Over the last several months, this primary campaign has driven to say some unflattering things about you and your campaign. I could roll out my laundry list of gripes but I'm going to take a page from your speech today and not look to the past. I will on focus on the amazing speech you gave today. I applaud your grace, spirit of unity and appeal to supporters to ensure a democrat takes the oath of office in January 2009. Hats off to you Senator, after that speech like Senator Obama said, "Senator Clinton is on anybody's short list for VP." I never thought I would say this, I can't wait to see you and Senator Obama sharing a stage at the first post-primary unity rally. Enjoy your vacation and be well, you made me proud to be an American today.
Good Night and Good Luck.
“Seeking to forget makes exile all the longer; the secret of redemption lies in remembrance.” - Richard von Weizsaecker
Barack Obama is proving to be the person who gets into more trouble for things other people say than anyone on Earth. Chicago Catholic Priest Michael Pfleger made some loaded comments from the pulpit this past Sunday at Trinity Church. A lot of media has been picking up on this, I think it is silly. How is this any different from people who were official Clinton surrogates (Bob Johnson, Geraldine Ferraro, Senator Clinton herself) This dude resigned from Obama's faith steering committee some time ago. I guess this is the last ditch effort to wrest the nomination from Obama, stay tuned to CSPAN for the DNC meeting on Saturday.
2. Absolute bulls_it; utter nonsense; something rather suspicious that can bring forth uneasy, angry, or irritated feelings. The stunt pulled by people who don't know how to tell the truth or enjoy messing with people's heads as a hobby.
3. Unrest due to an excess of bad vibes given off by dishonesty, stupidity, fiendish demenors, or f_ckerism.
4. Derived from the term f_ck. Basically, a situation that has changed from being good to a complete f_ck-up.
5. A descriptive word used when something is just plain wrong. Yesterday I received the following f-ckery email:
from Hillary Clinton to khari.mosley@gmail.com date Sat, May 17, 2008 at 12:57 PM subject Count every vote
Hillary for President
Dear Friend,
Michigan & Florida - Make Sure They Have a Voice!
Millions of voters in Florida and Michigan are depending on you to help make sure they have a voice in this race. Will you stand up for them today?
Thanks to your efforts, thanks to the hundreds of thousands of people who have already spoken out, the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee is meeting May 31 to make a decision about whether or not the votes in Michigan and Florida will count.
Now I need you to urge the DNC to make the right decision on May 31. I need you to remind them that in the Democratic Party, we count every vote.
Tell the Democratic National Committee to count the votes of Florida and Michigan.
On May 31, the DNC has a chance to make it clear that the people of Florida and Michigan have a voice in our party. The decision is especially critical given the important role these states will play in November.
And your voice could make the difference for the millions of people who went to the polls in those two states to make their choice for president.
Stand with me today and tell the DNC to count the votes in Florida and Michigan.
I have consistently said that every vote must count. It is such an important principle in our party. I really appreciate you standing up for the values we share.
Thank you,
Hillary Hillary Rodham Clinton
P.S. Forward this message on to your friends, and urge them to join you!
I'm thinking to myself this is pure f_ckery, I can't believe they are still trying to play the f-ckery Florida/Michigan card. I'm at a loss for words, to call it desperate would be to state the obvious. There is something serious f_ckery afoot at this point and here is how the F_CKERY got exposed.
Last week on CBS's Early Show, Senator Clinton's Campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe was quoted as saying, "(Clinton) can move ahead in the popular vote. We're assuming we get Michigan and Florida resolved...On May 31st, the Democratic National Committee rules and bylaws will hear the case and they will make a decision. And if I were a betting man, they're going to let Michigan, Florida -- we cannot disenfranchise two huge states. So, I think that gets resolved on the 31st of this month...Hillary Clinton's 16.9 million people have come out and voted for her...So we're off, we're going forward."
NOTE: This is the same f_ckery dude who as DNC Chair in 2004 met with Michigan Senator Carl Levin about Michigan’s intent to move up their contest to an earlier date in the 2004 primary calendar. In his book ‘What a Party!’, McAuliffe had this to say:
“I’m going outside the primary window,” [Michigan Sen. Carl Levin] told me definitively.
“If I allow you to do that, the whole system collapses,” I said. “We will have chaos. I let you make your case to the DNC, and we voted unanimously and you lost.”
He kept insisting that they were going to move up Michigan on their own, even though if they did that, they would lose half their delegates. By that point Carl and I were leaning toward each other over a table in the middle of the room, shouting and dropping the occasional expletive.
“You won’t deny us seats at the convention,” he said.
“Carl, take it to the bank,” I said. “They will not get a credential. The closest they’ll get to Boston will be watching it on television. I will not let you break this entire nominating process for one state. The rules are the rules. If you want to call my bluff, Carl, you go ahead and do it.”
We glared at each other some more, but there was nothing much left to say. I was holding all the cards and Levin knew it."
Now if this ain't pure f_ckery, I don't know what it is..
If you like me are tired of this type of f_ ckery join me and we together can launch the "No More F_ckery Tour!" and end this type of f_ckery once and for all.
In the meantime join me in a tribute to Hillary and Terry:
In the middle of writing this blog I saw this on MSNBC:
Absolutely speechless, now back to the program.
As new a poll showing Obama closing in on Clinton in Pennsylvania, the democratic candidates for President launched new TV ads (Clinton 5 in total) targeting each other's core base. Today, Quinnipiac University released results from their latest poll in a memo declaring, "Obama Catching Up With Clinton In Pennsylvania; She's Losing Ground Even Among Women".
The memo went on to say: "With two weeks to go, Sen. Barack Obama is knocking on the door of a major political upset in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary. Obama is not only building on his own constituencies, but is taking away voters in Sen. Hillary Clinton's strongest areas - whites including white women, voters in the key swing Philadelphia suburbs and those who say the economy is the most important issue in the campaign," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "The Pennsylvania primary is like a game of horseshoes: Sen. Obama needs only to come close to be considered the winner - taking away, perhaps fatally, Sen. Clinton's argument she is the candidate best able to defeat Sen. John McCain in critical swing states like Pennsylvania."
- This compares to a 50 - 41 percent Sen. Clinton lead in an April 2 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN uh-pe-ack) University.
- One of the biggest shifts is among women who went from 54 - 37 percent for Clinton April 2 to 54 - 41 percent for her today. A look at other groups shows:
-Obama leads 55 - 37 percent among Philadelphia voters and 53 - 42 percent in the Philadelphia suburbs, widening a 49 - 44 percent April 2 lead in this critical area.
* White voters for Clinton 56 - 38 percent, down from 59 - 34 percent last week. * Black voters back Obama 75 - 17 percent, compared to 73 - 11 percent. * Men are for Obama 48 - 44 percent, compared to a 46 - 46 percent tie last week. * Voters under 45 go with Obama 55 - 40, while older voters back Clinton 55 - 38 percent.
- By a 71 - 23 percent margin, Pennsylvania likely Democratic primary voters have a favorable opinion of Clinton, compared to 67 - 19 percent for Obama.
- The economy is the single most important issue in deciding their primary vote, 52 percent of Pennsylvania Democrats say, followed by 22 percent who list the war in Iraq and 15 percent who cite healthcare.
Pennsylvania Democrats approve 65 - 23 percent of the way Obama is handling race issues in the campaign, with white voters approving 62 - 25 percent and black voters approving 80 - 14 percent.
Voters approve 56 - 28 percent of the way Clinton is handling race issues, with white approval at 60 - 24 percent and black approval at a negative 35 - 48 percent.
From April 3 - 6, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,340 Pennsylvania likely Democratic primary voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.
It's been another crazy week in Diondegaland. Anyway it is time to check out this week's good, better and best...
Hillary's 3AM Call of Duty: "Because It Takes A Village...To Take A Village!" (Bill Maher from Real Time is a fool for this one!)
A Beast: The Michael Beasley Highlight Reel. This 6'10'' freshman from the nation's capital averaged 26 points and 12 rebounds for Kansas State. This time next year he could have a multi-million dollar pro contract and a sweet sneaker deal.
Obama on the View: Must See TV!
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
He would not have been my pastor! Hillary in my hometown with tough words for Obama and Rev. Wright. Can you believe the newspaper she sat down with was at the forefront of the "vast right wing conspiracy" and ran this story. Funny how things change huh?
Hey y'all this past week has been crazy as hell. I just started a new job last week and headed off for an orientation retreat. This week I will be at the Take Back America Conference in Washington, DC. I will be blogging live from the conference with highlights, insights and tidbits.
Ok, so while I was gone it appears that the flames have spread to epic proportions. Here's just a few examples:
Eliot Spitzer: The Empire State's moral crusader got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Looks like a once rising star in the Democratic Party is headed for eternal infamy. I mean how do you explain to your wife getting a hooker the night before Valentine's Day?
Geraldine Ferraro: An case study is crazy talk. I guess I missed her memo that Black Men moved up to the top of "the privilege totem pole". The sad part is I was always down with "Gerrie", ever since she ran for VP in 2004. The Democratic Party is looking like less and less of "shoe in" for 2008. Note to HRC: A scorched earth strategy may not be the best move, when you need 90% of the Black Vote to win.
Rev. Jeremiah Wright: I guess he didn't get Obama's memo to keep a low profile until the day after the first Tuesday in November. I wonder if he thought he was being helpful to the cause, when he said Hillary has never been called a "N-Word". Maybe it is just me but I think he was just a little off message.
I guess one good thing happened while I was gone, the University of Pittsburgh's B-Ball team won the Big East Tourney last night in New York.
For the next six weeks the political universe will focus on my home state and i'm giddy. I've been taking calls and emails from people all over the country about my thoughts, expectations and predictions. My local reporter friends now sit on conference calls with Andrea Mitchell; How cool is that? And in some strange twist of fate, my buddy Pat Clark has resurrected the THIRD ROUND. Be afraid, be very afraid. Maybe it has something to do with the writer's strike, the first show should air this coming Monday. No matter what PA is in play, and that is more than just a catchy rhyme, it is the truth.
As I was driving this morning I asked myself if I were the candidates what would be my theme song right now. So I wrote a blog about wanna read it here it go:
Hillary: The Catwoman of national politics, has proven to have nine lives and a mean fight game. All she needs is that bad-ass leather suit and she's set. If I were her, I'd be bumpin Lil' Kim's "Lighter's Up" in my ride. I know it aint quite PC, but HRC is gangsta, has had her run ins with John Q. Law and her significant other is one of the greatest to ever do it.
Barack: After a streak that rivaled Joe Dimaggio in 1941, the Hope Express blew a tire on the way to the nomination. If I was Mr. Obama, i'd juice up my I-Pod and put on Grateful Dead's "Touch of Grey", an appropriate jam for the moment. Nothing like a little Jerry to get a good progressive off the ropes and back into the middle of the ring. Just stay away from the mind altering stuff that is usually associated with the Grateful Dead, unless the DNC decides to seat Florida and Michigan.
Have a good weekend, if you are not doing anything Friday Night head over to the Shadow Lounge and check out this cool band from Cleveland (did I say that?) Mifune.
"There is a widespread feeling among donors and some advisers, though, that a comeback this time may be improbable. Her advisers said internal polls showed a very tough race to win the Texas primary — a contest that no less than Mr. Clinton has said is a “must win.” And while advisers are drawing some hope from Mrs. Clinton’s indefatigable nature, some are burning out.
Morale is low. After 13 months of dawn-to-dark seven-day weeks, the staff is exhausted. Some have taken to going home early — 9 p.m. — turning off their BlackBerrys, and polishing off bottles of wine, several senior staff members said."
I bet somewhere Barack is doing the Heisman pose singing, "Hello, Hello, They Know, They Know!"
Last night, Barack Obama continued his momentum, propelling his "improbable" campaign closer to a historic nomination. With a favorable campaign calendar ahead before upcoming battles in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania; the junior Senator for Illinois can close the door on Hillary Clinton's once inevitable and invincible candidacy. If I was Senator Obama this would be my to do list for the month of February.
Harness the momentum and quietly begin to convince the voters and insiders the race is over.
Talk up NAFTA, job losses and the economy to rust-belt voters in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Correlate economic tough times in the rust-belt to the costs of the war.
Win Wisconsin decisively.
Talk like the underdog, walk like the nominee.
Show your toughness.
Convince John Edwards to endorse you.
Decide whether Ohio or Texas is more winnable and go win one of them.
Study up and nail the Ohio and Texas debates.
Lay groundwork in Pennsylvania now in the event Clinton wins Ohio and Texas.
Continue to draw contrasts with John McCain, giving voters a preview of how you'll aggressively take on the GOP.
Get more and more specific as the weeks go on.
So get to it Senator, below is a tutorial how to do one on your I-Pod Touch. (If you have one.)
Diondega is the original name of my hometown, Pittsburgh, PA. The name was given to us by the Seneca Nation in the 17th or 18th century. The word means "the forks" referring to the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, where present day Pittsburgh has stood since 1758.
For the last several years, my close friends have often referred to Pittsburgh as Diondega. The name has become a rallying cry in our mission to transform a dying rustbelt town of into a vibrant, diverse, and economically competitive 21st century metropolis.
412 is the area code for the Pittsburgh region, if you were curious. My original blog The Diondega Journal has been on hiatus since summer 2005. Think of Diondega 412 the remix version.
The Plural Majority is a blog dedicated too political analysis and cultural commentary from the perspective of Gen X'ers & Millennials (aka The Plural Majority) who represent an emerging progressive American political movement that is more diverse than any in this country's history. The purpose of this blog is to provide a platform to discuss politics, current events and popular culture from a "Plural Majority" point of view.
