by ricki lieberman

Rasmussen: Obama 46%, McCain 46%

SurveyUSA: Washington State: Obama 49%, McCain 45%;

Obama led by 17 in June, 16 points in July, 8 points in August, 4 points today.

***********

All,

We all deserved better and fairer. Does anyone doubt that Hillary would have been 10/15 points ahead? WOE IS WE.

As part of these Convention Post Mortem conversations, many people involved in the so-called roll call have sent me stories and reports, and also questions about why, when Senator Clinton received more votes during the primaries and was seen by many as the electable Democrat, that the vote was so distorted in Denver? Were HRC delegates simply worn down, replaced or flipped? Had some decided to “move on with unity”, citing Senator Clinton’s call to do so? And did some believe they would be able to cast their votes for HRC in appreciation of her historic candidacy, but then were pressured or not able to do so?

Some commented that in some states the process became like a caucus with delegates threatened and delegation chairs making unilateral decisions to reduce Hillary’s delegate count. And when CA “passed” early in the roll call – did the Clinton delegates insist on being counted which would have put her ahead in the roll call?

While what you have written and reported will not change the results of the Convention, it is clear to many that the process was corrupted and distrusted. Ideally we would see the total votes and how each delegate voted so that “thems who sent them” will know and be able to hold them accountable, but this seems unlikely in spite of many requests to the DNC.

In Convention Post Mortem Part One, I relayed reports about manipulations by the DNC which, for many of us, go very deep. The first section of this Post Mortem, Part Two, continues with some of the delegate reports and first hand experiences, as well as observations about the convention, the roll call process, and the sullying of the Democratic Party. Lots about California and its Rashamon feel.

The second section deals with the strategy of blanking at the top to distinguish between being a Democrat and being an Obamocrat. The audience for this is not those of you who are firm in your decision to vote for either Obama or McCain, but for those of you who, like me, cannot vote comfortably for either of them.

In the first section, I have also included some corrections to quotes I apparently transmitted incorrectly or were inaccurately reported, as well as a taste of some of the gratuitously nasty and unpleasant comments that some people continue to feel free to make about my maturity and mental health and which take the place of substantive views. Although I prefer messages to be civil and intelligent, some of you have dared me to print your messages, regardless of how vulgar or ungrammatical. OK.

For a couple of you who directly questioned the authenticity of my material, let me be clear: whenever possible, I ask each writer if I can use a quote, with or without that person’s name. However, anyone who writes abusively takes a chance of simply being quoted. Basically, I am a trusting sort. Could someone send me a false report? Sure. But I try to screen those out.

What is worth noting is that in response to my inquiries, at least half of the reporters requested anonymity with comments such as, ‘I have to live or make a living in this community’ or I could lose an appointed position’ or ‘I am running for local office’. There is a lot of free-floating fear out there. Very scary.

Part Three, of Convention Post Mortem

will include charts of delegate voting, some comments about the ELECTABILITY WATCH, and assorted articles. I am also gathering information about Hillary supporters and surrogates who have competitive elections and/or are facing a challenge because of their loyalty to Hillary. I firmly believe that we all need to be contributing time and money to these Hillary Democrats!

GO GO GO!

Ricki

SECTION I. DELEGATE AND ACTIVIST REPORTS

CALIFORNIA: Marilyn Grunwald: I voted in the morning, but I ‘m sure a lot of people skipped the breakfast. Never heard the result…

Aleita Huguenin, Chair DNC – Western Regional Caucus: I was a pledged CLINTON delegate and no one in the California Democratic Party did anything to stop me from voting for her! I have to say they were down right pleasant about it! They took my vote as I signed in at breakfast– I didn’t need to wait until the 1:00 o’clock meeting with HRC.. delegates were not “coached”"forced” ,etc….the “HRC delegates” that wanted their vote to count should have VOTED when requested (breakfast or when they got to the floor!) and/or paid attention!

Ray Penko: While the DNC requires delegates to vote on the first ballot, in good conscience, for the candidate they were elected to vote for by their state voters, 15 States, including the State of California, require a “binding primary.” This means no matter how many ballots are at the convention, it is illegal for the delegates to vote for anyone else but the candidate they are voted in to represent at the convention.

“Ms. Allred was prevented from informing the delegates from California of this fact by the State of California Democratic Chairman. This is why Hillary won 200+ delegates in California during the primaries and Barack Obama won 163, but at the convention Hillary only won 163 delegates from California and barack won 270+. People in California need to contact the state Attorney General to complain about this. Regardless of the fact that we knew Hillary was going to lose the nomination, she should have had the appropriate legal number of delegates on record vote for her. This is just one of the many illegal acts the DNC allowed to happen at the convention. The list goes on. The convention was one scam after another.”

“If Gloria Alred, being an attorney can’t do something about the corruption, no one can”.

Pat Bakalian to Party Activist: “We were told by Harold Ickes on Hillary’s last conference call, the votes we cast on Wednesday morning in our respective hotels are the official PAPER TRAIL of the ballots we each cast. Art Torres told us at breakfast Thursday morning that the reason that CA passed was that not everyone had voted. That seems strange because my understanding is that the roll call was not to start until the cut off time of 4:00pm when all the votes where supposed to have been cast.”

Party Activist: 273 to 166 for Clinton and 2 supers not there. They started roll call at 3:45 and we were still counting when they got to us; when you have 441 delegates and some being voted by alternates it takes longer than Alabama with 60 votes;

Pat: So are you saying that the roll call started before 4:00pm which was the official time of the cut off to vote? I have been asked by many CA Hillary delegates and delegates from around the country what the roll call tally of CA delegates was. Along with the final numbers (# who voted for Obama and # who voted for Hillary) I would like the list of who voted for whom. Can you please send me that information? I would also like to know how every state voted, the total for Hillary and Obama. When will this information become available?

Pat: 9/3 I am checking in again because I am hearing from even more people from around the country who are asking for the final tally. It has now been a week since the vote. This is public information. Please give the name and contact information of the person who has: the list of CA delegates who voted for Hillary the list of CA delegates who voted for Obama the list of how each state voted (# for Hillary and # for Obama).

Party Activist: we do not have copies of the ballots. The DNC has it all…

Alice Germond, DNC Secretary: The State chairs have the results.

Pat: This is public information how each delegate voted. It is not a secret ballot. The DNC/CA Democratic Party must have copies of these records for California and each other state. If they are not released, then the UNITY is going to fall apart. We were promised a roll call vote of each state. Since the voting was stopped by Hillary and her call for acclamation, that does not do away with the tally from each state for Hillary and Barack. It is in the Democratic Party’s interest that each state shows its total delegate count for Hillary and Barack.

Garry S. Shay: “There is apparently on additional non-conspiracy fact involved as well. The vote cam about 30 minutes earlier than expected and the tally sheets were not delivered to Art in the most timely fashion one might hope for under such circumstances.”

Robert F. Egenolf: Your diatribe could not be further from the reality I have seen. I am a Clinton delegate from CA and I was fully aware of what I could and could not do with regard to my vote. I did indeed vote for Hillary and did so quite comfortably and was not under any mistaken idea about my available choices

How the votes were ultimately counted is now quite irrelevant because Obama is our candidate. I have reviewed the options available to me and contrary to your email, I am very enthusiastically supporting Barack Obama. Hillary acquitted herself magnificently at the convention and has maintained her ability to be a senior statesperson for the party with many option for future elected office.

However, for you to continue to wallow in the loss is not only not helpful to the party or the country but is not helpful to Hillary either. To the extent that sore losers like you maintain the counterproductive dialog you want to perpetuate, Hillary will continue to suffer within the Party to her future disadvantage. It does not help her or you to maintain what I view as adolescent behavior. It is time for you to remember that you are an adult, and accept the loss with dignity, and move forward to help our country recover from the destruction the Bush Administration has inflicted upon us for nearly 8 years. I implore you to forward this view to all on your email list so that others can understand a clearer perspective.

Richard Ascher: I was a Hillary delegate from CA. After CA passed, which was announced by Art Torres who usurped the roll of chairman of our delegation, we were shocked. We never elected anyone to replace Diane Feinstein. I was asked to confront Barbara Boxer on the floor to get some answers. Some people around me supported my requests….

Normita Fenn: The world is watching. It’s time for the Obamas to fight their own battles and earn their way and not lean on the Clintons.

Heidi Li Feldman: AS TO WHETHER VOTERS WILL BE ABLE TO HOLD THEIR DELEGATES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR VOTES: “From the wicked to the absurd: the saga of the California “pass” heidilipotpourri.blogspot.com/2008/09/from-wicked-to-absurd-saga-of.html

I had previously thought might have been a principled refusal by the California delegation to the Democratic National Convention’s rigged internal election of its nominee (otherwise known as the roll call vote). The LA Times decided to look into the matter. In its first story, on August 28th, on the situation the Times wrote, “The state takes a pass simply because a tally of its 441 delegate votes wasn’t completed when the state’s name was called.”

Then yesterday, September 2, the Times followed up…announcing that only by September 2 did the state complete its tally and reporting the following about its inquiry to the DNC the about the total roll call vote tally:

As for the total vote, well, Democratic officials were still working on it as of late this afternoon. A spokeswoman for the DNCC, Natalie Wyeth, said paperwork had been shipped back from the convention site in Denver, but that the Labor Day holiday delayed the tally. Wyeth said she expected the official count to be released soon, perhaps by day’s end.

Say what? Let me get this straight. In their rush to fake a roll call vote, first the DNC does not give one of the largest and most populous states inthe country a full opportunity to have its tally completed and reported at the convention; then the DNC gives a major news paper the lamest excuse I ever heard for its failure to have a final tally completed as of yesterday. Labor Day weekend made it hard to count any sooner. Say what? I worked over Labor Day Weekend but would happily have headed over to the DNC to help count if that was the problem. And you can be sure that if the DNC can’t count votes any quicker than this, no way are they going to be ready any time soon to gather and ready to release information about which delegates chose to vote against the way they were pledged.

Rank and file Democrats need that information – facts about which delegates decided that their consituents’ interests would be most faithfully carried out (the standard defined in the Party’s rules) by voting for somebody other than the candidate the consituents voted for – so that ordinary Democrats can decide whether they want to entrust their franchise to these particular representatives should any try to become delegates again.

Now, maybe it was sheer ineptitude that led to California’s inability to count its delegates in time to actually participate in the sham roll call. Or maybe Nancy Pelosi – DNC official, Obama supporter, and prominent California politician – thought that by not giving California time to finish its tally she would preempt the possibility that one of the early states to vote would assign a large chunk of its delegates to Senator Clinton.

Whatever the case, the California experience epitomizes the wrongfulness of the DNC’s approach to this entire primary/caucus season. The DNC has consistently enabled or facilitated interference with free, fair, and open elections whether it be at caucuses in the states that held them or at its own convention.

COLORADO: “We held 15 votes for HRC, and we think at least one or two DNC super delegates voted HRC with us, so that means we lost 5 or 6 pledged delegates who took it upon themselves to flip without having been released. That’s legal, but for me it goes against the concept of a pledge – which is one’s honor and one’s word. That’s just my individual opinion.”

CONNECTICUT: HRC team leader: “For 17-18 months I have been working on and for HRC I could not figure out what was wrong with the politicians in Ct something was wrong I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Then many months ago I revc’d a call from a women who is very active in the Dem party in Ct. She had told me at that time that the politicians in Ct were getting threatened by Dodd with their political careers if they did not support/vote for BO. Of course I tried to verify this info but could not, though people did admit to hearing that. Then at a fundraiser I held in Ct for HRC I was told this again to my face by an elected Dem town chair person and elected HRC delegate. Prior to the convention two elected HRC delegates switched and announced their support and vote for BO, one a mayor the other state representative.”

DC: WHAT AN EXCELLENT WAY TO EXPRESS THE SADNESS THAT SO MANY OF US FEEL AT THE WAY IN WHICH SEN. CLINTON and HER 18 MILLION SUPPORTERS WERE “flicked off.” I SHALL BLANK THE TOP ON ELECTION DAY. (angry black woman – Yes, of course! But do not use my name — people’s behavior is bizarre, these days).

FLORIDA: Nancy Hoppe: The night before the vote I spoke briefly with an Arkansas Hillary Delegate who was very upset about how his state’s vote was to be cast. Apparently some kind of pressure was being put on the delegates.

Jack Shifrei: I simply do not believe you when you write about how many delegates & others supposedly have e mailed you. I was a very active & visible delegate to the convention in Denver & what you claim just does not wash.

Mitch Mallett: You are the 2008 version of swift boating.

GEORGIA: Bernita Smith questioned that the text message I quoted had come from a GA delegate.

ILLINOIS: Elizabeth Cunniff: Ever since the DNC RBC meeting, I have been in a state of suspended disbelief. I don’t understand how the votes of 2.35 million American citizens are not more important than party rules about primary dates. If they wanted to punish the states of MI and FL, they should have simply fined their respective legislatures, rather than rob the people of their voice. This act in itself shows a model of political ruling that is like that of a dictatorship. Don’t we the people elect our candidates? Also, Obama’s caucus wins gave him 16% of the delegates which represented only 3% of the vote–and how does this make sense? This is a democracy?

I am a life-long and passionate Democrat. I know that Senator Clinton was the best possible candidate that we could ever have. We have been robbed of a candidate who would have been the best president of our lifetime.

KANSAS: “how can we obtain information about which delegates voted for Senator Clinton and can we expect that even if something ’surfaces’, can we believe in its authenticity or accuracy?”

KENTUCKY: A campaign volunteer: “I was there in Denver and witnessed Ky delegates being berated and strong armed. Lots of people in the Kentucky delegation witnessed an Obama delegate screaming at a Clinton delegate and saying she was a racist because she wouldn’t change her vote. For the first time in my adult life, I am ashamed of being a Democrat.”

MAINE: “I was approached by a member of the Maine delegates on Tuesday night and was told that if I didn’t vote for BO I would regret it. I then said to
them that I came here representing a lot of Hillary supporters and would vote for her every time I could. I then said I have nothing else to talk to you about so please leave me alone.”

For the roll call “We where sitting right behind ARKANSAS. When it was their turn for the roll call the women that was talking was the widow of the head of the democratic party talking. She was reading what was written to be said. She stopped because she couldn’t believe what the note said. A man stepped in and said the Arkansas votes where all for BO. Cell phones started to ring in front of me.

MASSACHUSETTS: Murphy: Seems like stealing the nomination wasn’t enough for Obama — now he expects Hillary to go out and fight his battles for him.

MICHIGAN: “And as with MI at the RBC, during the roll call, unearned votes were taken from HRC and given to Obama. How can anyone from michigan even think of voting for him?”

MISSOURI: Joan Lipkin: I am just back from Denver and still reeling from the hypocrisy I personally witnessed and the press’s inability to do their job of telling the real story behind the scenes. Over the past weeks, some people have expressed disbelief when I have talked about delegate harassment. As people of good faith, they couldn’t imagine that their fellow citizens wouldn’t be allowed to support the candidate of their choice and the one they were elected to represent.

In Denver, I met many delegates and heard more of their stories. Least there be any question about the coercion of the Clinton delegates, many of whom were harassed, race baited, threatened, socially isolated or bribed at the Democratic Convention, here are just two videos to convey the atmosphere at the convention, the tightly controlled story behind the colorful faca de of balloons and the banners.

In this youtube video, Clinton delegate and lawyer Gloria Allred describes how she was not allowed to talk with her fellow CA delegates :

In a link from the Chicago Sun Times, you can hear the story of how Delmarie Cobb, a political consultant, Clinton delegate and member of Clinton’s Illinois steering committee was called an Uncle Tom the night before the convention in a hotel lobby by Obama supporter Emil Jones. Jones is the president of the Illinois State Senate and is commonly recognized as Obama’s political godfather. http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/1124667,CST-NWS-dem25.article

There are many such stories. Some caught on tape, others shared in fear individually or in small groups behind closed doors.

Many, many people were courageous (delegates, supporters working overtime to try to ensure a fair and open roll call) but in the end, the foot of the DNC and the Obama campaign was on everyone’s neck: the delegates, Hillary’s. I had hoped it might be different, that actual justice might prevail. But I am not surprised that she could not get a fair hearing. After all, the DNC turned their back on the massive fraud in some of the caucuses and stripped Hillary of her delegates in Michigan and Florida.

The story of the caucuses is coming out. I saw a film in Denver about the caucuses called The Audacity of Democracy and I know of two more documentaries on the topic. And what the DNC was not willing to examine will probably get picked up by the Republicans as well as historians in years to come as they try to understand how an outstanding candidate like Hillary Clinton could not prevail. Yes, there are many factors that led to her defeat. But the caucus fraud, stripping of votes and denial of a fair and open roll call are surely prime factors.

While I know that politics can be dirty business, I never expected this level of corruption in the Democratic party, especially to promote a lesser qualified or vetted candidate. I always believed that our adherence to principle and fair representation was one of the things that made us distinctive. Having witnessed the injustices and worked hard to intervene, it is very distressing and not my idea of democracy. I know some people would prefer not to hear about this. They want to focus on getting a democrat in the White House. Others are struggling with the idea of principle over party.

I respect individual choice because democracy should be about choice as well as civility. But I also think it is important for people to know what is going on in our party and to encourage reform.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: (corrected) “Our state voted strongly for Clinton, but was threatened that funds would be withdrawn.” The state cast its votes for Obama.

Kathy Sullivan: I am from NH, and was a NH delegate, and your NH comment is so far off base to be ridiculous…There were not threats at all; the Clinton delegates had an open discussion with no one present from the state party or the Obama campaign, and made our decision based on what we thought made the most sense for Hillary Clinton. Also, our state voted unanimously for Obama at the convetnion, not “most”.

I am very sad that you are choosing to print lies about my state and my co-delegates.

If you are truly a Clinton supporter, please include my comments in your next e mail, so that people will know the truth, not fiction. Based on the stuff you printed about NH, I have a difficult time believing anything in your e mail. Shame on you.

Your tactics aren’t aimed at preventing the election of John McCain and your tactics include misleading Hillary’s supporters with misinformation about the Denver convention. You are spreading the views of a handful of disgruntled individuals whose views, like yours, are warped by bitterness and who can’t accept the fact that Hillary didn’t lose because of sexism or Howard Dean but because her senior strategists did not have a campaign in the caucus states.

NEW YORK: “the entire NY delegation was not even sitting in their seats, choosing instead to be in protest.”

Gerrie Nussdorf: “I strongly feel that the logical conclusion of the disgust, which your email so aptly documents, over how BHO supporters behaved during this primary season needs to go a step beyond simply not voting for Obama in November. I had been a lifelong Democrat. But, I will be taking that next step and will be voting for McCain in November. Voting for McCain counts twice as much as not voting at all in the Presidential race. Not voting in the Presidential race is a statement of being so disgusted that one is willing to just let the chips fall; voting for McCain is a statement that disgust wont result in paralysis but action signifying the total unacceptability of the behaviors of BHO, his supporters and the DNC. Sure, I disagree with and am saddened by some of McCain’s positions but that isn’t the main point determining my vote in November. It’s about Integrity. My former political party lacks integrity, so I will oppose it as strongly as possible.”

Ruth Dube: “I can no more vote for Obama than I can for McCain. Although I agree with McCain on almost nothing, and I do agree with Obama more, I think I secretly, unconsciously hope that McCain wins. It is just plain ANGER! It is not just that Hillary lost the nomination; it is the way the DNC, Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy, to name just a few, treated her. I am convinced that they had decided quite a while ago that Hillary must not win, and groomed Obama to be their puppet.”

Taryn Hammond, noting Obama’s comment that how you campaign foreshadows how you’re going to govern. “Hmmm…caucus fraud, intimidation and threats…I’d say Obama’s off to one hell of a start. He has a record of ruthlessness and eliminating anyone that gets in his way. So now we know how he’s going to govern. Is this a man we want in the White House?” What were Dean, Pelosi and the rest of the “brilliant minds” of the DNC thinking? It absolutely sickens me to see what this Party has become.”

Risa Levine: “No need to discuss Hillary’s speech. It was everything I expected. But what really moved me beyond every any form of self control was when she moved to suspend the roll call. I could not stop bawling. While some may say how big it was of her to make the move for party “unity”, I just can’t believe how much penance this woman is forced to do, how many Ashamnus she has to say, for the sin of having dared to run for the Democratic nomination, and for the unforgivable sin of being so successful.

I am so proud of her dignity. I really am. But so angry that she keeps having to be the one to deliver this incredible message of support for this guy. And has to be the one to step away from her moment to shine and make it all about him. I keep trying to find some historical parallel, but cannot think of anything where someone in her position had to sacrifice and atone again and again. Maybe next they’ll make her give up her Senate seat for the benefit of some man whose turn it is.”

FJ: Message to HRC: please do not become “a total apologist for someone appearing to be more and more unelectible”.

OREGON: “I am a delegate from Oregon. I voted for Hillary and no one could change my mind because I was sent by the voters of the rd district to do exactly what I was committed to do! I did question why so many states voted for obama when she actually won their primaries. I asked people around me and no one had an answer.”

Hallie Travis: I am one of those delegates trying to get the elusive tally sheets from my party chair. I have requested them. I have written Alice Germond requesting them as well. What am I to do? I am leaving the democratic party in total disgust. I have no other choice. I worked myself to the edge of bankruptcy for this party – not only for Sen. Clinton but for the entire PARTY. Now all they want is my ROLODEX. Who the hell still keeps a rolodex nowadays? I am so disgusted that they have finally run me smack dab out of my own party. I am totally disgusted.

I own my vote. It has never been for sale. I voted for Senator Clinton the morning of the 27th. Why can’t I see those tally sheets? I was a delegate. They held us hostage across town when the roll call vote started so that we couldn’t make a peep of a sound on TV. So that nary a “NAY” could be heard across the land. Still, we ran as hard as we could, JUST IN TIME we yelled at the top of our lungs when California passed. My voice is still gone, here more than a week later. What BS is that? He would have won anyhow. Why the need to kick us in the teeth? They wonder why we aren’t “Coming around”? Hmmm, why I won’t write a check, why I won’t work for the down-ticket candidates? Any candidate associated with this party is part and parcel to this corruption in my opinion.

I was called a cunt, a bitch (at least a dozen times) by Obama delegates. I am tired. I have been emotionally, spiritually, financially bankrupted by this party. I have had enough. I have been on the inside of these “secret” conference calls with the Obama senior staff. They are chewing up Palin in terrible ways, using the same playbook they used against Sen. Clinton. While I don’t agree with many of her stands, I have to say I was jailed for my stand against the war, so I too can disagree with a politican and still move ahead. It is time for a woman to be in the executive branch. Mr. Obama had the perfect candidate. This is not my party. It is not the party of Jefferson. I am done. Not another dime. I am done.

TENNESSEE: Alma Sanford: “I agree we should register our protests with the DNC. We had whips ‘forced on us’ who did nothing to get total numbers of votes from our delegation…. In fact, a DNC member from TN admitted to me that our state had been warned that we had to produce 50%+1 vote for Obama…. even though our state has a state statute that requires pledged delegates to vote on the first ballot for the candidate to whom we are pledged. At the time we voted in the hotel on Wed. morning, Hillary had definitely NOT released her delegates. About a dozen people in Tennessee broke the law!!!! I am thinking about reporting it to our Attorney General.”

TEXAS: Ann MacNaughton: The DNC had plenty of opportunity to nominate the best-qualified candidate in the country, and she is Hillary Clinton

And, a few stateless comments:

No name: “personally I think you are a shadow Republican operative”.

Prof. Catherine Leisek: GET over it, the supreme court is at stake! Women’s rights are at stake! Our children’s lives and education are at stake. Join your local, state and national Democratic organizations and make sure the by laws are changed so it never happens again. Sometimes dreams need to be restructured, energy needs to be re routed, do what is needed now. You can’t change the past but you can creatye a new future. Please publish my comments.

Marian Buros: YOU HAVE TAKEN LEAVE OF YOUR SENSES IN YOUR BITTERNESS. GOODBYE ROE V WADE; GOODBYE DEMOCRACY; GOODBYE LOWER TAXES FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE; GOODBYE MORE TAXES FOR THE RICHEST. THIS IS POLITICS. IT’S NOT FAIR BUT CUTTING OF YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE IS BEYOND CHILDISH; IT’S NUTS. I DARE YOU TO SEND THIS OUT TO YOUR E-MAIL LIST.

Lynette Long: I have given my loyalty to the Democratic Party for decades. My party, which is comprised primary of women, has not put a woman on a presidential ticket for 24 years. My party refused to nominate my candidate, Hillary Clinton, for president or vice president, even though she received more votes than any other candidate in history. My party stood silently by as Hillary Clinton was eviscerated by the mainstream media. My party was mute while MSM repeatedly called Clinton a bitch and symbolically called me and every other woman in this country a bitch. My party was disturbingly silent when the MSM commented on Hillary’s body or the shrillness of her voice, reminding me and every other woman the fundamental disrespect we endure on a daily basis. My party’s candidate was mute when Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Father Pfleger openly mocked Senator Clinton from the pulpit of Trinity United Church of Christ. My party’s candidate was silent when the rapper Ludicrous released a new song calling Hillary a bitch. My party and it’s candidate gave their tacit approval for the attacks on Senator Hillary Clinton and consequently women in general.

SECTION II: BLANKING AT THE TOP

…My POV…

The anti-democratic shenanigans of the DNC have deprived us of an electable Democrat. Denver did happen and it must never happen again. The Democratic party has been hijacked and with it our best chance of a Democratic president.

As a result, I really want people to think about blanking the top of the ticket as a way of registering that we are Democrats not Obamocrats, and as the best way of sending a vote of no confidence to the DNC. By blanking the top spot and voting democratic down ticket – that way they know that it is a Democrat who rejected BO but not other Democrats. We are thus able to distinguish between being a Democrat and an Obamocrat.

I have been quite clear that I will not vote for McCain. In blue New York, and other blue or red states, my and your votes only counts if there is a significant difference between the number of total Democratic votes and the ones for BO. How else can we send a message to the DNC that because of what they did, we do not have Hillary as a candidate? We need to hold the DNC accountable, and in places like New York we have that opportunity.

I want a Democrat in the White House and am deeply saddened that the DNC has denied us all that opportunity. BO may win but he may not. Hillary was the electable Democrat, easily. If McCain wins, we will know where to place the blame. Its name is Dean/Pelosi/Obama/Axelrod.

Sample language/letter:

I am a Democrat, not an Obamocrat. I cannot vote for McCain nor for a man who sat in that church for 20 years and willingly exposed his children to that hatred and vitriol, who has as friends terrorists who regret not having bombed more, and crooks who took vast sums of taxpayer funds with BO’s blessing and created uninhabitable housing in BO’s district. This is too much for this very progressive Democrat to support. To me, these are grave moral failings, especially in someone who wants to lead our country.

The DNC and BO robbed us of our best opportunity to bring a Democrat back to the White House, and I will blank the top of the ticket to register my disgust with the anti-democratic corruption that has marked this election. I cannot support a DNC which took anti-democratic measures such as countenancing fraud at caucuses and stealing delegate votes in MI and again in Denver.

So, in blue NY, I will blank the top of the ticket and work for and vote for Hillary Democrats down ticket toward a veto proof Congress. Please think about this as a strategy.

Signed,

I think we have to be strategic about how to organize a protest against the DNC and BO. In this context, blanking becomes a clear vote of no confidence. Writing in is very complicated, varies from state to state and can often invalidate a whole ballot. Third party votes just dilute any protest and can be easily dismissed.

Think about it please, and encourage others as well. We want it to be discussed publicly so that it is not just dismissed as a statistical anomaly.

…My POV…

AND FINALLY,

AN ACTION ITEM: To restore the core Democratic principle of one person one vote, we should turn our attention to caucus states and insist that 1) as a condition of financial and other support, all candidates for any office in those states pledge to eliminate the caucus system in favor of a one person one vote closed party primary, and 2) these demands be made of the State Democratic party as a condition of financial and volunteer support.

AND FINALLY, FINALLY -

Brava, Geeklove!!!

THANK YOU SENATOR CLINTON: