Saturday, March 08, 2008

Unpopular Votes and Obama's Legitimacy Crisis

I think Obama has lost the nomination with his own behavior (plus the antics of his campaign) since last Tuesday. He lost a lot of momentum with the Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island defeats and since then has behaved with petulance and arrogance. While there is no one thing, there have been a lot of smaller events adding up to a really profound loss of electoral legitimacy.

First are the Texas reports of caucus shenanigans after HRC clearly won the popular vote in the state. It made very real the way in which the structure of the caucus was unfairly penalizing Hillary supporters. On top of the already problematic structural issues there are the reports of belligerent and possibly criminal acts by Obama supporters to try to exacerbate the situation. I note that most of the Texas counties that have not reported their caucus results (scroll to the second Texas map near the bottom of the page) are pro-Clinton. They are small and even if they go strongly for her, won't likely change Obama winning the caucus, but it could significantly affect the final delegate count.

When even Media Whore outlets like the WaPo have taken note of the disparity between the primaries and the caucuses, the fact that you've won a caucus rather than a primary becomes a delegitimizing factor with voters who are not already strongly committed to you. If Obama claims victory in Texas on the basis of the caucus after having lost the popular vote, this will be little different than Bush claiming victory over Gore - technically correct, but not accepted as legitimate.

The weak response to the "3:00 AM phone call" ad did more damage to Obama than to HRC. Rice could only speak with authority about her own candidate, and she cut him off at the knees. All the Hillary campaign has to say is "No, our girl is ready, but nice to know you admit your guy's not up to the job, kthxby."

The Monster and Archie Bunker gaffes form a pair of bookends to something that has become an increasing irritant to rank and file Dem voters - the derisive attitude shown towards people who are not "on the bandwagon." If someone does not support Obama, the fault lies with them, not with the candidate, or that is the message coming through loud and clear to the Reagan Democrats. It fits in with the not very subtle accusations of racism against core Hillary supporters; they don't really like her, but are voting their deep, secret racist impulses. This actually started in Iowa with the extravagant praise of whites who voted Obama, explicitly noting that they weren't falling for racist BS, which immediately cast doubt on whites who didn't vote Obama. It became the dominant meme for a while in New Hampshire to try to explain away Obama's loss, and then went mainstream for a few weeks, when Obama had to admit that his campaign was deliberately trying to catapult the racist propaganda. The Archie Bunker reference is yet another attempt to call Hillary supporters racists.

This comes across badly in two ways. First, the "Archie Bunker" reference insults voters directly. People who might grudgingly allow that HRC or people campaigning for her made remarks that someone might be able to construe as possibly being racist won't accept that accusation made against themselves. Second, and this is more about the attacks on HRC herself, they come across as simply rude, the mark of people who don't respect others. The monster comment went down sideways with many, many voters. As I have said and as has been said by a number of other bloggers, Hillary's support is strong and diverse, and they feel insulted on her behalf over such comments, especially after the months of battering she has received, especially from a candidate who markets himself as a unifier, a nice guy, a conciliator, etc. He undermines the image of himself he has been projecting, and this damages his legitimacy.

Then there are the NAFTA lies. When another government says, "Erm, um, no, you actually did tell us you were lying to the voters and not to be worried by your campaign rhetoric," somebody has some 'splaining to do. This will not do him any good with blue collar voters, who tend to know about NAFTA and care what politicians say. Given that the economy is tanking, ordinary voters want straight answers on economic questions.

Now, today, there are three significant developments. First, Obama fairly strongly dismisses being on a unity ticket with Hillary. There's some equivocating, but he's not going to give an inch. He's pretty much between a rock and a hard place, of course. Say yes, he'd consider it, and his support among super delegates collapses like the house of cards that it is. Fail to agree to it, and he becomes the one refusing to unify the party and playing chicken with Dem fortunes in November. It reinforces the sense that his campaign is both arrogant and immature.

Next, Obama dismisses the possibility of a "firehouse" primary in Michigan, which raises all sorts of questions. Is he trying to force a caucus on a primary state? Do his own internal polling numbers show that he's not going to get more delegates than he might collect via "uncommitted" delegates all going to him? The real answer lies in the final development of the day.

Finally, and this is the nail in the coffin, James Carville pulls the ultimate gotcha on live TV. Read the exchange between Carville and David Wilhelm on Wolf Blitzer's show this AM. (Transcript here on Taylor Marsh.) Basically, Carville says HRC will put $15 million of her own money up to pay for new primaries in Florida and Michigan, since both the states and the DNC say they would like to do so but can't afford the cost. Will Obama raise $15 million in matching funds from his own vaunted money machine and give the voters of these states a legitimate, sanctioned, no-equivocations primary voting opportunity?

The Hillary campaign hit this one out of the ballpark and into the next county. The rock and hard place of the VP suggestion just became a lady or tiger situation. Obama cannot afford to be seen losing big states again to HRC (and he will lose MI and FL), but now he is the person in the position of preventing those votes from being cast. If he stonewalls the votes, the fury of HRC supporters at the convention will be epic and they will demand that FL and MI be seated as is. If he can bully the credentials committee into any solution other than seating as-is, he will lose all legitimacy with HRC supporters, who will either write her in, vote McCain or stay home in November.

Any claim he tries to make about how pledged delegates represent the will of the people is DOA now. Between the circus of the Texas Two-step and Obama's refusal to even allow MI and FL primaries to take place, he cannot maintain the claim to be the popular choice. How can his Texas caucus votes be more legitimate than Hillary's Texas primary votes? Moreover, he looks like he's afraid to put his money where his campaign rhetoric is and stand up to a vote.

What all of this points to, however, is one of the deep, negative themes that has been present in his campaign from the beginning, that people who do not support him are not legitimate voters and their opinions should count for nothing. People who vote for Hillary are Archie Bunkers, "low information" people who vote for "monsters" and who need to be shoved around, harangued, locked out of polling places. They will simply fall into line after he is nominated and support him, of course, but his high-minded followers cannot be asked to stoop to support anyone else.

Hillary supporters are accused of being racists, of being war-mongers, of not understanding just what a heinous human being she really is, of being stupid, old, uneducated yahoo bitches. Their dissenting opinions about key events and policy decisions (what these acts and policies mean, how they relate to each other, how important they are on their own and in relation to other acts and policies) are scorned and attacked.

The root cause of Obama's loss of electoral legitimacy is his campaign's refusal to accept that he might, very legitimately, not be the nominee.

Anglachel

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the comments. I was wondering if the caucuses issues will be addressed for future elections because there seemed to be so much manipulation going on: the reported training of Obama supporters to overpower the caucus, the bullying that was going on, the reports at the Nevada caucuses of intimidation, the reports in Texas of getting the ballots early, etc. Basically cheating. Clearly, the Washington caucus result was VERY different than the WA primary. I'm also wondering if the Democratic party will address the serious issue of the Republican crossovers and how another party can try and dictate the outcome of the election.

Regarding the attitude of the Obama campaign and how they address Hillary supporters. You explained what I've been feeling all along. I have cringed at a lot of things said about Hillary, but I've also hated how they started describing her supports as angry white older women. It's so insulting. It's hurtful. Then the Archie Bunker stuff really made me angry, because I know the voters in Ohio are hurting economically and they felt that Hillary could address the economy. They tried to pull the race card . . . again. It just won't work anymore.

I've never seen such poor sports. These people have come off as whiners, attacking people, and being bitter. At least Hillary has always been graceful with her losses. This week, Obama came off as a sore loser.

Anonymous said...

Thanks again for yet another excellent, incisive and damn well formed exposition ... you've got the lay of the electoral land from here out well mapped indeed!

Anonymous said...

Excellent analysis on all fronts. Most importantly, Senator Clinton has been the adult in all of this and it is hard to believe superdelegates and party officials will not acknowledge this and go for the candidate who can actually win a general election.

Swings states that she's won handily and that Obama has not are Tennessee, Arkansas, Ohio, Florida, Michigan. New Mexico was close but still went to her.

Obama can't match that.

Anonymous said...

Great post. Thanks so much for drawing together the whole week.

At first glance it looks like an amazing change in momentum in just one week. Of course, a closer look reveals that this week only occurred because the Clinton campaign never gave up. Moreover, it finally found a way to not only galvanize all their supporters but to give them a means to help.

But none of should forget the "help" that Obama and his campaign gave us. Without the extra incentive of his real arrogance and apparent incompetence, it would have been a lot harder.

(Folks should also check out Jerome Armstrong's posts at my.dd and various comments at Talk Left about todays caucuses. Reports show Wyoming voters being turned away due to lack of space, parking, and "on-time" arrival. Amazing.)

Anonymous said...

Amazing writing. Couldn't agree more, and thank you so much for your hard work.

Steve Rankin said...

I see that someone at blogger.com has done the same thing on your profile that they once did to me. They've listed your age as 251.

Obamanation will win handily here in Mississippi on Tuesday.

Free Citizen

gendergappers said...

"Finally it seems people are realizing that Barack Obama [BO] is an empty suit with a megaphoneyed preacher’s voice. Many voters woke up and got turned off by his Johnny-one-note calls for change without specifics. Style, yes - substance, no." - from ICARUS REDUX

http://gendergappers.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Thank you for yet another great post. I cannot believe the O camp. They have hurt me beyond belief and I for one will not forget. I cannot believe the MSM either. The rampant sexism is outrageous and they should not get away with it.

The low levels and tactics these people themselves stoop to and then blame the Clinton camp for the mistakes they make. Good grief. Transparency indeed; they have managed to become transparent in their lies.

Sorry for the rant.

Thank you for your post. It is really appreciated.

JP

Anonymous said...

Wow, great post! You really covered things soup to nuts. Clinton supporters have always had to acknowledge that Obama is also valid choice for the Dem ticket. It is time for the Obama supporters to stop slinging rhetoric and learn the same is true of Clinton.

gendergappers said...

Anon wrote: "Clinton supporters have always had to acknowledge that Obama is also valid choice for the Dem ticket. It is time for the Obama supporters to stop slinging rhetoric and learn the same is true of Clinton."

They are faking us out by screaming race every time he is criticized. We must stand together and insist that it is NOT HRC who is dividing the Dems - it is Obama and their media protected nasty rhetoric. Like this from the latest New Yorker--a profile on Michelle Obama. [We aren't in Laura-land any more.]

“I want to rip his [Bill Clinton] eyes out!” she said, clawing at the air with her fingernails. One of her advisers gave her a nervous look. “Kidding!” Obama said. “See, this is what gets me into trouble.”

Anonymous said...

Do you have a link to the "Bunker" uote?

Anonymous said...

Before this campaign started, the Clintons, both of them, were considered to be very good friends of the AA community. In a few short months, all of their years of hard work in bringing us closer together has been trashed.

The result of this campaign will take us back years - and create a new divide...the recognition by Dem women that our party does not represent us. In my lifetime, no other women will be qualified to be POTUS - and it makes me mad as hell that the party-powers don't see that.

My husband and I are changing our registrations to independent...and will act accordingly in thought, word and deed.

Anonymous said...

If Obama wins the DNC nomination, his argument in Nov.will become the worst sort of agism,white racist and finally elitist argument. What his supporters need is a history lesson on the fact that the traditional democratic base is and will always be the working class. This economic class transcends sex,race and even unions. The concerns of this class are economic and primarily idealogic in terms of economic justice. This class is the one that shows up and votes when the youth vote generally loses interest by nov. This class is the one continually derided by the msm ,the academics, and the corporate lobbyists. It's ironic and cynical for a candidate who rose to popularity on the backs of the working poor in Chicago, to turn around and deride the popular support Sen Clinton enjoys among Latinos, Farmers,Asians,Shift Workers, Women over 40 , Seniors, Vets, and Gays. I'm from Texas. I'm a divorced mom, life long democrat, catholic, working class, white liberal and college educated. I did my homework and the choice is clear. Sorry Obama, 2 years in the fed. senate won't cut it. Snappy dressing and a nice smile won't cut it. Over rated rhetoric that frankly my working class commonsense finds vapid and robotic won't cut it. Caucuses won't cut it. Pouting
won't cut it. Absurd racist spinning won't cut it.
Bullying won't cut it. Chicago tactics don't work in
Ohio and even JFK references did'nt cut it in Mass.
Your George Bush delegate over popular vote argument won't cut it especially when you seek to prevent the voices of Florida and Michigan from being heard. The Obama campaign speaks of a movement. Time for a history lesson, Revoloutions are not fought by eletists or academics, they are fought by the working poor and the disenfranchised. Nafta and Canada were revealing.
I'm so fed up with the Arkansas Project playbook coming out of Axelrod's mouth. If you can't attack Hillary on substantive issues, you'll go after Bill. I have one question for Freshman Sen Obama.
Why are you afraid of calling Chicago? What's so scary about your 17 year association with Rezco?
Bill Clinton may have had his faults but stupidity isn't one of them. Do you realy think he would o anything that is illegal after office, concerning his pres. library while his wife is a sitting US Senator who is under scrutiny that you are just now beginning to face. Oh, they will answer you and your riduculous insinuations of influence pedalling. I have one question for Loser Bradley, your current attack dog, EXELON and re writing energy legislation to benefit your precious Axelrod. That is influence pedalling and the working class in this country are more literate than you give them credit for. One thing Obama will next try is to discount the facts of Bill Clinton's soloutions to the deficit and creation of a surplus.
Lewinsky aside every democrat must aknowledge
what he did for the party. Every democratic woman must aknowledge what Hillary has done for the pary. These contributions don't assure her the nomination but in the minds of alot of working class voters they are not forgotten. When these are weighed in with the comparison of what each candidate offers as their platforms and how each performs when talking and listening to the voters;
It is clear to us, who will fight for us and our kids in what everyone (who does'nt live in Kumbiya land) knows will be a pitched and lenghty battle to restore the constitution, bring the soldiers home, enact fair pay, protect the enviornment, stand up to the oil countries and companies, promote economic balance and restore international trust. Hillary does'nt promise to be a messiah she just promises to get the job done and if this woman who has promised to work for minimum wage as president can work with Newt Gingrich to pass legislation then it's certain she's ready on day one.

Anonymous said...

workingclassartist, well done! Well done, indeed.

Make that a diary and post it at MyDD, please!

gendergappers said...

What is the "Bunker" uote? you refer to, dawg?

Anonymous said...

I have just discovered your blog. Thank you for it. You are among the most intelligent, perceptive and literate commenters online.

Anonymous said...

great article.....i saw on the news yesterday that obama said you wouldnt see his name as the v.p...it just goes to show this country that he doesnt care about the party or anything else. its all about winning and moving into the white house. he told his followers on the first day he would sit at his desk and that would be so "cool"... its not about cool, its about running this country and that takes experience and he aint got it !

Anonymous said...

I want to Thank you so much for writing this beautiful article. It is so accurate! I traveled from Califormnia to Texas becuase I could not bear to see her lose Texas.

I was able to witness a caucus first hand, and it was a disaster! Totally unorganized. There was no structure, yet there were 500 people waiting to caucus.
I would estimate 240 for Hillary,and 260 for Obama. Yet, when you see the caucus numbers coming in, the percentage points between them are way off!I have talked to 5 other people who ran caucuses in Texas, and they all have the same horror stories. The saddest part about this is that there was a rage and aggressiveness to the Obama voter verses Clinton's group.

I actually got up on a bench and said," Hey guys, remember, we are all on the same side?!" That made the crowd calm down and many had the look in their eyes as if to say," Oh yeah, we are all on the same side, I forgot that."

So Sad... Hillary Clinton has always been a civil rights activist. It is crazy to think anyone could forget this about this powerful compassionate woman.

As for Bill Clinton,the AA used to refer to him as their first black president. He even moved his first office after his presidency to Harlem. Wake up people. Vote for the one who is qualified and ready to run this country.

We need to get the economy back on track, get out of Iraq safely, and have health care coverage for everybody.Hillary Clinton can make all that happen.Let's all do what we can to help her!

Anonymous said...

According to the LATimes, the DNC has cancelled the rooms held for the Michigan delegation - and never booked any for Florida.

Kiss Michigan and Floridda good-bye! Those delegates have the right to be in Denver in August - seated or not.

Anonymous said...

I think Obama knows the MI and FL delegates will be seated eventually but he's definitely trying to stonewall for as long as possible. If this gets resolved before PA he's done. He can't afford to have Clinton sweep MI and FL right before the PA primary. He's probably hoping to have a good seven weeks after a win in MS to attack Clinton so he has at least a small chance of winning PA or lose by a small margin. I don't think it will help him though. He's just postponing the inevitable and it's making him look bad. Well I guess it will be another interesting month. I wonder what both campaigns have up their sleeve.

Anonymous said...

I'm also troubled by the attitude of many Obama supporters that people who didn't vote for Obama are inferior to Obama supporters.

The following 2 comments are the samples that were posted in DailyKos after TX & OH result. And there were many comments like this. I took great offend in these kind of comment to any voter. Our voters are equally important regardless of our status in the society.

There were some Obama supporters who condemned the following comments, but they are definitely in lesser number.

===============================
The Supers can see with their own eyes ... (0+ / 0-)

Hillary got the under-educated - poverty - latino and old women vote.
Obama has the higher - educated - grass roots - money vote and youth vote.

Tell me .... which holds the best and brightest future for America .. ?

by abarefootboy on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 10:38:45 PM PST
[ Parent | Reply to This |Recommend ] .. ?

===============================
Can you even imagine (1+ / 0-)

the sort of person who would actually vote for clinton at this point? kind of makes you rethink universal suffrage, doesn't it? maybe hungry people have too little oxygen in the brain. on the off chance that the narcissistic senator from NY wins the nod, i don't even know how i'll find the strength to vote in the general.

by doublavoo on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 12:54:17 AM EST
===============================

Anonymous said...

What working-class artist said--in spades.

re: gendergappers: I thought Anglachel was referencing a specific Archie Bunker quote in the diary, just wanted a link to it.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't have said it better myself. Hillary supporters are accused racism, being uneducated or uninformed because the connection that people have with Obama is emotional rather than intellectual. He is an ideal, Hillary is action. It is hard to attack such a passionate public servant's record against someone that has a lack there of.

Anonymous said...

Thanks doublavoo for posting that. The next strategy will be to imply that men who support Hillary are effiminate or female dominated. I think that when Wolfson compared the Obama campaign
tatics to Kenn Starr, The msm as usual did not pick up on the levels of that comparison. Because the msm seems to cherry pick the influence of alternative media on this election and how the campaign is executed by both candidates alot of people did not get it. All over the alternative media, Obama supporters have been rehashing White Water, Travel Gate, Lewinsky and any other scandal they can google about the Clinton Admin.
When asked by Hillary Supporters to explain why they don't like her, Alot of females site the fact that she stayed married to filanderin' Bill. Alot of journalists? especially of the female variety keep overanalyzing her marriage and many claim it's not even a real marriage. She is portrayed as a cold and calculating ( rymes with witch ) who made it only through Bill or by playing the victim. When is America going to wake up. When are women going to stop playing out their unresolved junior high jealousies and look at the facts. As a Woman,
Don't you think it's time we were payed fairly for the same jobs as men? Don't you get tired of the ratio of females to men at the CEO, Congressional, Medical,Military, Legal, Engineering, Academic... Oh the list goes on. Are'nt you fed up with a world where females make up the pop majority and women from Isreal, to Saudi Arabia are attacked simply for their choice of dress, Raped as a weapon of war, Traded illegally as a sexual commodity. I mean come on. Because Hillary is a woman some of these issues might actually get a fair chance at serious resoloutions. Women in this country are afraid to deal with the obvious. It's too painful to admit how far we have'nt come. Young women who have yet to face the battles that come with family building vs. career sacrifices. Ageism and the pressure to get along and be lady like so as not to cause a rucus. I think it's about time we have real change. It's time for a rucus.
Feminism is about finally achieving a level playing field for all regardless of race, religion, sexual preference or idenity, education or class. Sexism is the original and most insidious prejudice there is. I really don't think that Sen. Obama despite having an educated wife will seriously address these issues, because once again it's a back seat issue.
Generations of young women who have benefitted from the struggles of bra burning feminists have no clue how much they owe these women. I remember exactly how old I was when I was finally
allowed to wear blue jeans to school. It was 1971 and we still had to wear them under a dress. Read the Gloria Steinem op-ed and print out the labor stats on equal pay, pass them to our daughters.
Post them on the web. Demand that Obama deal with it and explain what he'll do about it. Ask All the potential candidates when we will be paid fairly? Why was Sen. Clinton portrayed as insulting southern states who had never elected women to state office by stating facts. Wake up women. Republican or Democrat or Independent don't you want to be paid fairly? Wake up women 5states are seeking to repeal laws that ensure diversity and I do remember when female firefighters, police, construction workers etc... were such a novelty that they made the ews. Females who hate Clinton need to examine their consciences. Journalists who are blatently sexist need to ask themselves what are they afraid of. If you don't support her because of her platform, so be it. If you support Obama because of his race and gender, be honest about it. I support Hillary because of her platform and her gender. I support her because of her record of public service. I support her because I think that as attractive a candidate as Obama is, the substance is'nt there. I think it's time for a radical change and perspective, the female one.

Anonymous said...

Hillary supporters male and female, print out the labor stats on fair pay for females. Most young people have no idea of the discrepancy. Men who have daughters, sisters, wives, friends, mothers, don't you want them to have a fair shake. Pass them out at the caucuses. Post them on the net.
I showed them to my daughter who turned 18 yesterday. She was shocked. It's the last thing those in power want to deal with. Fair pay. Diversity is not just an ethinic, religous or racial thing. It's about the level of the field and women have always been sloggin it uphill. I mean we did'nt get the vote until what 1922? Hillary if elected will make it impossible for the status quo to continue in this country unchallenged much longer.Wake up the dormant feminist within.

Anonymous said...

If you want to see another example of a ridiculous Obama surrogate using the race card check out today's NYTimes op-ed contributor: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/opinion/11patterson.html?em&ex=1205380800&en=2a03d1b410beb859&ei=5087%0A

They will do anything to make Clinton and her supporters look racist.

CSI Politics said...

The “BACK ROOM” is where it begins and ends!

There was a secret meeting of the Super delegates in DC yesterday.

How hopeful do you feel if you are for Hillary? She is still working hard but, the opposing team (the DNC) is working even harder to get her out!

What is the reality of this situation? If she does not run as an Independent – how much is the Democratic Party ever going to allow her to do again?

What if Hillary announces tomorrow or the next day or even next week that she is suspending her race and going to be campaigning hard for Obama and then asks all of her supporters to join her to get him elected? Will it REALLY be in the best interest of those that support her OR in Hillary's best interst to do so?

When is principle over a single-issue or for the good of the Party more important than FINALLY jumping off the merry-go-round to get it right for women? Because we know when women are in control - it is right for everyone!

We have heard our entire lives' 'if you want something done right you need to do it youself'. After years of playing by the rules, doing what was asked of us by candidates and organizations and a political party - where has it gotten us or Hillary for that matter?

Most of the female old-time, tow-the-line politicos and activists just had their worlds turned upside down after a series of hits that left women stunned; the NARAL endorsement, the media openly using sexism without the Democratic Party leaders coming to the defense of Hillary let alone women, and the Democratic Party themselves working hard to discredit Hillary and her husband accusing them of racism.

Evidence of an upside down year – many never thought they would feel more at home watching Fox. They never thought they would agree with Pat Buchanan and Joe Scarborough or Tucker Carlson and cursing the likes of Chris Mathews, Keith Olberman, and Jack Cafferty. These women who have walked the walk and talked the talk for many years backed up with many years of volunteerism, contributions, and anything else needed to fight for civil rights and equal rights for women – have been deeply offended and feeling so unappreciated by some African Americans and young women and, quite frankly, some older women- feels as though they just want to turn off their television sets and give up in the process because they are feeling so rejected.

So, what to do and where to go?

Remember Ivanna Trump’s famous line, “Don’t get mad – get even?”
Suggestion – get the LAST BIG WORD in this whole mess.

The final push to get Hillary out is upon us. Women may have lost the battle BUT, they certainly do not have to lose the war. IT IS NOT OVER! It is not over unless, millions of strong women decide to throw in the towel when we are almost there – YES, we are almost there. So, do NOT give up now. Do not let them win the war. If women retreat now – it will take decades to recover.

For those of you that have experienced child birth – remember those last few centimeters before you were finally to the point of pushing to give birth. It was painful and you wanted to give up but, you had no choice. The same applies now. There really is no choice to give up unless you want to see all of the work that women have done over the decades go down the drain.

In about 9-months from now – there is a major event happening for women that will give them more political power than EVER before. And, even though this event – for strategic reasons - is not ready to be announced yet, it would be a major missed opportunity not to put the word out to the millions of women that are feeling disenfranchised on this very day so they may begin to find out for themselves what they could do that is POSITIVE and HOPEFUL and the REAL ANSWER to finishing the work of women in politics to give them power.

For women to have real power – women need to be in the “back room” and not JUST on the frontlines of a campaign or in the voting booth. Real power is in the planning of who will be running for office long before the Primary season begins. And, painfully - many of our citizens have just found out this cruel but, real fact about our political process in America.

Another fact to share; the real power in government is NOT with the President but, with the Congress. The Congress is where issues are debated, bills are drafted, and policy is made.

ALL CONGRESSIONAL members are up for re-election in 2010, including some of your favorites whether that is Nancy Pelosi or someone else. Every single seat!

Women, is it time to CLEAN HOUSE?

If “cleaning house” is all that you feel your Party or others in political power think you are good for as a female interested in politics – then why don’t you pull out your apron and your gloves and join a movement that is already preparing to show how thorough we WILL clean OUR HOUSE? And, what a cleaning it will be! A good-old fashioned and extremely thorough spring cleaning that you can sign up for now because the “backroom” is where it all starts and where it ends.

2010 is when women WIN!

After reading many blogs and websites and hearing from many people that they wished there was somewhere for them to go or that a new party or movement would be formed – then please do not despair. Careful thought and strategy has been and is being applied to a movement that women will be at the forefront. After all, the men have had the power for over 200-years and where has it gotten us? Kindly, we would like to give them a break!

As we have all learned the hard way - the ones that get ahead in politics are the ones that are playing hardball quietly and in private - in that "back room". Maybe those of us that for years have worked out in the open in big numbers have been missing the boat.

EXAMPLE: How many of you last Saturday had your popcorn ready anxiously waiting and waiting and waiting for the Rules Committee of the DNC to come back from their lunch break so you could watch democracy at her best – open and inclusive for all to watch??

On this very important day of all Election days – instead of waiting for the other shoe to drop – or waiting to see what is expected of you next - do what Hillary has taught women to do in the face of uncertainty and tough times. Get up, dust yourself off, and TAKE ACTION to quietly – behind the scenes – show the DNC, NARAL, and the media who REALLY has the last word.

Email wppconference@gmail.com for more details. It is TIME to do things differently in politics.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein


Final word and personal note to my fellow sisters;

While you may be feeling anxious, sad, rejected, and even depressed - this is not the end - this is a bump in the road that has re-energized the women’s movement and that is a POWER to be reckoned with.

So, to my fellow females – please do not give up hope. I, for one of MANY, know about the movement that has been in the works for sometime now and I just want to pass along a little bit of sunshine to you on a day that may not feel very bright by telling you THERE IS REASON TO HAVE MAJOR HOPE.

It may not seem like it today but, soon you will be laughing and working together and making a real difference that CANNOT be taken away from you. I encourage you to email your contact info to the above email address so the people in the movement may get info out to you about what is about to happen with politics in America. I promise, it will make you feel better. It has me!

Patti said...

ARE ANY BLOGGERS ON THIS SITE FORMER HILLARY RAPID RESPONDERS?

WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU.

Go to: www.clintondems.com

Category: Diaries
Hillary Rapid Responders
Are any of you here?