Barack Obama, President

For months I have been mulling a Bob Barr endorsement. But after some consideration, I will reluctantly support Barack Obama.

In the first months of the primaries, I supported libertarian Ron Paul, since I am a libertarian. If Ron Paul would have won the Republican nomination, I am confident he would win in a landslide. But once it was inevitable that Paul had lost the nomination after loses in Iowa and New Hampshire he did fairly well in Nevada and won in Louisiana - people will tell you McCain won it, but Paul did - I endorsed Bill Richardson.

Shortly after that Richardson dropped out, and I endorsed the last good candidate left in the race, Hillary Clinton. I felt Hillary had the executive experience, and that Senator Obama’s only executive experience was on the board of Chicago’s Annenberg challenge, which is not presidential.

Obama was a state Senator, only active in the US Senate for 146 days, whoever supported him in the primaries (nearly 18 million voters) must have been high on something! But Hillary Clinton (a little over 18 million votes) had the experience to be president. But once Joe Biden was picked, I knew Barack Obama was walking away from just saying “change” and “hope” to focusing on the issues like Hillary Clinton.

Bob Barr seems like a good candidate with seven percent of responders in today’s Rasmussen tracking poll choosing someone besides Obama or McCain. But he still seems like a waste of a vote.

And so I reluctantly support Senator Barack Obama for president.

Can She Do It? When Democratic Insults Go Too Far.

John McCain rocked the political world this week when he named first term Governor of Alaska his Vice Presidential nominee. Some call it calculated. Some call it dump, stupid, and petty. However it did the job. Took the story off the great convention the Democrats threw and placed it on John McCain. It also energized the conservative base in ways they haven’t been all year long. Now the major question is can she do it? Can she take away those Hillary Clinton voters that haven’t and still aren’t warming up to Senator Obama? My guess is it might.

To answer this question you have to really understand the Clinton voter. To get off to a start, they aren’t just the liberal I support abortion women of Emily’s List. Women made up the base that sustained Hillary Clinton in the hardest days of her campaign. They became unwavering votes and supporters as volunteers and donors. They are the brick her campaign was built on, but they aren’t the audience that Sarah Palin will be reaching out to.

In the end of the primary season Hillary dealt Barack Obama a series of major blows in small towns and big states like Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. These victories came with the support of women but built more on the middle class blue collar workers. These are those voters that Sarah Palin was selected to reach out to.

The Democratic response to this nomination has as often with bolted leaders who are more full of themselves then what is good for the country or the party been offensive. My grandmother who has never voted for a republican sent me this email today: ” I never considered voting for McCain before today. Every day I see (John) Kerry, Barbara Boxer, and others speak of her in their dissmisive tone my blood boils. The fact is she knows how it is to have children and higher ambitions at the same time. They don’t appeal to my type of Democrat. Never have and never will. I suggest Obama tell them to shut the hell up before they cost him the election.”

After John McCain nominated Palin Barack Obama said this about the selection, “Yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics. While we obviously have differences over how best to lead this country forward Governor Palin is an admirable person and will add a compelling new voice to this campaign.”

Upon hearing of the Palin selection Clinton said, “We should all be proud of Governor Sarah Palin’s historic nomination, and I congratulate her and Senator McCain. While their policies would take America in the wrong direction, Governor Palin will add an important new voice to the debate.”

These statements are a realization that playing the small town America doesn’t count, no experience card, and tokenism won’t work. It is time others did as well and focus on what matters.

It matters that Sarah Palin is in favor of more drilling at the expense of focusing on alternatives.

It matters that Sarah Palin agrees with John McCain that universal health-care is unneeded.

It matters that Sarah Palin believes that the Supreme Court was right to overturn the DC gun ban.

It matters that Sarah Palin is supportive of the McCain foreign policy agenda.

When did we start to ignore Obama’s campaign of an issue focused debate instead of personal and unhelpful attacks? I know when we allow idiots who have proven themselves to be unable to win national elections like Daschel, Dodd, and Kerry to issue these attacks on our behalf.

We are better advised to follow Obama’s lead on this one. She can’t win the Hillary vote unless we push them to her.

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

Sarah Palin- A Leader of Her Own But No Hillary Clinton

Alaska’s first female governor is making history today. She is the first woman in the GOP to be tapped to lead a national ticket as Vice President. Many will make great arguments on her readiness and her record. Let there be no debate that she is by far a spectacular individual with an powerful story full of wonderful accomplishments. She has a great record as a student, a daughter, wonderful marriage, inspiring mother, successful business woman, motivating Mayor, member of the state’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, and the most popular Governor in America.

Her story is a great one. The daughter of two educators and public servants dedicated to moving the newest state in the union forward. She grew up working hard and valuing her education. Her marriage has been one of strength and unity. To look at her family it tells the story of America. Talented children with the oldest willing to give of himself to serve America aboard. She can tell the story of growing developmental problems in American children having one herself recently born with a developmental challenge. When one looks at her political career not to be inspired is hard. She took on the sitting Republican Governor whom she saw is corrupt underachieving. She took him on and then won. After that she took on the former popular Democratic Governor and won. In one election this woman beat two male governors.

Her story is great. Her abilities are greater. However let no mistake be made. Sarah Palin is no Hillary Clinton.

Senator Clinton has worked hard to combat the negative effects that guns have on our community. Sarah Palin has spent her life working with and being a member of the NRA.

While in 2002 Sarah Palin was running for Lt. Governor as the the best pro-life candidate any candidate can be Hillary Clinton was fighting to ensure that President Bush and the GOP majority didn’t restrict a woman’s right to choose.

While Senator Clinton has joined Senator Obama in an unprecedented effort for universal health care for all Americans, Sarah has joined a team that degrades the need for health care for all as socialism or Hillarycare.

So yes we all should congratulate the historic moment of her nomination. We should take note of the road she has traveled. However it is important to remember…Sarah Palin is a woman…she is not Hillary Clinton.

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

Hillary nominates Obama at the DNC

When it looked certain that Barack Obama was going to be nominated President of the United States, the state of New Mexico yielded to the state of Illinois who had passed earlier in the roll-call vote. Illinois, knowing that Obama was close to being put over the top, then yielded the floor to the state of New York. In a surprise twist, Hillary Clinton came out, suspended the roll-call vote, and ended the process.

The crowd went wild, people in the audience were in tears, and Barack Obama became the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

McCain Attacks Obama for not Picking Clinton

I shouldn’t be surprise that the straight talk express has jumped the tracks again… but for some reason I am. John McCain has decided to stop talking about the issues and bring up the Obama VP issue. That’s fine if he wants to critique Joe Biden’s stance on issues, but he’s attacking the VP choice of a person who isn’t even selected as the VP:

Republican John McCain launched a new ad Sunday claiming rival Barack Obama passed over Hillary Rodham Clinton as his running mate for “speaking the truth” about his liabilities.

The ad, called “Passed Over,” features a clip of Clinton and repeats criticisms the New York senator made during the Democratic primaries over Obama’s alleged lack of specifics on issues, negative campaign tactics and his relationship with Antoin Rezko, a former Obama fundraiser convicted in June on corruption charges.

I’m sure the campaign made two ads in preparation for his announcement. One of them is the one we’re talking about right now. The other would be seeking to disenfranchise the Democratic yet Hillary haters while at the same time mobilizing the anti-Hillary Repulblicans.

Is this what American politics has come to, when one party won’t run on it’s own failing platform, but instead chooses to divide another party?

And finally I’d like to say to all the Hillary Clinton supporters, please do vote for Obama, he is way better than McCain who wants to ban pretty much everything (abortion, privacy, safe food, good veterans care and more) except for guns. And if you can’t bring yourself to vote for someone who supports what you believe in, please at least vote for someone who supports what both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama stand for.

Remember, ThinkYouth will be covering the 2008 Democratic National Convention live from Denver next week.

An Open Letter to My Fellow Clinton Backers on Biden…Get Over It

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Dear Fellow Clinton Supporters;

It is official Senator Barack Obama has picked Senator Joseph Biden to be the Vice Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party of the United States of America. As this choice made news other things came to light about the process for vetting and selecting the number 2 spot of our party and with respect to Hillary and Bill Clinton. Let me be the first to say that Senator Obama and the Obama campaign seriously dropped the ball on this issue and big time.

For weeks after Hillary Clinton left the primary and threw her support behind Obama for President the candidate himself promised that she was well qualified to be on “anyone’s” shortlist. Sadly that anyone didn’t include him. Leaks continue to come out that his campaign never seriously vetted Hillary Clinton and never really considered her as the future Vice President despite his promises she would. To say the least it pisses me off. However on the selection of Joe Biden it was a great choice.

The story of a regular Joe is no one other than Joe Biden. The Senior Senator from Delaware who is the poorest member of the United States Senate, doesn’t own a home in Washington but instead commutes everyday back to his only home in Delaware will reach those in the lunch-bucket towns of PA, IN, and OH. However more importantly this is a pick that has worked hard on a large number of the issues that we supported Hillary Clinton on.

Violence Against Women’s Act- This was and still is one of the most powerful pieces of legislation every passed by Congress to combat domestic violence. Not only did he support it but he wrote it back in 1994 and worked hard with then- President Clinton to pass it. The VAWA has it is called contains a broad list of measures to fight a rapid rise in domestic violence and gives billions of dollars in federal funds to address the gender based crimes. However many will remember in 2000 the Supreme Court threw out that gender based section as unconstitutional but that didn’t stall Biden. He worked with Congress who at the time was swaying back and forth between Democratic and Republican control to reauthorize the VAWA. More to his credit when people started to criticize the problems at the National Domestic Violence Hotline, it was Biden who worked with technology companies to find the problems and donate their own equipment and expert experience in fixing it.

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993-Again working with President Clinton to fulfill a campaign promise, Joe Biden joined a group of Senators as strong advocates for its passage in 1993. This is a strong bill that provides for 12 weeks of leave for parents after the birth of a child, caring for a sick child or parent, or being too ill to perform the job.

These two major acts of congress are just a drop in the bucket on the others that aligned our dream President with the hopefully next Vice President. It is okay to be angry and disappointed at the failure of what a growing number of Americans see as an arrogant Obama campaign. However to seek to sink this ship and turn the keys to the White House over to John McCain borders on treason.

We know that if Obama is elected President he will work to bring our troops home and end the war in Iraq while winning the war in Afghanistan. We know that if Obama is elected President he will fight for real middle class tax cuts, higher taxes and revoked financial assistances to the oil companies. We know that if Obama is elected President he will bring real reform to an urban education community that has been under attack by No Child Left Behind that came with all new standards but forgot all the money.

These are real issues that affect real people and real lives. No one is above these issues, yes no one, not even Hillary Clinton. It is time to realize she lost and get over it.

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

It’s Her Party & She’ll Cry If She Wants To: Clinton For Majority Leader?

I’d like everyone to meet Linda. Linda is 35 years old, and from North Carolina. As the sole head of her family, she has had to work two jobs to help support herself and her three young children. What makes her special is that she is seen as the keys to the gates of the White House for either Barack Obama or John McCain. Why? As a 35 year old, blue collar, single, high school educated, white woman, she was the backbone of Hillary Clinton’s sixteen month campaign that many say deeply divided the Democratic Party. When you speak to her about Hillary Clinton’s defeat she still comes to tears. Ask her to suck it up, stop crying, get back on her horse, and support the party’s nominee, you might need help getting out the door. This is now Sen. Obama’s party to be in charge of, but not so fast Linda would say. “I’ve been an avid advocate, activist, and supporter of the Democratic party for my entire adult life. While he was over there going to private schools and making corporate friends, I was here on the street fighting for our people. At the same time, I took care of my kids and never complained. This is MY PARTY not his. This is our party. We all built it.”

Many believe that the White House is ours as long as we don’t defeat ourselves. One way to defeat ourselves is to enter November with a divided party. So how can Sen. Obama ensure that we don’t ‘defeat’ ourselves? A growing consensus among people like Linda is that Hillary Clinton should be the new Majority Leader of the United States Senate. I asked Linda if she meant Vice President, but she was clear that she should be Majority Leader. So I was a little confused and sought more. Linda wasn’t alone because her friend (of which she made as a campaign volunteer for Clinton) Jaz felt the same. Neither of them felt too happy about what they saw as not so subtle statements in the press of support to Obama’s campaign from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or leaks to the press from her staff about her behind the curtain efforts on his behalf. Both believe that Howard Dean’s inability to solve the Florida and Michigan dispute before it got out of control should force him to lose control of the DNC. However, when it came to effectiveness, what wasn’t out of the question is to kick Harry Reid out of the Majority Leader’s office.

Democrats in the House of Representatives have acted quickly on many of the promises that the party made to voters in the 2006 midterm elections. Should we have stronger leaders in the Senate, we might have even met the one to end funding to the war in Iraq without a timeline to bring the troops home. 2008 hasn’t been better on a number of major issues:

1. Passing a major housing bill has been stalled because of the improper conduct of two leading democrats. Instead of seeing the importance of this legislation, sacking these two leaders, and moving forward with the bill that was a lock before this news, Majority Leader Reid did nothing.

2. Most people think that an update to FISA is mandatory. However the Senate can’t approve the new legislation because some senior Democratic members have sided with the President, and against the majority of their party to push for a disgusting retroactive immunity for telecom companies. Instead of providing the immunity and moving the bill by making the government the responsible party, Majority Leader Reid recessed the body without doing anything.

3. As Americans pay higher gas prices then at any other time in our national history, the Senate has refused to pass legislation to bring in market speculators, which has driven prices up faster than anyone considered possible. With the average American paying $4.00 a gallon, and in some parts of the nation like my hometown of Fresno $4.65, Congress instead takes a two week break from work less than two months before they adjourn in August for the REST OF THE YEAR!

This election has become a change election. We need to change not only the President, but how the Congress operates. One way to do this is to change the Majority Leader of the Senate. So why Clinton?

I believe that she would make an outstanding President and a great Vice President. However, I agree with those who say that Sen. Obama deserves the chance to make his own run for the White House, and when he is there, have his own administration and his own agenda. I won’t argue with anyone who says that is impossible if Hillary Clinton is his Vice President. This is a former First Lady of the United States, she is wife of the last sitting Democratic President, 48% of the party voted for her over her opponent, and at least 23% of those are at least now not going to support Obama. She has received at least 18 million votes, the most of any candidate for President in a primary EVER. Basically, she has a national audience, and a national following, is what I’m trying to say. This is along with the impressive bridges she has built with leaders of both parties. Throughout her run for the White House she has been praised for getting to the Senate putting her head down and getting to work. This is what America deserves in a Majority Leader. One who can use politics to win on the issues, but be able to compromise and deal when log jams blocks the legislative highway.

Harry Reid, your time is up. Hillary Clinton, I believe her time is now!

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

p.s.- I would even support his succession by Dianne Feinstein, Dick Durbin, and others.

My Parents Voting for John McCain?

I was talking to my mother yesterday because Senator John McCain had recently made a visit to my hometown of Fresno, California. She said that actually she was unaware that he was even in town until after it happened, but she wished she knew. She will be voting for John McCain. What!? She will be voting for John McCain! My mother has been a Democrat since she knew what the word meant. She has NEVER ever even considered voting for a Republican. So what could get her to vote for one now?

Let me tell you, it is not because John McCain has used his charm and political leadership to win over her vote. For my father, who has likely been voting Republican for years, it wasn’t anything new. What was new on that front is that he might NOT vote for McCain but a third party. For my mother it was Hillary Clinton. During the days that at times Sen. Obama called the divisive days of the 90’s, my mother stood tall in her support of President Bill Clinton. She loved his leadership, and felt he was being wronged. In 2008, when Hillary launched her campaign, my mother was right on board. She even refused to give my younger brother a ride to the polls because he might have voted for Obama. As the campaign went on, and the attacks got greater, my mother got more mad. When it seemed to come to an end, lets just say she was pissed off. Those wounds haven’t healed, and in my mothers words, “They won’t, unless he picks her.” Picks her? Yes, my mother won’t vote for Sen. Obama unless he selects her to be his running mate as Vice President.

I don’t think that my mother is unique. I think that she represents the voice of millions of women and other voters who gave their time, tears, and painfully helped wage a historic campaign for the White House on behalf of Mrs. Clinton. To many of them, she should be awarded with the Vice Presidential nomination, and I am proud to announce I agree.

Senator Clinton has spent her life fighting for people in poverty, people who look like me. She has spent a career advocating for just what America needs at this time, and that is healthcare for all Americans, that is affordable and works. Her experience on the details of this issue that cripples many family budgets, is bringing down budgets of states and local governments nationwide, and is the largest expense of businesses that drive them to other countries, is what he needs. Her willingness to fight for things that are important regardless of what the storyline might be tomorrow is what he needs. Her ability to seek compromise, but only good compromise, and have friendly relationships with countless numbers of people on the other side of the aisle is what he needs.

So when it comes to who should be selected to the job of inquiring daily as to the health of the President, and preside over the proceedings of the Senate, I nominate Hillary Clinton.

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

A series of picks for VP

In the past, the vice president has usually been ignored, and has not been given much to do. But this year is different. Since the assemblyman from Chicago got the Democratic nomination, I thought I would most definitely be screwed this election with nobody to support. Until I thought of Hillary as VP. She will be more then vice president, since Obama doesn’t really have much experience. Hillary Clinton was cheated out of the Democratic nomination by a flawed primary process of kindergarten games and not counting votes. She has earned at least to be second on the ticket.

Also, the Obama/Clinton ticket appears to be the only democratic ticket that will win. (Yes, sorry to inform Obama supporters, but if the election were held today, he would lose.). If Obama makes a mistake and does not pick Clinton as a VP, here are some other choices.

My top choice: Hillary Clinton

Joe Biden - Would bring foreign policy experience to the ticket.

Chris Dodd- Would win support of many teachers and education unions.

Ted Strickland- Would get independents and NRA supporters to vote for the ticket.

Ed Rendell- Would win support of steel and other labor unions.

Colin Powell- Would bring a lot of moderate republicans to vote for the ticket.

John Edwards- Could win votes of white working class voters.

The Bad Choices:

Kathleen Sebelius- Is not known around the country, and would probably lose her own state.

Bill Richardson- Not trusted, not tested.

Claire McCaskill- Please see Kathleen Sebelius.

Why Hillary Clinton should be Obama’s VP

Throughout this entire campaign I have agreed with Barack Obama that America is in need of a desperate change. During the last eight years under the Bush administration, the only change our families have are the dimes and nickels left over from paying four dollars for a gallon of gas. But, I also believed that change cannot be accomplished without a leader who is ready, willing, and able to take on the task realizing that change. The American people have spoken, and the Democratic Party has decided that Barack Obama is that leader.

Surely, the argument can be made that Barack Obama has valuable experience to offer America. His eight years as a member of the Illinois State Senate, his ten years as a constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago, and his three and a half years as a United States Senator would be a welcome relief for America looking for a president who knows the legislative process, and the Constitution, and what it truly means.

I do not believe Obama’s experience is enough for him to have a successful presidential administration. With Hillary Clinton at his side, as his vice president, they will be an unbeatable force. It is essential to victory that we combine both coalitions that have already been established throughout the Democratic primary. And, only together will these two be able to effectively govern over a stronger America.
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The Isms are Still Alive

This primary saw so many records broken. We had a woman run the longest and most successful primary campaign ever. We had a man who would be the oldest president if he wins. We had an African American take the nomination. We had a Latino run, and be viewed as a somewhat serious threat, and seen as a serious contender for vice president. Then there was an Italian who had a front runner campaign for many months, and we can’t forget that a Mormon ran too.

The primary season was a wonderful example of the diversity of America and a reminder that who you are doesn’t have to define what you will be. But it also was a reminder that isms (chauvinism, racism, religionism, ageism…) are still a problem in America. From the media, to political campaigns, to individuals, this hatred has reared it’s ugly head. But the times when identity became a part of politics, equal opportunity discrimination resulted.

Probably most notable in terms of media sanctioned sexism was Chris Mathews, who has also made many comments indicating his support for Barack Obama, at one time saying Obama made a “thrill” go up his “leg.” He made offensive comments about Hillary saying “The reason she’s a U.S. Senator, the reason she’s a candidate for president, the reason she may be a front runner, is that her husband messed around. [...] She didn’t win it on the merits.” Then of course there is the frequent use of the word bitch to describe Hillary. We heard McCain chuckling and saying that “How do we beat the bitch?” was an excellent question. And then of course everyone refers to Hillary, as Hillary, highlighting her gender in a way that last names don’t.

Even though there was only one candidate with a groundbreaking religion running in the 2008 primaries, Mitt Romney, three religions still came under fire. There was a county chairman working for John McCain that blasted Romney’s religion according to the Boston Globe, “[He] questioned whether Mormons were Christians, discussed an article alleging that the Mormon Church helps fund Hamas, and likened the Mormons’ treatment of women to the Taliban’s.”

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What’s next for Hillary?

It is certain now that Barack Obama is going to be the Democratic Candidate for the election for presidency. Even though Hillary Clinton has lost in her race for presidency, I think she can still be an influential figure in politics.

I hardly think that she should sign up for Vice President. Even though the idea of it is noble, we must consider how the ‘race’ went down. It was a constant stream of attacks from both sides. Not pretty at all. Grudges can and will be held and it will just turn out to be a mess.

However, I think she is the perfect member to serve in the Cabinet. I can see her serving as the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. That way, she can still strive for reforms for affordable health care and other human needs.

She Will Be The First Female President

As Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said in her remarks in New York last night, “What does she want?”
I have always felt that Sen. Clinton wanted to make history. There are so many ways she can accomplish this. She can be the first female vice president. She can keep all of her delegates for the convention and let them vote for her so she can be entitled to “the most delegates any woman has every won.” Lastly Sen. Clinton is ambitious and tenacious, she can still be the first female president. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is 60 years old, she would be 64 years old in 2012. Obviously she would only run if Sen. Barack Obama did not win in November. Even if Sen. Barack Obama does win she can still come back in 2016. She would be 68, and would be three years younger than Sen. McCain is now, and would be one year younger than President Ronald Reagan was on his first day on the job.

So it is all well and good to enjoy this historic moment in our history that a black man will lead a
major party ticket for president. In fact, it’s important to indulge yourself in it. It’s a beautiful time for Americans. Being a dedicated and bitter Clinton supporter, it is times like these that make me so proud to be an American. But the Clinton supporter in me knows two things about Sen. Clinton: she’s a fighter, and she wants to make history. There is no doubt that this historic fighter will continue to fight and come back in 2012 or 2016 and be our first female president.

I know there will be a first female President, and I know that thanks to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, that road is now possible for young girls across this country. But as I stated before, Sen. Clinton will make history as she has done throughout this campaign, and make her victory be as historic as last night’s win by Sen. Barack Obama.

I think the most important thing is that the Democrats of this country have continued to move forward in diversity in their party. The Republicans have lacked that skill. To think a black man or a woman could be President, where are the Republicans in this race for diversity? Did they not nominate John McCain? That’s a real change. Oh yes, it is today when I know I am proud to be a Democrat and an American.

An Appeal To All Clinton Supporters

Obama has said it, and CNN, MSNBC, and all the other major news networks agree. Obama has got the democratic nomination for president. I’m glad, but I thought that the Clinton supporters might not be, so here is a little letter to all the Clinton supporters out there.

Dear Clinton Supporters,

There’s no doubt, this has been a tough campaign for both sides, and they’ve both fought hard. Right now, it might be hard to imagine, but pretty soon your great affections for Senator Clinton and dislike of Senator Obama will subside, just as what happened to me when Kucinich dropped out of the race. I would have loved, and would still love, to see Kucinich as president, but it obviously isn’t going to happen in 2008. That’s too bad, but I have moved on and done what is best for the Democratic Party and, more importantly, the county. I have decided to support Obama. I have can see that Obama is a man who, even if he isn’t the best candidate the country could ever hope for, is certainly better than McCain.
Naturally, there will be a period of time when you may be sad or angry about the way these results have turned out, but as good Democrats and good Americans, soon you will need to put the past in the past and look towards the general election. When you do that, you will have to do it without letting any leftover bitterness distort your view of the remaining candidates.

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