Dear Senator Obama:
Thank you for graciously reinstating and welcoming all California delegate hopefuls, including me, Marcy Winograd, and many others who helped build the Progressive Caucus in the California Democratic Party. (Scroll for Obama campaign letter explaining the re-instatement)
We are thrilled you embrace our support.
Grassroots anti-war activists and young Obama campaigners will have their vote on Sunday, when caucuses in California congressional districts decide who will proudly represent you at the National Democratic Party convention in August. Hundreds will pack the halls, vying for precious few delegate seats.
Thank you, Barack Obama, and thank you, grassroots activists, for blogs, calls, and emails to the Obama campaign, urging a reconsideration of the delegate pruning announced just 24 hours earlier.
Though I would be a faithful Obama delegate at the convention, I recognize there are many deserving delegate candidates, only some of whom will realize the privilege of rallying for you and a new socially-just America.
I hope to be among those organizing on the floor of the convention, reminding the super delegates that you garnered the most popular delegates, cheering you on to victory, all the while championing a Party platform calling for an end to the brutal occupation of Iraq, passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, development of clean alternative energy, and quality health care for all.
Onward to victory in Pennsylvania!
Sincerely,
Marcy Winograd
President, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles (pdamerica.org)
Executive Board Member, California Democratic Party
Dear Marcy,
There has been an extraordinary outpouring of grassroots support for Senator Obama among Democrats and Independents in all 53 California Congressional districts.
In recognition of this tremendous enthusiasm, our campaign has asked the California Democratic Party to allow all persons who have filed to be a district delegate candidate for Senator Obama at the Democratic National Convention to participate in the caucuses this Sunday, April 13, 2008.
We are confident that delegates elected from this pool will reflect the Senator's commitment to a diverse and unified delegation at the National Convention.
An overwhelming number of supporters have signed up to run for delegate, so there will likely be lines and tight space at the caucus locations. We ask for everyone's patience and cooperation.
Most of all, please enjoy this opportunity to meet other Obama supporters and elect delegate candidates to the Convention in Denver.
If you have any questions, please contact Daryl Sprague at dsprague[at]barackobama.com.
Thanks for your interest and active participation in Barack's campaign to change politics and change America.
David
David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America
Many Obama supporters think like adults and don't get caught up in simplistic black-and-white dualistic thinking (no pun intended). Neocons and lots of HRC trolls know nothing else.
He got "bit" by all the reactions and totally backed down.
Barack Obama had nothing to do with the paring of the list of potential delegates. It was the California Democratic Party that made that move. The same CDP that pitched their support for Hillary way too early (you know when she was supposed to be the shoe-in) to be able to back out now.
So how about I spin it like this...
The California Democratic Party attempted to waylay the candidacy of Barack Obama through the nefarious scheme to disenfranchise potential State Delegates.
Factions inside the California Democratic Party loyal to Sen. Hillary Clinton attempted on Wednesday to eliminate over 900 potential Obama delegates from contention at District Caucuses this coming Sunday. The outrage this created was initially directed at the Obama Campaign until it was learned that neither Sen. Obama nor his California Campaign had anything to do with the removal of the names.
This is being seen by many political analysts as a last ditch effort by Sen. Clinton to derail the juggernaut bid of Sen. Obama, by inserting Clinton loyalists into the delegate pool in an attempt to have delegates supposedly pledged to Obama switch sides at the National Convention in Denver. After learning what had happened in California, Sen. Obama demanded that the entire list of prospects be reinstated.
So when no one is looking try to get as much done as possible and if someone complains then we will just fix those problems.. REAL DIFFERENT. Thats the same stuff we are going through now, HOW about someone who knows and does the right thing, a person who will stand by people that dont always have a voice. People think Obama is going to fix things in Washington but he wont, he is to distracted from issues in front of his face, He will be like Pelosi , who only had 2 things to do , Impeach bush and end this war, but she had to hold hearing on baseball. Obama forgets states and communities as soon as he turns the corner, and like good patient house wives you sit back down and let him use you when ever he wants, How was this Pimp style of politics embraced???
You were right.
The Obama campaign should be nervous. Obama has had at least three chances to close the deal. He hasn't been able to do it, and now he's probably on the verge of losing another key swing state. Not to mention polling badly against McCain in places that the Dems need to win in the fall.
Obama knows that the superdelegates are watching, and that not a few are working hard behind the scenes to head off a bad case of buyer's remorse now that Obama looks like he might very well get Mondaled in November if he were the nominee.
who is a politician I would vote against.
I voted for you in 2006, and even though I can't call you my congressperson, your candidacy has made a tremendous difference in the voting record in our district. Keep up the excellent work.
Had the Obama people left matters as they were, it could have had a chilling effect not only on the willingness of potential delegates to vie for the upcoming Convention seats, but it could have trickled down to demoralize other participants in the ground campaign. Also, early paring did contain the seeds of a contradiction to Obama's message of inclusiveness. Could any of you imagine Hillary's campaign moving so swiftly to correct such a self-destructive potentiality, or even recognizing it in the first place?
This, people, is why Obama is winning across the board.
Obama 08
Thank you for ALWAYS fighting the good fight. For taking on Jane Harman and her countless millions and the power of her incumbency during the 2006 Congressional campaign to push for peace and the reinstatement of our Constitution.
Barack Obama may be our Presidential candidate -- but you are the true progressive. Mr. Obama is lucky to have your support, despite the fact that his own campaign honchos made an egregious error in purging progressives -- hence progressive values -- from his list of delegate candidates.
The fact is -- the instant any campaign and candidate deviate from the democratic process they MUST be stopped! Undemocratic actions must be instantly quashed before they set precedents for further and more disastrous erosions of democracy. The Obama camp has learned an important lesson. This IS THE PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN!!
I congratulate the Obama campaign staff for having the wisdom to see the error of its ways.
But I am! (Just kidding). Still-- if Clinton had not hinted she'd nab Obama's pledged delegates, maybe this would have been less of an issue. Not sure, but Ms. Winograd's original post seems to have suggested that scenario.
As for the gay media-- it would be one thing if Obama didn't talk to gay reporters or gay activists. But gay newspapers-- I can't name any in my area. We're not talking major media or even minor media. We're talking about a free newspaper in a coffee shop or campus student center. The editor who made such a fuss was a Clinton supporter. And Obama has publicly expressed support for gays-- using the word "gays"-- whereas I've only heard Clinton say "human rights," which is code for gay rights.
Obama doesn't believe in what he preaches, apparently.
She cut people too. Has she reinstated all of hers?
"Hillary doesn't believe in what she preaches, apparently", to borrow a phrase...
You don't wanna go there. :)
They are going to look back at this after it's all said and done and say:
"Boy, THAT was a stupid misstep! Good thing SOMEONE came to their reality-based senses"....