Three Things that Struck Me During Barack Obama's Inauguration

1. I counted at least two screw-ups by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts in administering the Presidential Oath of Office. First, Roberts left out the word "faithfully." Then Roberts recited the phrase "office of the President to the United States." Of course, it should be "President of the United States." Obama, a former Constitutional law professor, then stopped to give Roberts a "do-over."

It appeared to me that Obama did this not only to preserve the history of the day, but also to prevent the wingnuts from spending four or eight years claiming that Obama isn't the legitimate President because (if he had repeated Roberts' original words) he didn't state the Oath correctly. Think that's far-fetched? Shortly after the Oath was administered, Fox News' Chris Wallace wondered out loud "whether or not Barack Obama in fact is the president of the United States." Then Wallace hilariously claimed that "[i]t's just conceivable that this will end up going to the courts."

2. Dick Cheney being wheeled away in a wheelchair. To me, that just sums up the Bush Administration, limping out of town with a whimper.

3. The unanimously cheering crowds gathered at Obama's swearing-in and along the inaugural parade route. Contrast that with George W. Bush's inauguration in 2001, which was met by thousands of angry protesters, some of whom wielded "Hail to the Thief" signs and some who threw eggs at Bush in his Presidential limousine. While Obama took a slow ride and a couple of strolls down Pennsylvania Avenue while the crowds erupted in cheers, Bush was met with such hostility that he had to hide inside his car, which then rushed off at high speed along Pennsylvania Avenue towards the White House.

Yes, it's a new day.

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Why John McCain Lost in a Landslide

I wrote a long post explaining why John McCain lost so badly, and then Blogger deleted it when I clicked "Preview," even though I had saved the post dozens of times as I wrote it. Of course, it was a brilliant post, but no way am I going to do it over. Suffice it to say that, even in this tough year for Republicans, McCain should have done better, but he made poor choices, from simply demonizing Barack Obama instead of propounding a positive vision, to choosing the wildly unqualified Sarah Palin and appealing only to the narrow Republican base, to acting erratically in the face of a severe economic crisis.

It will be tempting for Republicans to excuse McCain's loss as inevitable in a year when Republican President George Bush is so unpopular and the economy has crashed. But John McCain bears responsibility for his bad choices, and Republicans in Congress, and the Republican Party as a whole, will pay a high price as a result.

I also need to add that this election wasn't about "the black." The MSM are trying to make it all about the black, by interviewing black pundits about how they feel about electing a black President, and focusing on crowd reaction shots of teary-eyed black people from last night. This election wasn't a social experiment. Obama is as white as he is black. I can be just as proud of Obama for being white as blacks can be for his being black. What the media just don't get is that Americans were sick and tired of being screwed by George Bush and Dick Cheney in every way for eight years, they have seen everything go sour, and they felt that Obama had the best plans to solve our problems and the better judgment and temperament to implement those plans. The MSM's relentless focus on carving up the country into convenient demographic groups, and on "the black President" who overcame racism to get elected, is itself a form of racism that will only divide us further at a time when we need to unite.


As for me, at least I don't have to move out of the country, but I think it's time to migrate to WordPress.

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Get Ready For the McCain-Palin Slime Machine

The only thing slimier than a Republican candidate is a Republican candidate who is losing. That is the position that John McCain and Sarah Palin find themselves in today. Barack Obama has opened up a sizeable lead over McCain. A couple of days ago, the McCain campaign cut and ran from Michigan, which it had formerly considered a battleground state. And now McCain's campaign has hunkered down in formerly Republican states like Florida, Missouri, Virginia, and even Indiana, ones that George Bush won (and, in the case of Indiana, which Republicans typically win handily), treating them as the battleground states. When you're fighting just to hold onto your base (as Sarah Palin seems to do with each appearance), you're in big trouble.

This means that the McCain-Palin campaign has only one tool left in their arsenal -- to turn on their slime machine against Barack Obama. I thought of this last night, and, lo and behold, there's a news article on the Washington Post's website this morning confirming that "McCain Plans Fiercer Strategy Against Obama." The sub-headline reads "GOP plans to focus on Democrat's judgment, honesty and personal ties."

The slime tactic from Republicans is nothing new. Republican campaign operative Lee Atwater honed his dirty campaign tricks while working for Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan, and then perfected them during George H.W. Bush's successful 1988 Presidential campaign against Michael Dukakis. The result was the infamous Willie Horton television ad. After Lee Atwater died, his protege, Karl Rove, took over the Republican slime machine, and we all know what happened. First, Rove helped George W. Bush defeat John McCain in the 2000 South Carolina primary using Atwater's dirty tactics. The Bush-Rove smear campaign against McCain in 2000, which included "push polls" spreading the false implication that McCain had fathered an illegitimate black child, reportedly caused a bitter rift between Bush and McCain that to this day has not healed. Bush and Rove successfully used similar tactics against Al Gore and John Kerry in the 2000 and 2004 elections, culminating in the false "Swift Boat" campaign against Kerry that helped Bush win re-election in 2004. About the principal "Swift Boat" ad that ran against Kerry, McCain said at the time, "I think the ad is dishonest and dishonorable."

Ah, but what a difference four years makes. McCain has now hired Rove's own proteges, such as Steve Schmidt. Amazingly, McCain's hires include some of the very people who falsely slimed McCain in 2000, such as Charlie Condon. A month ago, McCain hired another of the South Carolina Dirty Tricksters, Tucker Eskew, about whom McCain previously said "there is a special place in hell," to work for Sarah Palin. It is now obvious that McCain intends to use these same Bush-Rove operatives who destroyed McCain's character in the 2000 primary to do the same to Barack Obama.

I have no doubt that, after observing what the Republican slime machine did to John McCain in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004, Barack Obama is ready for the most vicious, sleazy, tawdry, false attacks imaginable. Are you?

(Obama "HOPE" image by Shepard Fairey)

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(Almost) Liveblogging Conference Call With Markos Moulitsas Zuniga of The Daily Kos

When I registered for tonight's conference call with Markos, founder of The Daily Kos, which is being sponsored by the Courage Campaign, I was asked for my name. I blog anonymously, so there was no way I was going to give my real name. Instead, I gave my blog name, "Media Concepts." When I called in a few minutes ago, the operator asked my name. I stated "Media Concepts," but pronounced the first name like "Medea." It's pretty funny to be referred to by a name from Greek mythology. Anyway, here goes:

6:05 p.m. -- Host: Rick Jacobs of Courage Campaign. Over 500 people RSVP'd for the conference call. Kos has changed the way politics is conducted in U.S.

The call is listen-only, but then questions will be allowed.

Rick is describing Courage Campaign: California based, and does online organizing, but also gets into national issues. Many of these start in CA.
Markos has a new book out: "Taking On the System -- Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era." Introduces Markos.

6:11 p.m. -- Markos thanks Courage Campaign. CC is fighting "hate amendment" (Proposition 8) that would ban gay marriage. CA is a progressive state but gets stuck with some non-progressive politicians like (ousted CA governor) Gray Davis.

Kos talking about his book. He's been an activist for only 6 years, but has come in on the ground floor of the digital revolution that has transformed politics. Wants to impart lessons he's learned through trial and error.

Internet and technology has led to democracy in allowing us to have a greater say. We all know that, so that won't be his focus.

He's focusing on the change in our culture that has led to acceptance of "amateurs." 500 years ago, people who could do many things (Michelangelo, etc.) were revered. But then, society only put their faith in credentialed professionals, and everyone else was riff raff, hoi polloi.

Now, it's getting back to regular folks who are showing great expertise in politics, are writing about it, and are getting great acclaim. They don't have poli sci degrees, they're just self starters. On the Internet, people respond to quality, no matter who it's from. These stars then get famous on traditional media. Kos is a prime example. He came to U.S. in 1980, fleeing civil war in El Salvador.

This is happening in other areas too -- music (create and sell your own), art, filmmaking, etc. Markos runs a network of sports blogs where many people want to have discussions with non-experts who offer quality content.

This makes traditional elite gatekeepers uncomfortable. They have lost control. Amateurs break the rules. Result is disdain toward bloggers.

We're empowered and have more control over things now. Big advance for our culture. Thanks, and I'll take questions now.

Rick: CA Sen. Diane Feinstein wants to run for governor. Her advisers say she'll win, and no one else should even get in the race.
What is the role of organizers and activists vs. gatekeepers known as campaign consultants? How do we go around them and beat them.

Kos: the game is changing. Outsiders are winning more and more. E.g. Ned Lamont winning Dem primary in CT in 2006. CA has 4 0r 5 Dems who Feinstein would have to beat. Fragmented field opens the way for progressive who on-the-ground activists could back. CC should help i.d. some. No more mishmash, retread, damaged candidates.

Rick: How about you run for CA gov?

Kos: That would be a "horrible fate" for CA. I'd be falling asleep at meetings. I'm better as an outsider. Al Gore is a great example of someone who stepped out of elective politics and has a vital platform now against global warming. Politics would diminish his ability to be a cross-partisan champion of the environment. Kos: I'm a good writer, good explainer, good manager of online community.

Callers can queue up to ask questions. They will also read some that were previously submitted by email (I submitted one about fighting back on defense vs. taking the offense during the presidential campaign).

Question: How can we have effective protests in the digital age?

Kos: Current street protests are ineffective. To build popular support through the media, having a crowd on the street & get covered by the 3 networks is obsolete. Many protesters shout different messages. Media doesn't much care. Today, it's more effective to use protest as exclamation point to a campaign around a specific issue. E.g., protest against unfair immigration laws (that would deny public education to kids of illegal immigrants). Another example is Cindy Sheehan's caravan to Bush ranch in Crawford. Big buildup before she showed up. It bubbled up in blogs and indy media. She had a single message ("I want my son to tell my why my son died in Iraq.") It was a huge catalyst that shifted opinion against the war.

6:33 p.m. listener question: Barack Obama needs to repeat his original message of humility and a redemption story (skinny kid, unlikely candidate, etc.). McCain has a great story (POW) that people i.d. with, Obama needs to do something like this.

Kos: Obama isn't doing as bad as some people say. He's doing well state by state. He's getting a lot of advice lately. McCain has a bump from convention and more popularity among Evangelicals who are GOP base anyway. Thought McCain's convention speech was "horrible."

Listener question: Has strategy to turn around economy in CA. Make own biofuels like ethanol and live sustainable. Need a biofuel farm. Use manpower from "corrections union" (? I don't follow her question at all).

Kos: says that sustainable living is a successful movement and campaign that barely existed a few years ago. Clear goal. Divide into bite size chunks. Quotes right winger Grover Norquist re tax cuts: In 10 years, you'll see how much not getting everything you want gets you. Kos: Don't demand everything up front.

Rick: Tax cut advocates in CA have similar goals. What issues should CA voters use to tie to national issues and campaigns?

Kos: better to keep it at state level. E.g. target Republicans who espouse the most egregious tax policies, win more Democratic seats. But long term project needed to fix CA budget. Need to build popular support by traditional means (letters to editor, organizing, etc.) First term of president will be dominated by Health Care and Energy.

Question: any advice on what to emphasize in swing states in presidential campaign.

Kos: find what you enjoy the most and focus on that. Kos hates doing phone banking but others love it. Some like going door to door. Professionals such as lawyers can help by giving their professional time. Montana and ND would be unique battleground states to go to (and they're beautiful).

Question: concerned about keeping electronic voting tallies from being rigged. What can citizens to do keep it honest.

Kos: E-voting boxes can be sketchy, but many other types of voting problems. E.g. 2004 election -- many types of disenfranchisement in Ohio (purging from voting rolls, Democrats didn't get absentee ballots, urban districts didn't have enough voting booths, etc.). We need to make sure barriers to voting broken down before people get to the booth. Need to elect Dem secy. of states. We have one new ones now in Ohio and 7 other states, thankfully. Kos likes Oregon model -- vote by mail, has paper trail.

6:49 p.m. Question: what can we in CA do to reach people in swing states to get Obama elected?

Kos: talk to your friends and family in swing states. No one is more influential to a voter than their close friends and family. Make sure they are registered to vote & that they plan to vote. This is the essence of democracy and citizenship.

Question: Civil disobediance is effective when focused. Do you see any relevance for it now?

Kos: Cindy Sheehan example. She set up camp where she wasn't supposed to. But most effective disobediance used media at the time. Ghandi used newsreels that were shown before movies in the theater. Today, media are jaded. Need something new and different.

Question: How can the presidential race be so close, and why do people believe McCain given his record?

Kos: It's a 50-50 country. McCain has effectively portrayed himself as not a
Bush clone. So has Sarah Palin. Our job is to point out that Republicans are Republicans, and the problem is with their ideology that says Government doesn't work. Bush chose Michael Brown, a "horse lord," to run FEMA because if he chose someone competent, people would believe that government does work and they'd buy into the Democratic ideology. GOP is paranoid that government would work.

Question: How can we get corporate software out of elections?

Kos: Repeat previous answer re Democratic secy of state and increased voting by mail. It's allowed in CA.

Question: How can I convince my relatives who are pro-choice but who watch Fox every day to get online for their information?

Kos: Explain to them what matters. Explore why they want to vote a certain way, and try to present facts and info. on your side. Use the source material (New York Times articles, etc.), not just the editorializing on blogs like the Daily Kos. Don't give up, be persistent.

Question: How should Obama handle Sarah Palin?

Kos: I'm better at analyzing decisions than giving advice or reading popular sentiment. We can't leave her alone. We can't let false media narratives to stick (e.g., she opposed Bridge to Nowhere, she's anti-pork, she's not allied with Ted Stevens). Media won't confront those falsities unless Obama does so first. This is starting to work on the Bridge to Nowhere and pork issues. Obama should stick to issues, not personal or family matters, regarding Palin. She's "Dick Cheney redux."

7:07 p.m. call ends.

That was a very worthwhile call for me, although I just realized that, technically, I didn't liveblog the call, since I wrote the post as it was happening, but published the whole post a few minutes later. It's a learning process.

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Clinton Supporters Take Heart -- Joe Biden is Hillary Clinton With a Penis

Barack Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, has everything that Hillary Clinton has, except a uterus and breasts. So, will Clinton's supporters finally step up and support their party and its nominees?

Hillary Clinton hit her stride late in the primary campaign, by appealing to blue-collar Americans, who she unfortunately termed "hard working Americans, white Americans," with a heartfelt economic message that let voters know she understood their plight. This was on top of Clinton's truly impressive 35-year record of standing up for women's rights, civil rights, affordable health care coverage, and other issues that are paramount to Democratic voters.

Well, guess what? Joe Biden's record is stunningly similar to Hillary Clinton's. He comes from a working class, Irish Catholic background in gritty Scranton, PA, in the very heart of Clinton country. Biden also has a 35-year record of standing up for Hillary Clinton's supporters on the exact same issues, including civil rights, women's rights, health care, economic issues, America's foreign policy, and Supreme Court judges. Biden even voted, as did Clinton, to authorize George Bush to use force against Saddam Hussein (the so-called "vote for the Iraq War") in 2002. It's possible that Biden's voting record is as close to Clinton's as any other two members of Congress.

In addition to having both a Presidential and now a Vice Presidential nominee who closely share the views of Hillary Clinton and her supporters, the Democratic party has rewarded Hillary and Bill Clinton in an unprecedented way: by giving them the spotlight on two of the four nights of the upcoming Democratic Convention, and in placing Hillary Clinton's name in nomination at the convention. And, apparently, there will be plenty of opportunity for Clinton's supporters to loudly voice their support for Clinton, in what Clinton has described as a "catharsis."

So the question I have for Hillary Clinton supporters is, what more do you want? The last I checked, our electoral system consists of party primaries, each with multiple candidates. By definition, a huge chunk, often the majority, of voters in each party do not get their first pick as the ultimate nominee of the party. 2008 was no different. Will you now fail to support the Obama-Biden ticket because Clinton lost to Obama fair and square? Because that's what I call being a sore loser. Will you fail to support the Obama-Biden ticket because a woman isn't on it? Because when Republicans favor one gender over another, we correctly call that sexism. Will you fail to support the Obama-Biden ticket because Obama has dark skin? Because when Republicans do that, we correctly call that racism.

Or is this a case where, even though Hillary Clinton's positions on issues of importance to you are closely matched by Barack Obama and Joe Biden, even though Obama beat Clinton fair and square in a well-fought contest, you still won't support anyone whose name isn't Hillary Clinton? Because when people in other countries do that, we call it a Cult of Personality and "Drinking the Kool-Aid."

Come on in, the water's nice. I promise.

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How My Obama Bumper Sticker Caused Another Republican to Demonstrate His Ignorance

Yesterday, a guy in a convertible version of my car pulled up to my right at a red light, and hollered:

Hey, did you hear that Obama told Kucinich that he'll take the [our brand of German car]s off the road?

Me: No, I haven't heard that.

Him: Yup, he said it.

Then the guy sped off.

I guess I should be happy that someone noticed the Obama bumper sticker (pictured above) on the back of my car. That's what the sticker is for. But I have to assume that the driver next to me is a Republican who was merely spreading another false meme regarding Barack Obama.

These phony Obama memes are really laughable in their lack of logic. My favorite one is the "Obama's a Muslim" meme, which was portrayed on The New Yorker magazine's recent satirical yet wildly unfunny cover. The people who spread that meme also spread guilt-by-association criticism of Obama regarding Reb'n Wright, Obama's former pastor at the Trinity United Church of Christ. Hmm, Muslim? Church of Christ? These Republicans never pause to examine the inherent contradiction, indeed, the impossibility, of believing these two memes at the same time.

Ditto for the European car meme told to me at the traffic light yesterday. For years, Republicans have characterized Democrats as "Volvo-driving liberals." If there is any truth to that characterization, then no Democratic presidential candidate in his right mind would ever say that he would take drivers of cars made in a nearby Western European country off the road. Not to mention that there was no common sense reason given to do so.

Pollsters and pundits are constantly trying to determine demographic categories -- age, race, education, religion, etc. -- that predict whether people will vote Democratic or Republican. I think I just figured out the most accurate predictor of a Republican voter: the absence of logic in the voter's mind.

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