Back when this race was getting underway and no one had yet dropped out, I wrote about Barack's style of negative campaigning, in a diary published at kos called "Maureen Dowd, Not," which was a parody of Dowd's column championing Barack for stepping out onto the low road.  He'd made a joke that made Michelle laugh, alluding to Hillary's experience, married to Bill, and he wondered, in his now trademark style, how that qualified her to be president.  

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I admit I've been for Hillary and I've been critical of Barack for the way he's campaigned against her, in order to try to compare himself favorably. I've never thought this was the unity way to run in a primary, but I always have and still do consider him to be a decent man.  Most presidents ran rather unpleasant and depressing campaigns against their opponents, so he can't be singled out, except to say it's retro.

That said, I think Barack will drop out within the next week or two. He knows the basis of his campaign has been compromised and that he hasn't the time or even the energy to re-introduce himself. I think that whenever he'd realized he'd lost, he'd do the stand up thing, congratulate the winner and campaign for her, as she would have for him had he closed the deal.   His main problem is that he wasn't ready for this fight. He didn't have the experience to know that he couldn't control the media and that they would one day turn on him, and that he couldn't control any of his past associates. He could say his version of events and his points of view, but on questions of 'history' even more than on questions of 'values,' there are always many plausible versions.  

I'd congratulate him for taking his campaign far far farther than his experience warranted, and for thus being an historic candidate, not merely for his ethnicity, but mainly for his courage to run on such a slim resume and do great.  He's a terrific motivational speaker and I think a genuinely nice man.

I hope there will be enough 'distance' in time for him to be our vice presidential candidate. I'd love to see him living in Dick Cheney's house. I wish him and Michele the best and I'll be wanting to see his name on the ticket.  

Clinton-Obama '08

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As I still listen to the talk shows, I am dumfounded by reporters, analysts and general talking heads. In addition, this site, with all the right wing pundits linked and referenced, I begin to think, is this MYDD?  Where I have lurked for a few years?  Or have Republican trolls invaded and conquered a Progressive site? Much time is spent talking about Rev. Wright and not on the Iraqi War or the economy.  I am a Senator Obama supporter, so we get this out right from the start.  

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It's not getting the coverage it deserves as other stories that emit scandal make the headlines, but tibet is in the news. Hundreds of tibetans have been killed by the chinese authority. Tibet began suffering a vicious raping by china decades ago and currently exists under its confining regime. My point in so many words is that tibet knows suffering. How tibetans respond to this crisis is interesting and with all due respect to Pastor Wright, who speaks of oppression and seemingly is on the side of those who suffer, could learn a thing or two from the tibetans, who in my opinion have a more significant way of answering their enemies.

One disadvantage to any progress being made for tibet's liberation from the claws of china is china itself. china unfortunately is not an enemy that can be negotiated with easily. One viable way to voice their grievances is for Tibetans to protest. In doing so they are careful to make a distinction between the chinese and the chinese government and choose to protest with this difference in mind. Tibetans will rarely lash out against any chinese individual or speak abusively or malign the chinese people as a whole, in fact many tibetans will burn themselves alive in protest than to attack anyone else. We have seen these images before.

It aids the tibetans in their struggle to have a particular philosophy on the idea of Suffering. It is the hallmark or foundation of tibet's religious system, buddhism. As with christianity, buddhism proclaims that life is filled with suffering and that we can overcome it. It offers four basic noble truths all commenting on suffering and how to best confront it. these lines only offer a poor summation of what buddhism is, but it is clear that tibetans are familiar with the catholicity of suffering.

Pastor Wright has known suffering and other black americans may find themselves continuing to be targets of other peoples anger and hate. No one forgets the dark history that their ancestors experienced, but the degree to which black americans suffer presently, i think it is fair to say, is less. All of us celebrate the work of MLK and even those white americans who made a difference. If only the chinese would come to their senses and be as ethical as were so many white americans who allowed for changes. How the enemy reacts in any struggle is critical.

here is where I must be a bit blunt. African Americans do not have a corner on suffering. In making this statement i do not diminish their sufferings in the past or present. African Americans have had a unique suffering but i think tibetans and others have had their share as well. I only desire to include many others in suffering's basket.

Pastor Wright wishes to do the same but wrongly chooses to verbally assault his perceived enemies, white people. He chooses to diminish the profound suffering of countless americans who were impacted by 911. This man claims to know suffering but I have gleaned from his many angered remarks that perhaps he has not really suffered much and if he has he lacks the verbal skills to empathise with those that have. He seems to be a bit intoxicated with his own pains and a bit self erotic about it. I've listened to his statements and rather than find liberation in them, I feel burdened by them.

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I knew that Obama was climbing a slippery slope when he said that he never heard Wright's controversial statements in person.

How does one now spin this away?

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"...Ronald Kessler, a journalist who has written about Wright's ministry, claims that Obama was in fact in the pews at Trinity last July 22. That's when Wright blamed the 'arrogance' of the 'United States of White America' for much of the world's suffering, especially the oppression of blacks. In any case, given the apparent frequency of such statements in Wright's preaching and their centrality to his worldview, the pretense that over all these years Obama had no idea that Wright was saying such things is hard to sustain."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/opinio n/17kristol.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&am p;oref=slogin

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