So it has come to pass that Elizabeth Edwards has died.
Despite having more things thrown at her than anyone I've ever had the chance to support in my entire political life, she managed to represent, in her very presence, a sense of grace and kindness and concern for those who were looking to have a better life than the one they had now, and I don't know that I could ever live up to the quiet courage she showed as her life came to an end.
And, bless her heart, it appears that she took the time to make sure that her kids knew her, and that she helped them put away enough "past" to, hopefully, ease some of the pain of the future.
But now the time has come to look beyond death, and, John...that's why I want to talk to you today.
John Edwards cheated on his wife. He will not be attending the Democratic National Convention.
Rudy Giuliani not only cheated on his wife, but used public money to facilitate his adultery. He will deliver the keynote speech at the Republican National Convention.
Every year, the University at Buffalo has a Distinguished Speakers Series that features a select number of speakers every year who are important people, ranging from politicians to authors. Al Gore and Michael Moore have been past speakers, along with Tom Brokaw, Jimmy Carter, Colin Powell and many others.
The list of speakers won't be finalized until the end of July for the rest of the series, but one date is already set and was leaked to the press: John Edwards will be taking the same stage with Karl Rove in late September to have a debate centered on the issues being talked about on the presidential campaign trail.
GOP strategist Karl Rove and former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards will debate the issues of the presidential campaign Sept. 26 as part of the university's Distinguished Speakers Series, The Buffalo News has learned.
...
Matching up such well-known political figures as Edwards and Rove will make the event all the more interesting, he added. Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina, is a household name because of his bids for the presidency in 2004 and this year's contest, as well as his role as Sen. John F. Kerry's vice presidential running mate in 2004.
Rove, often dubbed "Bush's brain" from his days as President Bush's chief political adviser, has become even more visible since leaving the White House as an analyst for Fox News and a frequent contributor to the op-ed pages of the Wall Street Journal.
Neither Rove nor Edwards was available Thursday for comment.
The 8 p. m. debate would lead off the lecture series, which has featured such major figures as former Vice President Al Gore and the late Tim Russert of NBC News.
When we attended those events last fall, you were given a card to vote for the speakers you would like to see as part of the series for 2008-09. Karl Rove was on there (I didn't vote for him). I don't remember seeing John Edwards' name on the list, but I will certainly enjoy this debate.
If you are in the area, I recommend you attend at least one event that is part of the Distinguished Speakers Series. It is one of the best ways to see high-profile people come to Western New York.
The race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in New Jersey is tightening pretty quickly. Clinton's lead has shrunk to just 6%. From our friends at Blue Jersey:
Hillary Clinton's lead over Barack Obama in New Jersey has narrowed to 44%-38%, according to a private poll commissioned by one of the state?s most powerful Democratic leaders, George Norcross. The poll, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner on January 30-31, was distributed to some Norcross allies earlier this morning and obtained by PolitickerNJ.com.
Edwards supporters seem to be breaking for Obama:
"Edwards supporters are more open to Obama than Clinton in New Jersey. Among voters initially supporting Edwards, 26 percent shift their support to Obama, while only 12 percent shift to Clinton (34 percent of Edwards' supporters say they will continue to support Edwards although he is no longer in the race and 28 percent remain undecided)," the poll memo said. "And among the 25 percent of voters who have no preference or indicate that they would vote for a candidate who is no longer campaigning, just 14 percent say there is "no chance" they would vote for Obama in the primary election. Among this same group, more than one-fifth (21 percent) say that there is 'no chance' they would support Clinton."
New Jersey is officially up for grabs.
Things are getting interesting in the Garden State.
Since returning from work today my inbox has been flooded with people either venting about Edwards dropping out, praising his campaign or wondering what if anything I have to say. Viscerally, I'm despondent about his leaving. Even if Edwards wasn't likely to prevail he set the pace on the issues debate. Edwards was far ahead of candidates in both parties on healthcare, poverty, the plight of the working poor, the phony global war on terror and global warming.
John Edwards is a champion of progressive values. Only a progressive mandate can facilitate the massive modernization our infrastructure needs, implement an exponential upgrade of public education to ensure the future, nurture a commitment to research and development for cleaner energy, reorient the economy so it values work over gentrified wealth, empower unions so wage earners will have more leverage, reform a justice system that supports a prison industrial complex by disproportionately incarcerating young black men and challenge America's empire culture so we're no longer at odds with the civilized world.
Well, today is the day, the first in the South Democratic primary in South Carolina. The campaign in the Palmetto State, as I'm sure you know, has been fierce. Use this thread for predictions for now and we'll have results later this evening.
I'll go with:
1. Barack Obama - 42
2. Hillary Clinton - 27
3. John Edwards - 23
We live in a country in which only half the people eligible actually vote on election day. This, in my opinion, is a great shame, and one of the reasons why a loud, well-organized minority like the GOP can come to dominate American politics. This may be about to change, however. Eric over at TPM Election Central makes this observation:
An astonishing 57% of caucusers were first-time participants. And how did they vote? Barack Obama carried them with 41% of the people going in and before second-choice reallocations, followed by Hillary Clinton at 29% and John Edwards at 18%.
Indeed it is astonishing, especially that new caucus-goers broke so heavily for Obama.
(I want to actively encourage you to post your own candidate endorsements. Tell us who you are supporting and make the case. I will post them to the front page. I'll be posting my own shortly. ILJ gets us off to a great start with this eloquent and reasoned argument for John Edwards. - promoted by phillip anderson)
Warning, this is a long post. It's long because supporting a presidential candidate for me is deeply personal. It's not simply deciding which candidate I will pull the lever for in the privacy of a voting booth. Rather I approach the decision as an activist and ask myself: after weighing all the virtues and flaws of the declared candidates on whose behalf am I willing to devote my free time?
In my darker moments I'll ask myself, "Do any of these lying corporatist whores deserve my support? Why bother with any of them?" The ship has long sailed on my days of being a "true believer."
(Ask and ye shall receive. A report from last night's forum. - promoted by phillip anderson)
Democracy for the Hudson-Mohawk Region (DFHMR), the DFA group for the Capital District, hosted a Proxy Presidential Forum last night in Albany.
About 50 people (including DFMHR-supported Troy Councilman-elect Ken Zalewski and Albany County Legislator-elect Doug "Bullhorn" Bullock) turned out to hear articulate advocates for most Democratic presidential candidates (and Ron Paul).
New York has the rare opportunity of its earliest presidential primary ever this year, and though Hillary will win that primary, there was a lively debate last night.
Details, and the results of a post-debate straw poll, below.
Yesterday was the filing deadline for candidates wishing to appear on New York's Feb 5th Primary ballot. It appears that all Dems but Gravel and Dodd submitted petitions. Only Clinton and Obama appear to have collected enough signatures in all of New York's CDs to qualify for full slates of delegates statewide.
Here are the totals of pages submitted by candidate:
Hillary Clinton: 4961
Barack Obama: 2872
John Edwards: 1864
Joe Biden: 894
Dennis Kucinich: 563
Bill Richardson: 352
Last night, DFNYC held their "mock caucus" at a bar here in NYC. It was a fun affair with bribery of caucus-ers with all manner of food and drink eagerly encouraged. Local blogger Dan Jacoby even made an aggressive pitch for, um, himself. The results from the first round were:
23% - John Edwards
18% - Hillary Clinton
16% - Dennis Kucinich
13% - Dan Jacoby (the pride of DFNYC)
11% - Barack Obama
10% - Bill Richardson
8% - Stephen Colbert
For the second round, as it will be in Iowa next month, supporters of candidates who falied to garner at least 15% in the first round were asked to move to their second choice candidate. The final results:
37% - John Edwards
35% - Hillary Clinton
28% - Dennis Kucinich
Hillary upset by Edwards in New York? Stop the presses.
And don't even get me started about Dennis. I mean, the dumplings brought by the Kucinich supporters were divine, but, c'mon.
For those of you in NYC, there's a great opportunity to show your support for the striking writers tomorrow. The WGA is holding a rally in Washington Square Park tomorrow and there will be quite a few boldface names there to show their solidarity.
Labor Solidarity with Writers: Rally on Tuesday, November 27 at Washington Square Park.
Solidarity Rally
Tuesday, November 27
Washington Square Park
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Join your fellow members of the Writers Guild of America, the labor community, and supporters and fans, as the WGA begins week four of its strike against the media conglomerates of the AMPTP.
Recently confirmed participants include:
Senator John Edwards, Congressman Jerry Nadler, Tim Robbins, Michael Emerson, Joe Pantoliano, Colin Quinn, Aasif Mandvi, Tony Goldwyn, Evan Handler, Gilbert Gottfried, Randi Weingarten (UFT), Gary Le Barbera and Ed Ott (Central Labor Council), Denis M. Hughes (NYS AFL-CIO), Sam Freed (SAG NY President), Richard Masur (former national president of SAG), WGAE leaders, and more.
We are expecting a huge showing of solidarity from other New York Unions. Joining the striking WGAE members at the rally will be leaders in the labor community, politicians, and exciting speakers from the entertainment community.
Meet us at Washington Square Park for a Solidarity Rally. We're expecting a large attendance from the union community -- including SEIU, AFTRA, SAG, UNITE-HERE, AFT, NYS AFL-CIO, national AFL-CIO, and the New York City Central Labor Council among others -- as well as some exciting speakers, music and entertainment.
We want to thank the thousands of union members from every industry who have joined us on the picket lines from New York to Los Angeles and stood with us to preserve decent working standards against corporate power. Now that we're going back to the table, it's even more important to send the companies a strong message: We're all in this together and we demand a fair deal!
I'll be there to shoot some video and show my support. I think Bouldin will be there as well to shoot some stills. If you are in NYC, there are certainly worse ways to spend your lunch hour.
(Wish I could have made it, but I'm absolutely beat from my trip out west. Josh picks up the ball and runs with it. - promoted by phillip anderson)
When I arrived at Pace University this morning, I was a little bummed to find myself at the end of a 250 person line, many students and locals waiting to get in to hear Edwards' major policy speech on global terrorism. In what seemed like divine inspiration, I turned to see Phillip Anderson's press badge on a table behind the gates.
After a couple quick text messages to Philip and a little persuasiveness talking to the security guard and the girl behind the press desk, I skipped the line and got myself a nice, close-to-the-stage seat inside the auditorium. A guy named Adam with the campaign also helped out by handing out advanced copies of the speech. So I was all ready to go when John took to the stage.
I posit two observations: one, that New York has a Progressive movement, and two, that this movement faces clear challenges and opportunities, in the electoral and policy sphere, and also as far as infrastructure is concerned.
In terms of common electoral and policy goals, I would identify several.
On the Federal electoral level, obviously, there is the Presidential contest. The conventional wisdom has it that Hillary will carry New York easily; I'll believe that when the other candidates cede this state, and when I see a primary poll that has the Senator above 50%. Also on the Federal level, there are three Congressional seats well worth targeting: NY-03 (Peter King), NY-13 (Vito "Independent" Fossella), NY-29 (Randy "Shotgun" Kuhl).
In the Twenty ninth, we're seeing a primary challenge to the 2006 candidate, Eric Massa, one that is causing considerable consternation in some quarters. The liberation of Congress last November enfeebled the principal enablers of the Bush administration; now, the agenda is one of rebuilding and fighting the inevitable depredations of an administration heading for the exits as its legacy burns all around it.
(Cross-posted from the new, snazzy, gorgeously redone Daily Gotham)
I was very tempted to post a rather foul mouthed, angry rant about our snotty nosed, petulant (p)Resident's veto of the supplemental bill funding his disastrous war in Iraq. Yesterday morning I thought there was no way that he would veto that bill on the fourth anniversary of his "commander codpiece" moment on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. About a minute later, I reconsidered. Of course he'll drop the veto today. Why? Because he's an ass, that's why. The man has absolutely no sense of irony, sympathy or simple human decency. He's also a spoiled rich kid who has never had anyone tell him no before. Given the horrifically tragic trajectory of his war and the harshly clear message sent to what's left of his party last November, one would think that he could at least muster an ounce or two of humility whilst flipping off the rest of the nation and indeed the rest of the world. One would be wrong, however. The man might as well have mooned the cameras and told the nation he was supposedly elected to lead to kiss his ass.
I think this Edwards ad has it right though. Democrats in Congress should absolutely not back down on this, the great moral issue of our times. The people have been way ahead of the policymakers for at least a couple of years now. The latest Pew Polling shows that this isn't going away:
Roughly six-in-ten people in the Pew sample (59 percent) said they want their member of Congress to back an Iraq funding bill that includes a timeline for American troops to begin withdrawing. Of that 59 percent, more than half (54 percent) said Democrats should "insist" on a timeline's inclusion in the legislation while 42 percent backed the party working with Republicans and the Bush Administration on a solution.
By contrast, only 33 percent of the overall sample said they preferred that their lawmaker oppose a timeline as part of the Iraq funding bill. But by a 54 percent to 41 percent margin, this minority said President Bush should stick to his guns and not compromise with Democrats.
As Jim Webb said the other day, we won this war 4 years ago. It's now time to end the occupation. Democrats should make the idiot in the White House veto funds for the troops over and over and over again.
We're told that moving our presidential primary up to February 5th will make New York relevant to the the selection of our next President, that candidates will be forced to actually campaign for once instead of just dropping into Manhattan to pick up checks. Hooey. I think we all know that moving up our primary date is being done to give a boost to Hillary and Rudy. Now there really can't be much doubt that the chances of serious competition for the Empire State's delegates looks to be less and less likely. New York is an obscenely expensive media market to play in and with all the other states casting votes on the same day, why commit so many resources to a state that looks to be pretty solidly locked up 10 months ahead of time?
According to a new Quinnipiac University poll out this morning, Hillary and Rudy crush all competition here in New York. It's not even close. Oh, and isn't it great that Obama raised all that money from all those people? Not so much here in New York. Obama is tied for second with a guy who isn't even running, one Former Vice President from Tennessee.
Sen. Hillary Clinton and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani are the pick of their parties in New York State where Sen. Clinton leads Mayor Giuliani 50 - 42 percent in the 2008 presidential campaign, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Sen. Clinton tops Arizona Sen. John McCain 55 - 34 percent.
