Memo to David Plouffe & Barack Obama

Dude. I love you. I have donated. A lot, actually, considering my economic situation at the moment (somehow spent away my yearly bonus, my stimulus check and my tax refund within the span of like two months). I believe in the whole grass-rootsiness of your campaign, even to the point where I've forgiven you for backing out of public financing despite your embrace of it in principle. I'm finding it hard to forgive you for never mailing me my T-shirt that I bought back in January, even though at the time I wrote it off as just another $40 worth of a donation... or for having a really crappy customer service phone line. I am also pretty skeptical that you will ever mail me my "limited edition" DVD of your "More Perfect Union" speech, even though I donated before your "deadline" (read: end of the month, for reporting purposes, obvi) for that and before my friend Peattie did, and he got his DVD two weeks ago. Plus, I'm pretty pissed that you decided that the death penalty is ok, even if you only think it's ok in extreme cases, and I'm also pissed that you backed out of the fight on the FISA bill. So now I'm especially pissed that you keep sending me, every day, e-mails urging me to donate now! in order to get another "limited edition" T-shirt. So. Stop. Thank you.

Demographics

Awesome graphic on the New York Times front page right now of how different demographic groups in different states voted for Clinton or Obama. Go! Now!

Condi

I saw Condoleezza Rice and David Miliband speak at Google last week. It wasn't nearly as rage-inducing as I expected, even though I'm still baffled by Rice's obvious intelligence yet complicity etc. with the Bush administration. She is terrible at delivering the party line, but sticks to it stubbornly, as you'd expect.

I found David Miliband kind of attractive. Is that wrong? He was in any case much more interesting than she was.

Also, you can see the back of my head in the video. I'm sort of in the second row in the shots where you can see 3-ish rows, towards the right, in a white shirt with shortish brown-red hair.

This is what we are up against.

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Read the full description.

WTF?

Things that make me want to tear my hair out (a list of one)

This article:

...another Obama supporter, Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, calling Obama the first black politician to "come to the American people not as a victim but rather as a leader." You hear this kind of talk all the time. Never mind the dignified glories of Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr., Colin Powell, Kurt Schmoke, and others. We have arrived at the crux of the matter. So much of the educated white people's love for Barack depends on educated white people's complete ignorance of and distance from the rest of us. [...]

Which brings me to South Carolina, where I was born and raised. I was there before and during the primary. Recall the moment. Obama was gaining on Clinton--but had also just lost New Hampshire and Nevada. A loss in South Carolina, and he would have been done for.

It's worth remembering that the majority of blacks still think O.J. Simpson is innocent. And, in times like these, when a black man is out front in the public eye, black people feel both proud and vulnerable and, as a result, scour the earth for evidence of racists plotting to bring him down, like an advance team ready to sound an alarm. Barack needed only a gesture, a quick sneer or nod in the direction of the Clintons' hidden racism to avail himself of the twisted love that rescued O.J. and others like him and to smooth his path to victory, and, therefore, to salvage his candidacy. After Donna Brazile and James Clyburn started to cry racism, Barack was repeatedly asked his thoughts. He declined to answer, allowing the charge to grow for days (in sharp contrast to how he leapt to Joe Biden's defense a month earlier). But, while he remained silent about the allegations of racism, he gave speeches across South Carolina that warned against being "hoodwinked" and "bamboozled" by the Clintons. His use of the phrase is resonant. It comes from a scene in Malcolm X, where Denzel Washington warns black people about the hidden evils of "the White Man" masquerading as a smiling politician: "Every election year, these politicians are sent up here to pacify us," he says. "You've been hoodwinked. Bamboozled."

By uttering this famous phrase, Obama told his black audience everything it needed to know. He was helping to convince blacks that the first two-term Democratic president in 50 years, a man referred to as the first black president, is in fact a secret racist. As soon as I heard that Obama had quoted from Malcolm X like this, I knew that Obama would win South Carolina by a massive margin.

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And it continues...

Earth to the Clinton campaign:

In other words, the Florida/Michigan brouhaha is much ado about nothing. Even if Clinton gets her way with the two states, she'd still need about 80 percent of superdelegate commitments to secure the nomination. Clinton's arguments about electability and the popular vote might persuade a dozen delegates, or a couple dozen, or perhaps even the majority. It won't persuade 80 percent. (Or more realistically, the 90 percent she'd need if there is some sort of compromise on Florida and Michigan).

From here. This is all driving me absolutely crazy. I really, really, really can't handle the kinds of arguments that are coming from the Clinton campaign about FL and MI. It actually feels unhinged to me.

(Of course, the above argument assumes that the MI delegates that were not for Clinton get counted for Obama. Which the Clinton campaign does not want to happen.)

A John Hagee Is Crazy Alert

Here.

When Sen. John McCain was forced to distance himself from Pastor John Hagee earlier this year, he denounced the pastor’s attacks on Catholicism. But asked why he wouldn’t “repudiate” Hagee’s endorsement of him, McCain found something to praise.

“I'm grateful for his commitment to the support of the state of Israel, and I'm very grateful for many of his commitments around the world, including to the independence and freedom of the state of Israel,” he told CNN’s Campbell Brown on April 29.

Hagee’s commitment to Israel, however, is itself controversial: It’s rooted in the belief that the Jewish state will — soon — be the site of Armageddon.

It's not even so much a critique on McCain for seeking out and enjoying his endorsement. It's mostly just a comment on how some people out there are batshit insane.

Things that are Younger than John McCain

First let me make a small disclaimer: sometimes I like things for purely humorous reasons and not because I think they matter (much) politically.

So, John McCain, as we know, is pretty old. For a Presidential candidate. I've seen him speak twice in person and he looks/seems even older in person. But whatever, he seems to be generally mentally on top of things so I won't judge. That said, this site "Things that are Younger than John McCain" is really funny. It's good especially because of the comments, like those on this post (check out #8 and #9). Plus, it is sort of educational! Chocolate chip cookies, born in the 30s. Good to know!

(via Serious Eats)

Obama in an unmoderated debate

I have to agree with Hendrik Hertzberg here. When Obama spoke at Google last year, his speech was good, but his Q&A was better. I think a town hall format, or a non-moderated debate format, would highlight some of his assets very well. He's quick on his feet.

(tip to Justin for the link)

P.S. Yay for Edwards and NARAL endorsements!

Clinton 2012?

Pretty fascinating take on whether or not Clinton could conceivably run in 2012, assuming she loses the nomination this time.

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Obama's religion

The thing that has bugged my dad the most about Obama's campaign (although he is a supporter) is Obama's constant reiteration that he is Christian. (We're a non-religious family so that tends to rub us the wrong way; although intellectually obviously we don't care, sometimes you have that gut reaction to someone where you want them to believe the exact same things that you do.)

I've been telling him all along that he has to repeat that fact because generally you don't get elected in this country if you are anything but Christian, but lately I've changed my tactic to "if he doesn't keep saying that, people will keep talking about how he's Muslim." It's seriously fucked up. So hear hear, Alex Balk, for this comment.

What the campaign is really about?

Roger Ebert has a blog, which is pretty cool. I never read his column, and only watched him on TV, so it's weird to actually read his writing for once. Especially when it's about my favorite subject, Hillary Clinton's campaign (ok, perhaps that's my second favorite subject, but it's all tangled up now, obviously):

The campaign was not about political positions, but about sheer desire.

Way to say it, Roger. And you even say it in a way that makes me feel kind of sad for it all. It's a pretty shitty way for her to go out, without ever expecting it, and clinging for dear life. What a world, what a dynasty. We'll have to see how it goes.

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The Empire Strikes Barack

These "12 Internet Memes that Took Obama to the Nomination," while (slightly) premature, are nevertheless hilarious. Most of them I'd at least heard of, although I didn't watch all of them due to my ongoing "I can read lots of junk at work but can't manage to squeeze in video time" (unlike my extraordinarily lucky roommate with two monitors and his own office, who manages to watch full movies at work while actually working, a level of multi-tasking I can only reach while "working" from home) problem. However, they don't exactly lose anything in belated watching. My favorite (of the ones I'd never seen before) is the "Star Wars" parody, so I'm posting it here:



Obviously there's zero nuance in these things, but whatever. You just have to love the Internet.

Plouffe

My friends have developed a weird kind of e-mail-hero worship of David Plouffe. Not actually kidding; it's like the way you think you know the people whose blogs you read, when really you don't, and all we do is read his mass-marketed e-mails. Anyway, apparently he's afraid of the spotlight, which only makes him more intriguing. Dude deserves a killer job in Obama's administration (assuming it eventually exists).

Election Night

My friends and I are big dorks. It was my friend Jordan's birthday yesterday, and so a bunch of us went out to Toronado for some beer and sausages from Rosamunde's next door. Always delicious, yes, but the real show of the night as far as I was concerned was a couple of time zones away and brought to me by my Blackberry. I will not lie, I refreshed the New York Times Indiana primary results about every three minutes, even though it only actually updated maybe every seven minutes. I'd last looked at the county results map around 7pm, and so from then until 9pm all I knew, or guessed, or hoped, was that Lake County hadn't reported yet. I also will not lie, I definitely sang part of "Gary, Indiana" in the middle of a dive bar. My friend Sarah and I had each pledged to ourselves and our comrades to not go on from Toronado to the second destination of the night, the Page, primarily because I wanted to sleep and she wanted to avoid repeating any drunken decisions similar to those she made at our Cinco de Mayo celebration Monday, but with 89% of the votes in, I couldn't in good conscience go home and miss the chance to toast a victory for Barack Obama after a night of inching margins and percentages. So we went on, with a second pledge to only have one beer at the second bar, and were rewarded with CNN broadcast on the TV. (More bars should really show political results. Toronado was showing NBA playoffs, whatever that is all about.) We all had our smartphones in hand -- I had two phones, one refreshing the Times in case they got the results before CNN, and one texting my dad -- and we clinked glasses about six times.

And, ok, we were obviously going for a long shot, but I had also expected, or worried, that Clinton was going to hit like 8% minimum victory in Indiana, the polls not being promising, and also history not exactly being encouraging what with "close" races in PA and OH turning out only in her favor. So a loss for Obama by barely 20,000 votes is fucking A-OK for me, and I feel like all this is finally happening. I can't really say anything because I feel like I'd jinx it, but I am feeling good today.

Finally, overall I realized that I may need to be sedated on Election Night this November, which happens to also occur on my birthday. I was wired from the moment returns started filing in from Indiana until 11pm last night, and that's despite the two and a half beers I had in that time. I seriously have no idea how I'll manage to keep my heart rate at any reasonable level when what's at stake is not just one state, but the chance to finally get a Democrat back in the White House. Seriously, even now I'm freaking out about it.

A (tacit) celebrity endorsement I can get excited about.

Hey, we got Stevie Wonder on our side. Go us.

I'm actually serious.

And because I can: "Top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?"

But this is just my own elite opinion, so you can feel free to disregard it.

Sorry to post old news, but this is the last straw. We have had enough of presidents who ignore facts in favor of their own self-interest.

(On a side note, welcome to my Clinton campaigning friend and new blog reader! Er... ha.)

I can't believe I'm still talking about this

A pretty awesome Daily Show clip about the whole Wright controversy. I have to agree with Jon Stewart here (when do I not?). You sure can't say he's not charismatic.

Obama made another speech separating himself further from Wright and the general opinion on it is positive. I guess I never felt like Wright was that crazy, nor did I think it was necessary (since it seems fucking obvious to me) for Obama to point out that just because he went to church with this guy does not mean that he agrees with everything he says. I also think it's sort of absurd to assume that Obama in church is the same as Obama in government or campaign. I feel like I have different parts of my life where I may indulge myself in certain opinions or habits or whatever, but they do not bleed over into other parts of my life and indeed, they just give me more to think about and different perspectives. Has no one considered that maybe Wright's church was that for Obama? Having read "Dreams from my Father," I recognize that Obama has some anger, and he relates to the anger of minorities, perhaps specifically black people, against the inequalities that exist in this country. That obviously is a theme in Wright's church/sermons. And I think it is okay for Obama to have some anger and even to indulge it a little. Maybe he gets some of that anger worked out in church, maybe it gives him a way of thinking about things, or a way to connect with people who feel the same way. I'm speculating, but I could see this being true. Anyway, the bottom line is that this is all absurd, because we're still forgetting that there are shit tons of asshole white preachers out there, one of whom was sought out for endorsement by the McCain campaign! Jon Stewart, take it away again...



Whatever. I should stop writing about this shit and start talking about the issues. You know, like how Hillary Clinton and good ol' John McCain (who I am terrified is going to show up in my dreams some day, like some evil tottering gnomey grandfather demon) wants to repeal the gas tax, which is REALLY STUPID (and I link to just this one article out of the many, many possible links talking about how that plan will not work, nor will it do anything about, oh, I dunno, global warming, or the economy).

(via, via)

More on Wright

Somehow I feel like this is not going to help anything:

Mr. Wright said: “On November the 5th and on January 21st, I’ll still be a pastor. As I’ve said, this is not an attack on Jeremiah Wright. It has nothing to do with Senator Obama. This is an attack on the black church launched by people who know nothing about the African- American religious tradition.”

This may be true, but it's the kind of thing that will stir up the pot even more than it already has been. All these media types are just primed and ready to jump on anything that sounds remotely racial or accusatory (or both).

I wrote a lot more about this and then went back to reread it and deleted it. I decided that plain speech, and expression of opinion or belief, is more important than toeing the political line, even if it's the kind of speech that gets you (or that senator who used to be in your congregation) into trouble.

Still, I can't help it, whenever I read things that Wright says, I think it must be pretty interesting to know him. Whether you agree with him or not, and even, maybe especially, if you disagree with him, he must give you a lot to think about. And that is something to feel good about, I think.