News Buzz: Howard Dean's Demand, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's Defense, and More

Clinton's tactics are destroying our democracy

If anyone should drop out of the Democratic presidential primaries, it is Hillary Clinton and the majority of our media pundits, who shamelessly favor her.

Her smug and relentless smears of Barack Obama ("He is a Christian ... as far as I know"; "McCain and I are ready from Day One": "Obama is an elitist"; and now, most arrogantly, "I have already won the popular vote for this presidency" suggest that she will stop at nothing to aggrandize herself and mortally wound Obama--wound him so deeply that if he IS the party's nominee, he will be too battle-scarred to be viable against McCain.

Likewise, media "pundits" who keep saying that Obama must get "beyond Reverend Wright" are the very forces who, hypocritically, won't allow him to do so. Relentlessly, they play the same three snippets of Wright's speeches--all taken out of the context of thirty years of preaching," urging the public to cast judgement on him based on these three snippets. Why does only Bill Moyers interview the man, let the public see him for the well-educated, patriotic former marine that he is? Because then they would be creating "balanced news," rather than the biased, mudslinging sleazy incrimination that prime-time news commentary has turned into.

The same pundits who mindlessly parrot, "Why didn't Obama just leave this Church?" don't ask millions of Catholics to leave THEIRS--this, despite the fact that thousands of episodes of child molestation--many, willfully covered up by church authorities--are far more sinister and ethically tarnished than a few angry words uttered by Reverend Wright.

Why, moreover, don't our media pundits ever bother to define patriotism with more profundity than a five-year-old would? Since when is wearing a flag pin on one's lapel a hallmark of patriotism? Is Hillary asked why she doesn't wear such a pin?

And why although Reverend Wright served our country in the marines is HIS patirotism questioned when those who never served, but weaseled out of such service again and again are NEVER challenged on THEIR patriotism?

And since when does patriotism consist in being silent and passive in the face of wrong actions by one's nation? Real patriots, like Jefferson and Adams and Lincoln and King, fought what was wrong in our nation, not merely praised what was right. Righteous anger in the face of injustice is a sign of passion for justice, not a brand of treason.

And why, finally, won't the Clintons and the media pundits who are all supported by the same corporate donors ever call a spade a spade--that is, admit that their nagging "doubts" they are daily planting about Obama is merely proof that this nation, despite its rhetoric, is stil, despite some progress, essentially racist? (If Black churches had been found guilty of systematic and repeated child moletation going on for decades, wouldn't their ministers all be serving life terms? Wouldn't the media coverage of such an episode have been shrill and ceaseless? Instead, we let WHITE churches off the hook for even egregious violations of ethics--but try to pillory (rhymes with "Hillary") a single Black minister, Jermiah Wright for a few heated words--this, although his congregation is renowned for good works, although he is a learned and celebrated man, and although Bill Clinton had invited to the White Hourse.

What we, the public, want and deserve from our media is balanced coverage of issues--not sound bites rerun on a rotisserie of biased critique.

We will never have the democracy we deserve, never have the caliber of leaders we deserve, when media serve the interests of the already empowered (the Clintons and their corporate cohorts) rather than truth.

Drop Out

One of them must drop out for the good of the party and the country. Only Hillary can beat McCain in November. Please Obama you must realize that your 15 minutes are up. Come to your senses and let this great woman come to the forfront and become our next President.

Hillary's Resume

I received this from someone on my address book and am passing it on. I believe it accurately refects the facts as well as the opinions of many Americans. Although considered mudslinging by some, the dirt is real and fodder for Senator McCain’s campaign.

"Subject: Hillary’s resume

Time to stop and consider. It is absolutely scary to me that she's still in the running....

Hillary Clinton has been telling America that she is the most qualified candidate for president based on her 'record,' which she says includes her eight years in the White House as First Lady - or 'co-president' - and her seven years in the Senate.

Here is a reminder of what that record includes:

- As First Lady, Hillary assumed authority over Health Care Reform, a process that cost the taxpayers over $13 million. She told both Bill Bradley and Patrick Moynihan, key votes needed to pass her legislation, that she would 'demonize' anyone who opposed it. But it was opposed; she

couldn't even get it to a vote in a Congress controlled by her own party. (And in the next election, her party lost control of both the House and Senate.)

- Hillary assumed authority over selecting a female Attorney General. Her first two recommendations, Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood, were forced to withdraw their names from consideration. She then chose Janet Reno. Janet Reno has since been described by Bill himself as 'my worst mistake.'

- Hillary recommended Lani Guanier for head of the Civil Rights Commission. When Guanier's radical views became known, her name had to be withdrawn.

- Hillary recommended her former law partners, Web Hubbell, Vince Foster, and William Kennedy for positions in the Justice Department, White House staff, and the Treasury, respectively. Hubbell was later imprisoned, Foster committed suicide[?], and Kennedy was forced to resign.

- Hillary also recommended a close friend of the Clintons, Craig Livingstone, for the position of director of White House security. When Livingstone was investigated for the improper access of up to 900 FBI files of Clinton enemies ("Filegate") and the widespread use of drugs by White

House staff, both Hillary and her husband denied knowing him. FBI agent Dennis Sculimbrene confirmed in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in 1996, both the drug use and Hillary's involvement in hiring Livingstone. After that, the FBI closed its White House Liaison Office, after serving seven presidents for over thirty years.

- In order to open "slots" in the White House for her friends the Thomason's (to whom millions of dollars in travel contracts could be awarded), Hillary had the entire staff of the White House Travel Office fired; they were reported to the FBI for 'gross mismanagement' and their reputations ruined.

After a thirty-month investigation, only one, Billy Dale, was charged with a crime - mixing personal money with White House funds when he cashed checks. The jury acquitted him in less than two hours.

- Another of Hillary's assumed duties was directing the 'bimbo eruption squad' and scandal defense:

-She urged her husband not to settle the Paula Jones lawsuit.

-She refused to release the Whitewater documents, which led to the appointment of Ken Starr as Special Prosecutor. After $80 million dollars of taxpayer money was spent, Starr's investigation led to Monica Lewinsky, which led to Bill lying about and later admitting his affairs.

-Then they had to settle with Paula Jones after all.

-And Bill lost his law license for lying to the grand jury

-And Bill was impeached by the House.

-And Hillary almost got herself indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice (she avoided it mostly because she repeated, 'I do not recall,' 'I have no recollection,' and 'I don't know' 56 times under oath).

- Hillary wrote 'It Takes a Village,' demonstrating her Socialist viewpoint.

- Hillary decided to seek election to the Senate in a state she had never lived in. Her husband pardoned FALN terrorists in order to get Latino support and the New Square Hassidim to get Jewish support. Hillary also had Bill pardon her brother's clients, for a small fee, to get financial

support.

- Then Hillary left the White House, but later had to return $200,000 in White House furniture, china, and artwork she had stolen.

- In the campaign for the Senate, Hillary played the 'woman card' by portraying her opponent (Lazio) as a bully picking on her.

- Hillary's husband further protected her by asking the National Archives to withhold from the public until 2012 many records of their time in the White House, including much of Hillary's correspondence and her calendars. (There are ongoing lawsuits to force the release of those

records.)

- As the junior Senator from New York, Hillary has passed no major legislation. She has deferred to the senior Senator (Schumer) to tend to the needs of New Yorkers, even on the hot issue of medical problems of workers involved in the cleanup of Ground Zero after 9/11.

- Hillary's one notable vote; supporting the plan to invade Iraq , she has since disavowed.

Quite a resume'. Sounds more like an organized crime family's rap sheet. The most amazing thing that real Americans ask: How in hell can trash like this be elevated to this level and become a serious candidate for the president of the United States . God help us. "

Drop Out

HILLARY CLINTON SHOULD DROP OUT. SHE SEEM TO HAVE A MEMORY PROBLEM

Drop Out

HILLARY CLINTON SHOULD DROP OUT. SHE SEEM TO HAVE A MEMORY PROBLEM

when good is no longer acceptable to a nation.

I write this in response to the fallout over a snippet taken from rev.wrights sermon. like rev.wright, i am also a former u.s. marine.Yet like the rev. i to see so much injustice in this country done to those in the " have not " club. I have travel to 20 or more countries in my life time, and so i have come to appreciate america, with all of her faults. That being said, it does not mean I like her faults, it does not mean i will ever be ok with injustice, racism, the disinterest of goverment concerning those who don't have, the disparity of education in the inner-city/to those in the burbs. I am left with such a feeling of hopelessness for the people of this nation. For if there be a God in heaven, and there is, then i know that the natural law of reciprication, will come back upon the country i know and love. How can a nation that once trusted in the God above, not think or believe that same God will not hand out recipricated justice. It is a natural law, that no one is above. No man, woman, child, or nation. What you do in life will come back around to you, either better or worse, depends on what you are handing out. America's history is packed with the unrightous gifts she has been handing out for decades. Ameriac has been handing out lies, destruction, death, rape, murder, robberies, set-ups, and more. Do we think the God that most, not all americans once believed in, counted on, and trusted, will continually stay his hand against america? It is time for america and her people to ante up, because the rest of the world has, for proof, just look around, what country no longer sits on top, who's education system is in total disaray, who's young are slaughter daily in the streets of its own land, who's justice system exist without justice, who's young no longer respect their elderly, who's goverment has turned its back on its wounded veterans, who's prisons are overwelmed by shear numbers, and much much more. So I am left with but one question, does any right thinking person in america still think that God is blessing america, or as rev.wright eloqently put it, is God damming America?

Drop Out

Why should Obama drop out when he is clearly winning this is outrageous for ANY OF HILARY'S SUPPORTS TO SUGGEST.

HILARY CLINTON SHOULD DROP OUT BECAUSE SHE IS LOSING.

None of the above

Barack and Hillary should both drop out and the convention should run Al again.

Obama

obama needs to drop out now. Let hillary run === she is the only one that can win this thing for the Dems.

Dean and his "Rules"

As a Floridian Democratic I find Dean's selective enforcement of party rules disgusting. Party rules state that Hilary and Obama can battle it out until the convention, just like party rules state since Florida voted too early none of our votes count. When asked why he was disenfranching voters in Michigan and Florida, he stated that he was just "following the part rules". Now all of a sudden, he wants people to not worry about following the rules and do what's best for the party? I find it highly hypocritical of him that he is now worried about "harming the party". He can stuff his phoney concern for the Democratic party.