The delegate fight

California Indy — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:28:30 GMT

Had to clear up a huge misconception that some Clinton supporters are under. I've noticed a common thread of "the smart states (like California), which are the big states see through Obama and vote for Hillary." Sorry to burst your bubble but Obama won the San Francisco Bay Area in California (the most highly educated demographic in the country) by almost 10 percentage points. And it was women, men, everyone who voted for him.

The delegate fight

Nashville_fan — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:29:13 GMT

" As president, I will continue to stand up for New Mexico and will hit the ground running on day one to bring about real change." "
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
How does she get so many campaign buzz words in such a short sentence? AMAZING! :)

P.S. The people have spoken . . . and the superdelegates are listening . . .

The delegate fight

Scott — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:30:28 GMT

Regarding Strickland's comments yesterday, I think most people missed the point. The Clinton campaign has realized their best chance of winning is to solidify the women vote. That's what Strickland was doing; classic divide and conquer pander-politics.

The delegate fight

J. Merle Stanley, Westchester, NY — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:32:25 GMT

That's GARBAGE! As long as super-delegates are in the rules, their votes are, and should-be 'free standing.' They should be able to vote for whoever they want, without being 'representative' of any electorate.
If we're going to play the "way things ought to be" game, then the people of Michigan and Florida OUGHT TO HAVE THEIR VOTES COUNTED, AND THEIR DELEGATES SEATED!

HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT 2008,
SHE'S THE ONE!

The delegate fight

kj, Dallas, TX — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:33:19 GMT

THIS IS WHY AMERICANS ARE VOTING FOR SEN. OBAMA, AND NOT SEN. CLINTON. SOME PEOPLE ARE COMMENTING THAT SEN. OBAMA DOESN'T HAVE EXPERIENCE, AND THAT HE HASN'T DONE HIS JOB IN CONGRESS, WELL HERE ARE THE FACTS.

-Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term - 6yrs. - and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law - 20 - twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years.

These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress www.thomas.loc.gov, but to save you trouble, I'll post them here for you.

1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.

2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.

3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall.

5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson.

6. Name post office after Jonn A. O'Shea.

7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day.

8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day.

9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death.

10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.

11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.

12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program.

13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.

14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death.

15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty. Only five of Clinton's bills are, more substantive. 16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11.

17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11 18. Assist landmine victims in other countries.

19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care.

20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the wilderness preservation system.

There you have it, the fact's straight from the Senate Record.

Sen. Obama's Record- During the first (8)eight years of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced...

233 regarding healthcare reform,

125 on poverty and public assistance,

112 crime fighting bills,

97 economic bills,

60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,

21 ethics reform bills,

15 gun control,

6 veterans affairs and many others.

His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These inculded **the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 - became law, **The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, - became law, **The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate, **The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, - became law, **The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, In committee, and many more.

In all, since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096.

An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no record according to some who would prefer that this comparison not be made public.

He's not just a talker.

He's a doer.

Pass it on....It's impressive

The delegate fight

Just Asking — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:35:38 GMT

It's another example of not ready on Day 1. They assumed they'd win huge and not have to worry about "those little states that don't matter." They assumed they could spend $140 million from lobbyists in ONE MONTH and not have to worry about anything after February 5.

Is this the kind of leadership we would get from the leader who's ready on Day 1?

The delegate fight

J. Merle Stanley, Westchester, NY — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:37:28 GMT

The delegate fight

California Indy — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:44:32 GMT

J. Merle,
Stop it. Nobody, other than desparate Clinton-maniacs, is buying the transparent calls for the Florida and Michigan delegates to be seated. Every time you, and the Clinton camp, make these claims, the rest of the country (including a ton of Michigan and Florida residents) laugh.

The delegate fight

Dee, Manhattan, NY — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:48:06 GMT

I am not ready for Hillary Clinton. P-E-R-I-O-D
Who am I? One of the people who choose their president.

The delegate fight

jerry/corpus christi texas — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:52:37 GMT

but Obama won the San Francisco Bay Area in California (the most highly educated demographic in the country) by almost 10 percentage points.

I find that argument pretty laughable...
Not about Obama winning....
But having the most highly educated demographic in the country...
Not a bunch of bright people when they are spitting on the Marines like they did in Berkeley the other day...

I wonder if the billionaire who paid for that earmark from The Clinton's is going to want his money back when she concedes the race to Obama?

Merle: The game is over....
The Clinton's lost.....
But don't worry.....
She will still be your Senator.....
And you people really deserve everything you have coming......

As president, I will continue to stand up for New Mexico and will hit the ground running on day one to bring about real change."

What a Liar....
She woke this morning and thought "New Mexico"?
and the state vanished from her mind like a cold beer on a hot day....

The delegate fight

CitizenJ — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:53:02 GMT

P.S. The people have spoken . . . and the superdelegates are listening . . .
Nashville_fan (Sent Friday, February 15, 2008 9:29 AM)

The people of Michigan and Florida spoke too.
But, their voices are being stifled by Obamaniacs who want them to be disenfranchised.
Nice huh? The "change" candidate wants to take votes away from people who don't support him.
Didn't we already get that kind of 'change' in 2000?Is that really the kind of change we want...YOU decide!

J. Merle Stanley, Westchester, NY (Sent Friday, February 15, 2008 9:37 AM)

Have you forgotten that Clinton agreed to those rules too? I think someone slipped something into your kool-aid. Even with Florida's vote and Michigan's vote, she is STILL behind. And Obama's name wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan!!!

The delegate fight

Tim, Reading, Pa — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:53:48 GMT

Here's a good question... How many people DIDN'T go out and vote because the DNC already stripped their delegates? I'm all for the delegates of Florida and Michigan to be counted but how about we ALL play by the rules for a change, rather than changing them mid game? Also if Clinton believed the delegates of Michigan and Florida should count then why did she wait until after South Carolina to bring it up. If she had said something in Iowa, she would have lost more than by 10 points probably lost New Hampshire

The delegate fight

Smith, adrian Michigan — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:55:35 GMT

i think its very unfair that my voice isnt being heard. as a michigan resident i want obama in the white house and he wasnt even on the primary ticket. now sen. clinton wants the michigan delagates? the only fair way to allow michigan delagates (and florida) is to hold some sort of re-do. but unfortunatly i can see this scanario getting way out of hand and we will have another paper president like bush after he won over gore.

another issue is our youth...if you go to both obamas website and clintons then look at their education plans you can definitly see that obama's is superior! if you cant see it in black and white then maybe new glasses are in order. the youth of this generation will be our leaders in the future, lets educate them the right way.

The delegate fight

Tony, Santa Ana, CA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:59:48 GMT

The rules regarding Florida and Michigan were known WELL in advance by all of the candidates. Both states broke democratic party rules and need to face the consequences. All of the candidates agreed not to campaign in either state, and they all understood that delegates wouldn't be seated from either state. Clinton didn't start even talking about this until right before the blowout in South Carolina. The national democratic party can't seat delegates from those states now. You can't change the rules in the middle of the game. Obama wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan! And of course Hillary Clinton won in Florida -- she was much more well known. Once voters get to know Obama his support has tended to go up. If he had been allowed to campaign there it would have been a much closer race.

The delegate fight

mkb, Vienna, VA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:08:07 GMT

I have enormous respect for John Lewis but isn't endorsing one candidate and voting for another a classic "Clintonian" move?

The delegate fight

Kevin, PA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:08:30 GMT

J. Merle Stanley, Westchester, NY:

I think people need to understand what the process was and is before Hillary "spins" the FL MI issue in a way that puts Democrat against Democrat. Lets start by looking at why these states lost their delegates. Under party rules only a few states were allowed to hold their primaries before Feb 5th. Two states decided that they wanted to hold their primaries before Feb 5th. The reason a state would want to do this is because it gives them more attention and a larger say in the nomination process (or so they thought). The DNC (a private organization) decided to punish the two states by stripping them of their delegates. The Democratic candidates knew that any votes received in those states wouldn't count. The voters who voted in those primaries also knew their votes didn't count when they placed them.

Now Hillary and others like you are saying those two states should have those votes counted and delegates seated or that they should be given a second chance to hold another caucus or primary in order to have delegates seated from those states. The argument is that the voters in those states will be disenfranchised if they are not allowed to have any delegates seated at the convention. The first problem with this is that this is not a "voters rights" issue. The DNC is a private organization and can nominate whomever they want and however they want. No laws dictate that the Democrats must nominate someone or how they nominate someone. It's the party rules, not law, that dictate the process. Every party in this country has their own process for how they nominate a person to represent their party. For example, independents don't go through any nomination process. They simply file the paperwork that is needed to get on the ballot.

So you can see this is not a true disenfranchisement issue. The voters have no right under the law to vote for a the presidential nominee. Only in the general election do the voters have a right to vote. What about the states with closed primaries? Are independents being disenfranchised if they are not being allowed to vote for a nominee in the primaries? NO because party rules in those states say you have to be a registered Democrat to vote. Just like party rules dictate when a state can hold it's primary and how many delegates will be assigned to the candidates.

So why not change the rules now? Well there is a problem there that I think any parent can relate too. These two states had their delegates stripped because they moved their primary up so they can have greater influence the nomination process. If you allow them now to seat their delegates, what is that saying to other states that wanted to move up their primaries but followed the rules? Because you would be rewarding those states that broke the rules by giving them an even greater say. And what will the result be? You could have every state moving their primaries up to the earliest possible date knowing there will be no consequences in the end. A total disrespect of the party rules. Is this what you want to happen to the Democratic party?

The delegate fight

California Indy — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:09:16 GMT

Jerry from Corpus Christi,
I'll save us all the easy slams on Texas. I actually love Texas.

Come visit Northern California some time. You'll be able to return to Texas without your silly charicatures and prejudices. By the way, I think the tiny crew that gets the press in Berkeley is full of wackos too. But you're way off the mark with your comments. Sorry pardner. The Bay Area is responsible for precisely what you're using to spread your prejudices--this blog and the Internet. I think there are a few people here smarter than your average bear. Or, to borrow a Texas phrase, there's a lot of cattle here. We don't worry about the hats.

The delegate fight

Patirck, Indianapolis — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:10:06 GMT

Oh J Merle,

Another laughable diatribe by you. Two things. First of all you mention that Superdelegates should be able to vote for whomever they want without being representative of any electorate. That is exactly what they are doing. They are free to make their own choice and that freedom includes the freedom to choose how to arrive at that vote. If a superdelegate chooses to vote according to the way their district votes, they are free to do that. Nobody is making them vote according to their district.

Secondly, Clinton agreed to the rules before hand regarding stripping FL and MI of their delegates. Now she wants to change the rules because she lost? How can those states be representative of the electorate when Obama wasn't even on the ballot in MI and didn't even campaign in FL. If the tables were turned I'm quite sure you would be adamently opposed to seating the delegations.

But keep the hilarious diatribes coming. I need a good laugh during the day!

The delegate fight

S. Ruff — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:17:08 GMT

I want Florida and Michigan votes to count if they hold a legitimate election. Yes it will cost the Florida and Michigan Democratic party money but that can be the cost of moving their primary up. Any other solution will unfairly disenfranchise someone.

The delegate fight

JeanneGA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:19:29 GMT

Obama is just another loser pick for the dems..just like John Kerry. Nice man but a weak loser.

The delegate fight

Paul Sullivan — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:20:05 GMT

In Texas I want the "Clintons" to know that there is no way in hell that I will vote another Clinton in the White House. It was Bill Clinton that "killed" the Super-Colider Project in Texas. This project supported thousands of jobs, and not just any jobs but those skilled, long term, support your entire family type of jobs. The Super Colider was to become the worlds largest. It would spawn critical research in particle and quantum physics. The spin-offs represented a change not only in the local universities in Physics but would support the new emerging Texas Silicon Corredor in Dallas. This cutting edge technology would have maintained America's preiminent technological advantage in the world. When Bill Clinton got into office, one of his first orders was to cancel the program and all its research, perhaps because his native state of Arkansas lost the bid to build it in that state. WE DON'T NEED THIS KIND OF GOOD 'OL BOY POLITICS. He actually has hurt Americas advantage because he could not see beyond his own vanity. No more Clintons in the White House.

The delegate fight

Jim, Santa Cruz — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:21:35 GMT

Mr. Lewis is just reacting as any politician would. He has constituents yet he is a supporter of the Clintons. He likely thought originally that Clinton was the best candidate for his party, knowing Obama was up and coming but untested. Now Obama has shown he is evolving faster than anyone expected, he is energizing the electorate, and is the candidate of choice, so it's logical Lewis follow his constituents' wishes and cast his delegate vote for Obama, yet exercise his democratic right to still personally support Clinton.

The delegate fight

Pat, Louisville, Ky — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:22:55 GMT

The issue of the delegates not being seated in the National Convention (Michigan and Florida) has always been an issue. The focus is only on Hillary because she "won" those states (even though no other Dem candidate had his name put on the Michigan ballot). This isn't really about Hillary. It's about the power-wielding Democratic national party who really flubbed up by "punishing" those two states, without realizing they were "punishing" the voters of those states. I'm surprised we haven't heard more from Michigan and Flordia voters, whose votes don't count. It's a travesty of justice.

The delegate fight

BIGOLDTEXAN — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:24:21 GMT

If they want to count Florida votes, than they should be a re-vote. The two states need to be calling their local govenors for making their votes not count as it was their doings that got them into the fix that their in.

WHY CHANGE THE RULES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME!
SHE IS SO DESPARATE! SHE IS A CHEATER & LIAR!

H.Clinton signed on the dotted line along with J. Edwards & B. Obama that these votes would not count because they were the ones that tried to push the dates up and when they were warned that their states would not count if they did the went ahead and did it anyway. Blame the local governments for this and not Obama.

Nice try H. Clinton your losing and now you want to change the rules, leave it just the way it is.
LIAR, LIAR,LIAR..........

Obama '08

The delegate fight

CJ — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:39:54 GMT

Florida and Michigan should caucus last that's it....it's that simple. And Obama would have more delegates STILL..actually gain. You won't hear Clinton saying that..even though that would be entirely fair...she'd lose her self claimed votes.

The delegate fight

CJ — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:41:22 GMT

J. Merle have you been chastised enough now?

The delegate fight

FARE RULES — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:42:12 GMT

Recently there is heated debate about demo's superdelegates rules. I think there is no issue there. Media is steering it to favor Obama again. I give it my reason:

When rules were ceated before two opponents start to race, these rules shall not ba changed, debated, or questioned, because they were equally at beginning to both parties.

If rules have deficient, they shall be revised afterwards. Then what ever they may be, they are still equal for next contesters.

That's why winner-take-all or allocating-by-proportion are both fare rules. They don't bias one or the other at the beginning of race.

Please don't forget, G. Bush was not a popular President. Al Gore won more votes than Bush.

If Obama people are crying the superdelegate rule because he is getting less than Clinton, media shall not promote that efforts.

If they think is not fare, why they are not asking to have Michigan and Florida voting counted.

If superdelegates are not democratic, this rule shall be abolished before or after race. To void the delegete count for Florida was also determined by DNC, not by democratic voting of demo party. So why one can be determined by a small group of people, while the other can not.

The delegate fight

POLpursun — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:42:33 GMT

The rules
Sen. Clinton wants to follow the "rules" re the superdelegates. "That's the way it works," she said in an interview with Jack Fink of CBS 11 News, Feb. 14th. Saw an interview with a fellow called Thurmand (I think that's his name) who, it was indicated, is a superdelegate from Georgia supporting Clinton. He proffered the, let's call it, independent judgement line as the appropriate one for the superdelegates. The "rules" per Clinton, right?

Sen. Clinton wants to forget about the rules re Florida and Michigan. [See, "Easy answers elude Mich., Fla. delegates" by Nedra Pickler, Associated Press writer, Feb 15]

The delegate fight

mamorritt phoenix az — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:43:58 GMT

the last thing this country needs is another inexperienced president. from an old down scaled, undereducatedwhite woman,a demographic from the pundits at msnbc and yes a hillary supporter.

The delegate fight

Adam, Houston TX — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:45:17 GMT

Why I hate Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama:
Actually, I hate neither Clinton nor Obama. After all, they are fellow Americans and both have contributed greatly to this country.
But why would I want Obama to be the next leader of our beloved country and the free world? Lets not demean any candidate and be fair to all candidates.
1. Hillary Clinton's trademark campaign theme is "35 years of experience". Barack Obama's themes revolve around hope, change, and unity.
2. Hillary has 7 years of legislative experiences as a U.S. Senator, while Obama has 12 years of lawmaking experiences as an Illinios legislator and a U.S. Senator.
3. Both senators hold law degrees, Obama from Harvard and Clinton from Yale.
4. Clinton has worked full time for over 15 years (1977 - 1993) as a corporate lawyer at Rose Law Firm. The only real legislative experience she has accumulated over the years is her seven years in Congress as a U.S. Senator from New York. She may be referring the rest of her 15 years of experience to her status as First Lady of Arkansas during Bill's governorship as well as First Lady of the U.S. during his presidency (if you think the years she was crowned the First Lady title should count as political experience, then you may also argue that Laura Bush (whose husband was also a governor of Texas) has the same experience as Hillary Clinton as First Lady).
5. Obama was doing community organizing work in Chicago during the years Hillary Clinton was working as a corporate lawyer/corporate board member (the notion that he was representing what Clinton termed a "slum lord" is inaccurate, for Obama only did legal paper work for a nonprofit organization working with Tony Rekzo).
6. Many of you argued that Clinton does not currently have the credentials to lead the nation (her campaign has repeatedly undergone shake-ups and she has fired 2 of her campaign managers following the February 5 nominating contests and her campaign money woes, as evidenced by the $5 million personal loan she transferred from her own pocket and Obama's 32% million fundraising for the month of January alone). This may tell voters something about our future president's management ability (some will blame the media for bringing this issue up, but you have to remember that Obama's own campaign has been far more better managed).
7. There is a lot voters need to know about the two remarkable candidates, so I'll list a few links I have carefully verified to contain factual information. Educated minds make wise choices, so it is important to stop attacking each candidate with no facts to back up most of the posts. As voters, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves and not be influenced by the media and the candidates themselves unless what they say is factually accurate (Obama has made a couple of inaccurate statements, but most of the inaccurate statements are coming from the Clinton campaign). I urge voters to do some fact-checking before attacking any of the candidates or their supporters.
To learn about your candidate's voting record in Congress, please do a little research or visit www.votesmart.org
To do political fact checking, you can go to one of the following sites (there are many others out there):
www.factcheck.org
www.mediamatters.org
www.politifact.com
www.washingtonpost.com/factchecker
Don't let yourself be deceived! You have got to be the judge by voting for the candidate with the qualities you feel best suits the presidency.
Please also take the time to do a little more research by going to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama. Don't look up to the Clinton Chronices in making your judgment about America's next president!
One last thing... You can track Hillary's "35 years of experience" at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18391632 to give you a sense of why Hillary Clinton continues to stick to her campaign theme of "experience".
I hope voters will now wise up and stop acting like children. In a civil society, we are supposed to engage in lively and frank discussions, not vicious attacks as if our candidates were engaged in warfare. Some of the posts seem to be filled with hateful remarks, better suited for bigots and those who prefer to live a life of ignorance than educated and compassionate citizens.

The delegate fight

Mox — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:50:12 GMT

I know the object is to cause division in Hillary camp and defection but dont you think people see through this?Obama-White and rich background when necessary than Black like you lets stick togeather ok?To the Latinos We are all minorities lets stick togeather.He has no idea what everyone here went through while in Hawaii and Indonesia. Isnt that the most Muslim country there is?Clintons have done and do more for civil rights than he ever did or will do. This is about Obama not the masses. Now he wants working class before it was , we have the rich and educated. Double standard Lou its called.

The delegate fight

vic cook — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:50:47 GMT

is it not a fact that the delegate vote has been in effect for 30 years and revamped 20 years ago...and wasn't it done for jessie jackson a black man....and now they want to change it because maybe a black man might ...and i say might have a bad verdict...lets change it in the middle of the race....RIGHT...

The delegate fight

CJ — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:53:41 GMT

What concerns me out of everything..are the scorched earth methods the Clintons are willing to do in order to win. They are perfectly fine with throwing the party under the bus to get an advantage. Trying to seat MI and FL without a re-do would decimate future primaries. Using identity/race politics to marginalize a candidate and voters(in the Democratic party!). Falsely claiming experience and not upon your own merit and rhetoric that is easily exploitable by the GOP. The Clintons' are a political machine that only serves themselves and their agenda. They are Democrats yes...but their policies and approach is detrimental to the party.

The delegate fight

Cathy, Upstate NY — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:54:43 GMT

This is laughable...You Obama people can ACTUALLY maintain that this campaign isn't about playing the "race card", when NOW you even have black Superdelegates being strong-armed into changing their votes because King Obama is BLACK?! It is as plain as the nose on your face...or the nearest headline: "BLACK ELECTED OFFICIALS SWITCH SIDES TO GET A BLACK MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE!" They are actually saying it OUT LOUD now, and all of you blind followers keep on chanting that "it's not about "RACE", it's about "HOPE" and "CHANGE". There are now even quotes from one black to another stating: "you better not be the one to keep a BLACK MAN out of the Oval Office, you'll BETRAY your race, and no blacks will ever vote for you again". Yet each and every one of you have no problem ripping Hillary to shreds because she's a woman. I have never witnessed such unbelievable hypocrisy. This was Oprah's agenda all along, remember? You people need a serious reality check! Hillary 08

The delegate fight

Obama 08 — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:55:50 GMT

LIKE PROMISE HERES BORACK OBAMA EXPERINCE:

Now, I would post those of Obama’s, but the list is too substantive, so I’ll mainly categorize.

During the first - 8 - eight years of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced

233 regarding healthcare reform,

125 on poverty and public assistance,

112 crime fighting bills,

97 economic bills,

60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,

21 ethics reform bills,

15 gun control,

6 veterans affairs and many others.

His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These inculded **the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 - became law, **The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, - became law, **The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate, **The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, - became law, **The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, In committee, and many more.

In all, since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096.

An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no record according to some who would prefer that this comparison not be made public.

He’s not just a talker.

He’s a doer.

Pass it on….It’s impressive

The delegate fight

Nik, Poulsbo, WA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:58:50 GMT

Re: J. Merle (again)

Once again you have not been able to bring yourself to think clearly. I am not certain why you have such hatred for Obama or people who support him, but that is not the issue. The delegates from Florida and Michigan will not be seated at the Convention because those were the rules that all of the candidates agreed to prior to entering into the race. Furthermore, I have relatives in Florida who would have went out and voted if they knew there was any chance that their votes would count. Assumming that there are more people like them in the state then we are really not telling the true story of the people. Finally, in Michigan Obama was not even on the ballot. It is clear to me that Clinton will do whatever it takes to become President, even if it means breaking the rules or winning through Superdelegates (as you want). This is supposed to be the party of honesty, the party for the people (the exact opposite of the Republican machine). If it was up to Hillary it would be the party of the Clintons, for the Clintons. Give me a break. I supported President Clinton and at one time would have voted for Hillary if she won the Democratic nomination. Now, however, I only have memories of what President Clinton did for us and I will NOT vote for Hillary, unless she is nominated fairly (i.e., MI and FL revote or the votes are NOT counted, and the Clintons don't win by overturning the populay vote or pledged delegates using superdelegates). Anyways, that's my two cents.

Peace

The delegate fight

nuanced — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:01:24 GMT

"I have enormous respect for John Lewis but isn't endorsing one candidate and voting for another a classic "Clintonian" move?" -- mkb, Vienna, VA

No, it's called representative democracy.
Voting your personal feelings instead of your constituent wishes is a "Lieberamanian" move.

The delegate fight

Billy, Normal, IL — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:04:30 GMT

What's laughable is that Obama's lead after the results in early March are in will STILL be Michigan/Florida-proof. Let J.Merle, Lynette, Obamarama (now AWOL)and the others whine all they want... it makes no difference now.

The delegate fight

Mike,New York,New York — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:16:18 GMT

I will waste my time to submit this, even though it probably will not be posted. It is beyond contempt for black super delegates to jump ship because of race, or because they were paid to.
It has been reported Obama has contributed over 300,000 dollars to various super delegates campaigns over a 2 year period. This also means he was planning a run for the White House much earlier than previously stated. Doesn't this appear to be a conflict in the message his campaign has been running on - change and hope. It sounds like hedging your bets and playing the race card - brothers needing to stick together.
Just as I thought - Obama is a Snake Oil Salesman. Go away, I am not buying.
Just say Nobama.
Either McCain or Clinton for President. From a moderate Independent.

The delegate fight

D. Sample — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:16:22 GMT

It is amazing that the Obama supporters don't want to change the rules as it relates to Michigan and Florida, but they insist on changing the rules of the Superdelegates! How convenient!

Feeling Disinfrancised in Michigan

The delegate fight

Obama-Mama, Ashburn, VA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:18:18 GMT

Why are the Clinton supporters so vitriolic? Lanny Davis wouldn'tlet Andrea Mitchell get a word in on Morning Joe, this morning. He talked all over her and was a syllable away from foaming at the mouth. They are not an attractive bunch, Bill, Hillary and their rabidly angry supporters. The Billary Bunch have a sense a entitlement that is slowly but surely being stripped away from them and as someone pointed out, they were just so certain of the nomination, they never entertain a Plan B. And, here we are. I am confident that the will of the people will win in the end despite the shenanigans of the Billary Bunch.

The delegate fight

Brian, Anchorage, Ak — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:23:21 GMT

Interesting how both Florida and Michigan vote counting posters are from New York.

I want those states counted too, but they have to revote. It's not a fair ballot when only one candidate is on it (Michigan) and when there's no campaigning (so the name-recognition candidate wins - Florida).

GREAT POST KJ from Dallas!!! Very imformative and important. Clinton obviously went into the Senate to eventually run for president. She hasn't done a thing in there.

The delegate fight

Donald Plowden, Spartanburg.SC — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:24:39 GMT

You always hear that your vote counts. Michigan and Florida deserve to have their votes counted. Candidates that took their names off the ballot, do not have anything to say about it. They didn't have to But they chose to.We need to have their voices heard as well as anyones.GIVE THEM BACK THEIR VOTES!

The delegate fight

Jay, NM — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:33:23 GMT

I would never say that people don't have a right to voice their opinions, however, those opinions should be as informed as possible. I've seen a lot of people buying in to Hillary's spin about superdelegates. They were NOT designed to be "independent" or "free-thinkers" or to "vote their conscience." Do some research! They were created to help break a deadlock in the event that one should happen, by voting for the winner of the popular vote, thereby putting that candidate over the top. The system was NOT created to keep non-establishment populists from getting in. Hillary is spinning the "independent" idea so they can overturn our votes. Why complain about Michigan and Florida when she wants to disenfranchise the ENTIRE COUNTRY?

The delegate fight

No Obama08 — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:35:19 GMT

I am a black female voter in Texas. All Obama followers should go to Black Agenda and read the following: I think EVERYONE NEEDS TO START HOLDING Mr. Obama accountable. This man is nothing but a snake in the grass trying to get in the white house. He will not get pass McCain and the Republician. So, if you vote for him you all will be crying during the general election when the Republicians take the white house again.

The presidential campaign of Barack Obama has become a media parade on its way to a coronation. Journalists and leading Democrats have done shockingly little to pin Obama down, to hold him specifically responsible for anything beyond his slogans of "yes we can" and "change we can believe in". Prominent Black Democrats, many ministers and the traditional Black leadership class are doing less than anybody to hold Obama accountable, peddling instead a supposed racial obligation among African Americans to support this second coming of Joshua and his campaign as "the movement" itself. What would holding Barack Obama accountable on war and peace, on social security, health care and other issues look like, and is it possible to hold a political "rock star" accountable at all?

The delegate fight

Wil, Indianapolis — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:35:30 GMT

Maybe some of us that want those michigan votes to count so bad, don't realize how many of those votes went uncommited( i don't want u), because Obama's name wasn't on the ballots. take a look at the poles and see how many people already new they didn't want Clinton to be president. and believe it or not, if Obama's name was on those ballots a lot of the people that voted for Clinton, would have voted for him instead. they only voted for her because she is already known and they didn't have a second choice (obama,) they voted for her.
the people of Michigan have already spoken and they don't want Clinton.

The delegate fight

HMT-MI — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:36:21 GMT

We in MI were told that once the nominee was picked that nominee would ask for the votes and delegates to be counted.That is what we were told.Uncommited votes went to edwards and Obama---Hillary Clinton was not the only name on the ballot(like you like to scream)Kucinich,Gravel Clinton and Dodd were also on the ballot.There was a line that you could have written in but that candidate had to ok this.They had until the friday before the election but did not contact Mi because they had not campaigned here.Neither did Clinton or anybody else---just Kucinich and the republicans.---so it is time to quit squawking if Obama had won you would be screaming for these votes like you scream about everything else.If my vote should not count neither should yours.You people are a pain in the a--s.You could care less if we have lost the right to vote---is that the change you want and scream for?I have already decided if my vote was not wanted in the primary it is not needed in the regular.I will just write in Hillary Clinton and urge others to do the same.

The delegate fight

Ron Allen — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:37:19 GMT

Cathy from Upstate NY,
Think again. Obbama's campaign is simply going after ANY superdelegate. To accuse his campaign or his supporters of race baiting (who actually was started by Bill Clinton), you are simply half informed, with the other half of your brain asleep. Do a thorough evaluation of each candidate and visit their respective websites before you WHINE. You also have to go to fact checking websites like FactCheck.org

The delegate fight

Texas — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:39:02 GMT

You can not change the rule of the game at the middle of the play. Rule is just a rule until the game is over. Super delegates have to think for themselves.They are not told to change the rule. Those who voted for them are simplying tell them to respect their votes, period. They can forget it if they wish. If some body over turn my vote, i will never and ever vote for him any more. Because i voted for him just not to hurt me.
As to Florida nad Mich is concerned, the DNC rule should keep working. Only because HIllary is missing the game, she should not even make an apeal. It is a big shame for them. It makes people angry rather. Hillary can change her position just to get elected. why? By the way, is n't the Hillary family that injected race into the race and struggeling now to undo it? They would have rather played a more matured and instructive role in the history of USA. They would have played a great role to unit people all over the world. They would have said in strong terms race has no place in USA any more. They would have said sorry for folk and realse their tax card. They would have said let people decide rather than working hard a the smoking yard to make an influence using thier long established political machine. They would have said it is time for usa to start writing a new chapter. Unfortunately, they are not saying it as you all know the reason pretty well

The delegate fight

S. Perry Front royal Virginia — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:43:54 GMT

A vote for Obama is like voting for Bush. Obama can not be a leader for all of america he will be a leader for black america he will have no choice.

The delegate fight

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:46:15 GMT

J. Merle Stanley, Westchester, NY (Sent Friday, February 15, 2008 9:37 AM)
D. Sample (Sent Friday, February 15, 2008 11:16 AM)

The state Democratic Parties of Florida and Michigan disenfranchised themselves with their decision to move their primary date. They were warned by the DNC, they didn't have to do it. This is a political party with a leadership that decides the rules in it's own primaries and can sanction state parties if they don't follow them. What part of that don't you understand?
You are correct. The Super delegates can choose who they want to for the reasons they want to. They can also change their minds. You now wish to change the rule so that they are bound to their early commitments? Your desperation is palpable. I know this is hard when you have invested so much in your candidates but IF Obama is the nominee then please stay with your party and help deliver a message to the GOP. Someone needs to pay for the past seven disgraceful years and it may as be the "ones what brung him to the dance"
Either way lets do this thing as a untied party welcoming all Americans help turn this country around.

The delegate fight

Ted Mitchell, Jackson MI — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:47:00 GMT

J. Merle,

Your spin astounds me. You speak as if Obama is somehow blocking these voters voice, not the DNC themselves, based upon rules that ALL CANDIDATES agreed to, but only some followed. I INTENTIANALLY BOYCOTTED the MI primary due to lack of fair representation.

Now, if I let you tell it, the voice of Michigan must be heard. What about MY voice. What good is an election with no competetion. Why even go?

And it really speaks to HRCs credibility/character that she left her name on the MI ballot in the first place. Didn't we all discuss that ALL the candidates agreed to the penalties set upon MI and FL.

The only way that MI and FL should be counted is a re-do. If they attempt to seat delegates from my state, where my voice or choice was not represented, I will TAKE TO THE STREETS, AND BURN THE ESTABLISHMENT TO ASHES.

But, as it is, Michigan is in dire financial straights, and can ill-afford a costly re-do on this election. So, follow the damn rules that were put in place before the race started. Anything else would be against democracy and our constitution.

The delegate fight

I'm just saying — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:50:56 GMT

Cathy from NY,
Your posts are as hilarious as J. Merle's. Strong-armed by "king obama"? That's the ONLY thing that got those delegates to endorse Senator Clinton in the first place. It was strong-arming and threats from Bill. Some of you blind Hillary apologists are rip-roaring funny.

The delegate fight

Attny, NY — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:51:22 GMT

Kevin from PA:

Great point, this in fact has nothing to do with disenfranchising voters in FL and MI. What so very few people do not understand is that the law only proscribes discrimination in voting. As a matter of fact, if the DNC wished to select its nominee by picking a name out of a hat, it would be well within its legal authority to do so. Likewise, no one can actually be said to have a right to vote. The so called right to vote, is in fact a privilege and may be suspended or revoked- take for example ex-convicts: by and large convicted felons are stripped of their voting privileges.

A party, (or a state for that matter) may strip voting privileges as long as it is done for a legitimate state purpose with a nondiscriminatory end. I think it is ridiculous to argue that stripping the FL and MI delegates "disenfranchises" voters. You may find it unwise to rebuke these battleground states, you may even find it unfair; but the DNC did so through an objective, articulated standard and in no way was it discriminatory. Those complaining about the disenfranchisement of voters evince a lack of knowledge about the law they seek to enforce.

The delegate fight

jerry/corpus christi texas — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:52:38 GMT

Come visit Northern California some time. You'll be able to return to Texas without your silly charicatures and prejudices. By the way, I think the tiny crew that gets the press in Berkeley is full of wackos too. But you're way off the mark with your comments. Sorry pardner. The Bay Area is responsible for precisely what you're using to spread your prejudices--this blog and the Internet. I think there are a few people here smarter than your average bear. Or, to borrow a Texas phrase, there's a lot of cattle here. We don't worry about the hats.

California Indy (Sent Friday, February 15, 2008 10:09 AM)

California Indy:

I have been to the Bay area in California......
Now I know where all the weirdos are at........
But I don't have to meet all the people in Northern California.....
They sold their homes and moved here.....
They tell me of the idiots and morons that run that state.......
Of the high taxes and some of the sickest laws in the country.......
Of the high crime rate and a mayor who is just a little short of being a true communist.

With all the radical liberals in your area....
You can keep them....
I'd rather live in the real world..........

The delegate fight

Katherine, Escanaba MI — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:52:46 GMT

Being from Michigan, I have a vested interest here. And what I say is let the DNC seat totally uncommitted delegations from Michigan and Florida and let the fun begin.

By the way, I hit Hillary's website this morning (as I'm still deciding between her and Obama) and noticed that she doesn't have Michigan or Florida under her "states" section. Apparently we don't exist except when our delegates could be valuable to her.

The delegate fight

BK — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:56:55 GMT

I've got an idea....to be fair and follow the rules, how about if John Kerry and Ted Kennedy vote for Hillary because she beat the hell out of Obama in their state? No, they are going to vote for Obama....and all the Obama fans think that that is ok....but if a super delegate in an "Obama" state wants to vote for Hillary...oh my God, that's a travesty and all of you cry that we need to get rid of the super delegates! I don't get it...it just shows that the Obama fans only want to follow the "rules" when it benefits their messiah.
And by the way, count the votes in Florida and Michigan because the people voted and their votes should count, like they did not in 2000....Remember? that's why Bush is in the White House, Obama fans!

Go Hillary!!!!!

The delegate fight

Ariel,Jupiter,Florida — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:58:51 GMT

Jaycee for President, and I'm not kidding.

The delegate fight

Cathy, Upstate NY — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:01:28 GMT

The obvious race baiting from the Obama campaign and the strong-arm tactics of getting black Superdelegates to change their support based on "RACE", will have a serious backlash. Obama will NEVER make it to the White House, because this divisive behavior of pitting whites against blacks will create a movement among white voters to stop the momentum of this "racial uprising". This will be especially noticeable in the southern states...if Obama should actually garner the nomination by racially blackmailing African American Superdelegates. Also, all of Hillary's supporters would automatically vote for McCain, because we are looking for an experienced candidate, not a slick politician who played the "race card" and the "Oprah card" to get in. You Obama zealots are fooling yourselves if you truly think that the White House will become a "Black House" just because Oprah said so...Hillary OR McCain For President!!!

The delegate fight

frank scott allentown pa — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:01:50 GMT

re: Michigan and Florida delegates
I have decided to support Obama. This was a process for me, initially I supported Hillary. I enjoyed Hillary's toughness however when the streak of meanness entered I began to question my choice.Her campaign introduces race when it is not necessary, and the fact that this was done after her own show of victimization. She seemed to genuninely be emotionally hurt by Obama/Edwards and her humanity was appealing, I thought better of her again as I thought others also did. However when that perception was realized by the Clinton campaign, It became a tactic and she became disingenuous. It led me to ask what is more important the Clinton nomination or the nation. While I respect her ability to fight back against the republicans, I dont like the constant baggage that accompanies the fight. I do want some unity in our country, I am tired of the divisiveness. I believe Hill/Bill to be polarizing and not what most of us want for the next eight years.
I believe all citizens who want to vote should be allowed to have their votes count. Inclusiveness is always preferred to exclusivity. This is another reason I have moved away from Hillary. She wants these votes counted as they stand, from primaries that have occured when folks thought they would not matter.If the primaries are revoted, I believe they would reflect the same movement the rest of the country is experiancing. I believe Obama would either win or the delegate count would be split. So from a pragmatists view I believe this argument continues to erode support from Hillary, she appears desperate, and unprincipaled.

The delegate fight

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:02:59 GMT

The delegate fight

adriana, austin, texas — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:11:26 GMT

Vote Democratic! we have two great candidates...Obama is good but hillary is the better choice now.

The delegate fight

Patty, SD,CA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:12:01 GMT

A vote for Obama is like voting for Bush. Obama can not be a leader for all of america he will be a leader for black america he will have no choice.S. Perry Front royal Virginia (Sent Friday, February 15, 2008 11:43 AM)
*******************************
S. Perry:

Why don't you post your predjudice, racist crap somewhere else. It's people like you that give this country a bad name and divide the races more then unite them.
C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Friday, February 15, 2008 12:02 PM)

************************

C A from tesculoosa, does the truth bother you? I want a president for the people not just for blacks.

The delegate fight

Some Punk Kid, Lawrenceville, GA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:16:17 GMT

First, American citizens do not have the right to vote, it's not in the Constitution, you only have the privilege of voting.
Second, counting Florida's and Michigan's votes wouldn't necessarily be fair, considering Clinton was the only candidate on the ticket in Michigan, and of course voter turn out in both states would have been bigger if those delegates of each state were to be counted. Nobody is being disenfranchised [that word is so stupidly political], you guys wasted your own time voting, tough, get over it, you'll live another day.
Both candidates need to let the superdelegates do what they were put in the process to do, and hold any considerations or suggestions of any change in the process until future elections.

The delegate fight

RNC — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:27:50 GMT

Cathy, Update ["Upstate" perhaps?] NY

Also, all of Hillary's supporters would automatically vote for McCain, because we are looking for an experienced candidate, not a slick politician . . .

Cathy. Let me be the first to welcome you to the Republican party. It is a honor and a privilege to have you aboard!

The delegate fight

Kansas Indy Kansas City, KS — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:28:34 GMT

Withdrawing the a vote is the same as withdrawing support. Unless maybe he's bring her tea and running errands or something. Nothing like fair-weather fans. Maybe the GA reps don't understand the difference between leading and following.

The delegate fight

Phred, NH — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:37:44 GMT

Okey doke, lets have a do-over in Florida & Michigan. Might as well hook up Obama with more delegates, be they super or otherwise. The SS Clinton is taking on more water, listing to port, and seeing rats flee into the sea. I feel the rotund soprano songstress is about to break out into full melody.

The delegate fight

New Independent — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:40:31 GMT

J. Merle Stanley - Westchester, NY - I have to totally disagree with you. Not ALL the people in Florida and Michigan had spoken. Many never bothered to vote because they were told their votes didn't count. Add to that, Hillary's name was the only one on the ballot in Michigan, and it seems rather unfair doesn't it? Not to mention the DNC AND all the candidates, (including Hillary and Barack) AGREED not to count the delegates in those states no matter which way the votes went. Seems almost like cheating now that the votes are in, and the Clintons want to count those two states, no? As far as the Superdelegates go, they should be done away with. But as long as they have "free standing" if he chooses to vote the way his constituents did, that's his choice, isn't it?

I think the way the PEOPLE vote should be more important than the superdelegates. After all, this is America and not England with it's House of Lords and House of Commons.

The delegate fight

john doe — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:40:37 GMT

Fact Check: Sen. Obama, Exelon and Rezko
2/12/2008 1:31:21 PM

The Obama campaign produced a "fact check" that claimed:

1. Sen. Obama did not water down a bill requiring disclosure of nuclear leaks after pressure from a major contributor

2. Obama did "nothing wrong" related to Tony Rezko

3. There are no unanswered questions about Sen. Obama's relationship with Rezko

All three claims are false.

First, Sen. Obama did waterdown legislation requiring the nuclear industry to disclose leaks after receiving pressure from Exelon, one of his top campaign contributors. The New York Times reported:

A close look at the path his legislation took tells a very different story. While he initially fought to advance his bill, even holding up a presidential nomination to try to force a hearing on it, Mr. Obama eventually rewrote it to reflect changes sought by Senate Republicans, Exelon and nuclear regulators. The new bill removed language mandating prompt reporting and simply offered guidance to regulators, whom it charged with addressing the issue of unreported leaks.

…“Senator Obama’s staff was sending us copies of the bill to review, and we could see it weakening with each successive draft,” said Joe Cosgrove, a park district director in Will County, Ill., where low-level radioactive runoff had turned up in groundwater. “The teeth were just taken out of it.”

… The campaign acknowledged that Exelon executives had met with Mr. Obama’s staff about the bill…

Second, Obama himself admitted that he made a "mistake" involving Tony Rezko:

Two years ago, the two men were involved in a real estate deal that Obama later apologized for, calling it "boneheaded'' and a "mistake'' because the transaction occurred while Rezko was widely known to be under federal investigation. Rezko's wife paid full price for a vacant lot in Chicago's historic Kenwood district on the same day Obama bought the mansion next door from the same property owner for $300,000 below the asking price. Rezko's wife subsequently sold a sliver of the land to Obama.
Third, Sen. Obama's hometown newspaper, The Chicago Tribune, said that Obama needs to disclose more about his relationship with Tony Rezko:

Instead, as we've said, Obama has been too self-exculpatory. His assertion in network TV interviews last week that nobody had indications Rezko was engaging in wrongdoing strains credulity: Tribune stories linked Rezko to questionable fundraising for Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2004 -- more than a year before the adjacent home and property purchases by the Obamas and the Rezkos.

One more time, Senator:

You need to divulge all there is to know about that relationship. Until you do, the journalistic scrubbing and opposition research will intensify. You should have recognized Rezko as a political seducer of young talent.

Eric Zorn, frequently cited in other Obama "fact checks," agrees:

But journalists are still looking because they're not satisfied that they have the full story.

And that's Obama's fault. At some point early in his campaign for the White House, he apparently decided he'd said all he wanted to say and all there was to say about his dealings with Rezko. He would not grant follow-up interviews on the subject to investigative reporters, and his staff provided written and often inadequate responses to written questions.

The delegate fight

Incredulous — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:43:55 GMT

To the people saying Obama would only be a president for blacks. I would like to see ANYTHING even REMOTELY resembling proof that you have any idea what you are talking about. What makes you think this? Seriously? I want to hear some evidence. Otherwise, you are spewing bigotry and hate and some of us are trying to take the country to a higher level. So, take off your white pointy hats, do some research, and get back to me.

The delegate fight

Jay, NM — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:48:15 GMT

john doe, how about balancing out what you're saying there. Where's your "factcheck" report on Hillary? The one that shows she voted for the same legislation re the nuclear company. She's on record supporting it. Regarding Rezko, you really think it's a good idea to go after him for having shady dealings with a crook when you are supporting a CLINTON?! Please.

The delegate fight

CJ — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:48:36 GMT

Patty's comment....wow..they must be taking Friday off because they are doing a poor job of censoring the blatant racist comments.

The delegate fight

on-my-own-ground, Chicago — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:49:37 GMT

Superdelegates SHOULD stand on his/her OWN ground LIKE EVERYONE ELSE in a true democratic spirit. I hope they have kept reminding themselves that they were elected largely for their ability and sense of good judgement when they are required to express their opinions and beliefs.

The delegate fight

Dawn, Pittsburgh, PA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:49:44 GMT

John Doe - Right ON.

Also all you who think the Florida and Michigan delegates dont count, What if Obama had won those 2 states? You Obama supporters would be crying foul!!!

Cant wait for November. Hopefully I can vote for Hilliary.

The delegate fight

CJ — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:56:29 GMT

I think Obama needs to bury the Rezko questions too... I believe him on what he said, but he needs to tell the American everything and nip it in the bud. I understand why he wanted to move on, when you have to play catch up with the Clintons, it isn't wise to drag yourself down in explaining a complex mistake to the press or her campaign.

The delegate fight

Jay, NM — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:58:42 GMT

on-my-own-ground-- once again:

I would never say that people don't have a right to voice their opinions, however, those opinions should be as informed as possible. I've seen a lot of people buying in to Hillary's spin about superdelegates. They were NOT designed to be "independent" or "free-thinkers" or to "vote their conscience." Do some research! They were created to help break a deadlock in the event that one should happen, by voting for the winner of the popular vote, thereby putting that candidate over the top. The system was NOT created to keep non-establishment populists from getting in, or to provide their "sense of good judgement" in the process. Hillary is spinning the "independent" idea so they can overturn our votes. Why complain about Michigan and Florida when she wants to disenfranchise the ENTIRE COUNTRY?

The delegate fight

James Brown,Eugene , Oregon — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:00:18 GMT

The thing about Washington is , the longer a person is there , the more corrupt and crooked they become. I see Obama's lack of "TIME" in Washington as a huge asset , because he hasn't been there long enough to become totally tainted.

Clinton is part of the problem , not the solution , because her and Bill thrive on back door deals and scandal, that's the part they love , and it all boils down to "whats in it for me"..........and to hell with the American people.

Experience...........Obama -vs- Clinton

Senator Obama --During the first eight years of Senator Obama’s elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced:
233 regarding health-care reform,
125 on poverty and public assistance,
112 crime fighting bills,
97 economic bills,
60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,
21 ethics reform bills,
15 gun control,
6 veterans affairs and many others.
His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These included:
- the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law),
- The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, (became law),
- The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate,
- The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, (became law),
- The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, (In committee)
Senator Clinton -- Senator Clinton’s, who has served only one full term (6yrs.), and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law, (20) twenty pieces of legislation.
1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.
2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.
3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Hon
4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall.
5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson.
6. Name post office after Jonn A. O'Shea.
7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death.
10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program.
13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.
14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death.
15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty.
Only five of Senator Clinton's bills are more substantive:
16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11.
17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11
18. Assist landmine victims in other countries.
19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care.
20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the wilderness preservation system.

In Conclusion, you now have the facts straight from the Senate Records vault.

The delegate fight

ny reality — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:01:37 GMT

If we follow the rules, we follow ALL the rules. Fla and Michigan don't count, and the superdelegates get to vote the way they want regardless of their state (some superdelegates aren't elected officials anyway)
Neither Hillary or Obama get their full way then, which is fair.
But the DNC made the BIGGEST mistake in these rules in the first place. Do they really believe either Hillary or Obama can win in November w/o MI and Fla?
As for the injection of race into the campaign, watching Bill Clinton in SC made my stomach turn, and I was a staunch Hillary supporter up to then. But for the records, it WAS Obama and NOT Hillary who started the entire conversation in the first place by likening himself to Martin Luther King. He could have likened himself to JFK or RFK, but he specifically picked MLK. THAT's when it started, altho I completely agree the Clintons carried it much to much further
But facts are facts and should be debated as such and not twisted beyond recognition

The delegate fight

SadStateOfAffairs — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:03:32 GMT

Hey, California Indy. Love your comment about the "highly educated". What's that suppose to mean? Are you insinuating that if one doesn't posses (um, I mean can't afford) an Ivy League Education than that person is stupid?

My mother, who was only able to complete the third grade because she was needed in the cotton fields probably summed it up best for me.

"Educated Idiots Are A Dime A Dozen!"

She's still the wisest, uneducated lady I've ever known.

The delegate fight

Neil, Boston, MA — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:05:13 GMT

The more Hillary keeps up the talk about using superdelegates to steal an undemocratic win, or Michigan Florida etc, the more people will be motivated to turn out for Obama in large numbers to defeat her nefarious designs.

So keep up the doubletalk Hillary. To most thinking people you now are a female replica of Dubya.

The delegate fight

jack, Burlington, vt — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:21:27 GMT

Fact check - no war experience, no political experience, ran for ill. senate - unopposed and u.s. senate - unopposed - has been grooming himself for this for years - see the contributions to superdelegate races, and the no votes so as to keep himself clear of tarnish. He is the biggest head case i have ever seen. "I won the east, I won the west, I won the middle - " What an ego. We do not need him to save us or change us. Lasst time i looked i was able to take care of myself and liked the government - maybe not bush but the gov. we have. Check Mccains speech about Obama - today. Outstanding speech.

The delegate fight

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:25:30 GMT

"S. Perry Front royal Virginia (Sent Friday, February 15, 2008 11:43 AM)
A vote for Obama is like voting for Bush. Obama can not be a leader for all of america he will be a leader for black america he will have no choice."

Dude,
African Americans make up only 13.4 % of the nations population. That is why they are called a minority. They cannot by themselves elect anybody but when they are joined by broad coalition of ALL Americans then they can HELP.
You need to fight your upbringing or whatever it is that motivates you and try to think clearly. Your mindset is something this country needs to wake up from. We need to Unite and move forward.

YES WE CAN!

The delegate fight

Take care — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:37:11 GMT

How naive all of the Obama supporters are.

Karl Rove and the Republicans are having a good laugh right now watching Obama's success fall right into place the way that they have planed.

Their strategy and all of its contingencies are palying out perfectly.

Their coup de grace of Obama's race for the White House will come when they strategically secure the Presidency for John McCain, just as they did for Bush in 2000 & 2004.

Then the Republicans will have the biggest laugh that they have ever had.

Gota love those "Cross-over" voters!

The delegate fight

James G., Oak Park, MI — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:38:09 GMT

I proposed this yesterday in regards to the Michigan and Florida delegates. Since the DNC did not adjust the delegate number for nomination to exclude the two states in question, we have a problem.

I voted uncommitted in our primary because I was unable to cast my vote for Senator Obama. What I propose is this:

Since we can't be sure how the primary results would've gone if all candidates had been allowed to campaign, the only fair solution is to EQUALLY divide the delegates by all of the official candidates in the race at the time.

Meaning the delegates get equally distributed between, Senators (Clinton, Obama), Former Senators (Edwards, Gravel) and Congressman Kucinich. This way the delegates can be seated, no one has an unfair advantage and the states still serve their punishment for moving the primaries. What do you think?

The delegate fight

Mox — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:40:28 GMT

I am tired of any questioning on Obama to be labeled racist. Bull. If this is the case than all us white folk are the ones to be either used or not important .right?He went by Barry when being brought up in his white as cream, he called it society.Now wanting to unite the blacks he is Barac. hmmmmmm now that is pretty much put away after lies about clintons so he could call race(which he knows nothing about,first hand)now he will use it to pry latinos togeather away from Hillary.While he was in his nice white Hawaii youth she was working on civil rights. The fact not one of you can give her credit for a thing proves this. People that havent voted yet think about it not just follow Barry

The delegate fight

Merlin Bartels, Grand Junction, MI — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:40:32 GMT

As a MICHIGAN registered voter - I voted in the primary elections; Since my vote would not have any value as a Democrat, I voted Republican for John McCain, though my preference was Obama. So.. Would I get a do-over and get to vote twice? Note: I am a 59 year old white male that can not morally support the Clintons.

The delegate fight

jack, burlington, vt — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:41:16 GMT

You all need to take this conversation a bit farther -as John McCain has a great speech on this site today. He points to obama and asks what makes this man(Obama) think he is the salvation for us. Read the speech, it is a real eye opener. It is all about solutions and experience. In congress he is seen as an oportunist - looking to make a name for himself without paying the dues of sweat and hard work. I will vote for clinton and if not her then McCain - I will never vote for a peacock like obama, all strut and talk - no experience.

The delegate fight

Incredulous — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:46:17 GMT

Jack, saying he won in the west, east, and middle isn't ego. It's a fact. Keep following Hillary if you like, but chill on the unsubstantiated personal attacks. You sound like Hillary.

The delegate fight

American Joe — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:50:50 GMT

Obamas church states they must be non-negotiable commitment to Africa.there goal of liberation and restoration. If Obama could just explain this please. I dont like feeling like i do.I was proud of our country and the advancements we made. I liked it when we all thought of each other as Americans. This is deviding us so bad we will never win the election. Dont bash just explain ok please.Its not just the election i fear for any more. Its us as a people.

The delegate fight

frank — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:52:18 GMT

once upon a time the "queen of Mean" lived in NYC rented out rooms in NYC now she is the junior senator from NY

The delegate fight

Mox — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:02:54 GMT

I think we all need to take a big breath and stick to issues. Yes me too. What is the newest bill Obama supported(Global Poverty)This is his Bill right? 380 Billion Dollars and not a penny to USA Where is this money comeing from? If my money goes to Poverty I want it to start here.What about his small arms reduction? Whats that about

The delegate fight

Jay, NM — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:03:46 GMT

American Joe, I think what needs to be considered here is that you are asking about the positions of his church, not the man. I am a Catholic, but do I agree with the inquisition, or with the crusades? No. Do I agree that people should never use birth control? No. It is entirely possible for someone to worship at a church AND disagree with some of the things that church supports.

To see how Obama feels, not the church he happens to attend, listen to his speeches, go to his website, look at his record, which works towards unity, civil rights, and empowerment of the individual to take control of, and responsibility for, their own lives.

I hope you don't take my comments as an attack, sometimes text doesn't convey a person's intention very well and so I'd like to state that I only intend to speak to your concerns, not attack the fact that you have some.

The delegate fight

American Joe — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:19:15 GMT

Jay, Thank you and i do take them as given,I believe. Thank you and thank you for doing it in a decent manner. This is a big decision for the top job and when all you hear is rants it gets to be a bit much. Thank you it was helpful.

The delegate fight

Marbw — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:28:15 GMT

SUPERDELEGATES///////FLA AND MICHIGAN

--FIRST, superdelegates should do what is best for the Dem party and the country-I do not personally care which state went which way by a few points. The entire country votes for the nominee. ---
SECOND, as I stated before. DNC should do a fundraiser(easy considering how funds are pouring into the campaign-they could raise that money in a day from Dems across the country) to cover the cost for Michigan and Florida REVOTE. They should set a REVOTE date//allow set-time for both candidates to campaign in each state(something that was not done previously)//Then have an actual vote(allowing everyone-including voters who did not participate initially because they were told that it would not count). THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO RESOLVE THIS MESS TO BOTH SIDES' SATISFACTION(HOPEFULLY).