I also posted that comment to the LGBT listserve through the mybo site, which I joined specifically to post this thing. I asked for help understanding what had happened. I got some great responses. I sent a follow-up email synthesizing them. That follow-up is posted here.
Then I got an email from a Chicago staff member. Thanking me genuinely and sincerely for my emails. Last weekend, we finally connected by phone. He told me he is functioning as a conduit to and from community members and the campaign. He told me that the criticisms (mine and others) had brought issues to the forefront that had been on the back burner and needed to be addressed directly (this is a paraphrase).
Many are declaring that they are independents this year, most as a protest because (gasp) a black man defeated their candidate who happened to be the first woman presidential candidate, at least one for a major party. (If anyone else had been their candidate there would be cries of racism but hey these so called Democrats are not bigots, they would never stoop to racist remarks, but supporting a Black man for President is going a bit to far).
How do these so called declarations of independence compare to that one 221 years ago?
My first diary was back during the primaries, and it was about trusting Obama. At that time, it was about trusting him to handle the process of completing the primaries sucessfully. Which I did, even though a lot of people didn't think he was doing it right. And I'm glad to say that my faith in him on that front was not misplaced. He did manage to win, despite all the hand-wringing and lectures here about what he needed to do differently.
Now, I don't like that diary being the first thing I see every day when I open my DKos page. It's old and I want to add something new. Hopefully posting this in the middle of the night, it won't knock a better diary off the list too quickly. I just have to add my two cents about the FISA fiasco.
Really the best thing to do is let Obama speak for himself. Read on for some relevant selected quotes from The Audacity of Hope.
The worst part of what Sen. Obama is doing regarding the FISA Bill is that his public statements - including this morning's response to the new group (of which I am a member) - are almost completely devoid of meaningful substance.
Benedict Arnold's Letter To The Inhabitants of America I should forfeit, even in my own opinion, the place I have so long held in yours, if I could be indifferent to your approbation, and silent on the motives which have induced me to join the King's arms.
Now, I understand why some of you feel differently about the current bill, and I'm happy to take my lumps on this side and elsewhere.
I cannot promise to agree with you on every issue. But I do promise to listen to your concerns, take them seriously, and seek to earn your ongoing support to change the country.
People are claiming that Obama's cowardly movement "to the center" is OK for two reasons: 1. Elections are "won in the center." 2. McCain has also changed positions several times.
Here is the difference -- Mccain is moving to the right. Obama is also moving to the right. The Republicans win for two reasons: 1. Play to their base 2. Frame the argument.
Yes, it's yet another goddamned FISA diary--but wait!
Don't go running off screaming in horror just yet!
Now, I'm not a lawyer, and I don't play one in the Senate. I'm not going to pretend to know every in and out and detail of the old FISA bill, the new FISA bill, or anything in between.
But I know when all this ruckus started--and quite a ruckus it has been, indeed.
I've torn my hair. I've rent my garments. I've pondered and puzzled, read more diaries than I care to recount, and I literally could not come to a decision between my "inner purist" and my "inner pragmatist". I thought the debate should continue, and disagreed with people telling other people to STFU, but I couldn't decide, for myself, what to do.
And the more I read, here, there, and everywhere, the more confused I became. The more muddled the puddle.
So tonight, I decided to read someone else's words. I decided to go back to the source of all my consternation and puzzlement--that damned hopemonger, Barack Obama.
My son Gabe turns 2 years old on July 18, two weeks away. His mother and I were asking people to make a simple $2 donation in Gabe's name to commemorate his 2nd birthday. However, it seems that minimum allowed in $5. Our goal is to raise $500 for Senator Obama in Gabe's name. We believe this can be a very reachable goal if friends, family, Democrats, Republicans, and other Obama supporters help out.
Today's media freakout on "refining" provided some great material to expose the bias and stupidity of many in the MSM.
In this video, I focus on the "reporting" of CNN, which pulled a classic case of: "Obama must respond to these allegations because he's facing questions" without noting that CNN was the outfit that had raised the questions in the first place.
Also, just so you've been warned, I've recently begun narrating some of my videos -- and this is one of them. On the bright side, you can find out that I am after all a real person, and that my name really is Jed.
Okay, some of you have forced me to make MetaJesus cry. I've seen argument after impassioned argument grace the recommended diaries list for the past two days excoriating Obama's supporters that are revolting his revolting decision to go back on his word and not filibuster the FISA bill if it contains immunity and I can no longer keep my virtual mouth shut.
This is DailyKos, whose stated mission is to elect Democrats. Most people here - especially Markos - want to elect Democrats - especially Barack Obama - and will continue working very hard to do so.
Those of you that are upset about the revolt are misdirecting your anger. The argument against those revolting seems to go something like this: Obama may have done a bad thing by changing his position on whether or not he'll filibuster FISA but even if that is legitimately worthy of criticism, we should all pull our punches to keep from doing anything that might make Obama look bad before the election because this could cause him to lose the election.
I, and I think many others, see this quite differently, follow me below the fold if you care to hear about it...
I am up to here with the rending of garments at this site. You've heard it before. You'll hear it again. Now, I'm going to bed and when I get up tomorrow on THE FOURTH OF JULY ... I want us to talk about anything else. Anything. Obama's VEEP choices? Marion Hossa going to the Red Wings? Ways to use less fossil fuels? Will it rain again and block out the fireworks?
Please. But, let me leave you with one thought. First, enjoy this commentary by John McCain on FISA. I tried to transcribe it from YouTube but there was a lot of rambling and incoherent muttering that I couldn't make out. He was pretty hot and could hardly keep himself together, you see. Here it is (below).
Okay first of all this wasn't my idea, I ripped it off someone at Talking Points earlier. Well won't say ripped off but maybe made it my own with adding two of my own candidates. I've also added Barack after much thought. But it was very appropriate and I am not claiming the idea as my own. I've turned into an Act Blue junkie and sort of PT. Barnimish in my silly promotions. But this is something that really hit me when I saw it and had to get on this idea.
link to original $17.76 diary If you give a $2.32 tip then you donate a total of $20.08. Just an expansion of the idea I guess.
The other three candidates I selected are Rick Noriega, Darcy Burner and Regina Thomas
As expected, the protracted kabuki of the general election has sent a fair portion of the left into fits of righteous outrage. Egged on by often false reports by the media (who are themselves egged on by GOP press releases) that Obama has "moved to the center," many self-identified progressives are now selling themselves on the delusion that there’s really not that much difference between the two parties. Obviously, as we learned in 2000, that’s just a big load of dung, but in the world of politics, the outrages and perceived slights of today always overshadow the once-inconceivable atrocities of the last eight years. So, armed with lofty rhetoric and some carefully parsed quotes, good Democrats start calling themselves "progressive independents" and vow to vote against the Democratic nominee to preserve their tidy self-image as lonely champions of principle. After all, they tell themselves, if it’s not possible to institute one’s own ideals to perfection, it would be a violation of principle to act at all.
Barack Obama's home state of Hawai`i launched the general-election campaign this week with a rally featuring Congressman Neil Abercrombie (HI-01) on Maui:
Retired workers, Upcountry artists and college students joined a rally Tuesday night in support of Barack Obama's presidential campaign held at Maui Waena Intermediate School.
More than a hundred people, representing a cross section of Maui's voting population, turned out for a bento dinner and speeches by Hawaii Democratic Party leaders, and to sign up to be involved in the summer campaign activities for the Hawaii-born Obama.
"He's great," said retiree Louise Corpuz. "I think he knows what he's talking about."
Although Hawai`i is one of only two states Sen. Obama hasn't campaigned in yet (Alaska is the other), the Aloha State has played an active role in his quest for the presidency.
Below the fold, I'll provide a few notes about what Hawai`i's residents have done - and more important, what they will do - to put Barack and Michelle in the White House.
Environmentalism is not an upper-income issue, it's not a white issue, it's not a black issue, it's not a South or a North or an East or a West issue. It's an issue that all of us have a stake in - Barack Obama
Contrary to reports of my untimely demise I am still here I just have been having problems coming up with stuff to write about. I've written a lot of diaries on Obama's platform but there is one issue that I have not written about much. And it's a very, very important issue. A little something called our environment. Barack Obama has been a champion of the environment for a long time. In this diary I will take a look at his background on this issue and plans for moving our country and environment forward.
