Our nominee

From my inbox:

It's been a long journey, and we should all pause to thank Hillary Clinton, who made history in this campaign. Our party and our country are better off because of her.

I want to make sure you understand what's ahead of us. Earlier tonight, John McCain outlined a vision of America that's very different from ours -- a vision that continues the disastrous policies of George W. Bush.

But this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past and bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.

It's going to take hard work, but thanks to you and millions of other donors and volunteers, no one has ever been more prepared for such a challenge.

Thank you for everything you've done to get us here. Let's keep making history.

On this night, Tuesday, the 3rd of June, 2008, my heart swells with pride for our party, for our country, and for our world.

Tonight, Senator Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

Few can say they have lived as well-rounded and influential life as Barack Obama. The multiracial Obama, whose father hails from Kenya and whose mother was from Kansas, was born in Hawaii and spent time in Indonesia while growing up.

He left law school to work as a community organizer in Chicago to help deal with the needs of troubled neighborhoods. He eventually finished his law school work after having become the first African-American to edit the Harvard Law Review.

He spent eight years in the Illinois Senate before winning election to the US Senate in 2004. In both roles, he has established a track record of success in getting things done and advancing progressive causes.

And now, here we are, in the late spring of 2008. 793 years after the Magna Carta loosened a king's grip on England, 232 years after rebel patriots declared themselves free from the bonds of tyranny, 141 years after the abolition of slavery in this 'Land of the Free,' this party offers this nation - the land of the free, the home of the brave - the chance of a generation.

A chance to elect a real leader. A leader of impeccable character and integrity. A leader of high intelligence.

Someone ready to take on the role of leading all 300 million of us. To be a role model for school children everywhere - living proof that you can be whatever it is you want to be, if only you dedicate yourself. Living proof to all that obstacles are not impossible to overcome.

Early on, I must admit, I was skeptical. He was one of my top picks right from the get-go - along with Edwards and Richardson (I think I would have backed Wes Clark had he run) - but I was not convinced the 40-something junior senator from Illinois was ready for the toughest job in the world, at one of the most critical times in American history.

Winter turned into spring, spring to summer. I paid attention to what our field of candidates - diverse in race, personal background, experience, and policy ideas - had to say about why they were the one for which America has longed.

Wouldn't you know it, that young man - the youngest in the pack - kept convincing me time and time again that not only was he ready for the enormous burden of the Presidency, but that no one else running was quite as ready as him. And so I gave him my support.

And now, here we are. Five months after the Iowa Caucuses, five months before the general election, this primary season has finally come to an end.

We now know that the son of a Kenyan father and a Kansan mother will be the nominee of the Democratic Party - the Party of Jefferson and Jackson, the party of FDR, JFK, and LBJ, and the Party of Nobel winners Wilson, Carter, and Gore - to hold the office once held by Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln, U.S. Grant, TR, Silent Cal, FDR, Truman, and Ike.

As our nominee, Obama has made history. If elected, he will make even more history.

Far more important, he will work to make the future better for all of us.

So together, let's make it happen.

Bits of Tid: May 28, 2008

• Look how poorly Obama's doing in mostly-white Iowa! Not.


• President Carter:

  "I'm a superdelegate ... I think a lot of the superdelegates will make a decision quite, announced quite rapidly, after the final primary on June 3," he told Sky News.

  "I have not yet announced publicly, but I think at that point it will be time for her to give it up," Carter said.

• Someone on Fox News said it would be great if someone would "knock off" Obama. That's how desperate some people are getting.


• The Libertarian Party - the racial diversity of which makes the Republican Party look like the NAACP - has nominated former Georgia congressman Bob Barr for President.


• The DNC has launched McCainpedia, dedicated to - yes - the presumptive Republican nominee.


• Speaking of McCain, I must say I'm not all that thrilled about the jokes that are made about his age. As free a country as this is, those who make jokes like that are also making fun of their future selves. McCain is 72, as most of us will be one day. So if you're gonna make jokes about how old he is, just keep in mind that that will be you someday.


• Sometimes I can't help myself. As I said on an open thread on Daily Kos, discussing gas prices:

  Well, Mom cooked a pot of chili last week and I had a bowl of leftovers a little earlier.
  
  Based on the law of supply and demand, that means we should see some relief at the pumps pretty soon.
  

Bits of Tid: May 23, 2008

• Boy, did it feel good to get that rant about Hillary's latest comments off my chest.
• I've updated my post from earlier this week. Obama has gained a couple more superdelegates as well as two more of Edwards's pledged delegates.
• One of the new supers for Obama is Rep. Dennis Cardoza (CA), who switched from Clinton to Obama. It looks like he may be the first of several Clinton delegates to switch to Obama. Not to count unhatched chickens, but this can only make an Obama nomination more of a sure thing!
• Clinton is trying to get superdelegates to believe that she is more electable than Obama. But recent polls show that, as Obama is seen by more and more people as the presumptive Democratic nominee, he is beating McCain in several swing states, including some Bush won.

  There goes another Clinton talking point. Going off the Pollster.com averages, Obama currently wins 283-255, losing the Kerry states of Michigan and New Hampshire, and winning the Bush states of Iowa, Indiana, New Mexico, Colorado, and Ohio. If you give him a tiny 3-point "primary boost", he picks up Virginia and Michigan, for a 313-225 lead.

• So whom should Barack select as his running mate for Vice President? I'll offer up some thoughts next week.
• Check out Daily Kos tomorrow evening around 7PM, when I'll be hosting this week's edition of WYFP? (What's Your F****** Problem?) The Michigan Primary situation will be involved!
• I haven't done this in a while, but here's anothe rpoick for the LSSU Banished Words List:

  Totally free - As opposed to 'somewhat free?' Something is either free or it's not.

• Today is Graduation Day at my alma mater, East Kentwood High School. Wow: Those who were freshmen when I was a senior have reached the Big Moment! Speaking of which, earlier today we received an invite for my cousin's graduation open house in metro Detroit. I remember when she was celebrating her first birthday in her high chair, her hands covered in chocolate as the family sang. Wow, I'm feeling old.

Lame and pathetic

Lame-thetic, if you will.

Hillary Clinton today brought up the assassination of Sen. Robert Kennedy while defending her decision to stay in the race against Barack Obama.

"My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it," she said, dismissing calls to drop out.

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, you have reached a new low. From pandering while in Congress, to lying up the wazoo, to treating the good people of Michigan and Florida as your pawns, to even suggesting that McCain is more qualified to lead the country than you, your slash-and-burn-your-way-to-the-White House tactics are abominable.

There ought to be no place for these antics in the Democratic Party of the United States. Our party is a big tent, but not big enough to hold that kind of crap.

You are needlessly hurting the Party of Jefferson and FDR, while removing any doubt that it is you, Senator Clinton, and not Senator Obama, who is unfit to govern this nation.

Delegate Math - or, Why It's Just About Over

LAST UPDATED MAY 25 11:15PM

(If not for Democratic Convention Watch, this post would be nonexistent. A HUGE hat tip to DCW!)

WARNING: The contents of this post may be VERY CONFUSING!

So why do most of the pundits, analysts, etc., agree that the race is over even as Hillary Clinton fights on? It's all in the numbers.

Anyway, here is the current total delegate count as of Thursday afternoon, not including Florida or Michigan delegates:

TOTAL DELEGATES: 4,049

• Needed for Majority: 2,025
• Obama’s total: 1,982; 43 from majority (note a)
  
• Clinton’s total: 1,781; 244 from majority
• Edwards: 7 (a)
  
• Pledged delegates in remaining contests: 86
• Undetermined superdelegate votes: 195 (b)
  
• Total undetermined delegate votes: 288 (b, c)
  
• Percent of remaining total delegates Obama needs to clinch: 14.9% (d)
  
• Percent of remaining pledged delegates Obama needs to clinch: 50% (e)
  

Notes:
(a) Edwards has received 18 pledged delegates from the states in which he competed. Eleven have since said they will support Obama at the Convention; these are included in Obama's total. The other seven are still marked as being for Edwards.
(b) Includes 31 unpledged add-on delegate positions that have yet to be filled.
(c) Includes the 7 Edwards delegates who haven't endorsed Clinton or Obama; the 86 pledged delegate votes in yet-to-be-held contests; and the 195 undetermined superdelegate votes.
(d) This is the number Obama needs to clinch (43) divided by the number of undetermined delegate votes.
(e) Same as (d), excluding superdelegates.

Here's a way to look at it: Imagine it's Election Night, and you hear a network anchor state that "With 932% of the precincts reporting, Candidate A is leading 53% to 47%." By that point, they would probably call Candidate A the winner. Well, more than 93% of the delegates have been allocated to one candidate or the other, and guess what? Obama has won 53% of them. So, in a sense, with 93% reporting, he leads 53-47%.

So, without Florida and Michigan, Obama only needs to win about one in five of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination. In only three states has Obama won less than 1/3 of the pledged delegates. And superdelegate endorsements have overwhelmingly favored Obama in recent weeks.

The above list includes all pledged and unpledged delegates. The following list includes only pledged delegates. The pledged-delegate count is important since many people, including some superdelegates, have suggested that whoever gets the most pledged delegates ought to win the nomination.

PLEDGED DELEGATES: 3,253

• Needed for majority: 1,627
• Obama: 1,659.5; 32.5 more than needed for majority
• Clinton: 1,500.5
• Undetermined pledged delegates: 93 (a)

NOTE:
(a) Includes 86 delegates from remaining contests and the 7 Edwards delegates who haven't picked Clinton or Obama.

So, even if Hillary were to win every single one of those remaining 95 pledged delegates, she would still need 149 (or 76.4%) of the 195 unallocated superdelegates to go her way.

That is all but impossible. In order to get all of the remaining pledged delegates, by party rules she would need to take 85% of the vote in all of the remaining states. That's on top of getting Edwards's 9 remaining delegates to vote against the person their candidate endorsed.

Hillary must rely on seeing to it that Michigan's and Florida's delegates are seated at the Convention. Even if they are seated, the math still looks pretty rocky for her.

The proposal the Michigan Democratic Party is putting forward to seat our delegates would give Hillary 69 delegates and Obama 59. This splits the difference between the 73-55 split the Clinton camp wants (based on the results of the January 15 primary) and the 64-64 tie Obama wanted.

The proposal most often mentioned with regards to Florida's delegates would involve cutting that state’s pledged-delegate votes in half, so each delegate would get 1/2 of one vote. Clinton won 105 delegates in the January primary; Obama 69; and Edwards, 11. Cut in half, these figures come out to 52.5-34.5-5.5.

Both proposals call for full votes for superdelegates (i.e. their votes wouldn’t be cut in half). Hillary leads among Florida superdelegates 8-5 with 17 undeclared, and in Michigan she leads 7-5 with 13 undeclared.

These proposals, if approved, would add 220.5 pledged delegates and 55 superdelegates to the mix. The new numbers would be:

TOTAL DELEGATE VOTES: 4,324

• Needed for majority: 2,162.5
• Obama: 2,085.5; 77 from clinching nomination
• Clinton: 1,917.5; 245 from clinching nomination
• Edwards: 12.5
• Uncommitted superdelegates: 225
• Total undetermined delegate votes: 323.5
• Percent of remaining total delegates Obama needs to clinch: 23.8%

PLEDGED DELEGATE VOTES: 3,473.5

• Needed for majority: 1,737
• Obama: 1,753; 16 more than needed for majority
• Clinton: 1,622
• Unallocated pledged delegates: 98.5

Look! Even under this scenario, Obama has already locked up the pledged-delegate lead! So, winning all of the remaining 99.5 pledged delegates would leave Hillary 148.5 superdelegates (66% of the remaining delegates) from the nomination.

And again, it bears repeating that Obama will almost certainly get a good share of those remaining pledged delegates, thus padding his pledged-delegate majority and likely garnering even more superdelegate support while raising the bar even higher for Hillary.

Bits of Tid: May 19, 2008

• Let's all wish the very best to Sen. Ted Kennedy. He is doing much better.
• Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to those of you who recommended and tipped my Daily Kos diary on the rally. It topped the Daily Kos rec list! I was just floored by the enthusiasm it generated!
  
• In case you haven't noticed, I'm on Twitter!
  
• Via Twitter: Four Michigan DNC members have endorsed Obama in recent days: Eric Coleman, Robert Ficano, Virgie Rollins, and Lauren Wolfe. If Michigan's delegates are seated, they would be have superdelegate votes.
  
• On my summer reading list:
  
• Everyday Leadership by Dan Mulhern
  
• The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader by John C. Maxwell
  
• 1776 by David McCullough
  
• The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
• On my summer writing list:
  
  • My book - yes, I'm actually writing one!
    
  • Letters to the editor
    
  • Letters to members of Congress
    
  • Lots of blog posts!
  
  
  

I Was There as Edwards endorsed Obama

Wow! People talk about being "Fired Up and Ready to Go" at Obama rallies, but I must say I never imagined seeing what I just saw in Grand Rapids, in the heart of conservative West Michigan.

An endorsement from John Edwards.

I arrived at Van Andel Arena (named for a conservative cofounder of Amway) around 5:15. The line to get in moved quite rapidly, probably because there were plenty of metal detectors to keep people moving in at an efficient pace. I sat in the upper level of the arena, but I was closer to the stage than many people there. Besides, given who we knew was going to be there, I wasn’t complaining.

A disabled veteran led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. The crowd cheered as they saw the young man in crutches approach the podium. After that, someone from the field office had everyone get out their cell phones and text 'MI' to 62262 to stay involved with the campaign.

A little while later we saw the "Yes We Can" video by will.i.am. A little later, The Wave.

I reflected on the people there. They were diverse in race, age, and surely walk of life. I saw middle-aged white men. I saw black women. I saw kids - plenty of kids! Many of whom won’t be old enough to vote this November. Still, they were witnessing history. Sure, school was out for the day. But these kids were getting a hands-on education, just as I did when I saw Al Gore at Calder Plaza in October 2000.

Around 6:35, a worker at the Lear factory in Walker - which will be closing in a few months - spoke about his struggles to get by as the cost of living increased but his paycheck didn’t.

He had the honor of introducing the man who would be President.

At 6:38 PM, Barack Obama - one of the smartest and most beloved people in modern politics - stepped up to the podium.

He started by telling us he had a treat. And a treat it was as he introduced a young man who has dedicated his life to tackling the many issues ordinary Americans face.

Once Barack uttered the words "John Edwards," the place went nuts. We all knew what Edwards’s presence there meant. I was hopping up and down like I’ve never done at any political function in my 20 ½ years. Hell, I’m not sure I’ve ever been so excited at a sporting event!

Edwards spoke of the major themes of his campaign: Poverty, social justice, healthcare, and of course making the two Americas one. "The Democratic voters of America have made their decision," he added, "and so have I."

In his remarks, Obama made the solemn promise that Edwards would find in President Obama a fierce comrade in the fight against poverty. He then touched on what he has discussed throughout his campaign, including the many important issues we face in this country and the importance of changing the way Washington operates.

There seems to be general agreement that Senator Obama will be our Democratic nominee. He pointed out that both Edwards and, yes, Hillary all stood for a much-needed change in Washington. On more than one occasion, Obama called out McCain as someone who simply offers more of the same. Obama, speaking in a conservative region of battleground Michigan, was in full general-election mode.

At one point during the speech, we got a glimpse of what kind of human being we'll have as our President if this man is elected.

At one point, Barack saw that someone in the crowd had fainted. He interrupted his spiel for a moment to alert the EMTs that someone had fainted. He then took his bottle of water and asked people to send it back to the person who had fainted.

I'm not sure many politicians would interrupt their own speech to do that - much less give up their bottle of water.

When the speech was done, the crowd dispersed, and I made my way to the car. As I got in the car, I looked in the mirror and asked myself: "Did I really just see Edwards endorse Obama?"

Oh, yes, I did.

And I hope that you too have the privilege of being there to see and hear Barack Obama bring out your emotions and move you to action.

America's 44th President coming to Grand Rapids Wednesday!

Or at least I hope he'll be our 44th President! From The Grand Rapids Press:

Kent County Democrats are "thrilled" at the prospect of a Wednesday campaign rally at Van Andel Arena for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

The 7 p.m. rally was announced earlier today, prompting a flood of inquiries from local activists clamoring to see the Democratic front-runner.

"I am thrilled to death," said Democratic Chairwoman Sue Levy, who got a call from an Obama campaign official announcing the rally.

Clearly he is in general-election mode.

He's also going to be in Macomb County that day.

Match point, Obama.

AP:

Virginia state House member Jennifer McClellan is one of at least nine superdelegates who have switched from Clinton to Obama since the Super Tuesday primaries on Feb. 5. There have been no public switches in the other direction.

"I think the time has come to support Senator Obama as the likely nominee," McClellan said in a conference call with reporters. "Given what happened last night, it's very unlikely we will have a different result, and it is time to come together as a party and prepare for victory against John McCain in November."

Folks, we are on the cusp of having Mr. Barack Obama, a Senator of the State of Illinois, as the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States.

Think about that.

The Party of Jefferson and Jackson, of FDR and JFK, is about to nominate as its candidate for President someone other than a white male - something neither major party has done.

If you had come up to me on the day Bush was inaugurated in 2001 and told me that Bush's successor would not be a white man, I would've been surprised, given that there weren't many people considerd to be leading presidential contenders who weren't white men. You had Gore, Bradley, Gephardt, Daschle, Kerry... and maybe that new Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton.

If you had told me that the 44th President would be Barack Obama, I would've said, "Who?"

But now, it is all but certain that Obama - who, as a state senator, wasn't well-known outside Chicago and Springfield - will be the Democratic Nominee for the highest office in the land.

Eight months and twelve days from now, our country's new president will have taken that oath to 'preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.' God willing, that President will be the former constitutional law professor who, at a young age, turned down prestigious offers from high-profile law firms to focus on building community. Someone whose words and actions have inspired millions to take responsibility for the future of their country.

Someone who has already led this country in ways unheard of in years... without even holding the title of President.

Someone the likes of whose character and integrity we have not seen in that Oval Office in years.

As you well know, history is filled with both great and mediocre Presidents. Washington. Jefferson. Lincoln. The Roosevelts. Wilson. Truman. Eisenhower. Kennedy.

Buchanan. Andrew Johnson. Hoover. Nixon. The Bushes.

Ten years from now, our 44th President - and, who knows, maybe our 45th President - will have left office. How will George W. Bush's successor be viewed on May 8, 2018?

Maybe as someone who succeeded in solving, or at least beginning to solve, some of the most vexing challenges ever faced by an American President.

Maybe as someone who utterly failed.

Maybe as a Gerald Ford-type figure - someone whose effort and determination weren't enough, at least in the eyes of public opinion.

Hopefully, we will see him as someone who faced the vexing problems facing our nation and world with the utmost character and determination.

With Obama, I see at least the potential for greatness. Sure, he hasn't even been elected yet. But if he handles the many pressures and challenges of the world stage as well as he has handled the pressures of the campaign, there's cause for optimism.

Cautious optimism. But optimism nonetheless.

We all have an important role to play in order for that to happen. I invite you to get involved with the campaign as the election gets closer. Write letters to the editor. Tell your friends and family members why you are a Democrat, and why they should be too.

As the Senator says, Our Moment Is Now.

Bits of Tid: April 22, 2008

"Happy Earth Day To You!" Edition

• So Hillary won the Pennsylvania primary. No surprise. She'll still be more than 100 delegates behind Obama... and continues to run out of room.


• Score!


• On New Year's Day I mentioned that a lot of important things would be happening on Tuesdays this year. Well, here's an updated version of that countdown. We now have:
  
  • 2 weeks until the Indiana and North Carolina primaries AND school elections in Michigan;
  • 3 weeks until the filing deadline in Michigan (precinct delegate affidavit forms are here!);
  • 15 weeks until the Michigan state/local primary - the one that will count;
  • 26 weeks until I turn 21 (you may start thinking of gifts!)
  • 28 weeks until ELECTION DAY!!!
  • 39 weeks until our new Democratic President is inaugurated!
  • 132 weeks until Election 2010; and
  • 237 weeks until Election 2012!!!
    


• The Tigers won 10-2 this evening, putting them back to within five games of .500!

Confessions of a Bitter American

I'm bitter. I am not from a small town; I am a suburbanite. Instead of guns, I cling to my words. Still, I am bitter.

And Barack Obama's right. I know I'm not the only one who's bitter. I'm bitter about a whole lot of things, and with the latest nonsense criticisms of Obama for speaking the truth, I feel it's time I got this off my chest.

I want to share a little bit of my background so you can have an idea of why it is I am bitter.

My dad worked for ten years at an auto-glass company, becoming warehouse manager for a few years before losing that job almost five years ago. On weekends he would tend bar at the local Knights of Columbus hall. My mom had a part-time job at a paint store.

We weren't wealthy back then, but we got by. We could afford the occasional luxury, including a few memorable vacations. In 1998 we went to Arizona for my brother's college orientation. We stopped by the Grand Canyon. (Side note: A little while after we left the Canyon, I threw up in the car!) After Grandma died in 2001, we went to West Virginia and DC to visit a good friend of hers. Five years ago next month we went to Mackinac Island for the state convention for a well-known religious organization.

Ten summers ago Mom got so sick they had to put her in the hospital for a week and a half. Doctors said her heartbeat was nearly 300 beats per minute and that they'd never seen anyone survive anything like that. I have often wondered since then what life would be like without her. We were fortunate to have had insurance to cover it. God help us if that happens again.

Insurance was also there to cover my two surgeries to lengthen my Achilles tendons the following fall and winter (actually, they decided to pay for one operation the day before it actually took place).

But since then, my dad lost his jobs, and my mom lost hers. Dad got another job thanks to a friend, but this job pays quite a bit less and our health insurance covers very little.

I don't even have my own computer in my dorm room anymore; I have to use the library or computer lab to write my papers. About the most high-tech gadgets I have are my cell phone and my digital camera (neither of which have more than the basic features). I don't even have my own car at school; thank God my dad is willing to take the four-hour round trip to drive me to and from school every few weeks.)

Why? Because we can't afford any of that. And if not for grants, loans, and scholarships, even college - an experience to which I owe most of my happier memories, friendships, and interests, including blogging (thanks Pete for showing me Michigan Liberal!) - would a figment of my imagination.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm bitter that the Republicans have slashed student financial aid? Instead they seem to believe that the money would be better spent in Iraq. And as we all know, paying for every student's education is one of countless things that could happen with the half a trillion dollars that's been wasted in Iraq.

I am bitter because, while fat cat cronies act like pigs at the trough, my family and I are living paycheck-to-paycheck.

I am bitter because while so many other countries' governments have found it necessary to see to it that everyone has adequate healthcare, ours hasn't. (I got news for advocates of the status quo: Our private-sector health system hasn't worked!)

I am bitter because here I am, 20 years old, yet in all my life I have only been able to obtain ONE job - working in the dining commons at school. (And even that isn't great because, unlike some people, I get fatigued rather easily after several hours of standing.) No summer jobs, no any of that. Nothing.

I am bitter because George W. Bush, John McCain, and other conservatives have made it Job One to ensure that government doesn't do what it's supposed to do - protect the people of the United States of America. Instead, because of these conservative ideologues, our tax dollars are being used to destroy life, not protect it.

So to all who criticize Obama for saying people are bitter, I say:

Yeah, you better believe we're bitter.

Guess which of these issues I DON'T care about?

Below I have identified several issues which I think are very important - along with one non-issue that, let's just say, doesn't really affect the safety and welfare of the American populace and thus doesn't need that much attention.

So take a guess: which of these issues could I care less about?

• Iraq
  
• Weakened national security due to the Iraq War
  
• Global warming
  
• Reliance on foreign, nonrenewable fuels
  
• The foreclosure crisis
  
• The looming water shortage
  
• Loss of wetlands, forests, etc.
  
• Racial and gender inequalities
  
• Hostility towards immigrants, non-Christians, and the GLBT community
  
• The gap between rich and poor
  
• An out-of-whack budget
  
• An arrogant foreign policy
  
• Homelessness
  
• Poverty
  
• Nearly 50 million Americans without health insurance
  
• Neglect of our veterans
  
• An embarrassing foreign policy
  
• A crumbling infrastructure
  
• Lack of access to technology for millions of Americans
  
• America's education system lagging behind that of other nations
  
• Corruption and scandals
  
• Corporate influence
  
• Mistreatment of American workers
  
• The erosion of our basic rights as Americans
  
• Obama's pastor's remarks
  

Given more time, I could probably come up with a dozen more issues. I just want to point out how ridiculous it is that much of the media is focusing on one of these aforementioned topics with little mention of any of the others.

Folks, don't be distracted. Let's make sure our leaders (and the media) focus on real issues.

Bits of Tid: March 14, 2008

Take Two Edition

• So do you have any plans for June 3?


• Barack Obama has condemned remarks made by his pastor:
  

  Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.

  So where is Hillary's condemnation of Geraldine Ferraro's remark that Obama is only where he is because he is black?


• Victory on FISA!




• Michigan's food-stamp reform will likely be adjusted somewhat, and Sen. Martha Scott (D) is happy about that.


• Caption the famous picture of Bush hugging McCain!

Bits of Tid: March 7, 2008

• There is reason for a renewed sense of hope today. Democrats here in State of Michigan, whose voice in the presidential nominating process has been silenced by both a lousy primary/caucus schedule and most of the Michigan Democratic leadership, may yet have a role to play in the selection of our nominee! Nothing's certain yet, but we just might have a 'do-over' caucus!
• Look at that delegate total to the right. 111-delegate lead for Obama. That includes a somewhat-sizeable-but-shrinking superdelegate lead for Clinton and a 155-pledged-delegate lead for Obama. As opposed to the 159-pledged-delegate lead he held before Tuesday. So while Hillary may have stopped Obama's momentum, she did little on Tuesday to actually move closer to the nomination. Clinton is 573 delegates away from clinching the nomination, while Obama needs 462.
• The aforemenmtioned numbers do not include Michigan and Florida delegates. Should revotes happen in both states, causing delegates there to be seated, Obama would need 646 more versus Clinton's 757.
• Maybe it's because they're attractive, but I like Michigan's female Democratic lawmakers.
• Eight months before an election, you really shouldn't trust the polls. That said, if this one from SurveyUSA is worth believing, Barack Obama just might have a shot at North Dakota and Nebraska. Also, Obama would probably have more electoral votes safely in his column than Clinton, meaning he could focus resources on battleground and purplish-red states.
• Eight months before an election, you really shouldn't trust the polls. That said, we already see the Schauer-Walberg race turning into a hot one. Meanwhile in Illinois, Democrats just might take Dennis Hastert's old seat in a special election this weekend.
• Just a friendly reminder: We are 67 days away from the candidate filing deadline here in Michigan. By that day, all petitions to get Levin and other candidates on the ballot must be turned in. (Actually, if you've got them filled out, turn them in now to the MDP or your local party HQ. Want to obtain petitions? Get them at your local party HQ or request them here.) I hope to get my precinct delegate re-election form filed with the city clerk today.

Bits of Tid: March 3, 2008

Marching Into March Edition

• Obama is now 646 delegates away from clinching the nomination, while Hillary needs 758 more. 370 delegates are at stake on Tuesday. If Obama gets more delegates than Hillary on Tuesday and Hillary does not drop out, expect more 'superdelegates' (more on that word in a moment) to get behind Obama. That, and the fact that rural Wyoming and heavily black Mississippi are next up on the calendar cannot bode well for Hillary.
  
• Obama's campaign has already helped the Democratic Party, whether or not he ends up with the nomination. And as one Daily Kos diarist argues, Obama has done a marvelous job supporting Dean's 50-State Strategy. I supported Howard in the primaries in 2003/04 and am proud to say that I am still a fan of his to this day.
  
• I think I just might start writing a book in the coming days and weeks, about my experiences in my life thus far (I'm 20), my views on politics and government, why I'm a Democrat, where I believe we need to move the Democratic Party and the nation, and more. Working subtitle: A 20-year-old's Thoughts on Politics and the State of the World. Of course I would be surprised if I finish it before I turn 21, and even then titles and subtitles change all the time.
  
• Speaking of books, I am currently reading The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader by John C. Maxwell and Everyday Leadership by Dan Mulhern. Boith are good reads. Reviews forthcoming!
  
• Back to the word 'superdelegate.' It's my latest pick for Lake Superior State's Banished Words List. Why?
  
  

  What, exactly, makes them 'super?' Do they wear tights and brightly colored capes and fly around the country trying to save America from some evil force of which I'm unaware?

• This week's edition of Sunday Coffee Talk on Michigan Liberal has a few changes. I hope you like it!

Students walk 7.3 miles to protest early-voting decision

Now this is what I call a protest:

Early voting starts today in Texas. In Waller County, a primarily rural county about 60 miles outside Houston, the county made the decision to offer only one early voting location: at the County Courthouse in Hempstead, TX, the county seat.

Prairie View A&M students organized to protest the decision, because they felt it hindered their ability to vote. For background, Prairie View A&M is one of Texas' historically Black universities. It has a very different demographic feel than the rest of the county. There has been a long history of dispute over what the students feel is disenfranchisement. There was a lot of outrage in 2006, when students felt they were unfairly denied the right to vote when their registrations somehow did not get processed.

...

1000 students, along with an additional 1000 friends and supporters, are this morning walking the 7.3 miles between Prairie View and Hempstead in order to vote today. According to the piece I saw on the news (there's no video up, so I can't link to it), the students plan to all vote today. There are only 2 machines available at the courthouse for early voting, so they hope to tie them up all day and into the night

Okay, so it's not quite like the Vietnam protests of 40 years ago, but I'm not so sure my 20-year-old body has the stamina for that!

Bits of Tid: February 13, 2008

Valentine's Eve Edition

• Well, how do you like the new design? I tried to fiddle with the HTML a little bit to get the CBS delegate widget to fit entirely within the sidebar, but that wouldn't work. But while it won't all fit, you can still see the meat and potatoes of it.
• Seven years ago tonight my maternal grandmother passed away at age 84. One week ago today my paternal grandmother turned 84 years young. I wrote about both of them one year ago. Grandma's health hasn't changed that much; I must admit I'm pleasantly surprised she made it this long after Grandpa's death in 2004.
• Got anything planned for this Saturday? How about attending Activate08 in Lansing? Free food and admission, and Jennifer Granholm will be there. Registration deadline is tomorrow! And when you're done registering for that, sign up for the 2008 Michigan Policy Summit, which will be held May 10!
• Welcome back writers!
• Curious as to how many votes each candidate has received in each of the primaries and caucuses to date? Find out here.
• Tomorrow I will post my MFCD agenda/platform/plan/vision/whatever-you-wanna-call-it.
• I have submitted my first pick for Lake Superior State University's 2009 Banished Word List:

  Super Tuesday - Is that the best term they could come up with to describe the day with many Presidential primaries and caucuses?

A problem most campaigns wouldn't mind having

Home page of BarackObama.com, 12:30 AM, February 13, 2008:



Later on (probably after work Wednesday afternoon) I'll update the pledged delegate totals on the right-hand side of the screen.

Weekend races and delegate counts

It looks like Barack's gonna end up 4 for 4 in this weekend's contests (Maine results here).

So the momentum is on Obama's side... but the delegate race is still very close.

The current count, shown on the right, includes pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention. When you factor the unpledged delegates, Barack Obama leads 1134-1131. Considering that Edwards has not released the 26 delegates he got before he dropped out - that is, they're still committed to vote for him - the candidates can claim a total of 2,291 delegates.

That gives Obama 49.5% of the delegate vote, Hillary 49.4%, and Edwards 1.1%. And in order to win the nomination, a candidate must have 50% +1.

Incidentally, Hillary has replaced her campaign manager.

Now, as for the Republicans: Runaway for McCain, right? Eh, maybe not. Because while McCain still leads the delegate count by a wide margin, Huckabee went 2 for 3 in Saturday's primaries. I have a feeling that with Romney out, conservative voters who think McCain's too liberal will unite behind Huckabee.

Still, the smart money is on McCain, and as long as many independent voters feel that he will be the presumptive nominee for the Republicans, they will opt to vote in the more competitive Democratic primary, benefiting Obama.

Unless Romney flip-flops and gets back in the race soon - which I'm not sure I'd be all that surprised to see.

Oh, and by the way: Yesterday was the day Michigan Democrats were originally scheduled to hold their caucus. Ironic, isn't it? The majority of the MDP leadership wanted to hold it on January 15 because they figured it would give us more influence. Alas, Michigan would've been the most populous state to have held a contest this weekend if they'd stuck with February 9, meaning we would've had a great deal of influence and attention - and the certainty of knowing our delegates would be seated in Denver.

What Obama needs to do to win big next Tuesday

After a couple of games of Armchair Pundit, I now feel ready to play Armchair Strategist for the Obama campaign.

After a big victory in South Carolina, Barack Obama has the most delegates (63, vs. 48 for Hillary and 25 for Edwards). He also has a strong ground game in the February 5 states. But of course that's not enough.

In order to win big on Super Tuesday, Obama must:

• Tout his record. Few people can say they have done in Illinois or US politics what Obama has done. Check out this bit from TIME regarding Obama's record in his first three years as a freshman Senator. In contrast, what has Hillary done in her seven years in the Senate? Or Edwards in his six years?
• Go to town about his policy proposals - and why he offers them. This sarcastically titled article on Democratic Underground offers a complete look at where Obama stands on countless key issues.
• Reach out to groups among which he is weakest. He needs to improve his standing among women, senior voters, unions, and, yes, white voters. How can he do that? In part by touting his endorsements. More on that below.
• Attack the 'youth' and 'inexperience' factor. This is about the only 'advantage' Hillary has. Many of Hillary's supporters support her because they feel she is more ready for the job than the younger Obama. Well, fiurst of all, many Presidents - including Bill Clinton - took office at younger ages than Obama will be on 1/20/09 (he'll be about 47 1/2 years old). And second, experience doesn't matter as much as judgment and integrity. Even so, experience is not about how long you've held an office; it's about what you have done during your time in office. Incidentally, here's a good article on Obama's experience.
• Milk his endorsements. Among many others, Obama is endorsed by Senators John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Pat Leahy, Claire McCaskill, and Kent Conrad (ND); Caroline Kennedy; Governors Kathleen Sebelius (KS), Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) and , Deval Patrick (MA); Reps. Barbara Lee (CA) and Linda Sanchez (CA); and Mayor Shirley Franklin. The Arizona Republic, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Dallas Morning News, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Trenton Times, and Boston Globe have also decided to back him. They all believe that he is the most capable and most ready Democrat in this race.
  
  While it's great that he has these (and many more!) endorsements, let's be honest: How many people are going to be swayed by endorsements? Voters need to see why these people and papers are backing Obama. When an undecided voter sees an ad or a piece of literature that includes a key quote (or two or seven) from said endorser(s), the impact of these endorsements will go farther, helping him to improve his standing among demographics where he hasn't done as well. (For example, it would also help to feature labor leaders and experienced politicos in his campaign items, the former to get the union vote, and the latter to help quell concerns regarding Obama's experience.)
  
• Have one hell of a showing in Thursday night's debate. Don't even let it look close.

I will say that a year ago I was not to keen on the idea of Obama running for President; now I believe no one else is as ready to take on the demands and rigor of the White House. If he can win me over, he can win over countless other Americans. I have outlined a few steps
Obama can take. This is not an exhaustive list; there are other things both he and his supporters need to do in order for him to win on Tuesday. But I believe that following these and other strategies will help his campaign greatly as we head into what just might (or might not) be the final few days of the primary election season.