My Final Rant
By UniversityofIowaJR on June 8, 2008 at 11:56 AM in Hillary Clinton, Iowa
SusanUnPC’s note: This is a vitally important story to read. May I add that a dedicated reader informed me that “rant” is not the term to use; rather, we are presenting the most cogent, persuasive arguments. Her argument against the term “rant” will be posted later. Now, we hear from a student at the University of Iowa, whose story both breaks my heart and infuriates me all over again. And, if I can persuade him, this will NOT be his final rant!
I became interested in politics, specifically democratic politics when I became of voting age almost 3 years ago. I missed the opportunity to hold my nose and vote for Kerry/Edwards. I am on the Executive Board of the University Democrats here on campus, the largest student organization at this university.
I am also President of Students for Hillary Clinton. I first saw Barack Obama speak in November of 2006 when he was campaigning for then candidate for governor Chet Culver in Iowa City. He was a good speaker. Then in January, a funny thing happened, a woman announced she was running. Hillary Clinton announced and then she came to my state.
I first saw her speak in Davenport, my hometown, on a cold morning (negative 14 degrees). She was awesome. She hit every point that mattered to me: college costs, the environment, health care. I was very impressed. She mentioned specific statistics on uninsured Americans, college loan interest rates, and on emissions in our country. In the months to follow I got the pleasure to hear all of our candidates, and meet all but Mike Gravel. I was hooked on Hillary Clinton.
Shady things started in Iowa around the time of the JJ Dinner in Des Moines.
We traveled in a caravan of cars from Iowa City that morning, and before we departed, a car load of people from Illinois, they told us from Joliet, pulled up and asked us if we were going to Des Moines to see Barack, and we told them we were going to Des Moines to see Hillary. They said thanks and left, but this is when the trend of “bussing” began with the Obama folks. At JJ, Joe Biden said what we were all thinking when he got on stage and said “Hello Iowa!” and then turned to Barack’s crowd and shouted “and Hello Chicago!”
Fast forward to caucus night. This is where it all became clear to me about how his supporters really felt about progressive issues. And this is where it became clear to me that I COULD NEVER VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA. The night was interesting, my precinct captain and I were the first people there besides the monitor, and about 20 minutes later a bus arrived, from Chicago according to the info on the side of the bus, full of 80 Obama people.
We went in to the caucus, and there things got heated. We were in one of the toughest places in the entire state for Hillary, in a precinct in Iowa’s most liberal city and which included mostly campus housing and apartments. We had 11 strong Hillary backers, and we were not viable on the first go.
On the second round we got all of Biden’s and Dodd’s supporters, and we had 19, you needed 20 for a delegate. The Obama precinct captain came over, with two friends, and tried to get our supporters to cave. They all refused (God bless em’) and she, the Obama precinct captain, exploded yelling “your not even viable anyways!”, and she stormed off, in the process calling me a “fag”. That was the buzzword. Her friends restrained her and they went back to their corner to, I am not kidding, get in a circle and chant “Fired Up and Ready to Go”. Cultish anyone?
This is the point I realized these people are not progressive, nor do they care about progressive causes. They are a giant personality cult. They offended every gay person there that night, me most directly, and we all heard her say this because every gay person was in Hillary’s corner. This was piled up in my mind alongside the Donnie McClurkin gaybash tour of 2007, and Obama’s refusal to both get a picture with pro-marriage equality San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, and his refusal to acknowledge gay rights as civil rights.
Add this together with his healthcare plan (not progressive enough), his energy record (not progressive…2005 Cheney bill), and the fact that not only has he said he would want to invade Pakistan, but he would employ people like Lake and Rice to advise him…..tells me he is no progressive,and his supporters for the most part are even less-so.
Now, Add all of this up with his unelectability in the electoral college, the shady way he received the nomination/coronation, his now sky high negatives, his shady past with figures like Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers, and his gaffe-prone wife, well, he is going to lose in November. How can he win when his strongest point is that he was against the war from the beginning, while he will be debating a former POW, war hero, and a man with a son serving in Iraq? He cannot win. Hillary Clinton can win, we saw this from the election maps on Hillbuzz.
John McCain is a republican. Barack Obama is a cult leader appointed by the RBC of the DNC as our nominee. The Democrat in this race is Hillary Clinton. She was chosen by the party,and the leadership ignored this and showed their true loyalties.
I will stand by my woman and vote for her in November, however, if Iowa has no write-in slot, it will depend on how I feel that day when I walk into that booth, and how supporters of each candidate present themselves on election day. I give props to John McCain for going on Ellen and discussing his views on civil unions and his support of equal legal rights. I respect him for voting against the FMA. Barack Obama has also voted against the FMA, which I am glad for. I am also glad he is pro-civil union.
Looks like no matter who wins, gay rights will still not be included in civil rights, and that no matter who wins we will not get universal healthcare. No matter who wins we will be further engaged in the middle east, whether it be in Iraq for years, or whether it be in northwest Pakistan.
Should Clinton not be on this ticket, I will be resigning from the UDEMS, and deciding what to do with my student group. Many of the members want the endorsement to go to McCain, which is a real possibility.
Hillary Clinton 2008
(small, medium and large sizes; for both dogs and cats)
+ 
Great Video,showing why Obama will never get my vote. Like I`ve said before. This not just about Hillary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcdnlNZg2iM
The video below it about Obama and white people was eye-opening to say the least…
Got a link to the Obama video? I tried to find it and couldn’t.
That was good. So is the next video in line there about Obama and ‘white people’- We haven’t heard all that yet, ay least I hadn’t.
NOBAMA
Appreciate this diary and caucus account. I’ve often wondered why the caucus procedure was still allowed as it seems a bit archaic.
Thank you for having the wisdom to know a great candidate and not falling into the American Idol mind-set.
Ignorance is bliss to many obamabots,
NOBAMA
It’s cheaper than running a primary, but then you get what you pay for.
They’re cheaper than a primary, but you get what you pay for.
The caucus is a strategy used to get Obama elected as nominee. It was done in the summer of 2007 by Brazile and her cronies.
Don’t doubt or forget it. Don’t stay home.
Vote McCain. We need a landslide to head off Obama stolen votes. If you love your country, please vote and vote mccain..write in’s will go to Obama. Staying home will not offset Obama’s stolen votes…please.
http://hillaryorbust.blogspot.com/
http://www.presidentshe.com/
An ex-friend of mine caucused in Austin, Texas, the two-vote state.
He described the same screaming, pushing, and bullying, but as an Obama partisan, he loved every mean-assed minute of it.
Not my friend, NoMo.
Next thing I heard, he was watching Obama’s Youtube speeches over and over again, crying and carrying on like a holy roller.
And I, who had been listening to Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor’s eye-popping shit on LAFF records in a black friend’s house while that snot-nose brat was still ****ing *** **** *** M*mmie’s Panty drawer, got labeled a racist because I liked Hillary.
As far as I’m concerned, Team Obama is nothing but a sick cult.
My 18 and 25 year old daughters and their friends received the same treatment in Nebraska. Complete chaos and thuggery.
well i can’t fire my sister. when she tried to talk about michigan and florida, i was able to refute what she said. what did she do? she responded saying “i can’t think right now.” well, i believe she’ll think about what i said down the road. as time goes along many will look back at what they said, voted, and wrote. some will see the error or their ways and some won’t. those who don’t are sitting there waiting to be manipulated again whether it is american idol or another nobama.
It’s cheaper than a primary but you get what you pay for.
It’s cheaper than a primary but then you get what you pay for.
Maybe caucuses worked when there were 200 people in towns and they rode up in their wagons, but thoise days are gone. Get rid of them now.
Wow. I am still taken aback when I hear first had accounts of the Obama thugs strong arm tactics. Thank you for sharing your story, and please do not take the illegal behavior of the DNC away as a lesson. Instead, let it make you rededicate your life to truth, justice, and the true American way! Keep fighting oppression (which in this context means Obama and his supporters)ans know that there are millions of us who support you!
sorry - S/B first hand accounts
That is intimidation and I would bet that those tactics were used at a lot of caucuses. There must be recourse, even retro-actively.
Does anybody know?
Don’t be surprised by any strong arm tactics, they are have been used by the Chicago Political Machine for almost a century.
They have a whole barrel full of tricks and I’m sure you will all see every one of them used in the next few months.
It aint beanbag, sweetie.
What a tragedy that a young, bright, politically engaged student such as yourself has become jaded because of the fraudulent candidacy of Obama and his following of cult-thugs.
Don’t write off Hillary yet, though. There are 11 weeks til the convention, and I’m betting she’ll leave Denver at the top of the ticket.
TexasDarling; Obama thinks he can wear those ruby slippers… Try as he might, he and his two sisters can’t keep Hillary from attending the ball.
I send this to you my Iowa friend with lots of love. Four years is not so far away, you know? Find some place to put that great passion of yours to a positive means. And …. like the song says ….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBKkwxCV5ls
Exactly. We can put our passion for all that is good to a positive use. It just won’t be for the DNC-led party.
Well put beebop!!
I love Fleetwood Mac and that song…ah that song; great memories
of 1992 !!
Thank you for opening your heart on this. Over at MyDD, a writer has written a “Thank but no thanks” diary that is another version of why he/she is leaving the party. I’ve written a response there, in fact two. After a day of trying to be nice, the pro-Obama vicious commenters are at it again.
There is always a subset of society that follows cults, or has authoritarian tendencies. It looks to me like Obama has drawn those people to his campaign. I am not saying that all or even most of his supporters are like that, but as least in blog land, there are a sufficient number of offensive Obama followers to worry me.
I’m old enough to remember when the Weathermen and the SDS were big issues on campuses. I was in college then. I see some of BO’s followers as being the same type of aggressive, tending towards violent (at least verbally) “activists” who pissed off so many of us liberals back in the late 60’s and early 70’s.
It’s not just his followers that worry me. It’s him! He loves the cultish following and he believes he is the messiah. And getting knocked down in New Hampshire did not teach him that lesson. If he gets elected in November he won’t have to think about the electorate anymore.
I posted this over at The Confluence, and am reposting it here.
I have been an infrequent poster at No Quarter and at Taylor Marsh’s blog. I am an unabashed supporter of the Clintons, going way back to Salon’s Table Talk. I supported Howard Dean because of his anti war position, and looked on in horror at the sliming of Hillary Clinton, and the dumb choice of the DNC and the rest to throw the nomination to Barack Obama.
I would urge people to vote for John McCain, but for the foreign policy people with which he has surrounded himself. They are unabashed neocons, warmongers of the highest order…Norman Podhoretz and now, recently, William Kristol’s son. This tells me that should McCain be elected, there will be a march to war in the Middle East.
Someone yesterday posted that a Republican friend confided that secretly, McCain was a Democrat. Maybe in domestic policy. But with the Podhoretz’s and the Kristols around him, I don’t think so.
Also, it has been my contention all along, and I have written this at No Quarter and Marsh, that the media has pushed Obama because Hillary was the stronger candidate against McCain. So now they are going to get their wish.
This is the first time I have posted misgivings about being totally all out for McCain. Perhaps with a strong Democratic Congress, McCain’s neocons can be neutralized. Perhaps…
I think that Democrats who plan to vote for McCain should at least question him and his Republican friends about the warmongering neocons around him, just like they are questioning Obama’s wackos.
Absolutely we should hear more. I am keeping an open mind.
AnninCa:
I am confused…
Didn’t you say yesterday that if there was one thing you knew was that you will not vote for Obama?
Please explain your comment about keeping an open mind.
Thanks.
This is how it begins. I watched my husband talk himself into voting for John Kerry just like this. Your post shows why the DNC is so sure democrats will come back by November.
I think that we all have to keep our minds and eyes open about how to invest our votes in November. Having said that, I cannot imagine any scenario under which I would invest it in Obama. I personally am going to need to decide whether to cast it for JSM, write her name in, vote Nader, etc. It is a special case this year. We want to defeat him without losing our souls. The issue now is to study and find the right answer for managing that feat …
Frankly, I think the Democrats who plan to vote for Obama should ask what HE really stands for, given that he voted for Cheney’s Energy Policy Bill.
Obama can’t run in the general based on “I’m not Hillary” anymore.
He’ll have to win it, if he can—and I doubt he can—on his own merit, his own policies, his own character and past associations.
There will be gentle fluffing from the media this time around.
There will be no extra points for being the first Black candidate.
Show us what you got, Barak.
But from this point on, no one is responsible for your win or loss but YOU.
“… on his own merit, …” What merit? Without a teleprompter, he is not even a good speaker. He has no policies except for the ones he has stolen from somebody else.
Amen.
He will try to paint McCain as old and feeble (hopefully not offending all the old people who vote) and will keep coasting on his “Hey, I’m black” novelty factor to woo new or deceased voters.
True, on the other hand the alternative (Obama) is just as bad.
Dems will have a majority in Congress. They better start doing their job.
US Foreign policy for the most part is “unaffiliated” –yes with shades– and up to a war. But Congress must do its job once in a while.
I also believe many of the people around McCain are there to appease the right wing of the party for election purposes.
I am not sure how long and how much influence they might have once he’s in the WH. But even so.
That is a risk and I might be wrong. But if so it falls squarely on the DNC and the Obama followers shoulders. It will be their fault ; not mine and it is not and will not be on my conscience.
On the off chance that the NeoCons helped foist Obama on us in the interest of getting McCain elected, I am still going to vote against Obama. That’s because if the DNC is stupid enough to go along with it, they don’t deserve to win.
But you are wrong about McCain being a NeoCon. NeoCons HATE McCain. Rush Limbaugh has talked about “real” conservatives voting for the libertarian in protest.
More likely to me: I believe Obama is the closet NeoCon, and he’s their candidate. The purpose of the NeoCons isn’t just to push a war, it’s to control the populace. Obama as a cult-figure fits their mindset of controlling people.
there are other options. write ins. look carefully at state laws first. vote for a third party candidate that might appeal to you. and don’t vote down ticket unless the candidate has shown that he/she at the very least takes care of their district. attend town hall meetings and challenge them. write to them, call them. let them know we are watching. pelosi, that woman is so far in the tank with her ego and power lust, i don’t think there is any hope for her. she has to go. reid? put the same push and power play on him. of course, do this after nobama is handed his tush in november.
Not gonna do it. The only way women will ever get respect is to make people pay for disrespecting us. And Obama’s foreign policy people are good? I am voting for McCain.
If McCain is elected all women will pay dearly for decades. The Supreme Court is the most important issue in this election.
The Supreme Court will remain essentially the same. Even if Stevens leaves, it won’t change the balance of power in the Court. So the Supreme Court is not the lartgest issue to look at this November.
If we want changes in the Supreme Court then
we need to get a bill passed limiting the term of office to eight to 12 years, and mandating retirement during the limited term contigent on the results of mental and physical tests for dementia and strokes and other diseases that impede the ability to make rational and well thought out judgments.
I’m voting for McCain, unless Hillary pulls off a miracle.
There you go assuming you know what Mccain is about.
He fought Bush tooth and nail. he know’s Bush is …..well put in your own words
McCain is no more Bush than Hillary is Bill.
Apples and oranges here people.
stop assuming. This is why we are in this mess.
People assume they knwo what obomba is about..don’t make the same mistake with McCain. McCain loves america and will protect and defend. Can you say the same about the bullshit creep smelly bo?
It’s cheaper than primary elections, but you get what you pay for.
Larry,I’m joining you my friend,I’m a ranter,too!
Never cease to be amazed at Mr Obama. He walks like a liar,talks like a fllip-flopper and surrounds himself with people any person that’s law abiding would distance themselves from.
Isn’t it amazing Obama would even consider his opposing candidates to be VP since all of them told America Obama has no experience,his voting record is flawed and America knows or should know he leans to the Arab world not America…Obama also is the Elite Elitist who cares nothing for the poor,middle-class or African America people…
Surprise you that I posted this? Awww,think my friends,think! Obama has never acknowledge the suffering of the Black/ African American but he did say and continues to say the Palestinians have suffered more than anyone…He excludes the African people/African American people and the Jews…
How awful of Mr obama to lie and deceive!!
As my Dad used to say: “Slicker-n-snot.”
And he didn’t mean it as a compliment.
he also has not attended any important aa meetings or group since he has announced. hillary did! he did not give some prominent aa media folks a helping hand either. and yet they voted for him? please! and then dissed their biggest supporters, the clintons. i say ingrate!
How do people from Chicago get to be inside an Iowa Caucus?
Just curious as to how that works.
Who gets in is controlled by the parties.
I’m guessing it’s the same tactic that had all those GOoPer operatives banging on the doors in Florida in 2000.
Bus ‘em in and start screaming.
If you’re interested in history, read about the mob scene at Germany’s Reichstag the day Hitler staged and forced passage of the Enabling Acts. It was wall to wall thugs.
It is also my understanding that in at least some caucus states voter registration is not required and/or is not checked. You can just show up and say you live in that state. This works very well for college age students - aka Obama supporters.
I have heard reports from other states that ‘bussing’ occured often. It was not just in Iowa.
So if that’s the case with caucuses, why are they considered to be any sort of viable representation of a particular states “voting” preference?
It’s called Chicago Politics, up close and infamous.
NOBAMA.
Hello to UniversityofIowaJR & all,
Please go to pumapac.com and sign the petition calling for HRC to run as an Indep or she, Bill and others start a REAL viable 3rd Party that everyone talks about but needs someone like the Clintons to pull it through–what better time than this historical moment??!! Methinks “The Populist Party” has a good ring to it:)
Let us channel all our frustration, indignation, loss of faith in the Dem & democratic practice, and true belief in the people’s voice and go for this full throttle!
I understand especially how you feel; as a Texas voter, I was stunned and inspired by what HRC was able to accomplish in only the last 5-7 days before the primary election, compared to BO’s months of spending and ads. And more importantly–his ads and his supporters have consistently used very negative, personalized attacks against HRC and race-card narrative to their benefit. As a woman of color and a student of race/gender/class dynamics, I saw what they were doing but no one called them up on it.
During this time we were constantly bombarded by BO calls, mailings, and groups of BO supporters rushing toward us everytime we came near a polling place. BUT the most egregious was our ‘2-Step’ Caucus later that night and their shady acts afterwards. I thought the treatment of HRC people, and especially the elderly, immigrant families was deplorable! The misinformation of flyers, calls to tell of different times of the caucus, etc; then calls afterwards from our names on the caucus lists to switch our support to BO and even to donate for him! (where and how they got these numbers so quickly is ‘interesting’ isn’t it?)
The lack of leadership of the DNC to stand up for the treatment of HRC and their behind-the-scenes manuveuring to promote BO over HRC in any way possible (how they must have ground their teeth when the PEOPLE kept bringing HRC back!) The hypocrisy of BO and his supporters’ acts and words toward their ‘fellow’ democrats who happen to be HRC supporters are so antithetical to his public words of ‘unity’ ‘diversity’ ‘hope’ ‘new america’ etc etc. This treatment by BO, his fan base, the DNC elites, and of course the media are ALL reasons why WE ARE MAD AS HELL AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!
I don’t know about Clinton. By endorsing Obama Clinton is endorsing the party of Howard Dean and Obama what ever that party is. She certainly isn’t endorsing the democratic party I grew up with and into. Hillary Clinton needs to help establish another party or I think she will face political extinction when Howard Dean and Obama have no further use of her. Reminds me of myself about thirty years ago when I helped train three men of which one of them took my job. LOL! I can visualize Hillary helping Obama set up shop (through 18,000,000 voters) and then firing her.
The only reason Hillary would be on the ticket is to get the Marxist elected. Hillary would have no power, influence, etc. She would not be allowed to run for President again. I bet she would not be on the ticked the second time around because the Communists would consolidate power in the Democrat Party & its tentacles would spread thought out the country to secure all future elections for their “Candidates”. Yes, you are right about the cult like followers of Obama. However it’s much deeper than that. Fabian Socialism is idealistic. Obama & the entities supporting him are using classic methodology that Communists (Bill Ayers) use to gain power. All you need to do is read some Russian, East European History. FYI Czechoslovakia was the only country to freely elect a communist government. This happened after WWII.
Fabian Socialism=Caroline Kennedy and The Getty’s
Thanks to everyone
I love Feetwood Mac by the way
*Fleetwood
sorry, my “l” key stinks
I read similar reports about the caucuses in Texas–fraud, intimidation and strong arm techniques. Complaints were filed that basically went nowhere. For me, this isn’t “only” about Barack Obama [though I think he's unqualified, curiously detached in spite of his cult-like worship and has mastered the art of vacuous messaging], it’s also about the Democratic Party that’s become a clone of the Republican lie machine.
If you want to run with thugs then don’t be surprised when people call you a thug.
The Dems are off my radar for the ‘08 election season. I would follow Senator Clinton just about anywhere but not to Obamaworld. Just this morning, I heard someone complain that it took Senator Clinton 6 minutes to mention Barack Obama’s name in her speech Saturday. So, suspending an election is not enough. I guess she should have fallen to her knees, taken a woman’s position of full submission to the Great One.
I’ll vote McCain in November. The Republicans don’t like him, so he must be doing something right.
She actually did not exactly sing his praises. Just the unity message and the fact that it was historic.
Nor should she have done so. That would have been way phony.
I saw lots of good reviews on the speech, particularly in how she addressed women’s issues.
I thought it was fabulous.
[...] My Final Rant [...]
Great Post!
I would like to add a footnote to your sentence below.
http://tinyurl.com/3l9m3a
Obama told the Europeans something different about Iraq.
Who knows what Obama will do?
What does this guy really stand for?
WHO IS BARACK OBAMA?
Howard Dean, Obama, and the Socialist Democrats of America party. I think we outnumber them. Email from Dean said they had just made a very important policy change, No money from lobbyist would be accepted. In reply I stated that I too had just made a very important policy change, No Obama ticket would be acceptable and I had became an Independent, along with several million more voters.
yeah well take a second look. the dnc is bringing in corporations to pay for the convention under a loophole, soft money rule. they don’t have the money. what to do? don’t give them one red cent. let them starve is what i say.
Never forget that the DNC announced that policy the day after holding a $28,500 per plate fundraiser starring none other than Saint Obama himself.
For some reason the maximum donation to the DNC is $28,500 instead of the individual campaign limit of $2,300.
That way it’s more democratic.
Don’t look at CNN’s webpage:
“Clinton’s new job: bring votes to Obama”
Yeah, right.
women we must submit…God I hope women can really unite over this crap. As I’ve said before, we’ve sat at the back of the bus too long and now we’ve been thrown under it, I say lets get rid of the driver and take over the bus!
NOBAMA
I am spreading this far and wide: Obama has to win my vote. (OK I know I am not voting for him but still. I’m saying this to quash that talking point.)
Heh. Because Obama can’t get those votes on his own, no doubt.
UniversityofIowaJR : thank you for your post and for sharing with us your despicable experience at the caucus. I stand by you.
I read parts of your story before (I can’t remember where) and they impressed me so that I could not forget it.
Please please please: continue to write here at NQ.
Thank you!!
UniversityofIowaJR : thank you for your post and for sharing with us your despicable experience at the caucus. I stand by you.
I read parts of your story before (I can’t remember where) and it impressed me so that I could not forget it.
Please please please: continue to write here at NQ.
Thank you!!
UniversityofIowaJR;
Thank you for sharing your experiences. Remember to stand up for your principle no matter what;
…
.
St Crispin’s Day
Nice article.
I’ve been reading this site for a few days now and I have to say that I’m not very surprised at the level of anger at the Democratic party.
I’m a Republican from the great state of MN, and as many know, we also have to do the caucus. Many people are afraid of going to the caucus because they are afraid of having confrontations, or having to explain their positions and so on. I doubt that even a quarter of registered voters in MN go to the caucus. The majority of people want to just go into the flimsy flag draped booth and fill in the circle, they don’t want to be intimidated by vocal harpies eying the fresh meat who were unlucky enough to be assigned to their room.
I went to the caucus( Republican) for the first time this year and I’m 40 years old. I also took along my 64 year old mother who had also never been to a caucus. Of course, our caucus wasn’t like the one the author has written about but it was a pain to go to nonetheless. A caucus is held at a certain time, unlike a primary in which a voter has hours to go to the polls. Although the vote in the room is a secret ballot- just by showing up a person has to expose their party affiliation and a lot of people are uncomfortable doing that. Everyone has to sit through a little bit of BS as well and a lot of citizens aren’t enthusiastic about that either.I would support an effort to get rid of the caucus system in MN.
Anyhow…..
As a Republican fish in a sea/school of Democrats I can say from my own section of the ocean that the anger about what happened to Hillary is real. I happen to know a lot of life long Democrats (shocking in MN I know) and they are incredibly
upset about Obama being the nominee. Talking mostly about the blue collar worker base of the Democratic Party here. Many of them weren’t super thrilled with Hillary but they would have voted for her without thinking much about it.
None of these people went to their caucus and none of them have ever been to caucus although they dutifully fill in the circle every four years in November for their Democratic candidate. I don’t think that’s going to happen this year. I’m sure some of them wish they had gone to their caucus. Some of them I’ve talked to are staying home, some of them are voting Republican for the first time in their lives- or so they tell me.
They don’t like Obama because they don’t feel like he cares about them. They don’t like Obama because they don’t think he’s a loyal American. They never really paid attention until recently. I know that it’s said that even negative attention is better than none. I’m not so sure that’s true.
I know that the leaders of the Democratic party believe that the people that voted for Clinton are going to vote for Obama in November. I doubt they are going to get more than 60 percent of them. I wonder what percentage they are going to get of the people that didn’t go to the caucus or didn’t go to the primary?
From my perspective, among the older working class Democrats, it’s not looking good for Obama. It doesn’t matter who he picks for his running mate
Denise:
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and informative comment. I appreciate your insights about what’s happening on the ground in MN a lot. Cheers and thank you again.
Insightful post Denise…
Might I ask how you view McCain?
Yes, this is my big question too. If Republicans stay home, there may not be enough of us crossover dems to help McCain.
I have read a lot of blogs over the past year, and I have gotten good at spotting the Republicans. Their response from even the most conservative old school pachyderms were respectful of the candidates. They’d be the first to tell you they hated the Clintons, but they still marveled at how the Democrats turned against one another so violently.
Thank you for your very sensible comment.
Thanks so much for offering your perspective. The caucus system appears to be very a poor method of electing delegates or nominees. The view from your side doesn’t seem much better. As far as McCain goes, I believe he not only deserves an opportunity to be President, but that he would make an excellent one at this point in our history.
all the repubs need is a small amount of dems who have been told they don’t count and aren’t needed. mccain is banking on that i am sure. and who gave it to him? why pelosi, reid, kennedy, kerry, brazile, and dean. remember that!
60% is the polled number just announced. That’s horrible for him. He lost 40% of registered Dems? *yikes!*
But I’m not feeling too sorry for the DNC. We told them this would happen.
I totally agree with you about the buyer’s remorse that has set in.
It’s bad, bad, bad this year.
Most of my regular friends who don’t follow this stuff don’t even pretend to be for Obama. They just say, “Oh well, guess McCain will win.”
LOL*
Thanks for the perspective from Minnesota. I suspect that there’s a lot of sticker shock afloat right now.
Well said UniversityofIowaJR.
I will support Hillary to the end. I am still optimistic that something will happen on the way to the convention. Remember Hillary’s words. She said we should pick ourselves up if we believe we are down, and we should keep on fighting. That is what I intend to do. I will continue to support pro-Hillary sites like this one and PUMA PAC. Check them out if you haven’t done so.
Never forget you are ONE OF 18 MILLION. Hillary has done what no other male/female has done in the history of politics. Hillary won more votes than anyone before, and she is the first female to win a major primary. We can all be proud of her, and of our participation in the process.
Nevertheless, our work is not done. The Obamabots are not the only agents of change. We are agents of change as well. People, throughout history have fought against injustices, and won. The battle for what is right might take some moving of mountains. This country is worth fighting for. Overall, the American people are good at heart. Unfortunately, some people are misguided. It is against these misguided forces that we should never cease to wage a campaign for true liberty and justice for all.
Yesterday, I was a Democrat. Today, I am an Independent. I do not hang my head low. I walk proud because I know the difference between what is right and wrong with our country.
Hillary 08
P.U.M.A. PAC
For a Democrat to call another Democrat a fag at a Democratic Party caucus means that candidate should lose. We have no party.
The most painful part of this was that it was said by a democrat, I have never been called that, and might expect it from some frat-boy republican, although I am a frat guy so no offense
, but not by a so-called democrat….
the Obama precinct captain, exploded yelling “you’re not even viable anyways!”, and she stormed off, in the process calling me a “fag”. That was the buzzword.
snip.
They offended every gay person there that night, me most directly, and we all heard her say this because every gay person was in Hillary’s corner.
Hey, don’t call me a faggot, nigger. Jesus Christ, the Obama supporters are a surly bunch. Their new favorite thing to do is call bitter Democrats “rat-fuckers.” Someone must have told them about Watergate and COINTELPRO. Now it’s all a conspiracy to steal Democratic support that rightfully belongs to The Gaffer.
In film, a gaffer is the lighting guy (and Obama is missing a few fuses!) But he wants so badly to be the Reagan of the left, it’s nice to give him a name as stupid as The Gipper. Obama the marxist gaffe machine has been entertaining so far.
* The Selma March in 1965 did not contribute to his birth in 1961.
* Kansas tornadoes in May 2007 killed 12 people, not “ten thousand”.
* Afghans do not speak Arabic.
* Misunderstanding Memorial Day, and then claiming to see “fallen heroes” in the Memorial Day audience.
* Same day: putting Auschwitz in western Germany, not Poland.
* “57 states”.
And the great lakes that are apparently now in oregon…
and we wonder about the basic intelligence of the “american idol” generation. wonder no more, here it is. the dumbing down of this country has gone on so long. it reminds me of the crowds i read about in ancient rome. just saying!
Breathtaking stuff. Thanks for all the great posts. I’ve always lived in state where you simply vote. Since the system has been so gamed by caucuses I wonder why its never discussed to get rid of them and switch to regular voting primaries.
UniversityofIowaJR,
Excellent post. Your post describes the cheating that Obama supporters do not want to admit.
I contend that there was also cheating happening in North Carolina on primary day. Why would 100,000 ballots have no votes for anyone downticket? It does not make any sense.
Thank you for the informative article on the bully caucus. No wonder BO did well in them.
I won’t give up on Hillary. The DNC and the media just weasled the least qualified candidate into the nomination, but there’s a good chance that BO’s anti-American, racist, extremely shady background will count him out by convention time.
WTF? NOBAMA.
Thanks for your post. It was definitely worth sharing.
I cannot count the times I have been called a fag by the obamanots…they even insulted my dog…The AA women with us were repeatedly called traitor and “you’ll have to answer to your children”.. Not to mention I have obamanots screaming at my window at all hours of the night (Hillary signs in my window) …They are never around when I get downstairs..
The Neo-Cons did not “Foist” Obama. He is the product of “Red” Chicago. Chicago,the Mid-West is one of bedrocks of the communist movement in the USA. Started in the 1920’s
Here is a book on the history of it:
Red Chicago : American communism at its grassroots, 1928-35
http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&sourceid=ca-print-uofillinois_press&vid=isbn0252032063
About the book from link:
Realities of the street-level American Communist experience during the worst years of the Depression Red Chicago is a social history of American Communism set within the context of Chicago’s neighborhoods, industries, and radical traditions. Using local party records, oral histories, union records, party newspapers, and government documents, Randi Storch fills the gap between Leninist principles and the day-to-day activities of Chicago’s rank-and-file Communists. Uncovering rich new evidence from Moscow’s former party archive, Storch argues that although the American Communist Party was an international organization strongly influenced by the Soviet Union, at the city level it was a more vibrant and flexible organization responsible to local needs and concerns. Thus, while working for a better welfare system, fairer unions, and racial equality, Chicago’s Communists created a movement that at times departed from international party leaders’ intentions. By focusing on the experience of Chicago’s Communists, who included a large working-class, African American, and ethnic population, this study reexamines party members’ actions as an integral part of the communities in which they lived and the industries where they worked. A volume in the series The Working Class in American History, edited by David Brody, Alice Kessler-Harris, David Montgomery, and Sean Wilentz
You can also preview section of the book from the link.
Again the link
http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&sourceid=ca-print-uofillinois_press&vid=isbn0252032063
Great post! Stick to your principles. If you let go of that at your age, you’ll be 40 and part of the herd before you know it. Stick to your principles no matter how old you get.
I really don’t like McCain because of his amnesty position and co-authoring the bill with Ted Kennedy. I am mostly a Ron Paul supporter but with Obama opposing I am going to vote for McCain instead of writing in Ron Paul. I really believe that if Hillary had gotten the nomination she would go all the way, because the Republicans are really polorized this year. However, with Obama, the Republicans will unite to vote against him, and McCain will benefit from that.
I think McCain is probably going to pick Romney and that will help him as well because a lot of the TC’s don’t like McCain and they like Romney. In my room, Romney won. There was a lot of talk on if we were going to support McCain if he became the nominee as well and there was a lot of anger over the illegal immigration issue.
So, I will vote for McCain because I’m voting against Obama. If Clinton was running I would probably write in. I think McCain has a good chance to win MN this year with Obama running.
I hope not Romney. Crist….the OTHER Florida Governor. lol
well i have noted that romney has been working for mccain in several prominent spots. at the very least he’ll get a cabinet position. i look at the gov of la also. alaska? maybe! i think mccain will seriously considere a woman but won’t make up his mind till obama does his thing at the convention.
There are other reasons not to like McCain.
Hillary supports universal health care, and McCain is against it.
Hillary wants to end the war in Iraq, and McCain wants to keep our troops there for 100 more years.
Hillary supports education reform, and McCain supports Bush’s disastrous No Child Left Behind.
Hillary wants to fix the economy, and McCain wants to continue Bush’s policies that have created the mess we’re in right now.
I can’t imagine why any true Hillary supporter would vote for a man who stands against every issue she’s spent 40 long years of her life fighting for.
I agree with roseeriter that there are reasons not to like McCain, just as there are many reasons not to like Obama, chief among them that Obama has no experience and has no clue as to how to handle the job of senator, much less that of the President.
.
Yes, Hillary supports universal health care. Obama does not. Obama supports health care for those who can afford it.
So far all bills aimed at supplying universal health care have been shelved, ignored, dumped by both Democrats and Republicans at the legislature and oval office levels. Why? The AMA, the insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and their lobbies have successfully pressured for the status quo and will continue to put pressure on the House, Senate and public.
.
McCain exaggerated. Hillary knows that just logistically we will need more than four years to get ourselves out of Iraq in order to avoid the criminal debacle that ended our stay in Vietnam.
We don’t just have to remove our troops. We have to remove everyone who is not an Iraqi who works for our government. That means civilians; charity workers, religious workers, non essential Embassy staff, contractors–anyone American–and do that all before we remove the soldiers. Otherwise there is no protection for our American civilians in Iraq. It is not just about removing the Armed Forces from danger. It is about being responsible for staying and fixing what we destroyed.
I have not looked into the education policies of McCain, but having worked in that field, I can tell you that the problems have been there way before No Child Left Behind. Children have been left behind as long as I can remember, no matter how much we try to fix it. The problem is found in the budgets (Federal, State, County and City) that are allocated for education. Proper Education costs money and “we, the people,” are not willing to pay for it. That is the bottom line. It’s always let the other guy pay the taxes, pay for the cheerleader outfits, band instruments, art supplies, books, field trips.
Oprah was asked to give just $10,000 to her old school in Nashville, so that the children there could have books and pencils, pens and paper. She did NOTHING! She never even replied to her old school’s request. She supports Obama.
So you tell me who is going to do more good there. My bet is nobody, but then I’m a cynic. I worked in a school that constantly needed money and couldn’t get the fiunding for things it needed. That was before Bush, during the last years of the Clinton Administration. BTW, we had the same problem in the Kennedy Administration and all the others that followed. People don’t want to pay for other children’s educations.
It will take more than four years to get us out of part of the hole we’re in economically. Yes, we can fix the economy, but it will take longer than most people estimate. You cannot fix this economy over night. You cannot buy us back out of debt to China and Japan that quickly. In case you haven’t noticed, they own most of our loans.
You say that McCain wants to continue the complete Bush package. I guess that’s why he didn’t always agree with Bush, has worked with Democrats in the Senate, and is distancing himself from Bush just as fast as he can.
She’s worked with McCain before. There have been compromises. My feeling is that it’s better to give experience (McCain) the vote than the lack of experience (Obama).
I can vote for Hillary in 2012. In 2008, I cannot vote for an empty suit. Obama is an empty suit.
Wow, I am so sorry you were on the receiving end of this-what is typical B O supporter behavior. And ugly example of why I don’t want his brand for our country.
I agree with with you say and am ahead, for the first time removing myself as a “NEW Democratic party” member, Tuesday.
I attended the Iowa caucuses as well, as an Edwards supporter.
Aside from some benign cheerleading by the followers of all candidates, I saw no coercion or intimidation. I’m not saying you’re wrong at all in your observation, just that one precinct leader in one precinct who shouted at you doesn’t add up to more than that.
Sleepy, there were alot of well-run caucuses where nothing happened. Some of the problems were likely due to extraordinary turnout and lack of caucus structure to handle it.
However, we have reports from all over the country that in some caucuses, people were literally bullied, shouted down, locked out, had their votes changed, rampant cheating, etc.
That’s unacceptable if it happens in even 1 caucus.
What’s frightening is that the Dems are afraid to address it.
sleepy, this is not isolated. I had people in my office telling me that at their caucus Obama people were telling people you couldn’t change your vote after the first realignment, you could recruit during non-recruitment time, and that if you’re person didn’t make it ou had to “go to the candidate with the most people”….these were all in different region 8 precincts in Iowa City, Coralville, Solon, and Amana.
same thing happened here at our caucus in Washington State.
Jade, you forgot the word “away.”
Thanks for the great post! May I share some perceptions that come with the ripe old age of 56?
I have been reading through some of the responses to the situation, both here elsewhere, and I have come to a conclusion: There are a lot of people agonizing over their vote in the Fall, and I hope to help alleviate some anxiety with younger Hillary supporters who are fairly new to the political process.
There are universal principles. They have been at work since time began and they are at work now. You see these unchanging principles represented in all great literature and all people who exhibit great judgment and character. For example:
Given time, an unexamined and unbridled strength (healthy ego) becomes a great weakness (rampant egotism). When someone (such as a politician) does not have the wisdom to be humble and temperate, his power is short-lived.
Obama’s great oratory strength will overplay and he will (he already has!) hang himself in his own rhetoric. He has a great ability to be “Mr. Teflon” through skilled evasions. Skilled evasions are only strengths in short-term situation. They will crumble when McCain forces him into situations where he has to evade every other question–then those evasions will be seen as deception. Unlike BO’s Democratic opponent, McCain is not bridled by fellow Democrats. McCain can bring all Obama’s weaknesses into the light, and he will. BO’s strenghts will begin to be overplayed–then they will become his weaknesses.
Obama is very young to be playing at this level. He has not developed the insight into his character to be elected. He will destroy himself. Be patient and let the process work. Sit back, enjoy the educational experience.
Thank you, UniversityofIowaJR! I am inspired by your courage, touched by your dedication and in awe of your wisdom. The last Democratic candidate I got this pro-active about was also a Clinton. And like you, I was extremely interested in my candidate’s plans for our country and what kind of man he was. I know four years might seem like a long way away, but you’re on the right path, don’t give up. You’ll find that the most precious things are the ones worth fighting for.
Thank you for sharing your experience. The only confusing thing in the piece is that you say in block letters that you WILL NEVER VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA, and then at the end, you say you will decide on election day. I personally will never forget or endorse the Obama campaign’s deceitful tactics, most of which were ignored by the media. To support him in the fall is to signal to all that they can do it again and can depend on our votes for the “Party.” The Party through it’s principles under the bus with the rest of Obama’s politically inconvenient former associates.
My bad.
Look at the DNC as it now stands. Look at our so-called leaders in the House and Senate. Reid and Pelosi, where are the investigations and oversight we were promised? What have they done to reign in Bush and Cheney in the last 2 years. Are we sure that we want them to have a super majority in Congress and the Presidency with Obama at the helm? Where will the checks and balances be? We knew the Clintons record as far as keeping the democrats from becoming too left radical. Obama? We know nothing except he missed alot of work that he was supposed to be doing and he was a “community organizer” whatever that means. I can only think it means that he can get busloads of people from Chicago to bully others into getting his way. The gospel tour that began his campaign was the first RED FLAG in my book. Keep your religious shit away from my government. If the evangelicals don’t like McCain , thats good enough for me to vote for him.
<I AM SICK, DISILLUSIONED AND FED UP WITH POLITICS. AMERICA’S DEMOCRATS HAVE REALLY DONE IT THIS TIME. GOD HELP AMERICA. CAN YOU IMAGINE??????????? SAD COMMENTARY ON WHITE AMERICA. DON’T YA THINK? FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY ADULT LIFE I AM ASHAMED OF AMERICA.
Thanks for the awesome post. It helped me look back on our own caucus, which I realize now was packed for Obama, and the Chair was also an Obama person, saying slogans like “yes we can” while counting votes. I’ve been an election judge for ten years, and I know who lives in my ward and precinct. I knew hardly any of these people.
Being a Precinct chair for a caucus is a job no one wants, usually. The Obama campaign really knew/knows how to get their people out. And caucuses are no longer a sound vehicle for general voters. They’re too easy to pack, addresses are not vetted, names not established as true.
I think it will be a mean Election Day. I don’t know that I want to work this one.
I’m appalled that CNN scrubbed the Obama “off to golf” piece. If the Obama campaign can get CNN to scrub now, when he’s only the presumptive (self-anointed) nominee, that kind of power is truly frightening.
Beware what you wish for, Obamabots.
Nobama. Not now. Not ever.
“Now watch this swing!” - g.w.bush
Sen McCain has a lot in common with democratic ideals. the last election cycle he was asked to think about being on the dem ticket as VP with kerry. obviously he refused. obviously kerry is no where near this guy when it comes to their history in viet nam. kerry got swift boated and rightfully so. he was using his fellow soldiers as as political pawns. they asked him to stop. he didn’t. what a jerk.
McCain is a real war hero. kerry , not so much.
i think giving Sen McCain a fair chance to communicate and dialogue with us clinton democrats is not a bad idea,
no, i’m not a shill for the republican party.
obamadems have blurred the lines with the party thing being the begin all ,and end all. so be it. let it work to help us make sure that he never sees the inside of the whitehouse. many of his backers are republicans, so why can’t former democrats get busyl and help elect Sen McCain?
the spin to re-educate the dems in obama’s favor has begun. Sen Clinton’s speech will go dpwn in history as one of the greatest speeches ever. it broke my heart and at the same time gave me great resolve to fight obama and his post democrats. the dem party has made a huge and irreversible mistake in backing the wrong person for potus.
in november, my vote will speak to that.
Clinton or McCain. no other choice.
unless Sen Clinton is on the ticket, obama will go down in even bigger flames.
with her on the ticket, he may have some small prayer of being elected…that is if he and his cohorts can manage to behave themselves until november. which i highly doubt.
I agree you are not a McCain shill. The correct term is “troll”
Everyone go to this site we are eighteen million with a voice. There is alot left to do…we need the young people, we need the middle class, we need women we need everyone…do not let your voice that Hillary gave you go silent…
Take Action and let’s take back our party..Please everyone at least go there are read what they are about. At times like these action is the best thing…channel your anger, your hurt and frustration to a cause greater than Hillary Clinton…DEMOCRACY!!!
h t t p://blog.pumapac.org/about/
So you want people to ignore what Hillary has asked her supporters to work their heart out for Senator Obama.
yes we do.
nq appreciates the click.
It seems a little strange to base your entire thoughts and feelings about a candidate on your encounter with a few of his supporters.
If he were half the leader his toadies tell us he is, his followers wouldn’t behave like thugs.
Hmmmm - I wonder if those people bussed in were even from Iowa? I heard many accounts that because of the overwhelming turn-out in many caucuses, people didn’t even check voter’s information and many from Illinois were able to strong-arm their way into the caucuses this way (kinda like how they do Chicago politics with dead people voting…) Highly likely.
And we dare criticize other countries for their “unfair” elections? Can ya say hypocrisy?
LOL, DOMA