I was watching the weekend news show on Wave 3 in Louisville this morning. They replayed video from an interview with Senator Clinton following a democratic fundraising event in Louisville, Kentucky.

A local reporter was asking Senator Clinton a series of questions after her speech when the buildings fire alarm went off. It was distressing to watch, but Senator Clinton never flinched and continued to answer several questions as the alarm continued to sound.

As long as that reporter was going to ask questions, she was going to answer them.

The secret service eventually stepped forward and suggested that it might be a good idea for the senator to evacuate the building.

It turned out to be a carbon monoxide alarm. Someone had appearently parked a running vehicle where the exhaust was filling the hall.

Senator Clinton was never in any danger and certainly showed no signs of being flustered by a little thing like a fire.

I have been to Wave3.com and don't see the video up, but I am on dial-up and can't spend hours looking for it.

It was an interesting interview anyway.

CLINTON '08

Whatever your characterization of the Obama campaign, the movement for change is dependent upon the central figure of Senator Obama. No Obama...no movement.
Because of this, the loyalty of many Obama supporters seems to be focused on the man and not a set of unifying ideals.

Not that the supporters of Senator Obama lack valid ideals or have no core values, it just seems dependent upon the centrality of Senator Obama himself.

I'm not judging this, simply observing.

Many Clinton supporters, such as myself, have long ago set our loyalties to our convictions and the ideals that have guided us the majority of our lives.

Loyalty to Senator Clinton is actually secondary, she is not our leader, she is our candidate. We support her, we do not "follow" her.

We support her not because of personality, but because we simply believe she would make the best president at this time in our history. We believe she would advance the values and ideals we most cheerish. Our cause would continue, even without Senator Clinton at its core.

These two different types of relationships, between each candidate and their supporters is the source of much misunderstanding and confusion. Clinton supports suspicious, Obama supporters frustrated.

This is a clumsy attempt to put into words something I think I see as part of our problem relating to each other.

Feel free to tell me where I am wrong, or what you think, or even what you think of me. I won't fight or respond to defend any of my ideas. I am open to learning.

I lost my cool in here earlier and I was wondering if anyone had found it?

Seriously, I know that many in the Obama camp have experienced the anger coming from many of us who are supporting Senator Clinton.

I have also had my fill of the disrespectful and frequently personal attacks coming from Senator Obamas supporters.

Who started it, who is the most guilty?

Who cares?

Demands that Clinton supporters state here and now that they will vote for Senator Obama, if he is the nominee, will fall on deaf ears. It's not time to pressure people who are determined in their cause. There will be time to address this, but now is not that time. Some people will leave, but you will not force them out now.

Everytime you twist the words of Senator Clinton or her supporters and cry racism, you are playing the race card against people who have stood on the front lines to advance the cause of civil rights and the resentment is palpable.

Clinton supporters could help if they would express the positive aspects of the campaign and the strengths of the policies and issues we support. Counter rumor with truth,
propoganda with fact and try to avoid being drawn into a name calling match. That's what some of them want and all too often we have given it to them.

I don't expect anyone to listen and if anyone expects me to be perfect you will be sadly disappointed.

I'm not going for perfect...just better.

Okay...I have been as controlled as I can for as long as I can and that's enough.

To put it another way...

"I've stood all I can stand, I cain't stands no more."

I know some of the lesser beings on this site are having fun assailing the concept of democracy and representational government.

They take glee in taunting the supporters of Senator Clinton, and denegrating an american woman and her family who have given more service to this nation and this world than their pathetic detractors here will ever offer.

They post rumor as if it were fact, insults as if they were gospel and deride anyone daring to speak out. They are weak, shallow and insecure in their own beliefs. They are truly pathetic, cowardly and anti democratic, hence, unamerican.

The race is not over.

The victory in Indiana was in fact a victory as will be those to come soon in the next contests.

Real americans casting their votes for the candidate of their choice even in the face of a propganda laiden attack from these pitifull wretched rejects of civilized society.

I do not believe Senator Obama will be the nominee and if he is, I do not believe he can be elected in the general election.

I will not vote for McCain should Senator Obama be the nominee, but many others will.

What decision I make about the eventual nominee will be made when that person is chosen and frankly will, even then, be none of your damn business.

I support Senator Clinton and I tell you one thing now...

As long as she stays in the race, as long as there is yet one single, lonely vote to be cast you will have no argument to move me or alter my position.

You have no power to effect me, you are impotent and were your protestations of authority not so completely laughable, you would seem only pathetic.


CLINTON '08

My focus lately has been less on the political and more on the psychological and cultural aspects of this race and the effect on the democratric community as a whole.

My approach and my tone have changed over the last few weeks as I have stopped analysing everyone else and taken a good hard look at myself. I do not like everything I have seen.

I care as deeply and with as much passion about the outcome of this election as anyone, but when I stand back and look at my own words, from an objective view point, I have come to understand that I may know as little about myself as I do about any of you.

Who is this person so esily provoced to rage, so willing to savage the thoughts of another human being? I do not know this person and I don't think I like him. Passion and conviction are not enough when they have become the weapons with which I would assault another human soul.

It isn't easy, the provocation is real, but the passion which has guided my life has led me to a dark and intolerent place. It will take time and determined introspection to recover my true self from this chaos of emotion and resentment.

I will endeavor with all the strength I can muster to retrace my steps down this twisted trail and look not in judgement at those I oppose, but toward myself.

It is my mission to endure this internal turmoil and seek out the better nature of my essence. It is my goal to search out what remains and to embrace the inner self I had abandoned not so long ago.

You may have had self interest at heart, but you exposed a lie that was being spread to cast a bad light on the Clinton campaign.

If there had been a grain of truth in this we all know you would have screamed it from the top of the world so ...

On behalf of all Clinton supporters, thank you for coming to the aid of our efforts and thank you for standing up for the truth.
(man that's gotta hurt!)

your ever lovin'. clinton supporting, smart ass friend,
Jack

One of the most reliable demographics in the democratic party, the African-American vote is vital to the success of any democratic nominee.

The interests of this diverse voting block cannot be ignored or disrespected if we hope to maintain the fragile alliances that form the democratio party.

In this primary accusations of racism have been hurled from both camps. Resentment reinforces cultural misunderstanding.

Much has been made of the fact that the African-American vote has gone to Senator Obama by more than ninety percent.
Many believe it is only about race.

One fact not being brought into this discusion is that in any general election, the democratic candidate has traditionally been dependent on a reliable ninety percent vote from this community.

Since all of the democratic nominees before have been white men, it follows to reason that these white men recieved ninety percent of the black vote. Was that vote based on race, or on common interest?

The white vote has been more diverse, but has favored Senator Clinton by significant margins. She holds a commanding lead among female voters. Are these votes only because of gender, were they really motivated by race or was it an idealogical connection?

The majority of votes Senator Obama has recieved have come from the white community. Should he become the nominee he will have to draw his largest base of support from white voters.

Race and gender have been factors in this contentious primary, but is the issue of race always what it appears at first?

Are there other explanations beyond our immediate reaction that it must be prejudice?

We should tone down the rhetoric on race. Put aside our preconceptiions of each other and reach beyond our cultural limitations to explore this complex and interdependent relationship.

We need each other, but we don't know each other. That has too change.....I'll start.

Hello, my name is Jack and I would like to get to know you....

The time has come for the supporters of Senator Clinton to join together and stand, not only for our candidate, but for those core values that made us democrats in the first place.

Even as we continue to support Senator Clinton, we must move beyond where we are now and set for ourselves nothing less than the goal of transforming this party from a dictatorial aristocracy to a true instrument of change, through the voice of the people.

Rise above the taunting disrespect and stand together in the face of warrentless aggression. Support one another as the process continues and the antagonism increases.

Stand fast and beleive.

Do not abandon your comrades on this political field of battle. Yield not one inch as the strugle continues, do not surrender while victory is yet within our grasp.

If you must leave later.....stay now.

Stand fast.

Stand with us and defend those things we most value.

Equality, inclusion and fairness. The sanctity of the vote and the dignity of every person.

Let them mock us, let them howl into the night, we will overcome, we have before. We are the party, we are the cause and we are the future of freedom.

Stand fast and we will find our way together.


CLINTON '08

I am sick of friends and foes alike.

I have been reading the posts and comments.

Here's your chance.

Tell me to leave too, I don't agree with many of you.

Tell me to get out and let's just get our true selves out in the open.

I have discovered one truth about myself today.

If I am going to rise above my own nature, if I am to be human through all of this...I may have to fake it.

This post is intended for those of you, in both camps, who are calmer, more intelligent and more forgiving than myself. That should cover about 90% of the people here.

AS we head toward the end of this process, the divisions between each camp threaghten to become permanent and present a challenge to the eventual nominees chances in the fall.

There will be people who will not vote for the candidate they have not supported, it will happen, the question is, how large will this exodus be and will we stand by and do nothing to help?

To supporters of both Senator Obama and Senatov Clinton, it is up to the level headed among you to begin to adress the more radical elements of your respective camps.

Each voice should be heard and every opinion should be respected, but if you see someone in your camp attacking, demeaning, insulting fellow democrats, it is time to srep in.

Be that calm voice that can be respected. Reach out and reassure these people that they are not alone and their voices are respected, but gently assert that the time for the politics of destruction is past.

If you encounter a post that is insulting to you or candidate of choice, respond, but gently, patiently.
Resist the urge to respond in kind, because there is nothing kind about it.

Encourage everyone to stay, to stick it out and see what the final outcome is. We will need them in the end and we need to let them know that we understand that. Listen to the pain and frustration more than the words that are posted.

Use private messages to reach out to people, in your camp and in the other, make a personal connection. If you are rebuked, take a deep breath and try again later. It isn't easy, but it is right.

If a new bloger posts an angry, accusational blog, resist the desire to attack. Reach out. Many new blogers have been frustrated and angry and have felt isolated, powerless, even set upon. See their rage for what it is. It will pass...it did for me.

I will try, but if anyone in either camp sees me getting to emotional, to aggressive, kindly tell me so, give me and others a chance to correst our own behavior.

It's up to you. I can see the need, but lack the skills to be effective. We need your voices and your steadfastness now more than ever.

Remind us continually how much we share. That our core values and our ultimate goals are not dependent upon a single candidate.

Remind us that we are all democrats.


I support Senator Clinton
I respect those who do not.

I have suddenly come to the understanding that a large group of people on both sides are simply stupid and selfish and have no interest in anything except what they want.

I'm out of here.

Have a wonderful day drinking the blood of your fellow democrats.

Rush Limbaugh is a three hundred pound, drug addicted, bag of wind with all the relevence of a long, hard fart.

I don't expect this to go over well and considering the posts I have been reading I don't give a damn.

I know the inexperienced and well, politicly stupid, among the Obama campaign think they can win this election with mass defections from the Clinton camp.

They are simply idiots and even their candidate disagrees with them.

With the party united it will be harder than these children think, you run off even a small number of democrats and you will lose and you will deserve it.

This is not over, you have won nothing yet and now might be a good time to practice some diplopmatic skills before your enthusiasm becomes your undoing.

If you don't care, fine.

If you can't even try...BITE ME!

Several people seem to have read something into my comments that wasn't there.

!) I have said that I will not vote for McCain, that decision has been made and I am comfortable with that.

2) I have stated that I will vote for all the other democrats on the ticket from national level, to state, to local.

3) I have clearly stated that I will not make any final decision about supporting the eventual nominee until one has actually been chosen at the convention.

4) I have always voted and I have always voted democrat.

5) When I first came here I was much more angry and made extreme statements that I would vote for anyone, yes even McCain before I voted for Obmama. That is no longer my position.

6) One hold out...I do not know if I can cast a vote for Baron Hill, congressman from my district. I will not vote against him, but I cannot vote for him at this time.

These are the positions I have grown to endorse and I am still growing.

Don't push passionate people to extremes and things just might work out better than you think. When the time is right.



I support Senator Clinton.

Last nught Senator Obama won North Carolina.
He was expected to win.

Last night Senator Clinton won Indiana.
She had been expected to lose.

The primary goes on despite all the reasons, all the assertions and all the calculations that the Obama camp can muster.

There are votes yet to be cast, decisions yet to be made and an established timeline that has yet to run its course.

Insincere calls to unity come with the condition of accepting defeat. Becoming in effect, political prisoners of an idealogical war, by surrendering prematurely and endorsing a candidacy that has not yet reached the goal.

It is disrespectful, insincere and way too damn early.

Anything can happen between now and the convention and given the history of the race, don't be surprised if it does.

Another scandal, another misspeak, another revelation about an unexamined front runner. Things can change and I believe they will.

Hillary has committed herself mind, body and bank account and there is a reason for this beyond ambition.

Whatever she is, the woman isn't stupid. She is waiting, expecting something that will explain this to the rest of us. I think she knows something that we don't.

In my opinion, right now, we are all resigned to waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Brace yourselves, it's going to be a long, hot summer.

I had left at one point today, uncomfortable with the conversations at the time. Discouraged by the focus on race and the accusations coming from each camp.

I found a few too many people willing to discout the outcome of Indianas vote as the result of racism (each side accusing the other).

Others disrespected us by bringing up Rush Limbaugh and his egotistical "operation chaos".

Rush Limbaugh is a self indulgent, three hundred pound, drug addicted, bag of wind with all the relevance of a long, hard fart.

For anyone interested this information came from MSNBC...

The republican crossover vote in the Indiana democratic primary was seven to ten percent of the overall vote and mostly white.

The republican crossover vote split 54% for Clinton and 46% for Obama.

This is the same split as the overall white vote. Therefor, if operation chaos even existed in Indiana it did not change the results.

Many republicans were drawn to the democratic ticket because they no longer support Bush and are not happy with McCain. That has to be a good thing for the party in the long run.

Regardless, after much hard work and emotional investment, the voters of Indiana did give Senator Clinton a victory and if you cannot respect her, then try and respect us.

Race did not decide this election in Indiana.

Rush Limbaugh did not decide...

Good, honest, loyal americans decided this race by casting a diverse and enthusiastic vote and frankly, we would like just a little respect if you don't mind.

Thank You

CLINTON '08

I try and I fail.

There is a certain despicable nature to the discusion today.

Idiots on both sides. Good people on both sides.

Today, I haven't the patience to sort out which is which.

Have fun abusing each other, you can call me names when I come back tomorrow.

Before I go plant corn, I had one thought...


If I have become the voice of reason...we are all screwed!

It would seem this process is finally working its way toward a final conclusion. As far as the vote goes, it is virtually impossible to find a way for Senator Clinton to win the nomination with the new math.

Indiana gave Senator Clinton a razor thin margin of victory against predictions of an Obama win.

With a significant win in North Caroina, Senator Obama
seems to have removed the delegate count and the popular vote as sensible arguments for the Clinton canpaign.

Calls are ringing out from PB for Clinton supporters to abandon the party and vote for McCain should Senator Obama become the nominee, as now seems likely.

I must disagree.

Now is not the time to turn our backs on the hopes and dreams of the people who look to our party as their only voice. Now is not the time.

We, Clinton supporters, are largly the base that has carried this party through the darkness of the Bush abomination. We are the voice for the true change which must come within the democratic party.

The equality of the vote, the inclusion of all persons, the elimination of the political aristocracy, these are our cause. These goals transcend any candidate, outweigh any cause, these goals must be our standard to bare as the idealogical loyalists of the democratic cause.

We must wait and see what Senator Clinton does now, we must find the strength of character to withstand the taunting disrespect and set our eyes on the true goal.

We must stand fast, embrace our core values and fight on to see this through, if you abandon the party now, you will abandon our own candidate and refuse her the dignity she deserves.

Now is not the time to leave, or to declare unyielding opposition to any individual.

Now is the time to gather our determination, to struggle, not for an individual, but for the ideals of generations past that have led us to this day in America.

This day when a white woman and an african-american male have stood before the world and proudly proclaimed...I am a democrat.