Gender Talk: Coming At It From The Future

Sexism Bothers Me Directly

If you think about it, it is kind of weird that Hillary had to make the baking cookies comment in 1992. It makes no sense that women had to struggle to have careers. Careers make economy sense for the larger economy. Careers make money sense for the family. Careers make happiness sense for the individual.

Women do 60% of the work on the farm in a country like Nepal, but they have been deprived of power. Poverty complicates an already supremely sexist situation.

Often time we settle for incrementalism. We look at the weigh of the past as to how things were much worse than they are today. That time travel is supposed to justify the sorry state we are in today. Women still are nowhere close to parity.

The equal pay might feel like it is a nuanced issue. But domestic violence is concrete, and the two are related.

Only a few decades back most women were expected to stay home and "bake cookies" and rear children - all wonderful things to do - while men out there and made asses of themselves at their jobs.

But most college graduates today are women. There will come a tipping point. It will be like when a lake freezes. It is 35 degrees and men are still chugging down their beers. 34, fine. And then, boom, it is 33, and the lake freezes.

Scientific progressivism says you work to go up the political consciousness level. If you go high enough, you don't see gender as an issue for women, let them deal with it. You see it as a progressive issue. You are into it as a progressive, regardless of gender. You are not in it to do women a favor or anything like that. Ultimately you are just trying to get their votes. The act of voting is sacred to a progressive.

You come at it from the future. You model behavior. What will a nonsexist workplace look like? What will a nonsexist relationship look like? How do you curb gender violence like Giuliani went after crime in NYC? How do you end the global trafficking of women? Now that one will be in the same league as Lincoln ending slavery.

Overall I am optimistic that progress will be made. I am just a little impatient that progress will not come as fast as desired. So you try and do things to speed things up.

I must admit there is a certain selfishness to my take on gender. I feel like the rising tide will lift all boats. Women are just so large in number. There is no telling how much social progress they can make together. Gays, and ethnic and racial minorities can expect to ride the rising tide. Women are best positioned to lead of all the political - as opposed to numerical - minorities.

Barackface: The Spectrum On Gender
Barackface: Race, Gender, Progressive, Conservative Divides
Barackface: The Spectrum/Dialogue Concept Is Key To Power



In The News

Obama, Clinton deadlocked in US Senate, 13-13 Reuters
Hillary Clinton edges lead over Barack Obama ahead of Pennsylvania ... Telegraph.co.uk a lead of five to ten points in the state ..... "The bottom line for me is that we have a lot of contests yet to go. This is a really close race." .... close the 20-point lead she held a month ago, thanks in part to an onslaught of advertisements paid for by his vastly superior funds. ...... Obama has now raised $234 million, mostly from small online donations ..... Nine more contests are scheduled before the campaign concludes on June 3.

Cash Struggle Continues for Clinton, Filings Show New York Times

Carter Says Hamas and Syria Are Open to Peace New York Times found the Syrian leadership eager for a full peace treaty with Israel. ..... “The problem is not that I met with Hamas in Syria. The problem is that Israel and the United States refuse to meet these people.” ..... Carter said he found the Hamas leadership, including Mr. Meshal, to be clear-thinking, educated people who gave no sign of fanaticism ........ “They are just as rational as you are,” he said, adding, “The thing that Meshal and I have is that we are both physicists.”
Widespread Political Violence Reported in Zimbabwe's Rural Areas Voice of America
Beyond Pa., a Weakened Clinton Washington Post Her campaign has the aura of a march toward inevitable disappointment.
UPDATE 1-Obama struggles to win white vote in rural Pa. Reuters hurt by his comments on small town bitterness and his association with an outspoken pastor ....... Local people called the Illinois senator arrogant, unpatriotic and un-Christian ..... "There's no work here," he said. "You have to drive 30 to 40 miles to find a job." ..... comments about small-town Pennsylvanians, made during a closed-door session in San Francisco. .... "The guy demonized the U.S. and Obama still likes him." Bressler said. "We don't need him as president."
Clinton, Obama Hit Each Other Hard In New PA Ads CBS News
Clinton lead hits double digits in new poll Boston Globe A new poll out this morning gives Hillary Clinton a 52 percent to 42 percent lead over Barack Obama in Pennsylvania .... Clinton is within striking distance of the double-digit win she badly needs to build new momentum for her candidacy

Young Pennsylvania voters take a shine to Obama Reuters
Prachanda to head new government in Nepal Hindu
New Pa. poll has Clinton holding lead MSNBC
Clinton scrambles to hold onto waning lead in Pennsylvania Los Angeles Times

Obama fights for every vote to close on Clinton Guardian the critical Pennsylvania primary could end in humiliation for Hillary ..... Barack Obama was closing fast on Hillary Clinton for the vital Pennsylvania primary on Tuesday, as he emerged from the ugliest week in their 15-month race intact - and, using a memorable gesture borrowed from hip-hop, literally 'brushing off' her last-ditch attacks. ....... she is slipping rapidly in most polls ...... some predicting a photo-finish and one a long-shot Obama victory. ..... goal is to shrink Clinton's margin of victory to the point where it looks humiliating, even terminal. ...... Obama's crowd of 35,000 on Independence Mall in Philadelphia on Friday is not quite up with the Pope's expected congregation of 60,000 in New York's Yankee Stadium today, but gave him the look of being both populist and presidential. ....... he still won the endorsement of six more super-delegates and rock idol Bruce Springsteen. ....... Gary Hart, a former Democratic presidential candidate, who has endorsed Obama ...... he recovered on Friday in North Carolina by using hip-hop moves taken from rap mogul Jay-Z ....... Then he mimed brushing dirt off each shoulder, a move that Jay-Z, one of his musical heroes, uses to dismiss the negative sentiments of anyone ill-disposed towards him or what he stands for. The crowd went wild and commentators declared it a seminal moment in the campaign, combining his charisma, feel for popular culture, youth and resilience.
For Clintons, a Time to Find Truest Friends New York Times “She is a delightful young woman who loves her mother very much,” Mrs. Larson said. “She was really pushing me. She kept asking me why I was doing this. She just kept asking, ‘Why? Why?’ ” ..... nearly two decades building relationships with a generation of Democrats ..... a lot of Clinton fatigue in the party and in the country today ...... “These are people that the Clintons gave an opportunity to serve,” said Mr. Panetta, speaking generally. “They helped give them the titles they now have, and made them a lot of money. I think the Clintons probably feel they are owed something.” ....... Reich, who had said he would not formally endorse Mr. Obama out of “loyalty” to Mrs. Clinton, a friend for over four decades whom he actually went out on a date with in their college days. ..... while Mr. Clinton was a great leader, “I don’t want my daughter near him.” ...... “if Hillary’s campaign can’t control Bill, whether Hillary’s White House could.” ..... people around the Clintons practiced “gutter” politics and that they felt entitled to the presidency ....... “The relationship has become very strained,” Mr. Richardson understated in an interview. ....... former supporters like Mrs. Larson, people who revered the Clintons in the 1990s and still regard them highly ...... “There was something about Senator Obama that I found really fresh and exciting,” she said. “I like how positive he has been.” She also spoke of “the destructive negativity” of the Clinton campaign. ...... “I just told her it was something I had to do.”
Clinton Cabinet Member Reich Backs Obama Yahoo! News
Clinton hoping to capitalize on slim lead in Pennsylvania Chicago Tribune "Hillary is my age group. She's a woman. She's me. She's my goals. She's my aspirations. She's a goal that I could attain." ..... no-win criticism for a woman. ...... We women are strong. We are focused. .... "I want to change them. I don't want to become them."
Obama, Clinton trade barbs over negative tactics Reuters

Clinton and Obama debate who is the tougher candidate Boston Globe
Obama Fights On Two Fronts Washington Post
Primary Lures Those Too Young to Vote New York Times
Vote recount underway in Zimbabwe CNN International
Ex-Labor Secretary Reich backs Obama Los Angeles Times the fifth former Clinton Cabinet member to endorse

Clinton's Campus Backers Resist Draw of `Cool' Obama Phenomenon Bloomberg
Obama Meets Jay-Z in YouTube Mashup Slamming Clinton & Debate Yahoo! News
How Obama Fell to Earth New York Times
Obama faces road test for November election fight Reuters
Obama's Bitter Lesson TIME
Obama's Tax Evasion Wall Street Journal
Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, many others hold forth on the ABC debate Los Angeles Times
Obama says debate focused on 'gotcha,' not policy issues The Associated Press
Superdelegates Unswayed by Clinton’s Attacks New York Times
Obama and Clinton Campaign for Laughs on Comedy Central Show Bloomberg
Clinton, Obama, Edwards visit 'Colbert Report' Newsday
Clinton is Ms. Fix-It, Obama a media critic on 'Colbert' The Associated Press
MoveOn.org criticizes debate between Clinton, Obama as “gotcha” Reuters
McCain Plans for $3.3 Trillion Tax Cut, Balanced Budget at Odds Bloomberg
Maoists extend lead in Nepal polls, re-voting smooth AFP

जनजाति महासंघ गठन Kantipur
कपिलवस्तुमा पुरानै अनुहार खासै संगठनात्मक आधार खडा नभएका मधेसवादी दलको पक्षमा यहा“ जनमत प्रकट भएको छ ....... भर्खरै उदाएकार् इश्वर दयाल मिश्रा तथा २५ वर्षा सम्भवतः सबैभन्दा कान्छा संविधानसभा सदस्य अभिषेकप्रताप शाहको विजय ........ कपिलवस्तु घटनाबाट बढी प्रभावित क्षेत्रं ५ को प्रतिस्पर्धामा अन्तरिम संसदमा विधायकमा मनोनित भए पनि पदत्याग गरी मधेस आन्दोलनका पक्षमा खडा भएका युवा अभिषेकप्रताप शाह विजयी भए । उनले वयोवृद्ध ठूलोबाबु कांग्रेसका डा. रुद्रप्रताप शाहलाई पराजित गरे ।
सुनसरी-२ मा एमाले र महोत्तरी-२ मा फोरम सुनसरीमा मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरमले ३, एमाले २ र माओवादीले एक स्थान ...... यसअघिका संसदीय निर्वाचनमा ८० प्रतिशत परिणाम आफ्नो पक्षमा पार्दै आएको कांग्रेसले यसपाला सुनसरी-१, ५ र ६ मा तेस्रो स्थान र २ मा पा“चौं स्थानमा चित्त बुझाउनुपर्‍यो
'मधेसलाई अलग राखी देश चलाउन सकिन्न' लाहान, वैशाख ४ - मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरमका संयोजक उपेन्द्र यादवले नेपालको राजनीतिबाट फोरमलाई अलग राखी कसैले देश चलाउन चाहेमा त्यो दिवा स्वप्न मात्र हुने बताएका छन् । ...... 'संविधान निर्माण गर्दा मधेसको एजेन्डालाई सन्तुलन कायम गरी अगाडि बढ्नु फोरमको उद्देश्य हो ।' ...... सरकारस“ग भएको स्वायत्त मधेस एक प्रदेशसम्बन्धी सम्झौतालाई कायम गर्न फोरम अडिग रहेको ...... 'सुजाता हार्नु दुःखको कुरो हो, तर उहा“ प्रधानमन्त्रीपुत्री भएर हार्नुभएको छ ।' ...... यादवले तत्काल फोरमले माओवादीस“ग मिलेर सरकार बनाउने सोच नराखेको पनि बताए ....... यादवले बुधबारै लाहानको सहिदचोकमा गई मधेस आन्दोलनका क्रममा सहिद हुनेहरूप्रति श्रद्धाञ्जलि अर्पण गर्दै मधेसलाई एक राज्य एक स्वायत्त प्रदेश बनाउन फोरम कटिबद्ध रहन ...... सिरहा-१ बाट विजयी फोरम उम्मेदवार लक्ष्मण मेहता
अबको मधेस राजनीति मधेसवादी दलहरू मुख्यतः मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरमले सम्मानजनक स्थान हासिल गरेको छ ..... कांग्रेस र एमालेले सारा देशभरि पाएको स्थानको हाराहारीमा मधेसी जन अधिकार फोरम पुग्नु भनेको जनताको भरपुर र्समर्थन पाउनु हो ..... उपेन्द्र यादवमा कम्युनिस्ट राजनीतिको रङ छ भने विजय गच्छेदार समूहको कांग्रेसी पृष्ठभूमि छ । ...... अझै पनि रमेश महतो र गौरमा मारिएका माओवादी र्समर्थकका परिवारहरूको घाउ ताजा नै छ । ...... तर्राईमा कांग्रेस र एमालले भोगेको हार ...... सुशील कोइराला र्सवदेव ओझास“ग माधव नेपाल रौतहटमा देवेन्द्र पटेलस“ग सुजाता कोइराला उपेन्द्र यादवस“ग झापामा कृष्ण सिटौला पर्ूण्ाप्रसाद राजवंशीस“ग त्यस्तै मोरङमा शेखर कोइराला विजयकुमार गच्छादारस“ग महेश आचार्य भीमलाल चौधरीस“ग पारजित हुनु ....... प्रचण्डजीले जनयुद्धको बेलामा लाल तर्राईमा लेख्नुभएको लेखमा मधेस उपनिवेश हो र यसको स्वायत्तका लागि संर्घष्ा अपरिहार्य छ भन्ने अभिव्यक्तिलाई अब आफैं सत्तामा पुगेपछि कति इमान्दारिताका साथ पूरा गर्नुहुन्छ भन्ने प्रश्नको उत्तर भविष्यले नै दिनेछ । ...... काठमाडँैंका हरेक गल्लीमा "गर्व से कहु हम मधेसी छी" भन्ने नारा लेख्न मातृकाले ठूलै कसरत र साहस देखाएका हुन् । ........ माओवादी र मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरम अन्ततः सत्ताको नजिक पुगेकोे छ ...... संघीयताको सवाल सबैभन्दा सशक्त ढंगले मधेसले उठाएको हो ...... कञ्चनपुरदेखि झापासम्म एक स्वायत्त क्षेत्र स्थापित हुनुपर्ने धारण ...... माओवादीबाहेक अन्य दलले स्पष्ट खाका दिन सकेका छैनन् ....... संघीयतामा सबैभन्दा बढी मधेस बिर्ता कांग्रेसलेनै गुमाउने कुराको संकेत संविधानसभा चुनावको परिणामले देखाइसक्यो

Philadelphia paper backs Obama Boston Globe
Philly newspaper: Judge Obama by his campaign USA Today
Clinton, Obama in crunch debate The Australian

Skyward Bound

The life breath of thy music runs from sky to sky.

Skyward Bound

Break open
The possibilities
The will to perform
To outdo
To stretch
The imagination

Let go
The shackles
The cobwebs
Of limitations
Assumptions
Presuppositions

Take a deep breath
To lay it all out
To stake a claim
To success
To roaring success
Here is to you

Hear the beckonings
From across the horizon
They call upon you
Stay in tune
Even when
You sleep

Reach out
To the reservoir
Of your inner strength
And endless dreams
Rejuvenate
In yourself

There is a future
To answer to
Past is prologue
At best
This time is yours
Drink it

Take full measure
Of your troops
Rally support
Survey the scene
As you march
To victory

Deny
The naysayers
Blow away
The dream stealers
Adios is to
False friends

For you are
Skyward bound

Mother, it is no gain, thy bondage of finery, if it keeps one shut off from the healthful dust of the earth, if it rob one of the right of entrance to the great fair of common human life.

The PROPHET, by Kahlil Gibran Table of Contents

On Love

Then said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love."
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Philly Debate: Quick Impressions During

• People a-r-e bitter. The transition from an industrial to a knowledge economy will be painful on its own. Universal health, lifelong education will help. What will also help is the next wave of industrial jobs. A lot of "green" jobs will have to be created. And those can't be exported.
  
• Obama saying people are bitter in the small towns is like Bill Clinton saying in 1992: "I feel your pain." He feels your pain. Barack feels your pain.
  
• Clinton is talking nice on the VP question by saying she will work hard for the eventual nominee.
  
• Last I checked, Clinton's lead in PA was down to three, five or six points, depending on which poll you looked at. We are doing fine. The so-called "bittergate" is no gate. We are fine.
  
• About people "clinging to religion" during economically hard times. Health care should be the same way. You should still have it between jobs. That should be another thing people should be able to cling to.
  
• Jeremiah Wright is still on people's minds. I have said United f___g States myself a few times, but that Wright dude threw the ball out of the ballpark, he sure did.
  
• Black anger is news? It would be news to me if blacks were n-o-t angry. Even recent brown immigrants end up saying the weirdest things about black people.
  
• It is time to forge a new, positive, robust black identity. Slavery and segregation can not be identity. The blacks in America need to dig deeper into their African heritage to claim more of art, music, culture, religion, language, cuisine. Take pride. Stop whining.
  
• And then there's the concrete data on disparity. Fix schools, provide universal pre-school, provide health, create jobs, cure chronic poverty.
  
• The two bees: "bitter" and Bosnia. We will do just fine.
  
• Hillary is wrong to suggest Obama should have left his church on Wright. I am sure Hillary has elderly whites in her extended family who can say weird things about minorities. Did Hillary consider leaving her family?
  
• A lot of black people say Wright-like comments are rather the norm in many all-black churches. The anger is real. The expression of that anger is real. Some of that anger takes the form of rap music. The church is one place where the black people congregate.
• Some of the rap on Wright and the "bitter" comment has to be used to garner focus on social and economic issues that are for real.
  
• Let Wright ignite that. Let him be an excuse to rise up and above.
  
• I am so over Wright. Let that dude go. Let him retire like he wants to.
  
• How about talking about our one and only Al Sharpton, pride of New York City, pride of Harlem, heart of black America? The dude got nice hair.
  
• And now you want to know if Obama loves this country? Who brought that up? Who?
• Flag? I say burn the flag. It is free speech. I wouldn't. But someone else can and it would not bother me. Me? I don't even burn firewood. I got gas to burn.
  
• Clinton on Bosnia. I was not accurate? Ha. But you know, she was in a war zone. It is possible she might have heard gun shots. It might not even have been enemy fire. It might have been boys on her side practicing, drilling. But what's the big deal? Give her a break. Let's make her talk health care.
  
• "There is no other country in which my story is even possible." True. I had to come all the way to America to claim my Indian half. Growing up in Nepal you experience strong anti-India sentiments.
  
• Move beyond the flag pin. Enlightened patriotism would be to end the stupid trillion dollar war in Iraq.
  
• After 45 minutes looks like things are warming up. So far both have played safe and nice. New kind of politics?
  
• How many times before have we thought that after this particular primary, this caucus, this debate, Barack will knock her off? So many times. I think this race will go on. Every state will get to have a say. That is the way it should be. That is how you grow the party in each state. The Democratic party in Texas is a whole new machine now, thanks to these two.
  
• Hillary might win PA by two points. And it will be on to next.
  
• Weathermen? First time I am hearing of them. Who are the Weathermen?
• Adding spice to the debate?
  
• There's an Obama 2008 debate watch party at the Irish Rogue, and there is a DL21C debate watch party at Connolly's Pub, both near Times Square. Those are the only two I know of in this progressive capital of the world. I am surprised DFNYC and MYD people don't also have debate watch parties. And there is no Hillary 2008 debate watch party either. Me? I am home. Following the debate online. Live commentary is fun. Only I don't publish until it is over. I am following it in text, live blogging by ABC and USA Today. I am sure I will get hold of the transcript somewhere after the debate is over. And the Barack channel on YouTube will have select clips in video. But that is later.
  
• After an hour, finally Iraq. Used to be that is what debates started with, most early debates last year.
  
• 16 months is enough time. If you are willing to do the political work to fill up the vacuum, 16 months is a good timetable to have. The next 9/11 is being plotted in the no man's land between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
  
• Israel. That is dicey. But not for me. I have a Third World perspective to it. I come from a Third World angle. But in my particular case, I say democracy is the answer. Unelected Arabs speaking for their people? Not possible. They use Israel as a scapegoat to their nonperformance, non-delivery to their own people. But Israel has also been unfair on its part. The Israelites, sometimes I think, are historically neither western, nor non-western. They have a rather unique history, a unique heritage, unique grievances.
  
• Clinton's middle class are people who make less than $250,000. Okay, that makes me middle class! Kidding. Did someone say this lady made $109 million since she left the White House? No wonder she was in such a hurry to leave. I don't think she really wants to go back.
  
• Hillary Clinton is doing what Bob Dole tried in 1996. Go to Bob Dole dot com. Only he said his own website address wrong. Hillary's got it nailed down. Salute.
  
• Taxes, now that is a perennial. McCain has also been talking taxes lately. He is for a flat tax. If you do have a flat tax though, then will not the Republicans run out of steam? What will they campaign on after that?
  
• By the way, did you get the news on Nepal elections? The Maoists won big time. That is mainstreaming the armed rebels kind of on steroids.
  
• Debt, deficit. Bush fucked up big time. Obama gets to clean the mess. Ending the Iraq war will go a long way to ending the deficits.
  
• Bush accumulated more debt than all US presidents before him put together. That guy is a genius. What grade do they teach basic Arithmetic in? He skipped that one and went straight to Harvard Business School.
  
• This is fun, live commentary is. You get to sound like a pundit, like you really know what you are talking about.
  
• Social Security. They are both right in degrees. But tackling the deficit alone will not do like Hillary emphasizes. She thinks, well, that is what Bill did. Bill did not have as many people ready to retire as there will be in about 10 years.
  
• A Republican strategist offers this, to ABC's Karen Travers: "I think we’re going to buy 90 minute infomercials in October to replay this..." Oh really?
  
• These Republicans, they don't get Obama's new kind of politics. They are like, just you wait, we are going to dig into you, and we are going to destroy you. They are threatening the politics of personal destruction. Will backfire big time. The Clinton people tried that in Iowa. Hillary would have been second, she ended up third in Iowa. Barack has already changed the tone of politics in this country and there is no going back.
  
• The Republicans don't know what is about to hit them. An Obama-Clinton will give you a Reagan 1984 like sweep. You will carry 10 states if you are lucky. That is what you are looking at. It is the war, stupid.
  
• Right about now I wish I had live streaming video. The local ABC affiliate in Philly promised live streaming, but did not deliver. Do they seriously think that will bring down their TV viewership? Come on.
  
• Now we are talking about guns? Guns are insane. Looks like a new rival group to the NRA has been launched. Hunters Association, something like that. That is the way to go. All guns for hunting should be registered. All guns that are too powerful for hunting, the manufacturers should be sued out of existence, except for those that supply exclusively to the military and law enforcement. Guns are just stupid. Can you do anything other than kill with guns? Homicide rates are lower in countries that don't have insane gun laws like the US does. There is a direct correlation.
  
• Start with all the big cities. Ban guns in big cities. I mean, it is like you can do hunt deer in big cities. So not even hunting guns should be allowed in the big cities.
  
• This debate is not going to be a big win or lose for either. The victory margin in PA will be less than five points, I think, for whoever wins. If Hillary wins, she might get maybe five more delegates, big deal. We are so far ahead.
• Virginia Tech could not have happened in Japan. And mental health is an issue also in Japan, it is an issue everywhere. People catch cold everywhere.
  
• The Second Amendment itself has to be amended out of existence, if you ask me. That was put in place back when people were out on the frontier fending for themselves. But that stand might not be politically viable for now. But sensible gun laws are viable.
  
• Zoning laws affect property rights, Obama says. Good point. Similary cities have a right to come up with sensible gun laws. Ban hand guns. They kill. They scare just by being around.
• Handwriting? Weathermen?
• I guess this is a two hour debate. 30 more minutes to go. Two hours have been the norm. But the three presidential debates are an hour each, right? Packed hour. Taut hour. Tight wire hour.
  
• Video clips from the debate should be up by 10: http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom
• 15 more minutes to go.
  
• http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/04/well-be-live-bl.html
• http://blogs.abcnews.com/liveblogging
• Soaring gas prices. Huge debt and deficits have led to a weaker dollar. I think that is why the gas prices are going up, and up, and up some more. People gasped when it hit two, then they gasped when it his three, they thought it was Google hitting the $600 mark, that was tops, but no, the price went further up. But weaker dollar alone does not explain it. Demand and supply don't. Something fishy is going on. The oil companies are gouging.
  
• The Republicans have given up on many of their core values. They gave up on fiscal discipline. They have given up on the market mechanism. They gave up on family values. Republican family values these days? Rudy Giuliani taking phone calls from his wife in the middle of speeches.
• They are so intellectually bankrupt it is not even funny.
  
• 10 more minutes. We are almost done. I get to watch some video clips soon.
  
• The market is soccer players playing soccer. The government is the referee. You need the referee to have a fiercely competitive, spectacular game. The oil companies and some of the finance people are playing foul because they bribed the referee to look the other way.
  
• Why did anyone ever vote for Bush? Beats me. That was no way to start the 21st century. Get me on to a different calendar, one that starts the 21st century early next year.
  
• "I believe in America." That is a line from Godfather. I could use that myself as a someone who was 23 when he landed here. America is an idea, I believe in that idea. Racism takes away from that idea in its purity. Sexism is unAmerican. I can't wait for the Obama-Clinton ticket. Give them all summer together.
  
• This guy did not blog at all between 9:34 and 9:50. http://blogs.abcnews.com/liveblogging Says "the overwhelming number of comments slowed down our server." Looks like there i-s an audience for text.
  
• Obama will build "a new political coalition." He already has. Record turnout for the primaries.
  
• Hillary is a strong, smart, attractive woman. I give her all that. She will be great on the ticket.
  
• http://abcnews.go.com already has video clips.
  
• 10:01 PM. Time is up.
  

WATCH: Clinton Explains Bosnia Botch
WATCH: Does Hillary Think Barack Can Win?
WATCH: Doubting Obama's Patriotism?

In The News

Three More Superdelegates for Obama New York Times
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Clinton's Negatives at Record High ABC News

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Clinton, Obama face off CNN a new CNN Poll of Polls puts Clinton's lead at just five points over Obama in Pennsylvania, down from a double-digit lead two weeks ago. ..... small-town Pennsylvania residents are "bitter" over their economic circumstances and "cling" to their guns and religion.

China bends on Taiwan, why not Tibet? Christian Science Monitor
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Clinton faces grim poll data as debate looms AFP Polls show Clinton has stalled Obama's attempt to catch her in Pennsylvania, but her lead of around six points ..... she trails Obama in nominating contests won, elected delegates and the popular vote. ..... Obama a 10-point lead when Democrats nationwide ..... Some 54 percent of those asked had an unfavorable impression of the former first lady -- up from 40 percent ..... Obama up 40 percent to 35 percent in Indiana .... Obama up 13 points in North Carolina ... "I'm suggesting people are bitter about the state of their economic lives (and) the Washington beltway hall of mirrors has just gone nuts," Obama told reporters. ...... rock megastar Bruce Springsteen ..... "I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest," Springsteen wrote on his website. ..... "He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems." ..... Obama also won backing from the American Hunters and Shooters Association, a newly formed rival to the zealously pro-gun National Rifle Association.
Bruce Springsteen endorses Barack Obama in presdential race NME.com
Obama, Clinton to debate as Pennsylvania primary looms large The Associated Press
Negative views of Clinton on rise San Jose Mercury News
New Poll Says Most Democrats Prefer Obama as Party's Nominee Voice of America
Democrats prepare for TV debate BBC News 21st debate ..... The last televised debate took place 50 days ago, on 26 February.

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