in a telephone conversation with a friend, she said Obama needed to say something in his acceptance speech about protecting Social Security as is, saying something nice about atheists, and something about women's rights.

I would suggest he say something nice about Hilllary except I don't think he can do it without being condescending.

Speaking for myself, I would like to hear him say he is going to do something about violence against women in the military.

There is NOTHING that will convince me to vote for Obama. There are too many deal-breakers. The biggest being that he's hardly held a full-time job; he's got the resume of a 27 year old and I don't know who will be his Cheney.

The issue for me (and I AM interested in whether this concerns Obama insiders) is whether I show up to vote at all. I'm so pissed at the Kansas Democrats who endorsed him -- or if they didn't endorse him didn't speak up against the outrage of this primary season -- that I JUST MIGHT not vote at all.

What happens in the swing states if people like me who can't vote Republican decide to Punish Everyone?

and nothing works for me. My attitude is I don't want the Obama wing to take over the party and do to the Party what Bush and Rove did to the RNC. I don't see coalition building, I see power grabbing. I therefore, frankly, want them to lose. No one should have that much power. The power he is garnering along with "the Movement" and the Axelrod techniques, makes me very uncomfortable.

I am only giving to Emily's list and I was a substantial DNC and Dem overall contributor. I do not want the Chicago mob to do to the DNC what the Texans did. Simple.

First, what I don't want - a big speech on sexism. Given his leveraging it and dogwhistling it during the primary, I already know he knows a great deal about sexism. But then I'm one who thought his race speech sucked.

What would impress me? Working with the DNC to revamp the nominating system - no more caucuses, primaries only (preferably closed) and if they stick with proportional representation, split it by state instead of CD. Also, the DNC is supposed to take up the primary schedule, have them actually fix it this time. To prove he's serious, have the DNC try to get it done in time to present it to the convention. And while we're talking about the convention, to the extent the talk about the DNC forcing Hillary's name off the ballot is true, he should say that won't happen. Taking the first viable woman candidate off the ballot would send a fucking lousy signal and reinforce every negative thing he did this campaign.

Announce that he realizes that he was right back in 2004 when he said he wouldn't be ready for the Oval Office in 2008, and urge the party to get behind the single best qualified person to be President in America today -- Hillary Clinton.

I'll even settle for him supporting Gore for the nomination, rather than Clinton.

The fact is that there is nothing that he can PROMISE that will make a difference, because he can't PROMISE to be something he is not -- a person with the knowledge, experience, and temperament to be President.

He could go back and fight telecom immunity now that he's the "head" of the party.

So the nomination reform makes me feel better about the party and the FISA better about Obama's policies.

And both could be done before I vote. Actions are what I care about. Promises from a politician - any politician - are for suckers.

VL...

you can now stop pretending to have anything to do with PUMA.

Our votes are not for sale -- and you're efforts to negotiate a price for them is anti-thetical to what PUMA is all about.

I don't know whether to be grateful that his campaign has ignored an entire piece of the American demographic, and thus revealed its true nature...or to wish fervently that he had at least pandered to my concerns. I include the entire campaign in these suggestions as I feel like I would get along fine with the candidate one-on-one...but his advisors are blind to my ilk.
Hillary as VP would seal the deal, but I don't expect it. The VP candidate will matter tremendously to me, however. There are several that would help his cause with me.
A few things I'd really like to see:
1)LESS CONCILIATION on far-out GOP ideas, this includes courting the religious rightwing
2) Acknowledgment that the candidate is indeed middle-aged.
3) FORMAL PLANS NOT VAGUE HINTS about what he will do in office on a wide range of issues: women's rights, workers' rights, the military, a war timetable, the economy, higher education costs, the Supreme Court, restoring civil liberties, rescinding the Executive Orders, banning of torture and prosecution of those who did it and those who enabled it, excellent healthcare for everyone, the environmental crisis. Hope is not a plan.
4) STOP taking long-term Dems for granted. There are many simple things he could do this that would help. Don't assume
5)Hmmm, to be ingnored or to be condescended to? Get a grip. Condescend to me and I won't like you very much. /understatement

A not-so-gentle reminder: 18 million votes are at stake.

(somebody already asked me this a while back)

Words matter and, of course, the language we use in discussing misogyny reflects our cultural attitudes: misogyny is seen as nothing more than bad manners because the basic human rights of women and girls are considered nothing more than technicalities. For his words to count, he must consistently take this "controversial" (read: just and principled) stand against blowback.

Call it out for what it is: bigotry. Have Obama insist that we, as a country, treat this intolerance and hatred seriously (on par with racism or antisemitism). Recognize that words like "b****" and "c***" are not common foul language, but slurs whose sole point is to dehumanize and demonize a group of people in order to justify their oppression.

Show the real-world implications of a society accepting, even glorifying, misogyny by highlighting the plight of women and girls throughout the world, whether they're facing the Taleban, the feminization of the AIDS epidemic, or the global rape slave trade. Lastly, vow to include gender as a factor in hate crimes legislation (think: the gender-based massacre of little Amish girls in October 2006 as a hate crime).

Oh, and have Obama specifically spurn those who see him as a "bros before hos" candidate. I hate that damn phrase.

I won't hold my breath though.

He can publicly push for Clinton as Majority Leader of the Senate as consolation of his not picking her as VP (which I hope he does NOT do). In other words, a concrete move which gives the "not Obama" wing of the party real power. I believe the party is so in the tank for him that they will throw Reid under the bus if he wishes it be so.

Promises about "what he will do to appease the little lady (ladies) won't do since Obama's words mean nothing to me, but I would vote for him if I knew there was a real check on his power. Not to be all "Hillarian", it is just a pure political calculation that Clinton is the only person with the force to be that check. And he knows it, which is why I seriously doubt he will ever willingly allow her to be in any position of real authority.

So, vastleft, if you would tell them that we need concrete actions to show we aren't getting thrown under the bus, I've just given you one positve example (actions) and one negative example (lip service).

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Around these parts we call cucumber slices circle bites

Having a split government is a good thing. Especially when the CIC isn't the right one for the job, considering his lack of judgment, adolescent personality, passive aggressive tendencies and the horrible company he's been comfortable keeping for 20+ years.

I'm curious though. How is it that you have gotten this opportunity to speak to Obama insiders? Specifically, have they sought you out? That would be a little creepy, no?

wow, that sums it all up. People voted for Hillary because they liked her specific answers to their concerns. So he needs to say something specific to convince at least some of the 18 million that he is not a con-artist.

Oh, and he could promise to reappoint Patrick Fitzgerald.

If BHO decides to adopt Hillary's health care plan and put her in charge of enacting this plan, then he's got my support. Right now he just has my vote, and barely so. If he pulls any more pissy Solis moves he's really pushing his luck with not just me but a lot of people who are barely leaning towards him.

Specifically, Legalize It.

(I'm being difficult knowing full well he won't do that so...)

HR 676 is infinitely superior to what she was suggesting, and once Hillary decides something is the right course of action, nothing can disuade her.

Frankly, I didn't want to elect Clinton because of her vote on the war, patriot act, and many other things. And she has been even worse on FISA than Obama.

I understand that at the mention of Hillary's name at last nights event there was booing. Well, there is no possibility of picking up those 18 million votes as long as that goes on. So maybe it is time, past time, for Obama to think about the Frankenstein he has created before it turns on him.

Ed Rendell that "We don't need the people. We just need the checks."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/el...

Rendell, who plans to campaign on Obama's behalf and raise money for him, said tonight's event in Philadelphia is a joint fundraiser for Obama and the cash-strapped Democratic National Committee.

But in a sign of the urgency to raise campaign cash, Rendell said Obama didn't want to reschedule tonight's fundraiser, even though the governor warned him that many Philadelphia donors were headed to the New Jersey shore for the weekend. Rendell said Obama told him: "We don't need the people. We just need the checks."

Uh, you think Rendell was pretty PO'd to relate that little tidbit to the press?

Has the Obama campaign done a WORM on this yet?

I am feeling so NOT supportive of this candidate.

People, people who need people,
Are the luckiet people in the world....

Sorry, there is nothing he can do to win my vote. That ship has long sailed.

He has no experience or qualifications that would even entice me to give him a second look. His arrogance is driving me further from the scene. His vote stealing and caucus arm wrestling along with his questionable ties to the Chicago machine have completely turned me off.

The church and Rev. Wright and associates have made me fearful. Why would I vote for him? This man is an empty vessel pushed along by an accommodating media and dirty tactics.

Not sure if you really want or intend to pass this along but you asked.

via Craig Crawford--
" " I would have to hire the vetter to vet the vetters."

Obama's cavalier response utterly contradicted his campaign's supposed crusade for reform. Not only did those words come across as tone deaf to the very ethical issues that he has raised in this election, but his remarks sounded like the ethical relativism we so often hear from the Washington business-as-usual crowd that Obama claims to be running against." -- http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/200...

Why is it that with Johnson--as with Wright and Rezko and so many others associated with you-- you never admit a mistake?

And why is it you are choosing DC insiders like Johnson to begin with for such important tasks when everyday you speak of the broken system in DC? (Clinton's pick to vet VPs became Chief of Staff, and Cheney became VP himself)

...

the more I think of it, the more I think that a promise to reapoint Patrick Fitzgerald would go a long way to reassure poeple.

Why is it that so many people have absolutely false and mistaken impressions about what you'll do as President? And what will you do to be clear about it?

see this-- "But once the former first lady quit the race, Authenreith switched allegiance to Barack Obama, mainly because she thinks that he -- unlike Republican John McCain -- will push for universal healthcare." -- http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-...

As Paul Krugman put it "the world wants to be deceived so let it be deceived" and not just by Bush.

Or as Bob Somerby would say, we've become a country that makes shit up.

I appreciate what you are trying to do and think it is good for the country. But that is just me.

I respect your position and appreciate your efforts, since apparently some of us, including me, are in the "bargaining" phase now. Although I'm not going to say these "Obama Insiders" are placating you, count me skeptical. Which is why ACTIONS, not WORDS or PROMISES are what I require. I'm certain we will be hearing lots of WORDS and PROMISES as the reality of how deep a fucking hole they dug sinks in.

Apparently Paul and some others are in "no sale" mode. I respect that also greatly.

I'm always for sale though, even if I don't come cheap.

Oh, BTW, you could also tell them that we aren't happy with Obama taking over the DNC and moving it to Chicago to become more thoroughly corrupted than it already is, and we would like to see Dean, Brazille, and Pelosi dumped as well as Reid for Clinton.

Those would also be good gestures on his part. Pass that along too please.

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Around these parts we call cucumber slices circle bites

... thank you very much. I will read them in detail and will do my best to carry the message to those who would listen. My opportunities to do that may not be grand or immediate, but I'm trying to find ways to get that message through.

And to those who can express their "hell, no, we won't go" messages without vilifying me for being honest about my vote plans and being active in trying to make the vaunted leverage a reality, thank you for your honest opinions, as well. If you're not budging, you're not budging. It's your vote after all, and after this primary campaign, I can't begrudge your seeking alternative paths to a progressive future. I may debate you, but I won't begrudge you.