Articles Worth Reading

Have mentioned this site before, but often get asked where I get most of my politics information. RealClearPolitics.com has totally changed the way I find articles I read for political information. The site isn't right or left, it is just a spot to find a collection of articles relevant to the campaign and world of politics, every day.

I worry about promoting them too much, because I worry about my own readers just skipping me and going instead to them. The Washington Post, New York Times, Time, Roll Call, The Weekly Standard, The Christian Science Monitor, and many other publications, right and left, and down the middle have articles daily on this site.

It is also a great place to find recent polling data from across the country and to find relevant video. If your getting interested in politics,, this is a great place to pick and choose what you want to read.

A new feature on 17people will be occasionally giving a brief description and links to articles I think are particularly interesting and pertinent. Today there was so much great insight that I tried to keep the list pretty small.

• Dick Morris rips apart a bullshit Op-Ed over the weekend by former Hillary Clinton adviser Mark Penn who blamed lack of fundraising as to why the HRC campaign came up short.
• The Washington Posts and MSNBC contributor Dana Milbank talks about the Democrats struggle for unity after the nomination and during their unity press conference yesterday where they mentioned John McCain's name more times than they did Barack Obama.
• The Times of London has a rather surprising interview with President Bush where he actually acknowledges some regret of his own rhetoric which has caused many to think him too eager for war.
• Here is one for my outstanding Republican readers of my blog from the New Republic. It is a rather interesting view from a Republican about the 'Rise of the Obamacons' and the potential for a better than you'd think showing of Obama in the Republican ranks.
• The great and brilliant Tom Friedman wrote in the New York Times about the impact that the Democratic Primary and Obama nomination has had on the Middle East's view of the USA. While some Republicans will use this against Obama, the tale he tells is one of Middle East where despite recent growing hatred of the US they "still hunger for the 'idea of America'.”

If you only choose to read one article of the above I strongly encourage you to read the Friedman piece. The Obama campaign or the DNC may not want this article to circulate too much for fear of it being misconstrued as an endorsement from the Middle East. If you want any more of an incentive, Friedman opens the article by saying "this column will probably get Barack Obama in trouble."

Karma/Murphy's Law Kicks 17People in the Gut

So at the 17people email address (17people@live.com btw) I have started to get some emails from what I can only imagine are creepy blog critics, because they are people I don't know. Some recommendations/requests have been to add some more 'personal story' articles like the one at CVS or at Shell to make points as opposed to preaching and teaching as I often have a bad habit of doing.

Those who know me well know that I am outgoing but a rather private person and since I am not in public life do not feel the need to share my story. However the events of the last 48 hours have put me in a mood to vent because karma and/or Murphy's Law (if anything can go wrong, it will) have both added frustration to my life.

As I noted here on Sunday I was stuck in an airport for around 7-8 hours. In that post I wrote the following:

What did we do before Ipods? Seriously good music (for me of course a lot
of Springsteen) makes long periods of time go by quicker,
Thank God for my wireless internet card. I don't know what I would have done the past 5-6 hours without the ability to surf the web, follow my fantasy baseball teams, and email work and friends.

Well that must have been the straw that broke the camels back as in the last 48 hours my Ipod is dead and my laptop (along with wireless card) were stolen from my car.

So here is the story. When I finally got back to Chicago I went straight to my parents house and spent the night there as opposed to going home. My folks live much closer to my office and after a weekend where I consumed around a fifth of Crown Royal figured that it would be a better move for me to get to work on time.

Monday at work went off without a hitch. I was a little tired throughout the day, but was back in the flow at the office after a great weekend.

Right after work I went straight to the gym and had an awesome workout, yet was starting to wear out a bit. After the gym I made a couple stops and for the first time in four days was back at my apartment. I opened the door and realized that as usual I had a ton of crap to bring in the house.

Two bags, a suit bag, a back pack, my work bag, along with a basket of laundry all were on the list take into my place. Yet when I got home and parked my car there was a moat of water protecting the curb. So I could only really take one bag at a time into the apartment because I had to leap the moat to get over the curb.

I made three trips and then realized that my apartment was an absolute mess. While I was gone my landlord had a dishwasher installed. Don't get me wrong I am excited about this but the result was I lost 4 drawers and the contents of them were in brown paper bags all spread through my kitchen. Not to mention the floor and everything was covered in a film of sawdust from the construction.

At this point I decided to leave the rest of the stuff in my car and try and start cleaning the mess I inherited from the work done at my place.

One of those things I decided to do was a load of laundry which included the gym clothes I wore earlier in the day. Unbeknownst to me,,, my iPod was clipped to the shorts I just tossed into the wash from my gym bag. A point I didn't realize until I pulled my beloved Nano out of the dryer.

For the record, that iPod is toast.

Then this morning I wake up and head to my GMC and suddenly remembered that one of the bags I left in the car contained my work computer. I looked in the back seat where I left it and it wasn't there.

After thirty minutes of tearing threw the car and every corner of my apartment I realized some loser walked down the street saw a bag in the back seat of my car and decided to take it. My golf clubs were in there, a couple pairs of shoes were still there, and a nice pair of sunglasses were still in there. But my computer that was purchased for me by my employer was and is gone.

I have never written this on this blog but have told people through the years how shitty it feels when you have something stolen. I was reminded of that today.

I take all responsibility for it having happened as it was stupid to leave it in the car, something I have not done since I started this job 8 months ago. Yet I can't get out of my head the fact that if not for the moat and the mess in my apartment I would have surely brought the bag back inside.

In that post I wrote earlier where I mocked the lady who said 'these things happen in three's' karma came back to bite me in the ass. As a 5+ hour delay at an airport, destroying my iPod, and having my computer stolen have to qualify as 'these things happen in threes'.

Karma is a bitch. But we learn and move on. Lol.

Economy Blues

The above clip is long but its worth watching.

This weekend was a devastating weekend for various economic factors. Oil went up nearly $11 on Friday, the same day unemployment numbers came out and took the biggest one month jump in 22 years, and the Dow dropped over 200points.

17people is working on some articles based on what will decide this election, the economy, but think this video shows a couple things.

1st, how bad a shape that we are in.

2nd, the utter bullshit that the Bush administration is spewing across the country.

If you don't want to watch the whole video go to the 7:50 mark of the video and see expert opinion from Ali Velshi to President Bush and Secretary Chao's spin on the economy.

I have watched Velshi, CNBC, and financial commentators more and more this year as my paycheck goes shorter and shorter in this economy. I was taken at his frustration and anger, but appreciated it as I think many people right now feel the same way who are really hurting.

General Election Candidate Base Flaws

As is written in my profile my background in politics is in the field operations of campaigns. Get Out The Vote (GOTV) is often the least funded and focused upon aspect of campaigns, but generally decide elections and can make up for being outspent on TV. The field operations of John McCain and Barack Obama will come down to which 'field' or GOTV operation 1) identifies and 2) turns out their voters.

Identifying voters is the step most people don't understand or know about. Campaigns work with voter files from states and break these lists down with the information on them. Since you are talking about 100-140 million possible voters you can't realistically have a list of voters that will put you over the top. For example a candidate the appeal to older voters will mail, call, and knock on doors of all 60+ year old voters knowing that they will turn out votes against them but will win the 'margin'.

What most campaigns rely on is to turn out their "base". This was very evident in the primary with Obama and Clinton. Women and latino voters were Hillary's base and African American and affluent voters were the base for Barack. The makeup and number of these voters in each state determined the 'favorite' in each state.

When candidates emerge from primaries they have the challenge of putting together a coalition of the part of the base that wasn't with them in the primary. In the upcoming general election each candidate's bases expand but for the 1st time in a long time the two candidates have significant cracks in their base votes they need to win.

OBAMA

While Unions and African Americans are most associated with the Democratic Party the largest important group for Obama and any Democratic nominee is women. Women make up over half of the General Election voting base and the Democrats have seen their advantage slip recently amongst this group.

John Kerry only won women 51%-48% against President Bush four years ago. Obama is going to have to improve that number to win in November but is coming off a tough contest where many women were backing and invested in electing Hillary Clinton. Read an article yesterday discussing the essential need for Obama to court the Clinton women voters.

Latinos (non-Cuban) is another demographic that Democrats have historically done well with that President Bush effectively targeted. While the media has been writing all about the women vote, if you remember Super Tuesday and California the talk was that Latinos were wary of Obama and preferred Clinton in pretty large numbers.

I feel that once the positions are outlined between McCain and Obama that Barack will do very well with women and will be helped because he took the high road more often than not with Hillary. He made some misstatements like "We like you well enough" in New Hampshire, but overall did not attack her in a misogynistic way as she has been so often hammered by the Republicans which may have permanentlt fractured a damaging level of support.

There is also talk of some possible women running mates, like Clinton or Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius who would instantly fire up many of the same women who so badly wanted Hillary to become the first woman candidate.

As far as the Latino vote, this will be a hotly contested for Demographic. McCain has some weaknesses with Latino leaders who were happy with him when he co-sponsored immigration reform with Ted Kennedy, but felt betrayed when he weaseled his way out of support for it when the Republicans went crazy against it in the primary.

Clinton again, would be a help for Obama on the ticket for Latino voters who have long had good relations and admiration with the Clinton family. This is also where Bill Richardson's name keeps coming up as an intriguing running mate. Richardson a Latino Governor from New Mexico could rev up Latino voters for Obama.

There is also a lot of concern about Obama's appeal to win votes in white working class homes that went heavily for Hillary in the primary. He is more out of the elitist wing of the party but has a story that could connect with these voters.
MCCAIN

John McCain has long been the favorite Republican of Democrats. The problem with that is he has often antagonized his own party to promote himself. This has many base voters in the Republican party less enthused about his candidacy.

McCain's biggest problem heading towards November is the Republicans most loyal and important voting group, Evangelicals and Christian Conservatives.

There are two articles that have appeared over the past two days which point out the ineffectiveness to this point of the McCain campaign to effectively court these voters. One from the New York Times which said Evangelicals are taking a 'wait and see' attitude and that as he tries to court moderate voters he risks losing more support from the 'evangelical and conservative base.'

McCain has already had to walk a super tight rope with Christian backers of his campaign and conservative icon Bob Novak outlines these issues very well in his article today in the Chicago Sun Times.

With all the focus on Obama and Clinton there has been little focus on the growing chasm between Dr. James Dobson and McCain which Novak depicts as a bitter one.

17people didn't cover when John McCain disavowed the support of Reverend John Hagee. Hagee had a 10 year old video surface and damage his reputation where he had harsh words against Catholics. McCain's handling of the situation has not set well with some Christian voters and Hagee has issues with the way McCain handled the situation.

Hagee's telephone lines became clogged with calls from worshippers asking whether they should vote for McCain. Hagee replies he really does not know, but asserts to friends that McCain "threw me under the bus."

How McCain settles these issues will determine what the Electoral map really looks like. He will have big backers in this group, but the problem with the Evangelical movement is they expect loyalty.

He has not satisfied conservatives who oppose his positions on global warming, campaign finance reform, immigration, domestic oil drilling and how to ban same-sex marriages. (Novak, Sun Times, 6/9/08)

In the end I am sure McCain will wamp Obama in this Demographic, but the enthusiasm these voters have for him will be important especially in Midwest battleground states. This group was mobilized in 2004 and in my opinion won Ohio for George Bush.

For a truly thoughtful article on Democrat efforts to go after 'moral voters' check out 17people's view on this issue way back on February 4th.

Weather Delay

Had a great time at a wedding in Louisville, Ky this past weekend for two of this blogs most loyal readers and contributors. So before going into a 17people rant want to say congratulations to one of the coolest couples I know, Patrick and Sarah. Very happy for you guys and wish you nothing but the best.

Now for those of you who know me best I have historically had bad luck flying or travelling in general. So today I got to the airport at 1200 edt for a 1:47 flight and now my latest departure time is 6:36. So figured what better thing to waste time than to talk about some observations of my time at SDF airport in Louisville.

The reason for the delay? Its perfect weather here in Louisville yet I hear that Chicago is looking a bit like a scene from The Day After Tomorrow. The video above was shot yesterday as some suburbs of Chicago were hit with tornado's. The weather has stayed awful and my day has been spent dealing with air travel.

So here are some random thoughts:

• Air travel is becoming more tedious than ever. I was greeted with people pitching a bitch about having a fee to check their second bag.
• What did we do before Ipods? Seriously good music (for me of course a lot of Springsteen) makes long periods of time go by quicker,
• Thanks God for my wireless internet card. I don't know what I would have done the past 5-6 hours without the ability to surf the web, follow my fantasy baseball teams, and email work and friends. (Though for my friends who received lengthy emails and numerous texts I hope they were at least entertaining)
• Wrote an email to a dear friend who found me via LinkedIn I hadn't been in touch with for over 5 years. I was very skeptical of these sites when I signed into them but have to say they are a pretty amazing way to find people you haven't been in touch with.
• While its common knowledge airport food is bad, it doesn't really hit you until your stuck with it for 7 hours. Also as someone who preaches eating healthy,,, airports make that particularly difficult.
• There has to be a better way for the airlines to tell people what is going on in a delay. Obviously things change with time, especially weather, but its even worse when you ready for a flight at 1:47; 3:15; 4:28; 5:45; and now apparently 6:36.

Am finishing this from seat 3A (see I told you the wireless card rules!) and just heard from my dad that the skies of Chicago look beautiful now. So with all luck I will be home in an hour safe and sound.

Graceful Hillary

This blog like many other places has been very hard on Hillary Clinton for the tenor of her comments since Super Tuesday.

Yesterday she took an important step in a different direction with her remarks to her supporters in DC.

Hillary Clinton delivered a phenomenal speech. It was powerful is talking about the incredible accomplishments of her campaign and clearly laid out the importance of Democratic victory in November. It spoke if the historic nature of what she and Barack Obama have done for minorities and women in this country.

There was not really a road map or historical marker which to base this speech. A concession/endorsement speech is generally tricky to pull off and few have lost an election or nomination as close as she had. Couple that with her reputation as a fighter who never gives up, and this was an even more difficult speech to pull off.

All that being said she hit a home run yesterday.

The Clinton's have taken quite a beating the past 5 months and much of it was self inflicted by their own actions. The party decided to go in an alternative direction but if the Clinton's are truly on board with Barack Obama as I think they will be that will be a big positive force for the Democratic ticket.

The Meeting

Well Obama and Clinton met secretly last night at a secret location.

The story behind it though is pretty cool. The Obama campaign called the press corps that follow him onto the campaign as they were going to go somewhere. They shut down blackberry and phone service and at the time Obama was meeting with Clinton away from the press allowing the two to have a normal and hopefully productive discussion.

I will say that the Democrats pulling off a bait and switch move like this is something I generally don't think they are smart enough to pull off so gotta give them credit for their ingenuity.

Gotta wonder if Bill Clinton was involved in the meeting at all, but think it better than having the two of them pose for a photoshoot. Unlike any presidential race in my lifetime the two major candidates actually have major things to discuss and carry support and votes that could truly impact the convention.

While I wish Clinton dropped out earlier, this has been a fascinating campaign the likes that hasn't been seen in this country in many years. The campaigns have nothing to guide them and hopefully these two people are able to do what we expect them to do as President. Act like adults, communicate well, and get things done.

My Letter to Hillary Clinton

Last evening after Obama became the presumptive nominee Hillary took the stage with yet another opportunity to take the high road and show some class and did what the Republicans have said about her for years, been classless.

She decided to make her case against Obama at a time when she should be praising Obama and rallying her supporters behind him took the stage after her annoying Campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe announced her as "The next President of the United States!!!!"

It was another opportunity to Hillary took the low road and then said "Go to HillaryClinton.com and tell me what you think."

Today I did just that, yet I was kinda confused when I got there. I looked and looked for a "Contact Us" or "Tell Hillary what you think!" section based on what she said last night. The actual image I pasted above.

Instead 'telling Hillary what you think' requires you to put your name, email, and zip code in a box with a Headline that reads:

"Be One of 18 Million. Stand With Hillary"

And has a sub headline that says

"I'm with you Hillary, and I am proud of everything we are fighting for."

The 'comments' section,,, is optional, your personal information is not. This is odd because I thought she wanted people's feedback, why would the 'Comments' be optional? Also think it should be noted that after you submit your comment you are directed to a page,,,, for an online contribution. Shameless.

(Fortunately I have the 17people@live.com email to give to stuff like this so my personal email doesn't get HRClinton email)

There are people that won't email her now because they feel as though putting there name on there means they support her.

I decided to write her the following:

Senator Clinton,

You have run an admirable race that has had many highs and lows. I can't imagine how hard it is to feel like you are so close to the White House and then be able to give it up.

Last night you asked for feedback. Here is mine.

Please suspend your campaign and throw all your energy and support behind getting Barack Obama elected President. We need you to help him and other Dems across the country be successful in 2008 so that we can make the major changes necessary to begin to heal the country from the disastrous George W Bush Administration.

Your endorsement needs to be enthusiastic, unequivocal, and genuine. It cannot be the awkward, phony endorsement that Mitt Romney gave John MCain earlier this year. You need to signal to your supporters and donors that you believe 100% in Obama even if you don't.

I really wish you would have conceded last evening and done so with a level of grace and dignity.

I have to say I was offended when I came to offer you my thoughts and had to do so in a box that says 'Stand With Hillary.'

If you endorse Obama in the next couple days I will fully stand with you. If you decide to fight on until the convention, or hold the Vice Presidency over Obama's head to get your endorsement then I will NOT stand with you or respect ever again.

You ran an admirable campaign, but you lost, and leaders sometimes have to admit that they lost and not be sore sports about it.

Please show your best side and do the right thing. It's time for Democrats to unite and ensure that we win the White House back.

Phleger Suspension is Church Hypocrisy

Yesterday the news broke that Cardinal George suspended Fr Phleager.

Upon reflecting on this news, my hypocrisy alarm went off.

This is the same Cardinal George that did not suspend or remove Priests when allegations of sexual abuse took place until months elapsed and the attempted Church cover-up was exposed.

I don't see any reason that Phleager should be suspended anyway. He was an idiot and I ripped him on this blog, but his transgression did no phyiscal or mental harm to anyone.

Florida/Michigan

In case you didn't watch the DNC Rules and Bylaw Committee (RBC) there was a decision made on how to apportion delegates in Florida and Michigan here is what happened.

First, a bit of history. In order to avoid a free for all where every state tries to move the dates of their elections up the DNC and RNC set rules on their calendars as to when a state can schedule their primaries.

Historically and in my opinion unfairly so, Iowa and New Hampshire have gone first, thus those two states garner a disproportionate number of favors and political pork barrel spending by candidates with eyes on the White House.

After initially stripping Florida and Michigan of all their delegates the RBC restored both states delegates at 50% just as the Republicans punished these states in their nomination.

I agree with the way the DNC dealt with the situation and credit the Co-chairs of the committee, Alexis Herman and Jim Roosevelt (FDR's grandson) for conducting a fair and reasonable process. I only wish that the same committee and DNC Chairman Howard Dean had given 50% representation from the beginning avoiding this ridiculous fight and cutting Michigan and Florida out of the process.

What sorrowed me from this meeting is something I have noticed in debates in both primaries. Public debates, hearings, and meetings like this have become circuses where various campaigns stack rooms with supporters who try to bully and intimidate decision makers or candidates.

I am for transparency as opposed to backroom deals. We need to have the ability as a public to see how our government or parties make decisions that effect us. But when the people in these rooms are there strictly for mischief and intimidation where booing, threatening and screaming is their weapon, then we close more doors for us to view and understand why decisions are made.

I would rather see many of these meetings and Presidential debate be televised or web cast and not open to the public, especially if they can't be controlled.

This is a shame because I think most people want to go and observe these meetings and do so in a professional manner. Yet when people scream and act like assholes, they do a disservice to what 'free speech' really stands for while they cover their actions under the First Amendment.

The Hillary supporters actions were a disgrace. While I think they have legitimate issues with this decision they lost credibility with me when instead of making impassioned reasoned arguments, they make asses of themselves.

Below is a clip from an earlier Meet the Press where the issue is discussed and the history is laid out by the best in the business, Tim Russert.