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Posts Tagged ‘Hillary For America’

This is a public service share.  Please go to Medium to applaud/respond. >>>>

Nick Merrill

The following is by Charlie Baker, former Hillary for America Chief Administrative Officer, who asked me if I would post this:

In light of recent claims about Hillary for America’s work with the DNC during the 2016 campaign, it is important to clarify a few things and set the record straight.

First, our campaign was proud to raise money for the Democratic National Committee. The DNC was deeply in debt, and the campaign’s fundraising kept it afloat during the campaign season. In fact, as a result of the campaign’s arrangement and Hillary Clinton’s fundraising efforts, the DNC was in a better financial position following the election than it had been in decades, getting financed was pretty difficult to do, but not when you would get help from this los angeles money lender. Such agreements are common. Al Gore’s campaign had one, so did John Kerry’s. So did Donald Trump’s. Senator Sanders entered into an agreement with the DNC as well, but raised little to no money. That is not an insult, it is just a fact. As a result, Hillary for America was keeping the party afloat, which included state party funding to administer caucuses, which Secretary Clinton lost the majority of. If you have bad credit and an emergency expense affects your health or ability to work, a payday loan can appear as a saving grace, have a peek at this web-site. Used effectively, these loans can, in fact, act as viable solutions to short-term financial problems. An application typically only takes about 30 minutes to complete, while loans from online providers have an even simpler approval process on Affordable Car Title Loans from CitrusNorth.com.

Hillary Clinton was the first female nominee of a major party. She won the nomination because she earned nearly 4 million more votes than her closest opponent.

America is facing unprecedented challenges right now. Our focus needs to be on advocating for policies that help Americans, standing up against those that don’t, and electing Democrats on Tuesday, next year, and beyond.

Read more  and respond >>>>

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It began with this.

WE STAND WITH DONNA!

Donna Brazile is an amazing woman and strong Democrat who has fought tirelessly to protect our voting rights, provided a voice for the voiceless and championed issues like increasing the min wage and equal pay for women. We stand with Donna, because Donna stands and has always stood with US! Looking forward to her continued service on the DNC as she consistently puts people first!

I received it in Mark Murphy’s name.  Mark is my friend. The message was that elements were trying to push Donna Brazile out of the Democratic Party. That didn’t seem fair, so I signed.

Then came an email request from Donna to donate to the party. So I did. In support.

Today’s breaking news, starting with an excerpt in Politico and followed by stories in several major publications  including The Daily Beast, The New York Post, and Newsweek to name a few, that Donna Brazile has a book out in which she supposedly describes how Hillary Clinton “took over” the Democratic Party (CNN is using the verb “hijacked”) came as a shock.

I will not link to any of the articles. What I can tell you is that DB is trending on Twitter and a good deal of of the comments are calling her out for her lies and her self-promotion. Here are a few examples, but you should go look for yourself. Some retweeting wouldn’t hurt while you’re there.

On Facebook, all my PUMA friends suddenly came roaring through!

After Hillary accepted Secretary of State, I purged most of the PUMA posts here although I have occasionally referred to our angry coalition. I didn’t want to affect opinions of Hillary’s work.

But now the game has changed. We thought, in supporting DB these past few weeks, that we were supporting the traditional Dem Party. Now it appears that Donna has tossed her support toward Bernie, who remains an Independent, and his “revolution” that wants to drive the party far to the left.

It all smells like political treachery, self-promotion, and week-old jambalaya. We are not having it!

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I am not big on post mortems.  Living through that 2015 – 2016 campaign season was painful enough one time around. In her Candidate Confessional podcast for HuffPo, Jennifer Palmieri, communications director for Hillary for America,  revisits the difficulty she encountered trying to get the press to buy into the seriousness of the Russian meddling. There is a lesson here, especially for the press.


The most ignored story of the 2016 presidential campaign is the press corps’ unwillingness to focus on Russia’s election meddling before election night, according to one of Hillary Clinton’s former top aides.

After all, the circumstances that led to the accusations of collusion that continue to dog President Donald Trump were visible during the campaign itself. The same Trump associates who are currently being questioned for potential ties to the Kremlin had senior positions on his election team.

But to the eternal frustration of Clinton’s camp, the press never seemed interested in the Russian-meddling angle during the campaign.

In the latest episode of “Candidate Confessional,” Jennifer Palmieri, Clinton’s campaign communications director, recounts how she tried to repeatedly get reporters to write about Russia, to little effect.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton’s campaign team was frustrated the press wouldn’t focus on potential Russian meddling in the election until after Election Day.

Read more and hear podcast >>>>

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Hillary for America’s Communications Director, Jennifer Palmieri, penned this op-ed for the Washington Post.

Democrats can still fight back now. Here’s how.

March 24

Jennifer Palmieri was communications director for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

At the Democratic convention in Philadelphia last summer, Jake Sullivan and I took to our golf carts one afternoon to make the rounds of the television networks’ tents in the parking lot of the Wells Fargo Center. It is standard for presidential campaign staffers to brief networks on what to expect during that night’s session. But on this day, we were on a mission to get the press to focus on something even we found difficult to process: the prospect that Russia had not only hacked and stolen emails from the Democratic National Committee, but that it had done so to help Donald Trump and hurt Hillary Clinton.

Sullivan was Clinton’s policy adviser. He had been Vice President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, a deputy to then-Secretary Clinton at the State Department and a lead negotiator of the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran. He is a widely respected national security expert and, as he does every day, he spoke carefully, without hyperbole. All we had to go on then was what had been reported by the press. We weren’t sure if Russia was doing this to undermine Americans’ faith in our political process or if it was trying to make Trump the next president. But we wanted to raise the alarm.

We did not succeed.

Read more >>>>

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Over the 12 days prior to New Year’s Day, the tradition here has been to provide a retrospective of the past year. 2016 was a busy year. It was a campaign year.  It began with a lot of hope and celebration. That’s going to make this a painful endeavor down the line. (Please see the note at the bottom of this post.)

In January, the primary campaign, after a holiday hiatus, kicked off 2016 in Derry and Concord, NH.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets members of the Red Star Twirlers, who performed at her campaign town hall meeting, in Derry, New Hampshire January 3, 2016. REUTERS/Brian SnyderDemocratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, center, takes questions during a town hall campaign event Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Derry, N.H. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton takes a question during a town hall campaign event Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Derry, N.H. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Next it was on to IA.  Davenport.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton listens to her introduction at a campaign event in Davenport, Iowa, January 4, 2016. REUTERS/Jim YoungU.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event in Davenport, Iowa, January 4, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Young

DesMoines and Cedar Rapids

01-94-16-Z-0301-94-16-Z-09Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waits to be introduced before speaking at a town hall at NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Osage and Sioux City, and an appearance on Hardball.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton poses for a photo with Cynthia Johnson of Osage, Iowa, during a campaign stop at the Osage Public Safety Center, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, in Osage, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton reacts to supporters during a campaign stop at the Osage Public Safety Center, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, in Osage, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton talks with Paul Bodtke of Osage, Iowa during a campaign stop at the Osage Public Safety Center, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, in Osage, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves to the crowd as she arrives at a campaign event in Sioux City, Iowa, January 5, 2016. REUTERS/Jim YoungU.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton hugs a woman after her introduction at a campaign event in Sioux City, Iowa, January 5, 2016. REUTERS/Jim YoungCX_dfhKWwAAPBxM.png large

Council Bluffs

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets supporters during a campaign stop at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)01-05-16-Z-04

Next stop Nevada: Henderson and Las Vegas

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event at a senior community center in Henderson, Nevada January 6, 2016. REUTERS/Rick Wilking01-06-16-Y-04U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton talks to students making lasagna while touring the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas in North Las Vegas, Nevada January 6, 2016. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

The Nevada State Democratic Dinner

Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton wave flashing lights at a Democratic fundraising dinner featuring all three candidates in Las Vegas, Nevada January 6, 2016. Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders were also expected to attend. REUTERS/Rick WilkingDemocratic presidential candidates pose on stage before a fundraiser in Las Vegas, Nevada January 6, 2016. Left to right are Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and Bernie Sanders. REUTERS/Rick Wilking TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYDemocratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures as she walks on stage at a Democratic fundraising dinner featuring all three candidates in Las Vegas, Nevada January 6, 2016. REUTERS/Rick Wilking TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYDemocratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stands on stage at the Battle Born Battleground First in the West Caucus Dinner, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., holds up the hand of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on stage at the Battle Born Battleground First in the West Caucus Dinner, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, in Las Vegas. Democratic presidential candidate, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is at right. (AP Photo/John Locher)Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, left, and Martin O'Malley, second from left, stand on stage with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., during the Battle Born Battleground First in the West Caucus Dinner, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Hillary launched an outreach to Asian American and Pacific Islanders.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, left, is welcomed by Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., before addressing Asian American and Pacific Islander supporters in San Gabriel, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)Democratic presidential hopeful former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses Asian American and Pacific Islander supporters in San Gabriel, Calif., on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. Clinton traveled to Southern California to rally voters of Asian American and Pacific Islander descent, looking to tap into the nation's fastest growing racial minority. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, middle, is welcomed by Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., at podium, before addressing Asian American and Pacific Islander supporters in San Gabriel, Calif., on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Back to IA.  Davenport

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton shares a laugh with Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx during a rally, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Waterloo, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx listens at left, as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign rally, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Waterloo, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton smiles as she listens to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx speak at a campaign rally Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Waterloo, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)01-11-16-Z-02

The Brown and Black Forum in Des Moines

DES MOINES, IA - JANUARY 11: Journalist Jorge Ramos and democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton (R) pictured onstage during the FUSION presents the Brown & Black Democratic Forum at Drake University on January 11, 2016 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images for Fusion)01-11-16-Z-0101-11-16-Z-05

Ames, IA
A photograph of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sits in front of an attendee as Clinton speaks during a campaign event at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Jim Clyburn’s Fish Fry

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton hugs Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), left. before she speak to a crowd at the Jim Clyburn Fish Fry, on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, at the Charleston Visitor Center in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)Supporters wave signs and shout while they wait for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton to arrive at the Jim Clyburn Fish Fry, on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, at the Charleston Visitor Center in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

Democratic Debate in Charleston

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Martin Luther King Day in Columbia, SC

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Burlington, IA

Supporters listen to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speak at a campaign event in Burlington, Iowa, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the Pzazz! Resort Hotel in Burlington, Iowa, January 20, 2016. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

At the Iowa City campus of the University of Iowa with Demi Lovato

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, right, and musician Demi Lovato acknowledge the cheering crowd at a rally on the campus of University of Iowa Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event in Iowa City, Iowa, United States, January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Young

In Indianola and Vinton IA

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses supporters during a rally Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, in Vinton, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a rally on the campus of Simpson College Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, in Indianola, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

In Rochester, NH with Jeanne Shaheen

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Clinton, IA

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In Davenport a “Hard Hats for Hillary” event followed by the Scott County Dems “Red, White, and Blue Banquet.”

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gets a hug from Amari Ogleton, 8, of Milwaukee, Wis., after speaking at the Hard Hats for Hillary event at the Danceland Ballroom in Davenport, Iowa, January 23, 2016. REUTERS/Scott MorganAmari Ogleton, 8, of Milwaukee, Wis., listens as Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during the Hard Hats for Hillary event at the Danceland Ballroom in Davenport, Iowa, January 23, 2016. REUTERS/Scott Morgan01-23-16-Z-13Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton poses for a photograph with members of a color guard after speaking at the Scott County Democrats Red, White and Blue Banquet in Davenport, Iowa, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)01-23-16-Z-0301-23-16-Z-07

Hillary Clinton joined Cory Booker for brunch in Cedar Rapids

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, left, chats with Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., at Riley's Cafe in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Des Moines, Knoxville, Oskaloosa

01-25-16-Y-0901-25-16-Z-07Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event in Oskaloosa, Iowa January 25, 2016. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Democratic Presidential Town Hall at Drake University

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Final Get Out the Caucus rallies. Decorah

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Marshalltown

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Cedar Falls

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Family Fun Center in Adel

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton poses with two supporters and their babies during a campaign stop at the Adel Family Fun Center bowling alley in Adel, Iowa January 27, 2016. REUTERS/Jim BourgU.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign stop at the Family Fun Center in Adel, Iowa January 27, 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder01-27-16-Y-18

Every Child Matters Event in Newton

Grinnell College students Sarah McCarthy (L), Mollie Jo Blahunka (C) and Hannah Lundberg pose for a videographer while waiting for U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the Berg Middle School in Newton, Iowa January 28, 2016. REUTERS/Brian SnyderA girl poses for a photograph next to U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a meeting with the group Every Child Matters at the Berg Middle School in Newton, Iowa January 28, 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

GOTC in Des Moines

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Dubuque and Davenport

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African American festival in Des Moines

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is joined onstage by her daughter Chelsea (L) during an off-schedule stop at the "I'll Make Me a World in Iowa Celebration Day" in Des Moines, Iowa January 30, 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY01-30-16-Z-05

“Get Out the Caucus” rally at Iowa State University in Ames

Chelsea Clinton speaks as her mother U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stands with Gabby Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly (R) during a "Get Out to Caucus" rally at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa January 30, 2016. The New York Times's editorial board endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John Kasich as they seek to become their parties' nominees in the U.S. presidential election, calling Clinton one of the most "deeply qualified presidential candidates in modern history." REUTERS/Brian SnyderU.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks to the crowd at a "Get Out to Caucus" rally at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa January 30, 2016. The New York Times's editorial board endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John Kasich as they seek to become their parties' nominees in the U.S. presidential election, calling Clinton one of the most "deeply qualified presidential candidates in modern history." REUTERS/Brian Snyder01-30-16-Y-63

Carroll

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton thanks her daughter Chelsea (L) for introducing her at a campaign event in Carroll, Iowa January 30, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Bourg

All the Clintons in Cedar Rapids

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, right, accompanied by former President Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea Clinton, arrives to speak at a rally at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (L) embraces husband former U.S. President Bill Clinton after being introduced onto the stage during a campaign rally at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa January 30, 2016. REUTERS/Adrees LatifFormer U.S. President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea introduce U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a "Get Out to Caucus" rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa January 30, 2016. REUTERS/Brian SnyderU.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a "Get Out to Caucus" rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa January 30, 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Council Bluffs

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, accompanied by her daughter Chelsea Clinton, arrives for a rally at Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)Magnolia Mandelko, 5, holds a campaign card as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, left, speaks at a rally at Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)Magnolia Mandelko, 5, excitedly holds a campaign card and a drawing as she waits for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, accompanied by her daughter Chelsea Clinton, to arrive at a rally at Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)01-31-16-Z-0701-31-16-Z-0101-31-16-Z-1401-31-16-Z-11

Last pre-caucus rally in Des Moines

Former President Bill Clinton, accompanied by his daughter Chelsea Clinton, arrive for a Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton rally at Abraham Lincoln High School in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets supporters as she arrives at a rally at Abraham Lincoln High School in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks as her husband former President Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea accompany her at a campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa January 31, 2015. REUTER/Brian SnyderU.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton goes to embrace husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, as daughter Chelsea Clinton looks on during a campaign rally at Abraham Lincoln High School in Des Moines, Iowa January 31, 2016. REUTERS/Adrees LatifU.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton embraces former U.S. President Bill Clinton as daughter Chelsea Clinton looks on during a campaign rally at Abraham Lincoln High School in Des Moines, Iowa January 31, 2016. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

On TV in January

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (2nd L) waves with (L-R) comedian Amy Schumer, 5-year-old presidential expert Macey Hensley, television host Ellen Degeneres, and singer Pink during a taping of "The Ellen Degeneres Show" in New York September 8, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
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January Endorsements: NARAL, Planned Parenthood, Seafarers Union, Anthony Foxx, Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly, Sybrina Fulton, The Brady Campaign, UFCW (food workers), IATSE (stage managers), U.S. Black Chambers, The Human Rights Campaign,  National Treasury Employees Union, Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, Lilly Ledbetter, The New York Times.

And then we were off to the races.

Here is the archive for January, 2016 >>>>


NOTE: It was after a lot of deliberation that I decided to embark on this project this year. There was so much that was wrong. Even now, pundits deny the degree to which misogyny, sexism, and plain old Clinton Derangement Syndrome (on an international scale) influenced this election, but a review shines a light on the truth. Some of the evolving mythology around the election result is better refuted by pictures rather than a thousand words. So, yes, I decided to do it anyway even though, frankly, it is labor intensive, emotionally draining, and feels like picking at a scab.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Campaign chair, John Podesta, released this statement in support of the letter from electors requesting facts on Russian interference in the presidential election.

re-electors-letter


The open letter to James Clapper was penned by Christine Pelosi.

Christine Pelosi

Bipartisan Electors Ask James Clapper: Release Facts on Outside Interference in U.S. Election

Open Letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper:

We are Electors who were selected by the voters of our states to represent them in the Electoral College on December 19, 2016. We intend to discharge our duties as Electors by ensuring that we select a candidate for president who, as our Founding Fathers envisioned, would be “endowed with the requisite qualifications.” As Electors, we also believe that deliberation is at the heart of democracy itself, not an empty or formalistic task. We do not understand our sole function to be to convene in mid-December, several weeks after Election Day, and summarily cast our votes. To the contrary, the Constitution envisions the Electoral College as a deliberative body that plays a critical role in our system of government — ensuring that the American people elect a president who is constitutionally qualified and fit to serve. Accordingly, to fulfill our role as Electors, we seek an informed and unrestrained opportunity to fulfill our constitutional role leading up to December 19th — that is, the ability to investigate, discuss, and deliberate with our colleagues about whom to vote for in the Electoral College.

We further emphasize Alexander Hamilton’s assertion in Federalist Paper #68 that a core purpose of the Electoral College was to prevent a “desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils.” The United States intelligence community has now concluded with “high confidence” that a foreign power, namely Russia, acted covertly to interfere in the presidential campaign with the intent of promoting Donald Trump’s candidacy. During the campaign Russia actively attempted to influence the election outcome through cyber attacks on our political institutions and a comprehensive propaganda campaign coordinated through Wikileaks and other outlets.

Allegations that Donald Trump was receiving assistance from a hostile foreign power to win the election began months before Election Day. When presented with information that the Russian government was interfering in the election through the course of the campaign, both in private briefings and public assessment, Donald Trump rejected it, refused to condemn it, and continued to accept their help. Donald Trump even made a direct plea to the Russian government to interfere further in the election in a press conference on July 27, saying, “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.”

According to reports in the Washington Post, New York Times, and other outlets, the United States intelligence community has now concluded definitively that the Russian interference was performed to help Donald Trump get elected, yet even today Mr. Trump is refusing to accept that finding. In response to the reports, the Trump transition office instead released a statement which called into question the validity of United States intelligence findings, and declared the election over despite the Electoral College not yet casting its votes. Trump’s willingness to disregard conclusions made by the intelligence community and his continuing defense of Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin demand close scrutiny and deliberation from the Electoral College.

Separate from Mr. Trump’s own denials of Russian involvement in the election, the confirmed communication between Trump’s aides and those associated with the Russian election interference activity raise serious concerns that must be addressed before we cast our votes. Trump-confidant Roger Stone confirmed during the campaign that he was engaged in back-channel communications with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, responsible for releasing much of the Russian-hacked Democratic communications, and indicated that he was aware of the hacked content prior to its release. Trump foreign policy advisor Carter Page reportedly visited Moscow in July of this year, just prior to the release of hacked DNC communications, during which it was believed he met with the Putin aide in charge of Russian intelligence on the U.S. election. Page returned to Moscow this week where he claimed to be meeting with Russian business and thought leaders.

In addition to Donald Trump and his aides’ conduct, revelations about their further involvement with the Russian government over the course of the campaign demand further investigation, as well as full disclosure of findings from any ongoing or closed investigative efforts:

  • Russian government officials revealed that they had maintained contact with the Trump campaign during the election, and stated that they were familiar with most of the individuals associated with Mr. Trump.
  • Media inquiries into whether the FBI was investigating Donald Trump’s July plea for Russian interference in the election resulted in a “Glomar response” neither confirming nor denying the existence of an investigation, rather than the more typical response of denying the request outright.
  • U.S. intelligence officials reportedly probed Trump foreign policy advisor Carter Page in regard to travel to his Moscow during the campaign.
  • The FBI reportedly began an inquiry into Trump associates following reports of a multi-million dollar business relationship with pro-Putin figures in Ukraine and Russia, and reports of an effort to sway American public opinion in favor of Ukraine’s pro-Putin government.
  • Michael Flynn, Trump campaign aide and the announced incoming National Security Advisor, traveled to Russia in December of 2015 for a gala event celebrating RT, a state-controlled propaganda network, at which he was seated next to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Electors require to know from the intelligence community whether there are ongoing investigations into ties between Donald Trump, his campaign or associates, and Russian government interference in the election, the scope of those investigations, how far those investigations may have reached, and who was involved in those investigations. We further require a briefing on all investigative findings, as these matters directly impact the core factors in our deliberations of whether Mr. Trump is fit to serve as President of the United States.

Additionally, the Electors will separately require from Donald Trump conclusive evidence that he and his staff and advisors did not accept Russian interference, or otherwise collaborate during the campaign, and conclusive disavowal and repudiation of such collaboration and interference going forward.

We hope that the information and actions described in this letter will be provided in an expeditious manner, so that we can fulfill our constitutional duty as Electors.

Signed,

Christine Pelosi (CA)

Micheal Baca (CO)

Anita Bonds (DC)

Courtney Watson (MD)

Dudley Dudley (NH)

Bev Hollingworth (NH)

Terie Norelli (NH)

Carol Shea-Porter (NH)

Clay Pell (RI)

Chris Suprun (TX)

Presidential electors interested in adding their names to this letter should contact ElectoralCollege16@gmail.com.


Joint bipartisan statement from senators calling for an investigation.

senators


Nancy Pelosi has also issued the call for a bipartisan investigation.

nancy_pelosi


More on this here.

Bipartisan Anger Grows Over Russian Interference Into U.S. Election

Want to encourage your state electors and elected officials to sign on?  Here are some contact links.

Contact Your Elected Officials

Contact the Electors

 

 

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Calling Team Hillary Clinton!  Recount oversight assistance is needed in Michigan and Wisconsin.

If you are in Michigan, can travel, and have some time you can free up, please go here to sign up to help.

If you are in Wisconsin, can travel, and have some time you can free up, please go here to sign up to help.

Thank you from all of us!

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Listening and Responding To Calls for an Audit and Recount

Over the last few days, officials in the Clinton campaign have received hundreds of messages, emails, and calls urging us to do something, anything, to investigate claims that the election results were hacked and altered in a way to disadvantage Secretary Clinton. The concerns have arisen, in particular, with respect to Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania — three states that together proved decisive in this presidential election and where the combined margin of victory for Donald Trump was merely 107,000 votes.

It should go without saying that we take these concerns extremely seriously. We certainly understand the heartbreak felt by so many who worked so hard to elect Hillary Clinton, and it is a fundamental principle of our democracy to ensure that every vote is properly counted.

Moreover, this election cycle was unique in the degree of foreign interference witnessed throughout the campaign: the U.S. government concluded that Russian state actors were behind the hacks of the Democratic National Committee and the personal email accounts of Hillary for America campaign officials, and just yesterday, the Washington Post reported that the Russian government was behind much of the “fake news” propaganda that circulated online in the closing weeks of the election.

For all these reasons, we have quietly taken a number of steps in the last two weeks to rule in or out any possibility of outside interference in the vote tally in these critical battleground states.

First, since the day after the election we have had lawyers and data scientists and analysts combing over the results to spot anomalies that would suggest a hacked result. These have included analysts both from within the campaign and outside, with backgrounds in politics, technology and academia.

Second, we have had numerous meetings and calls with various outside experts to hear their concerns and to discuss and review their data and findings. As a part of this, we have also shared out data and findings with them. Most of those discussions have remained private, while at least one has unfortunately been the subject of leaks.

Third, we have attempted to systematically catalogue and investigate every theory that has been presented to us within our ability to do so.

Fourth, we have examined the laws and practices as they pertain to recounts, contests and audits.

Fifth, and most importantly, we have monitored and staffed the post-election canvasses — where voting machine tapes are compared to poll-books, provisional ballots are resolved, and all of the math is double checked from election night. During that process, we have seen Secretary Clinton’s vote total grow, so that, today, her national popular vote lead now exceeds more than 2 million votes.

In the coming days, we will continue to perform our due diligence and actively follow all further activities that are to occur prior to the certification of any election results. For instance, Wisconsin conduct post-election audits using a sampling of precincts. Michigan and many other states still do not. This is unfortunate; it is our strong belief that, in addition to an election canvass, every state should do this basic audit to ensure accuracy and public confidence in the election.

Beyond the post-election audit, Green Party candidate Jill Stein announced Friday that she will exercise her right as a candidate to pursue a recount in the state of Wisconsin. She has indicated plans to also seek recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves, but now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides. If Jill Stein follows through as she has promised and pursues recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan, we will take the same approach in those states as well. We do so fully aware that the number of votes separating Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the closest of these states — Michigan — well exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a recount. But regardless of the potential to change the outcome in any of the states, we feel it is important, on principle, to ensure our campaign is legally represented in any court proceedings and represented on the ground in order to monitor the recount process itself.

The campaign is grateful to all those who have expended time and effort to investigate various claims of abnormalities and irregularities. While that effort has not, in our view, resulted in evidence of manipulation of results, now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported.

For your information, here is a handy spreadsheet showing the popular vote.

You can follow the Electoral College on Twitter.  Lots of useful information there.

Statements-Fact-sheets

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Nothing is harder than loss. In life, you confront it. You go through the stages of grief. There comes a point where everyone expects you to be over it. But what does that mean? There is no schedule for grief.

Perhaps the difference between the very young and the very old has to do with that schedule that does not exist. Young persons, most of them blessedly, have not experienced extreme loss. Elders have like a snowball rolling down a hill.

Loss engenders grief like night follows day. The truth about grief is not its individualism. It is not that your grief schedule differs from another’s. It is that it relies on your own personal familiarity with it. The more familiar you become with grief, the better you handle it. It’s a little like juggling flaming objects. Your hands get burned, but as you get better at it, the scars protect you from the burns while you become more adept at juggling. So if you are older, yes, you’re still burnt (but you still can take the turkey out of the oven). If you are younger, you need someone to wrap your hands in aloe-coated gauze. That is how it is.

So here we are.  You are young and passionate and did the groundwork (which we older folks so appreciate), and your poor, sweet hearts are shattered into more pieces than that glass ceiling might have been. We could tell you that there will be more losses.  That is true. It doesn’t help. You will get used to it, but that doesn’t help right now, either.

Everyone experiences grief, so this is just an observation. The people whose “grief schedules” improve in life are the ones who put that grief together and use it as a weapon against everything that their loss represents.

Those who have lost loved ones to cancer, Alzheimer’s, ALS, drunk driving, HIV-AIDS, domestic violence, etc. Speaking of drunk driving, if you’re facing this case, go to mycaliforniadefenseattorney.com for Orange County Dui Lawyer. have crafted movements around their loses. This is a positive and useful way to deal with loss. It is admirable, heroic, and productive.

If you are young, you are going to face many more losses in your life. If you are older, you have experienced your share – well not quite all of your share, but you know what I am saying.

Grief is a dark, muddy place. It’s hard to see clearly. One thing we know is that using grief as a weapon somehow helps us master it.

We lost. We did not lose the popular vote. We lost the electoral vote, and that is hard. It hurts a lot. The harder we worked the more it hurts.

Let’s use our grief to make a difference. Here is a list of ways to stay involved and places to find hearts as shattered as your own.  Fair warning. Your heart will not get better, but it will get stronger.

Signing a petition might make you feel better for the moment, but, trust me, the Electoral College is not going to reverse anything. Here are some things you can latch onto and make the changes we need.

We are stronger together. That is true.

Organizations to Support

Ways to Stay Engaged

Literature to Share

stillwithyou

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One evening this past summer, someone gave the neighbor kids some gifts from BFTK and some chalk, and they decorated the top of my retaining wall, my whole sidewalk, and the mouth of my driveway with pastel flowers and pretty pictures. It was delightful and washed away with the next rain, but it was sweet.

Kids did something similar in front of Hillary’s Brooklyn HQ.  Very sweet.

PARENTS

Kids Write Messages Of Love Outside Hillary Clinton’s Headquarters

“This is the America I fight for. It’s the America I love.”

11/11/2016 12:54 am ET

As supporters of Hillary Clinton, still reeling from her failed presidential bid, walked past the Democrat’s former Brooklyn, New York, headquarters Thursday night, they came across a heartwarming and heartbreaking scene.

Kids sitting on the sidewalk were writing messages of love and thanks to the Democratic nominee.

On the concrete, a rainbow of chalky words spelled “Thank you!” and “Hillary is loved” and “Keep up the good work!”

11-11-16-tw-01Read more and see more pics here >>>>

 

Do you have a message for Hillary?  GO HERE and ADD YOUR THANKS IN THE COMMENT THREAD! >>>>

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