Thomas McDonald
- : New York, NY
- : 34
- : Moderate
- : Democratic Party
- : http://www.thomasmcdonald.com
- : I grew up in Rockland County, New York, attended the University at Buffalo, and now live and work in Manhattan for a large media company designing and managing initiatives in new media for mobile devices.
- : TalkingPointsMemo.com, HuffingtonPost.com, WashingtonMonthly.com.
- : Baruch Spinoza: The Ethics; Theological-Political Treatise; On the Improvement of the Understanding.
- : "Peace is not the absence of war, but a virtue based on strength of character." - Spinoza
Jim Webb
How great a pick would Jim Webb be for Obama's VP? Let us count the ways:1. Brings a military background with gravitas on Iraq.2. A Scot-Irish of Appalachian roots. 3. A swing-state office holder.4. A former Republican (praised by Reagan when he...more »
Posted on May 9, 2008 1:32 PM
With the clock ticking down...
CBS News/New York Times poll released May 4 points to a "rebound" for Obama:http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/04/opinion/polls/main4069259.shtml...more »
Posted on May 4, 2008 7:58 PM
The Perennial Challenge
I'm not posting this (simply) to knock Hillary for her recent faux-outrage. Rather, this whole affair recounted at HP, and generally this recurrent challenge for the modern Democratic Party, is very interesting in itself. This is when Bill was really...more »
Posted on April 16, 2008 5:41 PM
The Perennial Challenge
I'm not posting this (simply) to knock Hillary for her recent faux-outrage. Rather, this whole affair recounted at HP, and generally this recurrent challenge for the modern Democratic Party, is very interesting in itself:<blockquote>[Following the shock of the 1994 Republican...more »
Posted on April 16, 2008 5:36 PM
The Perennial Challenge
I'm not posting this (simply) to knock Hillary for her recent faux-outrage. Rather, this whole affair recounted at HP, and generally this recurrent challenge for the modern Democratic Party, is very interesting in itself:<blockquote>[Following the shock of the 1994 Republican...more »
Posted on April 16, 2008 5:33 PM
Growing Concerned
As an Obama supporter, the most disturbing news to me so far is the PA advertising backlash reported in one of the recent polls.I am frankly concerned too about his ability to recover among die-hard Hillary supporters, and also in...more »
Posted on April 15, 2008 11:03 AM
Obama/Casey '08 ?
Casey could make a good VP for Obama: a fairly conservative Democrat, pro gun rights, pro life, Catholic, popular with blue-collar white Dems, from PA, etc. I like Jim Webb better myself, but whoever it is they will probably need...more »
Posted on March 28, 2008 1:52 PM
Video Rehabilitates Wright Church Image
This video shows what his hopefully just the beginning of an effort to show that the Jeremiah Wright controversy is based only in the amplification of some very narrow slices of the man and his church:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anpI-BKp5cg...more »
Posted on March 26, 2008 4:08 PM
Paternalism or Responsibility?
It's interesting that neither the Status Quo Left nor Right, neither Bush, McCain, nor the Clintons, seem able to categorize Obama adequately for their tactical purposes. Is it because he represents a genuinely new in the political arena?It is notable...more »
Posted on March 24, 2008 11:02 AM
The Nixon-to-China power only Obama has to restore a great Democratic coalition
Who can deny the boldness and brilliance shown here by Obama in confronting head-on what has perhaps been the greatest single wound to the viability of progressive politics and the Democratic Party for the last thirty years: <blockquote>In fact, a...more »
Posted on March 18, 2008 1:54 PM
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Nice. This is the kind of responsiveness we need to see from the campaign! (I hope it's good).
Posted at May 16, 2008 11:15 AM in response to Obama To Respond Forcefully To Bush's Attacks Today
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What about intention? Does anyone really think he intended "sweetie" in a degrading manner like "hey macaca"???
Posted at May 15, 2008 5:01 PM in response to Sweetie?
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It is a principled and reasonable gamble to elevate the level of discourse conducted through campaign media.
He wants to make it clear by distinction that any dirty smears which appear via shady 'Swift Boats' should be taken as RNC and McCain approved.
Posted at May 15, 2008 4:51 PM in response to David Brock's Tough-Talking Third-Party Group Fizzles
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BevD: Is that snark really in response to LisB's post? I hope not - this is a great post! Thoughtful and refreshing.
My family are mostly Republicans with reason - there is no excuse for any Democrat to be baffled at that idea.
Each party reflects at the core certain American values which can nevertheless become corrupted. Self-reliance, strength, and honor 'on the right', Compassion, intellect, and personal freedom 'on the 'left'.
It just so happens the latter values are the ones America needs most to revive at this moment in time.
Posted at May 15, 2008 4:18 PM in response to I Held My Nose
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BevD: Is this snark in response to LisB's post? I hope not - this is a great post! Thoughtful and refreshing.
My family are mostly Republicans with reason - there is no excuse for any Democrat to be baffled at that idea.
Each party reflects at the core certain American values which can nevertheless become corrupted. Self-reliance, strength, and honor 'on the right', Compassion, intellect, and personal freedom 'on the 'left'.
It just so happens the latter values are the ones America needs most to revive at this moment in time.
Posted at May 15, 2008 4:16 PM in response to I Held My Nose
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"If you believe that the nomination is or was rightly hers" being the key supposition here.
When the retrospectives are written on this the narrative will most certainly go that Obama arose to improbably defeat the nominee expected by most. (That '1984' Apple ad spoof from '07 is looking more prescient!).
I wore an Obama t-shirt out on the streets of Manhattan in the summer of 2007 and one woman passing by pointed and laughed out loud "year, right!"!
Posted at May 15, 2008 2:23 PM in response to New Guinea Tribalism and the Unification of the Democratic Party
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Using our real names and/or pictures could help reduce moronic trolling as from this poster.
Posted at May 15, 2008 2:09 PM in response to The American Conservative Argues FOR an Obama Presidency
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Webb has a long resume including such roles as "Secretary of the Navy" and "Assistant Secretary of Defense" under the Reagan administration. The guy's cache is not being a Senator.
Posted at May 15, 2008 10:38 AM in response to Jim Webb for Not VP (the veepstakes parlor game continues)
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Put it this way - imagine these phrases getting flung around in the local press throughout the country:
"Vietnam vet", "Assistant Secretary of Defense", "Secretary of the Navy", "has a son in Iraq now", "former Republican, became a Democrat", "praised by Ronald Reagan for his military service", "was against the Iraq war from the beginning", "proposed the new GI bill now opposed by McCain", etc.
If this is not the 'tough cred' Obama's ticket needs on the ground in Appalachia and other areas I don't know what is.
BTW, Webb is an author with intellectual strength and honesty too, so I don't imagine him turning off the latte-liberal crowd either.
Posted at May 15, 2008 10:33 AM in response to Jim Webb for Not VP (the veepstakes parlor game continues)
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Agreed that Kaine could make a good choice, but I disagree that Webb would be bad.
Your main point against Webb seems to be that having two freshman Senators would be weak against the experience argument from McCain. Sounds right in the abstract, but not on substance.
Webb is a Vietnam veteran and former Secretary of the Navy, bringing truck-loads of grunt, strategic, and executive experience in military and administrative roles.
Webb cannot be defined as simply a freshman Senator.
Posted at May 15, 2008 10:23 AM in response to Jim Webb for Not VP (the veepstakes parlor game continues)
