I am a feminist because I believe in what feminism means, the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. (I'd like a bigger word..like if Humanism meant believing in the equality and worth of all humans)
So as a feminist I would be offended if decisions were made on who to support or not because of their gender.
It has seemed to me that to declare a woman is owed allegiance because of her gender is sexism, not feminism.

Posted at May 15, 2008 10:41 PM in response to Betrayal

Well I think you just did make it into something it's not...
Putting it as "It was a dismissive remark made to shut her up, it was insulting..."
I understand it could sound that way, it was a gaffe and he was right to apologize in case she felt the same way. If he often talked that way to women we could assume he was dismissive and insulting. Since he tends to treat people respectfully I will assume he was not.
They weren't taking questions there, that was already announced so I'm sure he was trying to "shut her up" which could also mean redirect her to where questions would be taken. Take out the sweetie part and he handled it politely. He took plenty of pres questions later and did a town hall nearby.

As the mommy of ex-little kids when my focus was elsewhere terms I used with my kids can simply fall out of my mouth in a work situation. I'm sure he calls his daughters sweetie on a regular basis. When I first saw this clip similar slips for me are what came to mind. He and Clinton must be so tired and running on reserves... so while dealing with one thing and trying to handle a diversion like a reporter butting in... well this is one of the more polite gaffes that could happen

Posted at May 15, 2008 10:27 PM in response to Sweetie?

You're right that Obama essentially says "coal is imperfect, but we need to be open to a wide range of solutions." but he gets a lot more detailed then that. It has come up at several town halls I have watched and his answer is pretty much the same whether he is in a state like Oregon or a place that favors mining. No one is entirely pleased.
I threw away my notes (when I don't know much about a subject I take notes and later look it up to see how it fits with what environmental or other sites say)
His biggest issue is on the way to getting clean energy (and then explains his focus there, away from corn ethanol and why and toward toward local refining of non feeddstock cellulosic ethanol and current problems in that) we need something, Coal is abundant here and less expensive...then goes into the problem with mining in different areas and that clean coal is a misnomer but cleaner coal is a goal, but the technology isn’t there yet...and boy I should have kept my notes if I ever wanted to talk about it. Something about the level of carbon capture and sequestration. And being against new plants until we develop the technology. Makes liquid coal people angry because he is for funding technology research but not in support of it's use until it's 20%? 30%? lower in emissions than current fuel sources? He talks about having to measure in the energy used in mining, shipping etc which is why local energy development be it wind, solar, cellulosic ethanol or whatever need continuing strong emphasis.
This isn't my area, you can tell. My apologies.
The extra stuff he gets into about other alternatives varies (based on whim or time I guess).

When looking to see what he said meant and how it measured up I was happy to read things from environmental people he has talked to who were struck by how receptive he was to input, how smart his questions were and how quickly he assimilated their input and answers into the broader picture. They also appreciated his honesty.

There really are not perfect solutions, I know enough to know that. He isn't perfect either but I don't think he is too far in anyones pocket but is more pramatic than we might like.

Posted at May 12, 2008 5:59 AM in response to Obama Promoting Coal -- And Concern For Rural Voters -- In New Kentucky Ad

What came to mind is Hillary's church (or whatever it is), "The Family" under Doug Coe. It's all about getting and using power to create "build God's "dominion" on earth". It's not just political leaders who are members, it includes generals and other kinds of leaders. She's been in it since 93 but has graduated to a new cell. (Really, that's what the small groups are called)

And really about it all. I assume you know I am not making it up. I've read about it but until I read that excerpt I never realized it might be real to her in terms of these decisions. But it would certainly explain the "values" and the bigger than herself part. (Obama is pretty arrogant to try to mess with their God's plans! That's even creepier. Now I hope she is just a member of the KKK or something and it's white values, just no God thing))

Posted at May 10, 2008 9:29 PM in response to Hillary Holds Private Conference Call With Her Super-Dels: "I Know This Is Not Easy"

Quibble with Quibble: Black enough may not have been a real question this campaign but it has been.

In Obama's losing 2000 congressional race Obama was way too white.
From Before Obama Was a Favorite Son
One opponent called him "the white man in blackface in our community."

A black progressive journalist wrote in the Chicago Tribune that Obama was

"perhaps the least favorite son," observing that "his Harvard education and crisp elocution mark him as insufficiently 'black.'"

He was running in In that race Wright wasn't controversial, it was whispers of white liberals giving him money and that he would work against the interests of the black community. His weakness was that his base was too white or too young. At least he sticks with "too young" since his racial weakness flip flopped.

His then opponent now supports his presidential run as do those who campaigned against him then or endorsed his opponent with just one exception. Bill Clinton endorsed Obama's opponent, campaigned with him and did radio campaign ads for him. As far as I know Bill has not yet endorsed Obama.
(Hey, should Bill be in trouble for his Black Panther connections?)

Posted at May 8, 2008 11:50 PM in response to Is Obama just a fairy tale about to get a reality check this fall?

That is no dream ticket unless you are into nightmares. If she had won he could have helped her (But I would have hoped he said no). If she is VP would he really bring in "her" vote? A lot of her vote may not be hers come November in any case, especially after the republicans bring out their attacks against her with vague reminders of old scandals and hard hits on the post presidency scandal that major print media has covered but not TV (so the public is unaware). Even as VP she will bring out the anti-Clinton base.
Some independents or republicans that might like Obama will be averse to her on the ticket and they will not think she strengthens it.
Some of her base will find it demeaning to see her in the 2nd spot and would rather wait until 2012.

Then lets say they do win. There is the true nightmare. Most of the time I hear it brought up on TV one of the pundits will ask the other "Are you going to volunteer to be the taster?". One said that's what secret service is for. The other said that wouldn't be enough.
That's only partly sarcastic. But assuming that is just crazy I have zero confidence they wouldn't work to sabotage his presidency. I don't think their oppo research would slow.

I know candidates who hated each other have teamed up. I know they would accuse each other of misleading and bad policy but did they say the other was unqualified, offered only a speech? Did any compare their opponent unfavorably to the nominee of the other party, tie him to Hamas. Farrakhan, terrorists, bombs, imply they were dangerous?

Posted at May 4, 2008 5:15 AM in response to Obama To Run Two-Minute Closing Ads In Indiana And North Carolina

Very sad for that horse and owner, anyone attached to her.

I hoped this post was some sick joke but looking at google news I see it's true. Don't think it's wrong to post it either, it is just too strange. It's Hillary that made the link between the two, not you or the media.
The media all noted it before the race so of course they are noting it now.
If the horse had just come in last this would be funny, instead it's sad irony

Posted at May 3, 2008 9:18 PM in response to Kentucky Derby filly euthanized after jockey can't get her to stop

I'm not sure... how much to suspect a poll due to the bias of the pollster. There might be no relationship but I recoil from InsiderAdvantage for a few reasons.
One is their "report card" (listed 25th in average error rankings (average error 7.92), 22nd in median error rankings (median error 7)).

The other is the owner of InsiderAdvantage, Matt Towery, who writes things like this

Don't think for a minute this hasn't occurred to other Democratic presidential campaigns, which are doubtless tempted to tie to "organized religion" the huge number of $100 and lesser contributions made over the Internet to Obama's campaign. The key being, of course, that this organized religion "for" Obama might not be his own, but instead Islam.

Posted at May 3, 2008 7:46 PM in response to Poll: Clinton Ahead By Seven In Indiana

It's funny how often Boomers get bashed for things, but the older boomers aren't the problem
I am part of Generation Jones too and I can see why they split the boomer generation. We didn't face the draft, do the marching (and we were too young for Woodstock). We walked through the doors that boomers and those before them have opened for us...and somewhere along the line we went wrong.
Crazy high tuitions came after us, that wasn't our problem.
In the 5 swing states every other generation including boomers and seniors went for Kerry. We went for bush in high enough numbers that it overrode the votes of the other generations.
In America as a whole the female vote went for Kerry...except for the women of generation Jones.

Yuck! Please let us back in the boomer generation or even generation X, I don't care, I swear I didn't vote bush.

It has been funny when people would say the boomers are done, they wouldn't vote for a boomer. I'd think...that leaves McCain then.

Posted at April 28, 2008 12:25 PM in response to New Huffington Post column about Obama as part of Generation Jones, not of GenX nor Boomers

I listen to the town halls on cnn.com. Obama mentions our own responsibility often. Even yesterday he talked about it when someone was pushing for him to open ANWR to drilling.
He said "This is one of the times I warned you about when we'd disagree" and went on to discuss his reasons. Then he got into how much we'd save by changing our own habits and raising the cafe standards.

Someone mentioned concern about his ethanol stand. In town halls when it comes up he talks about the reasons we need to move from corn based ethanol to cellulosic ethanol and the differences it will make to use things like switchgrass and non-food or feedstock waste. Also talks about the need for local refining (?) and distibution and of course jobs it can create. (You can tell I don't know the lingo.

He might need to put more from his town halls into his campaign speech? I learn much more from town halls although you have to hope for the questions you care about.

Posted at April 26, 2008 9:09 AM in response to I am very disappointed in Obama's comments: Make your voices heard!