I Am So Proud Of The Democratic Field

50 Days For Iowa

The debate actually started at nine. But the DFNYC website said six. I showed up a little late, a little after six. And the guy at the door asked for my ID.

How old do I look to you, I asked.

"25, maybe," he said.

The sign said eight, so I walked out. I made a few phone calls walking around the little park out there. I have been bugging everyone I can think of raising money for my startup.

I came back. The crowd was pretty big by then. But it was not upstairs as advertised. It was down.

Stephanie approched me. "Hey, you are my Facebook friend." So we had our first ever conversation. She is the national secretary of the Young Democrats of America.

Costa was sitting at a table. Costa goes by one name, like Cher, like Madonna. He is a major Obama guy in Queens. I have seen him at many, many events.

I could never bring myself to stand in the same room as Matt Romney, like never. F____ that guy. That guy thinks if he can talk racist that will make him less Mormon and more white.

Matt Al American Goebbels Romney Al Zawahari

Other than that, it was a great debate. Looks like Mike Gravel has been booted out. Joe Biden did pretty good. He went after Rudy Giuliani and that was good.

The three biggies gave quite a show. Edwards, Clinton and Barack. Edwards and Barack drew distinctions with Clinton without making it sound like they are making personal attacks. John Edwards was in spirit. No sweat. I am going to speak my mind kind of thing.

Barack did very well. He did what he was supposed to do. He drew distinctions.

Clinton stood her ground. She retained composure. At one point Bill Richardson defended her. Richardson thought Edwards and Barack were being too hard on her. I am not going to be president, so what the heck, at least her husband gave me a major lift.

It was a great debate.

I hope many of them end up in the eventual Democratic cabinet. They are going to make the progressive cause look strong.

There were a few different times when Clinton refused to take a clear stand. And Barack quickly did. The contrast was sharp and clear.

Like, so Spitzer is going to give drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants. Do you support the idea or what? Hillary could not bring herself to say yes, I am for it. Barack was very clear. He said he agrees with Spitzer totally.

I did not feel like Hillary was wrong in any of her answers. But she came across as cautious, not wanting to venture on to new ground. After the hell she went through in the 1990s, she might have learned a few wrong lessons.

Edwards pointed out Hillary has been getting more lobbyist money from every industry than any Democrat or Republican. He kept honing the point home. I can see why Justin Krebs might like John Edwards.

I have met Justin Krebs a few times. I have a feeling he might be a Liberal.

You could go to any city in America, like 300 of them, and there is a Drinking Liberally chapter in there, and you show up, and if you can say you are friends with Justin, you got it made. You are going to get VIP treatment.

Most everybody I have ever seen with Justin, they act like it is a status symbol to be knowing him.

Towards the end of the debate, I saw Heather Woodfield for like two seconds out of the corner of my eye. I shot an email to her after I got back home. Give me a conversation.

Hillary gave a good performance. She speaks good English.

The debate was two hours, with three breaks.

Good White People Living In The Asian Century

The good white people running the show at the political organizations in Manhattan.

In The News

Giuliani Still Working At Consulting Firm CBS News
Dems, Let's See a Real Debate on Medicare, Social Security TheStreet.com She instead endorsed Reagan's solution: to appoint a bipartisan commission to solve the problem. ...... Medicare will blow up in our faces in 12 short years.
India's central bank keeps rates steady, moves to soak up liquidity International Herald Tribune ordered lenders to hold a larger share of their deposits in cash — a step aimed at soaking up excess liquidity in the banking system. ....... The Indian financial system is flush with funds because a surge in foreign capital into the country. ...... Foreign investors have bought more than US$22 billion (€15.27 billion) in Indian stocks to date this year, nearly three times what they invested last year. ....... The hike in cash reserve ratio, or CRR, would drain 160 billion rupees (US$4 billion; €3.3 billion) from the banking system .... This is the fourth time the central bank has increased the CRR this year.
News Analysis Bhutto’s Return Brings Pakistani Politics to a Boil New York Times Home for just over a week, the opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has raised the temperature in Pakistan a hundredfold, stirring friend and foe alike as she rallies supporters, courts the news media and plunges back into the muck of Pakistan’s politics. ........ quarter of a million loyal and enthusiastic supporters who went to Karachi to greet her ....... “remains an intensely polarizing figure ......... the murder of Benazir’s father through a contrived judicial verdict, the death of her two brothers in dubious circumstances, and the dismissal of her governments ....... Using the news media unabashedly, Ms. Bhutto has been outspoken in particular against terrorism, saying things that few local politicians dare to against the religious and jihadi groups. She is the only politician in Pakistan saying loudly and clearly that suicide bombing is against the teaching of Islam. .......... a virulent verbal exchange ....... The return attacks have been swift and nasty. The chief minister of Sindh Province, Ms. Bhutto’s home province, warned that the rule of a woman would be a curse for Pakistan. ....... suggested that Ms. Bhutto herself could be behind the bomb blasts, as a ploy for sympathy. ...... the image that Ms. Bhutto studiously cultivated in her years abroad: that of a pro-Western democrat who can bring the people of Pakistan on board in the fight against terrorism. ........ Many citizens are also disgusted by the ordinance, which seems to give free license to any corrupt politician. So are members of the military, who see the army being sullied by association, all so General Musharraf can stay in power. ........ The famous cricketer turned politician, Imran Khan, and his ex-wife, the wealthy British socialite Jemima Khan, lambasted Ms. Bhutto in articles in the British press. Ms. Khan called Ms. Bhutto a “a kleptocrat in a Hermès scarf.” ......... the story of how Murtaza Bhutto, Benazir’s brother, was gunned down by the police, point out the spot where it happened just yards from his home, and recall how the police delayed taking him to a hospital and let him bleed in his seat. ......... Ms. Bhutto’s estranged niece, Fatima Bhutto, who holds Benazir Bhutto morally responsible for the death of Murtaza, her father. A 26-year-old newspaper columnist, Fatima
Clinton girds for Obama, Edwards attacks AFP Clinton, who has barely put a foot wrong in the 2008 Democratic race for president, has performed strongly in all previous encounters ....... Obama may be in danger of seeing his White House dream dissolve. ....... "John Edwards is trying to run from the left, Clinton has been resolutely been running from the center and Barack Obama is running from above -- against politics as usual" ...... her "road to the middle class takes a major detour right through the deep canyon of corporate lobbyists." ...... victory in Iowa would give Obama a boost which could allow him to challenge Clinton in other key states, while his defeat may effectively crown her as presumptive nominee. .......... A bad loss for Edwards in a state where he has invested heavily, and which leads a long list of primary and caucus nominating contests, would likely effectively end his campaign. ...... "This race in Iowa is more fluid than people give it credit for" ...... "The problem for Barack Obama is whether these younger people will go to caucus," said Redlawsk. "Should that happen, Obama has the potential to overtake Clinton."
Obama, Edwards get their chance with Clinton in person Baltimore Sun it's not hard to guess how the Clinton camp plans to respond.
Thompson, Obama get most positive coverage: study Reuters Obama has attained rock star status on the campaign trail even though he's behind Hillary Clinton in the voter polls. Obama received positive coverage in 47% of all stories about him. But the study also found that Obama seemed to be slipping after May, with more neutral and negative stories. Some 46% of the stories about Thompson had been positive with only 4% negative about his candidacy. ........ The nuts-and-bolts of campaigning accounted for 63% of all coverage, while the personalities and private life of the candidates and their families added another 17%. That left only 7% for domestic policy issues and 7% for foreign policy aspects.
Google plan sees phones by mid-2008: report the Google-powered phones are expected to meld several of its applications, including Google Maps, YouTube and Gmail.
Clinton's Preemptive Strike CBS News Both Barack Obama and John Edwards have signaled that they are set to launch an aggressive new phase in the campaign aimed at the front-runner. ....... Mark Penn asks if the senator's primary opponents are abandoning the "politics of hope."
Gerald Ford labelled 'sex addict' Clinton 'sick' Telegraph.co.uk The former US president Gerald Ford was so concerned about Bill Clinton's womanising that he thought he should seek help at a sex addiction clinic, according to a new book just published. ......... In a case of the dead speaking ill of the living, Ford thought that Hillary Clinton, now seeking to become president herself, "wore the pants [trousers]" in their relationship. ....... "He's sick – he's got an addiction. He needs treatment" ........ "You know, there's treatment for that kind of addiction" .... "He thought Bill Clinton had a serious addiction here and he needed help," DeFrank told CNN. "And Gerry Ford didn't have a vengeful bone in his body." ........ The Fords recalled entertaining the Clintons after Mr Clinton's inauguration in 1993, when his womanising was well known within political circles ....... "He didn't miss one good-looking skirt at any of the social occasions," Ford said later. Ford, said DeFrank, believed Mr Clinton was charismatic and the best politician he had ever seen – even better than John F Kennedy – but unable to learn from mistakes in his personal life. ....... of Mrs Clinton: "She's very bright. She's strong, and I think he defers to her. When she gets her dander up, she ain't gonna roll over."
Ford on 'sex-addict' Clinton, 'weak' Carter and more Baltimore Sun
Obama Stumbles The Weekly Standard
Candidates Widely Split on Iran The Associated Press The top presidential contenders are offering markedly different ideas on how they would keep Iran from getting nuclear weapons, suddenly a central issue in the 2008 campaign. ........ Democrats say they favor multinational diplomacy, combined with economic incentives as well as sanctions. ... they would consider military action only after exhausting other options. ....... foreign policy experience, judgment and leadership. ....... "For Republicans, Iran represents a much more comfortable foreign policy subject to talk about than Iraq. It's a hard-nosed, hawkish credentialing and branding issue," Beers said. "On the Democratic side, there is far less saber rattling. They are trying to distinguish themselves from Bush and promote a dialogue and find common ground with Iran, which there may not be." ........ relations between Iran and the U.S. have reached a toxic and potentially dangerous level ....... it also has sponsored terrorism throughout the Middle East and continues to support Shiite militias in Iraq that have been involved in attacking American soldiers. ....... a nuclear Iran could lead to World War III. ....... a willingness to take pre-emptive military action against Iran if necessary. ...... Romney last month proposed indicting Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on a charge of inciting genocide. ....... That vote is expected to be a major point of contention Tuesday when the candidates meet in a two-hour debate in Philadelphia. ....... New York senator, has called for more direct diplomacy with Iran and countries such as North Korea, but has also said she would not commit to leader-to-leader meetings. ....... candidates on both sides could do a better job speaking responsibly about the complex problem of Iran. ....... "On the Democratic side, there has been too much silliness on the issue of engagement, and a candidate's particular choice of words for conditions for talking. The rhetoric on the Republican side ignores a bunch of important questions — the Iranian response, our standing in the region and around the world, and poisoning relations with Iran for generations to come."
India Says Activists Hyping Child Labor The Associated Press
US and India have a chance for a win-win energy solution Nuevo Mundo
India Lacks Bond Market When It Is Most Needed: Andy Mukherjee Bloomberg Paulson happened to be in Mumbai on the day the Sensex rose above 20,000 for the first time. ...... India needs to invest $475 billion between now and 2012 to ease shortages in roads, ports, power stations and subway systems. At the existing levels of investment, the country will miss the target by a staggering $162 billion. ....... bringing overseas risk capital into Indian infrastructure projects. ....... About a third of the total annual savings of India's households, companies and the government routinely gets locked up in physical assets -- such as gold jewelry -- and isn't available to the financial industry. ........ The debt market, which could facilitate the flow of money from those who have tons of it -- such as insurers -- to where it's most needed, is practically non-existent. ....... the fast-growing economy had fallen behind in creating a functioning market for corporate borrowings. ...... Bank loans are six times bigger than the outstanding stock of Indian corporate bonds. ....... It's because the domestic bond market hasn't been allowed to prosper that corporate issuers have practically abandoned it over the past few years, choosing instead to borrow overseas.
Protesters Harass Saudi King Abdullah in Britain FOX News
Dalai Lama quotes Mao in face of China's attack Globe and Mail
Why Iran is boasting about immunity from attack by US Chicago Sun-Times
Iran seeks to "confront" US banking sanctions: MP Reuters
Major powers expected to meet on Iran this week Reuters UK
Google shares drive near $700 mark MarketWatch
Germany to Host 2011 Women's World Cup Deutsche Welle
Brazil again favored to win FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup International Herald Tribune
Dell gets lift from upbeat Goldman Sachs report MarketWatch
Oprah tears over school scandal BBC News
Meeting the king John Simpson on one of his most difficult interviews ever I have interviewed Prince Saud before. In fact, he gave me one of the best exclusives I have had, shortly before the US-led invasion of Iraq, when he showed how bitterly opposed the Saudis were to it. ...... I now realised he felt so strongly about what the US had done in Iraq, and the thought that they might soon bomb Iran, that he felt he might upset his relations with Washington if he spoke openly to me. ..... shrewd and pleasant and surprisingly frank, and at 82 still as sharp-minded as ever.

Giuliani: Clinton, Edwards, will change minds on Iraq war again Boston Globe Giuliani said Monday that two of the Democratic candidates will change their minds again about the Iraq war and agree that it was the right decision. ........ had the U.S. not invaded Iraq, it would now be facing two dangerous countries trying to become nuclear powers -- Iraq and Iran. ..... "This is the world we live in. It's not this happy, romantic-like world where we'll negotiate with this one, or we'll negotiate with that one and there will be no preconditions, and we'll invite (Iranian President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad to the White House, we'll invite Osama (bin Laden) to the White House," Giuliani said. ....... Giuliani said the U.S. should be ready to negotiate, but "you can't negotiate with people unless they want to negotiate with you." ....... Obama's spokesman, said Giuliani's "cheap applause lines, unfounded political smears, and shoot-first-think-later politics are irresponsible in a campaign, and would be catastrophic in a presidency." ...... "Mayor Giuliani has stooped to a disgraceful new low that embraces the very worst legacy of George Bush and Dick Cheney's cynicism and divisiveness. We must be united in our determination to hunt down Osama bin Laden, something that George Bush and Rudy Giulianis disastrous Iraq War has prevented," he said. ........ the $15,000 tax breaks he says he would give families to buy private health insurance.
Paulson in India With a Wish List for Economic Changes New York Times a long list of advice, requests, predictions and recommendations for India, which has the world’s second-fastest-growing major economy after China. ....... to urge a successful conclusion of the deadlocked world trade talks, to push for expansion of India’s capital markets and to urge regulators to open the financial sector to foreigners. ........ Foreigners are prohibited from majority ownership in many sectors of the Indian economy, including finance, power and railroads, and are not allowed to participate in markets like commodities exchanges. There are limits on the money that Indian individuals and companies can invest overseas. ....... Indian banks, for example, avoided problems from the United States subprime mortgage market in part because of restrictions on investing in complicated financial instruments that hold risky loans. .......... Mr. Paulson, a former chairman of the investment bank Goldman Sachs ........ The country needs to spend an estimated building $500 billionroads, power grids and ports, or risk stifling growth, which has averaged nearly 9 percent annually in the last three years. American banks and financial companies have been studying the market closely, hoping to finance the investment by expanding India’s nascent bond market.
Laloo flexes RJD muscles in Bihar News Locale Addressing an impressive gathering, Laloo tried to woo the Muslim electorate as well as appease a section of the upper castes. He demanded that the government ensure 10 percent reservation for the poor upper castes in the state. At the same time, he urged the people to give him another opportunity to run the state and promised them to do to Bihar what he has done to the Indian railways. ...... Nevertheless, a large part of his speech concentrated on the Gujarat riots and Narendra Modi bashing. ...... train services through Bihar remained disrupted owing to the rally.
RJD no more a 'sasural party' Times of India, India "sasural" stood for the combine of "Sadhu, Subhash, Rabri Devi and Lalu Prasad" .... If the hoardings on display for the Sunday's Chetawani Rally of the RJD are any indictor, the two brothers of Rabri have been tamed, or relegated to the background. .... It reflected during the two 2005 elections, when the party's tally came down to 75 MLAs during the February elections, and to 55 in November the same year.
Lalu launches his political dynasty Times Now.tv, India At a massive rally, Lalu Prasad launched his two sons Tejasvi and Tej Pratap by formally introducing them to the people of Bihar. ........ Tejasvi is Lalu's elder son and plays for Delhi's Under-19 cricket team. Though Tejasvi is trying to pursue a career in sport, Tej Pratap has shown an inclination towards politics, even accompanying his father to various rallies around the state.

Junta: U.S. a 'loudmouthed bully' CNN Myanmar's military government stepped up its propaganda campaign against the United States, accusing Washington of inciting last month's pro-democracy demonstrations in hopes of installing a puppet government. ...... "Recent protests in the country were created by the loudmouthed bully, using the exiled dissidents and traitors together with communists, internal and external anti-government destructionists," said a commentary Sunday in the Myanmar-language Myanma Ahlin daily.