Missing: The Field's DNC Convention Credential

She did a Q&A with us once, and I remember her being very gracious.

It's Juan Cole's balloon-juice.com,

not Juan Cole's ballon-juice.com

Oops, forgot to fix the other typo

It's John Cole, not Juan Cole.

[back at the Mac now with the condom over the keyboard and my typos are horrific.]

Indeed, milk this insider intrigue for all that it's worth Al.

You already earned your way into the convention, so you need to make a stink.

Get the monkey off you back and let him cause havoc in the room for a while--they will think twice about trying to totally exclude your/our voice from the convention.

Especially if they have an idea of letting the wigged-out 'pumas' into the convention.

No, I don't put it past the DNC establishment to try to stifle left-progressive voices.

I have already signed the petition, and Deb has said that she will refund the $55.00 I contributed toward Denver--that will be added to the $50.00 that I have donated to your efforts while you are at your more commodious, natural abode here at the Narcosphere.

I think the petition is great and I've signed it and sent the link around (thanks again to Pamela for creating it). I wonder if it would help if Field Hands and regular readers wrote directly to the DNC (in a respectful and positive way) requesting credentials for Al?

If so, contact info would be great.

Needless to say, I'm rather appalled that this has not been addressed, particularly after learning that you've made the effort to contact the DNC directly.  I've just signed the petition, let us know if you need any other assistance.  FYI, as much as I have been tempted to witness the train wreck live, I've avoided the former host of the ex-Field so as to not inflate their stats and impart any validity to their cause.  I appreciate the updates here, it's great fun. 

Name and link now fixed.

What would I ever do without all you free editors out there?!

She was out because of a cold.

Unless there is an apology forthcoming, I will never post at Rural Votes again, never.

Indeed, I stuck up for Tracy a couple of times--and now I wish I hadn't.

Her claim to fame (in her mind) is that she bravely pointed out that McLame is not techno-savy.  Yawn.

Al, you have already shown that you can develop a revenue flow through engaged readership--now it is time to crack this up to another level.

Kick the gate-creepers in thier face (metaphorically, of course).

Everyone who cares to have Al represent us at the convention, and be our eyes and ears, should email MyersA@demconvention.com.

But remember to be polite.  Trashing DNC officials would not be helpful.  And besides, this isn't about RV or its management, it's about Al and his readers.

 @Nate 9:45 --When using this email address what is the persons name we are corresponding with? please!

MyersA@demconvention.com

The TN site with credentials has the full list http://www.tennviews.com/demcon08

Tonight it shows "Rural Votes" and goes to "The Back Forty". I recall, it went to "The Field" in the past.

Christi!

Read the post again.....it's Aaron Myers

sorry to hear you got shafted. the case is not even subtle. i hope they respond to you with the quickness. will sign petition for sure.

Thanks Nate, I've sent a mail.

@Christi 10:01 - per Al's discussion, I believe it is Aaron Myers at the DNC.

Sent email.

Will send one everyday until the issue is addressed. Will ask my democrat contacts to do the same.

The DNCC list

http://www.demconvention.com/credentialed-blogs/

shows RuralVotes http://ruralvotes.com/thefield which now links to the Back Forty

Sigh!

Al,

I'm cringing at those emails from Deb K.  I realize they are just parts of an email, in some cases parts of sentences but still -what an ego trip this woman was on.  I can imagine one of the emails went something like this, "Now Al, write a blog asking all the readers to beg me to vote for their candidate but DON'T tell them that I don't plan to endorse anytime soon. Oh and you know I need it written tonight so I can smile."

And either Tracy or Sean is planning to use your blogger credential?   I'll email the DNC every day to do my part to keep either one of them from that heist.  How shameful that they are doing this at a site called Rural Votes.  In a real rural environment, if you even stole a $20 shovel from another farm, you would be shunned by the entire community to the point that you have to seriously consider selling.  It just is not done.

Keeping the credential at the Ex-Field and not forwarding the donor funds to you (or refunding  to the donors only when we beg for them back) is considered theft and should be exposed as such.  Why does she want to risk more left wing blogs writing about that and  having her picture posted on the blogs DURING the convention? 

Congratulations. You have successfully signed the petition:
A Petition to the Democratic National Convention to Credential Al Giordano.

You are signer #374

I'll also shoot Aaron a e-mail.

Does anyone remember these dates:

Day The Back Forty was created?

Day that Al got the DNC credential?

@ alexa,

I did a little google research and it seems that the back forty was created May 12th, while the credentials were given out May 29th.

From what I can see The Back Forty first published April 24, 2008.

The DNC convention credentials were announced May 29, 2008.

Wait a minute. I just found this:

Blogger Credentialing Process

Kris, I went to the RV site, and the first BK entry was April 24th. Was it back-dated?

More info from http://www.demconvention.com/blogger-credentialing-process/

Note what I mark in bold. I'm running out to store now.

2008 DemConvention State Blogger Corps

Recognizing the growth of more localized blogs, this pool is designed for those covering state and local politics. To qualify as a state blogger, the applicant’s blog must have been in existence six months prior to requesting credentials and have at least 120 politically related blog posts. Bloggers must submit their daily audience and list their authority based on Technorati stats. Bloggers may also provide examples of posts that make their blog stand out as an effective online organizing tool and/or agent of change.

Once the state bloggers have been identified for the DemConvention State Blogger Corps, the applications of those not selected for this program will all be transferred for consideration for the general blogger pool.

AND . . . 

http://www.demconvention.com/assets/DNCCBloggerCredentialing415.pdf

Kris, Alexa - April 24 is the correct date.

The application was submitted in February.

'Nuff said.

 to e-mail DNC about your credentials ?

Of course. I myself - born in the USA - have been called a "non-US-peep" on occasion. People are much too hung up about borders. That was also part of the problem at the Ex-Field - "don't tell them that you live South of the Border" - that I'm glad to no longer have to oblige.

The whole point of my work is to say: Nobody needs permission to express ourselves. And to the extent we're intelligent about it, we always win.

I have just forwarded to Mr Myers my original communication to the Online Team regarding Al's Credential and asked him to investigate this matter.

BondiBeachViews

As much as I think petitions are a joke, I went and signed this one anyway, Al. I am just shocked that they haven't already taken care of your credential. That's just outrageious.

Let me know if there is anyone I can email or call on your behalf. I wish I were more influential - where I could just make a call to Howard Dean or something. Somebody out there who reads your work should be able to do that for you. This is a no-brainer. You deserve your credential, either as a blogger or as a member of the print news media. No questions asked. You're a real pro.

LOL - great minds think alike (was forwarding the email while you were posting).

I also added in regards to my donations to RuralVotes that I have not received notification of the return of my donations and, in due course, "I will be notifying the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade and the Minister concerned for them to raise this matter on my behalf with your State Department and relevant authorities."

BondiBeachViews

If it's of interest, a few email snippets from DK (from before she put her 'do not share' blurb at the bottom).  I normally wouldn't post an email, but I am outraged that the credential is not following Al.

Email #1:

... Thanks for your past support and I hope you'll check in with RuralVotes as we move to redesign and continue our mission at this critical point in America's history. We will be blogging the convention in August and looking forward to providing a unique "inside" view.  I wish Al remained -- it was never my intent otherwise.

Email #2:

We'll be blogging the convention, likely with a blog team --
new voices (hopefully including a Native American perspective -- a long neglected but important constituency). It'll be good, not Al -- but then he is kind of unique which is why I brought him here as a work for hire writer.  Here's hoping you drop by and decide you'd like to support our efforts at RuralVotes. Well maybe start with ten bucks next time and see if it's worth it! LOL

Just to let folks know, I too just sent a respectful but stern email to Mr. Myers. I also forwarded it to all of my political/activist/academic email contacts.  

An idea: how about putting one of those famous RNC "Countdown Clocks" on The Field site?  We need to start counting down the seconds, minutes, and days (surely this will be resolved forthwith!) until Al gets his justly deserved credential.

Brendan - Excellent idea. For those of us that remember the late '70s, early '80s: "The Field's Credential Held Hostage: Day 14!"

But do they really want to go there?

I'm not comfortable sharing past emails I've received, but I realize that Deb often reads the comments here. If she's reading this, I add my hope that she'll do the right thing and support the transfer of the blog credential to Al. It was his writing that resulted in the hits and ratings that qualified The Field in the first place. The rest is just semantics and a high tech variation of a shell game.

I've spent almost my whole career working in non-profits and I've seen it all. As a community relations, fundraising and pr specialist, I've seen several organizations I worked for and have been affiliated with rocked by scandals big and small. Whether they survived or not (particularly as more than a shell) depended greatly on how robust the organization was and how willing it was to look at where it might have been in the wrong. In the end, dealing with any situation honestly and forthrightly is the only way. I think it is in the best interest of Rural Votes that this situation be resolved and that the transfer of the credential, although perhaps painful in the short-term, is actually in the long-term interest of Rural Votes.

More than to Al, I believe that the credential belongs to the folks who drove the hits and supported the site, namely all us Field Hands. We've moved and the credential should follow.

On the subject of site decor, Al, I notice that the flight plan on the "Send and Equip Al for Denver" graph begins somewhere within a few hundred miles of Manaus--a favorite city of mine. While recognizing that your precise location South of the Border may be highly classified, if you were to toast your receipt of the Convention Credential, would you say "Salud"? "Saúde"? or "Sláinte"?

...Brendan, just encourages me to confuse anybody trying to nail down my location more.

Obrigado!

My address is "somewhere in a country called América."

If you haven't seen the new Hulk movie, it begins in the favela of Rocinha (Rio de Jainero), Brazil, moves on to Chiapas, Mexico, and finally to Vancouver, Canada. An American hero if there ever was one. That green line on the map: it's the trajectory of The Hulk. Let's see whether he or Dr. Bruce Banner arrive in Denver in August!

 Have emailed Mr Myers with cc to you.

amk

Lol. Great minds indeed. I used to have such mind melds with latina for obama.

I don't know if  bombarding Mr Myers with a daily mail is a good idea. .....May be every two days should do fine.

 Spread the word and vote in the poll.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/30/0263/22620?new=true

 Done. And thanks for posting it.

Great idea Christi!

Everyone go over to Kos and "recommend" her diary. I just did.

I'm quite sure the DNC knows who you are... but although the blogging credentials are closed down, at least one well known blogger got press credentials after you moved:

http://www.scripting.com/stories/2008/06/19/dncPlanBItWorked.html

The Rural Votes homepage does not mention The Ex-Field, nor is there a link to The Ex-Field. The RV homepage does have a link to BackForty; which, I saw this evening, contained 0-2 comments per post. Also, the BackForty blog no longer has a link to the Ex-Field. (This is a very recent development, because just last week BackForty had a link to the Ex-Field. Of course, when one hit the Ex-Field link, he/she was directed to the BackForty.  In other words, the Ex-Field and BackForty were one and the same.)

How can the DNC have the Field credential linked to the BackForty, which was not in existence during the required timeframe?  Also, the BackForty obviously has little traffic and would not meet the standard. Could it be the ex-host of the Ex-Field substituted the BackForty for the Field? That's not right!!

However, the DNC credential is linked to the Field, but the Field is no longer associated with Rural Votes, by Rural Votes own admission!  It seems to me that the DNC should tranfer the Field credential to Al or provide him with a new credential. Otherwise, their actions are questionable.          

that Deb has made the decision she did to keep the credentials. I would be visiting ruralvotes to read The Back Forty from time to time but refuse to at this point because I will not help their numbers.

At any rate I'd already signed the petition but I've also now emailed Mr. Myers.

Love the milk bottle!  Thanks Al, for explaining all this in a way so easy to send to media.

Thanks too, to Christi for her wonderful first diary at DKos.  I've been a reader for ages,  signed on for an account so I can rec it.

This hostage crisis Day #14 approach worked for Ted Koppel (yes, Al, I'm that old!) and I think the issues we're raising are so important and the way Al is using this as a teaching/learning lesson is empowering.  Saul Alinsky, Andy Kopkind, bet even Joe Hill are smiling down on us!  Thankful Howard Zinn is still with us to appreciate the Fieldhands too.

 Here

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/29/21124/9721/220/543893

and here

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/30/61227/6685/109/544004

Methinks it is a brilliant Obama move to put Clark out in front on this. I guess media is going dipshit crazy on this today.

amk

Christi,

Recommended your diary at dkos.  Also, Clark has been a great attack dog on McCain's claim to foreign policy expertise. 

diary. Thanks so much!

Aaron Myers just got my email:

I think that it is very important for credentials to be issued to Al Giordano so one of our highly experienced, intelligent online voices will be read, heard, and studied. This historic political campaign is way too important to ignore and to leave one of our great grassroots journalists on the sidelines.

I think that if we put the effort into this, we should see results soon. I do believe that we should highlight the days since the credentials have been kidnapped so that this situation can be a teaching moment in democracy in action.

Indeed, as an opponent of imperialism I have always had big problems with McCain as 'war hero' meme.

What is so heroic about dropping bombs on Vietnamese communities from thousands of feet in the air?

This is propaganda--repeat it often enough and it seems as natural as breathing.

I am hoping against the grain that Obama mitigates the imperialist aspect of standard US foriegn policy.  Yes, I can be called naive, but we need a distinct change in course with repect to domestic and foriegn policy.

The Iraq invasion actually makes the US homeland 'less' safe--and yet McCain and the Republican rightwing score higher on security issues.  This is nothing more than patriarchy deeply inscribed in the collective psyche.

Clark calling out McCain is spot-on--and, unfortunately, Obama might have to take this guy (or Webb) on as a running mate.  The McCain campaign will definately try to play up his precieved strengths as much as possible in the coming months.

Any thoughts Al

this clip from june 13, where he said the same thing. i thought it was completely appropriate. and not many could say so w/cred.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25120461#25139036

not sure why it didn't 'take' until yesterday. 

I voted (and hope others do).  I suspect the four "no" votes are Deb, Sean, Tracy and -- is it Matt?

I'll send an email to the DNC from work in the hopes that it might move someone.  But I think this is an inside job, that Deb has played the victim for all it's worth, and that no one at the DNC has taken or will take the time to sort it out without some significant pressure.

I'm sure Mr. Myers is having a fabulous day checking his email. . . .  "Monday, Monday . . . "

I'm betting on an undersea city in the Gulf of Mexico.

coming up live on CNN Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

the bar graph of RV's daily web traffic shows one hell of a steep dropoff in June after Al bolted.  i agree with Al that a certain percentage of their post-Al traffic is probably Fieldhands like myself gawking at the dead bodies rotting in the tumbleweedy ghost town. 

Perhaps if we as a group refrain from gawking for, say, a week, we can see exactly how many readers they've actually got who are there to experience the glory of the Back Forty.

Just a thought.

Agree with Bob - should we appoint a 'designated gawker'?

It might be helpful in our emails to Myers to be able to cite daily traffic, number of comments, size of tumbleweeds (snark!)

Suzy - While I like the spirit of the idea of "designated gawker," it would only suggest to others that they're missing something of importance over there, when all anybody is going to see is more vapid banality, and never an honest addressing of what real people care about.

Their hit count will continue to tank - without any push from this end - as we mop up the remaining readers that are still learning of the move and as the boredom propagated over there ceases to fascinate in the morbid way it does for "fast class" Field Hands.

Appointing a designated gawker would only suggest there is something to gawk at. But as folks have seen, there's only so much gawking worth doing at a rotting "dead armadillo" that thought the "safe" place was with the yellow lines "in the middle of the road," (as Hightower might phrase it). Scabs are scabs because they lack the talent and skills to run a factory on their own, so they're not particularly interesting, by definition.

From TPM:

Obama campaign on Clark ...

"As he's said many times before, Senator Obama honors and respects Senator McCain's service, and of course he rejects yesterday's statement by General Clark," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

So I guess "change we can believe in" is just code for "same ol', same ol'".  Christ, one more cycle where we're going to cede not only the framing of the discussion but the actual defining of words to the Republicans.

Man, a lot of sour notes since the end of the primary campaign - AIPAC saber-rattling, the Father's Day pandering, FISA, siding with the Scalia wing of the SCOTUS on the death penalty, stabbing a strong advocate in the back when's he's standing up for you and right to boot.  Might as well put Sam Nunn on the ticket and make it a perfect 0-fer.

I'm just wondering Al  with all this crap about Deb. did you learn anything? Is there any advice  you could give us from this experience.  I'm wondering if you jumped to soon.  Would it have been so bad to expose the censorship after the convention?

Yes she did censor you but i think the more important thing  would be you being in that convention.

Maybe you should have held your nose a little longer and but up with the stink.  I have a feeling you where doing that  from day  one.

Phil in TN - While it's certain that the Democratic nominee is shifting to the center for the general election campaign (so is the GOP nominee, it's totally predictable and I can't believe anybody would be surprised by it) on certain issues that you mention, the Wes Clark flap is not ideological at all in terms of "left v. right" or even "old v. new."

What Clark said, in my opinion, was a stupid as those hecklers on Saturday that interrupted McCain. All that kind of thing does is create sympathy for the old man. Does anybody really believe that attacking McCain's war record will win votes for Obama (or lose them for McCain)? It helps him!

In fact, naming General Clark as VP candidate would be a much more troubling shift to the right than disassociating one's self from Clark's statement disparaging McCain's military service. As one that would not be pleased if Clark was tapped for vice president, I'm *glad* to see this dust-up. It shows that Clark is not reliable to stay "on message" (the number two criteria for a VP pick, right behind ability to serve as a great president) and helps nudge the nominee toward somebody else.

Your points about the death penalty for child rapists, FISA and AIPAC are legitimate in terms of the right-left dichotomy. But Wes Clark (and I'll add to that telling young men not to abandon their offspring on Father's Day) are not ideological points, they are matters of common sense.

Longroad - What have I learned? All good things: that we could move The Field over here and retain our high readership and high level of comments; that we could raise all the funds and more that were diverted unethically from their intended use, and we will soon enough learn that I can get onto that convention floor with or without permission from a tiny group that overestimates its power to keep me off it.

I know that there are those that would have gone along to get along, not stood up to the censorship, just to get a credential and a free trip. I consider that corruption, and a journalist that would do that will compromise on other matters even larger than that. He would be somebody you can never trust as a reader, either.

Had I done what you propose: stayed on board at a place that had censored my work (and, at that, in a case in which there was no smart justification for the censorship), the control would have been applied even more heavily. More of my work would have been censored (or I would have had to self-censor). My work would have become lame and boring. I would have lost each of you as a reader one at a time by slow attrition. People would stop supporting it. We'd get to a week before Denver and I'd be told "oh, sorry, we spent that money on something else, and our board member wants the credential anyway," I'd go broke, unable to pay the rent, my gal would start to view me as a boring eunuch and I'd be left homeless and alone. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating just a little, but you know what? If I had sold out my principles for a junket and a press pass, I would deserve for all those things to happen to me!

Can't argue with you Al.   Lets just hope at the end of this movie the good guy wins.

Al,

I completely agree with you on Wesley Clarke, while I do think that his point about McCain not having any real EXECUTIVE military experience was valid, I think that he went to far in the soundbyte department.  That "..getting shot down" line compeletely overtook his point about mccain's experience and Obama had to distance himself.

What's sad is this whole stupid thing about Clark completely overshadwoed what I think was a great speech by Obama today.  Many on the netroots are too busy "dissing" Obama to realize what a great speech it was. 

not what someone else defines them to be.  If you view the entire interview with Schieffer, Clark in no way disparaged McCain's service.  He has repeatedly stated that McCain has served honorably.  The "clipped" statement was made in response to a query from Schieffer.  The fact that McCain served and was taken prisoner is not, in and of itself, a necessary qualification for the office of POTUS.

It's McCain who keeps hammering on events of 40 years ago as representative of his foreign policy experience.  Clark called him on it and was right.  Not too long ago, Obama said he didn't "do cowering". Well, he just did.

On Father's Day...it's not that what Obama said was wrong, it's that it was the wrong speech on the wrong day in front of the wrong audience.  In fact, the speech wasn't intended for the audience he stood before at all.  It was simply pandering to white stereotypes of what all black men as fathers are.

Father's Day - and Mother's Day - are days when we celebrate our parents.  Obama had an opportunity to laud all the black men who are taking care of their business on the father front.  He could have started with his own father-in-law.  He chose to be a scold instead and it smelled mightly of political calcualtion.  It was tin-eared at best.

While I recognize that all Democratic candidates live by the mantra of "move to the center" after the primaries, (a) the center ain't what it used to be and (b) as Glenn Greenwald pointed out, it's a losing proposition.  Particularly with this candidate, it makes the call for change ring especially hollow.

You yourself said you supported Obama not because of the his positions on the issues because of the promise for change in the system he holds out.  But if he keeps doing things the same old way, what's changing?  This is my twelfth presidential election cycle either as a campaign worker or voter.  I'm getting old.  Is it too much to ask that just once the goddam candidate stand for something other than just doing what it takes to get elected?

I guess Tracy's true colors as an Edwards "supporter" have really come through haven't they? Would Edwards have supported this theft from a colleague and fellow employee? I despise this kind of psuedo-liberal that thinks of him/herself as "revolutionary" or "progressive" as long as sacrifices are made by others. But, when it really matters and it is time to do the right thing, they are AWOL. Al, I've written to the DNC and will contribute to Denver this month as soon as I get my next paycheck. I am sorry for the delay. I had a lot of family expenses this past month.   

Re: the dialogue between Al and Longroad... I've learned a vital lesson in 5+ decades of life... "When someone tells you who they are, believe them the first time.." (it's grammatically incorrect, but on point-and I don't know who first said it). Censorship is what it is, and Al would have had no reason to believe the censor's habits would change. He believed her the first time... and avoided more unnecessary drama.

I remember right after the primary, either you, Al, or Tom W. said that Obama's supporters should get used to being ignored for a while, since we would not be his target.  I can see it happening, and I can live with it since it seems to be necessary in his calculations in order to win.  I am reading Alinsky's book right now, and he is nothing if not a pragmatist.  I think he would be fine with what Obama is doing.

As to the move, I am glad that you did, and, even if I don't get my other $50.00 back, it will have been worth it to keep reading your well-reasoned posts.  I was a bit upset about Clark until I read what you had to say.  Now I see the logic of it.  I would be interested to know why you think Clark is not a good pick for VP (aside from going off message).

JoAnn

Phil in TN,

The Father's Day Pandering???

I thought that was a great speech, who was he pandering to?

FYI, VoteVets.org has a petition up supporting Gen. Wesley Clark:

On Sunday, June 29, General Wesley Clark put into perspective what it takes to lead our nation’s military and veterans – the right judgment.  In doing so, he pointed out, quite correctly, that Senator John McCain’s honorable and heroic experience does not necessarily qualify him to be commander in chief, if he does not show the right judgment on the major issues of our time.

http://ga3.org/campaign/petitionclark

Phil in TN - Well, I guess we just have to agree to disagree (particularly on the Father's Day matter).

And as others can see, commenters are freely allowed to disagree with my views, and often do.

I'm addressing this to a couple of folks whose comment submissions have not made the grade to be cleared for moderation and who, instead of trying to figure out what exactly about their comments was either off-topic, incoherent, inventing or perpetrating a falsehood or rumor (even if sincerely in error), was thread-hijacking, or telling other people (including me) that we shouldn't be talking about something (because that's part of what we're fighting against), or just plain not up to the high standards here: they then try to post the comment again, and then try to post "what happened to my comment?" Yeah, right. That's gonna work!

More than 380 copublishers here may comment here freely, without awaiting moderation. They use their real names and have invested resources or labor in the project, and that tends to make folks better commenters.

Anybody that chooses to post anonymously (or not confirm their identity via a copublisher application) should look at the comments section as a place for *submissions.* We end up approving more than 95 percent of those comments, but some don't make the cut.

Anybody that has a question (or complaint) about why their comment didn't pass moderation, simply write me at narconews@gmail.com and remind me of what your comment tried to say. But, again, 95 percent of the comments get through, so you have to ask yourself "what is different about my proposed comment than those that I'm reading?" Smart folks can usually figure that out.

This comments section is of high quality because it is lightly weeded. If you don't want moderation, do your part to help with the lifting around here and apply for a copublisher's account (more than 70 new copublishers have been approved in the past two weeks, most of them Field Hands!)

Again, Phil in TN, this isn't directed at you. Your comments have always gotten through. They're coherent, on-topic and interesting including when we might disagree. Some other aspiring commentators could learn from you.

Dear Mr. Myers,

I am an avid reader of Al Giordano's blog, The Field. I am someone who is participating for the first time in politics because of Barack Obama's campaign and the possibilities that now lie before us. But, as one of my favorite African-American feminist activists Toni Cade Bambara once wrote, "If your house ain't in order, you ain't in order." 

I ask that Mr. Giordano's credential be returned to him. The Back Forty was not even in existence when the DNC was going through its credential process. At a time when Americans of all stripes are once again taking responsibility for the direction their country heads towards, as demonstrated by the genuine community Al has created at his former home and now at his new location (the numbers strikingly attest that Al was the draw to rural votes, NOT anyone else), it will be a shame if the DNC allowed such petty theft and made a mockery of the democratic process.

Tracy Russo at The Back Forty has virtually no readership. Her posts most often simply cut and paste what others have written at other sites. She has yet to present any genuine analysis or even demonstrate a basic knowledge of history and the political process. For her to be given this credential when it is Al's labor that earned this credential flies in the face of not only what rural votes ostensibly stands for as an organization but also what the DNC and the nation as a whole is trying to accomplish: fairness, intelligent discussion of the issues, and basic decency

As a minority I am even more troubled if Ms. Russo is to be given this credential. Many minority blogs that have a high readership and present astute and critical analyses were not granted credentials. For Ms. Russo to be given this credential when she has done none of the work and has not earned it at a time when we have a historic candidacy and have turned a corner as a nation would be wrong. 

Ms. Kozikowski has intimated sending a 'minority' to the convention as a way to cover her bases. This "selected" individual would be used because they are a minority, i.e., because they belong to a 'category' and not because they have been instrumental in creating the readership and quality that led to the credential being given in the first place. Such a move would smack of the paternalism and racist benevolence that has no place in our political process.

Sir, I hope you understand the gravity of the situation at hand. Al has created a place where people from all over the world engage in thoughtful, courteous, and challenging conversation. It is truly what public discourse and democracy is meant to be about. 

Shouldn't the DNC catch up to the American people as well as its own candidate?

(siddhartha)

right speech on the  right  day in front of the  right  audience.

pandering i think not.

Since i'm a black man i think i have a little more insight here.-at least i'm going to claim some.

Phil in TN, Obama's "distancing" himself from Clark's statements is smart politics by a number of measures.  As Al suggests, it gives him a rationale for NOT having Clark on the ticket.  It demonstrates his perceived "independence" from even strong supporters in the effort to court a broader swath of the electorate--which will be needed to actually WIN.  And it lets him speak about patriotism ON HIS OWN TERMS.  

On the day that Obama gives a speech about patriotism, in which he refuses to cede the concept of patriotism to the right--by explicitly saying that he would NOT attack anybody else's patriotism, thereby making the people (McCain) who will attack his patriotism look like the churlish racists they are--can you explain how defending Clark would benefit his campaign?  A smarter "surrogate" (and I am not sure Clark fits that bill) would not remind everyone that McCain was imprisoned and tortured the last time he was shot down.  That smarter surrogate might make the point, if he wanted to be contemptuous, that McCain's record as a pilot and an officer demonstrates that his RECKLESSNESS and disregard for basic rules of safety led him to crash a number of planes (4, yes?) before the infamous finale.

But there is a larger issue in the litany of "complaints" about the presumptive nominee, a litany that is sprouting all over the progressive blogosphere and making its purveyors look bored, silly, or naive. The great flaw with the staunchest Clinton supporters is and was their single-minded self-identification with (or as) the candidate herself. Obama's candidacy has been about a movement--not a candidate that IS me or my policy positions.  Personally, I admire Obama's cultivated independence from the blogosphere and other traditional Democratic power bases because this gives him more room to pivot and genuinely change the electoral map. Can you imagine a Democratic President garnering more than 51% of the popular vote?! How huge would that be? Now picture that FIRST as an African American?! That his policy positions sometimes frustrate, disappoint, or even trouble me is the absolute LEAST concern for me right now. I want to win--and win BIG. But to be clear, Obama is not, nor ever promised to be, a "revolutionary."  If you want a "revolution" cultivate another purely utopic fantasy-land (and loser) candidacy. Even Evo Morales--perhaps as close as we can come to a modern day revolutionary in the Americas--tracked to the so-called center to expand his electoral victory and to govern. Huffing and puffing about how disappointing Obama's tracking to the so-called center is becomes little more than a canned, reactionary staple of stuffy academic "radicals" (to use Deb's favorite bugbear term) who never have to bear the responsibility of governing.  That said, Obama does and will continue to disappoint.  So what?

I forwarded my PayPal receipt to Deb, and asked for a refund 'since RV will not be sending Al to Denver'.  Today, I received notification from PayPal that they are processing my refund, in the full amount I contributed.

This will give me a credit with PayPal, I'm thinking (not on my credit card -- I would have to request PayPal to refund my card, I expect).  Can I then go onto PayPal and contribute it to Al's new home?  Anyone else tried this?

Once the refund clears on your PayPal account, it goes into your PayPal balance. You can then decide what to do with it. If you leave it in your PayPal account, then donate from The Field via Paypal, PayPal will take it from your balance unless you designate to fund it differently (from your checking or a credit card). In my experience it took a full week for the refund to actually clear, so keep checking.

@Brendan - Enjoyed your comments on patriotism. I think Obama sees patriotism in different terms than the exclusively militaristic mindset the majority of Americans seem to since the Reagan years. And he sees pragmatic solutions to our problems in other terms as well. One of the unfortunate consequences of Clark's comment is that it keeps discussions focused on military terms. It's the "Don't think of an elephant" problem again. Obama is trying to redefine patriotism in a world where to be pragmatic we can't keep dismissing the other 6 billion people in the world. And its about diplomacy, economics and the well being of our people.

I know many people like the idea of Clark for VP, but I have never bought into the idea that Obama needs him to shore up military or international relations experience. I've been reading between the lines and I don't think Obama wants a "military mind" in the VP slot.

But Obama has to go carefully. The fantasies about the military that American's hold in their minds are amazing. Any small disrespect shown to McCain's military experience is indeed the third rail right now. Assuming he acted independently, Clark was right but he was not wise with his comment.

Al, I'm in the middle of reading Plunkitt of Tammany Hall. Great stuff and reminds me of a couple of Daley administrations I could name.

Dear Jeff, I agree wholeheartedly with your point about Obama's redefining patriotism beyond the simplistic militaristic angle. I would add that though he is not being explicit about it, he is combatting yet again the "ancient" (and white) American mindset that has always been suspicious of African Americans' American-ness not to mention patriotism.  When we consider the fact that African American WWI vets were lynched in their uniforms, the militaristic patriotism you point out becomes yet another cover for racism.  I absolutely love the fact that Obama is taking this head on because Republicans have never seen Democrats be so hard-nosed (and sharp-elbowed).  And they call this "old politics"? It may be for them, but for Democrats such "pre-emptive" strikes [not Clark's ham-handed effort] constitute the core of Obama's "new" (and winning) politics. 

-B

 A top story on Kos today "Breaking Bush Adminstration blocking search for Bin Laden"

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/30/133127/717/931/544175

I asked readers here a few days ago if anyone thought he was still alive and I got zero response. Now Bush is blocking a search for him, what does that tell us? More Importantly why? Is Bin Laden being seen as still alive good politically for the Repugs?

Al-would love if you chimed in on this one.

I am in agreement with Brendan and Al on this question Phil but for slightly different reasons. It seems to me there are no indisputable heros and yet many men and women act heroically. That said, I have no doubt that John Kerry made at least one heroic act and likewise John McCain made at least one heroic act.

Other than that they both were human, imperfect, using their influence to get by in different ways. It makes me want to call this whole line of attack, from either side, a failure. Of course with enough pounding, as in Kerry's case, you can nail in almost any spike. In McCain's case it just isn't going to take, whether McCain broke his arms on the tail of his plane or because of torture is unprovable in any definitive way. All you need to refute it is to point to his stiff arms. In that case find a hundred year old piece of oak and try to get a spike in it.

Of course Clark's point was trying for something substantive but it was clumsy to attack McCain using his being shot down. Ok I cheered when I heard it but I'm not going to vote for McCain. My neighbor who is considering Obama will find the remark at least partly at odds with McCain's disability and doubtful because of that.

It would be better to find statements he has made recently and find in them McCain's lack of knowledge of foreign affairs. "If McCain thinks we are winning in Iraq then why can't they pay their own bills so we can help people here with their oil bills next winter? I don't think he knows much about the way the Iraqi politicians are using our resources to make themselves wealthy."

Hey, I just noticed that more than 100 people have signed the credentials petition to the DNC in the past 18 hours:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/credential-al-giordano/signatures.ht...

Way to go, Field Hands!

Christi glad you found the Bhutto video. I took my post down because I tried to correct the spelling of her name and I got bumped to where I seemed out of order.

I would like to know what Bush and McCain discussed about Iran and Iraq. In speculation mode I see the neo-con plan as establishing long-term bases in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan to replace the strategic importance of Germany which is too far away from what neo-cons see as the interests of our country. Oil was just a side issue in Iraq, which is why nothing substantial has been done about oil production.

On Topic:

I am prepared to e-mail every member of the DNC if this credential hijack doesn't clear up and challenge the Convention Press Credential Committee.
Does anyone have a ready made list or site with addresses.

 Do not know how to embed (Sp?) video yet (hint to someone who does). This is got to be related to keeping Bin Laden alive, in my mind anyway. If Bin Laden is seen as still being alive and free to reign terror than the Bushies have a larger audience for war with Iran?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAKqI_ZVwDc&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/30/133127/717/931/544175

 Video of Bhutto "Bin Laden Murdered by Omar Sheikh"

http://littlecountrylost.blogspot.com/2008/01/benazir-bhutto-omar-shiekh-murdered.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/al-giordano/missing-the-fields-dnc-co_b_11...

will not be missing for much longer. I am staying on this one to the happy ending. As of now, we have 225 votes on the poll at dkos, 219 yes give Al the credential, and 6 no. I am sure there are 6 people at RV who voted. Please email all of your contacts with the link and ask them to sign the petition and vote in the poll.

It is now on Digg. Please digg this up!

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Al_Giordano_Missing_The_Field_s_DNC_Convention_Credential

Longroad,

Point taken, but there was hardly unity in the black blogosphere on the speech.  You could find as many voicing my opinion as yours.

Everyone else on Clark - like Al said, we'll have to agree to disagree.  I'm a little disappointed to see so many buying into the right-wing noise machine's definition of what Clark said.  I just can't find the "attack' in Clark's words (and neither canDigby or Josh at TPM).

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/dont-want-to-say-i-told-you-so.ht...

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/get-ready-for-mother-of-all-hissy...

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/202163.php

By repudiating Clark, Obama is essentially validating McCain's argument that his military serrvice (and POW status) get him over the infamous "commander-in-chief" threshold.  To quote Josh, "What his campaign should not be doing is lending its imprimatur to the proposition that because McCain saw combat in Vietnam and suffered as a POW that he has the judgment to be an effective president."  Unfortunately, today he did just that.

(BTW, I wasn't aware Obama needed a reason not to put Clark on the ticket.)

I support Obama not because I expect him to be in agreement with me on the issues.  I'm far to the left of his positions and find several - health care, energy to name two (and now the death penalty and the Fourth Amendment) -  woefully inadequate.  Like Al, I support him because I expect him to change the process and begin the restoration of a representative democracy.  What I have seen since he became the presumptive nominee is a replay of what I've seen far too many times in the past.  It's not encouraging.  For me, it's not enough just to win.

There seem to be a lot of misconceptions about who Obama is. Obama has always supported the death penalty, he's been a huge Israel supporter ever since he ran for senate and he's been avoiding questions about his stance on the D.C. gun ban for months. So I don't really see him moving to the center on these things, except for the FISA issue. And even that seems more pragmatically inspired than ideologically.

I am questioning their strategy of throwing Clark under the bus though. What he said was the absolute truth and the McCain friendly media is completely ripping it out of context. I can understand that they might not have a different choice, but playing safe and trying way to hard not to offend anyone is the way he might actually lose this thing.

except possibly in my clumsy wording.

There seem to be a lot of misconceptions about who Obama is. Obama has always supported the death penalty, he's been a huge Israel supporter ever since he ran for senate

My point was that I supported him for other reasons than his positions because his positions weren't mine.  I recognize he had to rattle his sabers before AIPAC, but that didn't make it any less distasteful.  And he didn't have to repudiate his general support for capital punishment to avoid standing with Scalia, Alito, Roberts and Thomas.  That was appaling.

but playing safe and trying way to hard not to offend anyone is the way he might actually lose this thing.

Exactly.  It's the old playing not to lose strategy which, strangely enough, always ends in a loss.

I was tied up writing about another issue today but will reiterate my demand that Al get his credentials when I post tomorrow. I'd get something together sooner but I get pretty braindead after writing all day. (And you thought it happened before I wrote!)

Anyway, people hate going through the rigamarole it takes to sign an online petition (unless of course it involves something truly important like an American Idol voting snafu.) The over 450 signatures already collected are quite a tribute to both our beloved center fielder, Al, and all of the the Fieldhands who add the nutrients that are so essential to making the soil so fertile around here.

And if you just found the new home of the field today, why not kick in to the "send Al to Denver fund" so that when you leave here you can call yourself an authentic Fieldhand?

Barry

...at your comment on the petition, Barry:

You can't spell cred