US Senator Patrick Leahy attacked democracy AND LIED today.

[Maribelle]

http://thecommonills.blogspot.com/2008/03/iraq-snapshot_28.html


Johanna Neuman (Los Angeles Times) reports that Leahy is calling "on Hillary Rodham Clinton to drop out of the presidential race, saying there is no way the New York Senator can wrest the nomination from her rival Barack Obama." Let's remember that Leahy is the OLD FOOL who endorsed John Roberts for the Supreme Court. Now let's walk through slowly. A) If there's no way for Hillary to garner the nomination, what's the big concern with her dropping out? We'll come back to that. The Obama campaign got a spook today and are hoping the press doesn't get wind of it. B) If Barack has the nomination, it doesn't matter what Hillary does. C) Neither Hillary or Barack appeared able to reach the magic number of delegates from primaries or caucuses. Patrick Leahy needs to sit back down. His ass, like the rest of him, is obviously tired.

Let's cover the attack on Democracy angle. Vermont held their primary on March 4th. Leahy didn't think it was important to stop the process then, now did he? Today Bob Casey Jr. endorsed Barack. Let's see Bob Casey Jr. echo Leahy, let's see Bob Casey Jr. tell the voters of Pennsylvania that Hillary needs to drop out. Pennsylvania holds their primary on April 22nd so let's see Bob Casey Jr. stand with Leahy and see him tell the voters of his own state that they don't matter, that their votes don't matter and that their voice doesn't matter.

That is what Leahy is doing and everyone -- regardless of party -- should be offended by this attack on democracy. Now this nonsense was pulled on Al Gore privately in 2000. Leahy is so brazen that he thinks he can now do it publicly. Leahy is not the Director of Democracy and it's past time that he and others got that message. It's past time that someone held these little chiefs in check. And the people will. Leahy's not only offended Pennsylvania and all states and regions still to hold primary, he's also offending Vermont which is a state with a long history of allowing the process to go through. His offensive lies and attacks need to be called out.

Let's get it straight, the primary/caucus system is gamed over and over. But the lie those who don't live in Iowa or New Hampshire are told each election cycle is that their votes matter to. They're told that if it's ever close, they'll certainly get a say. They're told that just because the runway is cleared for Iowa and New Hampshire each year while everyone else is left in holding pattern, it's still fair, it's still equal. No, it's not. Which is why Bill Nelson is proposing legislation. But under the current system, the race continues. Under the current system, it's not expected that either Barack Obama nor Hillary Clinton will meet the magic number of delegates required to win the nomination. The super delegates would decide the nominee.

Everyone knows that. Leahy knows that though he lies to make it look better for his heart-throb Bambi. As someone who is lobbying super delegates, you better believe I know it. But while that battle's gone on, a new battle emerged today, totally unexpected. It sent the Barack Obama campaign into a tizzy. On NPR's The Diane Rehm Show today, a caller named John from Dallas, TX spoke. He explained he supported Barack Obama. He explained he voted for him. He explained he caucused for him. He explained he was selected as a delegate to represent Obama. Most importantly, he explained he could no longer support Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton won the primary in Texas.

That's why Leahy was sent out. Clamp down on this quick! Stop it before it bleeds further! Jeremy Wright is toxic and viral and it has destroyed Barack Obama. Not Hillary or anything she's said. The fact that Wright damned the United States of America is not going down easy despite media lies. The caller referenced an earlier section of the program and may have meant the embarrassing discussion of polls which included Obama's 'good' news from a PEW poll. 51% rated him well on his speech last week. But there's the other side which wasn't addressed on the broadcast. Seven percent didn't know. 42% rated Fair to Poor. The most heavily pimped speech of the campaign, by any candidate. The source of endless columns (bad columns) and non-stop gas baggery. The media was in full force on that speech, trying to shape the minds of Americans. But they didn't. 42% said Fair to Poor. (That's the general population but it's also the number for those self-describing as "Independent" in the poll.) When the US media decided to hop on board the selling of the illegal war, Bully Boy soared in the polls. 51% is very disappointing and that number is only going to continue to lower. Wright is toxic and viral and Obama showed no judgement.

That's what the caller told Rehm and her panel. And they characterized what he was going through as buyer's remorse. Wright has not gone away. He was back in the news for his "I will tour!" which didn't work out that well (it was cancelled for him but he tried to save face) and then came more offensive remarks including "garlic noses" for Italians.

[blogslut]

1. 4 paragraph rule

n/t

[Maribelle]

10. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5301334&mesg_id=5301334

[Chicken George]

14. rofl with none other than wingnut Peggy Noonan

Touche' and K&R

[blogslut]

15. You're not listening

http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html

Copyrights: Do not copy-and-paste entire articles onto this discussion forum. When referencing copyrighted work, post a short excerpt (not exceeding 4 paragraphs) with a link back to the original.

[Maribelle]

18. #1 It was not an entire article. #2 It is not copyrighted work

And I gave the link

[blogslut]

21. You're still not listening

Did you ask that blogger permission to post that much of her entry? And what part of 4 paragraphs do you not understand?

[Chicken George]

23. Ooooh

the paragraph police :nopity:

[blogslut]

27. Damned straight

Content theft is not cool.

[Maribelle]

48. You truly do not know what you are talking about.

Try looking at the page.

[roguevalley]

65. you need to put your stupid violin down and understand that if you

exceed 4 paragraphs you are in copyright violation and the board could catch hell. Better yet, go back to freeperland.

[Maribelle]

28. Sorry, it is not copyright material, and you are trying to apply copyright rules.

Thanks for your concern.

[blogslut]

31. Did you ask that blogger's permission?

?

[Maribelle]

45. Did you bother to look at the page, or are you just trying to bust balls?

[blogslut]

49. Look

I read the author's CC license. Did you?

Did it ever occur to you that part of the reason why one should whittle down a quoted article is so that interested parties will then visit the author's site? Don't you want to give that blogger some hits?

PS: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

# For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this web page.

# Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder.

# Nothing in this license impairs or restricts the author's moral rights.

PSS: As for your Peggy Noonan link. Naughty naughty.

[Dogmudgeon]

59. Check this page out.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5302704&mesg_id=5302821">An interesting post.

--p!

[Maribelle]

62. Interesting, indeed.

:rofl:

Thanks!

[Melinda]

71. Yet you still violate the terms of common license

by not linking to the actual license. From the license:

"For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this web page."

The articles link alone is insufficient. If you do not link to the common license, you are in violation of copyright.

[anigbrowl]

25. Edit - it's licensed under creative commons - don't worry about it

I still think it's cocaine-flavored though :-)

[Mezzo]

51. smackdown. nt

[AX10]

2. k/r

As for Leahy..:puke:

[John Q. Citizen]

19. People are dropping like fly's to you...

[SammyWinstonJack]

43. Flies?

:eyes:

[roguevalley]

67. Leahy has done more accidentally than you will do in your entire

life. jesus. what a bunch of quizlings. I suppose if Jesus came out for Obama he would be dead to you as well.

[ProSense]

3. "AND LIED"?

Oh brother!

[Yael]

4. Oh noes! A pro-Hillary blogger is upset with Leahy

He needs to resign RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!!11!!

[RainDog]

7. the other day on Demcracy Now

I heard a guest talking about the trace amts. of anti-psychotics and anti-anxiety meds in drinking water. NY was tops for those two, but looks like not quite enough for some folks.

[Maribelle]

12. No. That's up to the good folks in VT to decide.

[Lucky 13]

24. Yeah? I'm in Vermont and there's no fucking chance.

I'm proud of my Senator.

[struggle4progress]

74. Speakin as a Nuth Cayolinian, suh, Ah wanna say: Ah also am very prowd of yo Senator

Both o'mine, sadly, well, thass a diffrint matta

[Lucky 13]

80. Nevah fe-ah. Ba-raack will win NC in spite of your dastaahdly Senatahs.

Vote Quimby.

[Warren DeMontague]

56. Not only that, but SOMEONE CALLED INTO A RADIO SHOW!

Clearly, massive tectonic shifts in the political landscape are involved, here.

[NightWatcher]

5. Somebody call the Waaambulance

[depakid]

81. TThat's exactly what I think every time I read a "must drop out" thread

Childish whining....

[babylonsister]

6. Taylor Marsh wannabe-how special. nt

[pocoloco]

8. Leahy still kicking them through the goalposts!!!

[DJ13]

9. Olbermann/Richardson/Caucus States/Kennedy/Kerry/Small States/Leahy

Another added to the list of those who no longer matter.

Its a sad way to run a hopeless campaign, but whatever.

[Chicken George]

11. When did Leahy go from being Specter's punk

to Obama's punk?

[ProSense]

16. Interesting sig line. Reminds me of

this

[Chicken George]

26. You're not going to redirect me to one of your tirades

thank you very much!

kick!

[ProSense]

29. I'm sure you can tell the link is not to anything posted on DU, but

I understand your avoidance!

[Chicken George]

35. kick!

kick!

[ProSense]

41. Keep kicking it, enough people can see the video! It's friday night. n/t

[Chicken George]

47. Video, did you say video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgctsioisJg

[ProSense]

50. This is fun! Here,

videos:

Hillary Channels Bill

http://www.dailykos.com">Hillary Clinton Borrows Edwards Finishing Line

Hillary's habit of Xeroxing

If you have some time, what these videos

[roguevalley]

68. interesting sig line indeed. Too bad Bill can't say the same thing.

or did you consider that when you dreamed up that little bit of spew?

[DerekJ]

13. The new JUDAS. When did Hillary release the memo?

[Chicken George]

22. Nothing biblical about Leahy

just a charter member of "The Ole Boys Club." One second thought maybe Pontius Pilate :shrug:

[thunder rising]

38. Takes the evil eye off of Richardson ya'know.

[UALRBSofL]

17. Maribelle when Leahy pulled that trick out of his hat today

I called his office and talked to his assistant, or whomever it was in his office and asked him to pass a message to Senator Leahy. I told the guy I felt it was inappropriate for Leahy to make these statements in the media. I said, if you want to lose Florida, Michigan and plenty of Hillary supporters votes keep trying to strong arm Senator Clinton out of the race. Now, whether my call made a difference I don't know. It was just the fact he was trying to strong arm her that I had to call him and demand him to cease and desist.

[Maribelle]

20. That was great. Your call will make a difference if others call as well ...

or send emails. My congressmen always respond to my emails.

Thanks :hi:

[MoonRiver]

40. Good for you!

I'll do the same Monday. :kick:

[cali]

75. Are you a Vermonter? If not, it didn't make a difference

You're just lucky that Leahy's office was gracious enough to take your whining shit. Many lawmakers don't extend that courtesy to non-constituents.

[The_Casual_Observer]

30. Leahy ought to retire

[ProSense]

36. Leahy made perfect sense, he even clarified the comments he made earlier in the day:

Statement from Vermont Sen. Leahy

Any clear-eyed appraisal of the campaign at this stage adds up to two conclusions:

The bottom line is that, first, Senator Obama continues to hold a lead that appears to be insurmountable, and recent indications are that more and more unpledged delegates have begun to add their support to his column.

And second, John McCain, who has been making one mistake after another, is getting a free ride on those gaffes, because the Democratic candidates have to focus not on him but on each other.

Senator Casey’s endorsement of Senator Obama in Pennsylvania is the latest sign of how the race is going.

A Democratic victory in November is important to the future and to the change in course that the American people want and deserve. The last thing the American people need is for Senator McCain to continue a third term for President Bush.

Senator Clinton has every right, but not a very good reason, to remain a candidate for as long as she wants to. As far as the delegate count and the interests of a Democratic victory in November go, there is not a very good reason for drawing this out. But as I have said before, that is a decision that only she can make.

Senator Clinton has begun a tremendous career in the Senate, and she has a bright future ahead of her. She faces difficult decisions ahead, and I wish her the best.

(emphasis added)


Florida and MI:

Actual Popular Vote Total
Obama 13,355,239 (+717,276)
Hillary 12,637,963

FL
Obama 576,214
Hillary 870,986
Total votes 1,447,200

Popular Vote (w/FL)
Obama 13,931,453 (+422,504)
Hillary 13,508,949


MI
Clinton 328,151
Uncommitted 237,762

Popular Vote (w/FL and MI)
Obama 13,931,453 (+94,195)
Clinton 13,837,258

Let's say Obama got the uncommitted MI votes

Popular Vote (w/FL and MI)
Obama 14,169,215 (+331,957)
Clinton 13,837,258

In these scenarios Obama is clearly ahead, even with no MI votes going to him.

What would a revote mean? Hillary would not get more than 58% of the MI and 60% of the FL vote as indicated above. In fact, she stands to lose ground.


Hillary can't win!

[roguevalley]

69. Leahy is one of the few with balls. Retire? Yeah right.

[chascarrillo]

79. "Go fuck yourself". Interesting attitude to take. Reminds me of someone... hmmm...

[AmericanUnity]

32. YOU ONLY HURT THE DEMOCRATS! HILLARY CANNOT WIN THE NOMINATION. You don't care

[Dogmudgeon]

57. I like your sig quote. Have you ever read it?

--p!

[cliffordu]

33. Fock, these grapes are sour......

[thunder rising]

34. Clintons, Nelson, McCain, "non-stop gas baggery" couldn't say it better myself

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[thewiseguy]

39. Please shut up already.

[reflection]

42. i imagine

He is concerned about Democrats spending money attacking each other needlessly when one candidate is leading on just about every front. It's a reasonable position to take, and any talk about an attack on democracy is patent nonsense. YMMV obviously.

[Name removed]

44. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mezzo]

53. The candidate has not been decided yet, no matter how loud you yell.

get over it.

[RBInMaine]

46. BS POST !

[Nitrogenica]

52. The Wright smear is dead.

First off, it's a guilt by association attack.

Second, it makes the assumption that 20 years ago Reverend Wright spewed haterd for Obama to hear and has done that quite often since.

Third, the religious right has plenty of associations with McCain that are far worse than Reverend Wright.

Fourth, it assumes overall negative assumptions about Reverend Wright and discounts all the things good he has done to help those in need.

Fifth, the pundits of the right have plenty of associations and errors in judgement that are far worse that we can use for comparison. (Rush Hannity O'Reilly etc.) How good has their judgement been.

Sixth, the entire REPUBLICAN PARTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH BUSH.

Seventh, Trinity Church will be standing up for themselves and fighting for their church. They will not hide in the shadows!

Eighth, barack Obama will fight back, as he always done, by fighting with truth and getting right to the heart of what is wrong with false arguments.

Ninth, America is getting sick of the bullshit on this list, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy

Tenth, the level of discourse in this country EVERY ELECTION since 2000 has been the most immature, childish bunch of bullcrap I've ever seen in my entire life. It is an insult to the intelligence of everyone at DU.

AND FINALLY, it does not address issues that matter.

counterpoint?

[depakid]

54. "buyer's remorse"

Is something we all have a chance this time to avoid. That's a silver lining to all of the bickering, seems to me.

[Warren DeMontague]

55. So let me get this straight- Pat Leahy was "sent out" because of someone who called in to NPR?

Sure, dude. :crazy:

[cooolandrew]

58. HRC can't win so Leahy's point isshe is milking her voters.

[Warren Stupidity]

60. Leahy is urging Clinton to accept reality.

That is not an 'attack on democracy'. Clinton is not going to win by capturing declared delegates in the remaining primaries. The primary campaign is effectively over and Obama won. Instead Clinton has attempted, through her 'kitchen sink strategy' to throw anything and everything she can at Obama to see if she can damage him so badly that he has to withdraw, or that all the super-duper non-democraticly chosen delegates magically cross over to the Clinton camp. Unfortunately she got so carried away attacking Obama that she blew herself up with her Bosnian Delusion. That self inflicted wound sucked all the remaining life out of her campaign. Leahy is just one of many who are going to be publicly and privately suggesting and then demanding that the Clintons stand down. It is over and the party leadership is letting it be known in no uncertain terms, that it is time to stop.

[Maribelle]

61. The rules say 2024. Obama has not won.

[Warren Stupidity]

63. Effectively won the primary delegate contest.

Clinton cannot catch up to him in the remaining oontests. Claims such as the OP's that bringing an end to the campaign would be undemocratic are bullshit, as the democratic part of the nomination process has already been decided. Obama won that part of the process.

The super delegates are not democratically selected and they will be the deciding factor. So, referring back to the OP's post, the 'it is not democratic' claim regarding Leahy is bullshit.

Clinton is not going to win with the superdelegates either. She wrecked any chance of that with her Bosnian Delusion. She's done.

[Maribelle]

66. No he did not 'effectively' win. 2024 is needed to win. No less.

Quit trying to change the rules to favor Obama.

[BearSquirrel2]

64. Pai-Mei says ...

Let's remember that Leahy is the OLD FOOL who endorsed John Roberts for the Supreme Court.

Someone needs to have an eye plucked out!!!

[blogslut]

70. So, Hillary is Elle Driver?

?

[cascadiance]

72. This is so wrong on many fronts!...

And I'm not even talking about copyright violations...

First of all, the one guy voting "according to his super delegate status" instead of who he says he supported (Obama), should be able to vote for who he supported because when adding the primaries together with the caucuses Obama will be shown to have WON TEXAS!!!!

And this "convenient" criticism against caucuses is there just as a ploy to try and get people to selectively discount them. But caucuses are BETTER than primaries when it comes to not being prone to Diebold and other election fraud manipulation! I think it was VERY important that we didn't have an election fraud prone state leading the pack with the first set of votes when Iowa was first. In the future, when we get rid of the voting machines that make us so prone to manipulation, then might be the time to consider rotating the primaries/caucuses. And also, caucuses are better at helping the voters talk about their voting decisions with fellow voters at a grass roots level rather than get manipulated by the corporate media marketing games (which Hillary obviously loves to persuade Rupert Murdoch have work in her favor).

As a matter of fact, Patrick Leahy was THE senator that lead the fight back when Bill was in office against the consolidation of media bill (Telecomm Act) that Clinton signed into law then, which has lead to the mess we are with the corporate media now (much like he signed NAFTA and other bills that Hillary's trying to shake off any responsibility for). He was joined by the likes of Russ Feingold, Paul Wellstone, and even John McCain! YES JOHN McCAIN! That issue might make it into the general election then.

It seems a shame that Hillary and her crowd have to join Dick Cheney in trying to tell Leahy to f' himself! Frankly, I feel proud to be on the other side of that battle!

[BenDavid]

73. Well hell, what do you expect from this rubberstamp for the

bush administration. No wonder he is a pink tutu wearing democrat.

[cali]

77. Yeah, he's such a pink tutu wearing dem

that he was sent anthrax- and he's said publically that he thinks the White House knows a lot about that- and that Cheney told him to go fuck himself because Leahy attacked him on his ties to Halliburton. He's such a pink tutu wearing dem that he was one of the leading voices against the war that hilly so enthusiastically backed. Pat is largely responsible for Gonzo going down. He single handedly stripped immunity for the telecoms out of the JC FISA bill. He wrote and sponsored the Habeas Restoration Act. He wrote the War Profiteering Prevention Act. He issued subpoenas for Rove and other bush family criminals. He's worked tirelessly against land mine proliferation and cluster bomb use in civilian areas.

Hilly could never, ever measure up to what Pat's done.

[totodeinhere]

76. And now they are trashing Leahy too.

Wow what depths the Clintons and their apologists will sink too. Senator Leahy has been one of the great progressive voices in the Senate for many years. He is a national treasure. But now since he is not walking in lock step with the Clintons he is a liar? Give me a break. This demonizing of anyone who has the temerity to endorse Obama or criticize Clinton has got to stop. This Clinton campaign is one of the dirtiest and low life campaigns I have seen in my adult lifetime. It must make Carl Rove proud.

[indimuse]

78. Great post M

k&R!