The most important person in the world (is dying a horrible death)

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Friday September 24, 2010 · 7:22 AM PDT

2010/09/24 · 07:22

You only have power over people so long as you don’t take everything away from them. But when you’ve robbed a man of everything, he’s no longer in your power – he’s free again. ~Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

During the course of careers in entertainment and politics, both of which are centered around high name recognition individuals, I’ve become fascinated by the question of inherent human value, of why some people are treated like they matter more than others.

In a tabloid culture, an inordinate premium is placed on anyone rich or popular, the antics of celebrities and millionaires receiving more attention than the mortal struggles of innocent women and children.

The gap between fame and obscurity, wealth and poverty, power and powerlessness manifests itself most starkly in places like Washington, Los Angeles and New York, where jockeying for ‘importance’ and influence is a round-the-clock endeavor. Being invited to the right party, getting the right seat at the right restaurant, getting name-checked in the right publication or seen with the right person is of paramount significance. Tinted windows and bodyguards and flashing lights are a tip-off that someone "matters."

Peter Daou

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Thursday September 09, 2010 · 6:12 AM PDT

2010/09/09 · 06:12

Cross-posted here.

Illustrating the power of one individual to hijack the national discourse, Pastor Terry Jones' plan to burn the Quran has compelled Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama to weigh in:

Peter Daou

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Monday April 06, 2009 · 8:43 AM PDT

2009/04/06 · 08:43

Two recent events got me thinking about the online progressive community's achievements since 2000 and how that community is perceived in various quarters of the political and media establishment. The first is Paul Krugman's appearance on the cover of Newsweek -- Krugman is part of the online community insofar as he has been a consistent beacon for progressive bloggers and like many of his media cohorts, is now a blogger himself. The second is news that my friend and former Clinton campaign colleague Judd Legum, founder of the indispensable Think Progress, is running for office in Maryland. The nexus between Krugman and Legum is that they each played a role, albeit a different one, in the web-powered progressive movement that ultimately crushed Bushism and resulted in a stunning reversal of political fortunes: Republicans and conservatives, riding high through the Bush years, are suddenly lost in the political wilderness.

Peter Daou

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Wednesday November 12, 2008 · 7:45 PM PST

2008/11/12 · 19:45

Before I get to the story in the headline, a brief preface:

Like so many of you, I've had the incredible privilege of being part of election 2008, first as Hillary Clinton's Internet Director and then - as part of Hillary's team - doing everything possible to help elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

And like so many of you, I shed tears when Obama was declared the winner, the long nightmare of Bush's presidency at an end and a new era at hand with a president who commands respect, who understands the issues, who is disciplined and dignified, who will begin healing the deep wounds of the past eight years.

Peter Daou

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday November 04, 2008 · 9:10 AM PST

2008/11/04 · 09:10

As a Democrat who left one career behind in 2001 and made politics my new one after Bush was elected, who vowed to fight every wrong-headed policy foisted on America by the Bush administration, I feel a profound debt of gratitude to Sen. Obama and his family, his campaign, his tireless and devoted staff, and his volunteers and supporters across the country. As well to Hillary Clinton - who was true to those who respect and love her, proving the detractors wrong and crisscrossing the country on behalf of the Obama-Biden ticket - and to her supporters, volunteers and staffers who joined hands with their primary opponents and worked around the clock to arrive at this amazing day.

Peter Daou

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday October 21, 2008 · 7:40 PM PDT

2008/10/21 · 19:40

Cross-posted here

With the obvious caveat that the outcome of any election is uncertain until voters vote, it's fair to say that the triangle of media, political establishment and the online community have come together around the view that the McCain-Palin ticket has zigzagged off course, that Barack Obama has displayed tremendous discipline and steadfastness and that his election as our 44th president is at hand, an occurrence whose import will only be fully realized from the vantage point of history. It's an axiom of elections that things can change overnight, but this coalescing of opinion is devastating to McCain's prospects.

Peter Daou

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Friday September 19, 2008 · 8:02 AM PDT

2008/09/19 · 08:02

NOTE: I'm an Internet Adviser to Hillary Clinton

I wanted to share an important op-ed on an issue that Hillary has taken the lead on.

Some background: In July, in response to word of proposed rule changes at the Department of Health and Human Services, Hillary and Sen. Patty Murray sent a letter to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt saying, "It has come to our attention that the Department of Health and Human Services may be preparing draft regulations that would create new obstacles for women seeking contraceptive services. One of the most troubling aspects of the proposed rules is the overly-broad definition of "abortion." This definition would allow health-care corporations or individuals to classify many common forms of contraception – including the birth control pill, emergency contraception and IUDs – "abortions" and therefore to refuse to provide contraception to women who need it. As a consequence, these draft regulations could disrupt state laws securing women's access to birth control."

Peter Daou

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday August 06, 2008 · 3:06 PM PDT

2008/08/06 · 15:06

NOTE: I'm an Internet Adviser to Hillary Clinton

I wanted to share Hillary's op-ed in the WSJ:

"Tucked away on the Cayman Islands sits Ugland House, an unassuming, nondescript building of modest scale and size. However, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), this five-story office building is home to more than 18,000 corporate entities, nearly half of which have U.S. ties.

Peter Daou

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday July 09, 2008 · 1:52 PM PDT

2008/07/09 · 13:52

NOTE: I am an Internet Adviser to Hillary

I wanted to share a statement Hillary just put out on her FISA 'no' vote:

"One of the great challenges before us as a nation is remaining steadfast in our fight against terrorism while preserving our commitment to the rule of law and individual liberty. As a senator from New York on September 11, I understand the importance of taking any and all necessary steps to protect our nation from those who would do us harm. I believe strongly that we must modernize our surveillance laws in order to provide intelligence professionals the tools needed to fight terrorism and make our country more secure. However, any surveillance program must contain safeguards to protect the rights of Americans against abuse, and to preserve clear lines of oversight and accountability over this administration. I applaud the efforts of my colleagues who negotiated this legislation, and I respect my colleagues who reached a different conclusion on today's vote. I do so because this is a difficult issue. Nonetheless, I could not vote for the legislation in its current form.

Peter Daou

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday June 07, 2008 · 11:57 AM PDT

2008/06/07 · 11:57

I joined Hillary's team as a blog adviser in June of 2006 and I've been her Internet Director for the duration of the campaign. I’ve posted here regularly during this election and I thank you and the entire progressive blogosphere for making your voices heard and for your important role in furthering progressive goals.

I’ve always felt honored to represent Hillary online and I’m proud to have worked with an exceptional Internet team at her campaign. I’m also thrilled to see the creative and innovative use of the Internet by Senator Obama. Since my time at the Kerry-Edwards campaign, I've believed that this medium is a democratizing force that will transform politics, and in the coming months, online activists will play a pivotal part in electing Barack Obama president. I hope that all of Hillary’s online supporters, the heart and soul of her campaign, join me in working enthusiastically to achieve that historic goal. As Hillary said, this election is a turning point, and together there's nothing we can't accomplish.

Peter Daou

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday March 07, 2008 · 2:18 PM PST

2008/03/07 · 14:18

NOTE: I'm the Clinton campaign's Internet Director

I've seen a number of blog posts criticizing Hillary for drawing a contrast on national security with Sen. Obama. The claim is that by suggesting that she and Sen. McCain cross the commander-in-chief threshold and that Sen. Obama should be asked about it, Hillary is undercutting Sen. Obama's prospects in a general election were he to become the nominee.

Peter Daou

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday March 03, 2008 · 8:03 AM PST

2008/03/03 · 08:03

NOTE: I'm the Clinton campaign's Internet Director

In the closing hours before the March 4th elections, I wanted to share an amazing phone call with you. It comes on the heels of a new tracking poll showing Hillary doing better than Sen. Obama against John McCain - as well as public polls that show Hillary stronger against Sen. McCain in crucial swing states like Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

As Hillary has said, all Democrats (and all Americans) should be proud of the historic campaign Democrats have run this cycle and of our great candidates. But no matter who we support, as Dems we can all agree that winning in November and taking back the White House is our imperative. And one thing is increasingly obvious: winning means defeating John McCain - the likely Republican nominee.

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