Hillary's health care plan in a nutshell is this. The health insurance industry is working just fine. It covers those who can afford to pay. It leaves out those who can't afford to pay. So if you want everyone to have insurance, you mandate it for those who can afford it but choose to stay out, and you have the government pay for all those who can't afford to pay, which is the vast majority of the uninsured.
Don't tell me Hillary does not respond to lobbyists' money. What better deal could the health insurance industry ask for? Hillary is so totally taking care of them.
Hillary's plan will lead to further skyrocketing costs in the health care industry. You are going to see food fights, there will be so much food, err, cash.
Universal health insurance is a goal that has to be coupled with the goal of bringing the costs down across the board. Health care reform is about asking why America pays more for health than any other country, more than most other countries put together, but why it does not have the number one health care in the world.
Hillary refuses to tackle the many dysfunctional aspects of the health care industry. I guess she feels like she burnt her fingers back in 1993. When you can't beat them, join them. She has learned the lessons the hard way, but I get the impression she has learned the wrong lessons.
Take a more functional industry like the computer industry. The price of computers has fallen consistently over the years, decades. It is because the market forces are at work in the computer industry.
In the health care industry, the market forces are not at work. Instead there is this evil collusion of vested interests. The biggest proof is the poor adoption in the health care industry of information technology. If the health care companies felt like they were competing with each other to provide the best possible service at the lowest possible price, they would be trying to outdo each other in terms who will best adopt information technology in all aspects of their operations. But they are not. They have not been. That is one example to show there is a big need to inject market forces into the health care industry.
But Hillary's plan makes it sound like the health insurance companies have too little money and that is the number one health care problem in the country.
She mandates health insurance. It sounds like it will become illegal to not have health insurance. But no. There will be no punitive measures. So it will be a voluntary mandate. You will be required to have health insurance, but if you don't get it, that's okay too. She should switch words. Instead of calling it a mandate, she should call it a suggestion. As in, Hillary wants you to have health insurance. She also wants you to eat your vegetables.
In a nutshell, when she says mandating, she does not mean that.
And her plan to help people out who can't afford it is tricky too. There is an emphasis on tax credits.
She has been dancing around the possibility that the government will actually have to step in and pay wholesale for those who just can't pay for it now.
Barack's plan is clearer and simpler. Bring the costs down across the board, and pay for those who can't pay. So if you currently do have insurance, your premium goes down. If you don't, you get it.
Of course John Edwards has a point. Hillary is wedded to Washington's corrupt ways. She is by now chummy with the forces she tried to fight in 1993. She has become one with them. That does not count for strength and experience. That, in my book, is capitulation. She has accepted defeat.
There is a reason why Barack's bill for universal health insurance in only half of Senator Clinton's. You are looking at $50 billion in one plan, and $100 billion in another. Because Barack intends to show some tough love to the insurance companies. Yes, there will be universal health insurance. So, yes, you will make more money. You will have more customers. But first cut out the fat. Under Barack's plan, the premiums go down for everyone involved.
Hillary is in disbelief. No wonder she accused Barack of not being for universal health insurance during the Las Vegas debate. She just can't see how you can provide universal insurance for only $50 billion.
That smaller dollar figure means Barack's plan is more likely to get Republican support than Clinton's. And the end result will have to be bipartisan. We all know that. It can't be just a Dem plan.
That plays to Barack's number one strength. He can bring people together. Hillary can't.
So not only is Barack's plan superior, more market friendly, more gutsy in terms taking on the insurance companies, but it also has a much better chance of getting enacted.
And it is curious that Hillary wants eight years to implement her plan. What is more presumptuos, that she thinks she will be a two term president, or that she thinks she is already the nominee, already the president?
Barack's plan is more challenging to implement. He wants four years to do it. So when he seeks reelection, you will actually be able to hold him accountable. Hillary's plan is to just give more money to the insurance companies. For that she wants eight years.
What if she does not deliver even in eight years? She goes writes a memoir. You are stuck with no health insurance. After all, Harry Truman also tried, and he was no pushover.
And her newest ad actually tries to say her 13,000 page 1993 plan was actually a good one. She thinks of the issue as a position paper to be written, instead of a political process to be navigated. That might be her number one flaw on the issue.
Hillary's 35 - 8 = 27 Years Of "Strength And Experience," 7 Years As Elected Official
Hillary is smart. She got better grades at Yale than Bill Clinton. She has had a lifelong commitment to public service. Bill Clinton as Governor was making 30,000 a year. Makes you want to think in terms of a minimum wage idea not just for teachers, but also Governors.
But she has never held any local or state level office. Years as First Lady don't really count, and if they do, release your records.
The only elected public office she has ever held has been that of US Senator. She has been an excellent Senator.
Barack is smart. He has had a lifelong commitment to public service. But he has had more experience than Hillary as an elected official. He has held a state level office.
If the spouse's experience can count for yours, I'd like to claim Barack could manage a hospital. But in all honesty, I don't think he could. I mean, he could after a learning period, but not as in, let me just step in. It is a different skill set.
Obama's Got the Youth Vote, And They Can In Fact Vote Washington Post, United States out of the estimated 9,000 who showed up at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, at least a third were Obama supporters. To which Mandy Grunwald, a longtime adviser to Sen. Hillary Clinton, said, according to the Politico: "Our people look like caucus-goers, and [Obama's] people look like they are 18. [Mark] Penn said they look like Facebook." ...... "Good strategy: A week after finally setting up your campaign's organization to attract young people, tell them they won't vote anyway so their presence is irrelevant," wrote Erickson. ...... "I don't know what it gets Hillary for her team to criticize young people -- and to brand themselves the candidate of the status-quo. What is more, taunting Obama about it could backfire by providing what they call in football 'bulletin board material.' I can hear Obama now: 'Hillary thinks you won't show up! Hillary thinks you're to be ignored! Hillary thinks..." ......... "If Clinton's aides are right in their from-the-hip demographic analysis, they better hope that those young faces aren't carrying their Facebook social network with them." ....... Facebook is the unofficial capital of anti-Clinton country, with young voters -- male and female, mostly Republicans but with some Democrats -- forming numerous groups attacking the former first lady. .... "They look like Facebook" insult. Two days ago, the petition had 570 names. As of Friday morning, it's up to 2,985. ..... One of the newest members, Sean Taylor of Kentucky, wrote on the wall of the Facebook petition: "Barack Obama all the way! And I (and my friends) do vote, Hillary." Letters: Is (His) Biography (Our) Destiny?New York Times Those who feel safer with Hillary Clinton’s old-school “big stick” diplomacy than with the kind of intelligent use of “soft power” that Barack Obama endorses are living in the past. Our experiences in Vietnam and Iraq have established that use of force does not necessarily lead to beneficial results. What a President Obama would offer is a new avenue to power and respect, not through military might, but through cooperation and understanding. There is no strength more powerful than countries and peoples working together for the common good; and in the face of the dire threats we all share — from global warming to desperate acts born of social inequity — such cooperation can occur none too soon. ...... Barack Obama is one of the contenders who has captured my interest. He has surrounded himself with bright, seasoned advisers. I’m not worried about his inexperience. I hear his intelligent, tempered responses to issues. The United States has an enormous amount of international repair work to do. Rove says Obama is missing chances to knock Clinton off stride.CNN Political Ticker Rove as Edwards, Obama strategist? MSNBC considers her to be a “fatally flawed” candidate. But he’s upping the ante on the criticism. ...... “I’ve been surprised at how weak Edwards and Obama have been,” Rove told C-SPAN’s Steve Scully today during a live question-and-answer session with students at three different universities across the country. As if to poke at the fire that in the pending Democratic nomination process, he continued, saying, “They’re both going to give her some scares; she’s going to lose some thing along the way, possibly starting with Iowa.” ....... the Illinois senator has faltered in creating a strong moment of contrast between himself and his opponents during debates. Citing Clinton’s vague answer regarding the release of White House papers during her tenure as first lady, Rove said Obama has had “a number of occasions like that, where a sharp and clear and respectful contrast really could’ve created a moment.” ........ a full third of the population in 2007 saying they would not vote for a Mormon. Rovian ruminations: Karl Rove scans the presidential races Los Angeles Times, CA archived here. ..... reducing crime, welfare and the general coarseness of urban life there. ..... the strength he has in the early states is authentic .... the surprise to me is how they haven't been able to take advantage of the openings they've been given and exploit them." ....... Rove said Obama, who spoke next, could have drawn a dramatically stark contrast, creating a memorable moment by turning to her and saying of course it was her decision. All she had to do was order the papers released, which are the basis of her claims to be sufficiently experienced to become president. But the Illinois senator did not. Instead he compared the sealed papers to the secretiveness of the Bush administration. ......... Rove added, "Someone characterized Obama to me as another Adlai Stevenson, and I think that's probably accurate." ..... Rove, a self-taught student of history who never graduated from college .... a natural maturation process on the conservative side of the GOP that allows larger issues such as terrorism and national security to take a higher priority now than the onetime all-importance of social issues such as abortion. .... "When my book comes out in 2009." The Case for Obama Atlantic Online In 2008, Obama is more likely than Clinton to win an impressive electoral vote total that will look like a mandate. Will Obama Turn Out Young Voters In Iowa? Atlantic Online The Obama's campaign turnout model incorporates large numbers of Democratic leaning independents who have never caucused and young voters who have never voted in a presidential race. ...... College kids will be back home and will be distributed throughout the state, thereby magnifying their effect on other precincts. ......... Obama has more money than any other credible challenger in history; his campaign is not making the same mistakes that Howard Dean's made; Obama is a much better presence on the campaign trail than Bill Bradley and Gary Hart ever were ........ Caucus turnout could reach 160,000. ..... No one but the Obama team believes that -- other campaigns estimate a turnout of about 135,000 Dems. ..... Two thirds of Iowa college students come from Iowa, and the Obama campaign has undertaken a fairly massive effort to make sure they are registered to vote. Potential college-aged supporters are tracked as regularly as veteran caucus goers. Youth Vote May Bring Iowa SurpriseYahoo! News "While student outreach is a piece of the puzzle, it's not the keystone," said Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki. The campaign won't fall into the same trap candidates like Dean did, by depending on voters who don't traditionally show up. ........ "It seems like every cycle there is a candidate who says, 'This is the year we get out the youth vote,'" said former Iowa Democratic Party chairman Gordon Fischer, who is backing Obama. "In the past, there have been attempts to organize the youth vote. I don't think there has been as large an attempt as there is now." ....... 18-29 year olds have begun turning out in higher numbers. In the general election in 2004, 49% of the demographic turned out to vote ...... Even with record caucus attendance in 2004, when more than 124,000 Democrats showed up to participate in the crowded and contentious Democratic nominating contest, people between the ages of 18-34 made up just 10% of the crowd, according to Iowa Democratic Party statistics. By contrast, 32% were over 65. ....... the weather is likely to be miserably cold, and that attendees must spend hours in a room with people they barely know and proudly voice their opinions on politics. "That's not normal college student behavior" ....... process itself is another barrier, one that requires a time-intensive investment to overcome. Trading votes, compromising and convincing neighbors are all skills required to win delegates for one's chosen candidate. "Half the battle is getting [young voters] to show up," independent pollster Ann Selzer said. "And another quarter of the battle is teaching them what to do." ...... Experienced caucus-goers, many of whom have participated in the process for decades, can operate more effectively than a passionate younger voter with little knowledge of the process. ....... Obama boasts 31 satellite campaign offices in the state, more than any other candidate. He's spent more than $4 million on television ads ..... Several second-tier candidates have packed up an moved all but a few staffers - and even family members -- to Iowa for the critical final stretch. ....... If the race is as close as polls suggest - Clinton, Obama and Edwards all hover in the low to mid-20% range - strong youth turnout could be key to anyone's hopes of winning. Pollster Selzer says it is no longer implausible to bank on new faces showing up on caucus night. In 2004, 45% of attendees were first-time caucus-goers. ....... traditional campaigning comes first. "We're looking at young voters as icing on the cake," he said, "but we're still baking the cake." Obama supporters frustrated by long wait to see their man San Francisco Chronicle, USA stood in line for more than two hours outside the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on Wednesday night and still didn't get in to the Illinois senator's raucous campaign rally. ........ The crush of people trying to get into the rally overwhelmed the security efforts ...... At 6:30 p.m., when the doors opened for the event, the queue outside looked like a summertime line at Disneyland. ...... "I stood in this line for over two hours and advanced about 100 feet" ..... "I was surprised at how patient everyone was," Davis said. "It wasn't an angry or an ugly crowd, although the wait did start to get old." ..... by about 8:45 p.m., the Secret Service took down the metal detectors and let the crowd stream in unchecked. ..... crowd that roared its approval throughout the candidate's half-hour speech. SF: OBAMA WOWS CROWD OF 6000 AT CIVIC AUDITORIUMCBS 5 Bush criticizes Democrats over Iraq war funds Reuters UPDATE 1-US envoy seen trying to revive Musharraf-Bhutto deal Reuters Democratic hopefuls play difference cards in Vegas Los Angeles Times Clinton stepped down from her front-runner's pedestal and hit back at her Democratic rivals Thursday night in a feisty debate that drew out differences over immigration, foreign policy and the proper tone of an increasingly harsh campaign. ..... suggesting that Obama had failed to take a strong stand in favor of universal healthcare. ....... Oct. 30 .... Her nonspecific answers to several questions fueled rivals' assertions that she was shifty and over-calculating. ........ "When I was a state senator in Illinois, I voted to require that illegal aliens get trained, get a license, get insurance to protect public safety," Obama said. " . . . But I have to make sure that people understand. The problem we have here is not driver's licenses. Undocumented workers do not come here to drive." ....... Edwards and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson joined Obama on the pro-license side........ Obama doubled back on another issue from the previous debate, Social Security, and delivered one of the sharpest jabs of the evening ....... "Understand that only 6% of Americans make more than $97,000 a year," Obama said. "So 6% is not the middle class. It is the upper class. You know, this is the kind of thing that I would expect from [Republicans] Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani, where we start playing with numbers. We start playing with numbers in order to try to make a point." ...... In contrast with earlier debates, the discussion was not dominated by the war in Iraq. ..... would appoint only judges who accepted Roe vs. Wade as "settled law." ...... proposal to store nuclear waste beneath Yucca Mountain, about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. ...... Los Angeles -- where the candidates are scheduled to debate on Dec. 10. Musharraf stands up to pressure from USSan Jose Mercury News US seeks to end Pakistan crisisBBC News Obama hits Clinton with early debate punches Tehran Times Clinton engaged in an angry back-and-forth with Obama on healthcare, as tensions flared in the opening moments of the debate. ...... several recent polls suggest the race may be narrowing. ..... She saw that lead slip to 19 percent, in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation national survey from a previous 30-point advantage. .... Two polls in the key state of New Hampshire, which traditionally holds the first presidential primary contest, showed Clinton still leading, but edging back towards the field. .... In Iowa, the race is a statistical dead heat, recent polls show. Obama on the Clinton 'secret pact of ambition'Baltimore Sun “I’m not in this race to fulfill some long-held plan or because it was owed to me” ..... the number of people who say Senator Obama talked about running for president as a youngster seems to grow daily Clinton shows she can push backToronto Star Clinton Tags Romney As a Flip-Flopper The Associated Press Romney is touting a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage after saying during a 1994 U.S. Senate campaign that he'd be a better advocate of gay rights than his opponent, Democrat Edward M. Kennedy. Romney says he also opposed gay marriage in 1994, and is as committed to opposing discrimination based on sexual orientation today as he was 13 years ago. .... "A lot of people laughed at George Bush flubbing sentences in 2000, but a lot of people took that to be a sign he was like the rest of us" ...... Romney, the son of a three-term governor Obama Campaign On "Clinton Mandate?"Atlantic Online Clinton said about the mandate in her health care plan, “At this point, we don't have anything punitive that we have proposed. We're providing incentives and tax credits which we think will be very attractive to the vast majority of Americans.” ....... The ad reminds viewers of her failed effort to pass universal health care in the early 1990s, trying to portray a thwarted enterprise as one of vision. .... require every American to buy health insurance, offering tax credits and subsidies to help those who can't afford it. Clinton Advances Renewable Energy Ideas The Associated Press Clinton highlights renewable energy ideas in Nevada speechSan Jose Mercury News "We have all this empty federal land in Nevada, it should be packed with wind turbines and solar panels." ...... Nevada, a state rich in geothermal, solar and wind power UN peace mission in Nepal set to be extended AFP Giuliani Assures Group on ConservatismThe Associated Press Anti-hate-crime rally at Justice Department Los Angeles Times incidents of noose hangings and other displays of racial antagonism. ..... "In recent months, there have been reports of nooses and other symbols of racial and religious hate appearing in schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods across the country. ........ Sharpton said: "We are not fighting conservatives. We're fighting Confederates. ..... In fiscal year 2007, the Justice Department convicted 189 defendants of civil rights violations, according to a department fact sheet released Thursday. The department said this was the largest number of such convictions in its history. ....... During Friday's protest, demonstrators circled the Justice Department building seven times, echoing the biblical account of the ancient city of Jericho, the walls of which were said to have crumbled after Joshua and his followers circled the city seven times. ..... Sharpton, who referred to Joshua in his speech, was joined at the rally by the fiancee of Sean Bell, a black New York man who was killed by police on his wedding day last year, and the father of Mychal Bell, one of the "Jena Six." China deals blow to Western efforts to punish IranStuff.co.nz Iran: China Pulls Out of Sanctions MeetingNew York Times “I think it’s partly related to genuine travel difficulties, but also linked to resistance on the broader question of sanctions from that quarter.” 'China's exports may decline sharply' Times of India China warns of weak int'l demand as global economy slowsXinhua China powers ahead on renewable energyChina Daily China is well on its way to acquiring fully 15 percent of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2020, while the United States is dragging its feet on transitioning away from fossil fuels ... Nations across the globe invested over $50 billion collectively into renewable energy conversion last year, and in 2007 China alone is expected to account for some $10 billion of investment .... Worldwatch Institute, an independent Washington, DC research group. .... China will draw 30 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2050. ..... China's ability to lead the world into the age of renewable energy, much as the United States led the world into the age of oil roughly a century ago ...... renewable energy sources -- unlike traditional fossil fuels -- will never run out. ...... with hybrid technology the United States is easily capable of reaching 55 mpg, and with fuel cell technology could possibly go as high as 80 mpg in the future. ..... The goal of a 15 percent renewable energy share by 2020 pales in comparison to Germany's plan to source 45 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030. China smokes the US in renewables, and who's got the most ... Seattle Post Intelligencer Court rejects challenge to wiretap program Los Angeles Times Wireless Links Give Businesses an Option The Associated Press Scientists Clone First MonkeyVoice of America Monkey Embryos Cloned for Stem CellsWashington Post You, again: Are we getting closer to cloning humans? CNN Poll: Electability drives Giuliani lead in Nevada CNN Thousands March in Washington to Call for Prosecution of Hate Crimes Voice of America Behind Clinton’s Diamonds and Pearls New York Times “Do you prefer diamonds or pearls?” Maria Luisa Parra-Sandoval, one of several audience members who posed questions, asked her. “I want both,” Mrs. Clinton replied to laughter. Last week, CNN had contacted Ms. Parra-Sandoval, a political science student at University of Las Vegas-Nevada, through a professor, and asked her to submit a question. She wrote one about health care for children. CNN rejected it, calling it too similar to another question that would be asked. So she sent another, about Iraq. That was rejected too. On Wednesday, a CNN producer asked her for two final questions, one substantive and one light. Ms. Parra-Sandoval sent one about Yucca Mountain, the Nevada site under consideration as a storage facility for radioactive waste. With the deadline approaching, she stared at her computer screen. Noticing the pearl-pattern background on her MySpace page, she dashed off the jewelry one. CNN asked her to come to the debate with both questions memorized. Two hours in, a producer whispered that she should ask the second one. “Because I was on national TV, I felt hesitant, but then I felt like, ‘Oh my God, I’m on national TV, I’ll just ask it,’” Ms. Parra-Sandoval said. Now Ms. Parra-Sandoval is being accused, by everyone from bloggers to fellow students, of asking an airheaded, sexist question. On her MySpace page and in a phone interview, she protested that she tried to ask several substantive questions but that CNN would only let her participate through a silly one. “The media should be more democratic and be better able to reflect our democratic process,” she said. ........ the odd thing about this particular incident is that Ms. Parra-Sandoval does not seem the least bit frivolous or bling-minded. A former illegal immigrant whose parents clean and do laundry for Las Vegas hotels, she attends a UNLV honors program on scholarship and work-study programs. Two summers ago, she interned for Senator Harry Reid; last summer, she won a fellowship in public policy at Princeton. She wants to be an immigration lawyer when she’s older. Clinton Rallies, Counterattacks At Debate U.S. News & World Report Clinton changed her strategy, focusing more on attacking and counter-attacking her opponents than at previous events ....... Clinton "accused" Obama "of wimping out on health care ...... Clinton "was much more aggressive, repeatedly challenging her rivals by name, as she had not done in past debates. ...... If Clinton was "significantly more critical of her rivals, Obama was more direct than he has been in previous debates. ..... framing the Democratic contest as it now stands as a series of attacks that risked damaging the ultimate party nominee, even as she went on the attack for the first time herself ...... After two bad weeks in the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign, she recovered her footing and pushed back sharply at her opponents in a debate Thursday night." Obama "had only an average night, and on a couple of questions he seemed flummoxed. ....... And Edwards "should have stayed home." ..... Clinton said she was wearing her 'asbestos pants suit' in Las Vegas, but, more important, she was wearing a smile and carrying a fistful of ammo and sound bytes. ...... that Clinton "gave as good as she got. And those who tried to kick her, stubbed their toes. John Edwards got booed when he attacked her for taking money from Washington lobbyists...and seemed both surprised and irritated ....... poised and pugnacious ...... describes Obama as "focused, energized, tough, charismatic-pretty much everything the press had accused him of not being in previous debates. And yet the candidate who probably helped herself the most was Hillary Clinton." ....... for the second month in row McCain performs better against leading Democrat Hillary Clinton in hypothetical matchups than any other top-tier Republican ..... In the Democratic primary, 44% would vote for Clinton; 23% would vote for Obama ...... Clinton tops Giuliani 47%-43% and Thompson 49%-40%, but is in a tighter race with McCain, whom she leads 46%-45%. Clinton trounces Romney, 50%-37% ....... Giuliani leads the GOP field with 25%, followed by Romney, 21%; Thompson, 17%; McCain ....... ..... 27% of Iowa Democratic caucus-goers would vote for Hillary Clinton; 25% would vote for Barack Obama11% were undecided. ...... 27% of caucus-goers would vote for Mitt Romney; 18% would vote for Mike Huckabee; 16% would vote for Rudy Giuliani; 10% would vote for Fred Thompson; 6% would vote for John McCain; 5% would vote for Ron Paul ...... Clinton leads with 29%, followed by Obama, 27% ..... a prod toward greater transparency and disclosure on Capitol Hill. ...... Bush "accused the Democratic-controlled Senate of waging a 'search and destroy' mission against his judicial nominees that ruins reputations." ..... Bush's announcement was "applauded by Senator Charles E. Schumer," who "had called for opening up the military airspace." Schumer "said the change should be made permanent." ...... the root of the problem of airline delays: the nation's outdated air traffic control system." ...... Newsweek .. Karl Rove, who was announced Thursday as the magazine's newest contributor ... On Aug. 13, the same day Rove stood alongside President Bush on the South Lawn, Meacham said he e-mailed the strategist about getting his byline in print." China pulls out of Iran sanctions meeting Tehran Times Bush presses hard to ensure Japan remains a close ally International Herald Tribune Germany could consider separate EU steps on Iran Reuters Merrill to Pay Chief $50 Million, More if Stock Rises New York Times UN Global Warming Report Sternly Warns Against Inaction Washington Post Is Google Planning An Android Platform For Wireless Spectrum? InformationWeek
Yesterday towards the conclusion of the debate watch party at the John Street bar Rudy, who runs the Obama 2008 office in downtown Manhattan, casually mentioned Barack's half-sister Maya would be in the office "between three and four." That was manna from heaven. I could not believe. It would be a small crowd. It would really feel like meeting her in person.
So I showed up. At three. She was not there yet. So I walked over to the space in the back. Then Rudy, then Molly asked us to step out into the main space. A small crowd had gathered. There were two sets of camera crews, one group was two students at Columbia Journalism, another was a group making a documentary on the Obama campaign for "theatrical release." But I had seen them coming in.
I did not realize Maya was already in the room. I sauntered along from one part of the room to another. The thought of googling up her image the night before had crossed my mind, but I had decided to surprise myself and see her in person, unlike with her brother and sister-in-law.
She must have noticed that I was the one person who did not seem to know, because after Rudy introduced him, the first thing she said was, she pointed at me and said, "I don't believe I have seen you before, what is your name?" She made me say my name twice.
And then she proceeded to talk sweet and eloquent for over half an hour about Barack, his appeal, and so forth, all of which I readily captured on video. She mentioned "the Washington Square Park rally, I wish I could be there."
Since you could not be there, your next best bet, Maya, is to watch this hour long video.
Then the floor was opened for questions. I went first.
I don't have a question as much a comment, I said. I said I came here to thank you. I have liked Barack Obama at a very fundamental level for a few years now. But then last month some news magazine quoted you as saying, "He walks between worlds." And those four words finally crystallized it for me as to why I like him so much. I came here to thank you for those four words.
A few other gentle questions followed from a few others.
Then she proceeded to spend some one on one time with whoever. When she was done with that with a few people and she was about to walk out, I approached her and asked her if her name was Hindu. It was. Her previous names were Rani and Kamala. Her father's side comes from the Hindu tradition.
I am no longer Hindu. My family is and I grew up Hindu. I am Buddhist. One year into America and I became a Buddhist.
But somebody go do the research on this one. Barack might be my cousin too. I definitely have a bigger claim than Dick Cheney.
Kamala is the biggest river near my hometown Janakpur in Nepal.
कमल (Kamal) = Lotus (in Nepali, Hindi, Sanskrit)
I have a high school friend who lives in Baltimore who is getting married on the 15th next month. His name is Kamal.
I gave her my card on which I had written Barackface. "I have a blog dedicated to Barack. I hope you google it up," I said.
Then she walked out. She was out in the corridor for a few minutes before she was gone.
"Rudy, man, you look like you live in this office," I teased Rudy about his beard stubs.
I lingered. I made small talk with some of the people in the room. Some new faces, some guest faces, several old faces. Jordan Thomas was one of them. When I interviewed him on camera, he did not realize the only editing that happens with me is while filming. I don't have video editing software or hardware. So he gave a few different takes on a few things he said. He thought I would edit. I put it out raw. He complains about that every time he sees me.
This video is meant for your grandkids, not you, dude. Get back with me on this one after Barack has had his two terms in the White House.
Faina and I had talked at the headquarters after I had dropped by last night after the debate watch party. She had been putting in some major time into phone banking and stuff. Today I asked her to teach me how to do it. And I did it for half an hour. It was so much fun.
I met a guy, Steve. He is a Labor Party leader in London. He has been volunteering for Barack in the city. "If I were British, that would be my party," I said.
I must say I was surprised to meet him. He is an elected official in London. He is not even American. And he is out here volunteering for Barack.
"We are sick and tired of Bush," he explained.
Some of my Obama 2008 local comrades struggle with trying to figure me out just like the people running some of the political organizations in Manhattan before them whose events I used to attend.
Obama Rolls Out "New Campaign Weapon": Half-Sister Maya Soetoro-Ng ...The 37-year-old Soetoro-Ng, a high-school teacher in Honolulu whose red hatchback is plastered with her brother's bumper stickers, says she always knew Barack was destined for great things. "My mom and I had a joke that he would become the first black president," she told NEWSWEEK. "He was so smart, but also wise beyond his years. He had so commanding a presence. He was like a little big man. We called him 'the little big man,' because in many ways he was an old man when he was a kid." Obama's half-sister jumps into flurry of campaigning - The ... never mean to her, but sometimes "bossy" as they grew up in Honolulu. ...... their mother, Ann Dunham, had such a large impact on Obama, especially with her community organizing in Africa and Asia and her large spirit. .... "She was an immense woman," Soetoro-Ng, 36, said of Dunham, who died in 1995. "She embraced everybody. There was so much good in her that there wasn't any room for smallness or meanness or violence." ..... her husband Konrad Ng and their 2-year-old daughter, Suhaila, said they planned to be active in the Islands and would campaign on the Mainland if needed. She said Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, 84, who also lives in Honolulu ...... lived here for the better part of 18 years. ..... she married Lolo Soetoro and had Maya in Indonesia .... Although they're nine years apart in age, Soetoro-Ng said they share the same taste in music, literature and philosophy. ..... teaches history at the private La Pietra Hawai'i School for Girls and instructs night classes at the University of Hawai'i. ..... The two would share picnics or at times go on long walks to talk about their lives. She said Obama helped her recover after her father died in 1987. ...... Since moving away, Obama generally has been visiting Hawai'i in the winter to relax, play basketball and golf with old friends and to spend time with his family. Obama's Ascent - TIMEEven then, though, "he had powers," remembers his half sister Maya Soetoro-Ng. "He was charismatic. He had lots of friends." In high school, he used to stroll over to the Manoa campus of the University of Hawaii to "meet university ladies," says Soetoro-Ng, who still lives in Honolulu. Maya Soetoro-Ng - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSoetoro-Ng received her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa in Fall 2006. Maya Soetoro-Ng Las Vegas - a photoset on Flickr MAYA SOETORO-NG :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Obama Family Tree Obama's Sister Debuts as Campaigner - washingtonpost.com"He's always wrestled with difficult questions," Soetoro-Ng said. "Part of his gift is he will grapple with these childhood questions until he finds answers that will work for him. It's important that he's not afraid of these more difficult questions."
The Clintons must have made too much money since they left the White House. Their definition of middle class has changed. Those making more than $97,000 a year are the top 6%. But for Hillary that is now middle class.
Barack's point is that you can have the fiscal responsibility that Hillary talks about and still you are going to have to do more because over 70 million baby boomers are getting ready to retire. He says the cap has to be lifted. People making more than $200,000 are going to have to start paying also on that income.
Fiscal responsibility is breakfast, raising the cap is lunch. It is not a choice between one and the other. Both agree on the breakfast part but Hillary refuses to accept the reality of lunch. She is in denial.
This is another attempt on Hillary's part to sound like a Bush Republican. Oh, don't raise that tax now.
Did Hillary vote for the trillion dollar Bush tax cuts? Back in 2001? Somebody go check the records. Considering Hillary thinks going back to Bill Clinton policies on everything is the way to go on every issue, she should realize all Barack is doing is undoing Bush' harmful trillion dollar tax cut for the top 1%. Maybe she will fall for that if explained that way.
In 1992 Bill Clinton falsely accused Paul Tsongas of wanting to raise taxes on the middle class. He knew he was lying. But before the news cycle was over, he had managed to "shake Tsongas off his trousers." Tsongas never got the opportunity to correct.
Hillary is mistaken. This is not 1992, Bill Clinton and Paul Tsongas. This is 1960, JFK, and Lyndon Johnson. At worst, this is 1980, George H W Bush, and Ronald Reagan. But likely 1960.
In The News
Open Caucus: The Voters on the Debate New York Times Right about now I’m starting to reconsider who I thought would be a good candidate ....... I wish I could say I had confidence in Obama or anyone else’s plan to “secure the border.” The fact is we have too much border. ...... There has to be an economic and political solution (on both sides of the border) to stem the tide. ....... yet another presidential debate appears on my basic cable service. What is this, like the 30th one so far? Aren’t we still a YEAR away from the elections? ..... still comes across with all sincerity of a used car salesman, or woman in her case ....... Thoreau was correct when he penned that politicians will favor the expedient over the righteous ....... Brazil is energy independent. Why aren’t we? .......... Edwards lost ground, likely among women. ........ recent six-party success led by the United States and China in denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. ......... while agreeing with Obama’s stance on most issues, am often left wondering how he will accomplish what he stands for. He rarely offers practical ideas about the “how.” This reinforces my idea that he is inexperienced ........ Clinton is more experienced, very well-versed and practical about her ideas. ....... While I am leaning toward Hillary, I am wary of her ability to garner cross-over votes from more conservative voters and those who will not lay down old baggage from her husband’s term in office. ........ We have a very interdependent system of workers, unions, businesses, pensioners, health care and we cannot charge big and small business with taking care of all of our woes. ............ made me want to research some of the questions for myself, so that I can make up my mind about issues such as tax caps, the “how” of “universal” health care, and energy, just to name a few. I have not heard a health care plan from any of the Democratic candidates with which I can agree. India's coalition compromises over nuclear deal AFP Indian left-wingers continue to argue the pact could restrict the domestic nuclear weapons programme. They also fear India's longstanding position as a non-aligned nation will be compromised. Clinton declared winner of debate by mostBoston Globe Obama as the red-blue uniterLos Angeles Times Clinton hopes to play "the leadership card''Baltimore Sun It Was Clinton vs. Obama on Health Care New York Times “The only difference between Senator Clinton’s health care plan and mine is that she thinks the problem for people without health care is that nobody has mandated — forced — them to get health care,” Mr. Obama said. “That’s not what I’m seeing around Nevada. What I see are people who would love to have health care. They desperately want it. But the problem is they can’t afford it.” ......... When the purchase of insurance is voluntary, people who expect to be sick are more likely to buy it, and insurers often try to deny coverage to those whom they expect to have high medical costs. Mrs. Clinton and other supporters of an individual mandate say it would reduce this problem. As a corollary, Mrs. Clinton would require insurers to offer coverage to anyone who applied. ..... The Clinton plan would cost an estimated $110 billion a year, the Edwards plan $90 billion to $120 billion a year, and the Obama plan $50 billion to $65 billion a year. Lieutenant governor endorses Clinton for presidentBoston Globe She says the New York Democrat has the strength and experience to provide health insurance for all Americans. Bhutto Rejects Musharraf's Interim Setup as `Illegal' (Update3) Bloomberg Report: Google ready to buy wireless spectrum Bizjournals.com Google on track to buy wireless spectrum and set up a mobile networkGuardian Unlimited Google prepares $4.6bn for US spectrum auctionTimes Online So Google's down? That means BUY CNNMoney.com AMD Sells 8.1 Pct Stake to Mideast Firm Washington Post Adenovirus Cold Spreads In USA eMaxHealth.com Google to Make $4.6 Billion USD Bid for Piece of 700mhz Spectrum DailyTech Apple Patches 41 Bugs in Monster Day of FixesNew York Times Apple Updates Security On Leopard, Tiger, And PantherInformationWeek Love in the Time of Cholera (2007)New York Times a man’s lifelong passion for a beautiful woman who marries another man ....... Although he has bedded more than 600 women, Florentino saves his essential self for Fermina. One of the novel’s most seductive notions is the idea of virginity of the soul, of the essential self reserved for one’s true love. ........ (several scenes of Florentino’s frenetic sex life) ...... magical realism, in which the past pervades the present and the dead haunt the living ...... the movie shrinks from the overwhelming physicality of Mr. García Márquez’s imagination. In its scenes of disease it politely wrinkles its nose before hurrying on.
Obama in Orbit The New York Times Michael Ignatieff, the deputy leader of Canada's opposition Liberal Party, said: "Outsiders know it's your choice. Still, they are following this election with passionate interest. And it's clear Barack Obama would be the first globalized American leader, the first leader in whom internationalism would not be a credo, it would be in his veins." ..... Jorge Castañeda, a former foreign minister. .... "My sense is the symbolism in Mexico of a dark-skinned American president would be enormous. We've got female leaders now in Latin America - in Chile, in Argentina. But the idea of a U.S. leader who looks the way the world looks as seen from Mexico is revolutionary." ..... Among Republicans, only John McCain - admired in Europe - seems to offer real bridge-building capacity. ....... Obama, while saying he might attack "high value terrorist targets" in Pakistan, has been most forthright in sketching a globalized community - "the security of the American people is inextricably linked to the security of all people" - and pushing hope over fear. ....... I see nobody else who would represent such a Kennedy-like restorative charge at a time when America often seems out of sync with the world. ..... the United States remained the most important nation, but ....... a Pakistani Muslim seeing on television a man "who attended a majority-Muslim school" and is "now the alleged enemy." ..... "If you wanted the crudest but most effective weapon against the demonization of America that fuels Islamist ideology, Obama's face gets close." ..... The world isn't voting. America is. But the candidate who most mirrors the 21st-century world seems clear enough.
Clinton Takes Aggressive Tack Against Her Leading Rivals New York Times Clinton swings back at rivals in Democratic debateBoston Globe The New York senator's pointed criticisms of her opponents -- unusual for a front-runner seeking to remain above the fray -- came after two shaky weeks for her campaign. She had been forced to defend herself against charges that she has changed positions on key issues, that she had played the gender card and that her staff planted friendly questions at campaign events. .... 10th Democratic debate since April .... But Obama and Edwards both were booed when they criticized her personally, and after some sharp personal exchanges in the early minutes, the debate shifted back into discussions of key issues. ....... ``I don't think that the problem with the American people is that they are not being forced to get health care. The problem is they can't afford it,'' Obama said. ........ Obama hit back hard, however, when Clinton accused him of backing a $1 trillion tax hike to buttress Social Security. ....... only six percent of wage-earners earn more than $97,500 a year ...... Obama insisted the choice between human rights abroad and security at home was a false one. ...... he said ``yes' when asked if undocumented immigrants should get licenses. ..... ``Undocumented workers are not coming here to drive,'' but to get jobs, Obama said. Iowa Union Endorsement For Obama Washington Post Obama On The RiseCBS News After the first Democratic debate, at the end of April, when Hillary Clinton made her main rivals seems small and insignificant, I expected that Barack Obama would fade from contention even before the Iowa Caucus...... Based purely on opinion polls - and some scattered interviewing - I still see Clinton as the favorite for the nomination, but I can now envision a scenario in which Obama could surpass her. ..... on September 26, she voted for the Kyl-Lieberman amendment on Iran, which designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. It also committed the United States to structuring its forces in Iraq "with regard to the capability of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to pose a threat to the security of the region, the prospects for democracy for the people of the region, and the health of the global economy." The Kyl-Lieberman amendment was merely a "sense of the Senate" resolution. It did not bind the Bush administration to doing anything. But the resolution seemed to affirm the administration's bellicose posture toward Iran and could, perhaps, be used as a justification for a military attack. ..... she was shifting from "primary mode, when she needs to guard against critics from the left, to general election mode, when she must guard against critics from the right." Clinton, the article said, was also "solidifying crucial support from the pro-Israel lobby." ...... during the October 30 Democratic debate, when she equivocated on New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's plan to give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. ..... ppearing to block access to her papers from the Clinton administration. ..... Edwards' attacks may not help his own standing with voters, but they are likely to wound Clinton, just as Dick Gephardt's attacks wounded front-runner Howard Dean before the 2004 Iowa Caucus. ..... The prime beneficiary of Edwards' ads, and potentially of Edwards' flagging support, is Obama, who has pulled statistically even with Clinton in the latest Iowa poll. In the past Clinton was able to argue that there was no significant political difference between herself and Obama, and that due to her superior experience, she was more likely to accomplish what they both advocated. But Clinton's equivocation and transparent calculation raised questions about whether she was sufficiently committed to carry out their common objectives. ..... Obama's speech at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner advanced the argument for his own candidacy. None of the other Democratic or Republican candidates can match his sheer rhetorical brilliance: his ability to be at once cool and passionate, cerebral and emotional. ..... The speech Obama gave that evening was the best I've seen during this campaign. ....... Americans don't want "the same old Washington textbook campaigns." They don't want "triangulating and poll-driven positions." They want to be led "not by polls, but by principle; not by calculation, but by conviction." They don't want Democrats who think "the only way to look tough on national security is by talking, and acting, and voting like George Bush Republicans." They "don't want to spend the next year or the next four years re-fighting the same fights that we had in the 1990s." ...... a 21st century version of Abraham Lincoln ...... Lincoln needed a civil war to unify the nation. Obama promises to do so through political inspiration. ..... Still, there now seems to be a path by which Obama could gain the nomination. Aided by Edwards' votes and, perhaps, by further Clinton missteps, he could win Iowa and New Hampshire. He would then have established sufficient credibility with South Carolina's black voters to win that state's primary. On Super Tuesday, February 5, he would have to win California, a few Southern states, and one or two Midwestern states in addition to Illinois to be competitive for the long haul. Obama would still not be home free, but he would certainly be in position to challenge Clinton well into the spring. After Rough Few Weeks, Hillary Clinton Gives Strong Debate PerformanceABC News a new aggressive game plan and appeared to successfully get her campaign ship back on course. ..... "this pantsuit, it's asbestos tonight" ....... Early on in the evening, she delivered what was clearly a planned hit on Sen. Obama's healthcare plan ...... His plan would leave 15 million Americans out. That's about the population of Nevada, Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire ....... Edwards, whose presence didn't seem to dominate this debate as it did the last one ...... Clinton responded with a sly and knowing, "Campbell. . . " She then went on to say, "Well, it is clear, I think, from women's experiences that from time to time, there may be some impediments." ...... This 16 day period of Sen. Clinton playing defense and struggling to get a handle on all the attacks coming from her opponents has come to a close. Sen. Obama and Sen. Edwards will now have to look for another opportunity to grab a foothold to drive the narrative as cleanly as they were able to do over the last couple of weeks. After two weeks, can Clinton stop the slide? Los Angeles Times she holds a 51% to 23% to 11% edge over Obama and Edwards in Nevada. ...... So it's been a tough two weeks off-message for the senator. And it's shown in the polls, with Clinton's once mammoth lead dwindling like a Slim-Fast diet, despite her fat bank account and bounteous endorsements. ...... the last seven weeks before the Iowa caucuses. Hillary's consistent non-answers (updated)MSNBC At debate, Clinton seeks rebound Reuters Ahead of the debate, the Clinton campaign belittled her challengers for "shifting to a negative attack strategy" ..... fevered speculation that the seemingly invincible Clinton might not be the inevitable Democratic nominee as her campaign would like Americans to believe. ...... "Tonight you are going to see Senator Edwards continue to answer questions openly and honestly. You are also going to see Senator Clinton look confused when she gets a global warming question from (CNN anchor) Wolf Blitzer instead of a college student," said Edwards spokeswoman Colleen Murray. .......... Before the debate, New York's Democratic governor, Eliot Spitzer, gave Clinton what amounted to a gift, taking off the table the issue of whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to have driver's licenses. Hold off on the Clinton coronationBoston Globe This may be the last time New Hampshire enjoys special status. Too many other states, with more delegates, more diversity, and more contributors are demanding to go earlier. Already, Nevada's caucuses sit between Iowa and New Hampshire. Both political parties have lost control of their primary calendars. And the tsunami of primaries on Feb. 5 foreshadows big changes in the calendar next time. ....... Hillary's lead is shrinking. Because Bill is the Clinton who Democrats love, her campaign sent him out to spank her primary opponents. He went overboard, warning that they were making Democrats "vulnerable to a Swift-boat kind of ad." If the shrinkage continues, Bill might get medieval on her critics. He does, after all, owe her. ....... he's finally criticizing Hillary Clinton by name. ...... "His oratory was moving and he successfully contrasted himself with the others, especially Clinton, without being snide or nasty about it." ......... The man who brags about his executive experience may be the worst judge of character in the presidential field. Rudy ......Then there's the accused child molester, Monsignor Alan Placa, who admitted that he was implicated in a 2003 grand jury child abuse report but denied molesting children. The statute of limitations had expired. Placa was removed from his parish by the church. He now works at Giuliani Partners in New York. Placa was best man at Giuliani's first wedding, helped Rudy get that marriage annulled, then married Rudy and his second wife - the one Rudy dumped at a press conference. The accused pedophile priest baptized both of Giuliani's children......... At least six neocons are advising Rudy, one of whom urged the president to launch a preemptive strike on Iran. The bombing begins in five minutes. ..... If Hillary has another bad night, what happens in Vegas won't stay in Vegas. Obama wins UAW endorsement that includes IowaBaltimore Sun Obama pitches youth, technology at Google, SF events San Francisco Chronicle Obama, at Google, calls for national CTOComputerworld
I think it would be historic for America to get a woman president. But it would be more historic for America to get a black president. A white woman has to be 90 to remember a time when she not vote. A black person - man or woman - only has to be 50.
If this election is about making history, let's nominate and elect Barack.
But Barack is more than Black, he is a package deal. He is also Asian, and Third World. He is African, of course. The dude actually has a grandmother who lives in a hut with no electricity or running water. He has another grandmother who lives in the same apartment where she raised him.
When the white woman could not vote in America, Kenya was a British colony. Much of Asia was colonized. So, yes, let's make history. Let's nominate and elect someone who is linked to former colonies by blood. Let's make history.
Curiously Barack is also white. He is Dick Cheney's cousin. How much whiter than that can you get? That is Wyoming white. They only have white people in that state. I think.
Barack is not a woman, but you can't use that against him. He was raised by a woman. He is outnumbered by women in his family, three to one. But the whole ying yang philosophy is that there is a woman inside every man, and a man inside every woman. When Hillary laughs, that is the man part. When Barack blushes, that is the woman part.
Hillary went to an all white high school. How boring is that? Barack attended school on a few different continents.
America was always meant to be multiracial, the idea it was founded on was not white-specific. It was not meant to be white-specific, although the country even today struggles to live that dream.
It is that multi-racial DNA of America that tells me it will continue to be the leading country also in this century. Japan and China are too one ethnicity. Europe is not open enough to immigrants.
But America always has had only white guy presidents. That leads me to the claim that Barack Obama is going to be America's first president. In a way. I think that would be a great way for America to start this century. By electing Barack.
I think Hillary's name recognition and the poll numbers that name recognition has given her has prevented her from doing the hard work of substance on gender. She is hung up on the symbolism.
All the big South Asian countries have had women heads of states. But South Asia is so very sexist. The sexism did not budge much, if at all. A woman head of state is not enough for women's liberation. The only way to gender equality is the grassroots way.
I think it is such a waste that a talented, smart, hard working woman like Hillary who is the first serious woman candidate for president is not talking up the substance of gender. What a waste!
John Edwards Is Going To Have To Endorse Barack
Edwards and Barack are so alike in terms of where they stand on the message of change, on ethics reform, on getting money out of politics. Hillary, on the other hand, shamelessly flaunts her ties to lobbyists.
Barack and Edwards might look good together.
After Edwards drops out of the race, I think he will have no option but to endorse Barack. They are carbon copies of each other on the key issues. Edwards is Barack minus the money, the support and the charisma. But the man is right on the issues. And he sure has the fighting spirit.
And what I like particularly is he portrays the new face of the South. He is a white guy who lived segregation in his native South, was repulsed by it, and is, as a result, very progressive on race.
Denis
I think he did well in the Nevada debate. He really got his message across. He did best among the minor candidates.
Put race and gender aside. Put aside the fact that Barack and Hillary are both very smart people. Put aside the fact that both have been raising a lot of money and have real support all across the country.
If you look at their policy positions, there are some very real differences.
Iraq, Iran, Social Security, Ethics Reform. Hillary might change her position on driving licenses for undocumented immigrants, but she does not have the option to change her position on these big issues. She is stuck with where she stands on these big issues.
Hillary's cavalier attitude towards immigration I find personally offensive.
Rudy
This would be the Obama staffer who runs Obama 2008's downtown Manhattan office. Towards the end of the debate he mentioned Barack's sister Maya will be in the office from three to four in the afternoon.
That news was so emotional to me. I mean, heck. I can't even vote. I am not a citizen. My support for Barack is deeply, deeply personal. It is almost not political, although that it is.
The way I put it is, I lost something in 1989. I stand to regain that through Barack's elevation to the White House. That personal.
It was Maya who gave voice to why I like Barack so much. And I am quite a wordy person myself. But it was Maya who finally gave me these four words. I was not able to get to them myself on my own. I am going to meet her and I am going to thank her for those four words.
I pride myself in my political instincts. My support for Barack is deeply personal. But my political instincts tell me Barack has the potential to become the greatest president America ever had. Now that is not personal. That is me being as objective as I can be. That is me staking my political reputation on the statement.
Barack sure is ready for America. Is America ready for Barack?
Americans stand to do themselves a huge favor by putting this dude into the White House.
Barack will bring together the best qualities of three presidents, Lincoln, FDR and JFK. He will liberate America from racism like Lincoln liberated America from slavery. He will bring universal health care and give a new life to Social Security. That is FDR. And he will bring JFK's charisma, youthfulness and "viguh" to the office as well as his ability to reach all corners of the earth.
Hillary has been pro-war. She voted for the disastrous invasion of Iraq. Now she says she did not really mean that. But as late as 2006, her position was that Rumsfeld has to be fired, as in the decision to go to war was right, but its implementation, the execution of the plan got screwed up by the Defense Secretary. That was not an anti-war position.
If it were a minor issue, that would be one thing. But this just so happens to be the single biggest foreign policy mistake America has made in a generation.
Sometimes you let bygones be bygones. If both Barack and Hillary are going to end the war, what the heck, you might think. But before the ink has even dried on Hillary's new position, she has already made very clear that for her to end the war means something very different than what it might mean to the rest of us. She might bring back half the troops over a few years and leave the rest behind, and in her book that will still be an end to the war. Now that is stretching it in my book.
Then you can say, or maybe Iraq has been Bush' mistake, why blame Hillary! Just when that thought might be gelling, she had an Oops, I Did It Again moment on Iran.
She passed a resolution that says the president of Iran is a terrorist. That is the first step in the direction of war. That can not be explained any other way. That was not a vote for diplomacy. That was botched diplomacy.
Barack is no pacifist. He fully understands that being Commander In Chief will perhaps be his number one responsibility as President of the United States in these perilous times. And that is why US security is more important to him than empty, brave-sounding talk that gets bogged down into dumb wars and botched diplomacy. He wants results. He wants security. He wants peace.
War is always a possibility: he gets that. But what he gets and Hillary does not seem to is that war always, always has to be the weapon of the very last resort. That is how you make victory in war possible. By using it as the weapon of the very last resort.
America under Bush has been a country that keeps wanting to fight another state with a standing army. That is to be in denial. The Al Qaeda is not a state, it does not have a standing army, and it is stronger today than it was before 9/11. To invade Iraq was to take one eye off the Al Qaeda. Military action against Iran would be to take both eyes off the Al Qaeda.
Immigration
There is nothing illegal about immigration. There is managed immigration, and there is mismanaged immigration. That is all. This is a country of immigrants, always has been. If Australia was founded by convicts, America was founded by immigrants.
If sounding like Bush Republicans on war and immigration will give Hillary the nomination and the presidency, will that have been a victory at all? What mandate will she have to do things differently than Bush has been doing? We might as well instead give Bush a third term.
The boys who ran Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign are the same boys running Hillary 2008. This is no girlie campaign. Hillary is just a masthead. Make no mistake, as the race tightens, those boys are going to want to play hardball. Mark Penn 1992, Mark Penn 2008. I wonder when James Carville himself will surface.
The Dems on the Hill took one stand on immigration during the last national attempt on immigration reform. It was a stand to get the 12 million illegal immigrants on a path to earned citizenship. That was a valid stand. Too bad it went down in defeat. Hillary supported that. Now is she backtracking on that stand? Is that what it is?
