Hillary rises to the occasion

Saturday June 7, was a big day at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. At the center of the great hall Hillary officially endorsed Obama and suspended her campaign.

The whole event started almost 1 hour late in true Clinton fashion. I was at home and was able to watch the whole thing from my comfy couch. As she got into the middle of the speech, I was just struck by the raw emotion moving just underneath the surface. It seemed like a very very difficult speech to give. But it was the best speech that Hillary has given throughout the campaign. I honestly believe that had she found her voice, this voice, showed her nurturing side and exposed her relentless spirit at the beginning of the campaign, she may have ended up giving a very different speech.


But Hillary reminded her supporters of the futility of the "What-ifs":"When you hear people saying or think to yourself, "If only, or, "What if," I say, please, don't go there. Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward."


She rose to the occasion and 'stepped up' to put the party first. Her most heartfelt urging to her supporters: "The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the United States." That was probably one of the toughest lines to deliver.
Later on she went on to say, "And that's exactly what we're going to do, by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009", was a direct and unequivocal statement of support.

This one speech had all the elements of greatness. It was inspiring in the midst of utter loss. It was hopeful in that democratic ideals and causes still live on. And it brought the first step of closure on a historic journey to advance the causes of race and gender in America.

Although one speech, however moving, will not heal the wounds repeatedly cut open again and again these past many months it is a start in the process of mourning, realization and hopefully reconciliation for the party. It is a daunting task no doubt. But if Democrats want to see progress in bringing the troops home earlier, progress in universal health care and a dramatic shift from the 8 years of the Bush mess, they have no choice but to make nice and make up. Otherwise......

Time to make nice

A Big step for Barack.. A Bigger step for all people of color

My mom told me story this week about what happened at school. A little black kid came running up to her all excited. He told her, "My daddy said that I can be president when I grow up" and walked away all smiling.

This was a big week. Barack Obama made history by becoming the first 'person of color', non-white, minority, mixed race, multi-racial etc...etc..presidential candidate of a major party. On many levels, he has already won. He has taken all of us a step higher in the human evolutionary process by getting us all closer to a post-racial America. Now the big question is: are we there yet? The answer is NO. America is not yet at a post racial state. Many folks out there will still not vote for a 'person of color' for just that reason. But the statement this week gives a great indicator to all the world that we are moving in the right direction.

Whether Obama or McCain wins in November is anyone's guess. But what happened this week will reverberate for years, decades to come. Obama has broken through the white line of power that for 232 years ruled this country. I, myself, a minority, Asian really reflected on this change. I somehow felt more 'comfortable' to be in America. Not, just comfortable I would say, but more of a sense that I belong here, that I can more help affect this country even though I am not white.

The single most compelling achievement that Obama has helped deliver to all of Americans, immigrants etc... this week is the realistic message, that anyone, even from a poor, broken, mixed race background can rise to the highest levels and have an impact on the whole rest of us. It is a message that despite how the deck is stacked against us in the beginning, America can give each of us a chance to re-invent and re-make ourselves and be somebody.

Hell hath no fury......

No one is angrier than a woman who has been rejected in love.

Many people attribute this saying to William Shakespeare. However, this proverb is adapted from a line in the play The Mourning Bride, by William Congreve, an English author of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The complete quotes is, "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned/ Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned." And this, in a nutshell, for the Democratic party is one big problem.

Allow me do some more psycho-analysis:

And such the 'love' that Hillary has so desperately sought from the Democratic party goes unrequited.

Wikipedia describes Unrequited love as love that is not reciprocated, even though reciprocation is usually deeply desired. The beloved may not even be aware of this person's deep feelings for them. This can lead to feelings such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and rapid mood swings between depression and euphoria.

Need more be said?

Hillary can't seem to get the youth vote

From: www.politicalhumor.about.com

Hillary's new Top Ten

I try not to burst out laughing how the Billary campaign comes out with daily 'revised' benchmarks as a basis for the super delegates to vote for the Democratic nominee. I thought I would throw in a several more. Here is the Top Ten list:

10. Super delegates should vote for the candidate who has won the most votes in states beginning with letters A thru N

9. Super delegates should vote for the candidate who win with the most votes from voters whose names end in -ez, like ramirez or cortez.

8. The candidate with higher concentration of voters per pledged delegate.

7. The candidate whose age comes closest to McCain's age of 71.

6. The candidate who has been under the most instances of sniper fire and got out alive to tell the story

5. The candidate who has the most experience living in The White House

4. The candidate with the most votes from folks over 60 , as older folks have more experience voting.

3. The candidate with the most votes from Americans who originally came from Mexico.

2. The candidate with the most qualified spouse.

And finally # 1: the candidate who is most white

Let the generals do their job

I found this on Townhall.com a Conservative political website and it made me want to puke.

Another hypocrisy of the right and the Bush administration comes up again. This brings up the telling story of how the Bush Administration ousted General Eric Shinseki and Army Secratery Thomsa White. General Eric Ken Shinseki was the 34th Chief of Staff of the United States Army. He is the first Asian American in U.S. history to be a four-star general, and the first to lead one of the four U.S. military services. At the start of the Iraq war General Eric Shinseki strongly pushed for more troops on the ground and a different strategy then what Cheney and Rummy were gunning for. His is quoted as saying,"something in the order of several hundred thousand soldiers" would probably be required for post-war Iraq.

Instead of letting the general do his job, Rummy neutered General Shinseki by announcing the general’s replacement 15 months before Shinseki was set to retire. This move made Shinseki a lame duck for the remainder of his term. This sent a strong message to the lower ranks of the military: if you don't tow the line, you get cut.

Next, Army secretary Thomas White was fired in April 2003 after expressing his agreement with Shinseki's assessment of needed troop levels in Iraq. According to USA Today, "Rumsfeld was furious with White when the Army secretary agreed with Shinseki." In an interview after leaving the Pentagon, White said that senior Defense officials "are unwilling to come to grips" with the scale of the postwar U.S. obligation in Iraq, adding, "It's almost a question of people not wanting to 'fess up to the notion that we will be there a long time and they might have to set up a rotation and sustain it for the long term."

Now, the conservatives want us to let the generals do their job and voice their views?

It is this narrow hypocrisy that got us into this quagmire in the first place, when conservatives bristled at ANY criticism of how the Bush administration was handling the war. Any critic was immediately labeled 'un-patriotic', even 'traitors'. And yet, here we are 5 years later and still struggling in the quicksand.

4,000 and counting boys, 4,000 and counting.... tick tick…..

Mission Accomplished: 4,000 and counting

This morning I heard on CNN that we had reach a new marker in the War on Iraq: 4,000 service men are dead. However, from all indications, the Bush Administration has not indicated any change in strategy aside from “stay the course.” Reactions from the public seem to follow partisan lines: liberals want to start to pull the troops out to stop a long- term rise in the numbers while conservatives argue that we need to stay on so these lives are not given up in vain. Both arguments have merit.

However, new economic and historical realities are pushing the American people to seek a way out sooner rather than later. First, despite what President Bush wants to tell us, most Americans realize that we are in the midst of a recession. Regular gas prices have reached a new record today at $ 3.25 for regular averaged across the country. Housing prices are spiraling downward and the middle class is being squeezed like never before. With this in mind, how can the Republicans continue to insist on spending $ 12 Billion a month on Iraq or if you do the math roughly $ 5,000 a second? Does this make any sense when Osama Bin-Laden is still holed up in Afghanistan sending out monthly news letters?

Next, the long held argument that if the U.S. were to leave Iraq prematurely would cause a ‘domino-effect’ and destabilize the entire region to fall into the hands of Al-Queda. This is appearing less compelling when you look at two issues: this is another ‘expert’ projection from the same ‘experts’ who predicted WMDs in Iraq. Can you still trust the experts. Once bitten twice shy I say. Second, let’s look at history. When the U.S. finally pulled out of Vietnam in the 1970s, all manner of expert projections called for a ‘domino-effect’ with S.E. Asia falling into communist hands. Did that happen? No. In fact, the opposite occurred. S.E. Asian economies took off in the 70s, 80, through today. So, can anyone be so certain about the post US Middle East?

The time is now to call for a timetable for withdrawal.

Candor of Barack

Well according to the latest NPR News Blog, Obama's poll numbers are on the rise after last week's fiasco. What struck me about Obama's response was his honesty, his candor and a refusal to throw his Rev Wright friend under the bus for political gain. (even though many view Rev Wright as crazy)

Instead of spitting out one liners and sound bites, Barack showed character, took his time to try and explain to the public his thinking, his views. I have attached a great commentary from the NPR Blog below:

Comments (Send a comment)

I believe that even though Obama was caught up in the media's attempt to prove him mortal, he responded like a true leader in these backtracking moments. Because of last week's controversy he may in fact receive better results than he may have otherwise. The fact is that the people already knew how he reacted while he was ahead, but now they also know what he does when he is behind. He sits back, analyse, and talks to the people. That's a true presidential performance. With regards to Clinton, she has not shown this type of character. In addition to that, now she could find herself in the middle of the controversy regarding the purposeful embelishment of her record and the mistrust concerns. I will be surprised if she can diverge the media's attention from this because it is a losing battlefield for her.

Sent by raul | 9:11 AM ET | 03-24-2008

Hillary's Options.. there aren't many

This past week has been the most difficult and torturous for Barack. The ugly head of racial divide had to come up eventually, and did it ever. Thanks to Rev Wright, we were all dragged into this. Barack replied with a valiant effort in his "More perfect Union" speech. (you can read that analysis on this blog as well)Luckily for Obama the Passport scandal and Bill, no the other Bill--Mr. Richardson came to his rescue.

Now with all these problems you would think that Hillary Rodham Clinton would gain steam and be able to make a stronger case for her nomination. However, this week saw her options narrow significantly for a number of reasons:

1. Florida and Michigan for all intents and purposes will not be doing a re-vote. This will block here only chances of leading in the delegate or the popular vote when the last primary ends in June in Puerto Rico.

2. It is a generally accepted reality that team Hillary will not be able to deliver a 2/3 win in each of the next primaries to take the delegate and popular vote race.

3. 'Stealing' the election by swaying the super delegates to vote for her despite her lack of the necessary votes purely on the non-objective measure "elect-ability"

So, with all this what CAN, she do? Here are some ideas:

1. She can hope for the Wright scandal to only spread making Obama seem Un-American, Un Patriotic and make people wonder where his true allegiances lie.

2. She can find more Rev Wrights lurking from Obama's past

3. Risk a melt down in the Democratic party by further dividing the delegates.

At the end this bring up a interesting quote, Mark Penn told reporters after the Texas and Ohio wins that "Time is our friend". All I can say is that time is a friend in the same way Gov Bill Richardson is a friend.