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News from our friend Ann Lewis + Obama on Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” & Open Thread

By SusanUnPC on January 29, 2009 at 12:20 AM in Current Affairs, Hillary Clinton, Inauguration Day, Obamatopia, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

FIRST THINGS FIRST: I got the greatest letter today from Ann Lewis, sent out to all of Hillary’s devoted supporters. Below the fold is the full letter, but the first thing you want to do is go to NoLimits.org and sign up. No money is involved. It’s very simple and positive! This is all about helping us stay connected to each other! (More below.)

Now, here’s a video of Obama greeting Beyonce on January 18th at the Lincoln Center concert. To view the particular video, you have to scroll back to January 18th – by putting your mouse cursor in the middle of the LEFT side of the video screen and clicking back, back, back to January 18 — to see the video that the TV news networks are a’twitter about. Wait for Obama to show up and chat it up with Beyonce about her song and his daughters.

The gospel truth? I’d never heard of John Legend until I saw this video on TV today, but I made it to his Web site and figured out how to post this video! I’m so proud of myself! But I still haven’t heard John Legend perform, and doubt I will.

Obama’s reference to Justin is to Justin Timberlake’s spoof performance on Saturday Night Live, when Timberlake apparently wore an outfit like Beyonce wears in her music video of the song.

It’s kind of amusing to see these people thrilled out of their minds while they wait for Obama to show up. Then it’s even more amusing to listen to Obama talk like the folk. Boy oh boy. (Do you think he ever talks like that in other settings? Surely not in the Sit Room briefings, right? I’m laughing.)

NOW BACK TO THE BEST PART, Ann Lewis’s letter today (and, yes, that’s a photo of Ann Lewis):

ann-lewis2Because you were such a strong supporter of Hillary’s presidential campaign, I wanted you to be among the first to know about an exciting new, non-partisan organization: NoLimits.org.

Inspired by Hillary’s speech in Denver, when she said “With our ingenuity, innovative spirit and creativity, there are no limits to what is possible in America,” we formed NoLimits.org so that we can continue working together on the issues that are important to us.

NoLimits.org is a new community dedicated to speaking up, sharing ideas and solving problems in our communities, our cities, our states, and our world. It is about empowering one another through our common experiences to address the challenges before us.

We’ll keep you up to date with news about issues on which Hillary took a lead and we know you care so much about, like health care, equal pay, an economy that works for the middle class.

But NoLimits.org isn’t a political organization — it’s a community. And that means we need your voice to make it a success!

Click here to join today.

Since the campaign, we have heard from so many of you that you want to stay in touch with the friends you made. Whether we worked close to home or traveled across the country, we came away with a renewed sense of what we could do to make a difference.

You told us you want to go on making a difference, and you know we can all do more when we share ideas and find ways to work together. (It does take a village, after all.)

We’re at the beginning of a new era for our country. We have come so far! Let’s keep working toward the values and goals we share – a better future for every child, from every family; a world in which No Limits is not just our goal, but a reality.

Let’s take this journey together. Join us!

Sincerely,
Ann Lewis

What else is going on in your hip little world?

  • Hank

    Cool! I like Ann Lewis.

    • Jackarooty

      Btw, Ann Lewis is Barney Frank’s sister!

      • Tess

        Is that really true, that Lewis is Barney Frank’s sister? Was not Frank one of the architects of the mortgage scandal? What have I missed here?

        • Jackarooty

          Yes it’s true! There are plenty of odd couples in politics and I guess among siblings too!

          • JozefAL

            For further proof, google “Candace Gingrich”.

  • http://noquarterusa No-nonsense-Nancy

    I ALREADY GOT HER EMAIL AND JOINED. LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF HIS COMMNITY.

  • Ellen D

    Looks good. I noticed a crack in the media today with Campbell Brown calling Obama a hypocrite because of another ethics waiver being asked for the Goldman Sachs lobbyist that our new Treasury Secretary is asking for. Isn’t the appointment of a tax dodger as head of Treasury enough of an ethics waiver?

  • lunatic

    i watched a bunch of nothing from the 18th, but i never saw the video you’re talking about. what’s so remarkable about it?

  • lunatic

    guess no one’s around right now. oh well…

    thanks anyway!

  • CG

    Politico.com has a quick to play video segment of the Obama/Beyonce/Justin comment called Obama Channels Beyonce http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid5173139001/bclid1201016315/bctid9347630001, just 20 seconds.

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      KEWL. I tried to find a quick version at YouTube, but couldn’t. Thanks.

  • Katmoon

    As this is an open thread, and some long timers here have asked me about “Buster” recently, our 16 year old, long haired siamese four-legged family member-he passed away earlier this morning. He was ill for the past two months, but was eating and social and loving and not in pain, so we let nature run it’s course. He decided sometime yesterday it was time to say goodbye, resting his way into crossing over until this morning. I cry only because this selfish human, (me) am a much better person for knowing, loving and spending my life with these four-legged family members. To Buster, we love you.

    • Judy L. NC

      I’m so sorry.

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      I’m so sorry about Buster, Kat! HUGS!!!!!!!!!!

    • Idiocracy08

      I’m so sorry too. I have a siamese who I have been blessed to love for the past 12 years. We had another siamese for 14 years. We found them both when they were grown, so we don’t know their actual age. But they are the most loving wonderful babies!

      You are very lucky to have been able to love him for so long, and I’m sure Buster felt just as lucky. You do have my deepest sympathy.

      • Katmoon

        Thank you all; I know most know how this feels. The other cats are going about their day, except Buster’s sister, she went into hiding;(expected and we will let her do her thing today). The dogs are very subdued. Off to school now, and thank you again for your kind words and hugs.

    • Karma

      I’m sorry about Buster…words just don’t do justice on any type of loss.

      But when you feel up to it, I look forward to any stories you want to share in honor of the fuzzy guy.

      Buster can live in all of our memories.

      {{{HUGS}}}

  • Jackarooty

    Here is the new Secretary of State’s official photo.

    http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/115472.htm

    She looks beautiful! Of course my sister isn’t happy because her necklace is askew but then like most HRC people nothing will make us happy unless she were the president!

  • ACPD

    It is so obvious to me that BO is acting “black,” when he needs to. Oprah puts on a thick southern accent, when she wants to underline her ethnic heritage; but at least she has lived that history. He hasn’t. It reminds me of Bush’s Texas accent. That from a guy who was born in New Haven, CT, educated in CT and MA and whose roots are as Yankee as they come….Phony is the word of the day.

    As for Ann Lewis, I’ve always liked her, and don’t hold against her a brother who lost my respect a while ago….

    • Judy L. NC

      Ditto!

    • Idiocracy08

      Bush is from Texas. He grew up here as a kid. It doesn’t take a lot to get a Texas accent, and it sure is hell hard to shake.

      I don’t mean disrepect, but I just get tired of people saying he’s not a Texan. I’ve lived here all my life, and trust me…not a fan of any of the Bushes…

      He was born in 1946 – moved to Texas in 1948. Poppy became the big oil guy. Jr went to school in Texas, but went to high school and college out of state. Bet he had to pay out of state tuition.

      After Yale, he came back to Texas for his famous legendary stint (and well documented I might add) in the Texas National Guard. (snark)

      He’s been here since the early 70s. How long does someone have to live in Texas to be a Texan? I would guess he’s spent much more of his life living in Texas than anywhere else.

      • irish1139

        Its a funny thing about accents. I grew up in New York state but have lived in Florida for the past 20 years. There are times I find myself using language that is totally foreign to my New York upbringing. Sometimes I think I am channeling southerners. When I catch myself, I stop but I do understand how people can pick up an accent from the places they live.

    • FranSC

      I noticed Obama’s immitation of the “MLK” speaking style on the night of O’s first victory (Iowa Caucuses), and I might add, his first fraudulent victory as we now know.

      I knew he had been adamant that he would not run as the AA candidate – never mentioning race at all. But, did he ever lay it on with that victory speech: “They said it couldn’t be done” in his best MLK voice with perfect MLK cadence. I kept wondering who “they” were.

      Aside from my gripping disappointment that Hillary had not prevailed in Iowa, I was very struck by O suddenly becoming the black candidate. He also reminded me of Oprah and the way she can lapse into that southern dialect, but she is usually kidding. This was no joke for what appeared to be a modern, if sudden, civil rights leader – well, at least on this and subsequent victory nights.

      The following day, he would slide right back into his non-ethnic identity. However, he wasn’t above allowing all the race-baiting going on around him, thanks to his race-baiting team led by JJJr. O would even sometimes defend the person being charged as a ‘racist’ to throw everybody off – like Bill Clinton and others. What a fraud!

  • ChooChooMagoo

    Susan -
    I keep seeing a huge contrast between Hillary and Bill Clinton’s approach to moving this country forward and Barack Obama’s.

    Bill and Hillary address the american people as a group of diverse, capable adults. They ask us to “think” and “innovate.” To become the “How to” generation. The emphasis is on empowerment of the individual. We each need to do more, but we also need to think more and think how to do things better and how what we do impacts one another. Use terms like , “think out side the box”, “No Limit” and opportunities. (see Hillary’s State department speech or Bill’s The Way Forward speech at North Carolina State University on Monday night.)

    Barack Obama and the media address the american people as a group of unruly children to be scolded and lead. Sign up and help out. The emphasis is on power through community and conformity. Join us, be one of us and together we do it. (Anyone see that Starbuck’s commercial – very uplifting tune and message, but I find it a little creepy that they targeted their customers children as a way to get their customers to signing up -and give information!) But what is it we need to do besides follow our leader? Use terms like “we are one,” sacrifice, shared pain. (See any one of Obama’s stern faced daily press events)

    Yes we are all in this together. But what is going to get us out of this. Shared pain and sacrifice? No. They are an inevitable part of our future, but what we need from our leaders in a way to break through the pain and move forward to something better.

    Maybe it’s just me, but I was never a very good sheep. And I don’t think this country or this world will be a better place if all the sheep would just move better together. So I’m more than ready to emancipate and empower a “how to” generation of fully functioning, responsible, capable, thinking adult.

    Baa Baa Little Corporate Sheep
    by Choo Choo Magoo

    Baa, baa, little corporate sheep,
    I see you’ve shorn your wool.
    Yes sir, yes sir,
    But now the world is cold.

    Chilled by greedy CEO’s,
    And nameless government shirkers.
    Now no one can knit my wool,
    And I’ve joined the unemployed workers.

    Baa baa little corporate sheep,
    No need to despair.
    No doubt, they’ll throw some straw your way,
    and time will re-grow your hair.

    But if you really want to be,
    A builder to the future.
    Stop looking down, the “how’s” abound
    if innovative thought you nurture.

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      That is a point worth exploring, and i hope others remark on what you said.

      Maybe after 8 years of Bush, most Americans felt like exhausted children who just wanted a savior, and if the savior looked cool and told them what they wanted to hear, that was good enough.

      Some of us, though, have been through too many elections and Presidents and Congresses, and we know that it takes a tough, savvy, experienced person to do the job. First, that person has to KNOW so very much about the workings of a massively huge government and ALL the key issues around the world. Second, that person has to have a team at the ready with the same requisite experience (a hint that Obama didn’t, and had to draw on people he didn’t know very well at all — so he not only has to lead and confer, but he has to get to know all of these people too, whereas Hillary would have had a team she’d known intimately for years and would have — as she said — been on the job Day One.

      I’d LOVE to know what kind of stimulus package Hillary would have fashioned.

      First, i think she probably might have had an epic battle with Nancy Pelosi, who is exactly the WRONG kind of person when we have national crises and need bipartisan cooperation. Pelosi is far too partisan, too divisive, and too in love with her “pet” projects.

      Nancy knew that too. I remember SO MANY of our readers here writing, during the primaries, that they suspected Nancy Pelosi was doing everything she could to undermine Hillary’s candidacy. Nancy wanted to run the show herself in Congress and Obama has to let her because he barely knows anything about Congress, having spent — what? — 1.5 years there at best?

      Then there’s the Senate. Harry Reid is another petty sniper. Golden oratory is not his forte. Sigh.

      I sort of veered off your point a bit …. but I find the partisan sniping on both sides to be immature and childish, and the Pelosi gang’s insistence on “my way or the highway” and adding their pet projects (condoms) and pork, is more evidence of “childish ways” that Barack railed against in his inaugural.

      Anyway, Hillary is the consummate adult. So is Ann Lewis. I was VERY tickled to get her letter. I don’t know what this group will be doing, but there are some fun blog posts to explore there, although I haven’t yet.

      • ChooChooMagoo

        Susan don’t get me started on Pelosi, Reid, et.al

        Re Clinton’s. Maybe a key difference is their approach to power. Bill and Hillary see power as a sort of fertilizier – you spread it around people to help them grow. Barack and Nancy see government as a trellis and power as string. First you control where and how people grow then you dole out just enough string to lash them in place and keep them dependent on that trellis. Barack is still figuring out how to put together his king size trellis and he keeps worrying about accumulating more string.

        And yes, I would love to know what Hillary would have done. But I do think she maybe in the place she needs to be. As much as it is going to be rough here, there are many places around the world where it will be devastating. And avoiding multiple wars etc. while every one works through this pain is going to take the utmost skill.

  • http://insightanalytical.wordpress.com InsightAnalytical-GRL

    The traveling buddies, Clinton and Bush I were laughing it up and Bush I made a really creepy comment about women…with Bill laughing alongside.

    I went ballistic when I saw it…

    Couldn’t believe it when I saw it…,and it’s been buried, of course…I happened Monday…

    The Bush I-Clinton Roadshow Takes the Low Road in New Orleans at Guess Who’s Expense? (Hint: Women, of Course)

    http://insightanalytical.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/the-bush-i-clinton-roadshow-takes-the-low-road-in-new-orleans-at-guess-whos-expense-hint-women-of-course/

  • http://insightanalytical.wordpress.com InsightAnalytical-GRL

    I posted on an open thread, so…

    Horribly “plugging” a story that no one else covered should be OK…RIGHT???

  • Idiocracy08
  • helenk

    President Clinton and Secretary Clinton are grown up and have accomplished many things and are treated like grown ups. In turn they treat others as grown up.

    Backtack has been a spoiled child his whole life and has accomplished nothing on his own. In turn he treats others like spoiled children. He does not know any better.

    WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM, AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

    PUMAS,BUBBAS, AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE

    • FranSC

      BO is trying to look “in charge”, by lecturing, maybe? It’s pretty scarey when you know so little about what you are doing, but everyone is watching you expecting your every word to be a gem of some kind.

      It was reported tonight, however, that BO may be saying, “Do as I say and not as I do”. This was in reference to O sitting in the oval office in his shirt sleeves. When asked about this, Axelrod supposedly said, “Hey, this guy’s from Hawaii and he likes it warm. He also likes the thermostat on high.”

      Somebody needs to tell him to put on his jacket and turn the thermostat down to go along with his “greener” White House that he promised, as well as save fuel and cut costs. I’m afraid we have someone trying to act grown up but isn’t.

  • Idiocracy08

    Susan, I tried leaving links for John Legend, but it’s not showing. You should youtube him and listen to Save Room, Greenlight, and Oridinary People. He is amazing!!
    I’ll try one link:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKiGXZsOGlY

  • oowawa

    resting his way into crossing over

    Cats often seem to know something we don’t about exactly how to make this journey. Graceful and courageous.