Election 2008

Get used to it Democrats. Whether we run a woman or a black this year, the nastiness from right wing idiots will get pretty bad. Look to what the Republicans did in the Tennessee Senate race in 2006 and you'll get some idea what we are in for.

Georgia is leading the way. Seems a bar owner in Cobb Co. Georgia who thinks he's so clever made up T-shirts with a picture of Curious George (registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) eating a banana with the caption "Obama '08." When confronted by some uppity civil rights groups the bar owner insisted he wasn't racist. From a Daily Kos article because the original newspaper article keeps crashing Firefox:

The T-shirts are being peddled by Marietta bar owner Mike Norman at his Mulligan's Bar and Grill in Cobb County. They show a picture of Curious Georgie peeling a banana, with the words "Obama '08" underneath.

...

Norman acknowledged the imagery's Jim Crow roots but said he sees nothing wrong with depicting a prominent African-American as a monkey.

"We're not living in the (19)40's," he said. "Look at him . . . the hairline, the ears -- he looks just like Curious George."

In 2004 and 2006, I supported Leonard Boswell, Congressman from Iowa's third Congressional district. Boswell has been heavily targeted by the Republican party and tends to squeak by to victory. His age and health were issues in 2006. I supported him through it all.

This year I am supporting a primary challenger to Boswell with some reluctance. Bottom line is I am tired of having to defend the district against increasingly aggressive Republican challenges just waiting for Boswell to retire. The time for him to retire is now and there is an excellent alternative.

HILLARY CLINTON IN EUGENE [3] continues our HRC four-part series, which features the Senator's appearance at Oregon's South Eugene High School Gymnasium. You've read the comments of Tapper and Suarez and myself and probably many others, regarding this very appearance. If you're one of the chosen ones, you've even seen Parts 1 and 2.

In Part 3, an unscripted Town Hall Question and Answer session leads to one of the room's younger political participants confronting the Presidential candidate on her campaign's negative slant. Watch as Senator Clinton is (respectfully) called "self-serving" to her face. And then come back next week for Part 4 (the conclusion to the series), in which we will see Clinton answer the charge.

The latest video by Oregon's Official MTV Choose or Lose Street Team 08 Citizen Journalist, Nezua.

Clicking the picture above will take you to the video page.

Crossposted to The Unapologetic Mexican, Jesus' General, and OpEdNews.

House Party for Steve Harrison for Congress
I am helping host this one along with Joy Romanski and Marjorie and Alan Gersten.
Sun., Apr. 27, 2008, 4:00 PM
Suggested Donation $50
Location: Willow Street, Apt 1, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Steve Harrison is against the war in Iraq, supporting a plan for withdrawal similar to those proposed by Bill Richardson and John Edwards. He supports strengthening port security as a better way of fighting terrorism than getting mired in Iraq.

NY Times Editorial Board endorsing Steve on his 2006 run:

"Mr. Harrison...is an attractive alternative to Mr. Fossella in his own right. Mr. Harrison has a presence in both sides of the district; he resides in Brooklyn, while his mother and sister live on Staten Island.

As chair of Community Board 10 in Brooklyn, he demonstrated leadership as he oversaw one of the city's largest efforts to contain overdevelopment through rezoning. He has a good command of the issues, and a feel for the concerns of the district. Mr. Harrison surprised many with his passion and keen intelligence in a series of debates with Mr. Fossella. The distinctions could not be clearer. We endorse Mr. Harrison for Congress."

Hosts: Alan and Marjorie Gersten, David Michaelson, Joy Romanski ~ and Jacob.

Sunday, April 27, 2008
From 3PM to 6PM
50 Willow Street, #1

Garfield County Democratic Party Fundraiser
Date 4/28/2008
Time 6:00 pm

Details

Location: Napoli's Italian Restaurant, 221 W. Randolph, Enid

Tickets: $25 (must be purchased in advance)

Sen. Andrew Rice will be the featured speaker for the fundraiser, benefiting the Garfield County Democratic Party. For tickets, please call Sandy at 580-233-9021 or Pat at 580-233-3604.

For more information, you may also contact Eric Edstedt at eric@andrewforoklahoma.com.

Andrew Rice is running for Oklahoma Senate. And you can help him while having fun at his fundraiser/birthday bash. He has led an amazing life and brings a great dedication to everything he does. He also has been working hard to end hunger in Oklahoma, so this big fundraising concert is also a food drive.

"Rock, Roll and Rice" for Andrew's Birthday
Date 4/24/2008
Time 5:30-7:30

Location: 3214 N. Classen (formerly the Back Door Coffeehouse), Oklahoma City

Music by Matt Stansberry Band
Free food and family fun!

Join us to celebrate Andrew's 35th birthday, and come rock & roll with your next U.S. Senator from Oklahoma!

Suggested donation: $10 (and bring a can of food for the Regional Food Bank)

Scott Kleeb is running for Senate in Nebraska...and he is the Democrat who just might win. As well as being a macho, hard working hunk, Scott has a Ph.D. in PhD in history, with a special focus on agricultural economics. Scott currently teaches American history at Hastings College in Nebraska, less than two hours from Broken Bow, where the Kleeb family homesteaded in the 1880s.

Come join in a great concert fundraiser for Scott Kleeb for Senate:

Listen up! A Concert for Kleeb
Thursday, April 24, 2008 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM
The Slow Down
729 N 14th St
Omaha, NE 68102

RSVP HERE

John McCain can't seem to make up his mind what he thinks about the economy. Sometimes he seems to say the Bush economy is just splendorifous, don't worry, be happy. Other times he gets his serious face and tells us straight talk about things being tough. But you can't have it both ways, Mr. John McBush. You can't say times are tough without recognizing the dismal failures of the Bush economy.

The DNC is calling him on his economic confusion:

And Marc Ambinder discusses some details of the issue at the Atlantic.com.

John McCain seems to think America really is better off than it was 8 years ago. I don't know about you but no one I know is better off. In fact with unemployment, inflation, banks struggling, record level bankruptcy, decaying infrastructure, a second recession in 8 years, and a record deficit, it is hard to see how anyone who isn't CEO of Halliburton or Exxon could see these times as anywhere comparable to the low inflation, low unemployment boom times of the Clinton years.

The Boss weighs in on this year's presidential election. You think his timing, right before the Pennsylvania primary, is deliberate? Could his endorsement swing some of those blue collar votes? I bet lots of those laid off Rust Belt workers blasted Born to Run in their day.

(picture from Classic Rock Legends)

You just don't get more American than Bruce Springsteen. America's working class icon and true blue American legend is endorsing Barack Obama. Bruce's letter says it all:

LIke most of you, I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.

He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where "...nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone."

At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships. While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man's life and vision, so well described in his excellent book, Dreams of My Father, often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our Constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.