Republicans Jumping Ship!

Looks like Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama may have helped increase Obama's lead over John McCain:

Washington Post/ABC Poll: Obama up by 11 Points

TIME/CNN: Obama Leads in Key Swing States


Big Ten Poll: Obama Winning Big Ten Battleground States

Or maybe voters are scared of Sarah Palin being Vice President!

Even Conservatives are Moving to Obama!

Barry Goldwater's Granddaughter: Why John McCain Has Lost Our Vote

Conservatives for CHANGE (Obama)

The John Edwards Affair/What About John McCain's Affairs?

Huffington Post lays it all out: The Anatomy of the Edwards Affair

I wanted to avoid talking about his, but as a former Edwards supporter all I can say is what a relief he wasn't the Democratic presidential nominee! (Guess he won't be V.P either.) What is wrong with "intelligent" heterosexual politicians who sacrifice their political careers, and their own families, just for a moment of sexual satisfaction? Is it in men's nature? Normally I think the private lives of politicians should be off the table, but it does say something about a lack of judgment and the two faces of some politicians. And it seems suspicious that the object of Edwards affection, Rielle Hunter, would be paid $114,000 to make videos for the campaign even though she had no experience in video production.

Not only did John Edwards LIE about the affair while running for the Democratic presidential nomination, evidently he continues to lie about it:
John Edwards' False Assertion During the ABC Interview

I'm glad he didn't win the nomination! What a mess!

I guess we should respect Elizabeth Edwards Statement on the Affair and reject tabloid journalism publicizing a private family tragedy.

Of course the media have been salivating all over this story. When will they stop ignoring the multiple adulterous affairs of John McCain? We haven't heard much more about Vicki Iseman.

Media Salivate Over Edwards Affair; Shrug Shoulders Over McCain's Infidelity

Edwards/NARAL Endorse Obama

Finally, John Edwards Endorses Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama!

Obama was also endorse by the abortion-rights group NARAL

Edwards Drops Out, Now its OBAMA!

John Edwards is Suspending his Presidential Campaign. This is very sad, Edwards and Kucinich were the most progressive Democratic candidates who tried to present a progressive alternative to the DLC/corporatists who have moved the Democratic Party away from the FDR legacy and embraced the Republican pro-business, pro-militarism politics of Reagan and Clinton. I cannot support Hillary Clinton because she is part of that conservative wing of the Democratic Party.

John Edwards was a great candidate. He focused on the issues of poverty, inequality, and the corporate greed that controls our media and political system. He was the first candidate to offer a workable "universal" health care plan, the first to offer an economic stimulus program, and the only main candidate to actually focus on the issues that matter to people. He was ignored by the media and largely by Democratic voters. It is a shame that voters do not support the candidates that deserve their support and continue to reward the political machinery and corporate media's chosen candidates.

I am now supporting Barack Obama! We need a real change from the Clinton/Bush era, and we need a candidate who can inspire the widest spectrum of voters and win the general election. That candidate is Barack Obama!

Hopefully Obama and Clinton will adopt Edwards populist message and challenge the corporate elite and stand up for the working class!

Obama Praises Reagan/GOP

Barack Obama is taking some deserved heat for his recent Praise for the GOP and Ronald Reagan.
Obama told the Reno Gazette-Journal:

“I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. I think they felt like with all the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s and government had grown and grown but there wasn’t much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think people, he just tapped into what people were already feeling, which was we want clarity we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.”

Obama seems to agree with the Republicans that Reagan saved us from the "excesses" of the 60s and 70s, i.e., "Big Government."

John Edwards gave the correct Democratic response:

"Ronald Reagan, the man who busted unions, the man who did everything in his power to destroy the organized labor movement, the man who created a tax structure that favored the richest Americans against middle class and working families, ... we know that Ronald Reagan is not an example of change for a presidential candidate running in the Democratic Party."
Reagan also "was destructive to the environment by removing a lot of the regulation that existed," Edwards added in a later telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I would never use Ronald Reagan as an example of change."

This is not the first time Obama has sided with Republicans. As Paul Krugman has pointed out in the New York Times, Obama has moved to the RIGHT of Clinton and Obama on many issues, including Health Care and Social Security. Obama has also pandered to the religious right by attacking secularists and the separation of church and state and using anti-gay leaders and entertainers to reach black churches.

Instead of praising Ronald Reagan and helping the right-wing remake history, the Democratic Left needs to expose the truth about Ronald Reagan and his crimes. Robert Perry's Consortium News provides a more accurate overview of the record of Ronald Reagan.

Paul Krugman Debunks The Reagan Myth

John Edwards Endorsements

Q-Notes, Largest NC/SC LGBT Newspaper Endorses John Edwards

Bottom line: With Clinton as the nominee, the risks are too great for the potential returns.

In contrast, John Edwards has stumped on a bona fide progressive platform. His core issues include ending poverty and rebuilding the middle class, reversing global warming, ending the Iraq War, restoring civil liberties and establishing universal healthcare. Also central to his campaign is his pledge to reclaim the government from the control of lobbyists and multinational corporations.

These populist themes resonate deeply with us — and with working-class Americans from coast-to-coast, as national polling for the General Election makes plain.

Edwards fares best against all the potential Republican candidates in head-to-head match-ups. He puts more traditionally “red” states in play than any other Democratic contender. Significantly, his presence on the ballot will translate to additional votes for Democrats in tight down-ticket races across the country.

The choice is clear. John Edwards is the most progressive, most electable Democrat in the race. Q-Notes encourages all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voters to support him in the primaries and beyond.

Progressive Victory: Onwards Edwards!

Recession? We're Already Living in One!

Barbara Ehrenreich, Experts Warn of Recession--Duh, We're Living in One Already, shows that traditional economic measurements like economic growth and unemployment have become decoupled from the real lives of working class people. Wages have been declining despite increases in economic productivity and even low unemployment rates do not reflect the extent of workers without full time jobs. And the only candidate who would do something about it, John Edwards is on the ropes, ignored by the media and Democratic voters!

Corporate Elite Fears John Edwards

According to corporate lobbyists, The Corporate Elite Fear John Edwards more than other Democratic Presidential candidates. Though they prefer any Republican, except Mike Huckabee, they would be OK with Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, since they get a lot of donations from corporate lobbyists. John Edwards is campaigning against corproate greed, and won millions of dollars as a trial lawyer taking on corporations.

John Edwards 2008!

Hillary Clinton is the "Come Back Girl"

Hillary Clinton has defied all the polls and won the New Hampshire Primary (by 40-36% with 79 percent of the votes counted.
Apparently she benefited by a strong sympathy vote from women after she was attacked for getting choked up/crying. Edwards came in a distant third at about 17%. Too bad the corporate media and Democratic voters are ignoring Edwards populist campaign to save the Democratic Party from the DLC corporatists. Instead of voting with their emotions, Democratic voters need to consider (a) who is the most progressive candidate to "change" government and (b) who can WIN in 2008 against the GOP. It is NOT Hillary Clinton! I do not HATE Hillary Clinton, but I want the Democrats to win in 2008. Hillary Clinton will galvanize the GOP base and divide the Democrats. Many anti-war progressives will NOT vote for Hillary Clinton and will vote Green Party. I'm afraid we will repeat 2000 and 2004 again. Elections should be about issues, principles and character, NOT a beauty contest. We need a candidate who will FIGHT and stand up to the corporate interests who control both parties and our government.
As John Edwards said, "Thats 2 down, 48 states to go!"
John Edwards!

John Edwards Could win Ohio and Florida!

According to a Public Policy Polling Poll John Edwards Beats All GOP Candidates in Ohio, including John McCain. Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama Only lead Giuliani and Romney. John McCain beats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. This is important because the 2008 general election is going to depend upon Ohio and Florida! The same poll also shows that John Edwards leads all of the GOP candidates in Florida except John McCain, who beats all the Democrats in that state.

Poll results for November presidential election matchup in Ohio:

Hillary Clinton (D) and Rudy Giuliani (R):
Clinton: 44 percent
Giuliani: 37 percent
Undecided: 19 percent

Clinton (D) and Mike Huckabee (R)
Huckabee: 45 percent
Clinton: 43 percent
Undecided: 11 percent

Clinton (D) and John McCain (R):
McCain: 46 percent
Clinton: 42 percent
Undecided: 12 percent

Clinton (D) and Mitt Romney (R)
Clinton: 45 percent
Romney: 40 percent
Undecided: 15 percent

John Edwards (D) and Giuliani (R)
Edwards: 51 percent
Giuliani: 34 percent
Undecided: 14 percent

Edwards (D) and Huckabee (R)
Edwards: 49 percent
Huckabee: 40 percent
Undecided: 10 percent

Edwards (D) and McCain (R)
Edwards: 47 percent
McCain: 40 percent
Undecided: 13 percent

Edwards (D) and Romney (R)
Edwards: 53 percent
Romney: 33 percent
Undecided: 14 percent

Barack Obama (D) and Giuliani (R)
Obama: 47 percent
Giuliani: 37 percent
Undecided: 16 percent

Obama (D) and Huckabee (R) - tie
Huckabee: 43 percent
Obama: 43 percent
Undecided: 14 percent

Obama (D) and McCain (R)
McCain: 45 percent
Obama: 42 percent
Undecided: 14 percent

Obama (D) and Romney (R)
Obama: 44 percent
Romney: 38 percent
Undecided: 18 percent

This poll reflects a December CNN poll showing that John Edwards is the only Democrat who beats all four top GOP candidates, and John McCain is the only Republican who beats any of the Democrats. So, if the GOP candidate is John McCain, John Edwards would be the best candidate for the Democrats to win in the general election, not Hillary or Obama.

Hillary Clinton in Free Fall ?

According to recent polls, Hillary Clinton has lost her big lead over Obama nationally and Obama now leads her by double digits in New Hampshire. According to a new national Gallup Survey, HRC and Obama are now tied nationally at 33% (John Edwards has moved up to 20%), and Obama now leads HRC in New Hampshire by 13 points. I predict Hillary will be out of the race Feb. 5!

UPDATE: OOps! Boy were those polls wrong! What the *fck! Either the pollsters are incompetent or there was a last minute surge of women voters for Hillary Clinton.

Obama/Huckabee Win Iowa

Obama and Huckabee are the winners of the Iowa Caucuses
On the Democratic side, Obama was first with 38%, Edwards came in second with 30% and Hillary Clinton was third with about 29%.
On the Republican side, Huckabee was first (34%), followed by Romney (25%) and Thompson (13%)

Dodd, Biden and Gravel have dropped out of the Democratic race.

The good news is that Hillary Clinton was last. I hope Edwards can keep going and force Hillary out. I can live with Obama and/or Edwards, but the Democrats cannot nominate Hillary Clinton! If they do, they risk losing in 2008.
I prefer Edwards because, next to my first choice Dennis Kucinich, he is the most progressive
See Norman Solomon's Edwards Reconsidered
Also:
Edwards First Candidate to Call for Withdrawing ALL Troops from Iraq
Only One Democrat (Edwards) Will End Iraq Occupation

Kucinich alienated many progressive supporters by telling his supporters in the caucuses to make Obama their second choice. Why? There is no reason for progressives to pick Obama over Edwards! Edwards is more progressive on a number of issues. His populist campaign presents the Democratic Party with a real alternative to DLC centrists like Obama & Clinton. Obama is a great speaker, but he is too moderate and he is another "corporatist" like Hillary Clinton.

Those who think Obama is a "progressive" should read this article by Paul Street in Z Magazine:
The Obama Illusion

Both Edwards and Obama gave great speeches, but Edwards did not concede is is going on to New Hampshire. I hope Democrats wake up and support his campaign to fight corporate greed and the growing inequality in American society.

Even though he is a Christo-fascist nutcase, Huckabee should not be underestimated. He talks like a "populist" and is a smooth politician. He won over 40 percent of the black vote in Arkansas. He is downplaying his past comments about gays and winning American "back for Christ" He can appeal to black voters and many low income Christians as well as independents. He would be a greater threat to the Democrats than the other GOP candidates, except possibly John McCain, who I think will make a come back and win the GOP nomination.

Edwards could win a general election against Huckabee by 25%--Compared to Clinton (10%) and Obama (15%)
See Edwards Vs. Huckabee: The Contest Democrats Would Love to See

Edwards Campaigns To End Discriminaton Against Gays

John Edwards Campaigns to end discrimination against gays and lesbians
Campaigning in New Hampshire, Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwardssaid yesterday that he will end "discriminatory" policies towards gay people if elected.

Speaking in New Hampshire, he pledged to try to repeal the Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA), passed in 1996, that banned the federal government from recognising gay marriages or unions and allowed states to refuse to recognise same-sex unions from other states.

I think we should get rid of DOMA; I think DOMA was a mistake from the beginning, and discriminatory, and so I will do everything in my power as President to do that," he told reporters, according to the Washington Post. Yesterday the candidate told an audience of several hundred that he approved of New Hampshire's civil union law.

"The key is to have the federal government recognise civil unions between same-sex couples," he said.
Edwards also pledged to try to end the policy of "Don't Ask Don't Tell," also enacted by President Clinton, which bans openly gay, lesbian or bisexual people from serving in the US military.

Meanwhile, the Republican candidates continued to compete for the anti-gay vote!


Huckabee compares Homosexuality to Necrophelia

Rudy Giuliani's positions on gay rights continues to devolve

Quotes from the GOP Candidates:

“Unless Moses comes down with two stone tablets from Brokeback Mountain to tell us something different, we need to keep that understanding of marriage.”
– Mike Huckabee

“It’s the acts, it’s the various acts that people perform that are sinful”
– Rudolph Giuliani on homosexuality

 “I don't want civil unions or gay marriage.”
 – Mitt Romney

Edwards has Best Chance to Beat GOP!

According to a new CNN Poll, John Edwards is Best Bet to Beat GOP!
Despite having the highest "unfavorable" numbers of all the top candidates in either party, most people think Hillary Clinton is the most electable. But, according to the CNN Poll, it's John Edwards, not Clinton or Obama who beats all four top Republican candidates! Clinton, with an average margin of just 6.25 points, is the least likely to beat the GOP candidate, while Obama's spread is 8.75 points, JOHN EDWARDS BEATS THE GOP FIELD BY AN AVERAGE MARGIN OF VICTORY OF 16 POINTS!

Rasussen Reports also shows Edwards with double-digit leads over McCain, Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson, but tied with Giuliani.

John Edwards on Newsweek Cover

John Edwards is on the cover of Newsweek: The Sleeper: Why John Edwards is Still a Contender in the Presidential Race
The mainstream media has ignored Edwards, so you probably don't even know about his speech on Lifting Up America's Middle Class

John Edwards for President!

Dear Friends,

I previously endorsed Dennis Kucinich for President because of his progressive views on LGBT rights, Iraq, Healthcare, etc. He is a great, courageous American, but the unfortunate reality is that it is unlikely that he will be the Democratic nominee. That has left me with the question of who among the most likely candidates, who could win, could I support and why.

The current front runner, Hillary Clinton, is good on some issues, and would make a better president than any of the Republicans, but I think we can do better. She has the highest negative/unfavorable ratings of any candidate (55%) and fares the worst against the top GOP candidates than Obama or Edwards ( Rasmussen Reports ). If she is the Democratic nominee, she would probably loose the general election. She will not win any southern states and only a few states on the East and West coast. That would be another disaster for the Democratic Party and the American people. I also have many disagreements with her, especially on economic and military issues. She is part of the moderate-conservative Democratic Leadership Council, now led by Harold Ford Jr., that is moving the Democratic party further to the right. She has equivocated on Social Security, and “free trade” (NAFTA). She is probably the most conservative Democratic candidate!

Barack Obama is looked upon more favorably by the general population and would do better in a general election. But he too has been using GOP talking points and taking “moderate” positions on Social Security and other issues. He has also been misusing religion and appealing to religious anti-gay bigots in the south to win support in the African-American population. He has very little political experience. I don’t think he is ready to be President.

That leaves John Edwards. Edwards is not perfect either, but on economic issues he is the most progressive of the “front-running” candidates. He has the most progressive universal health care program. He has made fighting poverty (something you don’t hear about in mainstream politics anymore) a main issue in h is campaign, he even went on a “poverty” tour of rural American going to places most candidates would avoid. He has a very strong record on labor issues, opposes NAFTA, and wants to take on political corruption. He comes from a poor, working class rural background. And he is a southerner (the last two Democratic Presidents have come from the south!).

ON LGBT issues, like all of the Democratic candidates he supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, ending the don’t Task Don’t Tell military policy, and though he doesn’t support gay “marriage,” he supports providing equal rights for gay and lesbian couples (civil unions, etc.). I wish he supported gay marriage, but neither does Hillary Clinton or Obama.

As much as I would like to support Kucinich, who does support single-payer universal health care and gay marriage equality, as well as the impeachment of Cheney and Bush, I think it is more important to make sure Democrats win in 2008. Kucinich will not win. According to most polls, Hillary Clinton would loose to all the top GOP candidates, except Giuliani, and would beat him by a smaller margin than Obama and Edwards. IF DEMOCRATS WANT TO WIN IN 2008, WE MUST NOT NOMINATE HILLARY CLINTON!

Edwards can win! He needs our support, and I’m endorsing John Edwards for president in 2008 and encourage you to join me.

Please take a moment to check out the campaign website at:
www.johnedwards.com
And Join the Campaign to Save America!

Also, see John Edwards: Like FDR, the Real Deal by Katherine Newman, THE NATION

Bush Approval Rating Sinks but Will it Help Dems in 08?

George Bush's approval rating has sunk to 28% according to a new Newsweek Poll, and it seems to be dragging down the whole GOP. The poll also shows every Democratic candidate beating the Republicans in 2008. However, Hillary Clinton seems to be the one hope the Republicans have of winning. She does worse than any other Democratic candidate, barely edging out a Republican opponent. So why is she the leading Democratic candidate among Democrats?

"The NEWSWEEK Poll finds each of the leading Democratic contenders beating the Republican frontrunners in head-to-head matchups....

"Though the New York senator and former first lady aims to project an aura of inevitability that she will win the Democratic nomination, Obama beats the leading Republicans by larger margins than any other Democrat: besting Giuliani 50 to 43 percent, among registered voters; beating McCain 52 to 39 percent, and defeating Romney 58 percent to 29 percent.

"Like Obama, Edwards defeats the Republicans by larger margins than Clinton does: the former Democratic vice-presidential nominee outdistances Giuliani by six points, McCain by 10 and Romney by 37, the largest lead in any of the head-to-head matchups. Meanwhile, Sen. Clinton wins 49 percent to 46 percent against Giuliani, well within the poll’s margin of error; 50 to 44 against McCain; and 57 to 35 against Romney.

"Where Clinton remains the undisputed champ is among Democrats. When matched against her main rivals for the Democratic nomination, Clinton is the choice of 51 percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters over Obama’s 39 percent; and she defeats Edwards 57 percent to 38 percent. Obama has not substantially narrowed Clinton’s lead since the early March NEWSWEEK poll, where he trailed Clinton by 14 points. Edwards has narrowed Clinton’s lead over him though. Back in March Edwards trailed Clinton by 31 points; now her lead is down to 19 points."

Wake up Dems! We have a good chance of winning in 2008, but NOT with Hillary Clinton! Her negatives are too high among most voters, especially independents and "swing voters" and she would probably loose in the general election because of all her baggage (i.e., "hillary health care", Bill and Monica, etc.) Many Democrats I know even say THEY will not vote for her! Our best chance is a new face, like Obama or Edwards.