I’m glad we have people like you putting in so much work for worthy candidates. Six months ago I felt sorry that three quality people – Edwards, Obama, and Hillary – were running at the same time. Only Hillary had the record of experience I thought I especially wanted, though. Now I wish Obama would address the problem that bothers me because of my life experience. Today Hillary was very encouraging and certainly showed a willingness to trust him. I know his agenda is almost identical to hers and I like the idea of having an African American family in the White House.

During the past twenty years I have been putting in far more volunteer time than I can afford helping mainly African American children as well as some Latinos and children from other countries. I heard the kinds of remarks Rev. Wright made from children and adults I worked with long before I heard him. Most people don’t realize what a paranoid , destructive, and far-reaching effect Farrakhan and Wright have had on some of the neediest African Americans who believe that white people have tails (Farrakhan) and that their own government invented Aids to kill off black people. Just think how you would feel if you really believed you lived in such a country. I had to quit helping one African American woman who thought I was giving her lies to read when I gave her a story about Alexander Graham Bell. She had been told he stole credit for inventions from a black man. I heard one of Obama’s people say for the first time today that Obama had denounced Farrakhan before he ever started running for President. That was a relief. We need to hear more of his understanding along this line.

You got to know, I’ve shed a lot of tears in recent months being involved with Hillary’s campaign. I’ve felt the pain of the sexism, as a 51 year single mom and small business owner who has whether my own share of it. I’ve been heartbroken to know that people truly weren’t listening to the many good things she proposed to do for our country, because the media focused on tearing on her down (again similar to what the did to Kerry).

I leave my tears behind when I post here, try to be positive and up beat and keep people focused on what’s important. It’s not always easy.

Thank you. The Swift Boating was character assasination also, of the one of the most vile kinds – questioning a veteran’s record. And he was treated with utter contempt by Republicans and even some of our own.

Honestly as saddened as I am by ‘04 (still) and by Hillary not winning the nomination, in a way I feel blessed (as I think Hillary does), to have supported two of our greatest Democratic leaders in their bid for the presidency and to have met them both. Hillary I only met once, Kerry many, many times during and after the ‘04 election.

I trust that Hillary won’t let us down in her support of Obama and her promise to fight for equality women – for everyone, and all the issues important to us, like healthcare and the economy.

Obama has a lot to offer our country. He truly does. I was very torn about supporting anyone after Kerry decided not to run again, and it took a lot for me not to follow his lead and support Obama, but I felt very strongly about the way the media was treating Hillary, because it was all too familiar.

Keep writing comments Theresa, and keep being involved. This election is so important. So important. We can not afford to let our hurt feelings get in the way. We have to move forward as Hillary said today.

I owe you an apology. The last thing I want to do is be unfair or insensitive to someone who has worked so hard on two campaigns where the candidates were treated unfairly. I have never been really involved in any campaign and do not know any candidates personally. You come across as sounding so upbeat, like Hillary, I guess I just didn’t realize what these campaigns have felt like to you. All I have done is write comments to various parts of the news media under different names. It was important to me to always be fair and constructive, though.

As an outside observer who wanted Kerry to win, I was irritated by the superficial, ridiculously petty criticisms of him that I heard. I’d have been irritated even if I had not wanted him to win. The media was far too quick to jump on the false accusations, but at least the ones I heard were apologetic once it was too late to help him win. The reason I thought the two were not comparable was that what I have read and heard about Hillary was regular contempt and character assassination which seemed more serious than what I heard or read about Kerry.

I appreciate all your dedication on both campaigns.

Truth is, as saddened as I am, it doesn’t come close to what I felt in November ‘04. Uncomparable really. I’ll leave it at that.

I understand. I really do. But to those who would not vote or vote for McCain instead, I suggest they speak to the folks who voted for Nader to “rebel against the system” and speak thier voice. Principle cost Gore the election. And the enviroment and the entire country paid the price

I guess in the end, the only question is would we be better off with McCain or a Democrat?

If that logic doesnt work how about this: If the goal is to have Hillary be effective, leave her mark and work towards her goals, would we be better off with McCain in office or a democrat? Maybe the way to get past the difficulty in voting for the other democrat is to look at it as means to an ends.

Either way Pamela, you are very much appreciated.
Thanks and take care,
Steve

What is unprecedented is the level of sexism by the media – but again, I would stress Kerry was treated as badly by the media.

Regardless, I’m not arguing these points here.

And — if you don’t want to be part of the unity, I suggest you go elsewhere, because The Dem Daily is joining Hillary Clinton in supporting Barack Obama.

The real headline is ” DNC and media outlets knee cap first serious female presidental candidte vying for the democratic nominmtion, through election rigging and misogynistic news coverage.”

I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR OBAMA!!!! CLINTON 2012!!!!!!!

But our revulsion is well founded and by no means comparable to Kerry’s loss of the election when his campaign made the mistake of not immediately answering the swiftboat accusations and putting the record straight.

I’m not empathizing — I understand what everyone is feeling – believe me. And I am not going to go down the road of comparing campaigns – that was not my intent in what I said. I worked for Kerry’s campaign for 16 months, Theresa, from early in the primary season through the general election. Just as people supporting Hillary felt a strong connection to her, so too did Kerry supporters feel a similar connection.

And fact is Kerry was brutalized by the media, as HRC has been. That Theresa is what drew me to support her, because the media treated her as badly as Kerry was treated. Maybe you think Kerry could have done better in his response to the Swift Boat liars, but that doesn’t minimize the pain that his supporters and staff felt after the election. Not at all.

So yes, Theresa, Hillary’s primary loss is “by no means comparable to Kerry’s loss” of the general election for folks like me who were with him through both the primaries and the general election.

Frankly, Theresa, I think having your military record trashed and sexist treatment are both deporable and both wrong-minded. I’ve been through 2 campaigns in which two candidates got a raw deal. I know what I am talking about and I haven’t a missed the point on either.

Hillary showed, as usual, her dedication to fight for the needs of the people of America even when she must wholeheartedly endorse someone whose campaign and desire has always been to ignore the importance and accomplishments of the Clinton administrations. When the news media showed people dissatisfied, they deliberately picked out someone who was extremely irate and mentioned Obama’s race to make all of us who do not feel like supporting him seem like racists. The false pictures they keep painting are beyond infuriating.

We will not instigate healing by sweeping false accusations and twisted reporting about Hillary and lack of appreciation for the Clinton administrations under the rug or by ignoring the injustices of the Democratic voting system. Problems need to be recognized and addressed.