Bubba, Set Aside Your Ego

So let's just read the writing on the wall--the Clintons have hijacked the convention.

For all the talk about how great Hillary's speech was, about how she was willing to put the differences aside, we have to face the fact that the first two--and now three--days of this convention belong to the Clintons, and the rampant speculation about what they and their supporters are going to say.

There have been some great moments--Ted Kennedy's speech, Michelle's speech, and so forth, but the Clintons and their supporters have had a lot of camera time, resulting in a convention so far that has been one long, emotional, weepy discourse about the importance of unifying against the Republicans, although with very little concrete action about the Republicans or John McCain.

In short, the DNC 2008 has basically been everything the Republicans could have hoped for.

Tonight, Joe Biden takes the stage, but if the last two days have been any indication, all eyes will be on old Bubba. What will he say? Will he come right on out and say that Obama is ready for the Oval Office? Is he really going to skip Obama's speech tomorrow?

Meanwhile, folks will talk about Biden, folks will talk about Obama, but I guarantee you--tune into any major network tonight during prime time, and you'll be hearing Clinton, Clinton, Clinton--three times as much as you'll be hearing Obama's name.

Is this Bill and Hillary's fault? Well--no--it's the media's. Always striving for that blockbuster narrative, the mainstream media is licking its chops over the battle of "The Three Clans." The Kennedys, The Clintons, and now The Obamas.

News flash: The Obamas are not a clan. That's why Barack was chosen. He is not an long-time political insider.

But the media is so hungry for a feud that we have heard very little about the actual democratic platform--certainly not much more than the same old broad, sweeping strokes that the party has been painting for months now.

So with Bill sure to take the spotlight tonight, there is precisely one day left for Obama to deliver the platform. It puts him in an awfully tight spot. He is going to have to accomplish a lot of things in that one speech to make up for three days of this nonsense.

Did Bill and Hillary anticipate that this was how the convention would go down? I don't know, but if any two people know how the media machine works in this country, it's those two.

So Bubba, on the off chance that you're sulking in your hotel room right now, reading this blog--set that ego aside tonight. Talk about Barack. Let people know you're with him. This party has business to attend to. Then, tomorrow, attend his address, stand up, and cheer like the rest of us.

DNC 2008: Two Days In, How's it Going?

We're halfway through the convention, and I'm curious to hear from Blog Obama '08 readers:

• Do you think the party is accomplishing its goals?
• What messages need to be drilled home in the next two days?
• Is the rift between the Clinton and Obama camps genuinely healed, or are lingering tensions simply being swept under the rug?
• What does Biden need to say tomorrow to assure voters that he is the best choice for VP?
• What does Obama need to say on Thursday to seal the deal?

Remember, you don't need to sign in to leave a comment, but at the same time, please don't use anonymous comments as a shield to let you express misogynist, racist, or bigoted opinions.

DNC DAY 2: "No way, no how, no McCain," says Clinton

CLINTON: "I am a proud supporter of Barack Obama..."

Consider the hatchet buried. Now, with only two days left in the DNC, the real challenge is setting up the Democratic Party in stark contrast with the Republicans and John McCain.

Briefly noted...

...Shame on Wolf Blitzer and the other pundits speculating on the potential effect of Hurricane Gustav making landfall in the gulf on the eve of the Republican Convention. To politicize a hurricane that threatens the safety and livelihood of a region--and a hurricane that hasn't even struck yet--is beyond despicable. We don't need a fresh hurricane to remind us of the unmitigated disaster that was the U.S. government's response to Katrina, (and a bipartisan disaster, at that.)

Also briefly noted...

...Shame on Bill Clinton if he chooses to skip Obama's keynote speech on Thursday. What is there to lose in attending? Not much. What is there to gain? Oh, let's see, a unified front on the road to a Democratic White House?

Don't even get me started on this guy. 12 months ago, I had so much respect for Bill Clinton. During my cross-country move last year, on the way from South Texas to Indiana, I stopped in Hope, Arkansas, just to see where the man was born. But after his antics during the primaries, and now during the general. Ugh.

Democratic National Convention: Day 1

9:17 p.m. EST

The media just insist on making the narrative of this convention Clinton versus Obama. I'm not saying that there are no tensions in the party--it's just that every interview on MSNBC and CNN is centered on the rifts, rather than the unity, in the party. I think Nancy Pelosi said it best earlier tonight when she told an MSNBC reporter that the DNC will be unified. It has never been unanimous.

9:30 p.m. EST

Ted Kennedy: "My fellow Democrats, my fellow Americans, it is so wonderful to be here, and nothing is going to keep me away from this special gathering tonight..."

In a night of sterile, scripted, canned-for-television addresses, Ted Kennedy's appearance offers the first real moment of emotion and genuine excitement.

10:33 p.m. EST

The Michelle Obama video did an excellent job of delivering her moving, inspiring life story to the prime time audience. (Briefly noted: I had no idea that Michelle Obama's brother was the head coach of the Oregon State men's basketball team.)

10:49 p.m. EST

Michelle was obviously, understandably, and charmingly nervous and stilted at the beginning of her speech, but it wasn't long before she hit her stride. This convention was at risk of a disappointing start, but Michelle has delivered here, especially with her appeals to women voters and her acknowledgment of Hillary Clinton's lifetime of public service.

10:56 p.m. EST

Obama via satellite: "Now you know why I asked her out so many times even though she said no."

This satellite address was awkward, largely because of the logistics, I suppose. That could have gone more smoothly.

Overview

Day one has been heavy on biography and light on policy. The healing is underway, now let's get to the platform tomorrow! A feel good night was necessary to portray the Democratic party as unified and the Obama family as representative of traditional American values, but now that the message has been delivered, it's time to get on to the policy.

The Obama story is absolutely powerful and deserving of attention and celebration, but millions of Americans have heard the story dozens of times before. It's time to get on to a new, tougher message on the economy, on national security, and on how the party is in sharp contrast to the Republicans and John McCain.

CLINTON: "Vote for Barack Obama"

Today in Unity, New Hampshire. HRC: "If you think we need a new course, a new agenda, then vote for Barack Obama and you will get the change that you need and deserve."

And we're all friends again!

Frustrating finance...

So HRC can swallow her pride and get along with Obama. Does that mean he (read: his supporters) should forgive her debts? She should be paid for her cooperation with larger party goals? Should future candidates be encouraged to spend recklessly knowing that at least their opponent might pay for their mismanaged campaigns?

It's all the evidence I need that our system is broken. I speak for a lot of Obama supporters when I say that I didn't pledge much, but it was what I could, and now to see potentially $10 million handed over to old-school Clinton loyalist media groups, well, that's upsetting.

Is it too much to ask that my $50 will be spent promoting Barack Obama?

At least Bubba is out of the country, back to his foundation work. So he can go from heaping criticism and lewd remarks toward Obama on a daily basis, and then shift rhetoric to talking about global poverty. Very ex-presidential. Witness Clinton returning to his assumed role as this sort of hyper-powerful global CEO with no accountability. I think he could probably raise that $10 million himself with just a few speaking engagements.

YOUR NEXT PRESIDENT

After a long and historic Democratic primary, tonight Barack Obama will secure the delegates needed to claim the presidential nomination.

Hillary Clinton is expected to suspend her campaign, admitting that Obama indeed has the 2,118 delegates needed to lock in the nomation, although she will not formally concede the race to Obama.

With more than five months remaining until the general election this November, Obama can now turn his full attention toward the one on one match-up with John McCain in a race that will show two very different candidates arguing for two very different visions for America's future.

The word 'historic' has been tossed around a lot this campaign, but it truly is appropriate. This race has been history in the making, and although Clinton did not walk away the winner, her persistance in this race did see to it that for the first time in decades, each and every state in the union did have its voice sound clearly in the national race. Although Clinton's conduct in this race was disappointing at times, her presence in the race did honor the democratic process. Hopefully, she will adhere to the will of the people rather than pursue the nomination through courtrooms or backroom deals.

Now for the really exciting part--taking back the White House.

Big News: DNC, Trinity Church

Sorry for the light posting lately, but I've been swamped with other projects that have kept me away from the blog. Two huge, noteworthy events this weekend demand attention:

The DNC's decision to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half a vote at the convention seems to do more to fragment the party than it does to unify it, in the long run at least. Nobody really seems to win anything here. The new votes really make no real impact in the results of the race. The decision sacrifices what little credibility and authority the DNC ever had, basically rewarding Florida and Michigan (albeit with half votes) for disobeying the structure of the party. Even with half votes, FL and MI now have a greater voice at the convention than dozens of smaller states that played by the rules. That's bullshit.

Easily the worst effect of this decision is that HRC will now go on an appeal rampage, dragging the nomination process through the court system instead of leaving it in the hands of voters, where it belongs.

Secondly, concerning Barack Obama's decision to leave the Trinity United Church of Christ--what can I say, but wow. Wow. Frustrating to think that Obama has to leave his church to have a legitimate shot at the White House when other candidates' spiritual lives do not receive such scrutiny. Yes, Rev. Wright's discourse was inflammatory, hyperbolic, and probably frightening to white folks around the country, but let's face it, if his message gained a broad but temporary audience in the country, that's probably a good thing. Too many white folks have been able to conveniently hide in suburbs and rural areas, shielding themselves from race issues in this country, and I for one am glad that Rev. Wright had an opportunity to chime in and remind everyone that just because Barack Obama might become the next president, that doesn't mean that Uncle Sam just waves a magic wand and makes racism in this country disappear.

Wright brought racial injustice to the front pages, in hyperbolic fashion, yes, but that's a good thing. It's unfortunate that Barack Obama has to homogenize himself in order to have a shot in the general election, but if they alternative was to have his entire congregation under a microscope for the next decade, well, then I suppose it was the right choice.

Thoughts?

(By the way, I keep anonymous posting open on this blog to make it convenient for readers to participate in the discussion without a Blogger account, but some people are using that anonymity to make what amounts to racist hate speech. I'm not going to start censoring comments, so let's just put it this way--if your ideas are better suited to a white supremacy forum, then for the love of God, stop visiting my blog.)

TAKE ACTION: Send Clinton the Message

Take the opportunity to briefly reach out and contact the Clinton campaign at their West Virginia, Kentucky, or Oregon offices to express your desire for HRC to end her failed White House bid. At this point, her struggle to stay in the primary can only lead to more party divisions along class and racial lines. If she is the selfless public servant she claims to be, then she will recongize that the party is ready to move forward.

Clinton Office Contact Information

West Virginia
191 Summers Street
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: 304.346.1913
Website

Kentucky
1357 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40204
Phone: 502.454.4448
Website

Oregon
32 NW 5th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209
Phone: 503.227.0269
Website

MORNING UPDATE: MSNBC calls Obama the Nominee, McCain Struggles in Primaries

After Obama's strong performance in N.C. and Indiana last night, Clinton is on the ropes, digging again into her personal pocketbooks to fund her campaign. Meanwhile, commentators on MSNBC are calling Obama the nominee. Over in the McCain camp, folks are trying to figure out how 26% of N.C. voters and 22% of Indiana voters went against the old man.

UPDATE: Obama Wins N.C., Tightens Indiana Race

Barack Obama won by a wide margin in N.C., taking the state by nearly a 2 to 1 margin. Meanwhile, in Indiana, early on it looked like HRC had a formidable lead, but as results poured in, Obama pulled first within single digits, and now (9:56 p.m. EST) to within just 4 points.

As a side note, our local Indiana ABC affiliate is switching from primary coverage to Dancing with the Stars coverage, which says a lot, I suppose. After spending a lot of time and effort both online and on the streets working for the Obama campaign these last couple weeks, it's great to see him narrow the Indiana margin to low single digits. While Obama himself acknowledged in his N.C. speech that Clinton appears to have won Indiana, it's impressive to see him whittle away at her lead.

Obama's speech certainly struck a different tone tonight. At first I was a little but confused: Why was he saying things like "If I'm the Democratic nominee," and claiming that his supporters would back Hillary. Then, it dawned on me (I'm a little slow this evening) that he's only working toward the sort of conciliation that will have to happen once he does take the nomination. His speech tonight did align him and HRC against McCain, which made me wonder whether the Obama/Clinton ticket is any closer than it used to be.

Comments? What's everyone think about the Obama/Clinton ticket? Pros and cons?

Kennedy, Clinton Hit the Trail in Lafayette, Indiana

It was a big day for both Democratic campaigns in the Greater Lafayette area of Indiana today. Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright visited the Purdue University campus this morning on behalf of the Clintons. Caroline Kennedy visited the Tippecanoe County Library this afternoon on behalf of Barack Obama. HRC herself visited Lafayette this evening for a rally.

Folks lined up around the block to see Ms. Kennedy who visited to share her vision for an Obama campaign in America. Personally, I didn't anticipate such a long line, and although I showed up well in advance of the event, there wasn't enough room inside the library to accommodate the crowd. "I won't underestimate a Lafayette crowd again," one Obama staffer said. Fortunately, Ms. Kennedy took the time to greet everyone waiting in line and encourage them to vote early for Obama.

A couple hours later, just a few blocks away, Hillary Clinton spoke to a crowd of more than a thousand people in the plaza in downtown Lafayette. The topic of the talk was bringing jobs to Indiana, which has lost a lot of manufacturing work over the past decade. While it lacked the electric atmosphere of an Obama event, the crowd was receptive to most of Clinton's ideas. If nothing else, it's encouraging to know that Democrats of all stripes will be coming out in full force come November to defeat John McCain.

UPDATE: Networks Show Clinton with Single Digit Win

As of 9:18 p.m. EST, the networks are projecting Clinton as the winner in PA by a narrow six point margin. This will do little to close the delegate or popular vote gap. The race now moves to Indiana and North Carolina on May 6th.

Here is the Reuters take on a narrow win for Clinton in PA:

"Given her once huge lead in polls and the state's blue-collar demographics, considered ideal for her candidacy, a narrow win would increase perceptions that she cannot catch Obama. With no more big states left to vote, Clinton would have little chance left to change the dynamics of the race and build momentum for the finish. A win would likely send her on to the remaining contests that end on June 3, but pressure would continue to build on Clinton to get out of the race. Clinton aides have tried to play down expectations, and insist "a win is a win." But in Pennsylvania, a narrow win might not be enough for Clinton."

With two more big states remaining, the challenge for Clinton is going to be to stay afloat financially. More on the money picture later.

Clinton Needs a Blowout

Basically, Clinton needs a blowout of historic proportions to catch Obama. Read more here.

Is Hillary Ready to Pounce on PA?

Hillary needs a big win today if she hopes to remain in the race. Her campaign is boasting of big leads in suburban and rural areas. The Obama camp is downplaying their chances. Who will come out on top?

UPDATE: Clinton Superdelegates Jumping Ship

Read all about it here.

CBS News Exposes Hillary's Vivid Imagination

No matter which way you slice it, this looks bad for Hillary. Doesn't she employ people to check these things before she goes around spinning yarns about Bosnian sniper fire?

Race and Identity Politics

Barack Obama is set to make a speech in Philadelphia today to put to rest the racial rhetoric that has surrounded the campaign over the past week. While I don't think it's fair to expect any one speech to settle the issues in this campaign, it should send a clear message that the Obama remains true to its principles of unity. From this point out, further divisive politics from the Clintons will look exceedingly desperate.

UPDATE: Obama Wins Mississippi by 25 Points!

Mississippi voters spoke loud and clear Tuesday night, letting the entire country know which candidate they think is in first place. Barack Obama took the victory by a nearly 2-1 margin.

Obama Dispells Clinton's "Dream Ticket"