Progressive Democrat Issue 171

And the attacks begin. Republicans rolled out a whole slew of attacks against Barack and Michelle Obama...some borderline racist, some merely lies, and none all that effective. In most states Obama's popularity has surged such that if the election were held today, Obama would easily win with over 300 electoral votes, just like Senator Chuck Schumer predicts will happen. But keep in mind, this is just the first volley of attacks.

The oddest to me was the attack on Michelle Obama's patriotism. That in itself isn't strange since Republicans always call into question people's patriotism even when that person has won purple hearts, bronze stars and a silver star. This is a standard lie by Republicans: when in doubt, just plain lie. But things really got weird when, in response to an effective and legitimate counter attack by Democrats, Fox News ran a headline on the bottom of their screen complaining that Democrats were demanding they "Stop Picking on Obama's Baby Mama!"

What a very strange thing for them to run. This appropriation of Jamaican slang by the very white and very un-hip Fox News in reality implies that Michelle and Barack are not married. The term refers to a woman who is the mother of a man's child or children out of wedlock. Since Barack and Michelle Obama have been married for 16 years, quite happily by all indications, this is either a lie or a complete misuse of the term by Fox News. So which is it? Is Fox News lying or is Fox News just plain dumb? There is ample precedent for both, so I suspect we may never know. But I can say from first hand experience, that racism DOES play a part in the Republican attitude towards Barack Obama.

But for once Democrats are not sitting idle. General Wes Clark has gone on the offensive, SLAMMING John McCain on NBC. The video is well worth watching:



Wes Clark is someone who is considered a possible VP candidate with Obama. I once thought this impossible since Clark was almost certainly Hillary's pick for VP, with a deal made in advance. I assumed such a deal with Hillary would preclude later being Obama's pick. But maybe not. In fact, part of the negotiations for Hillary to drop out and endorse Obama could have been to have Clark as Obama's VP choice. It would be a good choice, though there are other good choices as well. I won't go into the lengthy discussions on the various possibilities. Let me just mention a few. Wes Clark brings in military experience, is a white alpha-male, and could swing Arkansas and help win Virgnia, Missouri and the Carolinas. As it is, Obama has no shot at Arkansas, but is doing well in Missouri, Virginia and the Carolinas. Clark could push him over in these states. Virginia Senator Jim Webb may be the most discussed possible VP choice. And he's another good choice. With Webb Virginia is guaranteed for the Dems, and he'd help in the Carolinas. Webb is even more of a white alpha male and military man. Plus Webb was first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, then as Secretary of the Navy under Reagan, thus appealing to the semi-mythical Reagan Democrats. [Note: they were not mythical at the time, but a LONG time has passed since then and they don't form a coherant group anymore.] Finally there is Bill Richardson. He would certainly help mobilize the hispanic and Native American vote, and would solidify New Mexico and Colorado and possibly Nevada. I might go so far as suggesting Richardson would play well in Alaska as well, a state on the verge of going blue this year for Senate, House and President.

There are many other possibilities. And there is a reasonable shot that no one is discussing the person who will finally get it (Dan Quayle and Joe Lieberman were choices no one predicted, though I did predict the elected Bush would pick a nobody LIKE Quayle). But I think Clark (contrary to my previous gut feelings), Webb and Richardson are the current best bets. I seriously doubt Hillary will want the job. Obama and the Clintons at this point are not on great terms, but that never stopped a paired ticket. JFK and LBJ hated eachother. Roosevelt and Truman hated eachother. But they made good teams. Even looking further back, and on the Republican side when they were a good party, Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt hated eachother. Obama and Clinton certainly could make it work. But I don't get the feeling they will pair up. Other women are being discussed as well as possible VP choices, particularly as a way to bridge the rift that some feel has opened up between Obama and women because of his rivalry with Hillary for the nomination. First off, I suspect that this rift is exaggerated. It will heal. And the attacks on Michelle Obama, a strong woman indeed, will only help heal that rift. Second, most of the other women discussed, though excellent choices for who they are, are not as strong in terms of swinging important states as Clark, Webb and Richardson. Finally, I have argued all along that the safest choice for EITHER Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama for VP was a white alpha male. I have modified that view. I think Richardson would also be good. I also think, should they choose to do so, Obama/Clinton would be a solid ticket. But I don't think it will happen. So I think either the white alpha male or Richardson remains the most likely choice. That said, there are so many good possibilities out there, I think we might be surprised.

On another note, this week has seen the Midwest hit hard by storms with tornados and massive flooding. Not just massive...unprecedented flooding. This begins as a natural phenomenon, possibly, though by no means definitively, exacerbated by global warming which is indeed predicted to increase overall storminess. But the extent of damage to homes and the lack of preparedness by the government is a strictly Republican policy, as I discuss in this issue. Between the Republican policy of cutting government so much that it becomes ineffective, and the Republican policy of sending about half our National Guard to Iraq, the response to any major disaster, from Katrina to the current situation in the Midwest, is inadequate. The result ranges from the unnecssary loss of property to unneccessary deaths. I wish my Midwest readers the best under these difficult circumstances, and I hope we can work to re-establish a government that can actually respond to crises. The Bush administration has flaied at every crisis that has come its way, from 9/11 to Katrina to the Minnesota bridge collapse to the Midwest storms happening right now. It's embarassing!

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

REPUBLICANS DROWNING AMERICA: Iowa and Wisconsin Edition

BARACK OBAMA: Our Nominee!

THE BUSINESS MODEL: The Real American Idol, and its Limitations

WISCONSIN FOCUS: Blogs, Progressive Candidates, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

MICHIGAN FOCUS: Blogs, Alternative Energy, Mark Schauer, Gary Peters, Groups and Events

IOWA FOCUS: Blogs, Sustainable Agriculture, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS: Blogs, Progressive Candidates, Groups and Events

NEW JERSEY FOCUS: Blogs, Blue Jersey Radio, Impeachment, Groups and Events

GEORGIA FOCUS: Obama, Veterans for Peace, NAACP, Groups and Events

CALIFORNIA FOCUS: Blogs, Progressive Candidates, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

VIRGINIA FOCUS: Obama, Impeachment, Groups and Events

TEXAS FOCUS: Blogs, Rick Noriega, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS: Alternative Energy, Progressive Candidates, Groups and Events

FLORIDA FOCUS: Christine Jennings, Joe Garcia, Groups and Events

ILLINOIS FOCUS: David Sirota, Peace Vigils, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

North Carolina Focus: Blogs, Kay Hagan, Larry Kissell, Groups and Events

OHIO FOCUS: Blogs, Progressive Candidates, Groups and Events

ALASKA FOCUS: Diane Benson, Mark Begich, Veterans for Peace, Groups and Events

ARIZONA FOCUS: Progressive Candidates, Groups and Events

ORGEGON FOCUS: Blogs, Jeff Merkley, Neighborhood Leaders, Groups and Events