Obama Family Resigns From Trinity United Church

  As I mentioned in our May 30 post that included the video of Father Michael Pfleger’s rants against Hillary Clinton, the Father’s antics in conjunction with all the controversy that surrounded Rev. Wright would make it easier, when the time came, for the Obamas to leave Trinity United Church.  I didn’t know that day would come this soon.

I agree with the Obamas’ decision.  Trinity United Church has been way out of control.  It would be nice for any church to be able to say, “The President and his family attend our Church when they’re in Chicago.”  But no, the idiots at Trinity United Church can only say, “The President use to attend our Church until we made complete asses of ourselves and he left.” Nincompoops!

Today, Saturday, May 31, Barack Obama and his family resigned his 20 year membership in the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

From what I heard, the Obamas have been contemplating leaving the Church for weeks, but Father Pfleger was the straw that broke the camel’s back so they decided earlier this week to have their letter of resignation delivered today.

Trinity United Church issued a statement saying that they love the Obamas and will continue to pray for them as they get closer and closer to the White House.  The letter also said that they think that Senator Obama’s personal convictions, morals and values would make him an excellent President.

 

Paulette

FL and MI Delegates: The New Deal

After a 3-hour break members of the Democratic National Committee’s Rule and Bylaws Committee (RBC) brokered an agreement that will seat the delegates of Florida and Michigan at the DNC convention August 25-28, 2008.  Resolutions for both Florida and Michigan passed as proposed by each state’s Democratic Party.

This tells me is that The Clintons are no longer the leaders of the Democratic Party.  This shows that The Clintons have lost the power and political collateral they once had with Democratic ‘insiders’ – the rule makers.

The RBC is made up of 13 Clinton superdelegates, 8 Obama superdelegates and 9 uncommitted superdelegates.  Many of the Clinton superdelegates united with and voted with the Obama superdelegates. (The Chair and Co-Chair don’t vote).

The RBC’s decision breaks down as follows:

Florida

·           A 15 yes, 12 no vote rejected seating ALL Florida delegates with full votes (Clinton favored)

·           A unanimous vote accepted seating all Florida delegates but with half a vote each.  A 105 Clinton/67 Obama split (Obama favored)

·           Meaning Clinton will have 52.5 delegates/Obama will have 33.5 delegates

·           Hillary Clinton gained a net of 19 votes

Michigan

·           A 19 yes, 8 no note accepted allocation of Michigan delegates split 69 Clinton/59 Obama (Obama favored)

·           Each delegate would have half a vote each

·           Meaning Clinton will have 34.5 delegates/Obama will have 29.5 delegates

·           Hillary Clinton gained a net of 5 votes

Clinton gained 24 delegates. 

Senator Clinton had hoped that the DNC’s RBC would buttress the elections in Florida and Michigan which would authenticate the popular vote for her.  If the popular votes were authenticated and added to Clinton’s national tally, based on the Clinton campaign’s math, she would then lead Senator Obama in the popular vote.  Senator Clinton hoped to convince the superdelegates to give her their votes based on her calculation of the popular vote.

Senator Clinton calculates the popular vote by including the votes of Florida and Michigan, giving herself the votes in Michigan but not giving Obama any of the Michigan votes and excluding the caucus votes in Iowa, Maine, Washington and Nevada that Obama won.  According to Camp Clinton the caucuses weren’t fair so SHE doesn’t count their votes.

Obama started the day with a 200 delegate lead.  Obama ended the day with a 175 delegate lead.  After Puerto Rico, South Dakota and Michigan Obama will need approximately 20 superdelegates to reach the 2118 delegate count needed to clinch the Democratic nomination (2118 is the new number of delegates needed after today’s decisions).

Read “Continuous Update” post for details of discussions before the 3pm break.

 

Paulette

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Puerto Rico Primary: Clinton leads by double digits…

  Puerto Rico’s Democratic primary is tomorrow, Sunday, June 1.  55 delegates will be allocated based on the results.

The decision to hold a primary instead of a caucus was made in early March 2008 in an attempt to increase participation and to encourage the candidates to campaign in Puerto Rico. With a voter turnout rate of 81.4% in Puerto Rico’s 2004 general election for governor among other island wide positions, Puerto Rico has among the highest voter participation records in the world.

Because the single most commonly reason cited for “not voting” is being “too busy”, the commonwealth holds their elections on Sundays.  When will we start this trend on the ‘main land’?

The irony here is that despite having a large turnout rate, the U.S. Electoral College system does not allow residents of territories, including Puerto Rico, a self-governing commonwealth, to vote for president.  While Puerto Rico has no Electoral College votes, Puerto Rico’s delegates are represented at the parties’ conventions and they help to select the nominee of the parties even though they can’t vote for the person they helped to select.

Senator Hillary Clinton of New York is favored to win tomorrow, owing in large part to the New York-Puerto Rico connection and affection for Bill Clinton.  A recent poll by El Vocero, a San Juan newspaper, had Clinton ahead by 51 percent to 38 percent over Obama.  But because of the way the 55 delegates are apportioned, Senator Obama could add a sizable number of delegates to those he already has even if he loses.

Obama needs just 42 more delegates to reach the 2026 needed to win the Democratic nomination.

 

Paulette

Continuous Update: SPIRITED DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee Debate

Wow, this hearing is facinating!  Great arguments and great background and inside information that I never heard before.  Both Clinton and Obama selected excellent and passionate candidates to argue their cases.  Harold Ickes (former Bill Clinton chief of staff 1994-1997) is a piece of work who doesn’t seem to want to compromise on anything — should be a long day for committee members.

Earlier this week DNC lawyers stated that Florida and Michigan must lose at least 50% of their delegates in accordance with DNC laws.

The Rules and Bylaws committe (“RBC”) has as its members, 13 Clinton superdelegates, 8 Obama superdelegates and 9 uncommitted superdelegates.

Watch at: http://www.cnn.com/video/live/live.html?stream=stream2

Or watch on CSPAN (no commercials), CNN or MSNBC.

 

09:45am

DNC Chair Howard Dean spoke.  He wants the committe members to:

• Respect the voters of Florida and Michigan – not only those who turned out to vote, but also those who did not
• Respect our two candidates and their campaigns who followed the rules this body set forward over two years ago, and
• Respect the 48 states who did not violate the rules

He also wants the RBC members to realize that, “Understandably, the compromise that you discuss here today will not make anyone completely satisfied.”

10:00am

RBC committee co-chairpersons are giving background about various conversations they had with Florida going back to August 25, 2007 as to why Florida should not hold their primaries before February 5, 2008 and the consequences that Florida would incur if Florida decided to go against the rules.

10:30 

Jon Ausman, DNC presents Florida’s case as to why they should get full voting privileges at the DNC convention August 25-28, 2008.  “When we leave the room, I want all of us wearing our blue jerseys, so we can take on the Republicans in their red jerseys in November,” Ausman said.

11:00am

Senator Bill Nelson (FL) presenting.  Unite party.  Florida delegates must count at DNC convention. Senator Clinton supporter.

11:15am

Senator Arthenia Joyner (FL) presenting.  Give Florida full vote.  Unite party.  Standing ovation.  Senator Clinton supporter.

11:45am

Congressman Robert Wexler (FL 19 District).  Approve 50% delegate allocation.  Unite democrats.  Raucous response. Senator Obama supporter.

12:30PM

RBC committee co-chairpersons are giving background about various conversations they had with Michigan going back to June 2007 as to why Michigan should not hold their primaries before February 9, 2008 and the consequences that Michigan would incur if Michigan decided to go against the rules.  Michigan held their primaries on January 15, 2008.

12:31pm

Mark Brewer DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee Member (MI).  Requesting reinstating the entire Michigan delegation. Requesting 69 delegates to Clinton/59 delegates to Obama.  Says that all available primary date (write in votes/exit polls/primary votes) shows that Clinton received 9% of votes that she SHOULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED!  Also claims that write in ballots (30,000) were not counted and but shows that MAJORITY OF WRITE-IN WERE FOR OBAMA AND THEREFORE OBAMA SHOULD GET ‘MORE’ DELEGATES!!! Uncommitted superdelegate.  

01:00PM 

Senator Carl Levin (MI) presenting.  Michigan’s democratic party created a ‘Working group of 4’ that negotiated with Clinton and Obama supporters and Michigan is united!  They support full seating and full voting rights for the entire Michigan delegation. Supports Mark Brewers 69/59 delegate allocation proposal. Michigan had a flawed primary.  DNC Rules and Bylaws committe gave waiver to New Hampshire when they broke the rules and changed their caucus date even after years of privilege.  Michigan is tired of being treated unfairly by DNC Rules committe and DNC should offer Michigan a waiver and seat all their delegates with full voting rights at the DNC convention. No state should be first and second every election (Iowa and New Hampshire).  “Michigan is unified, don’t misunify us!”. Uncommitted superdelegate. 

01:45pm

David Bonior, former House Majority Whip (D-MI).  Former John Edwards campaign manager.  Michigan delegates should be spilt 64/64. Michigan had flawed primary.  Reinstate full voting rights to Michigan delegates.  DNC should focus on party unity and common ground.  Senator Obama supporter.

 02:15pm

Presenter Jim Blanchard, former Governor of Michigan (D).  DNC should honor votes.  Votes are sacred.  Michigan is a pivotal state in November.  Michigan delegates should be spilt 73 Clinton/55 Obama.  Michigan primary was not flawed.  Obama’s strategy was flawed. Iowa and New Hampshire should not have lock on being first states with primaries/caucuses.  Donna Brazile gave him a tongue lashing and told him that changing the rules in the middle of the game is cheating.  Senator Clinton supporter.

 BREAK:  3:00pm – 6:00pm EST

 

Paulette

Obama Jokes That His Ears Are Too Big For Mt. Rushmore

  South Dakota and Montana hold their primary elections on Tuesday, the final primaries in the nation, and Senator Obama was campaigning in both states yesterday, today and on Sunday.

Obama, staff member and a group of reporters made an unscheduled visit to Mount Rushmore late last night around closing time.  When asked by a reporter if he ever envisioned himself carved into the mountain, he said, “I don’t think my ears would fit. There’s only so much rock up there.”

Obama said it was his first visit to the landmark.

He expressed curiosity about the filming of a chase scene in “North by Northwest,” Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 classic starring Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint that included a death-defying scramble over Rushmore’s presidential faces.

“How did they get up there in the first place?” he asked ranger Wesley Jensen.

“They didn’t. It was a movie set,” Jensen told him.

“Pretty spiffy, isn’t it,” said the Illinois senator, summing up his overall impressions.

 

Paulette

Men Who Don’t Want Sex Can Go To Jail

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican men who display extreme jealousy or avoid sex with their wives could be tried in court and punished under a new law, the special prosecutor for crimes against women told a local newspaper. Men who phone their wives every half hour to check up on them, constantly suspect them of infidelity or try to control the way they dress are committing the crime of jealousy, special prosecutor Alicia Elena Perez Duarte told Excelsior newspaper.

Those who stop talking to their wives, avoid sex or try to convince suspicious spouses they are “crazy” even if they are caught red-handed having an affair, are guilty of indifference, she said.

Men found guilty of jealousy or indifference could face up to five years in prison, the newspaper said. Mexico’s individual states will determine the punishments, it said.

Esther’s Maidens Launch 3 Day Prayer Marathon To ‘Save Obama’s Life’

 

Friday, May 30, 2008

While scanning the ‘net’ I saw “Esther Maidens” and something made me click on the link.  I realized that what grabbed my attention was the name Esther. Esther grabbed my attention because it was the second time I had heard Esther associated with one of the two Democratic rivals in the past 6 weeks. 

During “The Compassionate Forum” in Pennsylvania at Messiah College on April 13, a moderator asked Senator Clinton what was her favorite Bible verse.  The answer was interesting to me because Clinton did not give a Bible verse.  Instead she said she liked the story of Esther.  She said she always asked her Mother to tell her that story over and over again because she loved the story of Esther.  I found Hillary’s answer interesting because I thought she would have quoted a verse  that was uplifting or profound such as, Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”  But Hillary said the story of Esther was her favorite Bible verse.  I then thought that maybe she was pandering to her Jewish base because it was an unusual answer to the question and Esther is the story about saving the Jews from death at the hands of King Ahasuereus.

So here I am skimming the net and I see Esther coupled with Obama’s name.  I don’t see a connection, but I find it interesting just the same.  Esther and the Democratic candidates – what a combination. 

So I read the article below and found that article even more intriguing than Esther being linked to both Clinton and Obama.

“Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.”     Esther 4:16

Esther’s Maidens, an online group of prayer warriors, today announced a 3-day program of fasting and prayer to arrest what it called ‘an arrow of political assassination that may have been fired in the spiritual realm’ against the democratic frontrunner for the presidential nomination, Senator Barack Obama.

‘No one should accept Hillary Clinton’s reference to Robert Kennedy’s assassination in June 1968 at face value’ says Elisha Goodman, a spokesperson for the group.

Rather, her comment should be placed in a spiritual context. According to him, before any event of note happens in the physical world at all, a decision must first be reached in the spiritual realm. After this, many powerful, invisible forces must be assigned to execute the task. Working hand in hand with human proxies.

He continued:‘No one just gets assassinated without prior warning. Nine times out of ten, before the original decision masterminded in the spirit realm happens physically, the whole thing could ‘leak out’ in the form of dreams, visions, or even careless talk by people who may not understand the spiritual dimension of what they are saying.’