Total Campaign Finance Reform In New York

"Chavez, look at how they captured Saddam. He should have died fighting. If they invade Cuba, I'm going first, and you will see what you do. You're also on the list. But in any case we cannot be captured in a hole."

Fidel Castro

Eliot Spitzer is substance, he is guts. Noone in his or her right mind thinks Spitzer is not going national at some point. He has the option to turn New York state into the progressive engine for the entire country. The fights he will pick and win in New York he will carry on to the national stage.

Two are obvious: campaign finance, and gay marriage. I think he should work on campaign finance first. Gay marriage perhaps should be for his second term. And on both there will have to be gradual progress. With campaign finance, the goal is to have publicly financed elections, and total transparency on expenses by candidates. And it will likely be achieved in two to three steps. This is the issue that Spitzer can use to wrest the Senate from the Republicans. But campaign finance reform is about more than money. It is to do with broader electoral reform.

Democracy is one person, one vote. Campaign finance reform and electoral reform are about moving as close as possible to that ideal.

Before I read up on the topic, let me go ahead and start from scratch and build a model.

On the judiciary: I like Spitzer's idea of no longer electing judges. Instead having a meritocratic bureaucracy that populates the judiciary. The taxpayers pay your salary, and you deliver. Justice should be like garbage pickup: it should be just there.

A directly elected Governor. If no one candidate gets at least 50% of the votes, there is a second round. Publicly financed election. An independent candidate may spend his or her own money, but the amount may not exceed that of the the publicly financed candidate who spends the most money.

Legislature. 150 constituencies of roughly equal population for the lower house. Proportional elections for the 50 members of the upper house. You vote for a party. A party that gets 2% of the votes gets one seat. Elections for both houses on the same day, two separate ballots. Parties are state funded. How many votes you earn determines how much money you get from the state. Parties are not allowed any other source of funding.

This will provide for a healthy breakup of the two party system, and will allow for "startup" parties with new ideas to shape up. The 50% rule will also ensure the Governor has a clear mandate of the people.

If you are going to have publicly financed elections and parties, suddenly the idea of democracy and transparency inside party structures takes center stage. There is a huge need for reform there, or Bloomberg might have been the Democratic candidate for Mayor when he first ran. Again the solution is one person, one vote.

The Democratic Party is taking the lead on campaign finance reform in the state, but if it is serious about going all the way, it is going to have to work hard to also reform itself on the inside. You are looking at a scenario where the only money the party gets is from the state based on how many votes it earns. It will help to have all decision making made transparent, but that will not be enough. There are structural challenges.

This is a tough issue. But it is popular. And if played well, this is the issue that will cost the Republicans the Senate. This issue will also put Spitzer in a position to work for reform inside the Democratic Party in New York City, and he stands to score major points on that one against his inevitable opponent in 2010: Bloomberg. Let Bloomberg be the symbol for big money in elections, at the state and national levels. He cuts it both ways. You can't compete against Bloomberg unless you can raise a lot of money. On the other hand, Bloomberg's behavior of using his own money shows he himself is opposed to the idea of raising money to contest elections. So you can hit him from two sides at once.

It is good news that Bloomberg will be who Spitzer will be up against in 2010. In 2006 Spitzer did not have much in the name of an opponent. Bloomberg will not be easy to beat. And so in a sense Bloomberg will be Spitzer's first primary opponent onto the national stage. The whole country will be watching as Spitzer battles Bloomberg, and that will be good news. Spitzer will acquire a national stature that he does not quite have it right now: Arnold does, Spitzer does not yet.

Campaign finance reform will have to percolate also to the local levels. Giving the same amount of money to all candidates does not quite make sense. The process in the city and state is complex, but as long as basic principles can be agreed on, beyond that it extrapolation. One person one vote democracy, transparency, state funded parties and elections.

It goes beyond candidates, and parties. You also have to regulate interest groups. While you want to encourage people to get organized and involved, if those outside groups end up having outsize influence, the purpose of campaign finance will be compromised. Perhaps all such interest groups should also be subject to finance reform measures. Make their book keeping transparent, put limits on how much they can raise from whom, on when and how they can spend.

Then Spitzer will be in some shape to tackle gay marriage perhaps during his second term. But he does not have to wait to further civil rights issues for gays. There are a lot of incremental steps that can be taken. Those small step will warm up the electorate for the big one.

Child Adoptions: My Number One Reason To Be For Gay Marriage

Right now it is looking like Hillary-Obama-Spitzer for the national scene. We take over the White House for a generation. They got the Supreme Court.

Campaign finance reform and electoral reform in New York has major national implications. Imagine directly electing the president. Imagine adding DC to Virgina or Maryland. Imagine electing the 100 members of the US Senate through proportional elections. Ralph Nader should have been Senator. He was never cut to be president.

Gay marriage and immigration are the civil rights issues for today. 50 years from now people will look back and wonder the way we look back and wonder about segregationists today. How could they!

Fitting In Hillary, Obama, Spitzer
Obama-Spitzer Vs. Giuliani-Romney
An Obama Spitzer Ticket
Obama, Hillary, Spitzer
Two Terms As Governor
Eliot Spitzer, Governor
Eliot Spitzer For Running Mate
Eliot Spitzer, Aliza Fatima
Eliot Spitzer

On The Web

Campaign finance reform - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Other opponents of public financing claim that public financing has already corrupted the political process, with big government advocates buying voters' votes with promises of increases in entitlement programs, welfare, and pork barrel spending.
Campaign Finance Reform: The Issue The total price of the 2004 presidential and congressional elections was $4 billion (and perhaps a lot more) .... The more money that is involved in running for office, critics say, the more influence that donors – wealthy individuals, companies, labor unions, interest groups – have over elected officials and public policy.
Public Campaign -- Real Campaign Finance Reform
GS Campaign Finance Reform, a Project at the Brookings Institution Campaign finance remains one of the most important and controversial aspects of U.S. democracy
Campaign Finance Homepage
Public Citizen | Campaign Finance Reform - Campaign Finance Reform ...
Public Agenda Issue Guide: Campaign Reform
Campaign Finance Reform
LWV | Campaign Finance Reform

In The News

Senate criticized for not acting on campaign reform legislation Elmira Star-Gazette, NY The issue has been a point of contention for months, with Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the Democrat-dominated Assembly calling for sweeping reforms while the GOP-led Senate has not moved on any legislation, saying it's not a priority. ....... The reforms that Spitzer and government watchdog groups are seeking often have little or no effect on incumbency or the diversity of candidates ...... Spitzer's proposal, which would greatly reduce contribution limits, ban donations from corporations and limited-liability companies, and require more disclosure from candidates ........ campaign finance is at the top of the governor's agenda ...... The ultimate goal, they said, is to have full public financing of elections. ...... In January, Spitzer announced he would impose limits of $10,000 on individual contributions to his own campaign, far below the legal limit of $50,000. ...... the U.S. Supreme Court in 1979 ..... campaign finance laws only violate free speech if they place spending caps on candidates without providing public financing.
Senate GOP ignores Spitzer timetable on campaign reform Auburn Citizen, NY
Senate GOP ignores Spitzer timetable on campaign reform WCAX, VT
Senate GOP ignores Spitzer timetable on campaign reform Staten Island Advance, NY
GOP, groups spar over campaign finance Auburn Citizen, NY the League of Women Voters, which has pushed campaign finance reform as the key to reforming Albany ..... Bruno has questioned the need for reform and noted that Spitzer can rely on his personal wealth and power as elected incumbent governor to raise campaign funds. ..... The Senate Republicans' meeting announcement put Spitzer on notice that the conference is either planning to - or threatening to - block Spitzer's campaign finance reform. ...... Spitzer and lawmakers have held public leaders meetings in an attempt to avoid Albany's notorious late-budget negotiations in which disparate issues are settled in one big deal, then rushed to a vote in the closing hours of the session with little debate or public review.
Campaign finance reform on the agenda in Albany News 10 Now, NY
State Senate GOP, Groups Spar Over Campaign Finance 13WHAM-TV, NY
Civic groups blast Senate GOP on reform WSTM-TV, NY
Senate GOP, good-government groups spar over campaign finance WSTM-TV, NY
Senate GOP, good-government groups spar over campaign finance Staten Island Advance, NY
The Empire Zone As Legislative Session Wanes, So Does Leaders ... New York Times, United States
Republicans block needed legislation Auburn Citizen, NY
Open government, Albany style Ithaca Journal, NY power producers say that the current process is so complicated that it all but prevents construction of new plants, even as the margin between available power and demand continues to shrink. ...... Both Gov. George Pataki, first elected in 1994, and Spitzer, who took office this year, vowed to change the closed-door system. ..... Spitzer .... hammered out deals on the state's $120.9 billion budget almost exclusively in private sessions with Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, Rensselaer County, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan.

Nepal Welcomes Former US President Jimmy Carter Student Operated Press
LA Outrage Grows Over Paris Hilton ABC News Norma Lune, who arrived about 6 a.m. to make sure she could visit her son in jail, rolled her eyes at the gathering throng. "No one here is paying attention to my son," she said. ...... "This might be my big break," the 23-year-old bail bond company employee said, showing off a photo he had taken of Paris' sister, Nicky, when she visited Sunday. ..... "I'm going to start carrying this camera around everywhere. You never know when she might come out." ...... Sonenshein said he expected to see a slew of new lawsuits from inmates claiming they weren't treated as well as Hilton. ..... The Hiltons were allowed to see their daughter when the jail's visitor center was closed for lunch — a fact that rankled some less-than-famous visitors. Similar complaints were lodged Sunday, when Paris' sister, Nicky, waited a scant 15 minutes to see Paris, bypassing most of the long visitors line. ...... A few chased the Mercedes down the block. ..... "Y'all make me not want to be rich anymore," Deseree Diehl, who was watching from the sidewalk, said to no one in particular. A radio reporter turned to a cameraman and asked, "So, are you ashamed of yourself yet?" ...... As for Johnny Garcia, the amateur paparazzo, he jumped into a tree to get a clear shot of the Hiltons. He came away with a photo of the back of their heads, surrounded by cameras. "That looks like it could be them, right?" he asked, smiling.
Steven Speilberg Drops Obama for Hillary NewsMax.com "Jaws,""E.T. The Extraterrestrial,""Jurassic Park,""Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan."
Spielberg Backs Clinton Los Angeles Times after an initial interest in Barack Obama, is officially in the Hillary Clinton camp. ..... Endorsements are one of those rituals in the campaign process with a debatable impact. They don't hurt, and in some cases a celebrity's embrace may win a candidate a second look from some members of the public. But lots of politicians boasting impressive supporter lists have gone down to defeat.

Sweet column: Clinton said it means "nothing" if Obama outraises ... Chicago Sun-Times
she — or former President Clinton — has booked at least 26 fund-raising events between May 31 and June 30, the end of the second fund-raising quarter. ..... the prospect chief rival Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will beat Clinton in second quarter fund-raising .... Obama’s fund-raising team booked at least 23 events between May 22 and June 29. ..... Obama’s camp has been down-playing fund-raising expectations, giving out a lowball $20 million estimate. The haul likely will be at least $25 million between April 1 and June 30. .... Clinton is on track to raise about $20 million. ...... Longtime Clinton ally Terry McAuliffe hosts a barbecue with both Clintons July 1 — the start of the third quarter — at his home in McLean, Va.

Remnants of Famous Samarra Shiite Shrine Destroyed Washington Post
Rudy Giuliani unveils his “12 Commitments to the American People” Blogger News Network
Bush presses GOP on immigration bill Boston Globe Bush was warmly received at a luncheon meeting -- his first with Senate Republicans in five years .... For most of his presidency, with the GOP controlling both chambers of Congress, Bush barely had to ask to get his way on domestic and foreign policy bills, relying on a disciplined GOP leadership to grant his wish list of tax cuts, Iraq war funding, and an education overhaul. ...... "He needs to back off," said Senator Jeff Sessions , Republican of Alabama and a fierce opponent of the bill .... Leaders in both parties contend they have a majority willing to pass the measure, but Senate rules require 60 votes to close debate and hold a final vote on the bill.
Clinton leads in NH Portsmouth Herald News
Poll update: Clinton maintains lead in Democratic race Blogger News Network
Clinton owes poll wins to women Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Poll Shows Fred Thompson Gaining on Giuliani, Obama Catching Clinton LifeNews.com Thompson compiled a 100% pro-life voting record in Congress and has said twice in recent months that he favors overturning Roe v. Wade. ..... Giuliani with 32 percent, Thompson higher at 28 percent, McCain with 17 percent and Romney with 14 percent. ..... Romney is shown with leads or ranked in second in numerous polls in Iowa and New Hampshire .... Clinton holds a 33-22 percent lead over ... Obama ..... Though he is behind Clinton among Democrats, the poll finds he’s the strongest general election candidate as the only one in his party to beat Giuliani, McCain and Romney. Clinton runs behind each of the three marquee Republicans.
Poll: Obama, Thompson gain ground on Clinton, Giuliani The News Journal

Wife Won't Do, Got To Court Women With Policy And Outreach

If Barack Obama's sole tactic to get women is to send his wife around - "He is a gifted man, but he is just a man" - then Clinton will widen her lead. Barack Obama should be courting women like Clinton is courting ethnic minorities. She got two major recent Hispanic endorsements.

Muscular Gender Agenda

The President of the United States is the most powerful person on earth. That is like saying Bill Gates is the richest human on earth. The world has not seen a more powerful office. This is not like being Chancellor of Germany. This is not running for president of France. This is different.

Hillary's Beijing Speech

Hillary so far has been heavy on symbolism. There I see an opening. If Barack Obama were to take a lead on the Equal Pay issue, he could get some attention from women. He could also take up the global domestic violence issue, and that could help him. There is the trafficking of women. On gender issues that are largely global, he could score much on symbolism. Women voters will feel respected. He will be offering substance. Right now it is like, hi women, I am a uniter not a divider, vote for me. That is not enough. That makes you feel good, but it is still too vague.

During the first debate, Barack went after Kucinich. During the second debate he went after Edwards. But so far he has not gone after Hillary. Hillary on the other hand has gone after Barack. Right after the first debate she went to Chicago to say, "I am not voting any vote anywhere to anyone." Hillary is smart and hardworking. She does her homework. You have to give her credit for that.

Forget women, Obama is not even aggressively courting Hispanics and Blacks.

The Clintons have the advantage of having the most famous last name in American politics, and they have the most extensive personal network of anyone too. So one can see why she has an early lead.

Obama-Clinton: Ali-Frazier

In short, to court women in 2008, there is policy involved. And that is made tougher because there is this first woman president thing working for Hillary, the history thing. And hence bigger the reason for Obama to get behind some kind of a Muscular Gender Agenda.

I Told You So
Barack's Primary Opponents
Not Leading In The Polls Is Good News At This Point
Barack, The Comeback Kid
Hillary Is Pulling Ahead
I Watch Politics, World Cup Soccer, And The Olympics
If There Is Another 9/11 Style Attack
Barack, You Can Do Debates

In The News

Clinton owes lead in poll to support from women Arizona Republic Clinton led Obama by a 2 to 1 margin among female voters. Her 15-point lead in the poll is entirely attributable to that margin. Clinton drew support from 51 percent of the women surveyed, compared with 24 percent who said they supported Obama and 11 percent who said they backed former senator John Edwards ..... Clinton is drawing especially strong support from lower-income, lesser-educated women - voters her campaign strategists describe as "women with needs." Obama, by contrast, is faring better among highly educated women, who his campaign says are interested in elevating the political discourse. ...... "The excitement of Hillary's candidacy, the historic nature of it, is capturing the attention of women ..... women 18 to 44 years old are more likely to see Clinton as the most inspiring of the candidates. Clinton drew support from 61 percent of women who had at most a high school degree, compared with 18 percent for Obama. By contrast, female college graduates were more evenly split: 38 percent said they preferred Clinton, and 34 percent backed Obama ...... Clinton was considered most honest by 42 percent of women who had only a high school education, compared with 16 percent for Obama. But only 19 percent of college-educated women said Clinton is the most honest; 50 percent chose Obama...... "She ran the country for eight years, so I feel like she could do it again," said Juanita Anders, 71 ...... Clinton is pursuing multiple tracks in hopes of widening the gender gap. She recently banked endorsements from key women's political organizations, including Emily's List and the National Organization for Women. ...... Ellen Malcolm, the president of Emily's List, will serve as a national co-chairman of her campaign...... women have accounted for less than a third of individual "hard money" contributions to political candidates but make up a huge untapped source for future donations.
Clinton Courts Women of Color Vote TIME Clinton's presidential campaign has scheduled a meeting Tuesday with some 300 "women of color" ...... Both Obama and John Edwards have launched aggressive campaigns targeting women voters, using their popular wives, Michelle Obama and Elizabeth Edwards, as prominent campaign surrogates.
Women Voters Make the Difference in Clinton's Support Ms. Magazine
Clinton's Achilles Heel Yahoo! News
Poll: Obama, Thompson gain ground on Clinton, Giuliani The News Journal
Poll places Giuliani, Clinton atop parties Denver Post on the Republican side the momentum is with Fred Thompson and Democrat Barack Obama has the broadest appeal of any candidate. .... Clinton is in first place, with 33 percent, followed by Obama with 22 percent .... June 7-10 .... plus or minus 3 percentage points .... Obama is the strongest general-election candidate. He is the only Democrat who beats all three major Republican contenders: Giuliani, McCain and Romney. Clinton runs behind all three Republican contenders in head-to-head match-ups.
Menendez to Co-Chair Clinton Campaign Washington Post Menendez is one of just three Hispanics in the Senate ...... Menendez said he trusts Clinton to get the United States out of a "mismanaged and misguided" war in Iraq. ..... The Menendez endorsement follows that of another prominent Hispanic Democrat, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Both California and New Jersey are among several large states hosting primaries Feb. 5.

War, Politics, Business

Politics is war by other means, business is politics by other means.

Obama-Clinton: Ali-Frazier

I think the comparison is false but interesting. Barack and Hillary are not in a fight to finish each other out. It is a fight to as to who will be on the top of the ticket, that's all. They need each other more than they realize. If Hillary were running and Barack were not, gender would have been a much bigger issue, the same on race for Barack. The harder they campaign, the stronger the Democratic Party becomes. I guess politics - progressive politics - is not boxing.

Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd1 1975
Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier 3 rd2 1975
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd3 1975
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd4 1975
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd5 1975
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd6
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd7
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd8
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rds 9-10
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd11 1975
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd12 1975
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd13 1975
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 rd14 1975
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 3 1975 end of fight commentary













Muhammad Ali - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia In 1999, Ali was crowned "Sportsman of the Century" .... His father, Clay Sr., painted billboards and signs, and his mother, Odessa Grady Clay, was a household domestic. ..... a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer ..... 12-year-old Cassius Clay fuming over his bicycle being stolen .... A principal named Atwood argued in his favor, stating to his colleagues that the boy should be given a Certificate of Attendance, given that "...one day he'll be making more money than everyone in this room." ..... From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19-0, with 15 knockouts. ..... He defeated such boxers as ... Lamar Clark (who had won his previous 40 bouts by knockout) .... the cocky "Louisville Lip" ..... rumors that Clay had been seen around Miami and in other cities with the controversial Malcolm X ....... The Nation of Islam, at the time considered a "hate group" by most media and Americans in 1964 ..... Clay's colorful persona .... the 1975 book "The Greatest: My Own Story" by Ali (with Richard Durham). ...... "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" ....... "Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see." ...... Liston regained some ground in the fourth, as Clay was blinded by a foreign substance. It is unconfirmed whether this was something used to close Liston's cuts, or applied to Liston's gloves for a nefarious purpose ...... two other Liston fights in which a similar situation occurred ..... the Nation gave Clay the name Cassius X (one who is worthy of praise) ..... On Friday, March 6, 1964, Malcolm X took Clay on a guided tour of the United Nations building (for a second time). Malcolm X announced that Clay would be granted his "X." That same night, Elijah Muhammad recorded a statement over the phone to be played over the radio that Clay would be renamed MuhammadAli (fourth rightly guided caliph). Only a few journalists (most notably Howard Cosell) accepted it at that time. ....... His schoolteachers at Louisville Central High were alarmed that a youngster with that much potential expressed interest in the nationalist faith. ...... In 1964, Ali failed the Armed Forces qualifying test because his writing and spelling skills were sub par. ...... "War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are not supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger. We don't take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers." ....... Ali was essentially banned from fighting in the United States and forced to accept bouts abroad for most of 1966. ..... During the fight, Ali kept shouting at his opponent, "What's my name, Uncle Tom ... What's my name." ...... Ali's actions in refusing military service and aligning himself with the Nation of Islam made him a lightning rod for controversy, turning the outspoken but popular former champion into one of that era's most recognizable and controversial figures. ...... Ali claimed that white people hated black people. ........ On April 28, 1967, Ali was stripped of his title by the professional boxing commission, after refusing to be drafted into the United States Army and he would not be allowed to fight professionally for more than three years. On June 20, 1967 he was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison. Over the course of those years in exile, Ali fought to appeal his conviction. He stayed in the public spotlight and supported himself by giving speeches, primarily at rallies on college campuses that opposed the Vietnam War. ....... In 1970, Ali was allowed to fight again. On June 28, 1971 in Clay v. United States the Supreme Court reversed his conviction. ...... he was granted a license to box in Georgia because it was the only state in America without a boxing commission ....... the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali had been unjustly denied a boxing license ...... Ali and Frazier fought each other on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden. The fight, known as '"The Fight of the Century", was one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of all time and remains one of the most famous. ...... before beating Frazier (who had lost the title to George Foreman) on points in their 1974 rematch ...... Foreman ... During the bout, Ali employed an unexpected strategy. ...... Sylvester Stallone saw the match in person and the concept of Rocky Balboa — an unknown club fighter who goes 15 rounds with the heavyweight champion — was born. ...... tingling in his hands, and slurring of his speech. The exam revealed he actually had a hole in the membrane of his brain. However, Don King withheld this report, and allowed the fight to go on. ....... Ali retired permanently in 1981, with a career record of 56 wins (37 by knockout) and 5 losses, and as a three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. ...... Muhammad Ali defeated almost every top Heavyweight in his era, an era which has been called the Golden Age of Heavyweight boxing. ...... a masterful self-promoter, and his psychological tactics before, during, and after fights, were very effective ...... when Ali was asked about whether he has any regrets about boxing due to his disability, he responded that if he didn't box he would still be a painter in Louisville, Kentucky. ...... remains a beloved and active public figure. Recently he was voted into Forbes Celebrity 100 coming in at number 13 ...... 1991. .. the most recognized American in the world ...... greets runners at the start line of the Los Angeles Marathon every year. ...... the BBC Sports Personality of the Century Award in which he received more votes than the other four contenders combined. ....... His daughter Laila Ali also became a boxer in 1999, despite her father's earlier comments against female boxing in 1978: "Women are not made to be hit in the breast, and face like that... the body's not made to be punched right here [patting his chest]. Get hit in the breast... hard... and all that." ....... "You ain't pretty enough to play me". ....... he has helped to provide more than 22 million meals to feed the hungry. Ali travels, on average, more than 200 days per year ...... On June 5, 2007, he received an honorary doctorate of humanities at Princeton University's 260th graduation ceremony. ....... Ali currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his fourth wife ...... a 1998 ranking in Ring magazine named Ali as the greatest heavyweight of all time. ...... On November 19, 1986, Ali married his fourth wife, Yolanda 'Lonnie' Ali. They had known each other since the early 1960s in Louisville, having first met when Ali was 22 and Yolanda was 6. Their mothers were close friends, although Lonnie Ali has publicly denied the popular notion that Muhammad Ali was once her babysitter. They have one adopted son, Asaad.
Joe Frazier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In The News

Powell Calls for Guantanamo's Closing ToTheCenter.com
Polls Show Top Hopefuls in a Statistical Dead Heat as Barack Obama ... Black America Web one national poll showing Sen. Barack Obama in a statistical dead heat with Sen. Hillary Clinton ..... Obama’s campaign coordinated an ambitious field operation over the weekend .... the first time that Clinton hasn't comfortably led the field of Democratic candidates ...... Obama supporters canvassed communities in all 50 states for a nationwide neighborhood walk, a grassroots effort to recruit volunteers for a long and expensive campaign season. ...... the community-driven initiative is unprecedented, adding the Obama camp is the only campaign to create a grassroots effort of this magnitude. ...... Obama is politically sophisticated and adept at merging state-of-the-art technology with old-school community outreach ...... a novel approach ..... "This Walk for Change may do just that since it is far more personal than Internet meet-ups or massive rallies." ...... a way to unlock the influence of online constituents ..... tantamount "to a heavyweight fight reminiscent of Ali-Frazier." ..... for Obama, it’s also about political stamina.
Obama Seeks Powell’s Advice on Policy Issues New York Times said Sunday that it was too early in the 2008 race to say whether he would back the Republican nominee. .... Powell said he did not want to serve in elected office but was less certain about a return to some government post. .... Powell also said he believed the United States’ military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, had become “a major problem” in the way America was perceived around the world. “If it was up to me, I would close Guantánamo — not tomorrow but this afternoon”
More doors for Obama volunteers Sunday Chicago Tribune "There were a lot of undecideds still," said Jeanne Uehling, an administrative assistant from Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. "But I only had two people who wouldn't talk to me at all." ..... Uehling said she knocked on 46 doors Saturday afternoon and figured she would do about that many on Sunday

Sarkozy poised for landslide parliamentary win Washington Post the strong mandate he had sought for the wide-ranging reforms he says are needed to revive the economy. ..... Sarkozy's ruling Union for a Popular Majority (UMP) and its allies would take 360-470 seats in the 557-seat National Assembly ..... The opposition Socialists, in disarray since the party's third straight loss in presidential elections ..... his "revolution" of tax cuts, strike curbs and labor code changes designed to slash unemployment and lift growth ...... Sarkozy's popularity has surged since beating Socialist Segolene Royal for the presidency, his ratings driven by his energetic image, a flurry of meetings with world leaders and a raft of policy announcements.
Bush calls for independent Kosovo Aljazeera.net The US and EU support an independent Kosovo, which is currently administered by the UN, while Serbia, backed by its ally Russia, opposes it. ..... The US has been particularly popular in Albania since 1999, when then president Bill Clinton pushed for military intervention in Kosovo. .... The city will name a street after Bush, and Albania has put his portrait on commemorative stamps.

Powell gives Obama foreign policy advice Boston Globe
Clinton's margin over Obama eroding slightly WJBC News Clinton had 33% in the poll; Obama 21%; former Vice President Al Gore, who so far is not a candidate, 20%; and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards 12%.
Clinton Loosing Ground to Obama WREX-TV
Hillary Clinton Takes On Health Care In Michigan Campaign Speech Bayou Buzz
US senator urges military strike on Iran MSNBC
Lieberman Favors Military Strike on Iran Washington Post
Google Buys FeedBurner for $100 Million in Cash SYS-CON Media The four-year-old Chicago company and its 30 people had raised $10 million in venture capital.
Bollywood star Rai loving life as a Bachchan South Asian Women's Forum she seems unfazed by her illustrious in-laws, saying they are just "family to me." ...... "I've been on world tours before which are always a fantastic experience because that's your opportunity to really interact with your wellwishers, fans, world over in person," she said. ...... has also starred in more and more western projects. .... In 2004, she was named one of the world's top 100 artists and entertainers by Time magazine and there is even a waxwork of her at Madame Tussauds in London. ....... Rai was nominated for the best actress award at the IIFA awards Saturday night for the hit action thriller "Dhoom 2," which also stars her husband. But she lost out to Rani Mukherjee in "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna."

Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier trilogy highlights
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest of all Time
MUHAMMAD ALI CAREER HIGHLIGHT REEL!!!!
Muhammad Ali vs. Cleveland Williams 1966
Muhammad Ali vs. Brian London 1966
Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston 1965
KO Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman 1974
Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman post fight interview
"The Greatest" Muhammad Ali

Knock, Knock, Knocking On Heaven's Door

My Hood: The Brooklyn Neighborhood I Live In 20 min - Sep 22, 2006

Dinesh Tripathi 45 min - Nov 9, 2006

Long Walk To Freedom
Long Walk To Freedom: Just A Third World Guy Dazzled By The City

And so I showed up fashionably late. I did not intend to. I had set up my alarm clock for eight in the morning, and I was to show at 11 at Union Square. But I had stayed longer than usual at Justin Krebs' Drinking Liberally at Rudy's Thursday night - by the time I got back home, the sky was blue - and so my body clock got messed. A little extra sleep Friday during the day, and so you go to bed late Friday, and can't wake up early Saturday. The alarm goes off at eight, I turn it off, and then I am in half asleep mode, you know, that mode when you think, if only you will not fall into deep sleep, time will move slower.

This guy Justin Krebs, he sold me a ticket to the crown Laughing Liberally event of the year last December, and it was all good, that guy who acts like Bush was there, and so on. But I did not realize the ticket meant you automatically were subscribed to the New York TimeOut. And my two Estonian roomies are like, what's up with this guy, is he some kind of an intellectual or what, subscribing to magazines and s___? The magazine goes straight to the kitchen table.

At a few minutes past 11 I am right out the train. So I start to run after figuring which direction to run to. Union Square was only two blocks away. It is 11:10. I run from one end to the other. The Farmers' Market is in full swing. I am tempted to duck the walk and instead join the Farmers' Market. But I resist. Perhaps I am no revolutionary after all.

From one end to next, and back to the part by the Whole Foods' Store. I find three people. One a white male, another a white female, and the third a black woman. I overhear one of them say Obama. So I join in. We are all feeling left out. Looks like they already left without us.

They start talking labor unions. Some union is preparing to endorse Hillary. And the guy says, the unions also endorsed Dean, Kerry won.

Just then, two young, white guys show. They have Obama banners and placards and literature. They say Jeff is there on the other side, "by the Gandhi statue." I did not know there was a Gandhi statue.

Nobel Peace Prize 2007

Jeff Kurzon. I had emailed him the day before, him and the entire mailing list now made possible by MeetUp.com. He was the man in charge here.

He said many others had already left. He had us sign in, then he gave us material. The white guy from our original group said he instead wanted to go back to his neighborhood with the material.

So off I head on to Washington Square with two ladies. I cross the street and see a gyro, falafel, pizza place, and I beg off. "I will join you shortly. I am starving."

I can't find them anwhere in Washington Square, about 10 blocks south. I have all this Obama material in hand. And I am thinking, where do I begin? Do I say hello?

I sit on a bench and watch a music band play. There was this really, really young girl. She was with her father, but she was walking around on her own. She walked over to donate a dollar bill. And then when it was time for her to leave, she said to everyone and noone in particular, "See you later." I was impressed. It was as if she was aware everyone watched her donate the money.

Then this guy - black - approached me. "When is the election?" I said, well, the primary is on February 5. "When is the general? In November?" He knew. I think he liked it that I did not tell him the election was in November. He felt respected. He signed up.

Between the young girl, and this dude, I was feeling a little more confident now.

But at noon, the Hare Rama Hare Krishna people basically took over the park. They have me a wonderful opportunity to procrastinate, I thought. So I wallowed around. I went from booth to booth. One Hare Krishna guy - white - at the book stall noticed. "What is that? Oh, Obama. Forget Obama, follow Krishna." Obama got competition, I am thinking.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness - Wikipedia, the ...
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada - Wikipedia, the free ...

I learned the guy who founded Iskcon started out in New York City. I did not know that. He is quite a success story.

I did not buy the book. I went over to the free food part and got myself some lunch. The stall preaching vegetarianism was quite convincing. I walked around some more.

And then I am thinking, my part of Walk For Change is over. Let's go home. So I walk over to the train station.

On the train I am thinking I will treat myself to some ice and Pepsi. I still have all the material in hand. And then the idea struck. What if I worked the neighborhood. I would stuff mailboxes. And if I met people, I'd talk to them. And that was the best part of the day.

It was a Eureka moment. I felt like I had a nugget to offer. Work your own neighborhood. Just focus on the block or two. Build neighborhoods. Let Obama be an excuse to talk to your neighbors. America lacks that sense of neighborhood. That is one of the things you notice about America coming in from outside.

I thought the material was great. It asked you to go to Obama's website. Or you could just fill in your snail mail address and mail it - paid for - to the campaign. Not everybody is online. Offline is where the action is even for those who are web savvy.

So the best part for me for my Walk For Change was right in my immediate neighborhood. There was this woman sitting outside. And there was this other woman standing a few feet away from her. I figured one flyer would be good for both. But the second woman followed me, me on the sidewalk, she behind the fence. So I gave her her own flyer.

Moral of the story: Let Obama be an excuse to talk to your neighbors.

Obama Hits Streets In Grass-Roots Effort CBS News, NY
Obama hits streets in grass-roots effort Boston Globe, United States
Obama hits streets MLive.com, MI
Obama Hits Streets In Grass-roots Effort Guardian Unlimited, UK
Obama Hits Streets San Francisco Chronicle, USA
Obama Hits Streets in Grass-Roots Effort Forbes, NY
Obama Hits Streets in Grass-Roots Effort Wyoming News, WY
Obama hits streets in grass-roots effort Fort Wayne News Sentinel, IN
Obama hits streets in grass-roots effort Centre Daily Times, PA
Obama hits streets in intense focus on grass roots KGAN, IA
Obama hits streets in intense focus on grass roots WQAD, IL
Obama hits streets in grass-roots effort Meadow Free Press, ID
Obama hits streets in grass-roots effort Fort Worth Star Telegram, TX
Obama volunteers fan out around South Carolina neighborhoods WQAD, IL
Obama Campaign: Thousands of Obama supporters to take to the ... IowaPolitics.com (press Release), IA
Obama mobilizes supporters for nationwide campaign World Peace Herald, DC
Supporters of Obama hold "Walk of Change" in LA Xinhua, China The L.A. volunteers were signed up to walk the precincts in and near the downtown area, joining door-to-door canvassers in 33 cities across the nation to register voters, chat with people about the Illinois senator, and solicit grassroots campaign contributions ...... A nationwide review of last week's political polls by the political web site Real Clear Politics shows New York Sen. Hillary Clinton 9.5 points ahead of Obama. The most-recent nationwide poll, released yesterday by Fox News, has Obama trailing Clinton by 13 points. Only the USA Today/Gallup poll, taken a week ago, has Obama in front, with a one percentage point lead.
Door-to-door Obama Chicago Tribune, United States
Obama rallies (foot) soldiers MSNBC
Obama Volunteers Door-Knock In South Carolina WYFF, SC
Obama and his backers to canvas for voters on Saturday Radio Iowa, IA
Obama rallies supporters for door-to-door campaign Washington Times, DC
Obama gives pep talk to Walk for Change leaders WQAD, IL