cross-posted @ This Week With Barack Obama

Congratulations to Hillary Clinton and her supporters for the win in West Virginia.

Clinton netted 137,410 of the popular vote.

Many estimated that West Virginians would vote upwards or over 500,000 to 600,000, but that was not the case.

The turnout was lower.

Moving on....

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Today Clinton will use this West Virginia win for a few fronts.

cross-posted @ This Week With Barack Obama

barack and michelle in raleigh, nc after winning the north carolina primary

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Appearing on Face the Nation this morning, John Edwards stated, "It's important we get united as a party."

Edwards responded to Schieffer's question regarding Hillary's "hardworking white Americans" comments noting that likely she feels it was a poor choice of words. Edwards furthered discussed how "Hillary needs to decide as she makes her case for herself...she has to be very careful she does not damage our prospects for the fall." Edwards believes that it is not possible for Hillary to win the nomination at this point, based on the math.

After Hillary, Voting With Conscience and Pride

Joel S. Hirschhorn

This general election more than most will test the courage of voters to avoid lesser-evil strategic voting that has propped up our two-party plutocracy. People with intelligence and conscience must resist peer pressure and the temptation to vote against John McCain by voting for Barack Obama.

I first met Neghin Sobhaini last year while doing an interview on the subject of Darfur. There I learned of her heritage as an Iranian American, and of her work in Iran with the U.N.
When McCain started touring the country with Joe Lieberman and continued to hint at another War - this time with Iran, I knew Neghin would be a good person to discuss how these type of actions are affecting politics in Iran, specifically by undermining the moderates in the country who want reform and diplomacy with the West.

promoted -cho

How to Get Universal Health Care

Joel S. Hirschhorn

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama say they believe in giving Americans universal health care. I don’t believe them. Anyone who takes the time to understand universal health care should conclude that only a simple single payer system will reform the current outrageous system that benefits the insurance and pharmaceutical industries.

until Hillary Clinton is out of the Democratic Primary Process.

What do I mean? Read the following:

We must have our eyes WIDE OPEN, wit in check, and counter punches ready for November.

While many are worried, or not worried (I am not) about Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the GOP should be deathly worried about the MSNBC/Wall Street Journal Poll.

Bush is the albatross, the elephant in the room, the oxygen sucker for the GOP and John McCain.

Updated remark by carol. The New York Times reports that Obama has strongly repudiated Rev. Wright's most recent speeches. Zeff Zeleny writes Obama Says He’s Outraged by Ex-Pastor’s Comments

One of the unsettling features of the Democratic primary campaign has been the way that the media has amplified a racial drum beat, picking up the Clinton camp's "Obama is unelectable" theme. Anyone familiar with the use of code words to hide discriminatory hiring practises or to deny loans to minorities or to restrict access to certain communities, can easily recognize the use of "elite" as a code word. The claim that Obama is too "elite," he can't connect with the white working stiff.

Some powerful hitters are now coming to the fore to expose the arrogance of the media and the ugly message that they are trying to put across. Top on the list is Elizabeth Edwards who had a powerful opinion piece in Sunday's Me York Times Bowling 1, Health Care 0.

FOR the last month, news media attention was focused on Pennsylvania and its Democratic primary. Given the gargantuan effort, what did we learn?

Well, the rancor of the campaign was covered. The amount of money spent was covered. But in Pennsylvania, as in the rest of the country this political season, the information about the candidates’ priorities, policies and principles — information that voters will need to choose the next president — too often did not make the cut.

I woke up today to read two stirring diaries by two of my favorite diarists, kid oakland and teacherken. Both thought provoking and on point.

But I am going to go further, because I can being African American and growing up in this community.

And I will go even a greater step further. If the Democrats do not stand up and get a spine they will lose in November.

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