Charlotte Front and Center

CHANGE? Yes, we did.

God Protect Our Gulf Coast

Sara Palin as Vice President by Grace Brummel

Opinion

Choosing Sara Palin was a stroke of genius for the McCain campaign. I believe that the Republican Party was watching the sexist circus put out by the Obama campaign, the DNC and the main stream media and knew, that millions of women would re- think their choices. Even better, they sucked the air out of the atmosphere for the Democrats. Their convention bump hit a brick wall.

There are complaints in the media that Gov. Palin is not experienced enough and comments by Obama fans on You Tube are just not fit for comment. The Obama camp is angry. The DNC is going to hustle to discredit her. News commentators are discovering that there were sources pushing for Sara Palin for quite a while. http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/ I guess that no one was paying attention. September and October will be interesting months on the news circuit.

The coming information wars will be all about ethics and experience. We will be tutored in reasons we should trust or believe one over the other and I believe that Gov. Palin is going to come out on top. We can compare her record to Barack Obama’s and she will pass inspection surpassing him. No one can shoot holes in her resume, his is Swiss cheese. As for debating, we know that Obama has difficulty without having scripted talking points. While we have not seen Sara Palin in a debate situation, we will see her put out a very credible performance.

When I look at the campaign media from both parties, it says a lot about the respect shown for the VP choice. Obama has his name in a larger font, in white on a blue background. Biden is in light blue and in a smaller font as if he’s fading away.

McCain has given his VP equal billing. I believe that McCain has made a very good choice.

Yes, they say that this decision is the one you can use to judge your future presidents decision making capabilities and Joe Biden was the poorer choice.

I was not going to vote for Barack Obama long before he made this choice. The campaign in the coming months will confirm that decision and hopefully change many other minds. The media will soon be singing another song.

                                                                          

Congratulations Sara Palin a woman who lives what she says and believes.

My Journey To McCain and Palin

Sarah Palin, Opinion

I was driving down South Tryon in Charlotte when I heard the news about Sarah Palin. I was thunderstruck, but soon pride was once again shaping itself inside me as I thought about this Friday surprise. How ironic! It may be the republicans who land the first vice president in the White House. Then of course, the dismay with my own party, the missed opportunity to do the right thing with Senator Clinton, brought me to another passage of grief-quite possibly, the anger stage, as it moved into acceptance. I proceeded to turn around and head home to listen to Palin’s acceptance speech. I had to see this lady in action that was being described by Charlotte Talk Radio as nothing short of “remarkable”.
Needless to say, I was impressed by this woman, and found the Palin family so refreshing as the children marched onto stage. I thought: this reminds me of my family as we once were many years ago growing up in Memphis. There was always one young enough in the arms of an older sister as my Mother focused on some other family task. Now, Sarah Palin was centering on an undertaking that would not have been available to my Mother.
“One problem”, my loyal conscience cried. “She’s a republican, a conservative.” Yet I gave myself the same argument as I had done earlier for McCain. It was my party’s DNC that pre-wired the rules and continued to adjust them as we went through the primaries. The 18 million votes were forced to cow tow to Dean, Pelosi, and Brazille in an ugly power struggle to force the Clintons out.
“True Democrats” did their job. They fought for Jeffersonian ideals that were noble but unfortunately, not to be attained this time. So I have fallen once again on the ideal of the PUMAS in that crooked behavior by the DNC cannot be rewarded with my vote, "The Just Say No Deal" factor. Since May 6, 2008, I have taken my stance a step further in that I decided to vote for McCain, noting that Country was more important than party, and that it would truly violate my principles to vote for Obama.
True, the country is in worse shape than at any time I have witnessed it, pointing out to me the gravity of what is at stake. Experience and very sound judgment is needed. For now, issues that would possibly separate me from McCain seem very small. The addition of Palin has been a brilliant solution for the McCain campaign. I admire the grit and the maverick personality of Sarah Palin. She has fought corruption among her own colleagues and party members. I simply think she would always do what is right. Sarah Palin did not give in to any political machine. Palin did not ask for anything unsavory to propel her into political life. Instead, she has valiantly fought corruption and faced risk.
I would hope that women like me, who are pro-choice, remember that Sarah Palin has faced the toughest of women’s issues, and that the day is near that abortion rights will not be on any party platform. There are too many things that we can unite on this election round, and we need to do this and celebrate Sarah Palin. Remember, women have fought so hard for good women to take their rightful place in public life.
I admire Sarah Palin for living what she believes…..TR, Charlotte Front and Center

exerpt from Chad Pegram

In 1956, New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen improbably blanked the Brooklyn Dodgers with the only perfect game in World Series history. And the legendary Shirley Povich of The Washington Post documented the occasion with this line:

“The million-to-one shot came in. Hell froze over. A month of Sundays hit the calendar.”

That’s what happened with Sarah Palin’s stunner Friday.

Sarah Palin, John McCain’s vice presidential pick and the first female governor of Alaska, is seen as a rising star within the Republican Party.

She became the youngest person to assume the top office of the 49th State in 2006. Her anti-abortion stance is certain to appeal to evangelicals, while her views on the threats of climate change mirror those of Senator McCain.

“Palin is becoming a star in the conservative movement, a fiscal conservative in a state that is looking like a boondoggle for pork barrel spending,” Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway has said. “She’s young, vibrant, fresh and now, and a new mother of five. She should be in the top tier. If the Republican Party wants to wrestle itself free from the perception that it is royalist and not open to putting new talent on the bench, this would be the real opportunity.”

Palin’s presence adds youth to a McCain ticket, but it is her gender that could help sway women, especially the “security moms” who helped President Bush win re-election in 2004, to vote GOP.

Born in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Feb. 11, 1964, Palin moved with her family at the age of three months to Wasilla, Alaska, though she returned to her birth state to attend the University of Idaho, where she studied journalism and graduated in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree.

Palin is the mother of five children — Bristol, Willow,  Piper, Track and Trig, who was born in April with Down syndrome.

She grew up in Wasilla, just outside of Anchorage, played on Wasilla’s state champion girls’ basketball team in 1982, wore the crown of Miss Wasilla in 1984 and competed in the Miss Alaska contest.

She began her professional career as a television sports reporter, but after she married her husband, Todd, she helped run his family’s commercial fishing business. Other professional endeavors included the ownership of a snow machine, watercraft and all-terrain-vehicle business.

She ran for Wasilla City Council in 1992, winning her seat by opposing tax increases. Four years later, she was elected mayor of Wasilla at age 32 by knocking off a three-term incumbent.

At the end of her second term, party leaders encouraged her to enter the 2002 race for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. Against veteran legislators with far more experience, Palin finished second by fewer than 2,000 votes, making a name for herself in statewide politics.

Palin had exceptionally high approval ratings through mid-2007 and received high marks for her accessibility, a change from Frank Murkowski’s administration.

Thursday, 8/28/08
68 Days to the Election of John McCain

 

Congratulations to Senator Barack Obama

Tonight will be a memorable event in our nation's history. We congratulate Senator Barack Obama for his historic achievement and for winning the nomination of the Democratic Party.

Nonetheless, as Senator Barack Obama delivers his nomination speech tonight, it is important to remember that there are serious questions about Obama's ability to lead. Many of the prominent speakers at the Democratic National Convention this week have previously questioned Obama's level of experience.  Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Joe Biden have both repeatedly stated that Obama is not prepared to be Commander in Chief.

To hear more about what many Democrats have said about Obama's inexperience,  Watch "Remote Control".

Many top speakers at the Democratic National Convention have also praised John McCain. Last week, former President Bill Clinton lauded John McCain's energy plan at a forum in Nevada.  Obama's own running mate, Senator Joe Biden, has said that he would be honored to serve on a presidential ticket with Jonh McCain.  In 2006, Senator Biden praised John McCain's push for the Iraq Troop Surge and Biden has often stated that John McCain's foreign policy judgement is outstanding.

If top Democrats praise John McCain and believe that Barack Obama isn't ready to lead, shouldn't voters be skeptical of voting for Senator Obama in November?

John McCain to Announ ce VP Pick Friday

Tomorrow should be an exciting day for John McCain and his supporters! McCain is expected to announce his Vice Presidential running mate at a rally in Dayton, Ohio at 11 AM. From there, John McCain will travel to two other crucial swing states (Pennsylvania and Michigan) over the weekend to campaign with his new running mate.

Important Note: McCain Fact Retraction

On Wednesday, we mistakenly wrote that John McCain received 5 Navy Medals of Honor during his naval career. John McCain has been honored with several awards for his military service, but they were not Medals of Honor.

To all who are currently serving in the military, and to all of our wonderful veterans, we sincerely apologize for th e error. We honor your courageous service and would like to extend our sincerest thanks to you for protecting America at home and abroad.

Convention Watch Parties

John McCain will be accepting the Republican nomination next Thursday, Sept. 4th in St. Paul, Minnesota at the Republican National Convention.  What better way to see history unfold than a having a Convention Watch Party at your home?

This is a great way to support John McCain with your family and friends. Our goal is to have numerous Convention Watch Parties around the state. We are counting on people like you to demonstrate to the media and more importantly voters that momentum is continuing to build for John McCain.

The process for creating a Convention Watch Party is ver y simple.  Click on the picture link below to signup:

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Must Clicks

John McCain has always said that he wants to run a clean campaign, focusing on issues and not personal attacks.  The gracious advertisement "Convention Night" that McCain is running this afternoon and evening, recognizing Senator Obama's historic nomination, only reinforces John McCain's committment to run an honorable campaign this fall.

Must Reads

Analysis: Oprah, Affleck! Obama's Goldmine or Risk
By Jennifer Loven
The Associated Press
August 28, 2008

Hollywood hasn't contributed official speakers to Barack Obama's convention this week. But, man, have celebrities flocked to Denver in droves. Oprah's in the house! Was that Matthew Modine just now? Oh, wow, there's Anne Hathaway.

All that, along with Thursday's final-night lineup featuring A-list performers like Sheryl Crow and Stevie Wonder and Obama's splashy acceptance speech in a packed football stadium, will be scooped up greedily by Republican John McCain, as grist for his refrain-of-the-moment: that his Democratic opponent is all flash and no pan.

To read more, click here: Oprah, Affleck! Obama's Goldmine or Risk< /p>
The Devils in His Details
By George Will
The Washington Post
August 28, 2008

When Barack Obama feeds rhetorical fishes and loaves to the multitudes in the football stadium tonight, he should deliver a message of sufficient particularity that it seems particularly suited to Americans. One more inspirational oration, one general enough to please Berliners or even his fellow "citizens of the world," will confirm Pascal's point that "continuous eloquence wearies." That is so because it is not really eloquent. If it is continuous, it is necessarily formulaic and abstract, vague enough for any time and place, hence truly apposite for none.

To read more, click here: The Devils in His Details

Finally This Evening...

Would you like to share your excitement about John McCain with your community? If so, John McCain is calling you to action. We need volunteers for our Door-to-Door campaign in North Carolina.

Door-to-door volunteers speak with their neighbors face-to-face on behalf of John McCain. This is an easy way to make a pivotal contribution to our grassroots campaign. It will only require a few hours of your time every week.

   


   

                             

 
     

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Taken from Fox news

In another sign of lingering discord between the Clinton and Obama camps, FOX News confirmed Wednesday that former President Bill Clinton will not attend Barack Obama’s Democratic presidential nomination acceptance speech at Invesco Field in Denver Thursday night.

A senior Obama aide said the candidate is “not worried about it. There’s places besides Denver where we need and will get [Clinton's] help winning this election.”

Clinton has continued to lob perceived bombs at the man who defeated his wife, Hillary Clinton, in the Democratic primary. Just hours before the New York senator took center stage Tuesday night to offer words of healing, her husband was detonating what could be interpreted as another blast.

Speaking at a forum of former world leaders less than a mile from the site of the Democratic National Convention, Bill Clinton drew an analogy that had many wondering whether he had made peace with the idea of an Obama candidacy.

“Suppose for example you’re a voter and you have candidate X and you have candidate Y,” Clinton said. “Candidate X agrees with you on everything but you don’t think that person can deliver on anything. Candidate Y disagrees with you on half the issues but you believe that on the other half, the candidate will be able to deliver. For whom will you vote?

“This is the kind of question that I predict — and this has nothing to do with what’s going on now — but I am just saying if you look at five, 10, 15 years from now, you may actually see this delivery issue become a serious issue in Democratic debates because it is so hard to figure out how to turn good intentions into real changes in the lives of the people we represent.”

Whether Clinton, who for 20 years has been the star of the Democratic Party, intended the analogy to represent a futuristic look at presidential politics, its relevance to the current candidacies of Republican John McCain and Obama was unmistakable.

“What his strategy is to go around drumming stuff on Obama, his crazy quotes, and he’s cultivated a careful reputation for being eccentric, and therefore, Hillary is not blamed for what he does … and the result is he can go around and dump on Obama and almost be like a negative Greek chorus,” said FOX News contributor Dick Morris, a former Clinton adviser.

The motive, Morris said, is “to defeat Barack Obama and make sure Hillary can get elected in 2012.”

“I don’t think the Clintons’ feelings would be hurt” if Obama lost the 2008 election, said Republican strategist Chip Saltsman.

The former president is scheduled to put the capstone on the Hillary-Bill public endorsement of Obama during a convention speech Wednesday night.

On Wednesday, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Bill Clinton is “one of the most unique and beloved figures in the Democratic Party and the country” and will “talk about why Senator Obama is the right leader right now” and how he knows Obama “will get the country back on track.”

Obama called Bill Clinton on Tuesday night to congratulate him on his wife’s address to the convention. Obama said he knew how proud Clinton must have been watching Hillary Clinton and how grateful he was for their support.

But tensions were simmering Wednesday ahead of Clinton’s speech, which has not been read by the Obama campaign. Obama senior adviser Anita Dunn said the camp is “not nervous at all” about not having seen the text, but is rather “excited” since it will be an “electric moment” when Clinton makes “the case for Obama and for change.”

On Sunday, it was reported that Clinton was unhappy about the night of his speech because he preferred to address domestic issues, and the theme of Wednesday night’s proceedings is foreign policy. Clinton, however, will be speaking on the importance of a strong economy.

Obama said Monday he’d spoken to Clinton about the speech, saying he told Clinton he could talk about anything he likes.

“Bill Clinton knows a little bit about trying to yank the economy out of the doldrums,” Obama said. “It wouldn’t make sense for me to want to edit his remarks.”

Playing second fiddle to the new Democratic order doesn’t mean the former president can’t influence an Obama administration.

“Bill Clinton’s place in the hearts of Democrats is very secure. He rescued us from the wilderness” said former California Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat. “We had been wandering there for 40 years, having lost three presidential elections.

“Now we’re turning a page. Barack Obama is going to be our next president and I expect Bill Clinton to be campaigning for him.”

Davis added that Clinton could serve as an ambassador or envoy for an Obama administration the way he has for President Bush.

FOX News political analyst Michael Steele said he believes Clinton will use his Wednesday night speech to try and restore his image, especially with black voters, who were part of his base of support.

“I think this is about Bill, not Barack,” Steele said, adding that Clinton can and will restore his image.

“He still has a role to play,” he added. “He will assert that role in any number of ways. We’ll see one of those ways when he gives a speech at the convention.”

Democratic consultant Tad Devine said he expects Bill Clinton to be supportive, adding that one role Clinton could perform is that of attack dog on the Republicans.

“If anything I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Clinton give a very strong speech in support of Obama,” he said.

FOX News’ Sharon Liss and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Texas Republican Party is set to release a Web video Wednesday evening entitled, “Obama and Friends,” which digs deeper into Barack Obama’s questionable friendships dating back two decades.

In a continuing effort to erode the credibility of the Democratic presidential nominee, the ad describes Obama’s relationships with three characters that have frequently been used in efforts to tar Obama’s patriotism and honesty.

Among the three named is Weather Underground member Bernadine Dohrn, a leader of the left-wing terror group responsible for numerous bombings in the 1960s and 1970s, including at the U.S. Capitol and Pentagon. Dohrn hosted a party to launch Obama’s campaign for the Illinois Senate, the ad says.

Tony Rezko is another friend and a contributor named. Rezko helped Obama purchase a home and was recently convicted of 14 felonies related to influence peddling and corruption. Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, where Obama and his family had attended for 20 years, was also noted for several anti-American sermons he has given.

“In light of the fact that the public has been deluged with pro-Obama pabulum over the course of the last 10 months, we felt it was crucial to make sure voters get the whole story. And there is no better way to tell a story than to illustrate it with the company you keep,” Texas GOP spokesman Hans Klingler told FOXNews.com.

“The fact remains Barack Obama launched his political career in the house of known terrorists and was helped with the purchase of a home by a now convicted felon. This speaks volumes about his lack of judgment, vision and experience,” Klingler said, adding that the Texas GOP refuses “to leave any stone unturned” when it comes to looking into Obama’s ties to possibly unsavory characters.

It’s not the first time that independent groups have tried to emphasize Obama’s relationships. Last week, the independent American Issues Project bought national airtime for an ad that notes Obama’s ties to William Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground, and guest at Dohrn’s party.

The project is not tied to McCain, though a chief benefactor has raised funds for McCain. The Obama campaign responded to the ad by launching a response that blamed the Republican candidate for the attack. The McCain campaign took advantage of the charge.

“The fact that Barack Obama chose to launch his political career at the home of an unrepentant terrorist raises more questions about Senator Obama’s judgment than any TV ad ever could,” said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers.

Click here to watch the video: “Obama and Friends”

FOX News’ Mary Ann Mancuso contributed to this report.

Charlotte Front and Center will have its core group meeting this Thursday from 7:00pm on in order to spare its members from hearing Zeus speak in front of Corinthian pillars.

                                                                                                                    ICYMI: Bill Clinton On "Candidate X" And "Candidate Y"                                                                                                                
                                                                                                             

                                                   

                                                         

"For example, you're a voter, and you have Candidate X and Candidate Y. Candidate X agrees with you on everything. But you don't think that person can deliver on anything. Candidate Y disagrees with you on half the issues, but you believe that, on the other half, the candidate will be able to deliver. For whom will you vote?" -- President Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton
Remarks
August 26, 2008

President Bill Clinton: "For example, you're a voter, and you have Candidate X and Candidate Y. Candidate X agrees with you on everything. But you don't think that person can deliver on anything. Candidate Y disagrees with you on half the issues, but you believe that, on the other half, the candidate will be able to deliver. For whom will you vote?"

Watch Bill Clinton's Comments

Remember when Obama gave Hillary an unpleasant sign in Raleigh the next day after the last debate? Read the following article to see who got the last "word." TR

lifted from That's Me On The Left

I saw the photo of the different colored pantsuits that her aides were holding by the podium. They were trying to decide which color she should wear for her speech at the Democratic National Convention. I think there were five to choose from. All I know is that I was hoping she would pick orange. It looked good with the background and I knew what the color orange would signify.

Last night Hillary came out in her orange pantsuit and I giggled about the possible subliminal message. Hillary Clinton is one smart lady and at that moment I knew what her orange pantsuit symbolized. Then today I read a comment that someone else noticed the significance of the orange color. I knew then that I WAS RIGHT!

Orange is the symbolic color of the Ukrainian Revolutionaries who protested the "selection" of the President in a rigged election. There was massive corruption, voter intimidation and direct electoral fraud.

lifted from Fox news

                        DENVER, Colorado (AFP) - Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani crowed Wednesday that Hillary Clinton's showstopping convention speech would help Republicans defeat the Democrats in the White House race.

                        

             "I think she gave a very good speech from her point of view and our point of view, but not necessarily for Barack Obama's point of view," he told Fox News.

"She never really answered the key question, is he prepared to be president? Which is the issue she put out there, rather dramatically, during the primaries."

Clinton brought the Democratic convention at Denver to its feet late Tuesday with a powerful speech ordering her supporters to unite behind Obama, who defeated her in the nominating contests.

Her speech sought to end the party divisions after the bruising primary race, and Obama said afterwards he thought it was an "outstanding" address.

"She gave a great speech last night," agreed Giuliani, who failed in his own bid to carry the Republican crown into the November 4 elections losing to John McCain.

             "Why isn't she the vice-presidential candidate. Why isn't she the presidential candidate," he added, once again picking at the Democrat's wounds with many Clinton supporters still distraught at her defeat.

             He said on Fox and Friends he had been convinced that Obama would pick Clinton as his running mate and "I couldn't understand why he would organize a convention to give the Clintons two nights and then diss Hillary as vice-president."

                        Tuesday, August 26, 2008                    

                                       

        McCain receives unexpected support 

   

        08/26/2008 10:32 AM
   

   

       

            

By: News 14 Carolina Web Staff       

       

                                       

       

        Some Clinton supporters in south Charlotte say they will now vote for Republican John McCain.    

CHARLOTTE -- Some Hillary Clinton backers switched sides Monday night and marched in support of Republican John McCain.
   
A small group of people met in south Charlotte to protest the Democratic National Convention and the impending nomination of Barack Obama.

"It is a hard move for us to make but we are doing this out of principle that we feel that bad behavior by the DNC can not be rewarded with our vote," said Clinton supporter for McCain Trisha Redwine.

On Monday, Clinton acknowledged that Democrats weren't all on the same side during primary season, but says they should be now.

       

Lifter From Yahoo News...

DENVER - Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama agreed Monday to limit a divisive roll call for president, giving delegates a brief but historic choice between a black man and white woman.
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The deal would allow some states to cast votes for both Obama and Clinton before ending the roll call in acclamation for the Illinois senator. Clinton herself may cut off the vote and recommend unanimous nomination of Obama, according to Democratic officials involved in the negotiations. They discussed the deal on condition of anonymity while details were being finalized.

"I don't care what she says," said Mary Boergers, a Maryland delegate who wants to cast a vote for Clinton.
DENVER - Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama agreed Monday to limit a divisive roll call for president, giving delegates a brief but historic choice between a black man and white woman.
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The deal would allow some states to cast votes for both Obama and Clinton before ending the roll call in acclamation for the Illinois senator. Clinton herself may cut off the vote and recommend unanimous nomination of Obama, according to Democratic officials involved in the negotiations. They discussed the deal on condition of anonymity while details were being finalized.

Some Clinton delegates said they were not interested in a compromise, raising the prospect of floor demonstrations that would underscore the split between Obama and Clinton Democrats.

"I don't care what she says," said Mary Boergers, a Maryland delegate who wants to cast a vote for Clinton.

As part of the deal, Obama and Clinton activists teamed up and circulated three petitions on the convention floor Monday night — supporting Clinton, Obama and vice presidential candidate Joe Biden. Each needed 300 signatures to be nominated.

The dealmaking indicates the divided nature of the party: Obama does not have full control over a convention that includes many delegates who are enthusiastic Clinton supporters. But both senators have an incentive to help make peace between their opposing sides — Obama so he'll have their backing in November and Clinton so she'll be well positioned for a future run.

Clinton herself said she wouldn't tell her backers how to vote, but she told them she would cast her own vote for Obama. "We were not all on the same side as Democrats, but we are now," she said.

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the eldest child of the late Robert F. Kennedy and a former lieutenant governor of Maryland, said the animosity that some Clinton delegates feel toward Obama "is getting worse."

The grassroots petition that roared,  from Will Bower

When the Clinton and Obama campaigns announced last week that Senator Clinton’s name would be placed into nomination, a group of Clinton delegates cheered for a moment and went right back to work.  With Hillary Clinton’s name “officially” on the ballot, the petition signatures were no longer technically needed.  But this group of determined individuals pressed on.

“When we started this effort, it was the ONLY way for us to be able to vote in Denver to represent the people who elected us,” said a Clinton delegate from Texas.  “We’re proud of what we did.  We’re going to see it to the end.  Just like our candidate – we don’t quit.”

According to DNC rules, a floor nomination petition needs a minimum of 300 signatures from voting delegates to be submitted.  In July, a small but determined group of Clinton delegates and volunteers started reaching out to fellow delegates in true grassroots fashion – one by one – to collect the signatures.  This proved to be slow going since Democratic Party officials would not provide contact lists for delegates.  The 300 Delegate Petition group was born.

After national and international mainstream media attention, petitions started pouring in.  When they received the requisite number of petitions, they once again took a breather and went back to work.  DNC rules state that no more than 600 petitions can be submitted.  They’re working on it.

“We’ve got well over 300 petitions now in hand,” explained Sue Castner, a Clinton delegate from Portland, OR.  “Since we never consulted with Senator Clinton’s campaign, we don’t know if ‘the petition that wouldn’t die’ had anything to do with the two joint campaign announcements made last week.  We will probably never know but it certainly made us feel good.”

Signatories include a governor or two, county Democratic party chairs, members of the diplomatic corps, and even some brave Obama delegates.  The names of those who signed the petition will remain a mystery unless Senator Clinton decides to file the petition, in which case, their names will be a part of recorded history.

As a meager reward for those delegates who saw the nomination process as a path to party unity and signed this historic document, a numbered commemorative pin will distinguish them from fellow delegates.  Rest assured, the green pin, featuring the number 300 with a pen, will be THE most coveted pin in Denver.

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If the parties won't uphold democratic principles, who will?

If the voters don't hold the parties accountable, who will?

The Split Widens Ever So More

 

Puma Members and those of like thinking are relieved that Hillary Clinton is not Obama’s choice for a running mate.  Other Clinton supporters are disheartened as it becomes clear that Obama never even considered Hillary in this capacity. Where is the surprise in this? There shouldn’t be any. Most Obama supporters made it clear in poll after poll they were not interested in having Hillary on the ticket. Anti-Hillary pundits tried to point out that she would be “divisive”.  Explain this thought process. Please!  18 million votes do not sound divisive!

There is more anger among Hillary supporters and rightfully so. Ever since Iowa, the sins of the caucus have been pointed out along with the other pre-wired mechanisms used by the DNC.

Clinton Democrats issued a statement today that “one person, one vote” continues to be the basis for their outcry against the injustices Hillary Supporters experience. A video from this organization has one supporter summing up the feelings of Hillary Supporters as noting fraud, disrespect, and strong arming by the DNC.

Kim Gandy of “NOW” issued a press release today giving the organization’s approval of Joe Biden, who is known for supporting women’s issues. Gandy continues to say that they support Hillary’s nomination, but will eventually back Obama. She ends by saying that John McCain does not support women’s rights. She does not specify. What will Gandy say if McCain chooses Lieberman as his running mate? The last I heard Lieberman was pro-choice.

PUMA is a loose confederation of grass root organizations that have agreed to not vote for Obama. The idea behind this thinking is that we will not reward the crooked behavior of the DNC.  Some within PUMA will be voting for McCain in protest and others truly believe he is the best choice after Hillary.

Either way, Hillary Supporters have had enough grief this election round, and will not be hammered with “guilt” from the DNC or Obama supporters as abandoning “their Party”. Many consider it the other way around, and once again will put Country before Party, especially as this Party functions today.

We once again want to stress the following to our group members at Charlotte Front and Center: "Just Say No Deal."

Redwine…Opinion

Hillary Clinton and her colleague Senator Patty Murray are working hard . Together they are fighting on behalf of women everywhere to make sure this attempt does not go unnoticed. Make no mistake -- the Bush Administration is threatening access to family planning options for women who need them most.

That is why it is so important that we continue our fight. We still need your help as we continue to oppose these attempts to undermine women's health care. If you have not yet signed the petition, I hope you will today, or please send this to your friends and ask them to join us.

Click here to sign the petition

We have already seen the difference your support can make. These new regulations do not include some of the most objectionable language from the earlier draft. I believe that is because so many of you have joined Senator Clinton in speaking out, and I want to thank you for helping with this effort.

But we are not done yet.

The newest version continues to be a problem. Instead of increasing women's access to health care, these regulations would further complicate the process, adding additional barriers to women's ability to get quality care.

Now that these regulations have been published in the Federal Register, the public has 30 days to comment. It is so important that we continue to speak up and make clear that we oppose any last-minute Bush administration attempts to undermine women's health!

Please ask your friends to join us by signing here, so that we can send all your signatures and comments to HHS.

Click here to sign the petition

Thank you,

Ann F. Lewis

Whispers Poll Tells Obama: Say No to Hillary Clinton
August 20, 2008 11:59 AM ET | Paul Bedard | Permanent Link, US News and World Report

As Sen. Barack Obama gets set to announce his running mate, there is growing evidence that his backers and the public in general do not favor an Obama-Clinton ticket. In our exclusive Washington Whispers poll, Obama's success in ending the Clinton era was cited by nearly 1 in 3 as his best aspect, right behind his liberal-progressive positions.

As the Democratic Party gets ready for its presidential nominating convention in Denver, what aspect of Sen. Barack Obama do you like most?

Liberal-progressive positions 34%
Ended the Clinton era 30%
Youthfulness 25%
Mixed-race background 11%

Source: The Synovate eNation Internet poll was conducted August 13-15 among 1,000 nationally representative households by global market research firm Synovate.

from Fox News

When Democrats take Denver by the thousands for the party’s national convention next week, John McCain’s campaign with be waiting close by to counterpunch.

McCain plans to keep a relatively light public schedule next week, but the McCain campaign will have a press shop with several staffers set up near the Pepsi Center, where the convention is being held.

There will be daily press conferences with key McCain supporters and advisers, tentatively including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele.

Plus the campaign intends to release a flurry of ads and Web videos throughout the week to compete with Democrats’ message....Read More

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, you might enjoy reading > this...'Walking Eagle' Senator BARACK OBAMA was invited to address a > major gathering of the American Indian Nation two weeks ago in upstate > New York > > He spoke for almost an hour on his future plans for increasing every > Native American's present standard of living, should he one day become > the President. He referred to his career as a Senator, how he had > signed 'YES' for every Indian issue that came to his desk for > approval. Although the Senator was vague on the details of his plan, he > seemed most enthusiastic about his future ideas for helping his 'red > sisters and brothers'. > > At the conclusion of his speech, the Tribes presented the Senator with > a plaque inscribed with his new Indian name - Walking Eagle. The proud > Senator then departed in his motorcade, waving to the crowds. > > A news reporter later inquired to the group of chiefs of how they came > to select the new name given to the Senator. They explained that > Walking Eagle is the name given to a bird so full of crap it can no > longer fly. >

NOW PAYS TRIBUTE TO OUR SISTER: HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

    

  Dearest Stephanie - our hearts are with you in spirit as you go in peace - beloved sister in the movement for equality, liberty and justice for all. We can't imagine losing your voice, your verve, your vitality, your valor. Farewell sister warrior. Read more

"Hell Froze Over. A Month Of Sundays..."

exerpt from Chad Pegram

In 1956, New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen improbably blanked the Brooklyn Dodgers with the only perfect game in World Series history. And the legendary Shirley Povich of The Washington Post documented the occasion with this line:

“The million-to-one shot came in. Hell froze over. A month of Sundays hit the calendar.”

That’s what happened with Sarah Palin’s stunner Friday.

Palin For Vice President

A Female Maverick!

Sarah Palin, John McCain’s vice presidential pick and the first female governor of Alaska, is seen as a rising star within the Republican Party.

She became the youngest person to assume the top office of the 49th State in 2006. Her anti-abortion stance is certain to appeal to evangelicals, while her views on the threats of climate change mirror those of Senator McCain.

“Palin is becoming a star in the conservative movement, a fiscal conservative in a state that is looking like a boondoggle for pork barrel spending,” Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway has said. “She’s young, vibrant, fresh and now, and a new mother of five. She should be in the top tier. If the Republican Party wants to wrestle itself free from the perception that it is royalist and not open to putting new talent on the bench, this would be the real opportunity.”

Palin’s presence adds youth to a McCain ticket, but it is her gender that could help sway women, especially the “security moms” who helped President Bush win re-election in 2004, to vote GOP.

Born in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Feb. 11, 1964, Palin moved with her family at the age of three months to Wasilla, Alaska, though she returned to her birth state to attend the University of Idaho, where she studied journalism and graduated in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree.

Palin is the mother of five children — Bristol, Willow,  Piper, Track and Trig, who was born in April with Down syndrome.

She grew up in Wasilla, just outside of Anchorage, played on Wasilla’s state champion girls’ basketball team in 1982, wore the crown of Miss Wasilla in 1984 and competed in the Miss Alaska contest.

She began her professional career as a television sports reporter, but after she married her husband, Todd, she helped run his family’s commercial fishing business. Other professional endeavors included the ownership of a snow machine, watercraft and all-terrain-vehicle business.

She ran for Wasilla City Council in 1992, winning her seat by opposing tax increases. Four years later, she was elected mayor of Wasilla at age 32 by knocking off a three-term incumbent.

At the end of her second term, party leaders encouraged her to enter the 2002 race for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. Against veteran legislators with far more experience, Palin finished second by fewer than 2,000 votes, making a name for herself in statewide politics.

Palin had exceptionally high approval ratings through mid-2007 and received high marks for her accessibility, a change from Frank Murkowski’s administration.

Thursday, 8/28/08
68 Days to the Election of John McCain

 

Congratulations to Senator Barack Obama

Tonight will be a memorable event in our nation's history. We congratulate Senator Barack Obama for his historic achievement and for winning the nomination of the Democratic Party.

Nonetheless, as Senator Barack Obama delivers his nomination speech tonight, it is important to remember that there are serious questions about Obama's ability to lead. Many of the prominent speakers at the Democratic National Convention this week have previously questioned Obama's level of experience.  Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Joe Biden have both repeatedly stated that Obama is not prepared to be Commander in Chief.

To hear more about what many Democrats have said about Obama's inexperience,  Watch "Remote Control".

Many top speakers at the Democratic National Convention have also praised John McCain. Last week, former President Bill Clinton lauded John McCain's energy plan at a forum in Nevada.  Obama's own running mate, Senator Joe Biden, has said that he would be honored to serve on a presidential ticket with Jonh McCain.  In 2006, Senator Biden praised John McCain's push for the Iraq Troop Surge and Biden has often stated that John McCain's foreign policy judgement is outstanding.

If top Democrats praise John McCain and believe that Barack Obama isn't ready to lead, shouldn't voters be skeptical of voting for Senator Obama in November?

John McCain to Announ ce VP Pick Friday

Tomorrow should be an exciting day for John McCain and his supporters! McCain is expected to announce his Vice Presidential running mate at a rally in Dayton, Ohio at 11 AM. From there, John McCain will travel to two other crucial swing states (Pennsylvania and Michigan) over the weekend to campaign with his new running mate.

Important Note: McCain Fact Retraction

On Wednesday, we mistakenly wrote that John McCain received 5 Navy Medals of Honor during his naval career. John McCain has been honored with several awards for his military service, but they were not Medals of Honor.

To all who are currently serving in the military, and to all of our wonderful veterans, we sincerely apologize for th e error. We honor your courageous service and would like to extend our sincerest thanks to you for protecting America at home and abroad.

Convention Watch Parties

John McCain will be accepting the Republican nomination next Thursday, Sept. 4th in St. Paul, Minnesota at the Republican National Convention.  What better way to see history unfold than a having a Convention Watch Party at your home?

This is a great way to support John McCain with your family and friends. Our goal is to have numerous Convention Watch Parties around the state. We are counting on people like you to demonstrate to the media and more importantly voters that momentum is continuing to build for John McCain.

The process for creating a Convention Watch Party is ver y simple.  Click on the picture link below to signup:

.

Must Clicks

John McCain has always said that he wants to run a clean campaign, focusing on issues and not personal attacks.  The gracious advertisement "Convention Night" that McCain is running this afternoon and evening, recognizing Senator Obama's historic nomination, only reinforces John McCain's committment to run an honorable campaign this fall.

Must Reads

Analysis: Oprah, Affleck! Obama's Goldmine or Risk
By Jennifer Loven
The Associated Press
August 28, 2008

Hollywood hasn't contributed official speakers to Barack Obama's convention this week. But, man, have celebrities flocked to Denver in droves. Oprah's in the house! Was that Matthew Modine just now? Oh, wow, there's Anne Hathaway.

All that, along with Thursday's final-night lineup featuring A-list performers like Sheryl Crow and Stevie Wonder and Obama's splashy acceptance speech in a packed football stadium, will be scooped up greedily by Republican John McCain, as grist for his refrain-of-the-moment: that his Democratic opponent is all flash and no pan.

To read more, click here: Oprah, Affleck! Obama's Goldmine or Risk< /p>
The Devils in His Details
By George Will
The Washington Post
August 28, 2008

When Barack Obama feeds rhetorical fishes and loaves to the multitudes in the football stadium tonight, he should deliver a message of sufficient particularity that it seems particularly suited to Americans. One more inspirational oration, one general enough to please Berliners or even his fellow "citizens of the world," will confirm Pascal's point that "continuous eloquence wearies." That is so because it is not really eloquent. If it is continuous, it is necessarily formulaic and abstract, vague enough for any time and place, hence truly apposite for none.

To read more, click here: The Devils in His Details

Finally This Evening...

Would you like to share your excitement about John McCain with your community? If so, John McCain is calling you to action. We need volunteers for our Door-to-Door campaign in North Carolina.

Door-to-door volunteers speak with their neighbors face-to-face on behalf of John McCain. This is an easy way to make a pivotal contribution to our grassroots campaign. It will only require a few hours of your time every week.

   


   

                             

 
     

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Bill Getting Out Of Denver

Taken from Fox news

In another sign of lingering discord between the Clinton and Obama camps, FOX News confirmed Wednesday that former President Bill Clinton will not attend Barack Obama’s Democratic presidential nomination acceptance speech at Invesco Field in Denver Thursday night.

A senior Obama aide said the candidate is “not worried about it. There’s places besides Denver where we need and will get [Clinton's] help winning this election.”

Clinton has continued to lob perceived bombs at the man who defeated his wife, Hillary Clinton, in the Democratic primary. Just hours before the New York senator took center stage Tuesday night to offer words of healing, her husband was detonating what could be interpreted as another blast.

Speaking at a forum of former world leaders less than a mile from the site of the Democratic National Convention, Bill Clinton drew an analogy that had many wondering whether he had made peace with the idea of an Obama candidacy.

“Suppose for example you’re a voter and you have candidate X and you have candidate Y,” Clinton said. “Candidate X agrees with you on everything but you don’t think that person can deliver on anything. Candidate Y disagrees with you on half the issues but you believe that on the other half, the candidate will be able to deliver. For whom will you vote?

“This is the kind of question that I predict — and this has nothing to do with what’s going on now — but I am just saying if you look at five, 10, 15 years from now, you may actually see this delivery issue become a serious issue in Democratic debates because it is so hard to figure out how to turn good intentions into real changes in the lives of the people we represent.”

Whether Clinton, who for 20 years has been the star of the Democratic Party, intended the analogy to represent a futuristic look at presidential politics, its relevance to the current candidacies of Republican John McCain and Obama was unmistakable.

“What his strategy is to go around drumming stuff on Obama, his crazy quotes, and he’s cultivated a careful reputation for being eccentric, and therefore, Hillary is not blamed for what he does … and the result is he can go around and dump on Obama and almost be like a negative Greek chorus,” said FOX News contributor Dick Morris, a former Clinton adviser.

The motive, Morris said, is “to defeat Barack Obama and make sure Hillary can get elected in 2012.”

“I don’t think the Clintons’ feelings would be hurt” if Obama lost the 2008 election, said Republican strategist Chip Saltsman.

The former president is scheduled to put the capstone on the Hillary-Bill public endorsement of Obama during a convention speech Wednesday night.

On Wednesday, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Bill Clinton is “one of the most unique and beloved figures in the Democratic Party and the country” and will “talk about why Senator Obama is the right leader right now” and how he knows Obama “will get the country back on track.”

Obama called Bill Clinton on Tuesday night to congratulate him on his wife’s address to the convention. Obama said he knew how proud Clinton must have been watching Hillary Clinton and how grateful he was for their support.

But tensions were simmering Wednesday ahead of Clinton’s speech, which has not been read by the Obama campaign. Obama senior adviser Anita Dunn said the camp is “not nervous at all” about not having seen the text, but is rather “excited” since it will be an “electric moment” when Clinton makes “the case for Obama and for change.”

On Sunday, it was reported that Clinton was unhappy about the night of his speech because he preferred to address domestic issues, and the theme of Wednesday night’s proceedings is foreign policy. Clinton, however, will be speaking on the importance of a strong economy.

Obama said Monday he’d spoken to Clinton about the speech, saying he told Clinton he could talk about anything he likes.

“Bill Clinton knows a little bit about trying to yank the economy out of the doldrums,” Obama said. “It wouldn’t make sense for me to want to edit his remarks.”

Playing second fiddle to the new Democratic order doesn’t mean the former president can’t influence an Obama administration.

“Bill Clinton’s place in the hearts of Democrats is very secure. He rescued us from the wilderness” said former California Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat. “We had been wandering there for 40 years, having lost three presidential elections.

“Now we’re turning a page. Barack Obama is going to be our next president and I expect Bill Clinton to be campaigning for him.”

Davis added that Clinton could serve as an ambassador or envoy for an Obama administration the way he has for President Bush.

FOX News political analyst Michael Steele said he believes Clinton will use his Wednesday night speech to try and restore his image, especially with black voters, who were part of his base of support.

“I think this is about Bill, not Barack,” Steele said, adding that Clinton can and will restore his image.

“He still has a role to play,” he added. “He will assert that role in any number of ways. We’ll see one of those ways when he gives a speech at the convention.”

Democratic consultant Tad Devine said he expects Bill Clinton to be supportive, adding that one role Clinton could perform is that of attack dog on the Republicans.

“If anything I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Clinton give a very strong speech in support of Obama,” he said.

FOX News’ Sharon Liss and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Obama's Friends...from Fox News

The Texas Republican Party is set to release a Web video Wednesday evening entitled, “Obama and Friends,” which digs deeper into Barack Obama’s questionable friendships dating back two decades.

In a continuing effort to erode the credibility of the Democratic presidential nominee, the ad describes Obama’s relationships with three characters that have frequently been used in efforts to tar Obama’s patriotism and honesty.

Among the three named is Weather Underground member Bernadine Dohrn, a leader of the left-wing terror group responsible for numerous bombings in the 1960s and 1970s, including at the U.S. Capitol and Pentagon. Dohrn hosted a party to launch Obama’s campaign for the Illinois Senate, the ad says.

Tony Rezko is another friend and a contributor named. Rezko helped Obama purchase a home and was recently convicted of 14 felonies related to influence peddling and corruption. Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, where Obama and his family had attended for 20 years, was also noted for several anti-American sermons he has given.

“In light of the fact that the public has been deluged with pro-Obama pabulum over the course of the last 10 months, we felt it was crucial to make sure voters get the whole story. And there is no better way to tell a story than to illustrate it with the company you keep,” Texas GOP spokesman Hans Klingler told FOXNews.com.

“The fact remains Barack Obama launched his political career in the house of known terrorists and was helped with the purchase of a home by a now convicted felon. This speaks volumes about his lack of judgment, vision and experience,” Klingler said, adding that the Texas GOP refuses “to leave any stone unturned” when it comes to looking into Obama’s ties to possibly unsavory characters.

It’s not the first time that independent groups have tried to emphasize Obama’s relationships. Last week, the independent American Issues Project bought national airtime for an ad that notes Obama’s ties to William Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground, and guest at Dohrn’s party.

The project is not tied to McCain, though a chief benefactor has raised funds for McCain. The Obama campaign responded to the ad by launching a response that blamed the Republican candidate for the attack. The McCain campaign took advantage of the charge.

“The fact that Barack Obama chose to launch his political career at the home of an unrepentant terrorist raises more questions about Senator Obama’s judgment than any TV ad ever could,” said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers.

Click here to watch the video: “Obama and Friends”

FOX News’ Mary Ann Mancuso contributed to this report.

NOTE:

Charlotte Front and Center will have its core group meeting this Thursday from 7:00pm on in order to spare its members from hearing Zeus speak in front of Corinthian pillars.

McCain Press Release

                                                                                                                    ICYMI: Bill Clinton On "Candidate X" And "Candidate Y"                                                                                                                
                                                                                                             

                                                   

                                                         

"For example, you're a voter, and you have Candidate X and Candidate Y. Candidate X agrees with you on everything. But you don't think that person can deliver on anything. Candidate Y disagrees with you on half the issues, but you believe that, on the other half, the candidate will be able to deliver. For whom will you vote?" -- President Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton
Remarks
August 26, 2008

President Bill Clinton: "For example, you're a voter, and you have Candidate X and Candidate Y. Candidate X agrees with you on everything. But you don't think that person can deliver on anything. Candidate Y disagrees with you on half the issues, but you believe that, on the other half, the candidate will be able to deliver. For whom will you vote?"

Watch Bill Clinton's Comments

Classy Revenge (That's Our Hillary)

Remember when Obama gave Hillary an unpleasant sign in Raleigh the next day after the last debate? Read the following article to see who got the last "word." TR

lifted from That's Me On The Left

I saw the photo of the different colored pantsuits that her aides were holding by the podium. They were trying to decide which color she should wear for her speech at the Democratic National Convention. I think there were five to choose from. All I know is that I was hoping she would pick orange. It looked good with the background and I knew what the color orange would signify.

Last night Hillary came out in her orange pantsuit and I giggled about the possible subliminal message. Hillary Clinton is one smart lady and at that moment I knew what her orange pantsuit symbolized. Then today I read a comment that someone else noticed the significance of the orange color. I knew then that I WAS RIGHT!

Orange is the symbolic color of the Ukrainian Revolutionaries who protested the "selection" of the President in a rigged election. There was massive corruption, voter intimidation and direct electoral fraud.

McCain Benefits from Hillary's Speech

lifted from Fox news

                        DENVER, Colorado (AFP) - Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani crowed Wednesday that Hillary Clinton's showstopping convention speech would help Republicans defeat the Democrats in the White House race.

                        

             "I think she gave a very good speech from her point of view and our point of view, but not necessarily for Barack Obama's point of view," he told Fox News.

"She never really answered the key question, is he prepared to be president? Which is the issue she put out there, rather dramatically, during the primaries."

Clinton brought the Democratic convention at Denver to its feet late Tuesday with a powerful speech ordering her supporters to unite behind Obama, who defeated her in the nominating contests.

Her speech sought to end the party divisions after the bruising primary race, and Obama said afterwards he thought it was an "outstanding" address.

"She gave a great speech last night," agreed Giuliani, who failed in his own bid to carry the Republican crown into the November 4 elections losing to John McCain.

             "Why isn't she the vice-presidential candidate. Why isn't she the presidential candidate," he added, once again picking at the Democrat's wounds with many Clinton supporters still distraught at her defeat.

             He said on Fox and Friends he had been convinced that Obama would pick Clinton as his running mate and "I couldn't understand why he would organize a convention to give the Clintons two nights and then diss Hillary as vice-president."

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

                        Tuesday, August 26, 2008                    

                                       

        McCain receives unexpected support 

   

        08/26/2008 10:32 AM
   

   

       

            

By: News 14 Carolina Web Staff       

       

                                       

       

        Some Clinton supporters in south Charlotte say they will now vote for Republican John McCain.    

CHARLOTTE -- Some Hillary Clinton backers switched sides Monday night and marched in support of Republican John McCain.
   
A small group of people met in south Charlotte to protest the Democratic National Convention and the impending nomination of Barack Obama.

"It is a hard move for us to make but we are doing this out of principle that we feel that bad behavior by the DNC can not be rewarded with our vote," said Clinton supporter for McCain Trisha Redwine.

On Monday, Clinton acknowledged that Democrats weren't all on the same side during primary season, but says they should be now.

       

More Insults For Hillary Delegates

Lifter From Yahoo News...

DENVER - Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama agreed Monday to limit a divisive roll call for president, giving delegates a brief but historic choice between a black man and white woman.
ADVERTISEMENT

The deal would allow some states to cast votes for both Obama and Clinton before ending the roll call in acclamation for the Illinois senator. Clinton herself may cut off the vote and recommend unanimous nomination of Obama, according to Democratic officials involved in the negotiations. They discussed the deal on condition of anonymity while details were being finalized.

"I don't care what she says," said Mary Boergers, a Maryland delegate who wants to cast a vote for Clinton.
DENVER - Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama agreed Monday to limit a divisive roll call for president, giving delegates a brief but historic choice between a black man and white woman.
ADVERTISEMENT

The deal would allow some states to cast votes for both Obama and Clinton before ending the roll call in acclamation for the Illinois senator. Clinton herself may cut off the vote and recommend unanimous nomination of Obama, according to Democratic officials involved in the negotiations. They discussed the deal on condition of anonymity while details were being finalized.

Some Clinton delegates said they were not interested in a compromise, raising the prospect of floor demonstrations that would underscore the split between Obama and Clinton Democrats.

"I don't care what she says," said Mary Boergers, a Maryland delegate who wants to cast a vote for Clinton.

As part of the deal, Obama and Clinton activists teamed up and circulated three petitions on the convention floor Monday night — supporting Clinton, Obama and vice presidential candidate Joe Biden. Each needed 300 signatures to be nominated.

The dealmaking indicates the divided nature of the party: Obama does not have full control over a convention that includes many delegates who are enthusiastic Clinton supporters. But both senators have an incentive to help make peace between their opposing sides — Obama so he'll have their backing in November and Clinton so she'll be well positioned for a future run.

Clinton herself said she wouldn't tell her backers how to vote, but she told them she would cast her own vote for Obama. "We were not all on the same side as Democrats, but we are now," she said.

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the eldest child of the late Robert F. Kennedy and a former lieutenant governor of Maryland, said the animosity that some Clinton delegates feel toward Obama "is getting worse."

No We Won't Be Silenced!

The Petition That Roared

The grassroots petition that roared,  from Will Bower

When the Clinton and Obama campaigns announced last week that Senator Clinton’s name would be placed into nomination, a group of Clinton delegates cheered for a moment and went right back to work.  With Hillary Clinton’s name “officially” on the ballot, the petition signatures were no longer technically needed.  But this group of determined individuals pressed on.

“When we started this effort, it was the ONLY way for us to be able to vote in Denver to represent the people who elected us,” said a Clinton delegate from Texas.  “We’re proud of what we did.  We’re going to see it to the end.  Just like our candidate – we don’t quit.”

According to DNC rules, a floor nomination petition needs a minimum of 300 signatures from voting delegates to be submitted.  In July, a small but determined group of Clinton delegates and volunteers started reaching out to fellow delegates in true grassroots fashion – one by one – to collect the signatures.  This proved to be slow going since Democratic Party officials would not provide contact lists for delegates.  The 300 Delegate Petition group was born.

After national and international mainstream media attention, petitions started pouring in.  When they received the requisite number of petitions, they once again took a breather and went back to work.  DNC rules state that no more than 600 petitions can be submitted.  They’re working on it.

“We’ve got well over 300 petitions now in hand,” explained Sue Castner, a Clinton delegate from Portland, OR.  “Since we never consulted with Senator Clinton’s campaign, we don’t know if ‘the petition that wouldn’t die’ had anything to do with the two joint campaign announcements made last week.  We will probably never know but it certainly made us feel good.”

Signatories include a governor or two, county Democratic party chairs, members of the diplomatic corps, and even some brave Obama delegates.  The names of those who signed the petition will remain a mystery unless Senator Clinton decides to file the petition, in which case, their names will be a part of recorded history.

As a meager reward for those delegates who saw the nomination process as a path to party unity and signed this historic document, a numbered commemorative pin will distinguish them from fellow delegates.  Rest assured, the green pin, featuring the number 300 with a pen, will be THE most coveted pin in Denver.

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If the parties won't uphold democratic principles, who will?

If the voters don't hold the parties accountable, who will?

I Don't Want To Get Over You!

The Split Widens Ever So More

 

Puma Members and those of like thinking are relieved that Hillary Clinton is not Obama’s choice for a running mate.  Other Clinton supporters are disheartened as it becomes clear that Obama never even considered Hillary in this capacity. Where is the surprise in this? There shouldn’t be any. Most Obama supporters made it clear in poll after poll they were not interested in having Hillary on the ticket. Anti-Hillary pundits tried to point out that she would be “divisive”.  Explain this thought process. Please!  18 million votes do not sound divisive!

There is more anger among Hillary supporters and rightfully so. Ever since Iowa, the sins of the caucus have been pointed out along with the other pre-wired mechanisms used by the DNC.

Clinton Democrats issued a statement today that “one person, one vote” continues to be the basis for their outcry against the injustices Hillary Supporters experience. A video from this organization has one supporter summing up the feelings of Hillary Supporters as noting fraud, disrespect, and strong arming by the DNC.

Kim Gandy of “NOW” issued a press release today giving the organization’s approval of Joe Biden, who is known for supporting women’s issues. Gandy continues to say that they support Hillary’s nomination, but will eventually back Obama. She ends by saying that John McCain does not support women’s rights. She does not specify. What will Gandy say if McCain chooses Lieberman as his running mate? The last I heard Lieberman was pro-choice.

PUMA is a loose confederation of grass root organizations that have agreed to not vote for Obama. The idea behind this thinking is that we will not reward the crooked behavior of the DNC.  Some within PUMA will be voting for McCain in protest and others truly believe he is the best choice after Hillary.

Either way, Hillary Supporters have had enough grief this election round, and will not be hammered with “guilt” from the DNC or Obama supporters as abandoning “their Party”. Many consider it the other way around, and once again will put Country before Party, especially as this Party functions today.

We once again want to stress the following to our group members at Charlotte Front and Center: "Just Say No Deal."

Redwine…Opinion

Last Chance, SuperDelegates!!!

Petition from Hillpac

Hillary Clinton and her colleague Senator Patty Murray are working hard . Together they are fighting on behalf of women everywhere to make sure this attempt does not go unnoticed. Make no mistake -- the Bush Administration is threatening access to family planning options for women who need them most.

That is why it is so important that we continue our fight. We still need your help as we continue to oppose these attempts to undermine women's health care. If you have not yet signed the petition, I hope you will today, or please send this to your friends and ask them to join us.

Click here to sign the petition

We have already seen the difference your support can make. These new regulations do not include some of the most objectionable language from the earlier draft. I believe that is because so many of you have joined Senator Clinton in speaking out, and I want to thank you for helping with this effort.

But we are not done yet.

The newest version continues to be a problem. Instead of increasing women's access to health care, these regulations would further complicate the process, adding additional barriers to women's ability to get quality care.

Now that these regulations have been published in the Federal Register, the public has 30 days to comment. It is so important that we continue to speak up and make clear that we oppose any last-minute Bush administration attempts to undermine women's health!

Please ask your friends to join us by signing here, so that we can send all your signatures and comments to HHS.

Click here to sign the petition

Thank you,

Ann F. Lewis

Radical Bill Ayers Speaks About The 60's SDS

Obama Folks Say "No" to Hillary

Whispers Poll Tells Obama: Say No to Hillary Clinton
August 20, 2008 11:59 AM ET | Paul Bedard | Permanent Link, US News and World Report

As Sen. Barack Obama gets set to announce his running mate, there is growing evidence that his backers and the public in general do not favor an Obama-Clinton ticket. In our exclusive Washington Whispers poll, Obama's success in ending the Clinton era was cited by nearly 1 in 3 as his best aspect, right behind his liberal-progressive positions.

As the Democratic Party gets ready for its presidential nominating convention in Denver, what aspect of Sen. Barack Obama do you like most?

Liberal-progressive positions 34%
Ended the Clinton era 30%
Youthfulness 25%
Mixed-race background 11%

Source: The Synovate eNation Internet poll was conducted August 13-15 among 1,000 nationally representative households by global market research firm Synovate.

Pressuring Obama

from Fox News

When Democrats take Denver by the thousands for the party’s national convention next week, John McCain’s campaign with be waiting close by to counterpunch.

McCain plans to keep a relatively light public schedule next week, but the McCain campaign will have a press shop with several staffers set up near the Pepsi Center, where the convention is being held.

There will be daily press conferences with key McCain supporters and advisers, tentatively including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele.

Plus the campaign intends to release a flurry of ads and Web videos throughout the week to compete with Democrats’ message....Read More

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, you might enjoy reading > this...'Walking Eagle' Senator BARACK OBAMA was invited to address a > major gathering of the American Indian Nation two weeks ago in upstate > New York > > He spoke for almost an hour on his future plans for increasing every > Native American's present standard of living, should he one day become > the President. He referred to his career as a Senator, how he had > signed 'YES' for every Indian issue that came to his desk for > approval. Although the Senator was vague on the details of his plan, he > seemed most enthusiastic about his future ideas for helping his 'red > sisters and brothers'. > > At the conclusion of his speech, the Tribes presented the Senator with > a plaque inscribed with his new Indian name - Walking Eagle. The proud > Senator then departed in his motorcade, waving to the crowds. > > A news reporter later inquired to the group of chiefs of how they came > to select the new name given to the Senator. They explained that > Walking Eagle is the name given to a bird so full of crap it can no > longer fly. >

NOW PAYS TRIBUTE TO OUR SISTER: HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

    

  Dearest Stephanie - our hearts are with you in spirit as you go in peace - beloved sister in the movement for equality, liberty and justice for all. We can't imagine losing your voice, your verve, your vitality, your valor. Farewell sister warrior. Read more