This is a four-part diary re: (1) Robert Perry's analysis of Bill Clinton's comments about a "world tour" with Bush 41, (2) Sean Penn endorsed Kucinich, 3) Kucinich asks his Iowa supporters to make Obama their second choice, and (4) Kucinich, Biden, Dodd, and Gravel are banned from ABC's NH debate.
"Former President Bill Clinton’s comment that his wife’s ‘first thing’ as President would be to send him and former President George H.W. Bush on a worldwide fence-mending tour has a political subtext," reports investigative journalist Robert Parry. "It signals that a second Clinton administration would give a free pass to the second Bush administration on its abuses."
Perry says Clinton 42's comment about touring the world with Bush 41 could not be made if a Clinton "44" were going to go after Bush 43. So Clinton 42's comment was an indicator that a Clinton "44" has plans to work with Bush 41 and other Republicans instead of trying to hold Bush 43 accountable. If Hillary Clinton was planning to seek an investigation of criminal charges against Bush 43 she couldn't be planning to havevhis daddy as a good will ambassador.
Perry goes on to describe how Clinton 42 actually bolstered Republicans under the banner of bipartisanship and allowed Republicans to reorganize after the Reagan-Bush 41 arc collapsed. By bringing Bush 41 into the pro-NAFTA campaign and the welfare reform measure and other Clinton concessions to Republicans Clinton gave the Republicans credibility when they were at their lowest ebb in 1992. Clinton's dealings with the Republicans allowed the Gingrich Contract to gain traction.
(2) SEAN PENN ENDORSES KUCINICH
(Reprising for those who didn't see it.)
Penn endorses Kucinich, challenges 'conventional wisdom' on electability
Jason Rhyne
Published: Friday December 7, 2007
Actor Sean Penn endorsed dark horse Democratic presidential contender Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) in what was billed as a "major political address" given by the actor Friday in San Francisco.
Lambasting Democrats in Congress for their refusal to pursue the impeachment of President Bush, Vice President Cheney and other members of the current administration, Penn praised Kucinich for his "moral courage," according to an advance copy of the speech provided to RAW STORY.
Penn says his interest is the Constitution.
(3) KUCINCIH ASKS IOWANS TO MAKE BARACK OBAMA THEIR SECOND CHOICE
Here's what ties the first and second parts of this diary together.
Amy Goodman reported on DN! this morning that Dennis Kucinich has asked his Iowan supporters to make Obama their second choice in the caucus.
DES MOINES, IA - Democratic Presidential candidate and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich opened the New Year by publicly asking his Iowa supporters to vote for him in the caucuses this Thursday, and suggesting that if he did not make the 15% threshold, their second ballot should be for Senator Barack Obama. "This is obviously an 'Iowa-only' recommendation, as Sen. Obama and I are competing in the New Hampshire primary next Tuesday where I want to be the first choice of New Hampshire voters.
"I hope Iowans will caucus for me as their first choice this Thursday, because of my singular positions on the war, on health care, and trade. This is an opportunity for people to stand up for themselves. But in those caucus locations where my support doesn't reach the necessary threshold, I strongly encourage all of my supporters to make Barack Obama their second choice. Sen. Obama and I have one thing in common: Change."
I think the obvious message here is
(1) the Iowa caucus is biased with the 15% threshold so that if a candidate who doesn't get the 15% wants to have any effect he or she must ask supporters to make a second choice, so the candidate will have some effect later on.
(2) Kucinich sees Hillary Clinton as no change at all, consistent with Robert Perry's analysis above, and as such a threat to the real change that Dennis speaks for that he wants his supporters to vote for the second best change represented by Obama and Obama sppears to have the best chance to derail Clinton, and
(3) that Edwards' career in the Senate did not represent any vison of change at all and Edwards' recent conversion to populism is too new in his career to bank on.
Perhaps also it represents that Kucinich remembers the Edwards-Clintion on-mic statements about keeping Kucinich and the other candidates off the debates.
(4) KUCINICH, DODD, BIDEN, and GRAVEL KEPT OUT OF ABC NH DEBATES
Also reported is that ABC has announced that it won't allow KUCINICH, DODD, BIDEN, and GRAVEL to debate.
ABC & Fox Bar Six Presidential Candidates From NH Debate
In other campaign news, ABC and Fox have decided to bar six Democratic and Republican candidates from debates this weekend in New Hampshire. Democrats Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel won"t be allowed to participate in ABC’s Democratic debate on Saturday. Republicans Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter are being excluded from a debate hosted by Fox on Sunday.
So much for our so-called USA democracy. The media acts like the Supreme Council of Iran and makes our elections into a sham. It is a real shame that even before the first delegate is selected the Media can keep the people from hearing from the candidates fairly and equally.
Question: Why does the Democratic Party allow this?
Question: Why doesn't the Democratic Party say to ABC "if you are not going to have all the Party's candidates in the Debate then you don't get to host the debate"?
It is time that the Democratic Party start demanding fair treatment of its candidates and set up a fair debate commission to oversee the fairness of debates hosted by the different media groups.
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