Tweets 2008-02-27

February 27, 2008 · Posted in Uncategorized · Comments Off

@castinglight — yes, commentary only, though. not live-blogging this one…others do that better. #
@podcastmama Listen to NewsGang tonight — the link you just tweeted goes directly to the discussion we had re iPhone. #
@socalmom @queenofspain @amyloo just remember that Obama needs to just stay on msg, no mistakes, which will keep HRC off-kilter. #
@peterdawson who said that? #
@davewiner it’s been so long since i’ve used IRC I can’t even get past my firewall to connect. LOL #
oh, good grief. Why give Drudge any more traction than he already has? #
O: we haven’t ‘whined’ about it b/c it’s the nature of these campaigns. #
Great line, using the "whine" line. #
oooh, she sounds holier-than-thou tonight. #
there’s a hole in her argument. she says mandate on kids means no health ins for parents, b/c can’t afford. But mandated on families same #
ohhhh nafta #
oh, Hillary, Hillary. can’t believe you just did that #
cannot believe it. Just amazed. she just handed the last shreds of her credibility away on the wings of SNL and "hand another pillow to b" #
Hillary is very, very defensive. Doesn’t make her look all that Presidential. I’d say he’s winning. #
If O is smart, he’ll tell them to give the next first question to him. #
Russert is being a lawyer, a litigator. #
@misc absolutely she undid any good. And she whined. on national television in front of a formidable foe who chose to let it go. dumb play #
here we go with the snide…when it wasn’t just a speech…where is the credibility to the speech? C’mon Hillary, this is crap #
wow, who knew? she’s been 35 years of negotiating and working things out with other countries? #
OUCH…she drove the bus in the ditch #
Yay Obama for saying it the way it is. The Iraqi govt says go, we go. #
He shouldn’t have interrupted her. that was rude #
140,000 troops in IRaq. 1-2 brigades /month is 10K troops. that’s a 14-month withdrawal. #
Eldest thinks O should have hit on the use of special forces in selective strikes harder. #
OMG, they’re playing the sky will open clip. O, sounds good, thought she got delivery points and good humor #
gawd, her message is so much "feel sorry for me" tonight that it’s sad. Step down, Hillary. #
hillary, you’re walking into a trap with the credit cards argument #
Watching her tonight makes me glad I was never Bill facing her in a fight over bills or picking up the kid or whatever #
@gwfrink3 No, she’s not a fair fighter…that was my point. very snide nasty #
she shouldn’t complain that Russert let hiim off the hook after that last question. #
Oh, she’s full of shit. #
she wishes she had the grass roots donors he has. She was funded primarily with $2300 donations up front. gimme a break. #
gawd, tim russert, there’s a statement on the obama website to this effect. move on. #
so tim, when are you going to hammer him with rezko. let’s just get it out of the way right now because we all know it’s the elephant #
liberal isn’t a swear word for god’s sake. right now the swear words are "neocon", "bush", "iraq" #
what did she say? #
yay cnet for naming crooks and liars one of the top 5 political blogs. It definitely is. http://snurl.com/20hta #
Hillary almost says she was wrong. Almost. #
classy answer, barack, but I can see that being chopped up #
has BEEN an honor? #
@gwfrink3 I’m sure I didn’t please either of my grandmothers with that statement but it’s still true. #
@trevorcarpenter I suppose I’d call it a swear word if someone called me a conservative, so we’re even #
@jhaggard my husband is a prof but not a PhD. teaches at several universities in the area #
@vmarinelli makes ya wonder why they didn’t hit that at all, not that there’s much there to hit. It would have given O a chance to end spec #
watching debate rerun. so far, my reactions are the same. #
@stevegillmor you channeling Nader now? #
@stevegillmor you’re the first one I’ve heard that thought she was successful in tonight’s debate. He’s gotten better; she was petulant. #
@vmarinelli I wish I hadn’t clicked that link. #
@stevegillmor I guess she won on the strength of rejecting vs. denouncing. look for poll numbers to surge. #
wondering if I should photoshop hillary onto the photo of my grandmother in Afghanistan just for fun. http://snurl.com/20i2m #
mojo blog (David Corn) gives it to hillary because there was no blood on the floor http://snurl.com/20i2q #
@stevegillmor send scoble #
@gwfrink3 I think@stevegillmor understands that HRC has to win to keep BHO down as the underdog…this is why he now supports Nader. #
@kr8tr happy birthday to her, and you. #
obama campaign is less than 3000 donors away from reaching 1 million. what an incredible milestone that is, win or lose. #
the big question on the table: how to make racism as socially unacceptable as smoking. #
@BruceLerner Agree on public vs. private; however, the public (vis a vis McCain rally today) fuels the private, almost blesses it. #
great gas prices up to $4/gal by spring. We have the Prius which helps, but kid commuting to school drives xB…ouch. http://snurl.com/20i4h #
@stevegillmor okay, I give up. where is the weekend debate? #
@stevegillmor not finding it on the schedule…assuming CSPAN is the place to be looking. #
@stevegillmor ahhhh gotcha. It was your earlier CSPan comment that threw me off. One other factor: endorsements. Dodd today. ??? tomorrow #
Richardson is still out there, Edwards less relevant than ever,now that he’s joining with Obama-supporting org. Biden may, Gore won’t. #
90 donors away from one million to Obama campaign #
wow. 4:45 am EST 1,000,002 donors to campaign. Goal met 7 days ahead of expectations. #
another sunny day here. Trying to force myself to finish FAFSA filing for kid’s college funding. #
@gwfrink3 re: underdog — NewsGang last Thursday explains underdog thinking. Perception is everything. #
@queenofspain did you edit it after you published? If so, it might have saved as draft. WordPress has been doing this to me recently #
@acomputerpro You’re in Ventura County? Waving at you from Camarillo… #
@peterdawson yes, but if plagiarism were proven, how could they continue to accord "anointed" status on Hubbard? Shakes foundations #
howdy @fricka , follower and neighbor! #
@baratunde your post nails it. Also dave winer’s here http://snurl.com/20jpc #
@agahran your Tweet here http://snurl.com/20jra came just as I was writing a blog post with parallel thoughts on the election. great minds.. #
@peterdawson great post on Islam and like the idea of diff. poll of Americans though I suspect I can guess the answer to those questions. #
@BruceLerner hard to tell #
@NancyWhite They speak truth…you definitely are taller. #

Tags: 2008, Iraq

Taking Back Ownership: Yes, We Can

February 27, 2008 · Posted in Election 2008 · Comments Off

Dave Winer and Baratunde say exactly what I’ve been trying to articulate in inarticulate ways.

Dave:

The money to pay for the war came from somewhere. As it has for many Americans who borrowed against the equity in their homes, there must be a day of reckoning for our economy as a whole. We’ve been charging our collective lifestyle, this luxury of an occupation of Iraq which is a lousy investment for the American taxpayer (where’s the return?) but a great investment for Bush, Cheney and friends in the oil and defense industries. We won’t know how much money Bush gets after he leaves office and becomes a private citizen, but I bet he becomes a billionaire from kickbacks he gets from selling us out. This is a tax, and it’s our future they have been spending.

Baratunde:

Money rules the world. If the money is increasingly from the people, then we have a shot at actually getting a seat at the table. It’s not just talk. It’s not just promises. It’s the real deal.

And just now, this Tweet from Amy Gahran on something completely unrelated and yet completely related:

You get a better sense of who your community is and how to serve them when you bring them into your project.

When I was about six, postal rates went up and I remember asking my mom what the big deal was about a penny. At six, I understood that one penny bought just about nothing. Mom pointed out to me that my penny by itself bought nothing, but when millions of people put their pennies alongside mine, it added up to millions of dollars. So simple, yet as Dave says, we’ve allowed the framing of the penny to be placed in negative terms when it shouldn’t be. This was the point of my post earlier this week on the inevitability of taxes.

This is more than a question of taxes and finance, though. It’s about leadership. One million people have a stake in Obama’s nomination by way of donation. As Baratunde points out, that model, the small-donor model, gives ownership of our governance back to those who are governed, and puts us on a platform to be heard. You can see it already. I don’t believe that Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic caucus in the House would have been nearly so resolute about standing up and letting the Protect America Act expire if they hadn’t felt empowered by what they were seeing in terms of action, donations, turnout, and attention to this primary campaign. For some inexplicable reason, it wasn’t enough to give them the majority in 2006 without also lifting them with the power of our collective voices.

This election is a turning-point. Whatever the outcome, the electorate is learning to speak and speak powerfully, one penny at a time.

Technorati Tags: Obama, leadership, grass-roots

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Tags: 2008, Iraq

Tweets 2008-02-26

February 26, 2008 · Posted in Uncategorized · Comments Off

Almost ready to go home. Long office day, starving. #
@williamsba. What’re you watching? #
Ralph Nader is a ‘no brainer’. Seriously. http://tinyurl.com/2pqvkv #
@kr8tr I agree, that would rock. #
@vmarinelli Ralph Nader = Ego 2.0 #
@stevegillmor sorry to have missed the fun today. duty called. probably a good day to have skipped; all the garbage flying made me cranky. #
oh someone cleaned out their scrapbook. I’m looking through mine right now. Got a great one of Grandma in native Afghani clothes. #
@stevegillmor must’ve been satellite parts raining down or something. who knows? just garbage #
Raisin in the Sun is really, really good. Glad I decided to tune in. #
@duncanriley that is absolutely classic! Love it! #
@KristieMcNealy Hi and welcome! #
@acomputerpro dugg. I’ve given up on obsessing on hitting those twooshes, but have all respect for those of you who do it on a daily basis #
It feels like a summer day here. weird after winter rain 2 days ago. And Christopher Dodd endorses Obama. excellent. #
@davewiner the Lakoff interview was brilliant. Really fascinating stuff. #
@clickmichelle how much do you want to spend? I like the Shure in-ear noise reduction ‘phones, but they’re $99 or so #
@QueenofSpain Re Kitchen Sink Strategy: is similar to spaghetti strategy. Sink is "everything but" Spaghetti is thrown at the wall, stuck. #
oh, good grief. Gennifer Flowers to auction phone convos with Bill? Ewwww. That’s just mean and slimy. http://snurl.com/20giq #
still trying to get hold of someone in Compuserve customer service to find out why they’re deducting fees again after cancellation 9 yrs ago #
@socalmom Me either till debits started showing on my bank statement. AOL bought them and yes, they’re still around, sort of. #
lol at FriendFeed’s "imaginary friend" feature. what a hoot. #
@misc He’s done a pretty good job already, turning the convo to what patriotism is — pins or action? symbols or conviction? war or peace #
listening to yesterday’s NewsGang while I work and wishing I’d been on the call. Great discussion. #
wondering why gardeners are using blowers outside when Santa Anas are blowing gusts of avg 35 mph. Last week they were blowing in the rain. #
@socalmom I think you’re right. Dentist appt go okay? #
@peterdawson the macbook air AND the X300 are waaaay too expensive for regular folks like me. Maybe one of the new MacBooks though. #
@peterdawson thanks! debate is on tonight — MSNBC from Ohio. Think it starts at 9 eastern #
@vmarinelli amen. transcendence of race and gender isn’t the issue here, no matter how hard the pundits try to make it so. #
@Amyloo could they have found a photo that was funnier for that article. It’s conveys "who knew?" #

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Tags: 2008

Tweets 2008-02-26

February 26, 2008 · Posted in Uncategorized · Comments Off

Almost ready to go home. Long office day, starving. #
@williamsba. What’re you watching? #
Ralph Nader is a ‘no brainer’. Seriously. http://tinyurl.com/2pqvkv #
@kr8tr I agree, that would rock. #
@vmarinelli Ralph Nader = Ego 2.0 #
@stevegillmor sorry to have missed the fun today. duty called. probably a good day to have skipped; all the garbage flying made me cranky. #
oh someone cleaned out their scrapbook. I’m looking through mine right now. Got a great one of Grandma in native Afghani clothes. #
@stevegillmor must’ve been satellite parts raining down or something. who knows? just garbage #
Raisin in the Sun is really, really good. Glad I decided to tune in. #
@duncanriley that is absolutely classic! Love it! #
@KristieMcNealy Hi and welcome! #
@acomputerpro dugg. I’ve given up on obsessing on hitting those twooshes, but have all respect for those of you who do it on a daily basis #
It feels like a summer day here. weird after winter rain 2 days ago. And Christopher Dodd endorses Obama. excellent. #
@davewiner the Lakoff interview was brilliant. Really fascinating stuff. #
@clickmichelle how much do you want to spend? I like the Shure in-ear noise reduction ‘phones, but they’re $99 or so #
@QueenofSpain Re Kitchen Sink Strategy: is similar to spaghetti strategy. Sink is "everything but" Spaghetti is thrown at the wall, stuck. #
oh, good grief. Gennifer Flowers to auction phone convos with Bill? Ewwww. That’s just mean and slimy. http://snurl.com/20giq #
still trying to get hold of someone in Compuserve customer service to find out why they’re deducting fees again after cancellation 9 yrs ago #
@socalmom Me either till debits started showing on my bank statement. AOL bought them and yes, they’re still around, sort of. #
lol at FriendFeed’s "imaginary friend" feature. what a hoot. #
@misc He’s done a pretty good job already, turning the convo to what patriotism is — pins or action? symbols or conviction? war or peace #
listening to yesterday’s NewsGang while I work and wishing I’d been on the call. Great discussion. #
wondering why gardeners are using blowers outside when Santa Anas are blowing gusts of avg 35 mph. Last week they were blowing in the rain. #
@socalmom I think you’re right. Dentist appt go okay? #
@peterdawson the macbook air AND the X300 are waaaay too expensive for regular folks like me. Maybe one of the new MacBooks though. #
@peterdawson thanks! debate is on tonight — MSNBC from Ohio. Think it starts at 9 eastern #
@vmarinelli amen. transcendence of race and gender isn’t the issue here, no matter how hard the pundits try to make it so. #
@Amyloo could they have found a photo that was funnier for that article. It’s conveys "who knew?" #

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Tags: 2008

Fight to the Death

February 26, 2008 · Posted in Election 2008 · Comments Off

Wonderful images to conjure up during the debate tonight, courtesy of Steven Weber:

In the case of Obama’s spreading appeal, the Spinderellas are at orange alert, taking beads on the candidate like the good soldiers they are. But every volley of vitriol seems to slow in midair and fall to the ground with a tinny clatter. BO seems to embody and espouse values that echo the feelings of what looks to be a vast majority of citizens who spy a light at the end of the Halliburton-constructed tunnel. Is he less experienced than Hillary? He certainly has demonstrated his ability to deal with a full steam Clinton machine, which has itself withstood repeated raging Repuglican onslaughts and is legendary for its deceptively drawling ferocity.

You can hear the whispered but nonetheless hate-filled rhetoric from the right’s most vicious pander-pundits, scared half to death of color, creed and credibility. And the members of the Good Ol’ Boys of The United States of America finally have to face the reality they’ve been dodging for years, face what comes to everyone and everything, both powerful and meek: The End.

The GOP is already conducting polls to see how far they can go with race and gender bashing before they cross a line, but just like other candidates, the GOP hasn’t picked up on the disruptive element that has commanded the Democratic primary campaigns. Unlike the campaigns of the past, there is an element of transparency that exists in this one, by force or design. Obama discloses. Clinton was forced to disclose, though we don’t really know if everything has been disclosed.

I’m certain that the GOP will float more Swiftboat tricks on the Democratic nominee, but they may find that the fickle public has tired of the game. And if that’s the case, all I can say is “Take your Little Dogs Rush, Ann and Bill with you, too.” THAT would be change worth counting on.

Technorati Tags: campaign, strategy, race, gender, change

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Tags: no tags

About the London Times and Rezko

February 26, 2008 · Posted in Barack Obama, Bush Administration, Election 2008 · Comments Off

Dear CNN, MSNBC and Faux News: Before you all go crazy this morning with the London Times’ story reaching farther than the New York Times did with the McCain “Affair”, please visit Factcheck.org to see what they have to say about Obama’s purchase of his home in Chicago.

As with the “McCain Affair”, this story is a weak and cheap attempt on the part of the London Times to link up a “Saddam Hussein supporter”, Naudmi Auchi with Barack Obama. The problem is this: one and one and one make…two.

Rezko’s alleged relationship with this Iraqi financier is Rezko’s problem. Even more problematic? The connection that Auchi has with Orascom, an international telephone company which was awarded a contract by the UK and US to set up mobile phone networks in Iraq. The very same mobile phone networks the Bush Administration claims carry ‘terrorist communications’ today.

In more strange linkage, the US Attorney in charge of the Rezko case is Patrick Fitzgerald of Scooter Libby fame, and one whose name was once considered for the US Attorney firing list.

Under questioning by Dick Durbin, Kyle Sampson testified to the following:

“On one occasion in 2006, in discussing the removal of U.S. attorneys… that I was speaking with Harriet Miers and Bill Kelley and I raised Pat Fitzgerald, and immediately after I did it, I regretted it. I thought, I knew it was the wrong thing to do, I knew it was inappropriate. And I remember at the time that Harriet Miers and Bill Kelley just looked at me…. I said, “Patrick Fitzgerald could be added to this list.”… They just looked at me.”

Scooter Libby was pardoned on 12/23/2005. Kyle Sampson’s testimony to the Senate took place in 2006, after an attempt by the GOP Senators to cut off the hearing by enforcing the “2-hour rule”. The US Attorneys scandal broke wide open in early 2007.

Now that I’ve taken you through that, with dates and facts and all that, have you noticed anything?

There’s absolutely no linkage between Patrick Fitzgerald’s mention by Kyle Sampson and his prosecution of Tony Rezko. Similarly, there is absolutely no linkage between Naudmi Auchi and Barack Obama’s purchase of his garden plot from Mrs. Rezko.

If the London Times piece is journalism like the New York Times piece is journalism, we have a real problem, folks, because once again, there isn’t anything here that makes logical sense. You cannot connect the dots and conclude that there was anything linking Barack Obama to Auchi, which leads me back to the beginning of this post, where I point out that Factcheck.org is an excellent resource for actual…facts.

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, George Bush, Patrick Fitzgerald, Tony Rezko, Scooter Libby, Kyle Sampson, US Attorneys scandal, London Times, yellow journalism, character assassination, smear