well, since Clinton is going to take this to the convention...

what do we need to do about it?

what do we keep an eye for as far as strategy? what shenanigans is she likely to pull, what will it look like?
will all the arm twisting be done in smoke-filled back rooms, or will we be able to see it out in the open?

What are our recourses if the process is completely shanghaied.


discuss.

that has a SEVEN MONTH head start in terms of consolidating his base and reaching out to independents, and we'd also have to work hard to consolidate our own base and unite two very divided camps.

2 months.


Hello, President McCain.

Basically, I'll give up on 2008 if she doesn't drop out in June, write it off as a lost cause and simply find solace in my family and work, never to worry about politics again as it will be proof that the game is rigged.

hiding under the bed isn't going to help, either, although I understand the sentiment.

Please -- suggest something we could do that would remotely have any chance of deterring Hillary or influencing the SD's. I'm all ears.

or, we could figure out what procedures at the convention, existing bylaws, could prevent this.

Therefore, Obama will get their votes during convention. They seem to know Hillary is out for herself and they may feel Obama is our only hope for the future. In other words, get rid of the lobbyist influence in Washington.

You think Obama is going to get rid of the lobbyist influence in Washington? How in God's name do you think he's going to do that? What makes you think he: a) wants to do that; and b) could do it, even if he wanted to.

Lobbying is entrenched in DC. There are thousands of lobbyists in DC. Thousands. Every politician -- on both sides of the aisle -- is solicited by these vipers to do their bidding. And there is hardly a single politician who would actually pass any legislation banning lobbying. It is critical to their re-election efforts.

And . . . there is the difficult argument that lobbying is nothing more than a citizen expressing free speech. My ass.

The superdelegates and party leaders all know more than I do, the party's going to shut this down in two weeks... as Maddow says, Hillary could take it to the convention, but she would do so with absolutely no support from the party.
Even Gov Paterson said her arguments are desperate.
Nothing I can do except for not hurt myself out of frustration :argh:

We are helpless pawns in this game. We have no recourses. You grossly overestimate the power that citizens have in this country over our political elite.

or there about

If she campaigns after Obama sews it up... she'll be a pariah... a laughing stock in the party and in the media

She may suspend and hope for an upset at Convention... but if she actively distracts Obama from GE campaigning she'll be severely pulled up by the rest of us.

every time she and Bill go negative on the DNC or Obama.

And her supporters.

Return to the bat-cave.

huh, for what my thought is worth! Still, I think by her insisting on the Votes Be Counted all the way to convention she will show how "hungry" she is for power, and if Obama continues to conduct himself in the classy and smart manner he has so far, He come out a big winner. I don't believe past history on conventions will be any guide. It will be the people running that will matter. We all know that McCain is as big or bigger jerk than Bush and that will be obvious to the masses. Ok, I may be too optimistic, but I am getting the vibes that the people are Getting It. Obama is for real.

then sit down after the first vote.

Yup, first vote oughta get it done, Obama in Hillary out.....

Sustained direct pressure on all Super Delegates to strongly pledge support to Obama, even those who had pledged for Clinton. If Hillary can't make a good enough case (and I do not think she can) for why she should be the nominee to enough SD's to give her an absolute majority by June 10th, the door should be slammed on her. She has every right to attempt to make that case IN A TIMELY MANNER - she will fail but she has that right.

Technically Clinton does not need to concede before a vote at the Convention but that is another matter all together. It is late May now, waiting to let Clinton quickly poll the SD's after the last primary votes are cast doesn't much effect our chances for November. But our Party needs to pull together behind one candidate by early June at the latest. If Clinton does not see and/or respect that, then it becomes the job of Super Delegates to make that message very clear to her, including those who now support her. And it would be our job to make that message clear to Super Delegates if it is not clear enough already.

If Hillary can't convince enough SD's by June 10th that she is the only hope for a Democratic victory in November, Clinton's widow for making that case slams shut. This campaign has gone on for a year and a half. All of the arguments have been made, and by June 3rd every Democrat will have had a chance to weigh in on them.

The modern National Democratic Convention is designed to be a massive pep rally. In an era where candidates spend two to four years running for the nomination, if the real purpose of the National Convention was to actually choose our nominee than the date on which it is held would have to be moved up by at least two or three months. We can not wait until the end of August to unite behind a candidate.

Maybe Hillary Clinton really believes she can win the Presidency while Obama would lose it. It is a legitimate point to argue, but the time to make that case is almost over. If she hasn't sufficiently made it yet she needs to allow for the possiblity that her belief is wrong and do what she can to elect the Democrat who our Party will run in the Fall.

This is the exact reason why the Democratic Party supposedly has Super Delegates; to allow a candidate like Hillary Clinton who came close to winning in the primaries make her best case to the political pros about why she is still the superior candidate for our Party to nominate. Fine, they are pros; on June 3rd the last primary votes will be cast and the SD's have had all year to be thinking about this. Hillary's campaign talks to them almost daily by now it would seem. If she still can't persuade them to give her the nomination she has to get out of Obama's way.

I'm exploring a possible YouTube project as we speak. There's so much ongoing shit on her that media, for whatever reason, refuses to cover. Legitimate stuff like stiffed vendors, lobbyist ties, conflicts-of-interest, etc.

Obama has to switch gears and focus on McCain. That doesn't mean I have to. He has to take the high road while she slings feces from the gutter. She is going to try to inflict as much damage to our nominee and our party as she can. Why shouldn't we use her own words and facts to damage her?

we could...protest...riot...

or, make sure we have Obama stuff all over us, our houses, cars, buttons etc.