Where Have All The Democrats Gone?

WHERE HAVE ALL THE DEMOCRATS GONE?

By: Amy Siskind

On the morning of June 4, 2008, I cried two tears.

One for the realization that the candidate of my lifetime, Hillary Rodham Clinton, would soon suspend her campaign. One for seeing the Democratic Party, so much a part of who I am, lose its way.

When I was a little girl growing up in a suburb of Boston, my mother taught me the meaning of being a Democrat. She taught me the core values of our party – equality and helping those less fortunate. My mother sat me down and told me stories about growing up in the Depression and how FDR created jobs for those that needed help. How these jobs gave people pride and hope. She told me stories of Eleanor Roosevelt and how Eleanor relentlessly fought for equality, and how she gave a voice to those that did not have one. She told me stories of the Kennedy’s and how they gave their lives to fight for the values of the Democratic Party. Such brave men and women. Such pride to be a Democrat.

As I became an adult, I proudly declared myself a Democrat and worked to embrace the values of the party. Even when it was unpopular to be a Democrat, I stood by my party. Even when I was one of the few on the trading floors of Wall Street to vote Democrat, I held my head high remembering the brave men and women who had fought so hard to shape our country. Knowing with an inner confidence and sense of pride that the Democratic Party would stand by its core values of equality and helping those less fortunate. Knowing that from decade to decade and from election to election, that the issues may change, but that with these core values, our party would always get to where we needed to be. But now I must ask, Where Have All the Democrats Gone?

My fellow Democrats, as this primary season started, something was terribly wrong. I have watched this race unfold with a mixture of shock, disgrace and disgust.

* I have watched as the DNC Leadership stood idly while our first female candidate was repeatedly the target of overt sexism in the media. Where Have All the Democrats Gone?

* I have watched as the DNC Leadership stood idly by when Reverend Phlager took a very personal and demeaning swipe at Hillary Clinton. Where Have All the Democrats Gone?

* I have watched as the DNC Leadership actively and repeatedly tried to force out a candidate who ultimately received over 18 million votes from those who WANTED to have THEIR voices heard. Where Have All the Democrats Gone?

* I have watched as the DNC Leadership stood idly by as Bill Clinton, the most popular modern day Democratic President, was ripped to shreds and called a “racist.” Where Have All the Democrats Gone?

* I have watched as the DNC Leadership, so quick to be critical of the Supreme Court for their 2000 decisions on Florida, would then sit idly by while Florida and Michigan voters were alienated. Where Have All the Democrats Gone?

Well the sad fact is, I cannot stand to watch this anymore!

I have a view that is most unfortunate -- and that view is that perhaps BOTH parties have lost their way. The Republican Party realizes this fact and is actively moving to understand how they must change their platform and focus and fix their party. The Democratic Party, the party formerly of the brave and courageous, the party that formerly stood for equality and helping those less fortunate, has instead become the party of hubris and elitism. Where, oh where, have all the Democrats gone?

Enduring the Hypocrisy

It’s too late to be pacified by the appearance of a flag pin or speeches about forsaking one’s past; the Democratic party has their presidential nominee. In the aftermath of the events over the last several months, it has occurred to me that the inequities and discrimination experienced by Senator Clinton must be addressed. The reality we are faced with is obvious, Senator Clinton’s concession is indeed two steps backward to her former strident forward momentum towards women winning key leadership roles.

The question is, “Who is responsible?” The immediate answer is Howard Dean and the DNC. Why should they be charged with sexism and misogyny? If the purpose of the primary season is to discern the best candidate to lead a party to victory in November, then one wonders whether the competing candidates have been given fair support by their party. Senator Clinton has not received the fair support of her party. During the primary season, not once was she openly defended by the DNC or supported against the sexist comments by the liberal media. The silence of the DNC allowed them to minimize her authority and her position as the frontrunner. Did the DNC refuse their support of her in response to conservative attacks on her? Or did the DNC desire to serve a greater good in the illusion of an Obama presidency in the interest of promoting diversity? The popularity of Senator Obama who was championed by the both the youth vote and monetary support, blinded the DNC to what was happening to Senator Clinton who was being unfairly maligned by the media.

The DNC, however, was short-sighted. While Senator Clinton forged ahead on the campaign trail winning support from constituents who truly reflect the plurality of this country, the DNC threw their support behind Senator Obama without vetting his business, political and religious associates all in the interest of racial equality. This lack of scrutiny deprived Senator Clinton of the recognition she deserved and ignored her supporters. The working class, the elderly, Hispanics and the unique voice of women were denied their desire to see a strong, intelligent, fair-minded and compassionate leader bring her skills to the highest office of this country.

What are women left with today? Today’s woman voter may be left feeling disillusioned, frustrated or angered. Yet, the presumption that she will fall in lock step with the Democratic Party after having fought the good fight with Senator Clinton is not a foregone conclusion. Women have numerous options to ponder between now and the November election.

As women voters seek to have their voices heard, it our sincere hope that you will make your voice heard by both parties regardless of affiliation so that the strides Senator Clinton achieved will not be undermined. Let us work together to discover which path will promote women’s issues, which are the issues of all Americans.

The History Books Will Record Hillary Clinton Nearly Broke the Glass Ceiling

In her concession speech today, Senator Hillary Clinton referred to the 18 million people who supported her candidacy for president. She spoke of almost cracking the glass ceiling preventing a woman from reaching the goal of becoming a nominee for president. To paraphrase the statement she said those 18 million votes put cracks in that ceiling and made it easier for the next woman who tries to achieve what she failed to do in the year 2008.
The speech seemed to have three parts:

• A Campaign Review She recounted the campaign and the special moments with thanks to her supporters, family and all staff. She followed that with the actual concession part. It is understood that she will suspend the campaign keeping her  delegates close at hand. With the power of the votes and delegates she will continue on with pushing the changes that she has so valiantly sought. If a hint  of her mood was given it was more in her dress than her delivery. Wearing black with just a hint of blue, she effectively did what she had to do. 

• Push unity and exhort her followers to move ahead to Obama without hanging out at a pity party. So much like Hillary, always with that urgency of need propelling her forward, she recalled how in her 40 years of political service and public life only three times has a Democrat been elected in that timeframe of history.  Two of those times by gosh, were by "someone in the room" as she looked at her husband.  We have work to do. The Democrats must move forward. 

• She made a statement for history on the fact that she had been the first woman to  reach such a level. With daughter, Chelsea, and mother, Dorothy there with her, she said she did it for all women and no one ever again need fear doing it.  It is something a woman will achieve.
  

Am I ready to get onboard? The phone rang ironically today on the day of this speech.  Would I like to contribute $100.00 to the Obama campaign a voice asks?  I think not. A meeting of the "Party Fixits" held just a week ago  is fresh in the memory. The public voice of the female candidate with  the"powerful enduring intellect" as noted by the NY Times, will be missed.  

That gas tax suspension proposed not long ago by the candidate is looking so good about now.

You were a tough one Annie Oakley!!!!!!
Norma Schmansky

Our Big Tent

We find ourselves at an interesting moment. Hillary is NOT at the moment our nominee. She may or may not be on the ticket, and for many of you (and us) that doesn't matter. It is incredibly dismaying, disgusting, galling, unbelievable that EVEN IN VICTORY the Obamaites continue to ferociously attack her. Unfortunately, we can expect those attacks to continue unabated until the time arrives that Obama has chosen his running mate. The Obamaites DO NOT want Hillary on the ticket and they will continue to do the vile things that have brought us all together. What they don't understand is that these cruel vicious attacks only firm up our resolve to never vote for him. EVER!!!!

We have had over 500,000 people visit womenforfairpolitics.com. Here's who we are:

1) 75% have said that no matter what they are voting for McCain and many state they they are leaving or have already left the Democratic party

2) 10% will write in Hillary's name

3) 10% will vote for the ticket if Hillary is the VP nominee

4) 5% will not vote at all

PLEASE KNOW that despite our diversity of views on how we will express our dismay over the way Hillary was treated, we all want the same thing--------to make sure that NO ONE ever has to go through what Hillary has been put through EVER AGAIN. Most of us feel that the Democrats need to be taught a lesson for their silence on the subject of sexism and the peril they will find themselves in for ignoring their most loyal base of voters. The good news is that there are so many of us. WE ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. We are in a unique position to carry out an important message.

I for one, believe strongly that when it comes to sexism, we will continue to be treated savagely the way Hillary was treated if we don't speak up now and always. For whatever you think about Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton,
they have helped our society to define the parameters of what is and is not acceptable behavior and speech when it comes to racism. We need to do that for sexism. I honestly believe that many sexist acts are done innocently out of ignorance. We cannot assume that people realize how offensive they are being unless we bring it to their attention-----over and over again.

Please help us develop the most effective strategy for using our strength to make a difference.Come to the womenforfairpolitics.com website and make your voice heard. The shame of the election of 2008 must never be repeated. Welcome to our big tent!!!!

Cynthia Ruccia

A Tip of the Hat to Senator Obama and the Superdelegates

A tip of the hat to Senator Obama. He did indeed go over the top in delegates Tuesday night. For those of us who do not wear hats bow down too before all the super delegates who had to urgently Tuesday join the DNC in their support. After suspending Florida and Michigan for three months, last week they exercised an unprecedented action and among other things threw some of her earned delegates his way. As one who has read some of historian writer, Theodore White's books on presidential campaigns, he would surely have written of this if alive. White too was among the first to notice the real impact of the media in elections beginning in 1972. We never thought that we could lose because we thought we had the authentic candidate. The real gold standard of a candidate especially valid for the Democratic party. A candidate who followed her heart and espoused all the things we once stood for. Founder, Andrew Jackson, envisioned a political home where ordinary people would be the backbone of the party while maintaining the lesser elite representation. We were wrong.

The mind-sets of the super delegates ran differently. While we assumed that winning most of the big battleground states with the working middleclass votes going for her, would certainly carry her candidacy we were so wrong. Yesterday we saw a super delegate, from Ohio, come out for Obama. Ohio was won handily by Senator Clinton. What is missing here? A local Columbus newspaper just last week did a story on why it will be hard for Senator Obama to win Ohio as Senator Clinton was ahead in the polls over McCain. Then with an overwhelming victory among the people of West Virginia, a state surely needed for Democrats to win in November, a state of Jackson type democrats, we have Senator Robert Byrd endorsing Senator Obama. Go figure. How are his coalition of urban voters and young university intellectuals going to carry this party?

We mistakenly thought that her having the most popular votes and 318 of a projected electoral vote number would at least buy time for the super delegates to look at every angle in deciding who would win. No time though she should concede now. How can she be so ungracious to the newly crowned? She had triumphed in most of the primaries since March. Obviously the train had long ago, maybe months ago, left the station and she wasn't on it. We think in retrospect, there was no way she ever would be . We examine every angle and painfully have to admit that it doesn't help to be a woman candidate for president in the year 2008. Ironically on the very day when Clinton supporters have all but quit the party in disgust or at least are thinking about it,a call comes from the state party asking for support to push a strong ticket. That will take so much thought. Perhaps years of thought. If the comments we have received to this site are any indication it probably ain't going to happen. Now you can put your hat away. We are truly blue in another way and it isn't going away. NSchmans

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