The dream is gone (for me). What attracted me to Barack Obama when he first ran for Senate in Illinois and later as Presidential candidate, was a "seeming" authenticity. Over the course of the Primary campaign, the singular thing that stood through was a person who was transparent, willing to discuss his flaws as badges of learning and transcendence.   A person of integrity that through positions on the war, the rule of law, the environment he communicated something different.  Something that had not been seen in political circles in a long long time (if ever).  Could this be the key to "transforming" our society?  Many many of us believed it so.

Obama's getting hammered from the left and from the right. There's really not much he can do about getting slammed from the right; however he positions himself, they'll find a way.

The HuffPo article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/... talks about how "moving to the center" won't help prevent attacks from the right. But, the central point of the article is that Obama is at risk of losing his authenticity with his recent stances.

I do not want Obama to take particular stands on particular issues so much as I want him to maintain his highly enthusiastic support.  Maybe it's just a summer lull and Obama's building strength for the convention and fall after a hard-fought primary campaign, but it seems that some loss of enthusiasm comes from an authenticity problem.

Am I required to pledge allegiance to the red black and green flag at all times?  Is there a secret black frequency I must tune into when I see other black people in mixed settings?  Like Barack Obama, I seem to be getting this African American thing wrong lately, as if a few pages of our "Keeping It Real" handbooks are stuck together.

S. and I sat in a restaurant a week or so ago with some friends of ours, ex-neighbors we’ve known for over ten years, catching up on who was doing what in our old subdivision, when a black woman approached our table.

The friends of ours were white, two northern transplants from Pennsylvania and New Jersey whose sensibilities had clicked with our small town Southern and Midwestern selves long ago.  The female interloper was black, like S. and I.  

As a member of Hillary Clinton's Council of Civic Leaders and the author of three novels, I have for many months resisted the urge to read either of Senator Obama’s books, particularly the first, "Dreams from My Father," the memoir written before he became a political candidate. Why?  Fifteen years ago, on the eve of publication of my second novel, an editor of mine at Dutton, responding to my momentary expression of self doubt, kindly reassured me that I was a "real writer."  I think I worried I would find in Senator Obama someone to whom the "real writer" in me could actually relate, someone who understands what it takes to search one’s own soul honestly, carefully, and accurately, and put that search on the page.  

A senior Hillary advisor assured me this morning, in response to my plea that the Senator withdraw, that they were "winding down" and that Mrs. Clinton would whole heartedly support Obama.  And I have discovered on the eve of this historic day in finally reading the book that Barack Obama is not only a "real writer," but someone who by breadth and depth and force of his personality and background, and by brilliance, honesty, clear thinking, and sheer talent, has rendered my past support of Senator Clinton, an admirable person in many respects, irrelevant.

Authenticity is a rather subjective concept.  Attempts to define it usually wind up running around in circles:

This eye-opening but muddled volume tells companies to remain true to self or, at least, to appear genuine, arguing that in a world increasingly filled with deliberately and sensationally staged experiences... consumers choose to buy or not buy based on how real they perceive an offering to be. Everything that forms a company's identity—from its name and practices to its product details—affects consumers' perceptions of its authenticity. Juggling philosophical concepts, in-depth case studies and ad slogans, Gilmore and Pine (The Experience Economy) run into trouble with a chapter called Fake, Fake, It's All Fake, which eviscerates the entire idea of authenticity: Despite claims of 'real' and 'authentic' in product packaging, nothing from businesses is really authentic. Everything is artificial, manmade, fake. The argument is unexpected and perhaps brilliant—yet rather confusing, since most of Authenticity argues that businesses should strive to not only appear authentic but to be so.

While listening to Rush the past couple of days, he seems to be starting to hone his argument against Barack Obama.  His angle is that Barack is going to start running into an "authenticity" dilemma.  The charge?

Barack is lifting lines from the Malcolm X played by Denzel Washington and written by Spike Lee, among others:

Here's what I was going to tell you.  Debbie Schlussel has posted on her website today -- we've linked to it at RushLimbaugh.com -- there is a YouTube video that somebody, really crafty, put together, and it is sort of scary, striking, but once again this hits at the lack of authenticity of Obama.  There are lines that Obama is using that are almost verbatim from Spike Lee's movie Malcolm X.  I mean, there are countless other -- yes.  I kid you not.

Debbie's piece is named "Obamboozled: Did B Hussein O Steal
Speeches From Racist Spike Lee Movies?"

I'm lovin' that version of his name... so faux-subliminal.  

(Video within...)

My Search for an Authentic Progressive

There has been much discussion on these pages regarding which candidate is the real McCoy, the candidate who can be trusted to return our country back to its citizens. Those of us who care about the poor, about civil rights, about the human condition of our fellow Americans, and about the denizens of the world, want a president who feels as we do, who can be counted on to tend to our needs, to the human need.

I ran across this recent craigslist posting entitled "From an Angry Soldier". It's from a woman soldier (a Marine) whose husband (also a Marine) was recently killed in action after having his tour extended.

It's tragic to read, but a critical reminder of why we're fighting here at home to stop the insanity and BRING THE TROOPS HOME!

The letter and a link to the original craigslist post are after the jump.

Also available at
My Left Wing
Texas Kaos

David Van Os has officially served notice to ExxonMobil and BIG OIL in Dallas, Texas with his new billboard.

 

Donations from the bloggosphere made this happen and we are very grateful to everyone.  There is a picture of the billboard in the extended version but first, please hit recommend so everyone can see what they helped achieve

"Ads like that are clearly below the belt hits and few would argue that the Democrats should sink that low. But Democrats and their ad makers ought to accept the reality that tugging at peoples hearts, not just their heads, produces results."

The Van Os family has returned alive and well from their Southeast Texas Whistle Stop Tour.  However, David's new magnetic door sign was christened when one of the Van Os girls suffered a moment of carsickness.  

Rachel Van Os said these Whistle Stop trips offer all kinds of teachable moments for the girls as they learn about their state's history and geography, our government, how people live in different parts of the state and our environment.  They were especially concerned and saddened to see so many huge pine trees being cut-down and hauled-off.  

(Important voter rights information at end of diary)

Today in Austin David Van Os filed a suite to protect Texan's votes!

 "Democracy belongs to all the voters."

Press Release below

When I left Fort Worth at 6:30pm dragging with exhaustion, we have at least 750 signatures on the IMPEACHment Resolution and some of the clipboards were still out.  That is a little more than half way to the number of signatures for the resolution to go to the floor for debate.  

Hot Dog!  
<

You can't crash the gate if you don't know where the damn thing is!  The gate is NOT where you think it is!  It's NOT on Capital Hill.  

We need real change and that can't and won't happen from the top down.

"...Dems need a plan...Dems need a spine...keep your powder dry...filibuster...don't filibuster...get some balls...wait until after 06...pie..."

In Texas, we know what needs to happen.  We should know because Deep in the bowels of Texas is where it all began.

Its what put George W. Bush close enough in the vote count to be selected over Al Gore in 2000 and elected over John Kerry in 2004.

Its why scientists, experts, and generally smart and informed people are treated with open suspicion.

Its what sends manifestly dishonest and incompetent extremists, ideologues, and wingnuts back to the House and Senate year after year.

What is it? Diebold machines? Voter suppression? The PATRIOT Act? A vast right-wing conspiracy?

(Tear open the box for the secret toy surprise...)

 

Our credibility grows daily.  This morning, on Eye on Washington on WUSA9, the local CBS affiliate in the Washington, DC area, hosted each Sunday by Derek McGinty, the discussion turned to the interesting prospect of Rupert Murdoch's fundraising for Hillary Clinton.  The political implications of this were debated during which David Corn, Editor of The Nation mentioned that:  "Daily Kos has already strongly rated her as a centrist and does not give  her their support."  (perhaps not a word for word quote, but close)  What I like was that:
1.  He didn't have to explain to the panel what Daily Kos is...they all knew
2.  He used Daily Kos as THE legitimate spokesblog for the left
3.  He used Daily Kos to make an important political point.

Before I start I want to say that this diary will contain speculation and opinion, some of the comments may as well.  If you want to point it out, fine.  But it would be appreciated if you wouldn't flame the whole thread.

I know this is controversial and some think it isn't important whether the tapes are real or not anymore.  I respectfully  disagree.