We now have a narrative in Georgia's 12th congressional district. 

Congressman John Barrow, who voted against the President's health care bill earlier this year, is facing off against former state Sen. Regina Thomas in the July 20th Democratic primary.  The grassroots activists are furious at Barrow for his vote, but the establishment is doing all it can to prop up the three-term Congressman.

Tuesday afternoon, the Associated Press reported that state Democratic Party chairman Jane Kidd delivered an ultimatum to the county Democratic committee chairs in the district of Congressman John Barrow:

Stop publicly criticizing Barrow and his vote against the Obama-backed health care bill or resign your post in the Democratic Party.

The chairwoman of the Georgia Democratic Party is telling local party heads to silence their criticism of U.S. Rep. John Barrow, a Savannah Democrat facing opposition in next month's primary election.

The Associated Press obtained a letter Democratic chair Jane Kidd sent to county chairmen in Barrow's southern Georgia district. Kidd's letter says party officials need to resign if they continue to criticize Barrow publicly.

Bynum, Russ (2010-6-8). APNewsBreak: Dem chair scolds Barrow's critics. Washington Examiner. Retrieved on 2010-6-9.

Montgomery County Democratic Party chairman John Brewer was the first county Democratic head to yank his support from Barrow over the health care vote.  Several Democratic state legislators in the 12th district who backed Barrow in the past or remained on the sidelines have now switched to Regina Thomas.  The local labor unions appear to be against Congressman Barrow as well.

Yet. the big boys (and girls) in the establishment seem to be ignoring the folks on the ground despite their promises to listen to the grassroots.

Behold the power of incumbency in Georgia.

For more than five years, I've served as a member of Georgia's state Democratic committee.

These past five years, I've learned a lot about Democratic Party politics in the state of Georgia. One lesson I picked up quite quickly was that even though the Georgia Democratic Party describes the state committee as the Party's "highest authority," the real work is done at the local level by the county Democratic committees.

Without the county committees, there would be no state committee and there would be no Democratic National Committee. The county Democratic committees are the engines that drive the Democratic Party machine. That's why news that a county Democratic committee chairman is withdrawing his support from an incumbent Democratic Congressman should be of major concern.

Rep. John Barrow's vote against the health care overhaul pushed by President Barack Obama is costing the Georgia congressman support among some fellow Democrats as he heads into a contested primary election.

Some Democratic officials say they're not endorsing Barrow because of his health care vote. State Rep. Mickey Stephens, a Savannah Democrat, is endorsing Thomas after being a Barrow supporter in past elections.

John Brewer, Democratic Party chairman for rural Montgomery County, says he plans to vote against Barrow in the primary.

Long, Brandon (2010-5-12). DECISION 2010: Health care at issue in congressional primary. WMGT-TV (Macon). Retrieved on 2010-5-13.

John Barrow may cruise to re-nomination in the July 20th Democratic primary due to lackluster opposition from former state Sen. Regina Thomas. Still, the damage is done. Without the support of your county chairs, any Democrat is as good as dead politically.

As reported by the Chicago Sun Times on Friday from South Carolina:

"Don't be hoodwinked. Don't be bamboozled," Obama told crowds several times during the day.

As a movie and Denzel fan, those words were very familiar to me.  Theyr'e from Spike Lee's Malcolm X.  I remember going to see that movie soon after Bill Clinton won in 1992.

They were the eternal words of Malcolm X regarding political maneuvering in the African American community

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpe eches/moviespeechmacolmxharlem.html

In my mind, I heard Denzel Washington proclaiming them,

So I'm not here this afternoon as a Republican, nor as a Democrat...

So I have to stand here today as what I was when I was born: A black man.

Before there was any such thing as a Republican or a Democrat, we were black...

In fact, before there was any such place as America, we were black!

And after America has long passed from the scene, there will still be black people.

I'm gonna tell you like it really is. Every election year these politicians are sent up here to pacify us! They're sent here and setup here by the White Man!

"I say and I say it again, you've been had. You've been took. You've been HOODWINKED, BAMBOOZLED, led astray, run amok."

OH MY GOD! I KNEW I HAD HEARD THOSE WORDS BEFORE! But it wasn't just one word - "bamboozled" that had made my ears prick up and ask, Malcolm - is that you? So when I saw that both Spike's Malcolm and Obama had both said HOODWINKED, BAMBOOZLED, it became quite clear. It was two odd, rare and unique words used in tandem. So coincidence was OUT! Obama was sure as heck sending a clear message to the movie going public (the Spike Lee movie going public that is - if you know what I mean) of South Carolina.

Here Obama was channeling Spike Lee - channeling Malclom X! Now that's somethin'!

I Googled to see who in the national political media had written about the amazing fact that Obama had been quoting Malcolm X (as dreamed up by Spike Lee that is, Malcolm never gave such a speech, none of it, it's pure movie magic)around the state of SC at the moment that the entire national press corps was screaming like banshees about how awful and shocking it was that the Clintons just wont stop talking in dog whistle RACE CODE while campaigning!

Guess how many articles I found had been written about this in the entire media and press corps.  Go ahead guess.....of course, none.  Not one. There's one piece about this - this one. The members of the media "village" were  all too busy obsessing about and making up stories about Bill's "explosion" (again)and what  a "disgrace" and distraction he has become...to...uh, well... them.(again)

As Steve M so clearly put it:

I buy that it is not a coincidence that Barack Obama is going around, the day before the South Carolina primary, repeating over and over two words that just happen to be a well-known quote from a movie speech where Malcolm X just happens to be warning the black folks not to trust white politicians who come into their community.

Look a it this way. Do you think the press corps would look the other way if in her stump speech Hillary started quoting Gary Sinese playing the race baiting George Wallace in John Frankenheimer's bio-pic "Wallace'. Ya think?

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/75894 8,CST-NWS-sweet25.article

"Don't be hoodwinked. Don't be bamboozled," Obama told crowds several times during the day.

There's more...

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As reported by the Chicago Sun Times on Friday:

"Don't be hoodwinked. Don't be bamboozled," Obama told crowds several times during the day.

As a movie buff, those words were very familiar to me. Theyr'e from Spike Lee's Malcolm X. I remember, I actually went to see that movie the day after Bill Clinton won the PA primary in 1992.

They were the eternal words of Malcolm X regarding political maneuvering in the African American community

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechmacolmxharlem.html

In my mind, I heard Denzel Washington proclaim the words,

So I'm not here this afternoon as a Republican, nor as a Democrat...

So I have to stand here today as what I was when I was born: A black man.

Before there was any such thing as a Republican or a Democrat, we were black...

In fact, before there was any such place as America, we were black!

And after America has long passed from the scene, there will still be black people.

I'm gonna tell you like it really is. Every election year these politicians are sent up here to pacify us! They're sent here and setup here by the White Man!

"I say and I say it again, you've been had. You've been took. You've been HOODWINKED, BAMBOOZLED, led astray, run amok."

OH MY GOD! I KNEW I HAD HEARD THOSE WORDS BEFORE! But it wasnt just one word - it was two! So coincidence was OUT! Obama ws seendng message to the move going (Spike Lee movie going that is)public of South Carolina.

I Googled to see who in the national political media had written about the amazing fact that Obama had been quoting Malcolm X - as dreamed up by Spike Lee (Malcolm never gave such a speech - none of it - it's pure movie magic)around the state of SC when he entire national press corps s screaming like banshees how awful it is that the Clintons just wont stop talking in dog whistle RACE CODE!

Guess how many articles I found had been written about this in the MSM. Go ahead guess.....of course, none. Not one. Theyr'e all too busy making up stories about Bill's "explosion" (again)and what a "disgrace" and distraction he has become...to them...(again)

Think the press corps would look the other way if in her stump speech Hillary started quoting Gary Sinese playing the race baiting George Wallace in John Frankenheimer's bio-pic "Wallace'. Ya think?

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/758948,CST-NWS-sweet25.article

"Don't be hoodwinked. Don't be bamboozled," Obama told crowds several times during the day.

There's more...

Mostly, Tuesday's state and local elections fell within the bounds of what observers might call "free and fair". However, there were enough rough spots to call attention to the fact that 2008, like 2004 and 2000, is likely to see a range of rules, laws, and tactics that will serve as barriers to participation.

There's more...