Lynette Long

ARE SUPERDELEGATES FOR SALE?

by Lynette Long

In a few weeks the historic 2008 Democratic Party Presidential Primary between an African American Man and a White Woman will end. The two candidates competed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. At the end of these contests, neither candidate had earned enough pledged delegates to garner the necessary 2118 needed to win the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Hillary Clinton earned 1640 pledged delegates while Barack Obama earned 1763 pledged delegates. A paltry 123 pledged separated the two candidates at the end of the primary season. Since there was no clear winner, the superdelegates would determine the Democratic nominee.

Approximately 800 superdelegates will make up around 20% of the 4000 delegates at the convention. These superdelegates are Democratic Party leaders, Democratic governors, and Democratic members of congress. They have the right to endorse either candidate without reason and can change their endorsement from one candidate to another at any time. The superdelegates are very powerful and highly sought after by candidates. One superdelegate is equal to one pledged delegate or 11,361 voters in California or 7,220 voters in New York. Many factors influence which candidate a superdelegate endorses but they usually vote the way their constituents vote. Some superdelegates have intense personal relationships with particular candidates that may influence their endorsement. Members of congress may also be influenced by money given or promised by party leaders, the DNC or the candidates themselves.

Politicians collect money for their campaigns but most American’s don’t realize that politicians collect a separate a pot of money called a Leadership Political Action Committee or PAC. These PACs are used to hire additional staff and pay for additional perks such as limos and first class flights. But one of the major reasons for these PAC’s is to donate to the campaigns of other candidates. Nancy Pelosi’s PAC is called PAC to the Future, Barack Obama’s PAC is called Hope Fund, and Hillary Clinton’s PAC is called Hillpac. Money was distributed by these PAC’s to the superdelegates to influence their voting. The Federal Elections Commission requires scrupulous reporting of how PAC money is obtained and how it is spent. This data can be retrieved at www.opensecrets.org.

In 2007, Obama distributed 299,000 from his PAC to superdelegates. He especially targeted the states of Iowa and New Hampshire. On July 25, 2007, the Hope Fund made $1000 donations to each of the following groups: Hillsborough County Democrats, Hudson, NH; Martha Fuller Clark for State Senate, Portsmouth, NH; Merrimack County Democrats, Chichester, NH; New Hampshire for John Lynch, Manchester, NH; Sgambati 4 NH Senate, Tilton, NH; Stafford County Democratic Committee, Durham, NH and Sullivan County Democrats, Claremont, NH. Obama also gave $5000 contributions to New Hampshire Democratic Party, Concord, New Hampshire, on July 26,2007; New Hampshire for John Lynch on July 25, 2007, and New Hampshire Democratic State Committee, Concord, New Hampshire on November 3, 2006. Obama did not announce his candidacy until May 2, 2007.

Obama also gave New Hampshire Democratic State Senator Jacalyn Cilley $1000 on July 25, 2007. She endorsed Obama on July 31, 2007, just six days after his contribution to her campaign. On July 26, 2007, first term New Hampshire Congressman Paul Hodes of New Hampshire endorsed Obama. The New Hampshire Primary was not until January 8, 2008 and Hillary won New Hampshire.

By March 28, 2008, Hope Fund donated $710,900 to superdelegates, more than three times as much as Hillpac. ($236,100). A study by the Center for Responsive Politics showed that presidential candidates who gave more money to a superdelegate received their endorsement 82% of the time. This is especially disturbing when the superdelegates endorse a candidate that is decidedly contrary to the will of the voters in their state and their districts.

After reviewing state and congressional voting records as well as PAC donations, members of congress were identified that fulfilled the following four criteria: 1. These members endorsed Barack Obama. 2. The constituents of their state preferred Hillary Clinton. 3. The constituents of their district preferred Hillary Clinton. 4. They got more PAC money from Hope Fund than from HillPac. These senators are Jeff Bingaman, Frank Lautenberg, and Jay Rockefeller. The members of the house are Jason Altmire, Dennis Cardoza, Jim Costa, Joe Donelly, Gabrielle Giffords, Baron Hill, Ron Klein, Patrick Murphy, Gerald Mc Nerney, Carol She-Porter, Zack Space, Niki Tsongas, and Charlie Wilson.

Charlie Wilson is the perfect example. He ran in Ohio’s District 6 in 2006. His seat was the seat of the former governor and is located in Southern Ohio. Wilson was a last minute candidate for his seat and because of this was a write-in candidate. The governor and the party worked hard to get Wilson elected.  President Clinton made an audio recording endorsing Wilson that went out to 50,000 homes.  The governor of Ohio is a big Clinton supporter, the voters of Ohio voted 54-44% percent in favor of Clinton, and District 6, Wilson’s District, voted for Clinton 70% - 27%. Yet Wilson endorsed Obama. It looks like there is no loyalty in politics to either your constituents or your friends. Wilson got $7,000 of PAC money from Barack Obama, but no money from Hillary Clinton. Was this a factor in his choice?

PLAN TO KILL PUMA

Someone just emailed me this.  There is a plan to infiltrate and destroy pumapac.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Plan to kill the PUMA. Step 1 - join PUMA, send an email to join@pumapac.com Step 2 - When you start receiving prowl info, take note of the contact info and message Step 3 - Contact the people they are contacting and tell them that PUMA is a GOP swiftboat and tell them to ignore the PUMA's emails.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOYALTY ELIZABETH

By Anonymous Guest Blogger

It was the Spring of 2007.  John Edwards was lagging far behind Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in his run for the Democratic Nomination for President.  As financing dwindled, getting out of the race was an option.  Then, alas, his dear wife Elizabeth announced that her cancer had returned and was not curable.  The country watched as this courageous women told her husband to press forward with his presidential run.  Suddenly, John Edwards’ campaign was reinvigorated and the money came in and the polling numbers improved.

Thank you for your loyalty

Elizabeth

And a year later, in the Spring of 2008, shortly after the Democratic Primary in his home state of

North Carolina

, John Edwards again stepped forward.  This time he chose to endorse Barack Obama.  Strange timing thought many.  Strange as well that

Elizabeth

had spent so much time focused on healthcare – an issue championed by Hillary Clinton.  Some speculated that

Elizabeth

did not even know that her husband would endorse Obama.  But she sat quietly by as her husband did what he needed to do to have a shot at Vice President.

Thank you for your loyalty

Elizabeth

And so what better way to repay such love and loyalty?  To be stuck in the men’s room at the Beverly Hills Hotel at 2:30 a.m. and need to call security to be escorted by the press in waiting.  To have it be known that the reason for the visit was to meet a mistress and love child.

Thank you for your loyalty

Elizabeth

THE TITLE BOUT

by Lynette Long

Don Fowler, the former head of the DNC sent a letter to Democratic leaders and major contributors this week urging party unity. Intended to get resistant Hillary supporters on board, the unity letter is likely to produce the opposite effect. The letter repeatedly stated, “Barack Obama won. It’s over!” In other words, “Get over it,” or as an astute Clinton supporter put it, “Get in line, it’s not your time.” Mr. Fowler chided Hillary supporters, “I must confess a bit of fatigue and irritation with the people who continue to carp, complain and criticize the results of the primary and lay down conditions for their support.” The paternalistic nature of this statement and the implication that the issues raised by Hillary supporters are trivial is troubling. “It’s time to act in a mature fashion,” Fowler implored. Demographics will prove that if Hillary supporters are anything, they are mature. Maybe there is wisdom in old age since they did not select Obama.

To illustrate that Clinton supporters are sore losers, Fowler compared the Democratic Primary to men’s basketball and men’s tennis. Attempting to appeal to the broadest base of Hillary’s supporters, women, by comparing the primary to men’s sports illustrates a continuing insensitivity to women and women’s issues by the DNC. In fact the DNC, the party of the people, has never had a female chair.

If sports were the metaphor of choice, the Democratic Primary is more like boxing than tennis or basketball. One could equate the primary to the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship. The two fighters in the ring, Senator’s Clinton and Obama, went the distance, 15 rounds, or in this case 52 primaries, but neither candidate scored a knockout blow. The fight will be decided by decision. The judges in this fight are the superdelegates and they will announce their decision at the Democratic Convention. There is one caveat however. These superdelegates are not impartial and both a carrot and a stick have been used to get them to declare for Obama. Many superdelegates have had large sums of money donated to their campaigns by Barack Obama under the guise of the Hope Fund or the Hope Pac. Others have received warnings that the DNC will not support their next campaign if they do not support Obama and still others have had death threats from the African American community.

The referee in this title bout, the person entrusted by the people to ensure a fair fight is Howard Dean, Chairman of the DNC. Dean stood silently by as Dodd, Kennedy and Kerry called for Clinton to throw in the towel early in the contest. He was mute when the main stream media called Hillary a bitch or said she should be taken out behind the barn. Dean did not enforce with the full authority of his office voting regulations to ensure a fair shot at the title for both candidates. Dean turned his back on the fight while Obama threw numerous sucker punches in the early rounds of the bout. Obama won 93% (13 out of 14) of the caucuses and only 46% (18 out of 39) of the primaries. It is impossible to explain the disparity in primary vs. caucus results due to superior organization or demographics alone. Dean and the DNC turned a blind eye to the fraud, busing and data manipulation by Camp Obama at the caucuses. Not only did Dean not investigate voter fraud, suppression and intimidation, he further engineered Obama’s nomination by giving the Florida delegates, a state where Clinton had a commanding lead, half a vote each. In Michigan Dean orchestrated the decision that gave Obama delegates for punches Clinton landed and gave Obama credit for votes logged as undecided. When Clinton Camp tried to raise some of these concerns they were labeled whiners.

The bout is not over until the judges officially announce their scoring of the fight in Denver in August. The DNC wants to deny Hillary’s name being put in nomination and to prohibit a state roll call that reflected the results of the primary. The DNC wants the judges, in this case the state delegations and the superdelegates, to declare that all votes went to Obama. But there was no knock out blow. In face based on the results in the swing states, the primary states, the blue states, the largest states, and by winning the popular vote, Hillary Clinton won the fight by decision. The referee can hold Senator Obama’s arm up in the center of the ring, but everyone watching the primary knows who won. If a football game is decided by an unfair penalty, a soccer game lost by an undeserved red card, a title match lost by a sucker punch, fans typically become embittered and resentful. Senator Clinton was the first significant female candidate to run for the presidency and her nomination was stolen by a corrupt party. No letter chiding Clinton’s supporters is going to change that. Red Sox fans will never become Yankee fans, and Clinton supporters are not coming home.

www.lynettelong.com is a proud partner of www.justsaynodeal.com

OBAMA DID NOT VOTE AGAINST IRAQ WAR

Barack was not in the Senate yet.  Please clear this up with everyone you know.

Here is the voting roll.  Obama is not on the roll since he was still a member of the Illinois State Senate.

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 107^th Congress - 2^nd Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On the Joint Resolution (H.J.Res. 114 )
Vote Number:	237	Vote Date:	October 11, 2002, 12:50 AM
Required For Majority:	1/2	Vote Result:	Joint Resolution Passed
Measure Number:	H.J.Res. 114
Measure Title:	A joint resolution to authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	77
	NAYs	23

Alphabetical by Senator Name

Akaka (D-HI), Nay Allard (R-CO), Yea Allen (R-VA), Yea Baucus (D-MT), Yea Bayh (D-IN), Yea Bennett (R-UT), Yea Biden (D-DE), Yea Bingaman (D-NM), Nay Bond (R-MO), Yea Boxer (D-CA), Nay Breaux (D-LA), Yea Brownback (R-KS), Yea Bunning (R-KY), Yea Burns (R-MT), Yea Byrd (D-WV), Nay Campbell (R-CO), Yea Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Carnahan (D-MO), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Chafee (R-RI), Nay Cleland (D-GA), Yea Clinton (D-NY), Yea Cochran (R-MS), Yea Collins (R-ME), Yea Conrad (D-ND), Nay Corzine (D-NJ), Nay Craig (R-ID), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Yea Daschle (D-SD), Yea Dayton (D-MN), Nay DeWine (R-OH), Yea Dodd (D-CT), Yea Domenici (R-NM), Yea Dorgan (D-ND), Yea

Durbin (D-IL), Nay Edwards (D-NC), Yea Ensign (R-NV), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Yea Feingold (D-WI), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Fitzgerald (R-IL), Yea Frist (R-TN), Yea Graham (D-FL), Nay Gramm (R-TX), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Yea Gregg (R-NH), Yea Hagel (R-NE), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Yea Helms (R-NC), Yea Hollings (D-SC), Yea Hutchinson (R-AR), Yea Hutchison (R-TX), Yea Inhofe (R-OK), Yea Inouye (D-HI), Nay Jeffords (I-VT), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Kennedy (D-MA), Nay Kerry (D-MA), Yea Kohl (D-WI), Yea Kyl (R-AZ), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Nay Lieberman (D-CT), Yea Lincoln (D-AR), Yea Lott (R-MS), Yea Lugar (R-IN), Yea

McCain (R-AZ), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Nay Miller (D-GA), Yea Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murray (D-WA), Nay Nelson (D-FL), Yea Nelson (D-NE), Yea Nickles (R-OK), Yea Reed (D-RI), Nay Reid (D-NV), Yea Roberts (R-KS), Yea Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Santorum (R-PA), Yea Sarbanes (D-MD), Nay Schumer (D-NY), Yea Sessions (R-AL), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Yea Smith (R-NH), Yea Smith (R-OR), Yea Snowe (R-ME), Yea Specter (R-PA), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Nay Stevens (R-AK), Yea Thomas (R-WY), Yea Thompson (R-TN), Yea Thurmond (R-SC), Yea Torricelli (D-NJ), Yea Voinovich (R-OH), Yea Warner (R-VA), Yea Wellstone (D-MN), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Nay

FACE TO FACE WITH OBAMA -The Tale of an Oregon Delegate

by Guest Blogger Susan B. Castner

Two Thursday’s ago, June 26th, I attended a meeting in Washington, D.C. with Senators Clinton and Obama. Incorrectly labeled a “fundraiser” by the press, it was supposed to be a small gathering of Hillary’s national finance committee and while there were a few in attendance to write checks to the Obama campaign that night, many did not.

Prior to this gathering, I had had several discussions and meetings with many staunch Obama supporters. These friends have all been exceptionally gracious in reaching out and have been willing to listen to the concerns brought forth. Many have eagerly awaited welcoming HRC supporters on board. So I was genuinely looking forward to the evening in Washington with an open mind, if not an open checkbook. Having already met Senator Obama in Scottsdale several years ago, I was truly hoping to see what my friends had related to me in oh-so many ways. I was hoping to be wowed, not wooed. I wanted to hear something that would bring me totally on board with the many friends and fellow Oregon delegates who support Senator Obama.

The first question during the very brief Q&A period dealt with a persistent rumor about Hillary’s name NOT being on the first ballot in Denver. As a Clinton delegate, I am looking forward to representing the people who voted for me at the 1st CD convention and the 259,000 Oregonians who voted for Hillary in May. I also feel a level of responsibility to the 18 million voters who must be respected, heard, and no longer invisible. Hillary has expressed this sentiment so much more eloquently than I ever could. So I, along with others on Hillary’s finance committee who are elected delegates, wanted to hear that there would be an open convention in which Hillary Clinton's name is placed into nomination and delegate votes are registered by roll call -- as has been the procedure at Democratic conventions throughout modern history.

DONNA'S GOTTA GO!

It's time to write Donna Brazile.

Tell her how outraged you are about the DNC trying to cancel the roll call.

Tell her how angry you are that she stood silent during the sexist treatment of Hillary Clinton.

Tell her you are not coming home, not now, not ever.

Tell her it's time for a change and she is part of that change.

Her email address is donna@brazileassociates.com.

BE PREPARED FOR A NASTY EMAIL BACK.  WHEN YOU GET IT, POST IT BELOW.  WE'LL START A COLLECTION, "DONNA BRAZILE...IN HER OWN WORDS.

A proud partner of www.justsaynodeal.com

A SYMBOLIC GESTURE FOR JULY 4th

However we each decide to vote in November, this summer many Hillary supporters want to show their continued support for Hillary and their anger at the DNC and many Democratic leaders for pushing Hillary out of the race. 

Many Hillary supporters have already made the symbolic gesture to switch their registration from Democrat to independent.  (That won't necessarily influence how they vote). In honor of Independence Day (July 4) we are encouraging other Hillary supporters to do the same -- as an organized effort that reflects and respects the differences among us. 

To be effective, we need to tell the Democratic Party and the media that we are doing this.  BUT, we don't want to lose our opportunity to vote in Democratic primaries for Congress that will be held between NOW and November.  Those states include:

Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, NY, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee,  Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

TEXAS CAUCUS FRAUD HEARINGS - JULY 7

It is very important that everyone in Texas knows about this meeting and people show up, testify and protest. Also anyone with press contacts needs to contact them and get them there. Please forward this to everyone. I know this is a sham by the DNC but we have to make alot of noise.  If you witnessed caucus fraud, voter intimidation, or supression, please contact me at drlynettelong@aol.com. Thanks, Lynette


Dear fellow Democrats,

I am pleased to inform you the first meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Texas Democratic Party Convention/Caucus System has been scheduled. Headed by Senator Royce West, this first of several meetings will convene at the Austin Community College Health Science Building, Building 9000 in the Multi Purpose Hall room 8500 in Austin, Texas on July 7, 2008 at 10:00am.  The campus is located at 3401 Webberville Rd, Austin, Texas 78702.   

This Committee which Senator West and I have appointed has been charged with studying the current convention/caucus system. Furthermore, based on the testimony taken at these meetings, the committee will then consider this feedback and possibly make recommendations for changes.   

While all meetings will be open to the public, the first committee meeting will be limited to invited testimony only. Senator West and the Committee members wish to use this initial meeting as an informational session. They will discuss with current and former Party leaders the history and development of the current convention/caucus system.

Those wishing to participate at this meeting are encouraged to submit written testimony to the Committee, or complete an online survey, available on the Texas Democratic Party website. Additionally, there will be other hearings held in Austin and throughout the state where public testimony will be taken in order to learn about your personal experience with the convention/caucus system. Those hearings will be scheduled at a later date.

So whether it is by completing the online survey or by attending the upcoming Committee meetings, I hope you will take a moment to share your thoughts. Your feedback will play an important role as we continue to explore our current Democratic Primary process. Only by working together will we be able to grow and strengthen as a Party.

Thank you again for helping us make your Party stronger and more unified than ever before.

Your friend and fellow Democrat,

Boyd L. Richie

Chairman

www.justsaynodeal.com

SPIN DOCTORS AND THE PICKING OF A PRESIDENT

by Lynette Long

The outcome of the Democratic primary was determined by the DNC and the mainstream media’s love affair with Obama.   Numerous studies reported a pro-Obama bias in both favorability ratings of stories and minutes of air time. Early in the primary season Diane Sawyer asked, “Are we using boxing gloves on Hillary Clinton and kid gloves on Barack Obama?” Saturday Night Live questioned the “soft” treatment Obama was getting from the press.  Over eighty-percent of voters recognized a pro-Obama media bias, but few could spot the subtle and insidious ways news outlets spun statistics to undermine the candidacy of one candidate or enhance the candidacy of another.  Here are a few of the most common techniques used by the media.

Report favorable statistics and ignore unfavorable statistics.  Jamal Simmons, an Obama supporter and regular on CNN, frequently said, “Obama’s won by every metric.  He’s won the most states and he’s won the most delegates.”  That’s spin. If Jamal was a Clinton supporter he’d pick different data points to spin. “Senator Clinton won by almost every metric.  She won four out of the five biggest states, the most electoral votes, the most primaries, almost all the swing states and the majority of the popular vote.”

Compare one statistic against another to make a good result look bad.  When Clinton won Pennsylvania by 10 points pundits hammered home that a month ago she was up 20 points in the polls.  Instead of emphasizing what she won, they emphasized what she lost.  Comparing polls to primaries is comparing apples to oranges, but pundits counted on viewer ignorance.   If the media were pro-Clinton, the tag-line would have been, “Votes Money Can’t Buy - after seven grueling weeks of campaigning and outspending Clinton three to one, Obama gets slammed in Pennsylvania by a double digit Clinton win.”   

When all else fails, look for a statistic within a statistic.  Senator Clinton crushed Senator Obama by 35 points in Kentucky after defeating him by 41points in West Virginia. Somber CNN pundits wanted to spin the story in Obama’s favor, but how do you spin a 35 point Clinton victory so that Clinton looks bad?  Look for a statistic within a statistic. During CNN’s exit polling, eighteen percent of white voters said race was important to them.  Eighty-eight percent of these voters voted for Senator Clinton.  David Gergen, a Democratic strategist for CNN, called this racist voting and labeled Senator Clinton’s constituents rednecks, a pejorative for poor white people, developed by African Americans to refer to the fair skinned laborers working next to them in the fields. Gergen implied Kentucky’s voters were sub-human and didn’t count. He failed to report other statistics within the statistic, namely that sixty-four percent Clinton supporters had gone to college or that sixty-one percent of people who earned over $100,000 a year voted for Senator Clinton.