Obama Joint Session Speech: Resources for Analysis

While this wasn't truly a State of the Union, President Barack Obama's speech to a Joint Session of Congress tonight was still the political equivalent of the Super Bowl. The pressure was on, the rivalries were clear, the nation was tuned in -- and the newly-minted president delivered in spades. Below are some great pieces to help you analyze the speech's impact and import.

Quotable Quotes: Speech Transcript

Winners and Losers: Which federal programs and agencies got verbal real estate, and which didn't?

Shades of Grey: Fact Checking the Speech

He Said What? Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) and The Republican Response


Copyright 2008. The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

Impressions of the Obama Administration -- So Far

Well, it's been a month since I've last blogged... life gets in the way sometimes, you know? Nothing horrible -- in fact, some good things politically -- but that's a topic for a future blog. In the meantime, I wanted to pass along a few tidbits of information as well as my impressions of President Obama's first few weeks in office. They have been eventful, to say the least.

The Stimulus/Recovery bill: The media is calling this a great victory for the new administration. Maybe, but at what cost? Yes, we needed both a stimulus and recovery package, that would create and save jobs and pour needed funds into our frozen economy. But the Obama Administration sold a lot of progressive ideals down the river in the name of bipartisanship -- a pipe dream at best given the tenor of congressional Republicans -- and the bill was hugely weakened as a result. It's too heavy on tax cuts and not enough pure spending -- which pretty much all economists say we need to make this plan work. They even agreed to cut some of the food stamps to try to lure Republicans -- food stamps that not only feed the increasingly hungry masses but also, dollar for dollar, are the most stimulative program you can fund. On the plus side, Obama went on the road and sold the plan campaign-style -- very smart, very well done, and just want the country needed to hear. My greatest fear about Obama all along was that he'd pull a Jimmy Carter and be too nice by half in the name of bipartisanship. I am hoping that after this experience, he will begin the uncomfortable realization that it takes two to tango, and while Obama has been extending his hand in friendship the Republicans have been sharpening their knives to cut the new president off at the knees.

Ledbetter: President Obama made the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act the first bill he signed -- mostly because the Recovery Plan and S-CHIP weren't ready. But it still sent a powerful message that pay equity was an issue the new president took to heart -- he speaks about it quite eloquently, recalling his grandmother's experience. Indeed, Ledbetter campaigned for Obama -- making several well received commercials and speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. She also rode the inaugural train, and was the second woman to dance with the president -- second only to his wife -- at the inaugural balls. The Obama's treated Lilly Ledbetter wonderfully well -- and like the shero she is. But Obama could have pushed the recalcitrant Senate to also pass the Paycheck Fairness Act -- a Clinton bill the then-Senator from New York wanted to finish before she changed addresses, and that had been passed in a good bipartisan vote in the House just a week before the Senate took up Ledbetter. Granted, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is a wuss of the first order, and Ledbetter lead sponsor Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) was a huge roadblock -- she only wanted her bill, the sure thing -- but the president could have pushed more. I will do an entire blog on this issue when I have more time -- I am that disappointed in both the Senate Democrats and the president on this one. It was a change for true economic justice -- and a stimulus hit, too.

Cabinet Nominations: Well, gotta cut the guy a break here. No president gets them all through without some stumbles. It makes the leader of the free world more human, I think -- and shows early on how they will deal with such problems. Obama stepped up and owned mistakes -- good for him. So, generally a good cabinet. LOVE Hilda Solis. Her husband's minor tax issues are his alone -- they file separately, she has nothing to do with his business. Of course, the Republicans hate her because she is pro-labor. Well, tough shit. You lost the election -- what did you expect? The Senate needs to get off their ass and confirm her pronto, and the Republicans need to remember they aren't in charge any more (well, only Snowe, Collins and Specter are in charge, but I digress. Ha!). They already roughed up Attorney General Eric Holder -- they got their pound of flesh -- time to move on. As for Tom Daschle's withdraw -- I was not unhappy. I didn't think he was a great choice anyway -- all he cared about was health care and HHS is sooo much more and needs so much repair after the Bush years. I was not all that happy with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's confirmation. Granted, unlike Larry Summers he seems to think girls can do math, but his excuses about his taxes -- like Daschle's -- were disingenuous at best, flat out lies at worst. Truthfully, if Daschle has gone first he would have been confirmed, and Geithner would have gotten the brunt of things and might still be at the New York Fed. Timing, as they say, is everything. Last but not least, I was glad to see Obamanites throw Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) under the bus after his unexpected withdrawal. Gregg never should have been nominated, so this worked out for the best -- and showed Gregg for the climber he is. The bad news is, well, Gregg is still awfully smart and awfully conservative and now a hero in the Senate -- ugh -- which means we still have to deal with his smarmy ass. Give it two years and New Hampshire will send him the way of John Sununu.

White House Staff: Obama's White House Team is generally quite good and accessible. I see a lot of energy and commitment in these folks, and that's refreshing. I am especially partial to Melody Barnes, the Chief Domestic Policy Advisor. Not only is she good people, but she's smart as well and a progressive at heart. You can read more about his West Wing team, and get a layout of the offices, in this great interactive feature from the Washington Post called
Inside Obama's West Wing. The First Lady has also put together a good team, a clear indication she will be doing more than Book Festivals -- not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, her first official act as First Lady was attending the signing and speaking at the reception for the Ledbetter bill. You can see some of her staff and the president's as well in this great spread from Vanity Fair.

VP Joe Biden: I love Joe, I really do. It's only been a few weeks and he's already spouted off with some zingers that have made the boss uncomfortable. Everything from poking at the Chief Justice for screwing up the oath of office to welcoming Big Labor back to the White House to jesting about how the openness and transparency of his office will be a big change from the last VEEP. He was a busy man working is home away from home, the Senate, on the recovery package. He has also been very involved in foreign policy matters -- no surprise there, and good for all of us. Lastly, he has been named the chair of the Middle Class Task Force, a new White House entity to look at pressing issues facing the middle class -- from jobs to balancing to work and family to pay equity and retirement -- and the executive and legislative measures needed to address these issues. He's a good choice for the job.

Well, I think that's enough for now. No doubt there will be more later. :)


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Copyright 2008. The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

Joe the Plumber is ... not a Plumber -- and his Name is Sam

Samuel J. Wurzelbacher of Holland, OH is the "Joe" of "Joe the Plumber" fame. Yes, the average Joe made famous during the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday night is really a ... Sam. And this discrepancy is not the first issue that has cropped up about the country's latest media celebrity. Apparently, the pipes of Joe's story have gotten a little clogged, sprung a leak, lost a washer -- um, you get the point.

Apparently, Joe is not a licensed plumber and he owes $1200 in back taxes -- according to court records, anyway. No wonder Joe was so worried about Barack Obama's tax plan -- Joe was already in hot water with the tax man. Joe's 15 minutes of fame are about over -- thank God -- though the press was sure hot on his tail today. Wurzelbacher also figured prominently in tonight's special Thursday edition of SNL's Weekend Update and debate spoof. And he got the impressive cultural distinction of inspiring a Top Ten List -- the icing on any shooting star's cake of infamy. From David Letterman's Home Office on Thursday Night, folks, here it is:

Top Ten Messages left on Joe the Plumber's Answering Machine

10) Heard you mentioned in the debate last night, now can you get the hairball out of my drain?

9) This is Joe Sixpack calling -- what are you trying to pull?

8) Sorry, wrong number. I was looking fof Larry the Cable Guy.

7) Dude, did you get to meet Fannie Mae?

6) This is Sarah Palin. Do you consider yourself to be a Maverick plumber?

5) You had a better night than Joe the Dodgers' manager.

4) This is Bob Schieffer. Hijack my show again and I will bust your kneecaps with a tire iron.

3) You've got to get a copy of the Late Night Show's Fun Facts, it's hilarious.

2) It' Brian from The Late Show. Are you available tonight if McCain cancels?

1) It's Madonna. Are you seeing anybody?

Also from the annals of late night: while Joe Biden visited The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, John McCain finally showed up on The Late Show with David Letterman Thursday night -- after dissing him a few weeks back. When Letterman bluntly asked, "So what happened?" McCain simply answered, "I screwed up!" Boy Howdy, Maverick, did you ever. Letterman filleted you after you tossed him over for -- of all people -- Katie Couric. Big mistake. Huge.

Letterman proceeded to grill the Arizona senator about his vice presidential pick -- McCain admitted again that he didn't know Sarah Palin when he selected her, that they had simply met on a few occasions -- and the host was clearly incredulous about the Palin decision. Letterman also grilled McCain about the whole William Ayers issue -- and made McCain squirm when he was asked about a McCain fundraiser G. Gordon Liddy had at his home in 1998. The Letterman interview really was entertaining to watch -- almost as good as an Olbermann Special Comment!

By the way, after all this hubbub about good ol' Joe, McCain admitted to Letterman that the Republican candidate had not yet spoken to Wurzelbacher, and apologized for the media attention the wannabe plumber had received. Game over, folks.

Fact Checking Joe the Plumber

Copyright 2008. The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

Meet the Press Veep Debate Post-mortem with Gwen Ifil

On October 5, Gwen Ifill, Tom Brokaw, David Gregory and other luminaries of the pundit world gathered for the Sunday morning talking head chatfest known as Meet the Press. Top of the agenda: Saturday Night Live and the vice presidential debate. I will admit I had been a bit disappointed in Ifill's performance as moderator -- I've always thought of her as a serious, credible journalist -- so her kid-gloved handling of Palin was annoying and a bit of a surprise. But after hearing Ifill's perspective, I understand a little better why the debate played out the way it did -- and have more sympathy for her role. I still think Ifill could have pushed more... but this roundtable discussion on MTP is nonetheless enlightening.



Copyright 2008 (text only). The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

The Palin-Biden Debate, SNL Style, w/ Queen Latifah as Gwen Ifill

Yep, folks, you knew I would post it -- last night's Saturday Night Live skit about the Great Debate. Truthfully, I've practically been forced to post the Oct. 4th video -- it was clear from the site traffic people were dropping by The Zaftig Redhead to see if I'd given some blog real estate the latest SNL ditty -- how could I disappoint? The long and short of it is this: Tina Fey continues to amaze, and Sarah Palin continues to suffer for it. And the SNL crew got some good zingers in on moderator Gwen Ifill -- played winningly by Queen Latifah -- as well as Biden's bombastic style. If you really want to have some fun, check out this great flow chart detailing Palin's debate strategy before you watch the SNL video -- it makes it all come together. Enjoy!


"I want to be done playing this lady Nov. 5," Tina Fey said in September 2008 at teh Emmys. "So if anybody can help me be done playing this lady Nov. 5, that would be good for me."


Copyright 2008 (text only). The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

The Gibberish Decoded: Sarah Palin Debate Flow Chart

I got this little ditty from Penny Ronning's Blog via the Political Voices of Women Community site, where I sometimes cross-post my blogs. As you can see, it was too good not to pass along. Enjoy!

Palin Revealed as Little More than a Useful Prop for the McCain Campaign

The McCain campaign never bothered to tell Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) that they were conceding Michigan. She revealed Friday in a Fox News interview -- the only post-debate interview the McCain campaign allowed Palin to do -- that she read about it in the newspaper. (Wonder which paper? -- since she couldn't seem to remember any in her disastrous interview with CBS' Katie Couric.) Clearly, Palin is not even close to the inner circle of the campaign -- she's only the running mate after all.

The Maverick's campaign has no plans to have Palin visit any of the Sunday talk shows -- a rite of passage for any serious politician. Damn, I would have loved to have seen Tim Russert get a hold of this supposed junior Maverick wannabe. I bet it would be similar to his now-famous systematic dismantling of David Duke -- revealed as nothing but the racist he was during his unsuccessful run for Louisiana governor several years ago.

There are no other serious interviews planned for Palin -- at least not at the moment. For the next 30 days or so, she'll live in a cocoon. It will be scripted campaign stops only for Sarahcuda -- in short, Palin has become the favorite prop of the McCain campaign. She'll be wound up and trotted out to rile up the base -- and raise funds -- at whistle stops around the country. Palin might cut a few commercials. She'll sign autographs, wink at the crowd, give a shout out to the kiddies, and flirt with Joe Sixpack -- a full day of mugging for the cameras but no answering of any substantive questions. No wonder Americans sense she's not ready for the job.

It's insulting. Condescending. Patronizing. To the entire nation -- but most especially women. Now, let me be clear here -- I am not a Palin fan. I don't think she's qualified to be Vice President. I don't agree with her on anything -- except for perhaps the fact that the sky is, indeed, blue. But I don't think she's a complete idiot either -- she actually was at the start of a promising political career, before John McCain plucked her from that path of development and thrust her into a situation for which she is not prepared. The choice shows not only McCain's lack of judgement, but his selfishness as well. Clearly McCain is willing to expose the nation to the consequences of an ill-advised choice and Palin herself to all kinds of ridicule -- SNL is only the tip of the iceberg, as we know. Yep, McCain has thrust Palin into situations for which she is not prepared simply because she is useful to him, as a sort of Trojan Horse disguising his lackluster campaign -- and potentially setting back all women in the process. No wonder Palin is especially unpopular with likely women voters -- as revealed by a TIME poll done even before her twinkie performance at the debate.

Sure, Palin is good at memorizing and reciting talking points. She's personable -- when the folksiness isn't faked she has a certain charm. But Palin needs more seasoning. A chance to build her political chops on the national stage -- perhaps through the National Governors Association or the Republican Governors Association. And she likely would have if The Maverick had not interrupted a promising political career. Now, if the McCain-Palin ticket loses -- WHEN the McCain-Palin loses -- Sarah Palin will be nothing but a footnote, a joke, an object of derision. And she'll be headed back to lead a state that -- now that it knows her a lot better thanks to John McCain -- is a helluva lot less enamored of their governor.

There are no shortage of media opinions from the right and the left coming to this same conclusion -- that the McCain's campaign positioning of Palin ultimately hurts her and other women candidates. Some have even called for Palin to step down from the campaign. Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker wrote just last week:

"As we’ve seen and heard more from John McCain’s running mate, it is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem. Quick study or not, she doesn’t know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion...Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League..."

"Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there’s not much content there...If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself."

"Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first. Do it for your country."

In "Sarah Palin, 'Girl' Candidate: Restricted Access Feeds Gender Bias in Coverage," Linda Lowen writes:

"Whether deliberate or unintended, the soft focus of the Early Show interview [with Palin's parents] barely obscures a biased angle that has become media shorthand for the narrative of Palin's campaign -- the plucky, big-hearted, fresh-faced but naive candidate. This simplistic archetype jeopardizes not just Palin in this particular instance, but all women who run for public office who are young and attractive. The stakes do not revolve about a girl who played high school basketball and won the Miss Wasilla beauty pageant, but a woman struggling to convince voters of her qualifications and her suitability to lead the US as president should the need arise."

In the Detroit Free Press, Rochelle Riley writes:

"She should drop out of the race (no explanation would be needed) and stop making women look bad."

"Her whining about answering a question she wasn't prepared for makes it clear she's not ready for prime time. But her month-long Bumble Across America Tour, during which she has displayed an increasingly clearer level of ignorance about the world and politics, shows she's not ready to represent women. Asking pointed questions of candidates who may become the leaders who run the country not only is allowed, but necessary and prudent. But the more we learn about Palin, the more frightening she becomes. The more she learns about the job and domestic and foreign affairs, the more frightened she should become...Palin is setting the gender back by decades. The next time a woman runs for any national office, her opponents will have sound bites galore from the Palin ditz reel, the last time a woman ran."

It pains me to say it, folks, but the Palin Problem needs to be addressed. I don't want her or her party to win this election -- and maybe her staying on the ticket furthers that Democratic goal. But I also don't want Palin to crash and burn -- selfishly, for the women candidates that will come behind her. And while Palin did not crash in the debate, she did not put all the burning questions to rest, either. I am faced with this awful truth: I'm not sure what's worse -- Palin stepping down, or Palin staying on the ticket. But I do know this much: it would be a cruel, cruel joke -- after Geraldine Ferraro and Elizabeth Dole and Hillary Clinton -- to have the first woman to be a heartbeat from the presidency be someone who simply is not up to the job.

Copyright 2008. The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

Debate Advice from the Pros -- and from Some Who've Been There

There's no shortage of debate tips and advice being bandied about these days, as Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) and Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) prepare to square off tonight. In this historic election season, it's worth noting that this is not the first time a man and woman have squared off in the vice presidential debate. Remember Bush 41 vs. Geraldine Ferraro?

MSNBC did a good interview with the historic debate duo, the first time the two have ever sat down together for an interview. That's hard to believe since Bush 41 and Ferraro debated almost 25 years ago, but it's true nonetheless. And while the political tables have been turned for the Biden-Palin debate — a male Democrat is facing off against a female Republican — Bush and Ferraro agreed that public interest in the debate is higher because of the gender factor. I agree, but I believe the anticipation about tonight's event also stems largely from Palin herself. She's still inexplicably popular with the Republican base, while at the same time its been leaked that leaders of her own party are increasingly concerned about her performance. After that tete-a-tete with Katie Couric, who can blame them? Polls show the public is increasingly skeptical about Palin's qualifications as well -- though how much that skepticism will affect their votes remains to be seen.



Richard Edwards, author of Competitive Debate: The Official Guide, has also offered some interesting advice for the vice presidential candidates via The Political Wire.

Edwards' Tips for Sarah Palin

-- Concentrate less on details of the McCain campaign and more on examples and stories which show the ability to connect with ordinary Americans.
-- Less formal town hall format offers ideal opportunity to show understanding for the concerns of Main Street.
-- Don't worry about going for the knock-out blow against your opponent -- it's John McCain who must close the gap in the two remaining presidential debates.
-- Have confidence and offer substantive answers.

Edwards' Tips for Joe Biden

-- Avoid seeming condescending with body language or direct verbal attacks.
-- Make John McCain the opponent rather than Sarah Palin.
-- Be charming by offering sincere congratulations for Palin's ground-breaking nomination.
-- Stay close to the Obama campaign talking points.

So what tips do you have? I know one thing for sure -- Biden needs to avoid the whole Lazio catastrophe. Remember when former Rep. Rick Lazio (R-NY) debated Hillary Clinton in her first race for Senate. He was soundly criticized for his aggressiveness against the first lady, and while Clinton likely would have won the seat without his problematic debate performance -- well, let's just say, it proved to be the nail in his coffin. Biden also needs to avoid foot-in-mouth disease, and try to act like he's the number two on the Obama-Biden ticket -- no matter how contrary it is to his instincts.

Feel like speaking your mind about who won the debate? Sign up to Rate the Debate -- not just this one but the next two presidential debates as well. According to their web site, Rate the Debates is "a citizen-driven guide to better media coverage of the issues that matter most to Americans. Sign up to use our online tool to rate how well the media moderates the debates as they happen. We will immediately tally your response and inject our people-powered feedback into the news cycle -- before media pundits and spin doctors (mis)interpret the events for their viewers." Great idea, huh?

Copyright 2008 (original text only). The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

The Conservative Palinguage Guide, Vol. 1

I found this article on That Minority Thing, and it gives a wonderfully fresh perspective on the whole "Palin Effect," not to mention an intelligent way to reframe the crap the McCain spinmeisters are trying to sell us. Does anyone else find it ironic that the Maverick is now afraid to campaign on his own, because he can't draw the kinds of crowds his running mate inspires? Serves him right for mocking Barack Obama's "rock star" appeal. Anyway, read this thought-provoking list for yourself, and let me know what you think.


If you’re a minority and you’re selected for a job over more qualified candidates you’re a “token hire.”

If you’re a conservative and you’re selected for a job over more qualified candidates you’re a “game changer.”


If you live in an Urban area and you get a girl pregnant you’re a “baby daddy.”

If you’re the same in Alaska you’re a “teen father.” (Actually, according to your own MySpace page you’re an F’n redneck that don’t want any kids, but that’s too long a phrase for the evil liberal media to take out of context and flog morning noon and night).


Black teen pregnancies? A “crisis” in black America.

White teen pregnancies? A “blessed event.”


If you grow up in Hawaii you’re “exotic.”

Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you’re the quintessential “American story.”


Similarly, if you name you kid Barack you’re “unpatriotic.”

Name your kid Track, you’re “colorful.”


If you’re a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fulling vetting the individual you’re “reckless.”

A Republican who doesn’t fully vet is a “maverick.”


If you say that for the “first time in my adult lifetime I’m really proud of my country” it makes you “unfit” to be First Lady.

If you are a registered member of a fringe political group that advocates secession that makes you “First Dude.”


A DUI from twenty years ago is “old news.”

A speech given without proper citation from twenty years ago is “relevant information.”


And, finally, if you’re a man and you decide to run for office despite your wife’s reoccurrence of cancer you’re a “questionable spouse.”

If you’re a woman and you decide to run for office despite having five kids including a newborn with Downs Syndrome… Well, we don’t know what that is ‘cause THAT’S NOT A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK!


There are even more examples of the hypocritical spin into which this presidential campaign has suddenly devolved. Visit That Minority Thing for Vol. 2, which includes some insightful reader comments that make great food for thought.

Biden Asks Man in Wheelchair to... Stand Up!

Scenes from the Democratic Convention

Hey Folks --

Yes, I was in Denver. Pretty amazing. I was, however, in town earning a paycheck -- you know, the day job. I had hoped to blog from the Mile High City, and I did -- but for work, not for ZR, much to my disappointment. I plan to do a blog about my experiences there, hopefully, but in the meantime I thought these photos would give you a taste of the truly historic 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Enjoy!!

Celebrities were all over Denver. Actress Eva Longoria talked to the DNC's Women's Caucus about the importance of turning out the Latino vote.








Actress Fran Drescher of "The Nanny" told the Women's Caucus, "A black man is running for president and women and Latinos are the deciding vote. It's a world gone mad -- and it's about time!"









Hillary Clinton addresses her biggest fans at Tuesday's enormous EMILY's List after noon reception -- it was sold out and the hottest ticket in town that day.







Michelle Obama pays homage to the women of EMILY's List, the largest Political Action Committee in the country, period. She's new to the List, but they loved her. The fact that she kicked serious ass on Monday night at the Pepsi Center didn't hurt, either.







The party faithful at the Pepsi Center welcome Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night. They needed to be revived after the deadly dull keynote from former Gov. Mark Warner (D-VA), now a Senate candidate. Actually, it was Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-MT) who was the MVP -- he stole the show until Hillary walked out. Warner was a dumb choice from the beginning.



Hillary hits it out of the ballpark, with a speech that takes care of the business of party unity and delights the crowd waving signs with her distinctive signature. I know it was hard, girlfriend, but you did it well.







Bill Clinton rocked the house on Wednesday night. While he called himself the warm up act for VEEP nominee Joe Biden, the Man from Hope is never a sideshow. He went well over his 10 minutes and speakers had to be bumped to the next night, but who gives a crap??




Joe Biden officially accepts the Democratic vice presidential nomination. He talked about how he'd been bullied as a kid, and how his mom would send him back out to "bloody their noses so I could walk down the street the next day." The screenshot of his mom saying to her neighbor, "That's true! I did!" was priceless.





Howard Dean pays homage to the second Women's Caucus meeting on Thursday morning. As well he should, given how much the Democrats rely on women's votes to win elections. Dean talked about how pleased he was with how Wednesday night had went. "Even John Kerry did well," said Dean. Gee, Howard, still chewing on those sour grapes? Course, if Kerry had been has fiery four years ago as he was in Denver, history might have been different.




Longtime progressive women's advocate Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) brought down the house at Thursday's Women's Caucus. On Tuesday, by the way, it was Donna Brazile who was the caucus MVP -- best speech I've ever heard Donna give; she announced that she had signed the petition putting Clinton's name into nomination. Brazile said she did it for Shirley Chisholm, for Barbara Jordan, and for Stephanie Tubbs-Jones -- the Cleveland-based representative and vocal Hillary supporter who just died last week.


John Oliver of "The Daily Show" was on hand at Invesco Field on Thursday afternoon, working the crowd and gathering all the "hard" news for John Stewart. :)

Various musical guests played at Invesco Field between the political speechmaking. It really felt like one massive pep rally. Sheryl Crow, Micheal McDonald, and John Legend and Will.I.Am singing "Yes We Can."
It had been rumored that Springsteen would play that night but, alas, those rumors were false.

The feeling at Invesco Field was electric. Flags, signs, face paint, dancing and music. Despite 3-4 hours in line to make it through three rings of security, the crowd was primed for the main event.




Sen. Barack Obama officially accepts the Democratic nomination to be President of the United States, with a speech that was both accessible about his plans and more sharply critical of his opponent than in the past -- which I, for one, welcomed. No swiftboating allowed this time without an equal response, dammit.




Confetti and fireworks flew over Invesco Field at the conclusion of Obama's speech. Since it was outdoor, the obligatory balloon drop was out. It was the cap to a festive and historic night. Forty-five after MLK's famous "I have a Dream" speech, the first black candidate of a major political party accepted the nomination in front of the largest crowd to ever witness such an event.








Copyright 2008. The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

For the Women's Community, Joe Biden's a Good Choice

The wait is over. The text messages have been sent. The pundits have been proven wrong -- or right, depending on how they called it. The breaking news is in, the press conference held -- Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware is the chosen one to stand beside Barack Obama and lead this country back from the brink to which Bush & Co. have pushed us.

Lord knows we've all had plenty of time to think about what this choice would mean, what it's impact might be. This build up to this announcement has been at times both masterful and irritating. All of the folks reportedly on the short list were analyzed by the pundit world right down to their toenails. There's no need to regurgitate that -- though personally, I just have to say I am glad it's not Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), who's about as exciting as licking a wall. But I digress.

So let me look at this from a different perspective. From a key constituency where some folks are still not completely enamored with Barack Obama. Given that a Hillary Veep nomination was a nonstarter, I think for the women's community -- and Hilliary supporters specifically -- Biden is a good choice. NOW's website trumpeted the news of Biden's selection with the headline: "Obama Chooses VAWA Champion as Running Mate." The press release stresses that Biden is a good friend to women and a strong choice. While NOW doesn't necessarily speak for the entire women's community, the press seems to think they do and they are a bell weather in many respects -- so this immediate embrace of a Biden candidacy is a good omen.

Biden himself has always been proud of his work on women's issues, and violence against women in particular. "What I'm most proud of in my entire career is the Violence Against Women Act," Biden said in a quote from his web site. "It showed we can change people's lives, but the change is always one person at a time. There are many more laws and attitudes that need changing so women are treated with equal opportunities at work, in the classroom, and in our health care system."

Biden is clearly pro-choice, not afraid to vote against right-wing judicial nominees, and has also long been a vocal supporter of Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities. He's also taken a keen interest in the fight against breast cancer. These are all key issues for those Hillary supporters who might still be on the fence, or if not on the fence still not completely happy campers. The familiarity of Biden, a man women's advocates fought with in the trenches for more than a decade to get the Violence Against Women Act passed, could be just the salve any lingering wounds might need.

Biden has a 100 percent voting record with the American Association of University Women. The group has voting records on their site back to 1981, and it's hard to find a Congress where he hasn't been right on just about all the votes they scored. Not always perfect -- but typically 90 percent and often 100 percent, consistently, on the broad range of women's issues the AAUW scores. This should also reassure women who are looking for an administration that will not just take their concerns seriously, but make addressing them a priority.

"He's brought change to Washington, Washington hasn't changed him," said Obama in introducing him at the Springfield press conference today. And that's probably true. Biden's blunt, hates bullshit, and will go after John McCain and the Straight Talk Express with unmistakable relish. Yes, folks, people want to have a beer with Joe Biden. These "everyman" qualities could be a good foil for Obama's more deliberate, thoughtful, inspirational approach. And let's just be clear -- Biden's a helluva campaigner.

My one worry about the Biden choice is this: it will be viewed by many as a clear admission on the part of the Obama Camp that the junior senator from Illinois is so unprepared to lead -- especially in the area of foreign policy -- that Obama had to go find a ringer to help him out. It will be up to Obama himself to prove this wrong.

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