From Election Watch:
ELECTABILITY WATCH (EW)
Rasmussen: Obama 44%, McCain 41%.
Gallup: Obama 45%, McCain 42%.
All,
Last night Don Fowler and Alice Germond, 2 senior DNC leaders, wrote about their "fatigue and irritation" at those of us who are committed to the notion that the Democratic Party does not yet have a candidate, that neither Obama nor Senator Clinton obtained the support necessary to clinch the nomination. Clinton was elected by a majority of voters; Obama was selected by a majority of super delegates. Still, neither achieved an actual majority of total delegates.
Sorry Don and Alice to be so stubborn about the democratic process. Some of us find your efforts to bully and bulldoze to be a bit offensive. In particular we find your tactics heavy handed and undemocratic. Among other omissions, you have failed to COUNT EVERY VOTE. If you did, it would become even clearer how close the count is and how critical it is for the Super Delegates to now be allowed to assess the qualities and experience of each candidate in order to determine which is the electable Democrat who can bring the Democrats back into the White House.
So, please stop trying to round up the Clinton and undecided delegates like cattle. Many are already feeling uneasy by virtue of your bringing to Denver 74,000 Obama supporters. Why do you keep manipulating the system and the people? Are you afraid that Obama is not sealing the deal and the delegates, if given the chance, just might vote for Hillary as the electable Democrat? Mustn't let that happen, hmmmm??
Don and Alice. Please understand that the more you do this stuff, the more people join the EW and are writing to SDs to encourage them to have the courage to choose the electable Hillary. We now have some new contact information for some SDs, so for those who have been waiting to join the EW, now is the time! Please let me know.
GO GO GO!
Ricki
THREE RESPONSES TO "FATIGUE AND IRRITATION":
1) CHARTER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
PREAMBLE
"We, the Democrats of the United States of America, united in common purpose, hereby rededicate ourselves to the principles which have historically sustained our Party. Recognizing that the vitality of the Nation's political institutions has been the foundation of its enduring strength, we acknowledge that a political party which wishes to lead must listen to those it would lead, a party which asks for the people's trust must prove that it trusts the people and a party which hopes to call forth the best the Nation can achieve must embody the best of the Nation's heritage and traditions.
What we seek for our Nation, we hope for all people: individual freedom in the framework of a just society, political freedom in the framework of meaningful participation by all citizens. Bound by the United States Constitution, aware that a party must be responsive to be worthy of responsibility, we pledge ourselves to open, honest endeavor and to the conduct of public affairs in a manner worthy of a society of free people. Under God, and for these ends and upon these principles, we do establish and adopt this Charter of the Democratic Party of the United States of America.
2) Dear Alice and Don, Please refund my tax dollars (by riverdaughter at The Confluence)
My state of NJ paid millions of dollars to have a primary. I dutifully voted in that primary for Hillary Clinton… And now you are telling me to shut up, sit down and support a candidate that did not win my state. A candidate whose name will be placed in nomination over the person who *did* win my state. A candidate who took the ill-gotten delegates from MI who were offered to him even though he earned none of them. Who took delegates who belonged to his opponents. A candidate who does not represent my sense of fairness and ethical behavior. A candidate who failed to defend the fourth amendment during FISA legislation, who fails to comment on the Bush administration rule redefining birth control as an abortifacient, who grandstands in Europe…
You are saying to me that I forked over my tax money for a sham primary. That is what your letter is saying. Your party has perpetrated a fraud on the states that conducted primaries and voted decisively for Hillary Clinton. The convention hasn't been held yet but you have pre-determined the outcome and have stripped my vote of any meaning. This is the message you are sending to me and others. Think very carefully if this is the message you meant. God help you if you really mean it.
3) FROM a Puma PAC Democrat:
Dear Mr. Fowler and Ms. Germond: You "confess" to feeling "a bit of fatigue and irritation with people who continue to carp, complain, and criticize the results of the primary and lay down conditions for their support." If listening to voters has become distressingly fatiguing and irritating to you both, perhaps you should consider a different line of work.
I am a member of Puma PAC, People United Means Action. As voters in the Democratic Party, we MOST CERTAINLY DO "lay down conditions" for our support. These conditions include a profound commitment to the Democratic process; enfranchisement of ALL Democratic voters; and a candidate who is ready and able to lead our country and LEAD US TO VICTORY in November.
You both, as well as your selected nominee, FAIL at meeting even one of these conditions. As a result, your selected nominee will absolutely, positively NOT receive our votes in November. That you compared, ineptly, a presidential primary election to a sporting event betrays your even deeper failure of leadership and competence.
Response from ELECTABILITY WATCH - 5; Letter To Super Delegates of the Democratic Party:
I am pleased to be writing to again this week in the context of the ELECTABILITY WATCH (5). Knowing that your only job at the Convention in Denver is to select the electable candidate to bring the Democrats back to the White House, and knowing that you take this responsibility very seriously, I believe that you will come to the conclusion that Hillary Clinton is that electable candidate. I have been glad to hear from some of you who agree with this assessment, and also from some who do not. Some of you have thanked the ELECTABILITY WATCHers for providing helpful information. Others have flicked us off by saying "it's all over"
In looking at the situation at the close of this week, there is no evidence that Obama is now able to "seal the deal" with the voters any more than he was able to during the primaries. We know that during the primaries, the more voters learned about Obama, the more they voted for Senator Clinton.
a) POLLING: The polling results are not encouraging for Obama. Specifically, this week:
Rasmussen: Clinton 50%, McCain 42%; Obama 46%, McCain 43%.
Rasmussen: Obama 44%, McCain 42%; Gallup Daily: Obama 45%, McCain 44%.
Gallup commented: "Though not a significant change, Obama's support has dropped out of "zone". Barack Obama and John McCain are now virtually tied in the voter preferences of national adults, with 45% saying they would vote for Obama and 44% backing McCain. This is the first time in more than two weeks that fewer than 46% of voters have picked Obama."
To me, a veteran Democrat, it is shocking and worrying that the Presumed Nominee is not leading by double digits at this point in the summer.
b) THE CONVENTION: Much to my great puzzlement, the DNC continues to refuse to confirm that the Convention in Denver will include, as in past practice, a fair and open nominating process, speeches and a State-by-State roll call. Could it be that the DNC is afraid that having prematurely coronated Obama, Hillary Clinton will be nominated because she is the Democrat who is electable and can return the Democrats to the White House?
So, in addition to choosing the electable candidate in Denver, I ask that, as Super Delegates, you be sure that the convention will be an open one, not just at Mile High Stadium, open to the elements. Only if the DNC hears forcefully from Super Delegates that it is not acceptable to appoint a candidate, especially one who did not have the majority of the primary popular vote, the DNC will not be able to pull this off. Please contact Howard Dean at (202) 863-8000 HowardDean@dnc.org, and Nancy Pelosi at (202) 225-4965 AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov
I am sure you are hearing from others as well that if the DNC wants party disunity, all it has to do is appear to bulldoze through Obama's nomination. PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!
c) INTIMIDATION: This is a topic everyone would like to avoid, but I have been hearing from both SDs and pledged delegates that there is, in many places across the country, an undercurrent of intimidation - stories of threats to replace delegates who want to support Hillary Clinton, threats of credentials challenges to those perceived as "disloyal", names gone missing, etc. This may be the Chicago way, but it should not be the Democratic Party way. If this is happening to any of you or anyone you know, please let me know, in confidence. I think we can all agree that intimidation must not govern who governs.
d) SUSPENDED, NOT ENDED: Clinton delegates and others feeling buyer's remorse as they watch Obama throw core Democratic values "under the bus", please remember that Senator Clinton has not released her delegates and that there is a Delegate Help Desk available to you.
e) DON FOWLER AND ALICE GERMOND, 2 senior DNC leaders, wrote about their "fatigue and irritation" at those of us who are committed to the notion that the Democratic Party does not yet have a candidate, that neither Obama nor Senator Clinton obtained the support necessary to clinch the nomination. Clinton was elected by a majority of voters; Obama was selected by a majority of super delegates. Still, neither achieved an actual majority of total delegates.
Alice and Don, please read the DNC's own statement of purpose and reconsider your ill-advised letter:
CHARTER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES - PREAMBLE
We, the Democrats of the United States of America, united in common purpose, hereby rededicate ourselves to the principles which have historically sustained our Party. Recognizing that the vitality of the Nation's political institutions has been the foundation of its enduring strength, we acknowledge that a political party which wishes to lead must listen to those it would lead, a party which asks for the people's trust must prove that it trusts the people and a party which hopes to call forth the best the Nation can achieve must embody the best of the Nation's heritage and traditions.
What we seek for our Nation, we hope for all people: individual freedom in the framework of a just society, political freedom in the framework of meaningful participation by all citizens. Bound by the United States Constitution, aware that a party must be responsive to be worthy of responsibility, we pledge ourselves to open, honest endeavor and to the conduct of public affairs in a manner worthy of a society of free people. Under God, and for these ends and upon these principles, we do establish and adopt this Charter of the Democratic Party of the United States of America.
6) ENERGY INDEPENDENCE: One SD commented: "I heard Obama say on TV that he wants to give everyone a $700 energy credit to address rising fuel costs". I thought, "FROM TAXPAYER MONEY????? TO SUBSIDIZE OIL COMPANY PROFITS????? THIS IS A HORRIBLE IDEA! I liked Hillary Clinton's idea better: make the oil companies pay for it, not the American people.. "
Finally, below I have included some must see/hear links which I hope you will find helpful in your deliberations. I will be interested in any questions or comments you have.
She's simply the best, better than all the rest!!!http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
GO GO GO!
Ricki Lieberman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt6JmgKfXzo
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHsZEQW7KXKWc1zUuTW9Sipb65zY3lAtwi69nzpkCQaA3DyB_5qPD5srP9ftWNlKQAWt-ahyiqzQPfp1Rq5aCQlnmviKkekJ9I2a_n2aOLSDCI30FG_Fk9jsoj6C64OB576sO11MVrcCG/s1600-h/CQ_PA_DG7_17.jpg
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18882087
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOYyWpuEjyU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCG5Tp4ZwZI
AND FINALLY,
On CNN today, Bill Schneider commented on what it might be like to be one of the 2000 Clinton Delegates in Mile High Stadium with 74,000 Obama supporters...???
--
Ricki Lieberman
610 West End Avenue
New York, New York 10024
212.580-5516
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