rebuttals.

Kerry did not hit back. The swift boat ads were factually incorrect, but that was not the point. The point was, he did not hit back. People will believe the lies about you when you don't issue your truths as rebuttals.

Claim: Barack is a fairytale.
Suggestion: If you believe in fairytales, what does make you?
Counterclaim: ?
Suggested Counterclaim: Bill Clinton is a stand-in.
Suggested Counterclaim: Bill Clinton wants us go back to the slash and burn politics of the 90s.

Claim: Barack's votes on Iraq are not all that wonderful.
Counterclaim: ?
Suggested Counterclaim: The vote that got us into the war was the first vote.

Claim: Barack's talk on lobbyists in empty.
Counterclaim: ?
Suggested Counterclaim: How many of your millions are from the lobbyists? We got none.

Claim: Barack has been inconsistent on health care.
Counterclaim: ?
Suggested Counterclaim: It was not Barack who bungled health care in 1993 when 80% of Americans badly wanted it.

The idea in each case is that the attack said nothing new. In each case they were lies. But they worked. Because there were no swift one-liner rebuttals. There was no rapid response mechanism in place. And to voters that looks like you got punched smack in the face and you did nothing about it. If you can't protect yourself from Bill Clinton, how are you going to protect me from Bin Laden?

The message is clear. When you get hit, you have to hit back. You don't have to go mean. But you do have to offer swift one-liners as rebuttals. Keep the wordsmiths at the ready. Unanswered attacks pull you down, every single time. You look like you are asleep at the wheel.

And it might not be a bad idea to attack Bill Clinton himself. He is so much in the forefront, attacking him will make it look like Hillary is not in control of her campaign, somebody else is running it.

Don't let any attack go unanswered. But you don't have to be mean when doing that. That is still the new kind of politics.

In The News

Clinton’s Message, and Moment, Won the Day New York Times Women, in particular, responded: Several said they chose to vote for Mrs. Clinton at the last moment because she had shown a human side of herself that they had never seen. ....... She also won support by sharpening her message of experience into concrete terms, casting herself as a doer competing against Mr. Obama’s image as an eloquent talker. ...... her decision to take question after question from voters at her New Hampshire events, a break from her past appearances ...... Mr. Clinton also made a rare, angry attack on Mr. Obama at a campaign stop on Monday ...... Mrs. Clinton’s performance in a televised debate on Saturday drew some very positive reviews from voters — especially her reply to the question of why many voters did not find her likable. ...... “Well, that hurts my feelings,” she said, “but I’ll try to go on. I don’t think I’m that bad.” ..... followed her comment by saying, “You’re likable enough, Hillary” — a remark that some voters said was less than gracious. ...... “In the days ahead, you and I have to keep speaking from the heart,” Mrs. Clinton wrote in the pitch — a sentence rendered in bold in the e-mail message. ....... her aides said it was because of a combination of frustration, fatigue, and emotion ...... The humanizing moment she had was a big deal.
Sir Edmund Hillary (1919-2008) TIME
World Bank: India, China may be immune to US slowdown EETimes.com
Is Britney Bipolar? FOXNews
Clinton, Obama neck-to-neck Hindustan Times "Maybe I have liberated us to actually let women be human beings in public," said Clinton, the former first lady, reflecting on a memorable moment of emotion the day before she gained her own New Hampshire victory. ..... Obama saw it differently. "We have to make sure that we take it to them just like they take it to us," he said. Despite his defeat, he pocketed the support of two major Nevada labor unions in advance of that state's Jan. 19 caucuses and predicted a win in the South Carolina primary a week later.
Clinton Turns Campaign to Nevada The Associated Press
Clinton and Obama prepare for tough campaign Irish Times With campaign contributions flooding in after she overturned Mr Obama's double-digit poll lead in New Hampshire to win by three percentage points, the former first lady is confident she can halt the rise of the charismatic Illinois senator. ...... "I think that Senator Clinton is a formidable and tough candidate, and we have to make sure that we take it to them just like they take it to us. I come from Chicago politics. We're accustomed to rough and tumble," he said. ...... Ms Clinton is still ahead in most polls in Nevada but Mr Obama has opened up a clear lead in South Carolina ...... "I think she really reached working New Hampshire voters. There was the intellectual group that was really thinking that they could win by uplifting spirits, but you've got to be able to make the change happen, not just lift the spirits," she said.
Nepal’s PM appoints daughter to cabinet Daily Times
Kerry Endorses Obama as Campaign Goes Nationwide New York Times
Diplomatic bid to resolve Kenya crisis fails Los Angeles Times
Annan Said to Be Tapped as Kenya Mediator New York Times
India not part of 'contain China' effort: Manmohan Hindu
Bomb Kills at Least 23 in Pakistan New York Times Twenty-two of the dead were police officers ...... minutes before a rally organized by opposition lawyers was scheduled to pass by. ...... suspicion fell immediately on the Taliban militants and their sympathizers, possibly those with Al Qaeda ....... A wave of suicide bombings has hit Pakistan in recent months, beginning with particular intensity in July after the siege of the Red Mosque in Islamabad, when government troops stormed a complex where militants supporting the Taliban were holed up. ...... the attack on law enforcement officials demonstrated not only the reach of the extremists, but also their resolve to effectively paralyze a government they believe is in thrall to the United States. ...... “The security forces and one of the highest courts in the country were targeted. The symbolism is important. Al Qaeda believes that the civil courts in Pakistan are a relic of an infidel colonizer and should be replaced by Islamic courts, and hence an attack directly on the institution and those protecting it.” ....... “There is a concentrated plan to destabilize Pakistan” ...... many of the opposition lawyers were blaming the country’s shadowy intelligence agencies for such attacks. “People die and we point at ourselves,” the lawyer said in a rueful manner. ...... the blast was the result of a timed explosive device. He expressed surprise at how quickly the Lahore police had come to the conclusion that it was a suicide attack.
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