An Epic Primary Season for Democrats

US presidential primaries are fought for the right to contest a general election to become America's head of state and live in a giant white house.

First, there were so many Democrats on the stage it took on the sobriquet of Hillary and the Seven Dwarves. Elderly Alaskan, MikeGravel, embraced YouTube by throwing a rock in a pond and calling it a whimsical campaign commercial. Chris Dodd and Joe Biden had the best send up of their natural forms from Saturday Night Live canonizing their run as twin costumed SpongeBob SquarePants for Halloween. Meanwhile, Dennis Kucinich perfected the best political rhetoric bar none on health care while sending people into 360 head whirls with his discussions of his personal UFO sighting. Son of a mill worker guy, John Edwards, had two Americas resident in his own life being a millionaire lawyer who had the world's most discussed $400 haircut and a house that includes an inside basketball court while his campaign had to go on the public financing dole. The Governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson, is a master international negotiator who went so far as to threaten to import the Great Lakes water to the drought stricken southwest. Starting out with the most painful uh, uh, uh problem on a national stage came Barack Obama, turning up some of the most sage and soaring rhetoric heard from an American politician.

Debates 22 of them in all were a microcosm of political journalism that mainly sucked. The final debate with ABC news albatross anchor Charlie Gibson and toadying George Stephanopolous caused 22,000 people in less than 24 hours to emphatically state the horrendous degree of their suckitude because of their focus on issues pertinent to about a dozen millionaire "journalists" without a clue. Hark back to Lois Romano's Washington Post wasted space article dedicating column inches to Hillary Rodham Clinton's cleavage and later the passions of the pantsuit. In premature rhetorical spasms of needing relevance, press punditry scraped the bottom of the Velveeta vats declaring they found melting journalistic gold in gotcha questions and gross distortions as they pandered to the press operations of various campaigns rather than befouling themselves with being truthful and objective. CNN's YouTube debate had interesting questions from snowmen about the perils of global warming, singing questions and regular citizens that were more insightful.

Then the crowds showed up in numbers never seen before for primaries. They also turned out in massive numbers to vote. In one case, students at Prairie View A & M marched for seven miles as the registrar decided an early voting booth would no longer be on campus. Students organized and walked the seven miles in a hot Texas sun shutting down the highway as they then stood in line for hours to exercise their American right to vote under circumstances reminiscent of the 1960's. (Photos Courtesy of Ken Basart)

Enter the constant vigilance courtiers, some extremely powerful surrogates and regular people ants from the cracked sidewalks of life. Bill Clinton, former president of the United States, had basked in Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison's characterization as the First black president. He got his status stripped from him unceremoniously for comments equating Barack Obama's tidal wave win in South Carolina as equivalent to Jesse Jackson, notorious civil rights leader with an outsized me me me complex equal to Bill's. Grand entrance from Chelsea Clinton after her Mom's stunning third place loss in Iowa when everybody on the stage behind her who had gray hair remembered Sputnik or Eisenhower as adults. There were surrogates that said monster, others insinuated madrassa educations and drug issues and being black was an advantage, while Bill Clinton resorted to fairy tales. It got U-G-L-Y.

Most powerful woman on the planet with a communications empire, Oprah Winfrey, risked a fair bit by endorsing and stumping for the junior senator from Illinois. Michelle Obama got the ball rolling in Iowa wearing a navy blue headband, no makeup and declaring fear should not be a motivating factor. Notable in all this hoopla is Al Gore's silence, except to castigate them all equally for not bringing climate change to the forefront of the debate.

Then, the children started speaking to their parents from every socio-economic stripe. Many gave the gift of books, especially the Audacity of Hope to persuade them. One private mom and another public mom did something for Barack Obama after insistent consistent hectoring from their children. Missouri senator, Claire McCaskill, was on her couch with tears streaming down her face after a speech by Barack in the coldness of New Hampshire and was told by her teenage daughter to do something - now is the time. Decades passed participating in politics as another private mom was thunderstruck by her kids being steadfast in their support of Barack Obama. She decided to write a powerful piece in support of him for the New York Times. Her name is Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg. On Hillary's behalf, legions of feminists of a certain age came out in full throated support, Gloria Steinem, Erica Jong and Maya Angelou.

The battles raged from primaries to caucuses with Super Tuesday being a Clinton line in the sand. Campaign strategic planning would decide the way forward. Hillary's camp doubled down on going negative with Mark Penn in the Patton PR role leading a media air war. Barack's camp focused on delegates and ground troops going from state to state. Hillary would have won with this campaign in 2004. Barack took the lesson of 2004 and rattled off a dozen straight wins while collecting wheelbarrows of cash. Hillary went broke and busted open her personal piggy bank for millions of dollars while demanding to hang in there until the bitter end. Part of her millions went for a 3 am ad that said she was ready to answer the red phone and Barack was not.

The word bitter resonated as Barack explained why elections turned on wedge issues. His twenty year association with black liberation theology within Trinity United Church of Christ came to an end amidst Jeremiah Wright being seen by more Americans on an endless loop without context from the mendacious media. At first, Barack withstood pressure by predominantly white media to disassociate himself from his church and its controversial pastor.

Obama delivered a complex speech on race from a multitude of perspectives to build a more perfect union. This was right before the Pennsylvania Primary that heavily favored Hillary with her advantages of having the patronage machine behind her efforts. Barack fed a baby cow, went bowling for a couple gutterballs and asked for orange juice rather than coffee, which outraged elitist pundit, Chris Matthews. Rev. Jeremiah Wright went on a resurrection/destruction tour starting with Bill Moyers broadcast on a Friday evening , on to preach in Dallas flying the same day to Detroit for a NAACP dinner and BAM - on Monday went over the edge and into hubris and hostility towards the press for a Q & A filled with rowdy and provocative answers from him.

Hillary Clinton, meanwhile repeatedly told a great story of a corkscrew landing under sniper fire in Bosnia where she rushed off in her helmet. Except, she was met at the airport by a little girl with a poem and her traveling companions were Sinbad, Sheryl Crowe and her teenage daughter. Oops and the lie kept mushrooming. Hillary got into a spat saying she was telling the truth - Sinbad said their biggest decision on that trip was when to stop to eat. Bill tried to rescue her by stating she was 60 and forgot a few things undercutting her red phone 3 am ad.

The eventual delegate, popular vote winner, Barack Obama had his head immortalized in butter, been to church to meet folks with the most amazing architectural milliner offerings, and kissed a multitude of burping, smiling and sleeping baby cherubs. There is a wonderful pick of Sasha and Dad are mowing down Malia and Michelle on bumper cars at the Iowa State Fair in August of 2007.

Some of the most amazing images of Barack from the campaign are of him with children, including his own.

On Saturday, 31 May, Hillary's forces staged a hissy fit as they demanded that Barack not get credit in the Michigan primaries as he took his name off the ballot. Hillary's forces wanted to say she was the winner of a popular vote that had 0 meaning in a primary. The guy who had voted to sanction Florida & Michigan, Harold Ickes, became a contortionist and an extortionist reserving the right to challenge the results in Denver at the convention in late August.

And On Tuesday, June 3, 2008 Barack Obama became the presumptive nominee of the Democratic party and the first man of color to ever do so in the industrialized western world. Hillary's wilting finance campaign chairman announced her as the next president of the United States in a bunker room two levels below street in New York City. Barack & his wife come out with a dap that confounded the older watching public - because it was hip and cool.
Saturday, Hillary graciously came out and put her historic exclamation point on the obvious. Congratulations to all who participated in this race of historic and yes, epic battles worthy of a Homeric treatment. Fabulous reading ahead. Gail Sheehy chronicled Hillary from behind the scenes and will fill in several gaps in her upcoming writing.
Obama's story is still being crafted. Woe betide any author that cannot live up to Barack's gifts with a pen or keyboard. It is our time and we have as MLK put it - the fierce urgency of now. May the sun shine on Barack & family's faces and the wind be at his back as he is elected the 44th president of the United States of America.

YES, WE CAN!!!!

Vote Our Hopes, not our fears, America! The planet is imperiled, Our Dreams are crushed under rising debt and the gift of Good Health has gone to the richest among us. Now, it is past time for the least amongst us to rise up and vote to change to Give The Dream to the Generations to Follow. Yes, We Can! I am doing my part to Get Out the Vote for Barack Obama. Help me. Let's Go Change the World!



Reclaiming the Dream is the latest sign Barack Obama uses on his podiums. California crowds show signs in Spanish, Si Se Puede. He had made the case, now it our turn to join him in making the Change we and the world do desperately. Camelot's Caroline Kennedy, the world's mega media mogul Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama will be in Los Angeles tomorrow to fight for the Dream. This video is from Jesse Dylan featuring, Will I am, John Legend, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Kate Walsh, Tatiana Ali and Herbie Hancock among others.

A Change WE Can Believe In. As oft stated if you want the essence of Barack Obama you have to go to the raw words written when he had no need to spare his feelings or his thoughts from public scrutiny. Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance rings with authenticity, ambition, ego and humility.

Obama & Oprah - California Magic

An elegant garden party at a Santa Barbara (Montecito actually) palatial 42 acre estate with the sobriquet of Promised Land, where the most elite moneyed guests sit on a lawn meadow overlooking the spectacular Pacific Ocean. Invites clearly stated the event is in a meadow and not in the 23,000 square foot house, so the gentry would know what type of attire to don.

One of the lucky 1500 happily paid a queen's ransom of $2300, with Hollywood fixers begging to repurchase it for their clients. If people could scalp tickets the $ky would be the limit. Oprah made sure that those who have not given the max, new fresh donors, have pride of place. Of course, there are a few exceptions, a newly pregnant Halle Berry, John Travolta, along with some Obama fundraisers from O & O's Illinois home turf. A private luncheon with Barack Obama was also scheduled for Saturday.

Obama made his only public appearance, on a beautiful clear sky Saturday, at Santa Barbara City College in front of a gathering of enthusiastic supporters, with one fainting.

"What's called for is a level of responsibility and seriousness that we haven't seen in a very long time," he told the cheering crowd, which included college students in short sundresses and big sunglasses and older couples in peace symbols.

A woman standing in front of the stage appeared to faint as Obama spoke about Iraq. The candidate paused and asked the crowd to make way for firefighters.

One supporter shouted, "You're a good man," leaving Obama momentarily at a loss for words.

"Well, I'm not the only one stopping to help her," he said, sounding almost embarrassed. (photo courtesy AP)

Barack was a star in San Francisco at the California Women for Obama gig held at the Bill Graham Civic auditorium. Obama's fundraising events usually are in the affordable $25 range. This is a whole different economic stratosphere and exposure, being in the Oprah league. Oprah and Obama are being profiled and watched around the world as this event takes place. She is planning to take an active role in his presidential campaign. Barack Obama will be the only presidential candidate to grace her studio this season. Oprah Winfrey has every legal right to narrow her political guest list to only Senator Obama because her show is syndicated. Bill Clinton will make an appearance (already taped this past Tuesday in New York) on Oprah to discuss his book Giving and I am positive some Hillary chatter will occur. He's no fool. David Letterman is first up on Monday, September 10th.

But Barack is making both Clintons sweat and seethe with a bit of the green monster on the political and big money fronts. A long retired Magic Johnson is having an old guard fundraising soirée at his much smaller place in LA for Hillary next week. Oprah has soulful magic with her branding capacity, competitive advantages. When Lady O picks something (video link), in this case somebody, they shoot for the heavenly stars and stay a good long while. Senator Obama landed the biggest endorsement catch of the year. The next endorsement to watch with mega star power and a global village is Nobel nominee, Al Gore's. (AP picture from Oprah's)

There is so much interest in Oprah today, her site is loading like molasses is powering the internet. This fall, expect a fiery Barack to draw more distinctions between he and Clinton and especially making appeals to women and African Americans. Oprah is the biggest asset to help women understand Barack's appeal, but that will pale alongside the most powerful woman in Barack's life, his wife, Michelle Obama. Much will be written about Oprah's fundraiser, especially if it garners more than the projected $3,000,0000. If more comes in, it sets Barack up for a great third quarter where he might actually beat Hillary outright in the money primary.

"I call my home the Promised Land because I get to live Dr. King's dream," Winfrey told her guests, a source inside recalled Winfrey saying. "I haven't been actively engaged before because there hasn't been anything to be actively engaged in. But I am engaged now to make Barack Obama the next president of the United States."

The star-studded gathering marked the most visible effort yet for the billionaire media magnate in her effort to help the Illinois Democrat in his quest to win his party's presidential nomination.

As Winfrey introduced Obama's wife, Michelle, who was wearing a dress by Chicago designer Maria Pinto, the hostess called her the "first lady."

Oprah's pal, Whoopi Goldberg, was there. They starred together in
Oprah's first film. The outstanding and haunting film of The Color Purple. The book The Color Purple is from the grand Alice Walker. Oprah is the executive producer of the sold out Broadway adaptation of the theater play, The Color Purple.

Savvy Superstar Supports Rock Star Obama

Oscar winner, George Clooney, displays his political savvy on a multitude of intractable issues. His straightforward endorsement of Barack Obama for president comes amidst the release of his new film at the prestigious Venice Film Festival. Clooney who knows a tad about fawning adulation notes Obama's rock star status.

"You’ve been in a room once in a while with a rock star. He walks into the world and he takes your breath away. I’d love him to be president, quite honestly,” Clooney told a group of international reporters at the Venice Film Festival, where the legal thriller Michael Clayton in which he stars premiered last night.

Clooney, who banked a check for Obama at a private 1.3 million US dollar (£645,000,) fundraiser in Beverly Hills, California, in February, praised the US senator from Illinois for displaying courage in 2003 by writing “a piece saying how stupid going into that war was going to be”.

Skip the hunk fluff. Clooney is more interesting because of his dexterity with other real world subjects. He has long-range environmental and foreign policy vision plus a heavy investment in fuel cell technologies. Clooney also takes an avid interest into the local and national politics of Italy because he owns a home on, not in, Lake Como. Most of all, he is interested in American politics because Obama had the sense of the stupidity of a War in Iraq in 2002 and said so aloud. Good and proven Judgment matters in an age where incompetence dominates American politics as many Democrats aided and abetted the Iraq Debacle.

Hollywood stars often campaign for presidential candidates to varying degrees of success. Clooney says he would endorse Obama and promise to not go anywhere near Obama, if it would help him win the White House. Now that's a superstar Hollywood pal. Next week, alongside a wedding contretemps, A-List Hollywood, including George Clooney, are turning out in droves for mega media mogul's Oprah's Celebration for Barack Obama.

Clooney's choice of films mirrors his interests. He acknowledges the Academy Award nominated Syriana and Good Night & Good Luck are reactions to the tyrannical policies of the republican messes in American politics. They are both excellent keepsake films with Syriana providing a formidable contextual montage for the systemic issues involving the Middle East & US politics based on a book by the CIA's Bob Baer.

Double Oh! Oprah & Obama

Obama stops traffic in Iowa and Kenya. Oprah is the most famous billionaire black woman philanthropist for the planet. Two gravitational forces of personality are coming together for a mammoth fundraiser, scratch that, in Oprah parlance, "A Celebration" of this place and time in history. Oprah Winfrey does not endorse candidates. But Lady O is all in for Barack Obama and American political pros acknowledge the media maven's historic influence.

There was no hiding the mutual love-in when Sen Obama appeared on Winfrey's sofa last October, culminating in his gushing line: "Oprah, you're my girl". She has now repaid the compliments, referring to the senator as "my favourite guy" and "my choice".

"Oprah's support is much more than the usual celebrity endorsement," said Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist and veteran election-watcher. "Most stars are just a name, but she can deliver votes in the crucial categories of women and African-Americans.

Meanwhile Barack's wife, Michelle, rocked Council Bluffs, Iowa. Sasha,9, and Malia age 6, did the petting zoo and great fun was had by all.

"I am really worried that we won't make the right decision this time around. And I'm really going to put everything that I have into making sure that people understand what's at stake and that we are thinking with our heads and not with fear."

The Obamas and Oprah go way back. Two years ago, Oprah and Obama traveled to the Houston Astrodome to comfort displaced, mostly black, poor victims of Hurricane Katrina. Both caused international paparazzi pileups as Oprah opened a world-class leadership school for young ladies in South Africa and Barack had an AIDS test in Kenya. A year later on the Audacity of Hope book tour, Obama and Michelle sat in front of the klieg lights facing a grilling about whether President Obama was in the offing.

What is different this year, is black folks are setting agenda and fundraising records. Neither Clinton believed Obama would fundraise with the deft skill and big money results of an incumbent president. No one thought diversity would factor so heavily in a presidential race. For Americans, this is the equivalent of the next Queen of England, Chinese President or Pope being Black. Always possible, never probable. Oprah & Barack are making strides to change the course of History.

Oprah reads and recommends other people's books. Needless to say she loved both of Barack's efforts. A natural gifted writer he is painfully truthful in Dreams of My Father and forward thinking in Audacity of Hope.