Choosing Hope

And thus ends my silence on Election ’08! For the record, my choices were Kucinich, then Dodd, then Edwards, (still active!) then Obama.

Iow….ABH, LOL.

Nothing I was going to say was going to make a difference in Iowa, and we all have seen the “ridiculousness and danger” of candidate diaries on Dkos….which were all speculation…at best. Now that we have some actual NEWS to talk about and analyze, hopefully things will be a little different. For good or bad, Iowa sets the tone and the narrative..so now it is set. These are not normal times though, and I have a feeling that this will not be a normal race!

For what it is worth, some thoughts below the fold.

First….I Heart Huckabee! Nothing like having the Gooper frontrunner be someone who doesn’t believe in science ad who will alienate the 75% of Americans who have had it up to HERE with theocrats. If the Dem field can’t make hay out of this choice they are total Dufi! McCain showing so miserably was also great news, as he still had real darkhorse possibilities among  those who have not yet realized that he is a senile and corrupted opportunist. But perhaps the best news of all…..Ding Dong the Giuliani is dead!!! (knock wood!)

As for the Dems, I saw/see this race as giving Dem voters three different choices, regardless of how close policies are. Unfortunately, American politics hasn’t been about policy for a log time, it is about personality and style and perception. If I am interpreting things correctly, these are the real differences between what the candidates are SEEN to represent.

Hillary is the status quo. Business as usual (and I do mean Business!)….a return to the “glory days” of Clinton. Stability. A known commodity. (and I do mean commodity) A ‘safe’ choice. Her intimate familiarity with the power structure, that has been painted as ‘experience,’ to me just meant that she was pre-compromised/bought by the Powers That Be. The deals were already in place and not much would change under her….at all.

Edwards was/is the best chance for real meaningful change. That is his strength….and his weakness. He is fighting the power structure and the PTB where they live…in the corporate boardrooms. He is angry at what America has become. Again a strength as far as Progressives are concerned, but a weakness as far as the media…and thus Americans shaped perceptions. Americans think they WANT change. But they are made (and I do mean made) to fear “too much change.” The PTB will do all they can to destroy him. And they have learned to do that well. The cynic in me has always….since back in the Two America days…. strongly doubted that he would be allowed to take power. I still do! But the fact that he narrowly beat Hil is VERY good news. His message stays in the race, and keeps the others from pulling Right. Go John!

And…..YAY BARACK! And Yay Iowa for choosing a black man named Hussein that admits doing drugs! What a leap! I give both Barack and Iowa a ton of credit. Especially the youth of Iowa.

I attribute his success to his theme. Hope. As Hil is the status quo and Edwards is ‘radical’ change….Obama is Hope. Whether YOU or I buy it or not….it appears that America will. That is pretty huge. A solid indication of wanting real change, on just a ton of levels.

Hopefully…meaningful ones. I of course, want as much change as possible…tear the motherfucker down and rebuild it. That of course…is not going to happen. So my big fear with Obama is this: He is a black “liberal” running for President. His advisers and a wise caution will be pushing him to the Center, he will have to try to be all things to all people and as ‘inoffensive’ as possible.

Imo, it is now our job to get him to address ….and commit too…the concerns and issues of progressives. He will want to turn right and embrace the silly bi-partisan meme as much as possible, it is only natural. We have to be all over him….CONSTRUCTIVELY …. (mostly) to make sure he doesn’t go to far, and we need to keep pressure on him to make strong unequivocal campaign promises we like….so when he (like all pols) breaks them later, he cannot afford to stray too far from us.

Status quo, radical change, hope. The early returns are in and hope wins….who can argue with that? (though of course we will, it is what we do!)

Congratulations Barack.

.

Ps…I really, really, really, REALLY think Ron Paul’s 10% means that he should declare as an independent and mount a spirited and hugely expensive fight against the establishment Republicans! Really!

Ok, flame away! The seal on candidate diaries and discussions on DD is now officially broken, but PLEASE folks, let’s try to stay away from mindless cheerleading and bickering and concentrate on the HUGELY important issues and ideals at stake, it doesn’t get more important than this, so let’s attempt to act like adults Ok? Thanks.

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  1. Photobucket

    • kj on January 4, 2008 at 18:33

    the general campaign are going to stay pretty much the same as they are now, in the primaries.

    And except for this comment, I doubt I’ll say too much more over the next year.

    Whoever wins, wins.  If Hillary takes the nod and the WH, I’ll probably take a eight-year long nap. If Obama or Edwards takes the nomination, quite frankly, I don’t care what they say to get elected, as long as they get elected. I pay ZERO attention to spin, by anyone, mainstream media or bloggers.  Spins sickens the crap out of me, no matter who does it. I’ve seen it up close, I don’t trust anyone who spins, period, full-stop.  I’ve been around a long time, I’m not an idiot, and all the bullshit yelling from the camps is just that, bullshit yelling… “Hey, look at us!  We’re important!”  

    Screw that.  We’re all important.  And we need to get in the White House.  Until then, shut up and work.

    Once Obama is in the White House, then I’ll start paying attention to what he says and what he does and then, and only then, do I think the power of interest groups and the blogosphere will be important.  Because he’ll need us, all of us, to stay on top of the stories and let him know, daily! just what it is “we the people” want accomplished.

    And, I’m out.  @;-)

  2. are both damn nice to be able to vote for. The playing field seems to have been leveled a bit. The voters of Iowa have given me hope! Democratic turnout numbers alone show that people are motivated to take back the country. Edwards is not finished, he has been virtually invisible on the TV, and yet he beat the inevitable. Even the coverage last night ignored him it was still Obama and Hillary wall to wall. This looks to be a interesting primary and general. Fear did not prevail.

    Edwards speech was great. Obama’s worried me with the nice making, but the policy and message parts, were good. I found it telling that HRC’s speech was delivered with a scary looking Madeline Albright on one side and a weary looking big dog on the other. Not a visual of change. Looked like a scene from the Ruling Class. I feel much better as this ice breaker in the primaries makes me think that the outcome of this election is up to us.        

  3. for change and actuality of getting the status quo.

    If elected, I fear that we will wind up with what we have been seeing since the Dems achieved their majority position. In an effort to appear that they are getting things done in a bipartisan way, we will get piss poor Republican bills same as now.

    In the last couple of months, Obama has campaigned further right than any other Dem candidate, his victory further marginalizes the left wing of the party. Just confirms what the DC pols already believe, that they can completely ignore us and our objectives and still win.

    • RiaD on January 4, 2008 at 18:46

    or is everyone saying

    OK its obama like it’s all over but the shoutin’?

    i think this ‘season’ was started waaay too early, i’m already sick of the whole bloody thing…

    i’m for kucinich, then edwards

    i doubt kucinich will get the nom…

    i’ll prolly vote edwards no matter who does get nominated

  4. I attribute his (Barack’s) success to his theme. Hope. As Hil is the status quo and Edwards is ‘radical’ change…

    if edwards scares people because of radical change, then what are doing calling ourselves progressives? doesn’t that connote much the same to mainstream americans????? i’ve  been wrestling with this idea for some time now… hoping we could find better, more succinct words than change (what does it mean exactly) and progressive to describe ourselves and views on how gov’t could work more effectively and efficiently on behalf of its citizens.

    how we describe that in which we believe has become too important to get it wrong… maybe populist would be a better term for us. if that (or some other word) doesn’t throw up too many barriers, perhaps people would be interested to hear policy ideas.

    is this off-topic? sorry. but that’s what struck me in this.

  5. TV WORTH WATCHING!

    DENNIS GUESTS ON BILL MOYERS JOURNAL

    FRIDAY, JANUARY 4

    Dear Supporters,

    Great News! Dennis will be the guest on Bill Moyers Journal Friday night, January 4.

    Bill Moyers will look at the media’s power to benefit some candidates and disadvantage others.

    (Check the schedule of your local PBS station. Bill Moyers Journal is re-broadcast several times on most PBS affiliates.)

    Thank you for your support,

    The Kucinich campaign

    Kucinich was barred from the Iowa caucus on the basis of his not having an office there, while two Republicans contenders also did not have offices there, but were allowed in.

    Since Kucinich has been so shabbily treated by all the media, I am very happy to see Kucinich get this time on TV!

  6. and while I think it did on some level…  There were still 59% of Democrats who did vote for the two more partisan candidates in the race.

    This is a weird pizza pie in that when you cut it into thirds on two thirds you get olives and onions on two thirds, onions and ham on two thirds and ham and olives on two thirds.  Sorry for the strange analogy – not the best – but I think since the split between the three is reasonably close you can 2/3rds of the people went for change – 2/3rds went for more partisanship – 2/3rds didn’t go for the white guy – 2/3rds could live with a bad vote on the war – and nobody seemed to mind that they are all Senators.

    I will be fascinated to see how this all shakes out in New Hampshire.

    For the record, I got into Edwards’ camp early based on the fact that for the first time in 30 years we had a candidate who talked about poverty and never really found a good enough reason to get out and go with one of the others – although I did like Dodd for various reasons also having to do with fairness.

    Happy New Year everyone.

  7. if the oligarch covers its bets…..

    contributes to/buys a repug…..

    contributes to/buys a dem….

    if the repug wins by hook or by crook……

    the rape goes on unabatted……

    if the dem wins by luck or our overwhelming effort….

    the rape goes on undercover and at a slower rate….

    explain the difference, because this is what I see…..

    • Robyn on January 4, 2008 at 19:31

    My decision will likely be made when I step into the booth.

  8. Kucinich comes the closest to ALL of our concerns than anyone else.  Question:  Can Kucinich now not be written in in the primaries because of the Iowa outcome?

    I don’t think that Iowa is truly representative of Americana in many ways.

    The fact that they chose Huckabee (Dems’ advantage, hopefully) bothers me.  Hopefully, Americans are wary and sick and tired of the “evangelical” postured contender now and will want anyone using such premises to STAY AWAY.  In fact, one can only hope that Americans will never, ever listen to any contender using religion as a basis AGAIN and see it for what it is — a friggin’ crock!!!

    The Iowa caucuses have not always been representative in terms of final outcome either.  There have often been contenders who “lost” in Iowa, but came out way ahead elsewhere and even won.  So, I don’t think we should jump to conclusions either.

    We need to change our “policies” in this country, which have all but devastated us and caused nothing but hatred in the world.  The person who is willing to do this is the person we need.  In my estimate, Kucinich was/is a forerunner in that regard and a Constitution loving man.

    I like Obama immensely — my concern is his stand on the war.  Hopefully, he is malleable.

    Edwards has taken a far bigger stand by being willing to pull out of this god-forsaken war and being willing to “take on” the corporate giants

    I could see an Obama/Edwards or Edwards/Obama ticket as being viable.

    Anyway, it’s only the beginning.  

  9. which speaks to the hope theme…..

    one, obama is kenedyesque……

    definetly, and that is his appeal to the disenfranchised young…..

    two, the oligarch is definitely cynical enough to work that…….

    • robodd on January 4, 2008 at 19:45

    In these times, bipartisanship is complicity.

    That is all.

  10. “I heart Huckabee” thing.  Only because my husband says it to me almost everytime we talk just to hear me sigh and make reference to his polish ancestory.

  11. In an area of the Bronx formerly known as Fordham Village is an 1812 house once leased by Edgar Allan Poe. In the 1830s, the area was bucolic farmland with a few workmen cottages scattered here and there. The circumstances that brought Poe to the village, however, were less than idyllic. Poe’s wife, Virginia, contracted tuberculosis. The fresh air was supposed to revive her. And earlier, Poe had placed all of his money into a failed magazine venture, forcing his mother-in-law later to forage in the surrounding fields for food. It’s this kind of family history, as well as the environment of the cottage today, that helps me to understand the Victorian popularity of apostrophe. Poe Park, located at the intersection of the Grand Concourse and East Kingsbridge Road, is even less bucolic and idyllic than Poe’s life: plenty of scraggly trees barely emerging from the dirty concrete. In general, a cold and generic urban landscape.

    http://www.notfortourists.com/

    We plan to visit this lovely bit of real estate in the near future.  Our kind of thing.  Hope we survive but been in a lot worse places.

    Kind of the way politics is for us losers, no?

    Best,  Terry

  12. I feel like I am watching Ground Hog Day, the same themes get repeated over and over by the candidates.

    I am more suspicious about the appeal of Huckabee. He cleverly offsets his Christian wing dingyness with that mean nothing populism and often gets a few good lines off. Americans are suckers for southern politicians who espouse a touch of populism. They also tend to vote for people who look completely fucking implausible.  America voted for Reagan and Bush twice. Well they really didn’t vote for Bush but..

    There is no way, and I did not perceive you to be doing this at all, that I assume it is all in the bag for a Democratic candidate. Although 75% of Americans may be sick of theocrats they like Christianity and they like folksy people who can fake it like they are just one of them. If Huckabee were to get the nomination, treating him lightly for the Democratic candidate would be a disaster, it would create a backlash.

    American elections are too long. It takes to long to pick candidates then we have to listen to them for too long during the campaign. Far from creating excitement, I think it further numbs people.

  13. understand, yourselves!  It is pitiable!

    Just received the following:

    Help America hear from a real democrat

    It’s happening again … They’re excluding Dennis Kucinich from tomorrow’s debate!  

    ABC News announced today that Dennis Kucinich will not be allowed to participate in tomorrow’s nationally televised debate from St. Anselm College in New Hampshire.  

    The Democratic Debate tomorrow is about figuring out what real Democrats care about. Real Democrats want to vote for someone who:

    – has opposed the Iraq War from the beginning

    – has defended the Constitution from the Bush Administration

    – will give our country single payer not-for-profit health care.

    Mainstream America needs to hear about the one real Democrat –

    Dennis Kucinich.

    Tomorrow, during the debate, we want to air a message from Dennis Kucinich as a paid advertisement.  To do that, we need your support to purchase an advertisement during the debate.  

    Click here to see the ad.

    Please contribute $25, $50, $100, or any amount you can so we can air our commercial during Saturday’s Debate.

    Together, we can overcome the media blockade.  

    Together, we can let mainstream America hear the message of the one real Democrat Dennis Kucinich.

    Peace through Strength

    The Kucinich Campaign

    PS. You can tune in to the debate tomorrow at 7pm EST (see local listings) on ABC News for the debate to see Dennis’ message.

    I urge everyone to help — it’s truly a matter of right and wrong!!!  Why should Kucinich ever have been exluded from ANYTHING?

  14. I just heard him on Bill Moyers’ show.  He has no intention of giving up.  His suggestion to vote for Obama was for IOWA ONLY, not as an endorsement for the election.

    We need to help him!

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