Join together to beat McSame and take back our country.

I don't like to cut and paste, but James Zogby says it so eloquently today:

There is a bizarre, and even tragic, unreality to the continuing drama playing out in the Democratic primary. Partly due to the seven-week gap between the first 42 contests and this week's match-up in Pennsylvania, and partly due to the tenacity and temerity of the Clintons, this election is being presented as close and not yet over.

But it is over.

Dragging it out any longer only serves to indulge the Clintons' narcissism, while damaging the Democratic party's chances for victory in November. A few observations:

First: The numbers are clear: Clinton cannot surpass Obama's elected delegate total in the contests that remain. It is not unlike a fifty-two lap motor race. In the first forty-three laps, Obama has passed her twice, and built up a lead that is insurmountable. Now, in the midst of the 44th lap, it only appears to be close, but it is not. The only way she could possibly win is either by changing the rules of the game in Michigan and Florida, or convincing a substantial number of super delegates to cast their ballots for her -- overturning the results of the elections to date. Either of these two scenarios would cause a devastating upheaval within the party, bringing on what I call a "1968 moment."

Second: There is no doubt that the Democratic base has been energized by this election. The record number of voters, volunteers, and contributors point to this fact. But, at the same time, it is important to acknowledge that real damage is occurring within the Democratic constituency. Polls that show a growing fracture within the Democratic coalition should be read as cautionary signs to be heeded. Those Beltway pundits and party regulars who say "Don't worry, after the convention, Democrats will come together" are out of touch with the real damage that has been done in the minds of voters on both sides of the divide.

Early on, Senator Obama spoke eloquently about the degree to which cynicism had infected our politics, resulting in voters no longer believing what politicians have to say. Only those who did not understand his message, or heed the lesson he sought to teach, can believe that Hillary and Bill Clinton will be easily able to undo the negativity they have created. Some voters will surely ask, "Were they lying then, or are they lying now?"

Third: There is no doubt that Senator Clinton is a talented and an extraordinarily intelligent person. Her tragic flaw is her belief that only she is capable of leading. It is this that has caused her to engage in an effort to demean her opponent and engage in the kind of campaign that she once decried as "the politics of personal destruction." It is this that I call her narcissism, and the degree to which it has damaged not only the Democratic chances in November, but also her reputation -- defines the pathological self-destruction that so often follows from narcissistic behavior

This has gone on too long, and should end now. Former President Clinton has argued that all the states should be given a chance to vote. They should have that chance. And, if this campaign were focused on issues and a debate over competing visions of leadership, I would say, "Let it continue."

But this has not been the case. Given the behavior of the Clinton campaign to date, and the expectation this behavior will continue, I believe that prolonging this agony will only create deeper division. For this reason, it should end now.

My fellow superdelegates should wait no longer. As party leaders, we are uniquely positioned, and have the responsibility, to speak out. Indecision only serves to enable bad behavior. It is time for us to either demand that the behavior change, or act to end this now.

Perhaps we on this blog should start asking Dean and others to end this now! Hillary can not win and to continue will in the end make this party less.

I say here and now - Dean end it now! Super delegates - end it now!

When I hear Hillary saying she has more votes then Obama.because she's counting Michigan - it makes me look at this women and pity her. How much lower will you go Hillary to gain power? You disgust me. You and Bill are starting to become a libility to this party.

Good afternoon fellow Democrats.

Obama\Clinton 2008

Yes we can!

Si se puede!

Change we can believe in!

Great! Glad to see the articles from Barack supporters agreeing that Hillary has a lead of at least 100,000 votes actually cast. That's a first step toward the Clinton/Obama victory ticket!

I had math for three years as an undergraduate through Fourier analysis. I scored 720 in math on the GRE to get into graduate school at Johns Hopkins University.

Posted by KA-Boom on April 24, 2008 at 04:47 AM

Thank you for those sites.

Bush’s Dream (Lines)

Never has one dream cost Americans more. That with Cheney Gas, Ethanol Bread, Blackwater Accounting, Chinese financing, Corporate Freedom and Democracy, and so many other Bush things, he has bankrupt the fabric of America’s Declaration of Independence. Checks and balances gone, Scales of Justice destroyed, he has redefined to torture America in John Yoo Totalitarian proclamations. Warrant less tyrant destroying futures, where Public School dreams are lost, among the Heritage ‘n History devastation of economic equality of living on dreams. Like a Cheney gas tank recession America is riding on empty. Forlorn, “We the people” patriots of inflation of Bohemian Brother secret oil dealings cope. Republic of Republican ‘n Democrat Royalty working for Corporate special interest groups, who sell out the American worker as expendable, where their children suffer the backlash of poverty. Can Bush & Co. reinvest in “Made in America?” Can we have Goodwill Ambassadors that puts our infrastructure on their schedule, uniting this nation instead in love rather than dividing it in hate and negativity of Kitchen Sink mentalities. Politician invest in our Private sector Public Schools where Microsoft, AT&tT, and others support our children as natural blessed treasures. Can we give Bush the Legacy of a broken dream? When he has taken it away from generations of diverse Americans trying to better themselves, who can no longer dream to be doctors, nurses, and be patriots not having any Constitutional rights, when they work for a Bush Corporate America, because Bush banned Poetry from the White House, and now from some of their Home Sweet Homes that lay shattered upon Poetic Termination, but can an American be De-Terminated in HeArtBeats that blesses the American Artmosphere in hope, living in a depressive, recessive, compressive, digressive, impassive, dismissive, oppressive, progressive Bush World of living suicides, where Free Speech is oppressed John Woo right that Mission Accomplished had hidden WMD’s that destroyed the core of the Constitution. Join US in our Declaration of Independence, when again royalty is expunged from Washington by the patriot act voter of 2008 reclaiming America.

Bush’s Dream (Blocked)

Never has one dream cost Americans more.
That with Cheney Gas, Ethanol Bread,
Blackwater Accounting, Chinese financing,
Corporate Freedom and Democracy,
and so many other Bush things,
he has bankrupt the fabric of America’s
Declaration of Independence.
Checks and balances gone,
Scales of Justice destroyed,
he has redefined to torture America in
John Yoo Totalitarian proclamations.
Warrant less tyrant destroying futures,
where Public School dreams are lost,
among the Heritage ‘n History devastation
of economic equality of living on dreams.
Like a Cheney gas tank recession
America is riding on empty.
Forlorn, “We the people” patriots of inflation
Of Bohemian Brother secret oil dealings cope.
Republic of Republican ‘n Democrat Royalty
working for Corporate special interest groups,
who sell out the American worker as expendable,
where their children suffer the backlash of poverty.
Can Bush & Co. reinvest in “Made in America?”
Can we have Goodwill Ambassadors that puts
our infrastructure on their schedule, uniting
this nation instead in love rather than dividing it
in hate and negativity of Kitchen Sink mentalities.
Politician invest in our Private sector Public Schools
where Microsoft, AT&tT, and others support
our children as natural blessed treasures.
Can we give Bush the Legacy of a broken dream?
When he has taken it away from generations
of diverse Americans trying to better themselves,
who can no longer dream to be doctors, nurses,
and be patriots having any Constitutional rights
when they work for a Bush Corporate America,
because Bush banned Poetry from the White House
and now from some of their Home Sweet Homes
that lay shattered upon Poetic Termination,
but can an American be De-Terminated in HeArtBeats
that blesses the American Artmosphere in hope
living in a depressive, recessive, compressive,
digressive, impassive, dismissive, oppressive,
progressive Bush World of living suicides,
where Free Speech is oppressed John Woo right
that Mission Accomplished had hidden WMD’s
that destroyed the core of the Constitution.
Join US in our Declaration of Independence,
when again royalty is expunged from Washington
by the patriot act voter of 2008 reclaiming America.

Nice to see the Yes We Can from some Barack supporters on a combined ticket of: Obama/Clinton, or Clinton/Obama. United We Stand!

Good Morning Dems.

I love the new ad using McCains own words against him. This is precisely why we will win in November. We just need to connect the house and senate Republicans to rubberstamping Bush and sharing McCain's insane economic dream.

Why would Obama want to run as Billary's running mate when he's beating her? That doesn't even make sense.

This is starting to wear thin with me and it's beginning to blow. By the time our primary gets here, I'll so sick of all the fighting I probably won't care who wins. I'll just want it all to go away.

Just a reminder, the delegates don't vote until the convention in August. When Hillary uses the line, "I'm in it all the way" she means through the floor vote at the convention. The Clintons want each delegate to go on the record with their vote, where she will win when the votes actually count. It's time to jump on board the Clinton/Obama victory train!

We might have a problem with the AFL/CIO on an Obama/Clinton since Hillary has seniority in the Senate. Democrats wouldn’t want the appearance of a non-union ticket, would we? Look for the Clinton/Obama label for victory in 2008!

Oregon Rep. David Wu said Thursday he will cast his superdelegate vote for Barack Obama.

"I think we are blessed to have two strong candidates for president," Wu said in a statement released by Obama's campaign. "I am endorsing Barack Obama for president today because I believe that he is best suited to turn the page on this sorry episode in American history. He and I both had the judgment to oppose the Iraq War from the very beginning.

FYI: I've been posting to the DNC blog since around February 2008, giving updates from the ground here in Pennsylvania. I stopped blogging for a couple weeks prior to the Pennsylvania primary because I didn't want to have to eat crow in case Barack cleaned Hillary's clock here in Pennsylvania. At a campaign stop here in Pennsylvania, the Clintons asked their supporters to spread the good news. So, I started blogging again a few days before we voted here on April 22. Hope that helps.

Yesterday, Republicans in the Senate blocked cloture on the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act because the Republican party's false, obstructionist tactics prevented the vote from going forward in a filibuster in support of corporate discrimination and crime.

At a time when women are being hit hard -- especially single parent moms trying to earn a living for their families and pay the bills and feed them -- now having to wonder if their bosses can get away with paying them less just because they are female? That is unacceptable. And this doesn't just affect women, the Ledbetter case has been applied to arguments on discriminatory practices across the board, helping corporations end run the fairness protections written into law in the 1960s and beyond.

For shame.

Guess I'll be back when the trolls are gone later

Keep on Rockn'

Let me try another perspective on the numbers since those with Math degrees still need more evidence.

It seems to me that since this is a three person race the Dems are splitting part of the vote that they will receive in November. After June 3, when Obama claims victory he will receive a bounce in his numbers. After it sinks in and Hillary finally concedes and endorses Obama he will receive a second bounce.

But for now, here is how the polls stand on some key states around the Nation. Pollster.com averages multiple polls together to show trend lines on which way the state is leaning.

State Obama-McCain Clinton-McCain

National O+2 even
Arkansas M+23 C+15
California O+9 C+6
Colorado O+3 M+9
Florida M+11 M+3
Indiana M+9 M+17
Iowa O+5 M+7
Maine O+12 C+6
Massachuttes O+2 C+16
Michigan O+2 M+5
Minnesota O+3 C+1
Missouri M+13 M+2
Nevada O+14 M+6
New Hampshire O+4 M+6
New Jersey O+1 C+1
New Mexico M+6 M+2
North Carolina M+5 M+13
Ohio O+2 C+5
Oregon O+9 C+2
Pennsylvania M+2 C+2
Texas M+5 M+7
Virginia M+9 M+18
Washington O+5 M+1
West Virginia M+18 C+5
Wisconsin O+4 M+2
Obama is doing good Nationally and blows holes in Hillary's theory from one end of the country to the other.

Obama beats McCain and Hillary loses to McCain in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Washington and Wisconsin. (63 Electors)

They both beat McCain in California, Maine, Massachuttes, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, and Oregon. (123 Electors)

She can only lay claim to beating McCain where Obama loses (so far) in West Virginia (Obama hasn't campaigned yet) and Hillary's home states of Arkansas and Pennsylvania. (32 Electors)

McCain beat both in Florida, Indiana, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia. (116 Electors)

Out of these sample states Obama has 186 to McCain 148, Clinton has 155 to McCain 179.

Outside of this poll I think both can win: New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, DC, Deleware, Illinois, and Hawaii. (86 Electors)

Obama can also win Montana and Idaho, where she can not. (7 Electors)

That gives Obama 279 Electors to start.. He is winning. Compare that to 241 for Clinton, she loses.

The only state I question and think they both can win is Tennessee, that will be a battle.

By tradition we should lose, but may not this time are: Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, South Dakota, North Dakota, Kansas, Indiana, Nebraska, Alaska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Utah. (62 Electors)

Who is more electable? Obama wins these sample states from Pollster.com, and should win in November. Hillary is questionable.

Reid, Pelosi, Dean may intervene in nomination

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that he may try to force undecided superdelegates to make their decisions in the Democratic presidential race if it stretches into June.

Reid said he would consider writing a joint letter with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) demanding that superdelegates make their endorsements public.

“The three of us, we may write a joint letter [to superdelegates],” said Reid. “We might do individual letters. We are in contact with each other.”

-- Reid, Pelosi, Dean may intervene in nomination, Politco.Com

Oh dear God NO!

You guys won't impeach BushCo, won't stop funding the war, won't stop illegal wiretapping, won't stop torture, can't get anything done in congress, can't figure out how to work with the republicans but somehow you've figured out that what you really need to do is go and tinker with the most volatile political issue of the campaign?

Are you all insane?

You've stood by helplessly (haplessly) while BushCo has shredded the constitution, you won't exert your authority to "check and balance" the reckless criminals in the White House, please, dear God do not take away the voice of the people too!

Run Cindy Run!

Of course, for now Barack and his friends in the media with hold out that somehow he is a head in PLEDGED delegates. This is one of the last few straws for his campaign to grasp onto. At this point in time, PLEDGED delegates are political capital (no votes have been cast by the delegates at the convention, yet). Ever since John McCain became the presumptive nominee for the Republicans, it has been clear that Barack could not win in 2008. Barack can't say this in public right now, but you know he's read the data. How does Barack want to spend his political capital? Barack would be WISE to use his political capital to reunited the Democratic Party, and to become the Vice President of the United States. Clinton/Obama is the victory ticket for 2008.

Good afternoon, all.

Isn't it nice to see that the Billary/McCain tag team negative circus has come to the town right here on the blog?

What's the matter? Did McCain tell you to knock it off in North Carolina 'cause it was starting to stink up his campaign as well as Hillary's?

Talking about something smelling fishy...

Congress getting evidence on suspected nuclear facility

By PAMELA HESS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A top member of the House intelligence committee said classified information being shared with members of Congress Thursday shows that an alleged Syrian nuclear reactor built with North Korean help and destroyed last year by Israeli jets threatened to spread nuclear weapons technology.

"This is a serious proliferation issue, both for the Middle East and the countries that may be involved in Asia," said Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich...

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080424/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/nkorea_syria

And what would Hoekstra suggest we do if North Korea has been supplying Saudi Arabia and Eygpt with the same intel and equipment?

We've seen this Colin Powell variety show before. The world doesn't give a damn about any intelligence provided by this administration. The Security Council will never give Bush or Hillary a green light to start bomb, bomb, bombing Syria.

Even McCain isn't that senile to suggest it.

Why is it the same old names and faces start appearing whenever the neocons are ready to pre-emptively attack another Middle Eastern nation?

Is this this the Bush Crime Family plan on how to drive up the price of oil even further? $4 a barrel isn't good enough for Cheney...he wants more? Feed me. Feed me.

Maybe if energy prices get high enough, all the third world countries will starve to death and then the neocons can just march right in and steal all their natural resources without a fight?

I guess it would be a lot less trouble and certainly less expensive for the multinationals.

Posted by anne_smith on April 24, 2008 at 01:49 PM

You don't have to provide us with your resume. We know what you are capable of doing.

What is a politician, well in the last twenty a cuss word, who screws with America, and its right to live Independently. They ban this, that; censor this, that; control this, that; and take away our Constitution "At Will," where instead of a Constitution and Judicial Law; Corporations and Corporate Guantanamo Law takes away our due process, and instills Corporate Chinese parents filtering our movements, words, and actions.

Corporate America has invaded our homes and denied the right to challenge them in a court. When they enter our homes dictating HR policies as parents, then they have overstepped their authority. How can "We the people" have Constitutional Freedom and Democracy homes, when Corporations lay eminent domain on them by employment HR policies.

Posted by MichelleLaw on April 24, 2008 at 02:20 PM

And they will come and destroy you and your little dog, too? I'm so frightened for you.

Threats are nothing more than posturing. Saddam fooled the world into thinking he might have WMD. Then the neocons used his fake threat to invade before anyone realized it was ruse.

With the crap that has been coming out of Washington since Bush took over in 2001, I wouldn't be surprised if every country with spare cash and a means to covertly contact North Korea doesn't have some sort of nuclear program underway.

Act like a bully and the world arms itself against you. If you are that scared of Syria as your post intimates, why did Bush take steps to end the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty? It actually works when the lead powers play by the rules.

Israel isn't scared. She can and has defended herself. Admit it. It's you Republicans who are scared that Israel might make peace with its enemies.

Not being able to meddle in the Middle East would deny multinationals the opportunity to intervene to control their oil interests. Syria is just defending itself against us and the rest of the world thinks they have that right. Get over it.

You neocons don't have the clout globally to complain about anything. You wasted your political capital and made a damned fool out of yourselves. Nobody is afraid of you.

But you sure are scared that the party may be over come November.

Hillary's Convoluted Arithmetic

Poor Hillary, no matter how hard she tries and no matter which way she turns them, the numbers just don’t add up. An article in Slate today goes through the twisted arithmetic and the constantly shifting goal line that the Clinton campaign is trying to cross, as well as the ever-moving standard by which they measure success.

Here are some of their arguments and how they have changed along the way:

1. "When Hillary started falling behind in primary delegates, her campaign emphasized her lead in superdelegates, the cigar-chomping party pros of yore who know a thing or two about electability. They gave that up when superdelegates started drifting Obama's way."

2. "Then the Clinton campaign started arguing that you can't nominate for president someone who lacks a popular-vote majority in the primaries. They're starting to give that up because Clinton now has little chance of surpassing Obama in the popular vote." That is, unless you count contests that weren’t really contested, and where she was the only name on the ballot.

3. "The Democrats, Clinton now argues, can't afford to nominate someone who can't carry the big, industrial states that matter in the Electoral College. Never mind that, after the 2000 election, Clinton said the Electoral College should be abolished, or that in the midst of an economic recession it’s hard to imagine Clinton supporters in hard-hit places like Ohio and Pennsylvania voting for the party in power."

4. "Obama’s on the ropes because he spent three times as much as she did and still lost Pennsylvania to her by 10 points. But that’s just another way of saying that Obama’s campaign is flush and Clinton’s is strapped for cash."

So why does the Clinton campaign continue to search in vain for numbers that make their case.

Here’s the close of the article:

"This isn't arithmecracy. It's arithmetic idolatry—the worship of irrelevant numbers. One can only assume that Clinton has decided the real numbers are too depressing."

On a related note there is a humorous article (although I’m sure it’s not intended to be) in the Huffington Post by Clinton apologist Lanny Davis in which he lists his top ten "undisputed facts" showing why Obama can’t win in November, and a plea to the superdelegates to do the right thing and give the nomination to Hillary, earned or not.

Here's the link from before, forgot to post it.

Al-Sadr shift: away from politics and favoring fight

Link

It seem we might have, like with the Palestinians, a new Hezbollah state in Iraq run by Iran. So where is Petraus's plan to combat this? Must the U.S. arm the Sunni minority again to fight the Shitte majority into submission? Are we heading back to pre-War CIA definitions? How has the surge helped stop the Iraq insurgency?

Posted by SandyH on April 24, 2008 at 02:58 PM

As always, the only way youn liberal asshats can "pretend " to win an argument is through censorship.

Carter is a joke.

Lanny Davis in which he lists his top ten "undisputed facts" showing why Obama can’t win in November

Posted by Cubilist on April 24, 2008 at 03:02 PM

Didn't Hillary say recently, "yes, yes, yes, he can win in November"

How can they possibly make that argument now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLjHKMBZ1ik

Have fun

On John McCain selling a CD to raise much needed money, while denigrating a much loved icon,
along with a peek into how he will be able to relieve us of the last 8 years of being embarrassed by our president.

finally, a President we can be proud of around the world.

the Clintons asked their supporters to spread the good news.

annie, I must have missed something. I have not seen any good news from the Clinton campaign in quite a while. What good news was that? Surely not gaining 9 more delegates votes, when they are down a couple hundred is it?

Kathy in IN, I agree this nomination process is beginning to really annoy the hell out of me.

Despite all of the fake polling data that is out there showing Obama leading everyone two to one, Hillary has a lead of more than 100,000 votes cast in the Democratic primary, according to Obama DNC blogs today. Barack will show us his judgement by dropping out in June, and joining the Clinton/Obama victory train. United We Stand!

Posted by 4647 on April 24, 2008 at 03:12 PM
It doesn't surprise me that you think negotiations are a joke,the only thing you neocons understand is to bomb everyone.It's all a big video game to you.

Please, let's not get distracted like the media seems to be, about why this ad is being released.
Please, let's focus on the truth, and not the spin. Otherwise, it cannot be addressed properly. The general public will not even pick this up, if its purpose keeps being mis-represented.

The North Carolina GOP ad that is in the news today is in my opinion a WARNING to any future super-delegates that may want to endorse Obama.

A warning that says WE WILL CONNECT YOU TO REV. WRIGHT AND ANTI HATE AMERICA TRUE PATRIOTS-----

This ad is not targeting Obama, although that is collateral damage done well, IT IS targeting the Democratic North Carolina gubernatorial candidates Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore for their endorsements of Obama

This would be a good time for some big endorsements (plural) to come out and say, go ahead, and try to connect me also.

That would be heroism IMB

Posted by SandyH on April 24, 2008 at 02:19 PM

So, eight months later, we are going to have a hearing. And what do we think the agenda is?

How about Syria and what they think the agenda is?

Do the words "Middle Eastern Security Blanket" have a meaning now?

In the Syrian capital of Damascus, legislator Suleiman Haddad, who heads the parliament's foreign relations committee, told The Associated Press that the videotape does not deserve a response.

"America is looking for any problem in order to accuse Syria," Haddad said by telephone. "Do we need Korean workers to work in Syria?"

"It is regretful to say that America is putting us among its enemies and therefore this talk (at Congress) does not deserve a response. America is trying to create an atmosphere of war in the region," Haddad said. He did not elaborate.

Carter is a joke

ahahahahahaha

The Repugs can't stand it that A Democrat, could bring peace in the Middle east, not by Viagra induced bombs, but by round table talks!!!

It absolutely kills them! this is just the beginning, folks. If this peace process should take place, watch for them to come out from under their rocks by the dozens!

Why did Hillary say in public that Barack could win in November? I guess that's the rules of the party. Obviously, many Clinton supporter believe that the Democratic Party is headed over a cliff in November if Barack is the nominee. How do we get the Obama supporters to wake up? Why have Barack lose in a landslide to McCain in November when Clinton/Obama is a ticket to victory?

Posted by anne_smith on April 24, 2008 at 03:45 PM

The only think thats fake, is Hillary is ahead in the popular vote. Scream about it all day but those primaries were illegal and unfair. Even if you count FL, SHE IS STILL BEHIND, SHE LOST.
Do you get it yet?

CNN now sued for $1.3 billion - $1 per person in China

Link

It is time to sue Red China all over America. It is time to sue them for leaded toys. It is time to sue them for tainted pet food. It is time to sue them for human right abuses. It is time to sue Red China worldwide. Yes, "We the people" need to sue them for Free Speech infringements within our own country.

Posted by anne_smith on April 24, 2008 at 03:58 PM

You are fucking dense, you know that. No matter how many times you say she's winning, facts don't support your arguement. SHE LOST, time to move on.

OH, If Barack is such an inexperienced loser, why do you want him on your presumptive ticket?

Double talk your way out of that one.

Posted by Cubilist on April 24, 2008 at 03:59 PM

Don't bother, we already had this arithmetic conversation months ago when Hillary claimed she had 35 years of experience. Her math never adds up.

Her tragic flaw is her belief that only she is capable of leading.

(from the post: Posted by KentDuffy at April 24, 2008 12:15 PM

In fact, that is exactly the quality of a true leader.

I thought I'd look up what others see as qualities of true leaders.

Mental toughness. No one can lead without being criticized or without facing discouragement. A potential leader needs a mental toughness. I don't want a mean leader; I want a tough-minded leader who sees things as they are and will pay the price. Leadership creates a certain separation from one's peers. The separation comes from carrying responsibility that only you can carry. Years ago, I spoke to a group of presidents in Columbus, Ohio, about loneliness in leadership. One participant, president of an architectural firm, came up afterward and said, "You've solved my problem." "What's your problem?" I asked. "My organization's always confused," he said, "and I didn't know why. It's because I don't like to be lonely; I've got to talk about my ideas to the rest of the company. But they never know which ones will work, so everybody who likes my idea jumps to work on it. Those who don't, work against it. Employees are going backward and forward-when the idea may not even come about at all." Fearing loneliness, this president was not able to keep his ideas to himself until they were better formulated. A leader must be able to keep his or her own counsel until the proper time.

http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/LeadQual.html

Hillary is definitely a strong-minded woman (for those of you who love playing with astrology, she's a Scorpio; the most determined sign of all. Whatever the task, it-will-get-done). She has the intestinal fortitude that is exactly what I hope to see in the Presidential office. Her speeches are not just typical bandwagon rhetoric; she talks specifics for improvement.

Of course, men still to this day are internally turned-off by a woman of strength. They go limp at the thought, which I believe is the reason a lot—not all—of male newscasters and political opinionated bash her at the drop of an ego.

Hillary is brilliant but sensible. We won't be seeing a Bush mentality in this woman.

The following is from an article posted with the National School Boards Association website:

It's not enough for people to have leadership potential; they must have character and the right setting in which to grow. Before I give someone significant leadership responsibilities, I find it helpful to ask myself several questions:

* What will this person do to be liked? It's nice to be liked, but as a leader it cannot be the controlling factor. The cause must be the prime motivator.
* Does this person have a destructive weakness? There are only two things I need to know about myself: my constructive strength and any destructive weakness. A destructive weakness may not show up on a test; it's a character flaw. A destructive weakness may, for example, be an obsession. An obsession controls us; we don't control it. It only grows worse over time.
* Can I provide this person the environment to succeed? It is so important, particularly in the early days of someone's leadership, that he or she be put into a congenial environment. I wouldn't want, for example, to put someone who requires mentoring with a leader who pays no attention to people. An environment that threatens our sense of security or well-being splits our concentration from the cause. Young leaders need an environment in which they can concentrate on leading.

(Fred Smith, LEADERSHIP JOURNAL; Fall 1996, Vol. XVII, No. 4, Page 30)

I could not believe the audacity of a news person on CNN (I think it was) say neither Democratic candidate have the experience needed!! Hillary has been around government experience for years, long before being First Lady. And...what? Bush had the experience? When his daddy was President, Dubya was busy snorting the coke at Camp David.

I can see Hillary's behavior and thinking also in all of the following. I have watched both the Clinton's for many years, read many books on them plus books like "Blinded by the Right" and "The Hunting of a President", and it is clear that the obvious leadership of both Clintons has had those wanting to manipulate the public so they could rob our tax money for wars where their friends could benefit, do anything vial and despicable to make the public not see the skills of both these two true leaders.

To be a leader, first you must really WANT to. A great DESIRE is the key here. You must be really "hungry" for the position and pursue leadership with great determination - with all the means at your disposal. That is, using all your powers, qualities (see below) and potential. With a strong DESIRE you will, as long as you have the following personal leadership qualities:

1. Unwavering courage.

2. Self control.

3. Always keeping a sense of justice (and fairness) towards others.

4. Definiteness of decisions.

5. Leaders have a clear vision of the future they wish to CREATE. All their decisions are in alignment with their over-riding objectives and move them in this direction.

6. Definiteness of plans (ie. a grand sense of PURPOSE). A leader then works their plan by putting it into ACTION.

7. Leaders are BELIEVERS: Firstly in themselves and in the Universe's plan for their lives. They have a strong sense of destiny.

8. Leaders have a habit of doing more than they are paid for. Effort and sacrifice gets them to a position of authority in the first place.

9. A pleasing personality (my saving grace to get me out of my frequent scrapes, deep in the "smelly brown stuff"!). People LIKE the people they follow... and will do anything to help for great inspiring leaders (even to death).

10. Empathy, sympathy and understanding. As the Spanish (and my dear mother) would say, "being 'sympatico'" towards other people, by taking their feelings into consideration. This is the difference between "thinkers" and "feelers". Thinkers are logical, analytical types, who usually do well in business. Feelers, like me, are far more emotional and creative people ("unbalanced" perhaps?). What type of person are you?

11. Mastery of detail. I'm hopeless on that one; so need plenty of help in that area. I'm a "grand picture person", who has no idea of the number of bolts needed to build my bridge. I would never walk on it after finishing it anyway!

12. Willingness to assume full responsibility for one's decisions - no matter what may go wrong!

13 ("lucky"). Co-operation (full) with others in seeing one's plans, the grand vision come to fruition.

14. Leaders are PASSIONATE people, who live with great enthusiasm. Eliminating options will help you find your passion, your niche in life by initially pointing you in the right direction. I've been using the process of elimination for years and years and I'm slowly getting there. At least I think so! If you don't know your passion, knowing what you don't want is a step in the right direction. I've worked out, that I don't really want to be a "leader" - preferring "to quietly do my own thing" in writing books, that will "make a little difference in the world by reaching out, touching and hopefully even inspiring others. That is "me" and what makes me happiest. Many years after writing those words, I still don't feel any great, nor definitely an overwhelming desire, or "calling" to be such a person as a leader... but just feel "called/destined" to quietly work away at sharing my various writings to hopefully inform, help and encourage people (and perhaps even inspire) around the globe through the internet... but who knows what God has in store for my life! (written originally in Nov 2002, but it's now March 2004). Time marches on...and waits for no man.

And finally...and most importantly,

15. Great leaders have great INTEGRITY. Vitally important! * So after reading all that, you still want to become a leader. Good! You're a brave person who will go far; because, I believe, there is a definite lack of "quality inspirational leadership" in today's societies - throughout the world! I strongly believe that today's "chaotic" world desperately needs people with VISION, effective leaders to make a difference, a better world? Where is another Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther-King to stand up for what's RIGHT, no matter the consequences... with ultimate integrity - to build bridges, rather than barriers between peoples... to see distant horizons, rather than borders in this incredible and still beautiful world of ours?

Hope ya'll don't mind my sharing the leadership points. I needed a refresher, and thought maybe everyone does.

Have a great day!

Election 2008 National Head-to-Head Polls

John McCain (R) vs. Barack Obama (D)

RCP Average 04/07 to 04/23 - 44.5% 46.4%
Obama +1.9%

Rasmussen 04/20 - 04/23 - 45% 47%
Obama +2%

Gallup Tracking 04/19 - 04/23 - 45% 45%
Tie

USA Today/Gallup 04/18 - 04/20 - 44% 47%
Obama +3%

Cook/RT Strategies 04/17 - 04/20 - 44% 45%
Obama +1%

Newsweek 04/16 - 04/17 - 44% 48%
Obama +4%

ABC/Wash Post 04/10 - 04/13 - 44% 49%
Obama +5%

Reuters/Zogby 04/10 - 04/13 - 45% 45%
Tie

AP-Ipsos 04/07 - 04/09 - 45% 45%
Tie

John McCain (R) vs. Hillary Clinton (D)

RCP Average 04/07 to 04/23 - 45.5% 45.9%
Clinton +0.4%
Rasmussen Tracking 04/20 - 04/23 47% 45%
McCain +2%
Gallup Tracking 04/19 - 04/23 - 46% 46%
Tie
USA Today/Gallup 04/18 - 04/20 - 44% 50%
Clinton +6%

Cook/RT Strategies 04/17 - 04/20 - 45% 45%
Tie
Newsweek 04/16 - 04/17 43% 47%
Clinton +4%

ABC/Wash Post 04/10 - 04/13 - 48% 45%
McCain +3%

Reuters/Zogby 04/10 - 04/13 - 46% 41%
McCain +5%

AP-Ipsos 04/07 - 04/09 45% 48%
Clinton +3%

--------------------------------------------------

So much for the electability arguement, but there are alot of "fake" polls here.

Posted by anne_smith on April 24, 2008 at 03:45 PM

That, madam, is a blatant lie. Sen. Obama (D-IL) has a lead of 500,610 votes in the popular vote count. Once again, you are attempting to count unsanctioned votes in MI and FL.

My source is here.

Posted by anne_smith on April 24, 2008 at 03:45 PM

You are like an annoying little, pain in the ass fly that buzzes around your plate at a BBQ.

Jesus....get it. Michigan and Florida will not count. They broke the rules. Obama was not on the primary ballots. We have uncommitted votes up here and it's my guess that a whole shit load of them would go to Obama.

If you want to insist on using Michigan votes as part of your convuluted math, then count the uncommitted in Obamas column.

She's done. It's over. She can not win mathmatically. To win popular or in total delegates she would need to win a minimum of 80% of the remaining primary votes.

How is that going to happen? How would that be possible? Even if Obama dropped out of the race today, she still couldn't get 80%.

The best she is going to get is an option as a running mate and she is only going to get that if she suddenly learns how to be nice.

If not, there is always the McDope ticket.

In fact, that is exactly the quality of a true leader.

Posted by WatchfulEye on April 24, 2008 at 04:08 PM

I believe the word you were looking for was "despot", not leader. "True" leaders look for, and recognize, the ability to lead in others.

The last thing we need is an authoritarian again in office--we usually leave those traits to the republicans cuz we know they like to be led around by the nose.

Tell Hiliary where to get off!

Republicans do all they can to get Hiliary Clinton nominated and to take Barack Obama out. The North Carolina Republican Party will run a Willie Horton-type ad against Barack Obama because that’s the game plan. John McCain and the National Republican Party can denounce and implore all they want; it's never enough that anyone says: “It distracts Republicans, degrades our civics, and seeks to divide the American people.” This racist ad will run just once and do its damage. Millions of smart voters figured out the old games played by McCain and Clinton. Isn’t it the “Good Cop-Bad Cop,” or the “Hot-Cold vs. Bitter-Sweet Game?” Clinton hasn’t denounced the ad as more of the same because she is more of the same! Both McCain and Clinton use the same playbook.

On the Democratic side, Hiliary Clinton doesn’t have a chance of winning the nomination statistically. Yet she’ll waste our time playing the waiting game, and ruin the Democratic Party, in the process. For me, and millions of disgruntled, bitter Democrats, this is more like “the crying game!” The super Superdelegates need to step in and tell Hiliary where to go! Why should it become a game of The Mean Machine vs. Retribution? The Democratic Party, and American public, loses. WE should not have to wait for her clock to run out! She and the Democratic Party are taking up valuable time by not allowing Barack Obama to build up the constituencies now favoring her. This we cannot forgive!