OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT

Sen. Barack Obama, an Illinois Democrat, has been elected president of the United States, according to major network projections.

vote vote vote vote vote vote vote

this is it

It seemed like this day would never come, but it's finally here.

Today is Election Day 2008. Hopefully, by tonight we'll know who'll be our next president.

With your help and your vote, we can usher in a new progressive era of hope and change. We can elect Democrats up and down the ballot that will help make the necessary reforms that will get our country headed back in the right direction. The results of this most consequential election will determine the future of our country. No less hangs in the balance.

Many have speculated what this country would look like if Al Gore had become the president eight years ago instead of George W. Bush. Let's not spend the next eight years wondering what might have been. Let's make our hopes and dreams a reality. Let's vote for real progress, instead of divisive Washington politics that's gotten us nowhere.

Let our vote be a resounding demand to end the war in Iraq, work toward universal health care, end tax cuts for corporations outsourcing our jobs, and become independent from foreign oil by investing in new and alternative forms of energy. Let our vote tell the government that we will no longer accept it prying into our bedrooms and doctor's offices, but will instead send it where it's most needed- our schools.

Most of all, let our vote tell the youth of this country that we care about their future. That we want them to inherit an earth better than that which we received.

We hope you'll take the time to vote today, if you haven't already. Vote for your future. And vote for ours.

North Texas Liberal endorses Barack Obama for president of the United States.

obama's closing argument

"We have to work like our future depends on it this last week, because it does..." - Barack Obama

Vote Twice: It's the Texas Two-Step

This is it, folks.

Election day has finally come to Texas.

If you haven't voted yet, go vote now! Heavy turnout is expected today, so reserve some time on your busy schedules and head down to your polling place and do your civic duty.

Whether you've decided on Hillary or Barack, this is one of the most important presidential elections in history, and Texas gets a say. So don't let it go to waste!

Also, don't forget to do the Texas Two-Step!

After voting ends at 7 tonight, precinct chairs across the state will call to order precinct conventions, where you need to show up again to show support for your candidate! A third of Texas' delegates will be awarded during this integral second step of the process! Be back at your polling location no later than 7:15 p.m. to participate. You must have voted in the primary (early or election day) in order to attend the convention.

Now, go vote!

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

May your new year be filled with many gifts -- including a new president.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne

hillary's happy hour

Tonight I had the unique opportunity to meet the next president of the United States.

Say what you will about her, you won't soon forget your experience if you're ever within twenty feet of Sen. Hillary Clinton while she lays out her plans to lead this country in a new direction.

She came to a venue in Northeast DC called Ibiza. I had never heard of it before, but it seemed kind of like a night club. The owner was there and said that he had opened it for top-notch entertainment and special events, so apparently it was a pretty classy place.

I stood in line for a few minutes, but because I was already on the guest list I was whisked to a different line where I was patted down by Secret Service. Then they let me inside and I went to find a nice place to stand, because I knew that it would be crowded.

Soon, her campaign manager Terry McAuliffe came on stage and gave a rousing introduction. He said that the polls show that Hillary Clinton will not only win the states that Al Gore and John Kerry won, but she'll win other key states like Florida, Nevada, etc. After rattling off more of her credentials, he introduced her and musical performer Mya.

It was very much a stump speech from the presidential hopeful, but I was moved and motivated nonetheless as she detailed why she should be the next president and what she would do if elected.

She promised universal health care for all Americans, an end to the war in Iraq and real support for our returning veterans, an end to the war on science and a new dawn for research, specifically life-saving studies of stem cells.

She recalled when she was going off to college: her dad paid for tuition and room and board, but she was delegated the task of buying her own books. But she had to pay her own way through law school. She earned scholarships and worked, but she said she was also lucky enough to be able to borrow money from the federal government with only 2% interest. She said we need to end the days of soaring tuition prices that cause students to get led astray by private lenders that they become indebted to for much of their adult lives.

She also brought up Hurricane Katrina and how a natural disaster became "a national disgrace and an international embarrassment." She said she had a unique idea involving the appointments of competent people to important positions, which drew laughter and applause from the crowd of over 1,000 supporters.

She ended the speech with a story that former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright once told her about visiting "behind the Iron Curtain" for a WWII memorial: she saw many American flags with only 48 stars. When President Clinton's cabinet member asked them why they had these old flags, it was explained to her that they were family heirlooms that were first given to them by American soldiers. The flags, in pristine condition, represented freedom that many of these people could only ever hope for.

Not only did Sen. Clinton say that this sentiment should still be felt abroad, but she said that she wants us to be able to feel it about ourselves, as well. We should be proud to be Americans, where we value liberty and democracy.

Under a Hillary Clinton administration, we will be.

Invisible

"In her first ad of the campaign, Hillary says that everyone who has been invisible to George W. Bush won't be invisible to the next president."

vote in the texas eprimary!

Even though it seems like we'll be deciding our next president any day now considering the number of debates and the near-rabid attention the media is giving the race, the first votes won't be cast in the Democratic Primary until early next year.

Since more and more states are having earlier primaries and the de facto candidate is usually crowned before we ever hit the voting booth, the Texas Democratic Party is letting Texas Democrats pick their candidate now through an online poll: the TDP ePrimary poll.

Sure, it's unofficial and unscientific. But why not lend your favorite national ticket Democrat some support? It will be an informal sampling of the current mood of Texas Democrats, and who they may decide to support in the primary. But it won't work without enough people taking a couple of minutes to cast their vote.

Each candidate (excluding Obama, whose team instead offers a news widget) gives a personal message to Texas Democrats. Dennis Kucinich's message even comes in the form of a YouTube video.

Here are some excerpts:

"It is clear that Texans are ready for change, and I have the experience to bring about change in Washington. I am proud to have the support of elected officials and community leaders across Texas -- including Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressmen Henry Cuellar and Ruben Hinojosa -- and I am asking for your help and support."
- Hillary Clinton


"It’s been an honor to get to know so many great Texas Democrats during this campaign and in my time as Governor of New Mexico. You know what I’ve done and where I stand. When I’m President, we’re going to get all of our troops out of Iraq—all of them."
- Bill Richardson


"In Texas and across the country, we face a crucial choice -- whether to do what America has always done in times like these – change direction and move boldly into the future or wander in the same stale direction we have traveled in our recent past."
-John Edwards

You can vote in the TDP ePrimary poll through Friday, Sept. 7. Daily tallies will be posted beginning Sept. 4.

hillary -- don't write her off yet

Too many people -- including Democrats -- are ready to write off the most serious contender in the 2008 horse race to the presidential primaries.

And no, I'm not talking about Barack Obama.

Though the Illinois Democrat may have raised a staggering $32.5 million during the most recent fundraising period (an astonishing feat, especially given that he refuses donations from corporate interests), Sen. Obama is still slagging in the polls.

The most recent polls of the nation's Democrats show that they intend to vote for Hillary Clinton in the primaries -- and not by a slim margin. Sen. Clinton is sitting pretty at 43%, while Obama is at 25%.

So, assuming that Clinton bests Obama in the primaries next year, can she go on and defeat the as-yet-uncrowned Republican nominee in the general election?

Again, the answer is yes.

The polls are stacked in her favor. 55% of the general public is ready to vote for the Democratic candidate, whoever he or she might be. And when candidates are named, nearly every major poll has her beating out both Republican front-runners in the general: John McCain and Rudy Giuliani.

So what are Democrats afraid of? By no means is Hillary unelectable. The voters are telling the pollsters that every day. Even from the standpoint of the much-maligned electoral college system, Hillary can scoop up a victory. In 2004, John Kerry earned 252 electoral votes from a combination of nineteen states and Washington, D.C. Do you think any of the blue states have changed their mind between now and then? No, they're getting bluer. And so is the rest of the country.

Sure, the Republicans won't like her, but look at what they made us put up with for the past eight years! The population at large is ready for a change. A big one.

Hillary can win, and she's in it to win it. So even if she's your not your favorite candidate in the race, you'll do good not to write her off. Or she may -- like so many women -- just have to prove you wrong.

maya angelou endorses hillary clinton for president

will radnofsky challenge cornyn in 2008?

Barbara Ann Radnofsky, the Houston Democrat that challenged Republican incumbent Kay Bailey Hutchison for her seat in the U.S. Senate, may be gearing up for another campaign for the same position... in 2008.

Many have speculated that her bid against a popular incumbent was simply a way to gain name recognition while campaigning statewide. Not only would she earn credentials, she would be able to say that she took on the most popular politician in Texas unflinchingly. Then she would be able to challenge the weaker of Texas' two Republican Senators, John Cornyn, who is up for re-election in 2008.

Radnofsky's holiday message to supporters suggests that she might be planning to announce an exploratory committee or an official campaign sometime in 2007.

We've kept the entire professional campaign staff together. Katie Floyd, Communications Director, is busy with our new Art Project (we have become dealers in JapanArt.Org and will be posting on the website soon), visiting her beautiful horse and baking for the holidays. She's also editing the second campaign book, and will plan a book and thank you tour for the spring. Katie planned and executed our successful fundraiser for Ciro and we all rejoiced in his win in the runoff. We're also working on starting a PAC. Your suggestions for names would be appreciated.

Seth Davidson, Campaign Manager, is also a principal in our Japan Art venture and remains with his business, Wildsteps. I'm traveling, thanking folks, spending time with family, doing the occassional mediation, planning the PAC and looking forward to the future. I'm counting my blessings, particularly you who read the newsletters.

I have great hope for the future. Believe.

Warmest regards,
BAR

One thing is for sure: if Radnofsky decides to make a run for Cornyn's seat, she'll have to emerge victorious from what is bound to be a more contentious primary than she faced in 2006, when she was forced into a runoff election against a perennial candidate. There are bound to be several sets of prominent Democratic eyes focusing on Cornyn's floundering approval ratings.

the fight for the venue, 2008

In the June 19 edition of The New York Observer, Matthew Schuerman reports on New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's recent schmoozing with members of the Democratic National Committee in an attempt to secure New York as the venue for the Democratic National Convention in 2008.

New York is a safe bet, considering that they successfully hosted the Republicans in 2004 and have hosted the Democrats on other occasions. The Big Apple is also a liberal bastion full of Democratic donors ready to empty their pockets for a worry-free convention. Jonathan Tisch, the chairman of the city's tourism bureau, proclaims that New York City has the "track record" and that he and Robert Rubin, a Secretary of the Treasury under President Clinton, could raise $70 million from private contributors to foot the bill.

Schuerman notes, however, that the decision is not made by the party elite; instead, DNC Chairman Howard Dean will make the final call. Dean is a New York native, but this article reminds us that he is promoting a fifty-state strategy. Would Dean be sticking to his "No State Left Behind" values by holding his convention in a tried-and-true blue state?

Other cities that want to hold the convention include New Orleans, Denver, and Minneapolis. DNC members will visit Minneapolis and Denver next week, but a trip to New Orleans has not been planned yet. Denver is the most likely choice, what with their spacious new convention center arena and hotel. Denver also fits into Dean's fifty-state strategy. Though Democrats are making strides in Colorado, the state still went to Bush in 2004.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is the sentimental choice. The city doesn't seem to be gaining a lot of momentum with its bid, but it's most likely on Dean's shortlist considering it fits into his fifty-state strategy. It's a place where Democrats stand to do well, despite previous voting history (and the fact that Louisiana is a Bush red state).

For detailed and up-to-date information concerning the fight for the venue and any news pertaining to the convention, visit the 2008 Democratic Convention Watch blog. The blog covers and analyzes news stories on the convention as they appear.

Gore in 2008?

Ever since Al Gore sat in a hot tub on Saturday Night Live, and followed that appearance with an announcement that he would not run for president in 2004, conventional wisdom has been that his days of seeking political office are over. Following the chaos of the 2000 election battle, and seemingly freed from the constraints of worrying about public consensus, a new Al Gore emerged as a cogent and uncompromising critic of the Bush administration; dawned the hero's cape to rescue ailing patients from a Louisiana hospital during Katrina; launched a new media venture; and is gradually becoming the most recognized and respected international spokesperson on the dangers of global warming. Nowhere, it seems, is running for office even a consideration.

And although the democratic field of presidential candidates for 2008 is dense, favorites are already emerging. Hardball, along with much of the Republican leadership, has annointed Hillary Clinton the frontrunner; the blogosphere is fawning over Russ "Censure the President" Feingold; and the traditional media is looking for the next Clinton in Virginia Gov. Mark Warner. Al Gore, we're told, has found his niche and it ain't running for office.

And indeed, every spokesperson for Gore has echoed that, time and time again. But a recent article in The American Prospect leaves the door open just enough to speculate:

And it could be Gore, if he wants it. Here’s the scenario: Hillary Clinton continues rolling forward, amassing establishment support and locking down the large donors. Anti-Hillary voters prove unable to coalesce around a single champion, so Clinton is able to suck up all the oxygen but, as with most faits accomplis, attracts little genuine enthusiasm. At the same time, her hawkishness and ostentatious moderation sparks widespread disillusionment among the online activist community. Inevitably, the liberal wing of the party begins calling for a Bigfoot of its own to enter the primary, and the obvious prospect is Gore. DraftGore.com, which already exists, amplifies the drumbeat, collecting pledges and holding events. The press corps, sensing a Godzilla vs. King Kong battle, begins covering the events. As Marty Peretz, publisher of The New Republic and a longtime friend of Gore, says, “if he were to find that there was some groundswell for him, I think it would be hard to resist.”

So it seems a long shot at best. If he were to declare, would his new image and fund-raising capabilities make him the automatic front runner? Who knows? Republicans did a character assassination on Gore in the 2000 campaign, with the press as willing accomplices. As a result, Gore suffers from the same bane as Hillary Clinton - high unfavorable ratings from Republicans. In the long run, Gore may serve us better by continuing to focus on global climate change - a threat more serious than terrorism, and an issue seriously begging for a credible political spokesperson. But with a new movie on the issue coming in May, and "draft Gore" momentum building, speculation won't be dying down any time soon.