Wow!

This picture of the Democratic National Convention podium looks AWESOME! I'm super excited now for it.

Reid and Lieberman talk

During the phone call, I wish that Harry Reid said something about throwing Lieberman out of our Party, but it appears he kept it civil:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., defended Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman on Wednesday after the former Democratic vice presidential nominee accepted a speaking slot at next month's Republican convention in Minnesota.

"He has a close personal relationship with John McCain. I don't fully understand why he does," said Reid, who said Lieberman called Tuesday from the Republic of Georgia to alert him to the move.

I told him last night, 'You know, Joe, I can't stand John McCain.' He said, 'I know you feel that way,' " Reid said.

But Reid said he would continue to resist calls from the Democratic Party's base to strip Lieberman, now an independent, of his Senate positions for his disloyalty.

Great picture

This picture is probably not something the DNC wants published all over:

Howard Dean speaks the truth

The Democratic party is the party of minority groups. The GOP is the party of rich people and people with "racial resentment."

Bill Gwatney died

R.I.P. Bill Gwatney

You will be missed.

Interesting

Steve at The Carpetbagger Report highlights the Democratic platform's "shift" in language describing its position on abortion:

But it’s not necessarily a policy change to argue that the party “strongly supports a woman’s decision to have a child by ensuring access to and availability of programs.” Wallis calls this a “shift”; I call this the same policy Dems have supported for years.

Some of this may be procedural in nature. Waldman noted, “Pro-life religious liberals were included in the process like they haven’t been before. They’re thrilled with their participation and feel that the platform moved in the right direction as a result.”

I’m glad they’re encouraged; it’s a sign of respect to have a seat at the table. But the platform itself, at least in this draft form, seems pretty similar, if not identical, to the party’s position on the issue for years.

It's interesting to compare this to my time at the UN, monitoring the status of various resolutions. Giving someone a real voice in creating the document is very important, which is why we saw so many of the LDCs and LLDCs gather together into groups to influence the final resolution.

More thoughts on John Edwards

I'm not just happy that he didn't win the nomination, but I'm also happy that he didn't come close like Sen. Clinton. It's very good for the Democrats that John Edwards dropped out of the race in January, instead of June.

Call me crazy

But is this article pimping John Kerry for Vice President? I could think of worse choices.

Intellectual Dishonesty Pt. 2

Here is further Intellectual Dishonest from the same article I mentioned previously:

Despite Mr. Obama’s image as a newcomer, many of his bundlers are Democratic Party stalwarts, including people who were some of the top fund-raisers for Senator John Kerry in 2004.

WHAT??? You mean the same people who gave BIG MONEY to the uninspiring John Kerry for President, are giving BIG MONEY to the inspiring Barack Obama for President!!! Someone call the police, I think some Democrats are in the house!

Remind me again

From the Rocky Mountain Post:

Meanwhile, the Nevada's GOP's official convention did not reconvene. Instead, the state party's 12-member executive board simply appointed 34 delegates and 31 alternates - all presumed McCain supporters - to the Sept. 1-4 national convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

But again, the Democrats are the Party that "steals Delegates" as opposed to the "good GOP".

Disabled doesn't mean unable

I was ecstatic to hear this:

Goodwill Industries' workforce division will be assisting in the assembly of the prominent media and delegate bags to be distributed by the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee. Goodwill will have workers with physical and mental disabilities assisting in the assembly and packaging of the 20,000 bags needed for the Democratic National Convention at Goodwill's headquarters in North Denver.

So many physically and mentally disabled are discriminated against and not allowed to work. But, seriously, they are just as capable at doing certain things as we are.

Economics

Most people who come from an Economics background, like I do, are very pro-trade, etc. My economics lessons were always tempered by one International Trade Professor who stated: "Never forget, that while we benefit from free trade, every union worker who loses their job loses $100,000 of lifetime income."

It's so easy to forget that these are real people, and not just dots on a graph and I'm happy to see the Democrats listen to the real people.

Massive Latino Outreach

I'm happy to read that the Obama campaign/DNC has launched a $20 million dollar outreach to the Latino/a community. Kos points out that the entire amount spent by the Democrats, the Republicans and the third-party groups was $8.7 million in 2004.

Important aspects of the article:

Sanchez said efforts will be particularly focused in the key swing states of Nevada, Florida, New Mexico and Colorado, where Latino voters could make up the margin of victory.

and

“The giant has woken up and we are being prodded by the Obama campaign,” said Rep. Hilda Solis, an early supporter of Obama’s primary opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton, who now says she is firmly in the Obama camp. Solis said she spoke with Obama shortly after he secured the nomination and pledged her support to him. Solis said she is planning on hitting the campaign trail in the Southwest on Obama’s behalf. (italics mine)

Rep. Hilda Solis is a Democratic congresswoman from SoCal. The fact that the Obama campaign is already planning on hitting her up for the campaign trail says something about how much they are planning ahead. I am so impressed by the competence and organization of the Obama team.

Debra Bartoshevich is dumb

In case you don't know, Debra Bartoshevich, former Hillary Clinton delegate from Wisconsin, was kicked out of the delegations due to her support for Sen. John McCain. No matter what you think Sen. Barack Obama's campaign did, there is absolutely no reason to vote for the GOP candidate.

She says:

"I disagree with a lot of his [Obama's] policies"

Like what? Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton agree 95% of the time... Their differences were two: 1) Gas Tax and 2) How to create universal health care.

By contrast, Sen. McCain's idea of making health care better is to get rid of employer-based health care, which 60% of this country (including me) rely on. McCain is literally opposed to everything that Hillary stands for, especially women's' rights. They also have policy disagreements when it comes to the economy, Iraq, labor rights, Social Security, immigration reform, Don't Ask Don't Tell, gay adoption, civil unions, safety regulation, toxic toys, GSEs, mortgage reform, the GI Bill, abortion, affirmative action - I could go on, but I'll spare you.

Also, Debra refers to the "Democrat primaries," which is a partisan GOP construction and tells me she's been hanging out with a lot of Freepers. She has entered the land of the DUMB. Thankfully, media reports to the contrary, it appears that the vast majority of Hillary supporters support Sen. Obama, because they realize that those aforementioned issues are more important than their hurt feelings.