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Don Fowler On the Record

By SusanUnPC on July 23, 2008 at 12:00 PM in DNC, Democratic National Convention, Democratic Nomination

Rev. Amy found this video of Don Fowler speaking about “automatic delegates” earlier this year, and finds it the perfect companion to Dr. Lynette Long’s article, “THE TITLE BOUT.”

Here’s the bio that accompanies the video:

Don Fowler, a 1957 Wofford College graduate and former National Chair of the Democratic Party, talks here about the “super-delegate” system — who they are, why they matter, how they might factor into this year’s Democratic Party nomination process.

A political scientist, Fowler has taught courses at Wofford and at the University of South Carolina. He holds a faculty position at USC and is a member of the president’s cabinet at Wofford.

  • http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

    Credit where credit is due, “HillaryloyalistnowforMcCain” posted it in a Comment at “Title Bout”. Oh what a difference five months makes!! Thanks “Hillary Loyalist”!!

    • http://www.hillaryloyalistnowformccain.com valsthewoman

      Thankyou very much for making it known that I uncovered this video. I am also so dedicated to making this very public that thank you no quater for posting the video. I sent a link to the Denver Group and media outlets hoping they would all show and document the sham of an election we all had to participate in.

      ABSOLUTE PROOF OF A FIXED PRIMARY ELECTION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Important new development uncovered by a Hillary Loyalist Now For McCain.
      In early February Don went on record describing the Democratic Party process and the way the superdelegates roles should be played out. Now he writes a letter demanding we back Obama.
      Read the whole story and watch the video you will become all the more determined to PUMATIZE the NATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      http://hillaryloyalistnowformccain.com/absoluteproofofafixedprimaryelection.aspx

  • jbjd

    Executive experience, faculty appointment, and member of the cabinet… He should run for President.

  • Honora

    Sorry, but he is so boring I could not even get through the tape. I would hate to be a student in one of his classes.

    • http://www.hillaryloyalistnowformccain.com valsthewoman

      Fast fwd to the middle and end and you will hear how “HE WOULD HAVE A PROBLEMIF THE SUPER DELEGATES VOTED AT THE CONVENTION FOR THE PERSON WHICH HAD LESS IN THE POPULAR VOTE!”

  • SFK

    A good explanation, although longwinded and boring too, uh, uh, uh. That does not negate his pompous and patronizing letter with Germonda that we should just get over it, unity and donate to Uhhhhbama.

  • Jake

    He’s even older than McCain. Howcum Donna let this old guy into her new younger Democratic coalition?

  • http://uppitywoman08.wordpress.com Uppity Woman

    He forgot to mention the arbitrary ‘superdelegates” that Dean appointed to the credentials committee to stack it. Some of them were college students as well. I saw a video of them being interviewed. No comment. Deja vu 1972.

    The “reason” superdelagates were created was because of the McGovern disaster. Their job was to make sure it didn’t happen again. It’s happening again. This guy is old enough to know that, and euphemistically dancing around it doesn’t do much for him.

    And finally, it’s nice to describe them all as elected “representatives”. But they all aren’t. See above on “arbitrary” appointees at the pleasure of Obama Hood Ornament, Howard Dean. Furthermore, the ones who are elected officials would not be ‘representing” their district if they vote against the district or states outcomes.

    • Angry Michelle

      Hood ornament? Sound like a broken muffler to me.

    • http://uppitywoman08.wordpress.com Uppity Woman

      Here’s a recent talk with McGovern on why the superdelegates were formed.
      http://www.democracynow.org/2008/3/11/fmr_presidential_candidate_george_mcgovern_on

      He comes right out and says it. Please read the part where she asks him about superdelegates. It’s an eye opener and deja vu like you never saw before.

      • http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

        How abt this quote from Jim Hightower:

        And yeah, I support Barack Obama. To me, the significant thing about the Obama phenomena is not him, it’s the phenomena, the fact that we have millions of new voters, excited voters, people who have not been voting in the past, but who feel that this time they matter and that they have a potential not just to send Obama to the White House, but for them to go into the White House, not just the party operatives, not just the usual special interests, but for the people themselves to be able to go in. I don’t think anybody thinks that Obama—and I don’t even think he thinks that there’s any sainthood here, there’s any magic going to come, just by him being president. But with him, I think we’ve got a potential to have a real progressive government, because the people themselves would be a force in it.

        Seriously? He is supporting a candidate not because of the candidate but because of his supporters? Well, what abt HILLARY’S supporters?? And a little thing called QUALIFICATIONS??? Holy crap – I just lost a whole lot of respect for that guy.

        And McGovern who changed horses in the middle of the stream after he said he WOULDN’T. Sheesh.

  • Angry Michelle

    Obama accidentally pushed the wrong button on six state votes. Well, there is one button we can’t afford to let him get to, cause the missiles will accidentally be in the air.

  • Denise

    Why is it ok to give Superdelegates money?

    Isn’t that like taking money from a lobbyist?

  • Palomino

    Well, he’s wrong that the media would “raise Cain.”

  • rjj

    Where IS Howard Dean these days.

    See him much?

    • Angry Michelle

      Back in the looney bin.

    • Lou

      He’s on his bus tour registering dead people.

      • http://uppitywoman08.wordpress.com Uppity Woman

        Acorn is also busy visiting prisons where they are registering rapists, child molesters, murderers and other wonderful folks who haven’t gone to trial yet. If they aren’t convicted yet, they can vote.

        • Patti

          Ahhh, just think-

          Congressional Hearings coming to a commonwealth near you, soon. WTF? (a little off topic, of course, but the crime reference reminds me),

          Let him blow his wad. Since journalism is a thing of the past, let’s fucking bypass them. Let’s go direct and let the swarmy one and his disciples swoon. Let’s go right to Capitol Hill and the press agents on staff there.

          Let’s take advantage of him while he’s creating the former USA II over there. In his Dreams.

          Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain need to confer as soon as humanly possible and plan to take our Country back. Foreign Terrorists? Who give a shit right now?

          Put on your 3D glasses, folks. The timebomb is ticking…

          We really don’t need to be distracted with criminal hearings while people are suffering all over this world for no other than they exist.

  • JoeySky

    OTP. Susan, I hope you don’t mind that I post the following message here.

    I’m one of the 97 PUMAs that collaborate on this idea and voted for the band.
    We want a cool way to quickly identify the follow PUMAs in public.

    “First Ever P.U.M.A. Wristband”

    This wristband was a collaborated idea of a group of PUMAs. The design and color was decided by a transparent voting system (unlike DNC). Over 97 PUMAs participated in the poll and the result is this super-cool-high-quality P.U.M.A wristband. After we decided on the gold color which makes it looks expensive and the text “18 Million Strong”, one of the PUMA was very generous to advance the startup fund and buy the material to make this idea possible.

    The P.U.M.A. wristband can be bought at 18MillionStrong Shop

    http://18millionstrongshop.wordpress.com/

    For now the money will go to the PUMA member who spent huge amount of money to make this possible. When and if we see a profit, then the money will go to retire Hillary debt, and to one of the PUMA organizations like the Denver Group, PUMA Pac to pay for the PUMA ads.

    The price of a band is $ 4.00 including shipping.

    The band will come in handy to identify the fellow PUMAs in Denver during the rally, or on the street, the train, the supermarket, gas station. Be ready to say hello to your new PUMA friends. Real unity for real democrats.

    • wodiej

      thank you! I just ordered mine-whoo hoo!! Grrrrr!!

      • JoeySky

        Thanks.

        I wrote that little ads piece myself. From the feedback that I got at the Confluence, I will now cut out the phrase “real unity for real democrat” at the end. The word ‘unity’ seems to turn people off. I should have known. LOL.

        Disclaimer: I don’t gain any financial or non-financial benefit from the sale of this band. I am not the PUMA who advanced the startup fund. I don’t own the 18MillionStrong Shop. My only satisfaction is to see Hillary win the nomination in 2008.

      • Bye bye Obambi

        I love your use of Grrrrrr!

    • Bye bye Obambi

      Cool! I just ordered one. thanks for letting us know! Excellent PUMA t-shirts on that site too….

    • pasmalltowngirl

      Thanks Joey, They are nice. I just ordered mine also. Can’t wait to wear it !!!

      PUMA
      NOBAMA

    • Patti

      Band? As in music?

      Citizen Cope (Clarence G.)

  • untilthelastdogdies

    OMG!

    All that rambling whilst sitting in front of Erasmus and Thomas More!

    The Humanist would be more to the point (and more sincere I might add).

    What a backdrop!

  • http://investigatebarackobama.wordpress.com/puma/ kat in your hat

    Thank you very much for posting this!

  • http://insightanalytical.wordpress.com Gloria

    Off topic repost to capture more eyeballs…as Obama continues his road trip, it may prove useful…

    The “International Press Library” is Up and Running! (Useful Links to the Foreign Media)
    http://tinyurl.com/5gq9uk

  • Faustina

    There were only a couple of points that really registered with me as I tried to keep my eyes opened listening to him.

    First, he says Democrats and Republicans have done poorly when there have been contentious conventions. That suggests that the contentious conventions caused a problem when they were probably the result of a problem or may be one or another candidate just deserved to be defeated for any number of other reasons.

    Secondly the Democratic superdelegates have never made a difference and their vote usually corresponds to the results of the primary or caucus.

    So I would say he is very much waltzing around the main issues in this particular primary and I am quite honestly appalled that he is a university professor who teaches social science. He is basically full of it….although in a very gentlemanly, soft-spoken way.

    Hillary won the popular vote; the actual voting process was not only unfair but corrupt; certain superdelegates (Kerry, Kennedy) are using their influence undemocratically and unrepresentatively to preordain the nomination of their candidate; and democracy = contention. Unity = tyranny.

    So I am giving him a D- on his explanation. Go back to the blackboard fella and try again.

  • http://liberalrapture.com scott in jupiter

    Why doesn’t both parties have their conventions within weeks of the final primaries. This would enable months of campaigning as an official nominee of the party.

    • georgiapeach

      My guess is that it would have something to do with how much money they can spend. They are still spending primary money right now, after the convention it will have to come out of the GE fund. I remember everybody talking about Kerry being at a disadvantage in 2004 because the Dem convention was so much earlier than the Republicans.

  • http://insightanalytical.wordpress.com Gloria

    Prescient…except the media has NOT raised Cain!!!

    Presuming “political maturity” about the superdelegates may also be a mistaken thought here…

    SIGH….

  • The Real Hope

    Is this the same Don Fowler who just wrote that letter with a colleague harping on about how Hillary supporters are all whiners, carpers and just plain bores? Weren’t we supposed to just “get over it”? HUH?

    What’s wrong with this picture?

    • http://www.hillaryloyalistnowformccain.com valsthewoman

      The One and The Same! This is why this video is such a big deal. Who do these people think they are? I will never fall in line and vote for BO A VOTE FOR MCCAIN WAS A VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      Read, educate yourself…
      KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AND POWER COMES FROM KNOWLEDGE!
      visit http://www.hillaryloyalistnowformccain.com
      The one spot on the internet that you can meet the real Obama!

    • The Real Hope

      Wofford College huh? This is the same college where a certain professor has tried to steal the copyright of my book and has been listing it under Hub City Press at said college. I’M LIVID! It must be contagious at Wofford College!!

  • Lou

    What I heard from this was that they didn’t always need the people to elect the nominee. That the automatic delegates who are “mature in politics” can ‘select’ the nominee based on if the constituents of a candidate are sick of the other established candidates “like the Clintons” ‘politics as usual’ Holy Cow.
    He used the word select.
    He said selection is based on kicking out the established candidate in favor for the new.
    I also heard that he feared a contested convention.
    And after that he went on to saying how the automatic delegates choose the nominee..then he confusedly said they will select a presumptive nominee before the convention..this is rigged.
    Our votes didn’t matter at all!

  • The Real Hope

    Re: “Mature in Politics”

    Mature could have a innumerable definitions within this context. This is just smoke and mirrors. No wonder coming from this absolute dullard!

  • dee4hill

    He knew, he knew, he knew… the fix was in loooong ago – scumbag.

    Hillary or McCain ’08!!!

  • meileen

    —Not gonna lose because of a bad convention.— Gonna lose because the DNC selected the wrong candidate.

    I want things to be different, but I highly doubt the party leaders will step in and correct this travesty. They owe the AA community for their loyalty, and to barack out now would cause mayhem. Welcome, president McCain – in a landslide.

  • The Real Hope

    They have no intention of correct this travesty! It smacks of the 2000 Bush/Selection by the SCOTUS.

  • The Real Hope

    I can’t listen to this putrefaction! He’s disgusting!

  • http://COMMENT thierry

    AS OUR EYES AND MINDS GETTING OPENED,WE REALIZE NOW HOW THESE PEOPLE WE ELECTED,FOR LONG HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH OUR DESTINY.WE THE PEOPLE BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY AND WANT IT TO PREVAIL.THE ONLY WAY IS TO RESPECT THE POPULAR VOTE,THE TRUE EXPRESSION OF THE PEOPLE.THEY CAN CHOOSE TO LYE TO US SOME TIMES,BUT NOT ALL THE TIME.WE ALL CAN’T BE BLIND AT THE SAME TIME.WE ALL CAN’T FALL IN LINE JUST LIKE THAT.THIS FIGHT IS ABOUT THE GOOD AND THE EVIL,THE LIGHT AND DARKNESS,THE INTELLIGENCE,JUDGEMENT AGAINST STUPIDITY.

    I OWN MY VOTE

    CAN’T FORCE ME TO SUPPORT OBAMA WHO IS MORE FOR YOU THE DNC LEADERS THAN FOR ME.

    HE IS NOT THAT MIRROR I CAN SEE MYSELF THROUGH

  • The Real Hope

    I found it interesting that in Don Fowler’s nefarious letter that he penned along with someone else (can’t recall the mundane name) his order of priorities were very telling:

    He stated that we all needed to get behind Obama for:

    1. Obama
    2. The Democratic Party
    3. The Nation (and I’m not referring to the mag)

    Okay folks! Why is Obama number one on Fowler’s list? Why is the Democratic Party second on his list? And why is the NATION third on his list? Aren’t his priorities just a tad skewed? Shouldn’t the best interests of the NATION come before Party interests? It is quite apparent once again that Obama is the focal point here upon which Fowler assumes the entire Democratic Party and the Nation should humbly revolve around. I don’t think any of us are in the mood to defer to this less-than-stellar Fowler’s ridiculous demands.

    Who does this shit think he is anyway? Everyone send an email to this turd telling him where he can get off! PLEASE!

    PUMA!

  • http://firefox AnnieCarmel

    “I must confess a bit of fatigue and irritation with people who continue to carp, complain, and criticize the results of the primary and lay down conditions for their support. The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t establish conditions to recognize the Boston Celtics as NBA Champions; Roger Federer did not demand concessions before recognizing that Rafael Nadal defeated him at Wimbledon.”

    “It is time to act in a mature and resourceful fashion. It’s time to put the primaries behind us. It’s time to support Barack Obama without conditions or demands.”

    Isn’t this Pelosi’s speech? Do they use the same talking points when it comes to talking down to Hillary supporter? It’s like a tape recorded repetition and each time I hear this blah, blah, blah, I get furious all over again.

    Yeah, Mr. Fowler, we’re going to have a convention all right and it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

    • The Real Hope

      Since when is the running of this nation a basketball game? Or a tennis match? Mr. Fowler needs to get some serious help on his usage and choice of metaphors. Obviously he takes the governing of a nation very lightly in order to make such a frivolous comparison.

  • The Real Hope

    Yes they’ve turned into right-wing Republicans with their TALKING POINTS! HEIL HITLER! We must all be lockstep Democrats and follow the Fuhrer.

  • The Real Hope

    And Mr. Fowler WE AREN’T PLAYING BASKETBALL – THIS IS OUR VERY COUNTRY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT! NOT A FUCKING BASKETBALL GAME YOU FOOL! THIS ISN’T A TENNIS MATCH YOU BULBOUS BASTARD!

  • The Real Hope

    Sorry for posting again:

    Here is Don Fowler’s email address if it has not already been posted:

    don@fowlercommunications.com

  • lmv

    These are the idiots running the Democratic Party. They hypothesize. They consider. They waffle. BUT THEY DON’T DO ANYTHING. Oh, no. We don’t want to UPSET anyone.

    I was active in Dem politics for years and it was so frustrating to try to get people like Fowler to listen to The People.

    You know, the plebs who vote and canvass and phone bank and stuff envelopes and keep the party running.

    Oh, no. If the facts on the ground didn’t match their grand plan, too bad.

    As an aside, I got nowhere with Hillary’s campaign either, all the way up the food chain. They got it; they just couldn’t get anyone to listen.

    Ahhh!!!

  • lmv

    Oh, I forgot one important thing:

    KUDOS TO REV. AMY AND HILLARYLOYALISTNOWFORMCCAIN!

  • http://COMMENT thierry

    WHAT ARE PELOSI,FOWLER,DEAN AND CO AFRAID OF .WHY ARE THEY CRYING NOW FOR OUR SUPPORT?WHY ALL THE NOISES AROUND THEM TO MAKE US FALL IN LINE WITH THEIR SELECTED ONE?

    NOT BECAUSE WE ARE DEMOCRATS,MEANS WE ARE ALL GONNA LOOK IN THE SAME DIRECTION LIKE THEM.THE ONLY WAY TO RESTORE THIS IS TO PLAY BY THE RULES.

    DEMOCRACY NOW AND FOREVER

  • The Real Hope

    Obviously these people think this is all a big game. DUH? Right? Alluding to basketball games and tennis matches is very telling indeed. They don’t care about the state of our economy or the people suffering here, they care nothing for the common person. It is all about them, their power, their egos, their Obama who represents their meglomania.

  • Davd

    So that’s why Donna Brazile~and some others rushed Obama saying he was the nominnee a long time ago.As MSNBC said as well.So he didn’t say who he supporter.Hillary is the one we need.I can’t see his years as a Commimmity server,What ever you want to caal it and didn’t stay in a job long.And the way he can’t remember what he said and say’s one thing in one states and go to another and tells the same like.Iran isn’t a danger Montana and then in Portland Oregon That Iran was a threat.The great lakes in Oregon,Huh.There is so much and Obama’s bad judgements.His lies,His tactic, Hia flip flops.His avoiding the press other then the one who wil protect him and cover for him.I have never saw athe media as bad as this.This is what the media did with George Bush to win the election.So this brings me to think the media are again doing this as we saw.Is it because the media wants to pick another george Bush?Is it because George Bush,The media and the democratic party leaders of some new with thier partners in the media they can do this all over again for Obama .Are they in with Bush?
    Hillary spoke with her heart.Hillary spoke with her many years of her job of knowing.Hillary spirt~Her love for the people.

    • The Real Hope

      Yes I think we have George Bush of the Left this time. Obama is a neo-fascists and we are going to find out just how far business co-opts our private lives through this man. It is a huge con game. And the American people are falling for it all over again. Not to mention that this creature Obama is in advancing his cause throughout Europe and the Middle East. I don’t understand how people cannot see through this hoopla! It is so very obvious.

  • Linda

    Get this to all our website of Hillary supporters A.S.A.P

    If they think we are going to vote Obama.EWWWWWWW
    Never!

    Hillary 08
    McCain 08

    A party is a party who serve the people.The democratic party has proven mant times over that it’s all about them and only them.Well if you are a Obama supporter they will take you and your vote.Other then that they really don’t care about the supporters of Obama as well.They just want the votes.So they are in and all others are out.What a way to be used by the people who are to serve the people of america and for the good of the people and america.

    The democratic party failed on this one big time!

    I really can’t stay in a party who I see and know will do anything even cheat the american people.They did this,look out after all this is said and done~Not just Hillary or McCains supporters will be cheated but Obama supporters will be as well cheated out of it all…We are being pushed aside..McCains supporters are being now what they did to Hillary supporter.How can anyone sleep at night knowing this.Oh the pac money and the people who gain so much more as the middle class will be so bad off and poorer!
    http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/TheDenverGroup/

  • http://uppitywoman08.wordpress.com Uppity Woman

    You can read about three of Dean’s Arbitrary “superdelegates” Here. (A college student, a lobbyist and a car dealer). Includes a video of a sweet but clueless college student “superdelegate”.

    http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/04/03/a-car-dealer-a-college-student-and-a-lobbyist-were-sitting-in-a-bar/

  • JWL

    The rule books have been thrown aside for the sake of the annointed one, who has yet to close the deal. He is too busy doing photo ops to fabricate the appearance of experience.

    He is running against a corpse and he practically tied. Whatever!