Erin Kotecki Vest's blog

Hi, My Name Is Erin, And I Am A Patriot

2008-07-02T01:48:25-05:00

I have never considered myself a patriot.

I have never served in the armed forces. I have never served as a lawmaker, or heck, even a volunteer.

I thought patriots died for America, they lost their homes or sacrificed their sons. I thought they did what was asked when the United States was in need and always stood by her side.

Those people are why I never once considered myself even close to a "patriot." Sure I have a loyalty to my country, but I also question her. While it may be one of the things that makes this country great, it was always one of the things I thought disqualified me to really be patriotic.

Guess I was buying the spin too.

Senator Barack Obama spoke of patriotism this week in Independence, MO.

"Most Americans never bought into these simplistic world-views – these caricatures of left and right. Most Americans understood that dissent does not make one unpatriotic, and that there is nothing smart or sophisticated about a cynical disregard for America’s traditions and institutions. And yet the anger and turmoil of that period never entirely drained away. All too often our politics still seems trapped in these old, threadbare arguments – a fact most evident during our recent debates about the war in Iraq, when those who opposed administration policy were tagged by some as unpatriotic, and a general providing his best counsel on how to move forward in Iraq was accused of betrayal.

Given the enormous challenges that lie before us, we can no longer afford these sorts of divisions. None of us expect that arguments about patriotism will, or should, vanish entirely; after all, when we argue about patriotism, we are arguing about who we are as a country, and more importantly, who we should be. But surely we can agree that no party or political philosophy has a monopoly on patriotism. And surely we can arrive at a definition of patriotism that, however rough and imperfect, captures the best of America’s common spirit."

The Senator has a point. While I never fully bought into those views, I also never publicly would call myself a "patriot."

Then, on the heels of this speech, my husband said to me, "Erin, anyone who follows politics with a passion, who loves this country enough to constantly seek out information, and be passionate as to find out what is happening, wants to have a hand in where this country is going, and truly CARES, is a patriot."

I thought of all the hours I spent following politics. The loss of time with my children as I work to bring information via blogging.

I am a patriot?

In his speech, Senator Obama made reference to the war in Iraq and those opposing the administration being "unpatriotic." Of course my ears perked up, he was talking to me.

Then everything took an unexpected turn when the Senator said "...and a general providing his best counsel on how to move forward in Iraq was accused of betrayal."

I was prepared for the part defending ME, as I have been against the war from day one and heard ALL about what a bad American I was. The curve-ball that made me sit up in my chair, was the vague mention of MoveOn.org.

Tennessee Guerilla Women writes, "Ahem, would anyone like to venture a guess as to why Barack Obama saved his criticism of Move On until after the Democratic primary? And how many millions did Move On raise and spend on Barack Obama's behalf anyway?"

StereoHyped says, "Obama’s aides say he’s keeping up the patriotism theme all week. However, its strongly doubtful his words will have much impact with certain segments of the population until he does something drastic, like bleach his skin or reject and denounce his blackness.."

WakeUpAmericans says, "...this came as a complete shock to see him rebuke them for it now...then again, he has won the presumptive nominee status so he really doesn't need MoveOn as much as he needs the Independents and Moderates and he may just be sick and tired of them trying to push him around about his FISA..."

Honestly though, I think this just another reminder by the Senator that we can rise above the fray and find more constructive ways to deal with disagreement than name calling.

In a week where General Wesley Clark's feet are to the fire over comments he made about Senator John McCain, it seems to me Senator Obama isn't necessarily disagreeing with the message, but the tone and approach of the messenger.

If I can, for the very first time, publicly call myself a patriot- I would like to think I can do so without those taunts of "but you are not for the war!" and "how dare you call yourself that as our men and women stand in harms way and you refuse to support their efforts!"

However the Senator is right, and felt the need to give an entire speech on the subject this holiday week. He would be remiss to NOT hold accountable those of us so quick to decry our accusers while we call names at the other side.

I am a patriot.

Despite a brother-in-law fighting in Iraq, despite a yellow ribbon in front of my home, I still feel the need to defend my patriotism. Senator Obama felt a need to defend his.

Do you?

Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain blog

Memo to Senator McCain: Wife Beating Jokes Are Not Funny ( Even If They are Famous)

2008-06-26T21:11:00-05:00

Apparently there is some old joke about being asked a loaded question:

"Are you still beating your wife?"

Of course I had never heard this used before, not in the context of lawyers or trials or even reporting.

Fine. Fair enough. I sure don't know every pop-culture catch phrase out there (yes, I'm snickering).

So today when I came across remarks made by Senator John McCain to the Las Vegas Sun, I about fell out of my chair.

(On why he didn't choose Gov. Jim Gibbons to chair his Nevada campaign?)

I appreciate his support. As you know, the lieutenant governor is our chairman.

(Why snub the governor?)

I didn’t mean to snub him,. I've known the lieutenant governor for 15 years and we've been good friends….I didn't intend to snub him. There are other states where the governor is not the chairman.

(Maybe it's the governor's approval rating and you are running from him like you are from the president?)

(Chuckling) And I stopped beating my wife just a couple of weeks ago….

Yes, Senator McCain laughed and made a joke about loaded questions and beating his wife, apparently riffing off some well turned phrase.

At best, this is just a poor, poor, poor, cliche' to pick when you are courting Clinton voters. At worst, he's perpetuating his image as "old school" and "sexism is funny."

I informally polled some friends and family of various ages and only one had heard this phrase used before- my neighbor who is in his 70's. I'm guessing the younger demo, widely voting for Senator Obama, looked at that Las Vegas Sun quote and did the same thing I did..."HE SAID WHAT???!!! AND HE THINKS THAT'S FUNNY???!!!"

I'm doing my best to keep a level head in this election (and now everyone else snickers) so I immediately e-mailed Liz Mair of the RNC. If and when she responds, I will post an update here.

In the meantime, what the hell is McCain thinking making a joke half of us don't know is a joke???

Wonkette writes, "What does that Joke even mean? That John McCain trying to keep his distance from President Bush/Jim Gibbons is about as likely as him beating up his wife recently? Well for shame. We want a president who continues beating up his trollop wife IN THE WHITE HOUSE."

Erica Saves the Day writes, "As my mom says, sarcasm always has an element of truth..."

I give McCain credit for making an attempt at humor, I really do. But could he have picked a WORSE joke? And yes, the candidates misspeak. We've been over this. McCain didn't misspeak here though, he intentionally invoked a tasteless joke about beating wives.

I've heard a ton of well-known jokes that invoke racism too, should I bust one of those out next time I run for office?

Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain blog

This Woman's Work

2008-06-25T02:01:21-05:00

Lucky.

My family and I are lucky.

I am a working mom.

A working woman.

A female voter.

As BlogHer Contributing Editor American Princess put it, part of the demographic that will have a "profound effect on the outcome of November's election."

Like many Americans I recently went from "stay-at-home-mom who could stand to make some extra cash on the side" to "I need a job and I need it now to make ends meet in this house."

Like many Americans we recently got the notice from my husband's work that spouses and dependents will no longer be covered by the company's health insurance.

Like many Americans I began to investigate what it would cost to buy myself and our two children insurance.

Like many Americans I promptly fainted.

And that's just the start.

I seriously considered going back to work full time in my previous profession, but quickly realized that even with my years of experience I would not make as much as my husband is currently making.

Thus my very REAL interest in Senator Barack Obama's plan to support working women and families.

Going over the plan it addresses all of my concerns: minimum wage, childcare credits, extending the Family Medical Leave Act, a middle class tax credit that would affect 70 MILLION WORKING WOMEN, health care, mortgage relief and even help saving for retirement.

SAVING? What's that?

Being the diligent voter (newsjunkie and Political Director at BlogHer.com helps) that I am, I didn't have to wait long to see what Senator John McCain was offering me.

My first inkling was an email from Liz Mair, Online Communications Director of the RNC's eCampaign Division:

"Women concerned about the economy and jobs, health care, rising gas prices and energy independence will have a choice between John McCain, a bold leader who has consistently delivered solutions for working women, and Obama, whose rhetoric consistently fails to match reality. Obama’s votes for higher taxes, plans to put more government between women and their doctors, and a do-nothing energy policy are not what women are looking for in this election—and that’s why so many of us are supporting John McCain."

Now, there are several points here I am confused with like, well...all of it. I watched last week as MomsRising delivered 9-thousand resumes to Senator McCain's office- why?

Ten DC-area moms sporting “Magnificently Overqualified Mother” banners, some of them accompanied by their kids, were up on Capitol Hill today to send a message to Senator John McCain about his opposition to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. That message came in the form of some 9,000 resumes from mothers across the country underscoring women’s skills, training and education, and it was crystal clear: “women are well-trained, educated and qualified and should be paid the same as men for doing the same work.”

In late April, the U.S. Senate voted on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, legislation that would loosen the restrictions on the length of time in which workers could file pay discrimination claims against their employers. On the campaign trail at the time, Senator John McCain refused to return to Washington, DC to vote on the measure (unlike two other U.S. Senators who were also campaigning for President), commenting instead that he opposed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and that what women really needed was “more training and education.” Ultimately, a filibuster in the Senate prevented the bill from coming to a vote. The bill did pass in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Then came word from the McCain camp: "When you consider women are a major driving force behind small business start-ups in this country, Barack Obama’s proposals to raise taxes on millions of small businesses isn’t going to help women voters,”-campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker.

Now here is what I know about Senator McCain: He opposed equal pay while talking down to my gender, he opposed the Children's Health Insurance Program, he has an entire page devoted to his "positions" over at Planned Parenthood that scares the hell out of me, and he voted to "suspend the Family and Medical Leave Act unless the federal government certified that compliance would not increase business expenses or provide financial assistance to businesses to cover any related costs."

Marjorie at m-pyre says, "I'm also getting a little tired of the notion that Democrat women won't vote for Obama because he won the primary. They will vote for him, overwhelmingly. To suggest otherwise, to me, suggests that women as a group don't make rational choices in their own best interests. To support Clinton out of gender solidarity is a fine thing, given the two fine choices in the end, but it doesn't follow that McCain is better on women's issues than the winner of that contest--Barack Obama. And women know it."

Just this week I was listening to an Obama campaign conference call on energy policy while simultaneously making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for my children and wiping up a milk spill. I honestly don't have time for any candidate who isn't clear on how they will help ME and MY family.

At the very least, Senator Obama is offering me specific details on how his plans will affect women. 70 million women in his tax cut alone. All I am seeing from Senator McCain is my need for "education and training."

BlogHer Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain blog

Politics As Usual in the 'Change' Campaign?

2008-06-19T18:29:10-05:00

Image control is nothing new in politics. Campaigns try and make candidates look more down to earth, more athletic, more like someone you'd have a beer with. They try and make them look less old, less harsh, even less intelligent.

This has been the way of political campaigns for as long as I've been voting and it's been the way of the media to eat up each photo op and event and regurgitate it for the world to see.

Then came Senator Barack Obama and his constant theme of 'change' and 'hope' and the promise to do things differently.

I believe that message. I respect that message. I even buy that message coming from a politician. NOT an easy task for this former new reporter who's instinct is to trust no one and question everything.

So maybe I am just buying into the spin. Maybe I am being used as a pawn in this image-conscience media game. Maybe I am naive and a sucker for blogging this...but my eyebrow raised once a few days ago and again this morning as some 'image' issues hit the news.

From Politico:

Two Muslim women at Barack Obama’s rally in Detroit on Monday were barred from sitting behind the podium by campaign volunteers seeking to prevent the women’s headscarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate.

From ABC News:

"Michelle Obama makes her debut appearance on ABC's "The View" Wednesday as her husband, presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama, fights for key women voters. Her appearance on a popular women's daytime television program coincides with subtle attempts by the Obama campaign to soften her image and combat efforts by some conservatives and critics to paint her as an unpatriotic, angry, black woman."

Two 'image' issues that would seem to directly conflict with the messages we hear from the Obama campaign, and arriving at my attention on the day the Senator announces he will forgo public financing for the the general election.

Taken one by one these issues come with explanations, as a voter, I totally understand. However put together, it made me raise my eyebrows and wonder if the image spins were occurring behind the scenes. If this was the scripted misstep and then inevitable backpeddling of politics as usual, with campaign strategists plotting how to get rid of the persistent rumors that the Senator is Muslim and the Fox News host discussing the image of 'angry black women' on television in relation to Michelle Obama.

On the 'women wearing headscarves' issue Sepia Mutiny writes, "I have no doubt that Obama is disappointed in his staffers over this but the buck has to stop at the top of the ticket. By forcefully refuting rumors that he is a 'secret Muslim,' I think he is beginning to overreact and hurt his reputation among the very people who believe in him to bring a change. I mean, how in the world do you expect to campaign in Detroit and NOT be associated with Muslim supporters?"

This discussion constantly drives me crazy for many reasons, not the least of which is "What the HECK is wrong with being MUSLIM???!" Of course we all know there is anti-Muslim sentiment in this country, particularly since 9-11. However most thinking people understand the difference between terrorism and organized religion of any faith.
Every time the Obama campaign has to denounce the rumor the Senator is secretly a Muslim, I always feel a twinge of sympathy pain for Muslim-Americans.

Rochelle Riley at the Detroit Free Press blog writes, "That his campaign apologized, as it should have, for the badly mishandled incident by campaign volunteers was not the bigger story.

The bigger story is that hateful extremists who used to exist on the fringe of society are now taking over and too much is being done to appease them instead of ignore them.

The Obama volunteers who didn't want the women to provide fuel for rumors that Obama is a secret Muslim chose to let hate-mongers dictate their actions and hurt the women's feelings. They made a mistake, as far as we know. (Of course, the Web would have you believe that they did it on purpose because they KNEW that these women were actually plants by Sen. John McCain's campaign, an unlikely but possible scenario that seems all the more impossible when you read about their wonderful attitudes.)"

And in the broader picture, when putting all the incidents together, Shakespeare's Sister writes,

"To be quite honest, I don't really have anything in particular to say about either of these items. They both strike me as completely predictable from a middle-of-the-road, mainstream, establishment Democrat, which is what Obama is (and always has been) and are therefore predictably sigh-inducing, at least from this non-partisan progressive."

Again, even my eyebrow was raised seeing all these headlines at once-however just a *tiny* bit of reading into each made me quickly realize they were not the lack of change we expect. Moreover, they seemed to be the expectation of perfection, and the need to push a headline.

Should we expect the Obama campaign to be cautious about all things 'image' related whether it is legitimately a policy issue, like the public financing for the general election, or a trumped up spousal media circus? Of course.

As Michelle Obama said on the View, "You have to be really careful in what you say because everything you say is looked at and in many cases misconstrued."

BlogHer is Going to Denver - Are You?

2008-06-18T11:28:40-05:00

BlogHer has been credentialed for the Democratic National Convention August 25-28th, and we want to make sure we are promoting YOUR blog as we talk politics from the Mile High city.

Now is the time to add you name and URL to our widget and let us know if you will be in Denver this summer.

With a record number of bloggers headed to Denver in August for the Democratic National Convention, not all are going to be getting inside the Pepsi Center.

Who was chosen, why they were chosen, and how have been highly debated in the weeks since the DNCC announced credentials for bloggers. Some bloggers have even lobbied successfully to be added to the list.

Karen Brooks at the Dallas Morning News writes, "Minority blogs that felt spurned by the Democratic National Committee got some vindication recently when they were added to the list of blogs invited by party officials to cover their convention in August – but some still say the white blogs got preferential treatment and will get better access."

The DNCC is attempting to promote activities for non-credentialed bloggers as much as possible including volunteer opportunities and 'traveling' conversations.

In fact, during the convention August 25-28th, there is so much planned for outside, BlogHer plans to have a team at the "Big Tent" and credentialed for the Pepsi Center.

The "Big Tent," is billed as "the place to be for new media journalists, bloggers, reporters, and non-profit leaders covering the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer.

We're creating a 9,000 square foot, two-story structure that will house the work space for journalists, bloggers and new media, as well as a YouTube stage with events that will be open to the public ..."

And of course there will be protests.

A Catholic View writes, "The pro-life groups coordinating the abortion protests at the upcoming Democratic national convention will officially announce their plans on Wednesday. During the protests they hope to receive media coverage of their message that presidential candidate Barack Obama is extremely pro-abortion."

Outside, inside, or thousands of miles from Denver, women who blog will be covering events as they unfold. Will you? Let us know!

Iowa is UNDER WATER

2008-06-13T00:50:40-05:00

Politics are on hold in Iowa as the state deals with flooding of historic proportion. Both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party have postponed their state conventions as 100 blocks of downtown Cedar Rapids and parts of Des Moines are under water.

NBC reports, "Rescuers had to use boats to reach many stranded residents in the city of 120,000, and people could be seen dragging suitcases up closed highway exit ramps to escape the water. It wasn't clear just how high the river had risen because a flood gauge was swept away by the swirling water."

Lynda Waddington at the Iowa Independent writes, "...officials estimated that the river would crest early Friday morning at a level of 24.5 feet. That guess was washed away today when the river surged to over 26 feet. Officials at the National Weather Service now believe the river will crest in the morning at a level of 32 feet -- a level that has never been seen.

Previous flood records for the river in Cedar Rapids were set in 1929 and 1851 at 20 feet. The river is not expected to recede to that level until next Wednesday or Thursday. The non-flood level is 12 feet."

Video posted on YouTube shows the extent of the rising water-

Saying the "worst may not be behind us," Senator Tom Harkin said an emergency federal appropriation may be in order to assist the state with the effects of storms and flooding.

Essential Estrogen writes, "Well, there's obviously a lot of work ahead. Maybe when the waters recede, there will be new opportunities that wouldn't have seemed feasible a year or even a month ago. There's also no doubt that the Cedar River has played a big role in encouraging the collaboration between county and city governments. When you think about it, the river probably went above and beyond what was required, pulling in state and national interests as well.

'Year of the River' or not, I'm personally going to find it a bit difficult to head into downtown next month, sit calmly on the banks of the Cedar and pay homage to its beauty and possibilities. Call me paranoid, but after seeing the fury the river has unleashed, I'm more than a little wary of pumping up its ego once again."

The Flege Farm says, "Our city is in trouble. The Governor has been here and the red cross and national guard are doing all they can do. Please pray for our friends here in Cedar Rapids with the loss of their houses and businesses. The devastation is beyond belief......."

As if the flooding were not bad enough, a tornado in the western part of Iowa killed four Boy Scouts and injured dozens.

"This has been a remarkable onslaught of weather — everything from flooding, unbelievable rain and of course tornadoes — all descending at once," Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff told reporters near the scout camp.

Chertoff said government relief would be forthcoming but the department also needed to keep some resources in reserve with the onset of hurricane season.

Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain Blog

Mother Nature Wreaks Havoc Across US

2008-06-11T00:29:14-05:00

Storms, tornadoes, flooding, and heat waves from the East Coast to the West Coast of the United States have knocked out power, swept away homes and taken lives.

In Cedar Falls, Iowa residents are readying as the Cedar River threatens to top a levee, prompting mandatory evacuations.

Theresa writes, "Iowa is a mess. First, tornadoes, then flooding.

One of my coworkers has a relative in an effected area. They lost their barn and silo in a tornado. Then, the father was in a terrible work related accident. Last night their house was flooded and the flooding caused an electrical fire. After surviving a tornado and a near fatal accident, this man and woman, and their three small children, stood in a field up to their knees in mud and watched their home go up in flames. This family, and so many others, are in my prayers.

Parts of my city are flooding but so far we've been spared the damage many of our neighboring towns are suffering. An EF5 tornado, 1 mile wide, leveled the town of Parkersburg. Yesterday, Mason City lost 3 of their 4 bridges. More rain is expected in the coming days."

Levee breaks in southeastern Illinois flooded farmland and forced evacuations, while in Indiana residents are waiting to see if barriers will hold back the White River as it crests.

Gidge writes, "Natural disasters do not care one whit if you have talked to your mom at least once a day every day of your adult life and you're about to climb the walls because she doesn't have phone service. If you're worried even if you're relatively sure she's OK. Natural disasters do not care at all."

Along the Mississippi River, the National Weather Service predicted crests of 10 feet above flood stage and higher over the next two weeks. Most of the towns are protected by levees, but outlying areas could be flooded.

The Associated Press reports Canton, Missouri could see the worst of the river's flooding. The town of 2,500 is expected to see a crest on June 18 that is nearly 12 feet above flood stage.

Brilliant at Breakfast says, "A good-sized swath of America's heartland is under water, and you'd never know it from reading the newspapers or watching the news."

Repairs continue near Lake Delton in Wisconsin after the lake overflowed and drained, washing away three homes.

Officials in Wisconsin also closed lanes of Interstate 94 as rising water from Rock River creep onto the road.

In Michigan crews continue to work to restore power to nearly a quarter of a million homes and business affected by several days of severe storms.

The East Coast, meanwhile, is baking in a heat wave with temperatures in the upper 90's from Georgia north through New Hampshire. The heat forced some New York City schools to close early and is blamed for the deaths of two women in Philadelphia.

Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain blog.

Oh, To Be A Fly On The Wall -Obama and Clinton Reportedly Meet

2008-06-06T01:17:40-05:00

There is news tonight Senators Clinton and Obama sat down and had a chat in Washington D.C.

I have burning questions, and I realize not all of them are about policy or substance.

But...
Was there a hug when they entered the room?
Handshake?
I'm guessing no fist-pound.

Was it cold and formal?
Was small talk exchanged? I'm envisioning something like:

"So, how's the weather here in DC?"
"Oh, did you see those storms we had?"
"Boy, I sure am tired from all that campaigning."
"Tell me about it, I haven't slept in weeks."

I have no doubt when details are released we will get the standard pr push of "In a productive and friendly sit-down, the two Senators were eager to map out the unification of the Democratic party and to continue their hard work for the American people..." or some such BS.

You have to admit, you want to know just how 'friendly' it may or may not have gone.

Kathleen Reardon writes at the Huffington Post, "None of us knows what Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have spoken about this night, but there is a feeling in the air that perhaps ignorance, arrogance, and cheap put-downs will cease to amuse - cease to raise ratings. Perhaps all of us will sense that the struggles by Hillary and Barack have been firsts in their own right worthy in both cases of praise.

I doubt he will choose her given his recent words. But if he does it will speak volumes about him and his sense of what matters most."

Jen Chung at Gothatmist takes a more business-like approach, "So Obama has two big jobs ahead of him: Working out some sort of agreement with Clinton (for her to be VP, for her fundraisers to come on board, for her to support him less tacitly, something) in order to unite the Democratic party and, oh, yeah, take on Senator John McCain in the general election."

Yes, all those details are very important. There is much business they will, undoubtedly have discussed...but I still can't help but wonder what sort of 'working' relationship the two will have.

Will it show in public if things do not go well?

Did they truly bury any hatchets tonight and hug it out?

Blogging on AndersonCooper360 blog, Candy Crowley says she does have a bit of an inside scoop, "Just quick breaking news- because I want you, my peeps, to hear first: The presumptive democratic nominee senator Barack Obama says the Lakers in 6.

Still, he really really likes Kevin Garnett. I’m not fluent in basketball. So Obama explained to me that Kevin is 'the tall guy' on the Celtics.

Oh good grief, I know it’s a serious election..."

Which, of course, leads me to wonder if maybe they didn't have to endure any awkward moments provided the tv was on. Maybe they just watched the game, had a few beers, and laughed about all our speculation.

Although I'm guessing if Obama is picking the Lakers in 6, that MUST mean Clinton is a Celtics fan.

Hmmm...

Obama Claims Nomination At Site of GOP Convention

2008-06-04T00:49:14-05:00

It started with an email in my inbox from the Obama Campaign:

"I'm about to take the stage in St. Paul and announce that we have won the Democratic nomination for President of the United States."

As various media outlets declared Senator Barack Obama had secured enough delegates to make history as the first African-American to lead a major-party ticket in the US, the Senator from Illinois rallied a crowd in St. Paul, Minnesota:

Teresacenric writes, "Obama admits his imperfections and youthful indiscretions freely. He is not a saint, he is merely a great leader — or at least a young leader so far along in his self-making that he needs only a great opportunity in order to become a great leader. His rise represents the rare confluence of leadership, political acumen, and times that demand both. I will remember his victory today as long as I live."

MOMocrats declares, "History In the Making. Tonight, one step closer to Mr. President."

Ann Althouse liveblogged the speech, "Huge crowd. Michelle in magenta. Scintillating!

ADDED: Thanks. Names of people. Names of states and cities. A paean to Hillary Rodham Clinton. The big fight in the primaries has made us stronger. Change! Young people! African Americans! Numbers! Inspired a nation! You didn't come out for me or Senator Clinton; you came out because you know we can't afford to keep doing what we've been doing. Let us begin to work together! Chart a new course for America.

AND: John McCain is a hero. I respect his service. But... he's not as independent as he'd have you believe. He's just more George Bush. 'Change does not begin with a war that should never have been authorized.'

AND: Change. Change. Change.

AND: We believe in you — someone yells out. Si, se puede — yells some guy.

AND: 'This country that we love...' Oh? Did you think he was an America-hater?"

Amanda Carpenter says, " The craziness is being unleashed. He wants to be your Savior. Verbatin, emphasis mine. I'm somewhat terrified. 'If we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth.'

Help us if that's the big line going down in the history books. It sounds more like the beginning of the Apocalypse not a new administration."

While, as BlogHer Contributing Editor PunditMom reports, there was no news or concession from Senator Hillary Clinton, one thing seemed very clear to me: Senator John McCain and Senator Obama went toe-to-toe in their speeches tonight. The campaign for the general election kicked off with media and two of the campaigns acknowledging Senator Obama as the democratic nominee for president.

Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain blog.

South Dakota, Montana Primaries-OPEN THREAD DISCUSSION

2008-06-03T16:12:47-05:00

It all comes down to South Dakota and Montana, the last two states to hold Democratic presidential contests.

Will this end the nomination battle between Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama?

Speculation has kept pundits and bloggers busy all day, with early reports Clinton would concede after the polls close to later corrections by the campaign.

As voters cast their ballots, Sarah Wheaton at the New York Times Politics Blog writes, "So, we’re about to proceed to report on turnout in South Dakota and Montana, the last primary states. But first, can we just pause for a moment of reflection here? We’re reporting on turnout in the last two primary states, South Dakota and Montana."

Fruits and Voices blogs on the projections, "Remembering the good old days in Montana: Montana’s delegate allocations are a little funky, with the state divided up into two pseudo-CDs based on Montana’s old congressional districts from the 1980s (it has just one now). Each district has five delegates…
Given the vast territory, this actually makes sense. Or at least it would if delegate candidates themselves actually did the campaigning.
Source: Nate Silver’s projection (which, by the way is: Obama 59.1%, Clinton 40.9%; Obama 9 delegates, Clinton 7).
Also relevant today: The South Dakota projection, and the attendant tricky demographics (all the trickier because exit polling has not asked about indigenous people’s preferences, even in other states where they are a substantial minority)."

NPR reports the contests will award 31 delegates-not enough to give either the nomination. "Instead, the nomination is expected to be decided by the remaining undecided superdelegates. Obama says he thinks uncommitted superdelegates will endorse him in big numbers soon after today's voting."

There are also reports today saying Clinton would consider taking the Vice President slot on an Obama ticket.

Citizen Against Lies writes, "Obama should offer Clinton the VP position because there is no other way he will bring some very angry Clinton supporters into his campaign. Together, they would be unbeatable. They aren’t progressive on many things, but they’d be better than the alternative."

While PunditMom asks "How Long Will It Be Until the Next 'Viable Woman Presidential Candidate?'" and declares the US is not ready, "Clinton is in campaign shut-down mode and I'm a bit depressed. Not because I thought she was the best candidate to be our next president, but because of what it says about our country and its views on women and how much longer that road is than I had thought."

The world will be watching and waiting to see what happens tonight. Join us for a discussion as history unfolds. Leave your blog posts in the Mr. Linky widget, comment in the thread, and hold onto your seats as the FINAL Democratic primary will yield SOME sort of result this evening.

The New Bombshell Tell All NOT From Hollywood

2008-05-30T00:22:49-05:00

I'm just happy it's not about a movie star or royalty.

Or am I?

From Reuters:

"Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan charges in an explosive new book that President George W. Bush shaded the truth and manipulated public opinion to make the case for the 'unnecessary' Iraq war.

McClellan, the first Bush insider to write a book criticizing his former boss and fellow Texan, drew instant condemnations...from former White House colleagues who wondered why he stayed on the job."

Amy Sondova at Atypical Musings writes, "As I consider McClellan’s book several things come to mind. Didn’t McClellan have to sign some sort of agreement saying that he was forbidden to speak about the affairs of the White House? I, for one, am uncomfortable that someone can work at the White House and a couple of years later start spilling secrets. Sure, I want to know what’s going on in the Oval Office as much as the next person, yet I’m uneasy that the information is so accessible. While these allegations are damaging to the Bush White House, they certainly don’t compromise national security.

It seems that choosing to publish this book while Bush is still is office is a great public relations move, but a poor ethical decision, especially for a man who writes, 'I fell far short of living up to the kind of public servant I wanted to be.' Supposedly this is an example of McClellan taking the blame for his own actions. Except that in the New York Times story, he blames everyone else–Bush, Condi, Karl Rove (his favorite whipping boy), and even the news media for their relentless questioning. Where is his personal responsibility in any of this? Maybe he didn’t knowingly participate in any wrongdoing–I don’t know."

Ellen at News Hounds writes, "It's pretty amusing to observe the attacks on Scott McClellan on FOX News: He's a disgruntled employee, a traitor, why didn't he quit earlier if he felt that way and that he is speaking out now for personal gain, in various iterations from the various White House loyalists who seem to be the only guests discussing it. Funny how you never hear any of that about Dick Morris who FOX News not only hired but uses as a neutral analyst and is usually introduced as 'former Clinton advisor.' Do you think McClellan will be offered a role as 'former Bush spokesperson' on the 'fair and balanced" network? Don't make me laugh."

As news of the McClellan tell all shifts, the undercurrent of 'but where was the media in all this?' 'Why didn't they question what was going on?' is growing stronger.

CNN's Jessica Yellin (who worked with a Central Florida news station while I was at WDBO in Orlando, where we frequently covered stories together) is speaking publicly of her time at MSNBC. Yellin says she felt pressure to not report stories critical of the Bush administration in the lead up to the Iraq war.

Yellin writing at AndersonCooper360 blog says, "I find myself in an interesting position. Today the blogs lit up with comments I made last night on AC360° and suddenly I’m being reported on.

It’s not the most comfortable position for a reporter.

So let me clarify what I said and what I experienced.

First, this involved my time on MSNBC where I worked during the lead up to war. I worked as a segment producer, overnight anchor, field reporter, and briefly covered the White House, the Pentagon, and general Washington stories.

Also, let me say: No, senior corporate leadership never asked me to take out a line in a script or re-write an anchor intro. I did not mean to leave the impression that corporate executives were interfering in my daily work; my interaction was with senior producers. What was clear to me is that many people running the broadcasts wanted coverage that was consistent with the patriotic fever in the country at the time. It was clear to me they wanted their coverage to reflect the mood of the country.

And now I’m going back to work covering the Puerto Rico primary from San Juan."

So in less than 48 hours the talk has gone from McClellan's bombshell to McClellan criticism to who else can we blame?

I guess as the news cycle winds it's way on this soon-to-be best-seller, I'll remain thankful it wasn't written by a former lover or nanny or bodyguard.

I will also be depressed we've gone from salacious celebrity dirty laundry to salacious political dirty laundry chronicling the march to a deadly war.

Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain Blog.

Idaho (GOP) Primary-OPEN THREAD Discussion

2008-05-27T14:20:17-05:00

Idaho votes today in their Republican primary, with the state sending a total of 32 delegates to the Republican National Convention in September. Local news reports indicate a "slow morning" turnout.

The voting comes on the same day as presumptive GOP nominee Senator John McCain stumps with President George W. Bush in Phoenix, Arizona. The fundraiser had been planned for the Phoenix convention center, but is now scheduled to take place at a private home.

The Phoenix Business Journal reports poor ticket sales and concerns over protesters forced the event to be moved.

Wonkette writes, "George W. Bush will appear at his boyfriend John McCain's fundraiser in Arizona today. McCain is so proud of Bush's support that the nation's 43rd president will appear briefly, in the dark, with a bag over his head. Then a member of the audience will shout, "Hey look over there! Is that a rare exotic Cactus Weasel?" and everyone will look the other way as the president is quietly escorted back to the car trunk he arrived in."

Meanwhile the blogosphere is buzzing as McCain continues to meet with potential Vice Presidential picks.

Julie at Degree of Madness writes, "Romney or Jindal. I guess the logical choice would be Romney now, and assuming McCain wins, Jindal could be the VP candidate in 2012, again assuming here that McCain will only serve one term. That would suit me fine. But I'm not one of the fence-sitters. I will vote for McCain regardless because the alternative is unthinkable."

FabbiGabby at Chat & Chai says, "Why does Mc Cain need Jindal? Well, that is quite clear. To compete against Barack Obama and his message of change, 71-year-old McCain needs a young vice president and one who is committed to doing things differently. And Jindal fits in this role very well. If McCain were to win the presidency, he would be the oldest president ever inaugurated. Not only age Jindal also brings with him the ‘diversity card’, which again will be very helpful for Mc Cain campaign."

Who do you think McCain should be interviewing for the #2 slot?

Does the GOP presumptive nominee need to be campaigning with the current President? Is it helping? Hurting?

Join our open thread discussion as Idaho votes!

Ellen, McCain, & A Beach Wedding?

2008-05-22T22:16:52-05:00

So what did I miss here?

The last time I checked, Senator and presumptive Republican nominee for president John McCain spent an awful lot of time campaigning for an Arizona constitutional amendment banning any legal recognition for gay couples.

Then today on Ellen, the Senator told DeGeneres he was ok with gay and lesbian couples getting things like insurance and legal rights.

But as Pam's House Blend points out, the Senator sure made some commercials back in 2006 that indicate otherwise:

I believe that's what they call a 'flip-flop.'

Jill at Feminste writes, "Seriously, good on her. There are big-time reporters who wouldn’t be this direct and challenging.

And I love how uncomfortable he gets when pushed on the fact that he attempted to actively deny the woman sitting next to him the right to marry the person she loves. Politicians should be directly confronted with the fact that this isn’t just a political issue that you can use to score votes; it’s an issue that affects people. And if you’re a bigot in a position of power, at some point you’re going to have to sit next to one of the people you harmed."

Lelo in Nopo says, "Since the California ruling that will allow gays and lesbians to marry in that state, she has been bubbling over with excitement, as has her audience, with talk about marrying her long time (and hot!) girlfriend, reading up on Modern Bride (sarcasm) and today, she's set to interview John McCain. The old Ellen wouldn't have asked about the gay marriage equation. But I think now that Ellen is experiencing it—the ability to get married—it's like she's blooming and becoming fully authentic with us her viewers and audience. She's putting herself out there."

While BlogHer Contributing Editor Denise Tanton at Flamingo House Happenings writes, "I think that Ellen and other gay folks who are all bent out of shape because they aren’t allowed to sit at the special 'married' table are asking to sit at a table that’s not worth sitting AT.

Marriage is screwed up. It’s been screwed up for centuries.

What we need are the same legal protections, the same tax breaks, the same insurance opportunities and the same RIGHTS as heterosexuals. From there, you make your own 'celebration', just like Ellen says she was planning to do long before it became 'legal' to celebrate.

Quit getting all bogged down in the word 'marriage'. You’ve got a Republican who agrees that you should have the same legal rights as heteros.

Yep, I could vote for McCain and I just might. "

McCain told Fox News he supports amendments to state constitutions to ban same-sex marriage and would support an amendment to the federal Constitution banning same-sex marriage if necessary, "I believe that states like mine and other states ... should amend our state constitutions. And I will stick to that position until such time, if ever, a higher court says that my state or another state has to recognize the other stat -- another status of marriage." He added, "I'm committed to maintaining the unique status of marriage between man and woman. I think it can best be accomplished, and in keeping with my federalist philosophy that states should do as much as possible to have that done at the state level. ... But if it is overturned by a superior court, I will then obviously support the other path."

I'd much rather see him walk Ellen down the aisle. Maybe it could be a beach wedding. With the Senator from Arizona in flip-flops.

Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain Blog.

Kentucky and Oregon Primaries-OPEN THREAD DISCUSSION

2008-05-20T14:41:52-05:00

With today's primaries in Oregon and Kentucky, many pundits and media outlets are highlighting the possibility Senator Barack Obama may end the day with the majority of pledged Democratic delegates.

CNN reports there are 3,253 pledged delegates, and Obama, even with a poor showing today, should easily top the 1,627 delegates needed to gain a majority.

A candidate needs 2,026 delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Going into Oregon and Kentucky's races, Obama has 1,909 delegates, while Senator Hillary Clinton has 1,718.

Jezebel writes from Oregon, "... and it's raining. Of course. We have our traditions to uphold, after all.

Yay, rain!

You won't see exit polls for the Oregon primary - or if you do, they won't be particularly reliable, since the vast majority of us have already voted over the past two weeks, thanks to our vote-by-mail system. About the only people 'going to the the polls' today will be those dropping off their mail-in ballots at their county elections offices (or other designated dropoff points). Some few folks do that because they enjoy the civic ritual of putting their ballots in a box, but fewer every election."

Sherry Chandler, in Kentucky, says, "The polls are open in Kentucky. Our votes matter in this election and that’s important. Bill Clinton said this is a vitally important election.

But they all are vitally important elections.

We have to elect U.S. Senate candidates, state senate candidates, city councilmen, county magistrates…

Agree with me or disagree about the better candidate, but go and exercise your right to vote. It’s what keeps you free.

And let us have joy in our political process, that lets us choose our leader."

Pauline Park at The Visible Vote '08 writes, "Hillary Clinton will win Kentucky today; of that, there can be no doubt. The only question is the margin of victory. Real Clear Politics averages several polls to come up with a 29-point lead. My guess is a margin of 25-30%, which would certainly be a landslide, but not one that her opponent has not also enjoyed in previous Democratic primaries such as Maryland, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

And Barack Obama will win Oregon, if by a smaller margin. The RCP average is 12%, and my guess is that the final number will be somewhere between 7-15%, though I think there’s an outside chance that he could come in as high as 20%."

Obama is expected to deliver a speech from Iowa tonight, while Clinton is slated to remain in Kentucky as results are known.

Today's primaries come as media outlets report doctor's have found a malignant tumor in Senator Ted Kennedy's brain.

Obama told CNN that the news about Kennedy is "heartbreaking."

"I would not be sitting here as a presidential candidate were it not for some of the battles he fought as a senator — he battled for voting rights and civil rights when I was a child. I stand on his shoulders," Obama said.

Clinton issued a statement saying, "Ted Kennedy's courage and resolve are unmatched, and they have made him one of the greatest legislators in Senate history. Our thoughts are with him and Vicki and we are praying for a quick and full recovery."

Join BlogHer in the comments as we watch results come in from both states. Be sure to leave a link back to your own election post on the Mr. Linky widget below.

When 2013 Is Not A Date, But A Vision For Victory

2008-05-15T17:36:28-05:00

Presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain has a vision of what his first term in office will look like, and it includes America welcoming home '"most" of it's servicemen and women by 2013.

"...the following are conditions that I intend to achieve. And toward that end, I will focus all the powers of the office, every skill and strength I possess, and seize every opportunity to work with members of Congress who put the national interest ahead of partisanship, and any country in the world that shares our hopes for a more peaceful and prosperous world.

By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom. The Iraq War has been won, " McCain said Thursday in Columbus, Ohio.

Don't be confused though, McCain is not specifying a specific withdrawl timeline or assigning a date for success, as he so kindly explained to me on a conference call held with bloggers. I say "kindly" with a bit of a grin on my face because his tone obviously changed with my question.

I asked the senator, "I am curious why today you decided to announce your troop withdrawl timeline and/or target dates when previously you called it (or at least alluded to it) being tantamount to giving terrorists a timeline for defeat. Why now suddenly telling us about 2013-why 2013?"

He responded "Well you either didn't read or didn't understand my speech, one of the two Erin. And I am sorry, I'll try to clear it up for you. I said we are winning in Iraq. We are wining today."

You can hear the entire call below, with my question around the 21:20 mark.

Click To Play

So why did McCain respond to me with allegations I had not seen or read his speech? (which, I had, but...let's move on) - presumably because I had brought up "2013" as a "date" for withdrawl, and questioned why he was making the reference now when previously he called any timeline "tantamount to giving the terrorists a date for defeat."

"We are winning in Iraq, we are winning today," said McCain. "...with victory comes a date for withdrawl," he told me on Thursday's conference call.

Apparently I was not the only one "unclear" on why the 2013 date was not, exactly, a time-frame for troop withdrawl. After McCain's speech in Columbus, OH CNN report s, "Speaking with reporters after his address, McCain insisted that 'we are winning and we will win' in Iraq, but said he's not assigning a date for success.."

Now, maybe I'm crazy, but the date of 2013 seems to have been put out there as a date for success in McCain's vision for his first term. I guess it depends on what your definition of "is" "is" or what your definition of "date" is-because on my calendar 2013 notes the end of the next president's first term AND is generally thought of as a DATE.

Townhall.com reports, "Later, as the Arizona senator drove to the airport on his 'Straight Talk Express' campaign bus, McCain was peppered by reporters with questions about the timetable. He and his aides insisted there was a difference between ending the war and bringing troops home and, as they criticize the Democrats, announcing a withdrawal upfront without regard for the military endgame."

I am not alone, with the Washington Post noting "McCain previously had resisted offering target dates for troop withdrawals, saying that to do so would be tantamount to giving terrorists a timeline for defeat. During the Florida primary, he blasted former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for what he said was support of a withdrawal timeline."

Several other issues were also discussed in the call from Iran to Veterans to Nuclear power.

Amanda Carpenter from Townhall.com notes McCain described his Democratic rival Barack Obama’s willingness to negotiate with enemies of the United States as “unacceptable."

Lane writes, "On the energy crisis, Senator McCain feels that Nuclear power has to be a component in the future..."

Jennifer Rubin says, "I asked McCain about President Bush’s comments in Israel and why the Democratic establishment and media had gone crazy over Bush’s warnings about the dangers of appeasement. McCain said that he took Bush at his word when he said that he wasn’t talking about Barack Obama specifically."

Lawyer Mama, representing MOMocrats.com writes, "While McCain made a point of mentioning on the call that he is in favor of increasing educational benefits for soldiers, he also indicated that he thinks we should work on ways to retain soldiers. What he didn't say is that he thinks the benefit should be increased, but soldiers should only be able to get it if they stay in longer."

I should note Lawyer Mama mentions my discussion with McCain saying, "I admit that this post is snarkier than usual because John McCain managed to really piss me off during the call. Why? Erin asked him a hard question he didn't want to answer, so he was patronizing and condescending to her, telling her she either hadn't read or didn't understand his statement earlier today and, 'I'll try to clear it up for you.'"

The call in it's entirety is available above, and at blip.tv.

Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain blog.