Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

The Fork In Your Eye

By

Mr. Obama should

pick someone who is in tune with his appeal for the nobler aspirations of the American people.

Senator Kennedy?  Given your own checkered past, do you even know what nobler aspirations are?

The good senator goes on with this:

If we had real leadership – as we do with Barak Obama – in the number two spot as well, it’d be enormously helpful

Real leadership?  You mean like the kind that you displayed in 1980, when you entered the Democratic Convention behind in delegates and then attempted to muscle in a motion to release delegates from their voting commitment.  Yeah, this is a guy who has cared so much about the party.  

What annoys me even more is the garbage by the good senator’s office, who is disputing that he was even referring to Senator Clinton. Please.

In terms of disclosure, I worked on Senator Kennedy’s senate race in 1994, against a untried but wealthy upstart named Mitt Romney. It was so important to us that the Senator won.  We raised money and worked the polls and phone lines in a working class city that could have easily gone the other way.  

Do I feel betrayed?  Yes. I. Do.    

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Comments

  1. You don’t allow anyone to express that this does not hurt Obama without linking it to the belief that Clinton supporters don’t matter. It just tells me not to bother to try to have a reasonable dialog here.

    • Kevin…
      I cannot think of anything even remotely not favoring Obama that you would find reasonable.

      <

      p>If you do not honestly believe that kennedy’s actions re: female Democrats does nor have an adverse effect on the kind of support Obama will need from them should he be the nominee, you should have been at the MA DEM Party delegate.dnc member elections today. Kerry and Kennedy were the topic of many a discussion and they were both coming out on the short end of the fed-up stick.

        • This was a lameass poll intended to make a point, much like Ernie’s polls are written to make a point, rather than actually collect empirical data.  

          <

          p>I will tell you that Mr. Kennedy’s statements were not well received from this former, longtime supporter, and it was disingenuous of his staff to suggest him comments weren’t directed at Senator Clinton.  I hope that HL Peary’s remarks about today’s events carry over at the polls for both Senators Kennedy and Kerry.  You know what the say about payback.  

          <

          p>So let’s not pretend that there’s any “healing” to be had, not with statements being made by Senator Kennedy and the rest of the maddening horde.  It’s “fork in your eye” time for not supporting the annointed one.  And as long as we all understand that – it’s all good.  

          • And in the way you make that point you declare that you are not interesting in hearing any dissenting views, thus my comment. That’s fine. I fully understand if you want to just
            rant at Ted with like minded folks. But don’t also pretend you want a real discussion at the same time.

            <

            p>I don’t know why Ted said what he said. It obviously has
            upset Clinton supporters. Perhaps he was trying to send a
            message to Clinton to play nice in order to be considered
            for the VP slot. Perhaps he just stated his own opinion
            without considering the consequences. Whatever the reason,
            I don’t think his comments were especially helpful.

            <

            p>However, in the end, I don’t think they will hurt Obama
            either. As long as Clinton is still actively in the race
            we can expect to continue to hear some harsh words from
            surrogates on both sides. I can tell you that Bill Clinton
            is still going around and saying things that really rile
            up Obama supporters. But when she finally drops out, there
            will be time for reconciliation, and I am fully convinced
            that Obama will lead the way to uniting the party when that
            time comes.

            • Six months is a long time for passions to cool and change.  It’s six months of McCain pissing me off more than Obama ever did.  It’s six months of imagining more American blood staining Iraqi soil.  It’s six months of the racism, the sexism, the religious triumphalism pouring from the right.  It’s six months of the basest slander the GOP can invent.  

              <

              p>In May 2004, I’d never have believed that I’d actually vote for Kerry — but then I realized that it would be unfair of me to expect people in Ohio to choose the least worst choice if I couldn’t.  We have the time we need, if everyone wants to use it well.

      • why is supporting Sen. Obama an act against female democrats?

        <

        p>that is like saying that supporting Sen. Clinton is act against African-American democrats, aka, not true…

        • Senator Kennedy’s insulting comments against my candidate is insulting to the millions of women who have not only supported Hillary Clinton, but have shown him tremendous support, despite his significant “baggage.”  

          <

          p>May he stew in his own juice, as they say.  

          • You used the phrase “kennedy’s actions re: female Democrats”.

            <

            p>Why is it an act specifically against female Democrats? Aren’t there thousands upon thousands of men who supported Clinton?

      • This woman captures my feeling and thinking about this race quite accurately:

        <

        p>http://www.democraticwings.com…

        <

        p>

        Women feeling alienated because of misogyny against Hillary and themselves during this campaign have been told, Hon, that’s just too damn bad. Deal with it.

        Pompous ass Markos Moulitsas AKA Kos (Daily Kos) tipped his hand about women earlier (“I certainly won’t let the sanctimonious women’s studies set play that role on this site. Feel free to be offended. Me, I’ll focus on the important shit.”), and now says “as I’m concerned, [Hillary] doesn’t deserve “fairness” on this site” after decimating her with illogic.

        Josh Marshall (Talking Point Memo)’s editorial associate dismisses women thusly: “I recognize that you think female voters should be one of those things [we cover], we disagree,” as he gave the boot to a woman blogger, an author who had written for the New York Times and Washington Post.

        On other big so-called “progressive” blogs, it’s the same (solely thanks to Jerome Armstrong, MyDD is an exception). Hillary is called enemy of the people, and when her supporters object, they are barraged with hostility so intense they eventually surrender and leave.

        On XM radio, the Air America has transformed into Air Obama. Change a few names and you could be listening to Rush Limbaugh. What happened to educated, rational discourse as an alternative to right wing hate radio? Now we have left wing hate radio. And television is no better. The misogyny of the Keith Olbermanns and Chris Matthews abounds – they curse the day Hillary was born in the most irrational manner, but shower Obama, a junior senator with a shady past and little relevant experience, with puppy love.

        <

        p>And then….reveals the game plan:

        <

        p>

        There is an air of invincibility among those in the Obama camp turning women off with reckless abandon. Onward, to win battle after battle, caring little about the casualties of war. Then quite belatedly, one day they stop and think, wait a minute. I guess maybe we might just need some of these women to help us in November? Time to play the Roe card, boys!

        <

        p>and then this wonderfully insightful woman points out these little publicized facts:

        <

        p>

        Readers of this blog know I have been a lifetime Democrat. But facts are facts, and the fact is, a moderate Republican will often choose a good Supreme Court justice. Case in point, much to the dismay of Michael Farris in Constitutional Law for Christian Students:

        In 1992, the Supreme Court considered the case of Planned Parenthood of Southern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 120 L. Ed. 2d 674 (1992). …Justices O’Connor, Kennedy, Souter, Stevens, and Blackmun joined together to hold that Roe was still valid and that speculation on its demise should be put to rest.

        All five of these justices were appointed by Republican presidents. Justice Blackmun was appointed by President Nixon in 1970. Justice Stevens was appointed by President Ford in 1975. Justices O’Connor and Kennedy were appointed by President Reagan in 1981 and 1988 respectively. Justice Souter was appointed by President Bush in 1990.

        The only justice appointed by a Democrat president, Justice White, appointed by President Kennedy in 1962, joined three Republican appointed justices, Justice Scalia (Reagan, 1986), Chief Justice Rehnquist (Nixon, 1972), and Thomas (Bush, 1991) who argued that Roe should be reversed.

        <

        p>Yeah.   And there’s more.

        <

        p>

        Also, women, for instance, when they object to anti-choice Harry Reid being named Senate Majority Leader by the Democrats, or to some other anti-choice Democrat in a position of power, are often told disparagingly they are “single issue voters”.

        Now, suddenly, we are told to be “single issue voters” and vote for Obama? After all this? Quelle rats!

        How insulting to not consider women until they are needed, then say, what about Roe? Go away and sulk, women, but we know you’ll come running back to us in the end, because you have nowhere else to go. Well, I’ve got news for you.

        Women are 50% of the country, but they deserve respect 100% of the time. Try that, and we might be there for you the next time when you need us.

        <

        p>Quelle rats!  Kennedy, Kerry, Power, Jackson, Fischer, the “vote different” YouTube ad writer, de Vellis, Cohen, the “Hillary Clinton D-Punjab” writers, and on and on.  

        <

        p>Hope and Change?   Probably not.
         

  2. He pushed through a federal law that is killing public education, he tried to shove through an immigration bill that would create second-class citizens called “guest workers”, and know he’s joining the “Shut Up Hillary!” bandwagon.

    <

    p>I hope Obama puts him into the Cabinet if he makes it that far, and opens up the seat for someone whose best days are ahead.  He has been a hell of a Senator for most of his lifetime, but it should not be a lifetime appointment based on past successes, but an earned seat based on future potential.

    • I don’t see him in a Cabinet position at this stage in his career.  I have wondered since the 2006 election whether his age was showing enough to consider making this his last term.  It would be a great milestone to go out on as 2012 would mark an even 50 years in the Senate (first elected in 1962 to fill JFK’s unexpired term).  For all the griping about superdelegates not being compatable with democracy, the truth is the ones who are members of Congress are more accountable because their seats can be challenged.  If Kennedy didn’t retire on his own, I have always assumed a challenge from within the party would be laughable.  Now I’m beginning to wonder so I ask all of you.  Could you see such a challenge being successful and which Democrat (probably US Rep. or constitutional officer) could do it?

      • Primary a Kennedy in Massachusetts?  Are you serious?  Better chance of beating Robert Mugabe in an election.  I think Kennedy is in there as long as he wants to be, and anyone who went against him would get killed, and their career would be killed.

        <

        p>I love Teddy, but I don’t want him to turn into a Democratic Strom Thurmond.

  3. Yes, no, or maybe?  It’s a good thing it’s Saturday, because anything I would have learned on a day I have class would have been stricken from my brain by that poll.

    • make a point about a significant message being sent out by a senator I used to support.  

      <

      p>Given that I actually care about education, I’m glad too, that I put my poll out on a Saturday.  I don’t want you to hurt your exams/studies over a lame poll.  

  4. IF Senator Obama wins the Democratic nomination by reaching the 2,025 delegates needed (not by his opponent leaving the race), what do you believe he should do to reach out to Sen. Clinton’s alienated supporters, and try to create the biggest tent possible for a democratic victory up and down the ballot in the fall?

    <

    p>second question: why do you say that Sen. Obama’s supporters are disrespecting female Democrats?  

    • Senator Obama hits the magic number without Hillary forced out/sidelined, then he wins fair and square.  He’s the nominee.  But not until.  

      <

      p>What should Senator Obama do to reach out to Clinton supporters?  Like any good politician, at this phase of the campaign,it’s all about making friends and not engaging in triumphal swaggering.  Senator Kennedy’s remarks didn’t exactly endear me to Mr. Obama.  I’m even more offended as a result.  

      <

      p>As for what makes me think that Obama supporters disrespect female democrats…. that’s not what I’ve said.  What I’ve said consistently is that Mr. Obama’s supporters behave like they don’t need Clinton supporters to win this thing.  The relentless, over the top vitriol towards working class,populist voters is beyond the pale.  

      <

      p>

      Are you kidding me?  
      Every body caters to you people. Thats why Dubya won, thats why Clinton won, by catering to the one demographic that truly encapsulates the lowest common denominator in our country-Joe six pack.

      These are the people that if you stay in a bar long enough think a whitty joke is Ill kill the next f-g that walks into this bar. or if your outside of the north ill kill the next n—-r that walks in. Indiana is full of these people, sadly my family has a few of these people, and they have some of the dumbest ideas on the planet, no understanding of how economics work, are jingoistic beyond belief when it comes to foreign policy, and completely ignorant of history. They do not realize that yes the US has done many evil things in the past.

      They expect the government to take care of them when their sick, disabled, or old but dont want to pay taxes for anything-especially if it helps people poorer or browner then them. they love to idolize the self made man, but these people stay in the gutter since they never bother to educate themselves and view intelligence as weakness. These are the same people that claim to be Christian yet knock up their girlfriends, get shotgun weddings, and then vote to make sure their lesbian daughter can never enjoy an actual loving marriage (true story close friend had that happen).

      These are the same people who don’t realize that rich mostly white men have dominated this country and yet they dont resent those in power they resent those they should have common ground with-illegal immigrants, black people, single mothers.

      They want gas prices to be low but definitely dont make the connection that maybe we should stop driving 4 by 4s and actually conserve. They vote against overrides and then wonder why the libraries close down. They vote to get rid of the income tax and then complain that the potholes arent fixed. They want government to help them and only them and no one else and they never want to actually pay for it.

      I am sick and tired of these people easily swayed by fear or emotion and never acutally looking at facts or making intelligent decisions. I would rather win without them then with win them since winning with them means another four years of George Bush like governance since we would be inheriting his coalition of ignorant fools.  

      <

      p>Nice.  And thank you, Sabutai for providing us with yet another ugly misogynistic remark…you know, the kind of remark that male candidates never seem to have to endure. I’m sure the media will figure out a way to put a gloss on that one too.  

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