With the Iowa caucuses less than a month away everything is now in high gear.  Barack Obama has received considerable press coverage about Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement tour.  Less press has been devoted to the campaigning around Iowa by another heavy hitter, Bill Clinton.   My question is this:  Which person, Oprah Winfrey or Bill Clinton is likely to have a greater influence on those Democrats who will be at the caucuses on January 3, 2008?  

Oprah or Bill??

Images New York Times, Reuters
(Images reduced to less than 300x200 pixels)

Yes, indeed.  It is cold outside.

Well, well, well, well –
And maybe a few more wells, too.

I know the Wagnerian woman of substance hasn’t sung, yet.
Hell, she hasn’t even begun warming up.
But there is a shift taking place in the polls.

Data - Rasmussen
Graph & Image - JohnnyGunn

I am glad to see Barack Obama running for president.  It demonstrates the difference between the Democrats who have an African American, a woman, and a Hispanic among their candidates – and the Republicans who are running nine straight white males.  Nothing wrong with straight white males, I just like a little variety, you know.

But today’s ageist comment by Obama, coupled with other serious errors in the past few months, indicate that he either does not have the political experience to run an effective campaign or he allows bad advice and strategy to carry the day.  Either way, Obama has clearly demonstrated to this Kossack that he is not ready for prime time.

Let John Conyers, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, know that we mean business about the Kucinich Resolution  to Impeach Dick Cheney.  Let him know in no uncertain terms.  The Democratic leadership thinks that by sending it to committee that they have effectively killed the bill.

Demand action!
Demand that the resolution receive the immediate attention that it deserves.
Why would the Democratic leadership even begin to listen to progressive Dems?
Because we must threaten to leave the party.
Not in 2010 or 2009 - next year - in 2008.

Finally!

Fred Phelps and his minions of hatred get their comeuppance in court.  After years of abusing the concept of free speech, after years of filing suits against municipalities and winning large awards from taxpayers to fund their obscene "protests" – finally they get slammed.

A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals out of a belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

http://hosted.ap.org/...

I am posting this poll to get a better understanding of how Kossacks feel about a possible Al Gore candidacy.

I have included four considerations:

1. Whether or not Gore SHOULD run.

2. Whether or not Gore actually DOES run.

3. Whether or not Gore could win the nomination.

4. Whether or not Gore could win the presidential election.

Answer each of these four question "Yes" or "No" - then go to the poll.

There are times when I wonder how I can be so fortunate to live in Wyoming.
This past week was one of those times.
Day after day of sapphire skies and golden leaves.
I feel blessed, grateful, and incredibly lucky.
Please let me share some of my good fortune with you.

Quinnipiac University's polling institute just released a Swing State   poll that gives Hillary Clinton the largest lead of the year in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania against her Democratic rivals.  In all of these states she has more than a 25% lead over Barack Obama.  Edwards is below the 15% threshold in all three states.

Map of most recent polls:

Image - Johnnygunn - Free use with attribution

Now you can really find out how you stand with Hillary.
Yeah, it’s kinda like knowing your Myers-Briggs.
I’m an ONCP – Obnoxious, Neurotic, Compulsive, Perverted.

The quiz is easy.
Just answer each question then tally up your score.

[From the diaries - BarbinMD]

I just came upon a disturbing realization today.  The Green Papers report on Democratic delegate allocation indicates 51 Senate super delegates.  51??  Does Joe Lieberman qualify to be a super delegate at the 2008 Democratic Convention?  I cannot think of a greater slap in the face than to have this shill for the Bush administration show up in Denver.  But he might do so.

How could that be?  Lieberman is now a member of the Connecticut for Lieberman Party, right?  Wrong.  Lieberman defines himself as an "Independent Democrat" and is listed as such in Senate records.   Furthermore, Lieberman recently registered as a Democrat in Stamford. So does he qualify for super delegate status?
Here are the official super delegate requirements from the Democratic National Committee website:

The procedure to be used for certifying unpledged party leader and elected official delegates is as follows:

Not later than March 1, 2008, the Secretary of the Democratic National Committee shall officially confirm to each State Democratic Chair the names of the following unpledged delegates who legally reside in their respective state and who shall be recognized as part of their state’s delegation unless any such member has publicly expressed support for the election of, or has endorsed, a presidential candidate of another political party;

1. The individuals recognized as members of the DNC (as set forth in Article Three, Sections 2 and 3 of the Charter of the Democratic Party of the United States); and,

2. The Democratic President and the Democratic Vice President of the United States, if applicable; and,

3. All Democratic members of the United States House of Representatives and all Democratic members of the United States Senate; and,

4. The Democratic Governor, if applicable; and,

5. All former Democratic Presidents, all former Democratic Vice Presidents, all former Democratic Leaders of the U.S. Senate, all former Democratic Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives and Democratic Minority Leaders, as applicable, and all former Chairs of the Democratic National Committee.

And here’s the rub.  It says, "All Democratic members of the United States Senate."  Lieberman is a U.S. Senator and Lieberman is registered as a Democrat.  The Democratic leadership rewarded Lieberman already with seniority and a committee chair.  Why wouldn’t it also give him a super delegate seat?

I contacted the Democratic National Committee’s Office of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection.  I was assured that Lieberman was not considered a Democrat, but was told that the delegate selection status would remain "in flux" until early March.  That sounded like both a "No" and a "Maybe" answer.

Since Lieberman caucuses with the Democrats, since Lieberman’s vote is essential to Democratic control of the Senate, and since the party leadership is, well, the party leadership – I wouldn’t be surprised if Lieberman was given a super delegate seat in the convention.

If you believe, like I do, that this violates Democratic Party rules and rewards someone for ignoring the results of a legitimate primary election, then I urge you to contact party officials at the DNC.

Here is the DNC e-mail website:
http://www.democrats.org/...

And their phone number:
202-863-8000

Let’s make sure that Lieberman only attends the Connecticut for Lieberman convention.
No, wait a minute.  He’s not a member of that party, either.

A Strategic Vision poll released early this morning shows Hillary Clinton leading in Iowa with 24% of likely voters in the caucuses vs. 22% for Edwards, 21% for Obama, and 13% for Richardson.  Undecideds are 14%.
(600 likely Democratic caucus goers, aged 18+, and conducted September 21-23, 2007)

What this means is that Hillary Clinton has now led in the last three Iowa polls by three different organizations, Strategic Visions, the Los Angeles Times, and American Research Group.  By most definitions, it is appropriate to say that Clinton leads now in Iowa.  That might change, but Edwards does not lead any longer.

(By the way - I am undecided, formerly leaning Edwards.)

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has released an album of photographs of an SS recreation center near Auschwitz taken by the adjutant to the commander of the Auschwitz extermination camp in 1944.  They are nothing short of shocking.  These photos show SS officers and female auxiliaries laughing and playing while, twenty miles away, hundreds of thousands of Jews were being murdered.

http://www.ushmm.org/...

And that's after losing twice yesterday.
Nothing like a unified party, eh?

As for specifics:

The Feingold Amendment (Defunding Iraq War)
The Cornyn Amendment (Condemning MoveOn.Org)
The Webb Amendment (Longer Troop Rotations)
The Specter Amendment (Restoring Habeas Corpus)

Way to go guys and gals!!

Karl Marx once said,
"History repeats itself. First as tragedy, second as farce."

We are well into the farce stage of history –
When it comes to Joe Lieberman.

Today Lieberman voted against both the restoration of Habeas Corpus and the Webb Amendment to allow our military forces longer rotations between combat tours.  It is patently clear that Lieberman is a Republican in all but official party affiliation.  His political descent is more than sad - it is truly pathetic.

I am.

I am tired of all these diaries that offer no substance, but only promote a specific candidate - and then shill for money to boot.  It is a misuse of Daily Kos.  If it is advertising, then pay for it.

With another Oscar-winning performance coming up shortly, I thought it might be illuminating to poll Kossacks on how long they can watch our preznit on television.

At the beginning of today's Congressional hearings on the Iraq War, House Armed Services Committee chair Ike Skelton (D-Mo) addressed Gen. David Petraus,

"tell us why we should continue sending our young men and women to fight and die if the Iraqis won't make the tough sacrifices leading to reconciliation .... Are we merely beating a dead horse?"

http://hosted.ap.org/...

Is that the basis upon which the Democratic leadership plans to implement a piecemeal withdrawal - at best?  That the problems in Iraq are of the Iraqis' making?  Is that how our political system operates?  Because if it is - I want no part in it.