Campaign Commercial Corner: As Minnesotan as Lutefisk, Dontchaknow?

Although I hope Al Franken kicks Norm Coleman out of his Senate seat, I do have to give his campaign credit for this. It is pretty funny, although possibly not in the way they intended.

(BTW, this ad is in response to the speculation about the digital insertion of Norm's wife in this ad.)

Of course, the biggest thing I get from both that ad, and this ad by Gordon Smith:



Is that it certainly isn't cool to stand by President Bush this year. In fact, it is pretty crazy that Smith would have an ad touting his ability to work with Senator Obama. I guess John McCain really is a maverick for sticking by all those policies that Bush has supported.

Anonymous No More

In the interest of fairness and to show that I stand by my words, I have decided to remove my anonymity. All of my posts, on this and my other blogs, will now have my name as the author.

There isn't anything wrong with anonymity, especially in regards to political debate. Keeping the parties anonymous allows for their statements to be taken at face value, rather than filtered through the skewed perspective of preconceived notions about the author. Whether it was Mrs. Silence Dogood and Richard Saunders, or Publius, or even Anonymous, anonymity has helped better inform our country.

However, I want to make sure that the words I write represent what I believe in. When you see a post from Andrew C. Tate, you know that it from me. This will force me to be better at giving my arguments, prevent me from resorting to cheap attacks, and help me become a better writer.

I stand by what I write here, and will be glad to discuss it with anybody who disagrees with me. That is why we have comments open on this blog, and that is why I have made my email address available. If you wish to remain anonymous, that is your prerogative. However, feel free to drop that anonymity at any time.

FISA Revisited

I must admit that I was not feeling especially cheerful yesterday, and the result was a barely coherent screed about the FISA "compromise", specifically the immunity part.

Since then, Senator Obama has released his statement, one that while not exactly praising the bill, isn't a fierce "pure" indictment that many progressives wish he would give. 

I must say I am mildly disappointed in Senator Obama, and disagree with his supporting this weak-ass compromise. However, it's not going to stop me from supporting his campaign, and shouldn't stop any person truly committed to changing the system in Washington.

Sometimes compromise means swallowing a bad pill. While the new FISA bill isn't perfect, it does have some provisions that might restore the rule of law over the executive branch. In fact, if the damn thing didn't include retroactive immunity for giant telecoms, I doubt few people would be getting in a tizzy over this.

Although there is certainly an issue regarding privacy and civil rights, the biggest issue is the excusing of corporate complicity with illegal acts. What makes them so certain that excusing AT&T and Verizon this time won't result in the companies over-stretching  the boundaries of law next time?

I know there are some political issues here, and that sometimes you have to make a bad choice. The Democrats clearly felt threatened by the potential issue the Republicans might make Obama has certainly done enough during the primaries to gain some trust, and I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here. After all, the Senate hasn't even voted yet, and maybe he has something up his sleeve.

If one expects purity in a decision made by the government of a pluralistic republic, one will most often be disappointed. Compromise is the nature of a republic, and the pursuit of the good cannot be scrapped in favor of chasing the perfect.

I just wish I could feel more confident that Obama was on the right side here.

UPDATE: Here is a comment from Wonkette that is as good of an analogy as I can see for this situation.

All Hail AT&T, our glorious leader of Congress

Not surprisingly, the Democratic leadership is showing their true colors on the calamity that is the FISA renewal bill. As the August deadline looms, Steny Hoyer and the rest of the chicken-shit democratic leadership will roll over once again to the White House, fix a few typos in the bill, and call it a "compromise".

You know, there was a time when balance of power, checks and balances, and party leadership in Congress meant something. But apparently that is no longer true. Steny Hoyer and Pelosi act like they are still in the minority, allowing President Bush and his gang of incompetent tools to run roughshod over our constitution. I'd blame the cowardly Blue Dog Democrats (why are you even Democrats anymore?), but its the job of leadership to get them to fall in line.

Lyndon Johnson wouldn't let Congress turn into mewling kitten afraid of the wrath of Mr. 30%. Neither would Congressional legends from the other side of the aisle. At one time, Congress actually believed that it was equal to the White House, like the Constitution proclaims.
Not any more.

Although there are many problems with the bill, letting a compromise through that gives telecommunication giants even an iota of retroactive protection for screwing with our civil liberties is irresponsible. It doesn't erase 9/11, and does nothing to prevent another tragedy of that magnitude. All it does it help out Ma Bell and prevent justice from ever being served.

I'm sure those checks from San Antonio are really nice, aren't they Speaker Pelosi and Mr. Hoyer?

(Note: Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats deserve some blame as well. However, given their majority is built only when Joe Lieberman is part of the caucus, it is understandable why they can't get anything done. It doesn't excuse their cowardice in the face of more cowardly Democrats, but it does save them from my harsh invective.)

An Open Letter to Mr. Fred Hobbs, Round Two

Dear Mr. Hobbs,

After reading about your apology for your comments you made regarding Presumptive Democratic Nominee Obama, I have just one simple piece of advice. It's a simple piece of information that all intelligent people seem to have taken to heart by now. Ok, here it is:

UNLESS IT RELATES TO SOME STUPID DRUGGED-UP HOTEL HEIRESS, DON'T USE FAUX NOISE AS YOUR SOURCE OF FACTS!!!

Faux Noise is nothing but the WWE of news. It isn't even really infotainment, its pure spectacle masquerading as infotainment. It is full of nothing but assholes like Hannity and O'Reilly who are hired to make old white people feel good about themselves, and pass the blame off to them Commie pinko islamoterrocommunohomofascist sympathizers known as lih-bur-ulls. The few "balanced" commentators that they do have are some of the worse straw-men ever to come out of the Democratic party (See Colmes, Alan and new hire Davis, Lanny).

If you like watching Bush propaganda and neo-cons strutting around laughing at such petty things such as "facts" and "The Constitution", Faux Noise is for you. If your idea of hard hitting news is hypocritical reports on Spring Break (How dare these kids wear revealing clothing. We are sooo mad, we'll show pictures of these kids next to our outraged faces), or keeping up with the latest trainwreck of a starlet, than this is your network. If you want real news that speaks truth to power, and respects the responsibility of informing our nation's citizens, look elsewhere. (A Hint: CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC aren't really the answers either)

It's nice to hear that you finally realized that maybe you should verify facts before spouting your mouth off next time, and I hope that this is the start on the road to recovery. Maybe next week you'll realize that the nice man on the AOL from Nigeria is trying to scam you.

Sincerely,

Augustprairie

The Field Eruption Explained

Al Giordano has put up an explanation of what went down with his hasty departure from Rural Votes. As I suspected, it was a combination of an over-reaction by a advocacy group about a non-issue post and an absolutist who felt hurt and betrayed by the censoring of his written piece.

I must preface my opinion with the note that I really am not sure who Saul Alinsky was. The post that caused the level 3 crap-storm doesn't seem too out of the ordinary in my opinion, and does seem to touch on some good points about the grassroots movement that Obama has used so well.

I'm not sure who those so-called donors are that get so panicked about some blog post that mentions Saul Alinsky. Apparently the brave way of handling political hot potatoes is censorship and conceding to Faux Noise talking points, instead of hitting them head-on.

It would be one thing if Al Giordano had proposed blowing up dams, or leading violent protests at meetings of international leaders. Had he advocated following the rules set forth in Mao's Little Red Book, I would have left immediately. But the rules he set forth in that post, as radical as they may have been in 1970, sure as shit weren't too radical these days. Hell, I recognize a bunch of them being used by sleaze such as Karl Rove or Mark Penn, not exactly known as radical leftist activists.

Deb at Rural Votes biggest mistake was panicking without waiting for a reply from the author. Its too bad that she seemed to place rich donors ahead of those who gave in small amounts (including yours truly), most of whom apparently had no issue with this non-starter of a controversy.

By jumping the gun and getting nervous, she set forth a path of ruin that lost her site a popular writer, sullied the name of a group that is truly trying to do something important, and made sure many previously loyal supporters will do otherwise. Not exactly the best model of successful advocacy, is it?

Offshore Drilling is not the Solution

This morning, President Bush laid out his argument that we should lift the ban on offshore drilling. He will argue that this will assist in making our nation energy independent, and help alleviate the pressure at the gas pumps. Obviously, as this is the Bush administration, neither will likely happen.

First off, opening offshore drilling won't mean that oil will be available immediately. It takes time and considerable investment to set up the offshore oil platforms. It is unlikely any appreciable amount of oil would be obtained until around the next Presidential election. Although that might be nice to have four or five years from now, it does little to solve the current issue.

Second, it wouldn't be a viable long term strategy. If we sucked the shelf dry of the oil we could reach (without it rising to some ungodly level like $500/barrel), it still would only supply us for a few years. After that we would still be looking towards more expensive and more risky ventures, or look into nasty "solutions" such as oil shale.

I know that the argument goes that we should drill offshore (and in Anwar) as a short term solution, while we work on alternative fuel solutions. However, I've yet to see Bush, Cheney, McCain, and his oil business cronies put forth a plan for a true alternative fuel plan. The way this administration has run itself, and their buddies have run their companies, requires me to take a "show me" attitude.

We have a moment here, a point where we can rise above the mediocrity of years past. Why not call for a Apollo Program to solve our energy issue? It would be good for our economy, great for our environment, and gives the boomers a shot at leaving one true legacy before they head off to snowbird country.

Sure alternative fuels as they exist today have their downsides. The cost of using them may be too prohibitive given the benefit, and the technology may be unreliable. As anyone who has bought a computer or HDTV knows, that is the case with all technology. Given time, resources, and ingenuity, all of these problems can be fixed.

Like all things in life, the government should not be in alone in leading this effort. Its best role is in pooling resources and connecting the various wings of our society with each other to maximize our potential. Although there will certainly be government based researchers involved in solving this issue, most of the work will come from our vast network of universities, not-for-profit organizations, and companies. Even those of us who are not engineers, chemists, or researchers will play a role, doing our part to use energy efficiently and offering our own ideas to those who will listen.

I understand the desire to lower gas prices. Gas prices this high are terribly inconvenient, and in some cases can ruin the livelihood of some people. However, that is just a sign that something should be done, and the sooner the better. But if we are going to fix this, it is best to fix it right. That way we won't have to come back 20 years from now and start again at the same place.

Democratic Veep Watch

Here is the August Prairie semi-educated Veep Watch Rankings. As usual, all predictions are guaranteed, or you get your money back.

Frontrunners

1. Kathleen Sebelius

2. Brian Schweitzer

3. Tim Kaine

4. Evan Bayh

Middle of the Pack

5. Jim Webb

6. Bill Richardson

Longshots

7. John Edwards

8. Hillary Clinton

9. Christopher Dodd

10. Wesley Clark

11. Russ Feingold

12. Ed Rendell

No Chance in Hell

13. Al Gore

14. Chuck Hagel

Hillary Clinton probably would have been in the middle of the pack until it was announced that Patti Solis-Doyle had been hired by Obama to be the as yet unnamed VP candidate's chief of staff. It is unlikely that her hiring would be a good sign for the "dream ticket" die hards.

I know there are some hopeless dreamers falling in love with an Obama/Hagel ticket, but that just won't happen. Hagel is a very conservative Republican who would not mesh with the Obama campaign. I know he has been a vocal critic of the Bush adminstration in regards to Iraq, but there are plenty of qualified Democrats that fit that profile as well.

Al Gore Officially Endorses Senator Obama

Although it is somewhat irrelevant at this point, now that the race for the nomination is over, Vice-President and Emperor of the Moon Al Gore has decided to publicly endorse Senator Obama.

Although I would have loved to see Gore's endorsement before the end of the hoopla, I'm certain he was just playing smart politics. After all, look at what happened when Gore endorsed Dean in 2004.

Doing it now, in this relative dead zone between the primaries and the conventions, generates excitement and buzz for the Obama campaign, and reinvigorates the Obama community.

Lets just hope he doesn't take Obama riding on the moon worms.

Rural Votes tills up the Field

Today I discovered that Al Giordano, the writer of the blog known as "The Field", had vacated his space at Rural Votes and move his blog here. That explains a lot, as I was wondering what had happened to his blog (and why they were cross-posting their other blog).

From the sound of it, Giordano left because Rural Votes censored a post of his referencing Saul Alinksy. While they are certainly in their right to do that, they shouldn't do that, as it just isn't good blogging (or journalistic) policy.

Like all controversies involving censorship that leads to firings or resignations, it isn't so much the act that puzzles me as the cover-up. You can't access old material at the old site, and no comments related to the issue appear to be getting through their approval. They are basically acting like nothing happened, sending his posts down the memory hole.

It is that type of behavior that takes simple content differences to a place that gets me very annoyed. ESPN did this with Gregg Easterbrook after he made some really stupid comments about Michael Eisner. It isn't so much his getting canned by ESPN that pissed me off, but their lack of acknowledging what happened, or even acknowledging he had been a contributor to Page 2.

I'm withholding judgment until I get the other side of the story. But if that never happens, I must say that I will be disappointed in Rural Votes.

Tim Russert Dead at 58

Sad news from Washington, as NBC Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert has died of an apparent heart attack. This campaign won't be the same without him.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

An Open Letter to Mr. Fred Hobbs

WARNING: Naughty language is to be found past this point. If your virginal eyes can't handle it, here is a link more your speed.

..............................................................................













LAST CHANCE FOR LOLCATS






OK, I warned you....


Dear Mr. Fred Hobbs,
123 Moran Lane
Idiotville, TN 12345


After reading your comments regarding the Democratic Nominee for President, I have just one thing to say to you.

Go fuck yourself.

Seriously, go fuck yourself. There is no room for this kind of crap in our political world, and certainly not within your own party. That isn't productive talk, and it certainly isn't respectful of the presumptive nominee for the Democratic party.

I'd ask you why you are in the Democratic party, but that kind of crap should be too stupid for even 3G Republicans to parrot (not that they won't, but the point still stands). It is one thing to hear this absolute drivel from people who aren't part of the Democratic party organization, but a State party Executive Committee member?

If you disagree with Senator Obama's policy proposals, or campaign strategy, or political theories, it is absolutely OK to disagree with them. Senator Obama would be one of the first to admit that he doesn't hold a monopoly over good ideas, and his brand of politics is built upon you getting involved. Discourse and debate are the bedrock upon which a stable democracy sits. And if you don't like the direction your party is going, you are more than free to leave and join the GOP, the Libertarians, the Greens, or even start your own party.

However, repeating crap that is so obviously true because you saw it on your AOL email sent by Cousin Merle that says BARAK HUSSAYNE OBAMMA = TERRORIST!!!!1! is not acceptable. It is demeaning to you, makes those you supposedly represent look bad, and does nothing but damage the cause to which you supposedly are devoted.

Knowledge is Power, folks. Emails, especially those sent via 50 forwards, are worse than Weekly World News and Wikipedia in regards to getting your facts (unless the facts you are looking for are about Bat-Boy or Scrooge McDuck). Believe them at your own peril, just like the ones from the Nigerian business man or hotstuffff69@yahoo.com who can show you how to MAKE YOuR PENIS LARRGE!!!!!!!!!!1!

Very Unhappily Yours,

augustprairie

This is why he should be President: Reason #5,253,353

Here is a blog post by Senator Obama from 2005, following the appointment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts. It clearly states Obama's vision for the Democratic party, and our nation. He took a lot of flack from the progessives in the Democratic party for this, but he clearly shows he is his own man, and truly represents a chance to remove ourselves from the gutter of Clinton/Bush/Rove politics.

Of course, Roberts has turned out to be a true friend of Bushism, but sometimes you just have to give the benefit of the doubt. In the long run, that attitude will win out, even if it loses some battles.

Lord Cheney, your Shuttle Awaits

Ugghhh

Look, I'm not exactly what one would call a McCain supporter. Sure, I supported him against Dubya in the 2000 primary, but that was at a different time, with a different type of campaign. Then McCain decided to cozy up to crazy jackasses like Jerry Falwell and Bob Jones (the fundie, not the former mayor of Danville). His pandering to these sleazebags, combined with his dogged support of the mess in Iraq, ruined much of what lingering respect I had for him.

Of course as time has gone on, it appears that Senator McCain isn't much of a maverick. Sure, he played an excellent underdog in 2000, and he has taken some stances that are unpopular with the 3G (Guns, God, and teh Gayz) wing of the Republican party. But the vast majority of his votes right in step with the President's agenda, including issues where he previously had some integrity (torture).

Anybody who supports giving Dick Cheney any role in his administration should not be President. Cheney is nothing but a war profiteer with an overly powerful office, hell bent on bringing our nation back to the muck that was the Nixon administration. He has consistently abused his power as Vice President, and created an office that appears to be above the law. Granted, the absolutely disgusting lack of Congressional oversight by his GOP Senate buddies from 2001-2006, and a lack of mandate by the Democrats since then has helped him be so arrogant. However, he still has shown a serious contempt for the balance of powers, exerting to an extent that none of our other Administrations (Nixon excepted) dared to attempt.

If John McCain really was a maverick, a straight talker, he would say unconditionally that Dick Cheney should retire from public service. But he won't, because he is no maverick. Inexplicably, a large portion of the GOP base still considers this guy a hero, despite the fact that any Democrat who tried to exert his power would automatically be labeled a "Ruthless Traitor to Democracy" (and rightly so) by the right.

At least Cheney disagreed with McCain over his laughable "Gas Tax Holiday" idea. Even if Cheney is nothing but a close ally of the oil industry, he was right on that one. I guess it just goes to show even a broken watch is right twice a day.

NOTE: Yes I'm aware the article talks about the complicated issue that McCain has with Cheney. I'm also aware that the McCain quote is from 2006, although Cheney was just as foul in 2006 as 2008. My point is that McCain ain't the "liberal" the right wing claims him to be. Just another reminder for you confused Clinton supporters and indecisive Indepedent voters.

Hey, That's Just Richard Nixon's List

Before I read this article, I was more than willing to give Senator Clinton the benefit of the doubt. But now I can see that things never change, and she and Bill are just the same old vindictive Clintons. An honest-to-god shit list? That is something Richard Nixon would do.

Throughout her campaign, she showed some disconcerting signs that the secretive imperial presidency of Mister Nixon and Bush would be very similar to a Clinton White House. Her White House would value loyalty or competency, something that has worked horribly the past seven years. Transparency would not be a priority, and she would be most comfortable using some of the disgusting precedents set by President Bush and his pit bull Cheney.

Although it is possible that Senator Obama might be taking us for a ride, and is just as willing to be an imperial president as our current one, it doesn't seem likely. Senator Obama has clearly shown time and time again he is cool, rational, and not prone to decade long vendettas. I don't believe the Senators or Representatives who supported Clinton are a shit list somewhere in Chicago. He just seems smart enough to realize that creating vendettas and going after revenge is neither productive nor what he was elected to do.

I am pretty sure I remember hearing that one of Senator Clinton's favorite books was Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The book, which covers Abraham Lincoln and his contentious and compromised cabinet, shows Lincoln to be a fair-minded man who realized that grudges and vendettas just don't work. By her actions, Senator Clinton has shown herself to be less similar to Lincoln, and more like the scheming Salmon P. Chase.

History has shown that loyalty can at times be a bad thing, when that loyalty is given to incompetent people. It has also shown that vendettas and grudges can ultimately harm both those who hold the grudge and the cause they are supposedly devoted to championing. Obviously the Clintons are not very astute students of history.

You mean there are more states than OH and FL?

Even though the two states mentioned above will still be important states this fall, Senator Obama and his Democratic Party are rolling out a strategy that is unprecedented in this day and age. According to emails I have received from the campaign, they will be putting staff in all 50 states, something that hasn't been done in a generation.

Although the campaign (nor I) expect them to win in all 50 states, or even come close in many, it still is comforting to know that they are attempting to grow the party. Yes, Virginia, there are Democrats in Kansas and Utah. For too long the Democratic party has yielded far too much ground to the Republicans, and the result has been terrible defeats at the ballot box.

When Howard Dean became chairman of the DNC, he implemented a 50 state strategy. During that time, the Democrats have made significant gains across the country. This, coupled with a candidate who believes in a nationwide Democratic party, and not just an urban Democratic party, may be a sign of great things to come.

Note: VP Watch Delayed until Next Week

Due to the absence of one of the contributors to August Prairie, we will be delaying the second Democratic and first Republican VP watch posts until next Tuesday and Wednesday. We apologize for the delay.

Thank You, Senator Clinton

Thank you, Senator Clinton. Your hard fought campaign has made Senator Obama a better campaigner. Rest assured your issues will not be ignored.

To those of you in her crowd who booed Barack Obama, we'll be waiting for you when you come to your senses. When that happens, I promise to hold no hard feelings. It's time to take it to John McCain, and we would really appreciate your help.

John McCain Steals from Obama

Looks like Senator McCain and his campaign can't help but steal from Senator Obama. First it was his slogan, replacing "Change you can believe in" with "A Leader we can believe in". Then he decided to change his website to be awfully similar to Senator Obama's. Finally, he decided that Senator Obama's logo would be a nice thing to copy.

Looks awfully similar (although admittedly different in other ways as well) to Senator Obama's:


They say copying is the sincerest form of flattery, but I would like it if McCain would go further. Maybe steal Obama's plan to restore America's foreign image, or his commitment to upholding Roe v. Wade. I wouldn't hold my breath on that.

And then there was one (Democrat)

After her attempt to muscle Senator Obama into quickly naming her his running mate failed, Senator Clinton has finally faced facts. During her inconclusive speech on Tuesday night, it appeared she might be in this for much longer than it appears now. However, her tune changed once her closest supporters started appealing to her to rethink her position. This, combined with another flood of superdelegates to Obama, and a brilliant decision by Obama to name Caroline Kennedy to his VP search committee yesterday, led to where we are now.

Everyone who has read this blog knows I have had issues with Senator Clinton's campaign. Some of the tactics used by her camp have been downright odious. However, she certainly knows what she is talking about, is a determined and fierce fighter for what she believes in, and truly believes she is doing what's best for this country. Her biggest mistake was underestimating the political genius of Senator Obama and his wonderful campaign team.

There is no doubt that Senator Clinton's tough fight has made Senator Obama a better candidate. Over the course of the long primary season, he became a better debater, showed his strength and resolve, and let himself become better known to the entire country. Clinton ending her campaign now allows the Democrats to benefit from the 50 state campaign of the primary season, while still reserving five months to hit Senator McCain and the Republican machine hard.

Now is the time for all Democrats (and dissatisfied Republicans and Independents) to get together and rally behind Senator Obama. This year may represent a major shift in how we view electoral politics in this country, and there are some opportunities for the Democrats to make gains not seen since the New Deal Coalition was formed in the early 1930s.

To all of the passionate Clinton supporters out there, I salute your dedication to your candidate, and hope you will give Senator Obama a chance. Ninety percent of their policy positions are the same, and their differences are minor compared to what John McCain stands for. If you care about fixing our health care mess, preserving a woman's right to choose, and restoring our standing abroad, Senator Obama is your candidate.

To all of you Obama supporters, celebrate this victory for about ten minutes, and get ready for the second half. The Republicans and their Rovian machine are revving up for this battle, and we would do well to meet them there. I have great faith in Obama's ability to overcome the opposition, but he can't do it without our help. We have shown what can be accomplished when people take an active role in shaping their government already, now it's time to finish the job. Help the supporters of Clinton up, be graceful in victory, and realize that now is the time to move on to the next set of challenges.

Game On!

And then there were two...

As Senator Barack Obama is now the presumptive nominee of the Democratic party, we have removed the Senator Clinton supporter post from the side bar. It still exists, if someone is desperate enough to root their way through the site to comment on it. If the Libertarian or Green party candidates gain more traction as time goes on, we might consider adding them to the list with Senators Obama and McCain.

Obama's Speech

I'll have more to say about Obama's speech at a later date. To sum up my first impression, I believe it was an excellent speech. It was graceful to Senator Clinton, offered a stark contrast to John McCain's ugly speech, and was an excellent start to the General Campaign.

BTW, that Michelle/Barack fist pound was awesome. Although I am really looking forward to Obama's presidency, I believe Michelle will be a great first lady as well.

Obama takes Montana

Despite what Senator Clinton said in her "non-concession" speech, Montana actually did have the last word. Unfortunately for her, she was not their choice.

We are waiting for Senator Obama to speak. More later. 

Clinton's Speech in New York

As the televisions of the household were preoccupied with Lethal Weapon and Mannequin (yes, seriously, Mannequin) I tuned in to CNN.com to catch a streaming feed of Clinton's speech in New York. I missed the beginning of it, but the gist of "I'm still #1" was paraded around. As she recalled the campaign trail, she spoke as if giving an acceptance speech, scoffing at the idea of a losing battle for the nomination and even bringing up 9-11.

What her speech lacked was the need for bringing the Democratic party back together; a perfect opportunity asking her supporters to support the party regardless of how things turn out (I say that somewhat tongue in cheek). Most of her speech was what we've come to expect; a lot of self-touting and arrogance. If one didn't know better, they would think she had not only the nomination but the presidency signed as a done deal. To summarize: Hillary Clinton sings praises in the form of "me me me me!"

Regardless of her head in the sand, and regardless of whether she makes it onto the ticket as running mate or at least advising in some way, I have no doubt she'll bring many advantages to Obama's campaign as well as bring back and unite many Democratic voters. My own opinion as to seeing her actively in the White House...I'm a bit wary of the idea, but I do think she can bring certain things to the table that will at least help Obama get on his way to the White House in November.

Go Crazy, Obama Fans, Go Crazy!

At 9:00, MSNBC interrupted McCain's creepy ass speech to announce that Senator Obama is now the presumptive Democratic Nominee. 

More to come on this wonderful night, including a quick hit on McCain's ugly little speech.

Open the Champagne, Beer, or Root Beer, party the night away, listen to Obama's speech, and get ready for the big show. The real work begins tomorrow.

McCain's Creepy Speech and South Dakota

A few things to learn from McCain's Speech

1. He loves Hillary Clinton. He has daughters, so naturally all you pro-choice women should allow him to put justices that consider Robert Bork a role model on the bench.

2. He loves change, but not like that tax and spend, lib-uh-rul appeaser Barack Obama.

3. His smile is incredibly fake, and the crowd feels reminiscent of some of those made for TV stunts the Nixon campaign would pull. 

4. He disagreed with Bush, except on some of the stuff that really mattered. He hates war, except for when it is pointless and started under false pretenses (unless he is calling his Iraq War Resolution a mistake)

5. Kenner isn't New Orleans, and a 95% agreeance with President Bush does not make a maverick.

6. "That isn't Change We Can Believe In"-Jeez, is that the best you can do?

Now, the opening of his speech clearly spoke to the moderates and independents unsure about Obama, while giving the rabid GOP base what it wants with the absolutism and oversimplification of Obama's role. It wasn't a bad speech that will certainly is better when read instead of heard.

Bring it on Senator McCain, bring it on. The GOP lucked into you, because Huckabee or Romney would have been a 1964 rehash. But Obama ain't no Mondale or Dukakis. The big show is here, and its time to suit up.

In other news, South Dakota is still considered too early to call, although it doesn't really matter. Clinton will win there, Obama will win in Montana, and Obama takes the big prize of the night.

The VP Watch Begins

August Prairie will be starting a weekly feature from now until Senator Obama chooses his running mate. Once we get caught up with the GOP world, we'll also start watching McCain's potential running mates as well.

Senator Obama will most likely seal up the Democratic nomination tonight Therefore, tonight marks the beginning of the general election campaign. To mark that occasion, its time to begin the Vice Presidential Candidate Watch. For right now, we'll be watching seven potential candidates:

Governor Tim Kaine - Virginia

Governor Kathleen Sebelius - Kansas

Senator Evan Bayh - Indiana

Senator Hillary Clinton - New York

Governor Bill Richardon - New Mexico

Senator Jim Webb- Virginia

Senator Chuck Hagel - Nebraska

Each of these candidates has plusses and minuses, but the first four on the list appear to be much more likely than the last three. Richardson and Webb have some things in their past that would cause some potential harm, despite their definite benefits. Hagel is a Republican (and a conservative one at that) who would probably not accept the Vice Presidential bid if offered, which is highly unlikely.

That leaves the top four. My gut feeling is Kaine or Sebelius will be the choice for Obama, but political realities might force him to choose either Bayh or Clinton. I personally would prefer Clinton stays in the Senate and plays a significant role in getting legislation through during President Obama's tenure, but necessity might force his hand.

Next week we'll take a look at each of the seven candidates mentioned above, as well as three others that I have left off the list (for now). 

Prelude to a Celebration

As of this posting, Barack Obama's web site is reporting only 12 delegates to go until clinching the magic number for the Democratic nomination. Unless he doesn't reach viability in Montana and South Dakota (not going to happen), Obama will clinch it tonight, if not sooner. The superdelegate trickle became a flood, and is only going to get bigger. 

Stay tuned...

Hillary; maybe for you, but not for me

Editors Note: This is the first post by Erin, a new contributor to August Prairie. She'll be provided assistance on this blog as we head on through the general election. 

As Hillary's campaign (hopefully) is seeing its last few agonizing days, I'd like to put in my two cents...the one girl (am I woman now? I don't feel like it) who doesn't want to see Hillary in the White House.

Hillary and her various sycophants have chorused like clockwork that the campaign trail was biased against her because she's a woman. The argument usually goes that opinions against her must stem from the fact that simply, she has a uterus.

What isn't being recognized by her close and personal yes-men is that, frankly...she's offering nothing new in her campaign. Her gender alone appeals to feminazis, working women, and the more "conservative" (although I'm not necessarily meaning Republican) housewives. "You go, working woman!" As a female, supporting anyone else should, by sycophant logic, make me a disgrace to my gender.

Simply; she is a woman running for president. She must be revolutionary!

If gender alone was the prerequisite for one's opinion on leadership, then it wouldn't matter if it was Hillary. It could literally be any woman. Not that women haven't ran before; Hillary has one more "secret weapon".

"Experience". By which I mean, she has Bill. People know her simply because Bill was in the White House, and so some people see this as her "returning home." Granted, I was only a kid during the Clinton administration, but as far as I remember, all she did was endorse the Pizza Hut reading program on some flyer or handout I once recieved at school.

Now to tie this little roundabout post together; as much as I love Pizza Hut, I'm instead putting my trust, my hope, and my vote to Barack Obama. It's time for some new ideas and a fresh face in the White House. "He lacks experience." "He's too passive and naive." Sounds kind of familiar...lets see...I can sort of recall someone only serving one term in the House of Representatives before winning an election...hmmm....anyhow, Hillary's tired campaign of promises that everyone has heard before means nothing to me. Those who aren't looking at gender in her campaign are pulling for her because they are afraid of change. It's easy to hide behind a facade of change, even when the "new" factor is an unrelated variable such as an extra X chromosome.

Same bullcrap. Different gender. Some revolution, eh?

Vacation's Over: Almost Time for the Big Show

Tomorrow night South Dakota and Montana will be the last two states to sound off in the Democratic Primary. Although it is unlikely that Senator Clinton will concede tomorrow, Obama will likely clinch the nomination either tomorrow or Wednesday, as his pledged delegate haul from the two states and a couple dozen superdelegates will put him over the top. That which became possible with his victory in Iowa and probable with his victory in Wisconsin will finally become reality. 

However, the Democrat's marathon was just the preseason. It is time for the real show as the campaign against John McCain and the GOP machine heats up. Although this is a good year for the Democrats, it appeared that 2004 was going to be as well. This ain't the beginning of the end, but rather the end of the beginning.

From tomorrow night to November, August Prairie will be there. Expect more posts, more analysis and features, and a few other major changes. Stay tuned, and let the games begin!