After doing some research and general digging concerning background info on some of the key field operatives and organizations supporting the GOP effort this year, I've come to the conclusion that it's just all so damn UGLY--the more I read the worse it gets--I'm to the point where I don't know where to begin.

Yesterday, I blogged about "2008's Grand Masters Of GOP Dirty Tricks," (there's a link from today's "Saturday Morning Diary Rescue," currently on the front page, here; so that diary's old news, as it were; but, in advance, I ask your forgiveness for any unintended appearance of diary pimping; my sincere goal here is to get some specific realities up on everyone's radar now, in preparation for what lies ahead)  and today I wanted to drill a little deeper on that theme with regard to my concerns about planned and/or potential Republican "caging," voter suppression and any overall, generally racist efforts that we will most likely see supported by those camps in coming weeks and months.

For now, I'd like to focus on the McCain campaign in the always-critical states of Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Specifically, I'd like to zero in on the two or three people that have been put in place by the McCain operation to head those three states' efforts for the GE.

Here is what Obama had to say today on the plane about his recent statement about mental distress and partial birth abortion.
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/pol itics/blog/2008/07/obama_backs_late_abor tions_on.html

"My only point is this -- historically I have been a strong believer in a women's right to choose with her doctor, her pastor and her family. And it is ..I have consistently been saying that you have to have a health exception on many significant restrictions or bans on abortions including late-term abortions. In the past there has been some fear on the part of people who, not only people who are anti-abortion, but people who may be in the middle, that that means that if a woman just doesn't feel good then that is an exception. That's never been the case. I don't think that is how it has been interpreted. My only point is that in an area like partial-birth abortion having a mental, having a health exception can be defined rigorously. It can be defined through physical health, It can be defined by serious clinical mental-health diseases. It is not just a matter of feeling blue. I don't think that's how pro-choice folks have interpreted it. I don't think that's how the courts have interpreted it and I think that's important to emphasize and understand."

Linda Douglass had more: "Mental distress is not an illness. He absolutely believes and has always said there has to be a health exception for serious physical and mental illness."

I thought his statements to that Christian magazine were intended to play the wingnuts with a vague term that was meant to trick them into believing that the health exception for partial-birth abortion did not include a mental health.  A wink wink to the base?  Let's hope so.

I DEMAND TIME ON THE DNC CONVENTION FLOOR TO SCREAM ABOUT INADAQUATE BLACK MALES AND SEXIST DONNA BRAZILLE WHO STOLE THE NOMINATION BECAUSE SHE HATES FEMALES. I REPRESENT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HATE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE SO IT IS NATURAL THAT YOU WILL ALLOW ME TO SPEAK AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

I WILL BE GIVEN THIS TIME BECAUSE IT IS TRADITION DURING THE LAST 4 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION CONTESTS TO HAVE NEGATIVE SPEECHES ABOUT THE NOMINEE AND ROLL CALL VOTES DURING THE DNC CONVENTION.

(Cross-posted at Clintonistas for Obama and DailyKos)

As a Clinton supporter, I think I had it wrong for a long time.

I heard Obama supporters talking about a new kind of politics - a kind which incorporated hope and change. For some reason, I decided this was a silly notion; I scoffed at Barack Obama's message: It was too idealistic, too vague. What did "Vote Hope" really mean? How had Obama rallied such a massive base of support around the nebulous concept of "hope"? Maybe that's part of what used to frustrate me - I simply didn't understand. Did his supporters believe his campaign would always stay positive? Every politician has to fight back against the opposition. They all get down in the mud, so didn't that make Obama just another typical politician?

It took me a very long time to formally "come to Obama," and an even longer time to understand his message of hope. I was looking at it the wrong way - I was trying to turn hope into something concrete and measurable, and I'd forgotten that some things can't be clinically analyzed or quantified. Hope isn't a static or tangible thing because it means something different to everyone. I do have hope for a new type of politics and a new kind of president in Barack Obama. I have faith in his ability to win the general election. He believes in the 50-State Strategy, and he perfected and implemented it with remarkable efficacy during the primaries. I have no doubt he'll use similar tactics in the fall as he makes the GOP fight for every stronghold. I have faith in his ability to govern and lead. He built his phenomenal campaign from the ground up and, with the help of his enthusiastic supporters, turned it into an unstoppable force.

(Proudly cross-posted at Clintonistas for Obama and Democratic PartyBuilder)

Is it just me, or is there something truly special about the Fourth of July holiday? I know, I know, it should be special to all of us because it's when we celebrate what our nation is about. I guess I'm just blessed that I'm able to see and experience this holiday in a special way.

It's fast becoming a tradition for me to march with my local Democratic Party in the world-famous Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade. And when I march with my fellow Democrats in the parade, I notice something amazing. I also noticed this afterwards, when I was working with local Barack Obama volunteers on voter registration.

You know what it is? I'll tell you after the flip...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080705/ap_o n_el_pr/obama

There has been a lot of media hoopla concerning Barack Obama's recent comments on Iraq. There are those that would like people to believe that Obama has somehow flip-flopped on the issue, and that he is no longer committed to ending the conflict and bringing our troops home safely. Nothing, in fact, could be further from the truth. In his own words Obama has now made his policy on Iraq very clear:

"I was a little puzzled by the frenzy that I set off by what I thought was a pretty innocuous statement," he said. "I am absolutely committed to ending the war."

On Thursday in North Dakota, Obama said that "I'll ... continue to refine my policy" on Iraq after an upcoming trip there. With a promise to end the war the central premise of his candidacy, the Obama campaign has struggled over the past two days to push back against Republicans and others who say his recent statement could be a softening or change in policy.

PLEASE go to Youtube and RATE the video, COMMENT on the video & mark the video as a FAVORITE. This will help promote the video and reach a larger audience.

The back story on the creation of the video is on my blog: Come a Long Way . . .

Addition:Reason to demand Clinton's name on the Roll Call, was discussed on The Denver Group's Website: "At a dinner with Clinton donors two weeks ago, Senator Obama was asked if he supported Senator Clintons name on the ballot. His answer was that he wasn't there to negotiate the convention. We think its fair to say that if Senator Obama has his way her name wont be on the ballot and he will use all his influence with the DNC to accomplish that."

Addition #2:I have 2x submitted a comment in response to "Beren on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 05:56:22 PM EST " who wrote: "Obama should be declared nominee by acclaimation."

My response was: "Actually, I heard that the DNC will do away with Roll Call votes by delegates and allow people to call a 1-800 number with the whole affair hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Now, that's true democracy (snark!)"

I don't understand why they were deleted 2x and I object to the deletion. Could the DNC, Obama, and his supporters be so afraid of a roll call vote that they can't take even this criticism???

Addition #3:Marc Ambinder reported: "A second question was edgy: would Obama accept a roll call vote at the convention? Obama responded judiciously, according to the participant, saying, "Hillary and I are going to negotiate this thing and talk about it, and obviously we're going to do what is right for the party. We're all going to make sure we agree."

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/06/after_the_press_leaves_some_ed_1.php

If a roll call vote will occur, what is there to negotiate? I am not saying that there will NOT be a roll call vote, but that The Denver Group wants to make sure that a Roll Call vote is held. I think that is something we can all support.

Addition #4: It is truly a sad day in America when a simple demand that Hillary's name be on the ballot and a roll call vote take place in Denver is met with such opposition and derision ("trolling", "dead-enders") by Democrats. If you watch the video and see the true Democratic traditions, I don't know how you can disagree with this request.

There is a story on CNN today about the recent Zimbabwe election. They quote the UK Guardian newspaper about a video that has been smuggled out of the country showing how civil servants were forced to vote for Mugabe. According to CNN "that would confirm the suspicions of election monitors that Mugabe rigged the entire runoff." A prison official was able to film his actual vote that was supervised by a Mugabe supporter, and how he was forced to vote for Mugabe. This very brave man, Shepherd Yada, then video taped himself to explain further about what happened, and he spoke very elequently of his pain of this event.

This is how we speak the truth everywhere. This is how we start to take back our world from despots. Shepherd Yada, you are my hero.

Please check out the article at the guardian.co.uk, I know I will.