Hello all, I'm writing from somewhere sunny in Latinamerica. I would like to inform you about the meal I just had.
I rubbed some olive oil in the bottom of a porcelain bowl. Then, I sliced one huge, ripe, tomato into very thin slices, and placed the slices over the bowl. Then, I put some mozzarella cheese, and some parmesan cheese, and some oregano and a little more olive oil on top of the tomato slices. Then I sliced another large tomato, very ripe, into thin slices and repeated the process. Then I put my porcelain bowl in the oven for about forty minutes, that is, until the smell of grated cheese and warm tomatoes filled my kitchen. Then I ate this over some cold salad of lettuce and avocado.
Here's what I think an Obama cabinet should look like. It's got clintonistas, republicans and a few liberals that deserve to be on the national stage. It is, I think, a rather liberal cabinet that looks moderate (remind you of someone?). It entails no loss of senate or governor seats for democrats and, actually, gains us a senate seat. Also, it has plenty of women in it.
Two zen monks were traveling together and came upon a river. On the shore was a woman who begged them to help her cross to the other side. The younger monk hoisted the woman up on his shoulders and waded the river with her. The older monk followed.
The two monks continued their journey in silence for a few hours, the younger one was serene, the older was visibly angry. Finally, the older monk spoke:
- Why did you carry that woman across the river? The rules of our community clearly forbid s to touch women, under any cirmustances.
The younger monk answered:
- I stopped carrying that woman hours ago. You still have her on your shoulders
By now, it is quite clear that the rules of the democratic primary process should be reformed (note: they should also be followed, pending a reform). The task of reforming the primary process will be, to paraphrase Hobbes, nasty, brutish and long, and I can predict with confidence that whatever compromise emerges in the future will be far from perfect although, hopefully, an improvement upon the current system. Whatever happens in the future, I think it is important to learn from this years' primary campaign. Below the fold are some of the lessons to be learned, as well as some suggestions for the future
Calling all Puerto Rican Kossacks, both on the island and elsewhere.
Tell us who and where you are, and how you're gonna get all your puertorican friends and family to vote for Obama!
For the first time in forever, Puerto Rico is going to be in the national spotlight. Only good can come of this. Do you see either statehood or independence in the future? What issues are important to you? What do you hear from other puertoricans? What is, in your opinion, the impact of the various endorsements for both HRC and BHO?
Okay, there are about five or so diaries on the recent diary list about VP choices. So it's something people seem to want to talk about.
I came up with a scoring system I'd like to share with y'all. There are eight metrics, seven positive and one negative, and potential VPs score from 0 to +3 on the positives and from 0 to -3 on the negatives (so that a perfect candidate would get a 21, whichh is a nice number). For details, follow me after the fold.
There has been a recent surge of diaries here calling for Obama to pick this or that VP (even... her). What I did was I came up with a scoring system for comparing,pimping and rejecting potential VP candidates.
Wanna waste time? You know you do, follow me below the fold...
I want Barack Obama to win, as badly as you do. In fact, I believe any other possible outcome for this election would be, at worst, disastrous, and, at best, an enormous opportunity for change gone to waste. I have hope.
But hope is not blind optimism. Obama is trending slowly but steadily downards; the Clinton campaign's self-fulfilling prophecy/battle plan appears to be coming to fruition. He is under attack by the media (who are willing to do a story on wether the Wright story s alive, so they can keep the Wright story alive), the republicans (who clearly want to face Hillary Clinton) and Hillary Clinton (who has burned too many bridges to care if she burns a few more).
Barack Obama needs his mojo back. He needs to change the media narrative. Obama's policy proposals are detailed and forthright, but are also sensible and non-polarizing, so the media won't report them. His campaign and his speaking skills are excellent, but that has become expected of him. What's he going to do?
Hillary Clinton WILL secure the democratic nomination. The Clintons never lose. Superdelegates will throw the nomination her way after they are shown the light. Once she is the nominee, here is her strategy.
The Obstacles:
58% of people think she is not honest/trustworthy
Only 35% of people think she can "bring change" compared to Obama
The idea that she is an experienced foreign policy leader has become mockable, due to Tuzlagate
Overthrowing the results of voting primaries will dampen youth enthusiasm for the democratic candidate, and alienate african americans
She has framed the campaign against Obama in terms of "being a non-elitist real american", "having qualifications to be commander in chief" and "having many years of experience". McCain kicks her ass on all counts.
Hillary Clinton's brilliant strategy for beating McCain is below the fold.
Have you ever put all of your trust upon a person only to be let down?
How about a cause? Have you ever invested your work and hopes upon a cause to see it not only fail but reveal itself to be less lofty, moral and worthy than you thought?
Have you ever lived through hard times sustained by a vision of the future that you thought both certain and good? And has this future not come about?
Have you identified yourself so much with a person that your sense of self confidence, your hopes and identity are tied with said person?
Truthfully, though, have you?
Now, have you seen that person fail when she or he was supposed to triumph? Have you seen that person mocked, hated, derided?
Or how about this; have you spent a decade or so of your life driven by a single goal? And have you failed to reach that goal? Have you compromised your ideals in the process?
I'm an Obama supporter who has wished for a long time that HRC quit the race. I now believe she should stay on till the last primary (but not until Denver)
It would have been wise and smart, even from a selfish standpoint, for Hillary Clinton to quit the race before March 4th, and before having gone negative on Barack Obama. As things stand now, however, I think it would be best for the party if HRC were to stay on the race until June 4th.
(This is an extremely short diary. It is not meant to inform or persuade but rather to amuse)
March 28, 2008- Google hits for the following phrases:
"Tom Cruise is nuts": 19300 (not surprising, but amusing)
"George Bush is nuts": 2350
"Hillary Clinton is nuts": 2780
Man! According to the internets, Hillary Clinton is nuttier than Bush! And 0.14 as nutty as Tom Cruise, which is saying a lot.
Oh, and the best part:
"Barack Obama is nuts": 1
1! And it's rather accidental. It says "voting for Barack Obama is nuts", on a republican site.
Revolutionary change does not come without resistance. Revolutionary times are times of crisis, where neither the old order nor the new one reign; revolutionary times are times of struggle. Did you think a transformational change of the democratic party would come without a fight?
Hillary Clinton's crazy, flailing campaign is good news, as I'll explain below the fold.
