The President-Elect's Weekly Address

Why Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Is Good for America

No one explains it better than Taylor. It's ridiculous how the corporate media and certain "progressives" hate the idea of having a strong woman as our ambassador to the world. Oh yes, and what was so bad about The Clinton Years? What was worse, the peace or the prosperity?

President-Elect Obama knows what he's doing. I find it hilarious that we Clintonistas are now the ones who have more faith in him than some of his early (fair weather) "friends". ;-)

If You're Into Geeky Data...

Like I am, you'll like this. Open Left has some good data on how Obama performed among white evangelicals nationwide & in the states. So if that's your kind of thang, go for it! Just know we're here for you when you're missing those damned polls too much. ;-)

Hillary at the State Department

Two different sources seem to suggest that Hillary is now on track for her appointment to Secretary of State. Politico reports:

President-elect Barack Obama is "on track" to name Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) as his secretary of state shortly after Thanksgiving.

The source for the story, according to Politico, is two senior Obama aides. An AP story reports the same thing, saying that the two sides are working quickly to make the appointment a reality.

I am very excited to see the two parts of our big, sprawling party united toward working to put our country back together again both domestically and internationally. Obama is beginning to demonstrate exceptional leadership skills, and I am proud to have supported Hillary in the primaries and the President-Elect during the General Election.

Jim Martin for Senate

Obama records an ad for Jim Martin in Georgia.

Bush's Parting Gift to Obama

A nuclear Iran? How wonderful! Thanks, Mr. Preznit!

Nobody loves me; everybody hates me

Oldest Living Whack Job Authentique Tells It All

Michele Bachmann Unhinged!

Waxman Defeats Dingell...

For House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair. So why is this important? Simply put, we now have a Chair who's on our side. It's about time we get good legislation passed out of Congress that actually works toward solving our climate & energy crises.

The People Have Spoken...

And it seems they want Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State. Let's see if President-Elect Obama agrees with the people on this. ;-)

Another Day...

Another Cabinet pick. Today, we find out that Chicago businesswoman Penny Pritzker has been offered Secretary of Commerce. Nice. It'd be nice to have more women in government... And I guess that's what we're getting.

Oh yes, and word has it that Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano may be Homeland Security Secretary. I'm not so sure about this... Not because I don't like her, but because I want her to beat McCain in the 2010 Senate race!

The Obama-Biden Transition Team Looks for Your Ideas on Energy and the Environment

America is a place of great dialogue with the free exchange of ideas. This conversation can lead to great fruitfulness in potential paths that the nation can take. The Obama-Biden Transition Team is seeking your input about the great issues of the environment and energy.



Go and share your thoughts with them.

Scott McClellan: Bush outed Valerie Plame

Scott McClellan revealed on November 15, 2008 that George W. Bush himself had admitted to McClellan that he, Bush, had authorized Scooter Libby to out covert CIA operative Valerie Plame.

Late Nite Open Thread

So what's happening?

More on the Prop 8 Lawsuit

Phew! Again, we still have a LONG way to go to know for sure that H8 has been defeated in California. Still, it seems like the judges have questions about it. And if our lawyers answer well, we could be well on our way to equality for all.

LATE BREAKING: CA SUPREME COURT TAKES PROP H8 LAWSUITS!!

Hooray! California's Supreme Court WILL take the cases challenging Prop 8, the initiative that bans marriage equality in the state. While we didn't get everything we wanted, I think we now have a good shot of overturning this hateful, horrid initiative. Let's take a look at what happened:

1) The court is taking the case on an expedited schedule, meaning that first briefs will be filed next week, oral arguments begin in March, and a final ruling will likely come in May.

2) The court did NOT issue a stay on enforcing 8 while the court hears the case, meaning no marriage equality in California... FOR NOW.

3) The court expressed concern on the matters of whether Prop 8 is an attempted constitutional revision improperly sought after & whether Prop 8 improperly undoes constitutional protections against discrimination by sexual orientation... Meaning that the court is at least paying attention to our concerns & willing to hear what our lawyers have to say.

Overall, this is good news. While we don't know what will happen early next year, we do know the court has concerns about Prop 8 & the judges aren't dismissing this case any time soon. We now must remain vigilant & keep fighting until we win & we have our full rights!

Finally, the election is over

McCain officially has won Missouri, so all the electoral votes are duly assigned to the two candidates for president. McCain led Obama by 4,355 votes, and even though there are still 3,159 provisional ballots to canvass, there is no way that Obama can overcome McCain's lead in the Show Me State.

All I can say to the good people of Missouri is that Barack Obama still is going to be president, but Missouri is not going to be a bellwether. Missouri seems now to just be yet another red state that has missed the tide of history.

When Vice President Cheney presides in January as Congress counts the electoral votes, he will announce:

Obama 365
McCain 173

The Skeleton in the GOP Closet

They're still mired in the past. They're still arguing over Reagan... Really! If they can't resolve the problems created in the 1980s, then what makes us think they can handle what we're facing today?

Tom Daschle to Be Health & Human Services Secretary

OK. It looks like Daschle's coming back to DC, this time in the Obama Administration. I'm OK with it, I guess. And if this results in successful universal health care legislation in 2009, then I'll be happy.

More SoS HRC News...

As only BTD can deliver it. Jeez, I can hardly wait for us to know when this process is over & we have our new Secretary of State!

For More Details...

On our 58th Senate seat. Feeling good now? ;-)

For More Details...

On our 58th Senate seat. Feeling good now? ;-)

BREAKING: Mark Begich WINS Senate Race in Alaska!

Hooray! Senate seat #58 is OURS! Democrats are closer to the 60 seat dream.

This is breaking on MSNBC. I'll grab a linky as soon as I can get one. Right now, convicted felon & Republican incumbent Ted Stevens is trailing by 3,724 votes. Right now, there only about 2,500 votes left to be counted.

So yippee, Democrats win... IN ALASKA! You betcha! :-D

More Reasons Why...

"Traitor Joe" Lieberman shouldn't have been given a free pass today. Sigh.

Nice...

Russell Simmons makes a great case for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. I don't know if I could have said it better.

Weekly Strategy Session: If They Won't, We Will!

OK, everyone! Ready for this week's strategy session? I am! We need to talk. Seriously.

Unfortunately, many of our Senators decided to ignore us & let "Traitor Joe" Lieberman off the hook. He keeps his dear Homeland Security Committee chair and he only loses one Environment subcommittee chair. After working aggressively AGAINST Democrats, he only gets a weak slap on the wrist and a meaningless "condemnation" from real Democrats.

Is this for real? REALLY??!! Did Traitor Joe just get away with almost murdering the Democratic Party?

I don't know about you, but I'm furious! Even my own Senators in my reliably Blue State couldn't muster the courage and the decency to hold Traitor Joe accountable for elliing out his integrity and our party for his additional 15 minutes of infamy with his beloved Johnny Mac. How could they? How could the Senators that we elected cave into Traitor Joe?

It's not like he actually does his job. On the Homeland Security Committee, he's never held one investigation into the botched response to Hurricane Katrina or our continued national security challenges. He's always caved into Republicans in agreeing to confirm radical right judges who consistently oppose civil rights, workers' rights, and environmental protections. He always runs to the corporate media to bash real Democrats and bad-mouth our now President-Elect. So again, why are Democrats rewarding Traitor Joe for failing all of us?

If they won't do what's best for our party and our country, then we must. It's time for us to hold "Traitor Joe" accountable. The aforementioned (as in linked) petition to start a campaign to unseat Traitor Joe in 2012 looks like a good start. But what else can we do? That's where I need your help!

What can we do in the coming months to not just defeat Traitor Joe Lieberman, but really hold accountable all those politicians that break their promises to us before actively working against us? Let's talk about it. And once we have a plan of action, let's make it happen!

And Now, The 2010 Election!

You think it's too soon? Think again! We have ourselves more vulnerable Republican incumbents... Including a Senator in Florida! (via MyDD)

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist remains overwhelmingly popular with a 68 - 18 percent job approval rating that makes him a strong favorite for re-election in 2010, but Sen. Mel Martinez's 42 - 33 percent approval rating makes him much more vulnerable, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
[...]
Although Sen. Martinez gets a somewhat favorable job approval rating, only 36 percent of voters say he deserves another term, while 38 percent say no and 26 percent say they are not sure. If the election were today, 36 percent say they would vote for Martinez while 40 percent would support his unnamed Democratic opponent and 24 percent are undecided.

As soon as we have a candidate in Florida, it might be a good idea for us to invest in this campaign. Hey, why don't we want another Democratic Senator from The Sunshine State? ;-)

Our Rights Are STILL Being Threatened by Dumbya!

Don't believe me? Read this! And better yet, do something about it!

Traitor Joe Lives Another Day

Ugh. Senate Democrats have just allowed "Traitor Joe" Lieberman to remain Chair of the Homeland Security Committee where he does not do his job. Really??!! Those that fail get to "fail upward"?

Color me disappointed.

Will It Happen? Won't It?

Does anyone really know? I guess we'll find out in the coming days. I can hardly wait to hear the official announcement. I don't think there's anything like "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton" that will help restore our credibility abroad. ;-)

Late Nite Open Thread

So what's on your mind tonight?

Our Next Secretary of State?

If so, expect some real wailing & gnashing of teeth from our favorite "Clinton Derangement Syndrome" victims. Hehe. ;-)

On Joining the Impact

It wasn't that long ago when I was just crying in my bedroom, not knowing what I could do next. Prop 8 had passed in California, and it felt like I was completely stripped of my human rights. Why did everything go so wrong when it seemed like the worst had just ended with Barack Obama's victory?

But in the next few days, hope returned. Lawsuits were filed to protect people's rights. People soon took to the streets to protest the temporary "win" for hate. And most importantly, a new civil rights movement was born as people began organizing to show the state, the nation, and the world that love conquers all.

So how has a temporary defeat resulted in a sudden push for victory?

In the months before the November 4 election, the "old school" LGBT political organizations (like Human Rights Campaign and The Task Force) and a HUGE group of elite "old school" West Coast political consultants decided to run a top-down, cautious campaign to defeat Prop 8. There was little mention of the married couples about to lose their legal rights. There were no feet on the ground organized by the campaign to talk to neighbors in the community about the threat to everyone's civil rights posed by Prop 8. There were just a 12-page long phone bank script and rounds of TV ads trying to respond to the constant barrage of lies pounding the airwaves. That was a recipe for disaster.

Fortunately in the days following the disappointing election day results, something changed. Everyday people rose up to fight for their rights. Suddenly, an angry (but peaceful) uprising was transforming into a full-fledged movement. And then, it spread beyond California. It became a national uprising for equal rights.

And really, this is why I now feel a calm sense of reassuring hope. Now don't get me wrong, I refuse to become overconfident in expecting the California Supreme Court to overturn Prop 8 and/or a successful repeal campaign in 2010 and 2012. Rather, I am glad that so many of us have now realized that we are working to make victory happen.

I was once told by a New Age influenced family member that "you create your own reality". At first, I scoffed it off. But now, I know what she meant. We create our own reality by taking action, joining the impact, making it happen. We have the power now to make our case to the court, convince the voters, overturn Prop 8, and guarantee civil rights for all.

The power is ours. The time is now. What can we do in the coming days, weeks, and months ahead to end hateful discrimination and let love prevail?

The Secret Ballot

Will it help or hurt "Traitor Joe" Lieberman as the Senate Democrats vote on his political fate tomorrow? I honestly don't know. It could help shield Senators opposing a pardon for Traitor Joe from facing his wrath. But on the other hand, it could also shield Senators supporting a pardon from our wrath.

So which side of scared Senators will turn out to be the larger one?

The President-Elect on "60 Minutes"

Watch CBS Videos Online

The interview takes about 40 minutes to watch, but it well worth the time and effort.

Lazy Sunday Open Thread

OK, so it hasn't been a lazy day for me. In fact, I've had a VERY BUSY weekend. I'll provide more details on it tomorrow.

In the mean time, please feel free to talk about your weekend! ;-)