by Alan Willis [courtesy of Blog for America]

Recently, some folks in the McCain have been talking about “experience”, implying that McCain has more political experience than Barack Obama (should Hillary Clinton become the nominee, it’s reasonable to assume that the McCain report will launch a similar attack on her). The statement, on its face, is true. McCain has been in the Senate for several years more than Obama. Of course, that in no way guarantees that McCain would be a better president than Obama. Warren G. Harding had more experience in the federal government prior to his election than Woodrow Wilson had had before he was elected. No one would argue Harding was a better president than Wilson.

And then there is the audacity of Republican hypocrisy. Allow me to sketch two political careers. The first: failed bid for term in House of Representatives, followed by eventual election to the one of the (if not the) weakest governorships in the US where he served for six years; the second: eight years in the House of Representatives, eight years in the US Senate, eight years as Vice President of the United States. Of course, these two resumes, respectively, belong to George W. Bush and Al Gore, Jr. The Republican Party now touting “experience” as a qualification for president supported Bush over Gore.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Garry S. Shay
Member
Democratic National Committee

I want to open up a debate here.

For the first time since they were conceived, the votes of so-called "super-delegates" may actually matter with regard to the nomination of the Democratic Party candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States.

As a matter of explanation and illumination, super-delegates are either Governors of States or Territories, members of Congress or members of the DNC. They are un-pledged delegates to the National Convention in Denver. They are either elected by their districts, states, state parties, or other constituencies such as the Democratic State Treasurer’s Association, or the Democratic Municipal Officials Association, or similar organizations. 75 DNC members were nominated by Governor Dean in 2004, and elected by the other DNC members.

The question I pose is not who super-delegates should vote for, but rather how they should come to their decision.

The question is not whether or not they should exist, because the fact is, they do. As my torts professor once said, in his thick German accent, if my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a Volkswagen, but she doesn't. Whatever you think of the system itself, it is the reality we work in at this time.

by jhotchkiss2 [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Originally posted to the Progressive Caucus list serve of the California Democratic Party by Garry Shay.

I want to open up a debate here.

For the first time since they were conceived, the votes of so-called "super-delegates" may actually matter with regard to the nomination of the Democratic Party candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States.

As a matter of explanation and illumination, super-delegates are either members of Congress or of the DNC. They are un-pledged delegates to the National Convention in Denver. They are either elected by their districts, states, state parties, or other constituencies such as the Democratic State Treasurer's Association, or the Democratic Municipal Officials Association, or similar organizations. 75 DNC members were appointed by Governor Dean in 2004.

The question I pose is not who super-delegates should vote for, but rather how they should come to their decision.

Edit by Brian: Continued over the flip

by [courtesy of Blog for America]

Former Vice President of the United States (and true victor in 2000) Al Gore continues to amaze me! Wow! He just released a strong video statement in favor of gay marriage.

This past Monday’s debate has been criticized as focusing too much on personality and not enough on issues. I tend to agree and Senator Edwards (for whom I proudly voted last week) deserves credit for driving the dialog back toward substance.

Despite his efforts, though, an issue which has received inadequate attention is gay marriage.

Problem solved! Former Vice President Al Gore has endorsed it!

As you will see in the video below, Mr. Gore’s position is clear and I share it.

The reason I was among the first congressional candidates to receive the national endorsement of Progressive Democrats of America earlier this month is my full and complete support for all 7 tenets of the Progressive Agenda. One of them calls for an end to discrimination of every kind.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

San Francisco Chronicle editor Carla Marinucci created a bit of a stir yesterday with her article "Bloomberg-Schwarzenegger in '08?"

If the language of the Constitution itself before amendment was not clear enough by itself, the 12th Amendment has the following language which rules this out: "But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."

Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution states:

"No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

If you're looking for strange news, Bill Clinton is eligible to be elected Vice President, according to some pretty good Constitutional authority.