Wednesday, April 22, 2015 6:50:41 AM
Clinton pays tribute to lawmaker in Time's 100 list
Hillary Clinton described lawmaker Elizabeth Warren as a champion for the middle class.
April 16, 2015
http://cnnphilippines.com/world/2015/04/16/Hillary-Clinton-Elizabeth-Warren-Time-Magazine-100-most-influential-list.html
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TIME 100 - Leaders
Elizabeth Warren
Progressive champion
By Hillary Clinton
April 15, 2015
It was always going to take a special kind of leader to pick up Ted Kennedy’s mantle as senior Senator from Massachusetts—champion of working families and scourge of special interests. Elizabeth Warren never lets us forget that the work of taming Wall Street’s irresponsible risk taking and reforming our financial system is far from finished. And she never hesitates to hold powerful people’s feet to the fire: bankers, lobbyists, senior government officials and, yes, even presidential aspirants.
Elizabeth Warren’s journey from janitor’s daughter to Harvard professor to public watchdog to U.S. Senator has been driven by an unflagging determination to level the playing field for hardworking American families like the one she grew up with in Oklahoma. She fights so hard for others to share in the American Dream because she lived it herself.
Clinton is a former U.S. Secretary of State and a 2016 presidential candidate
© 2015 Time Inc.
http://time.com/3823064/elizabeth-warren-2015-time-100/ [with comments]
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Would Clinton-Warren Be a Winning Ticket?
04/17/15
http://observer.com/2015/04/would-clinton-warren-be-a-winning-ticket/ [with comments]
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Elizabeth Warren's Comprehensive Wall Street Reform Agenda
ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Mike Lux
Co-Founder, Democracy Partners
Posted: 04/17/2015 2:46 pm EDT Updated: 04/17/2015 3:59 pm EDT
Elizabeth Warren has given her fair share of great speeches, and has written some outstanding legislation on reforming Wall Street, but her speech on April 15 to the Hyman P. Minsky Conference was the best Wall Street policy speech I have ever heard her, or anyone, ever give. It was comprehensive without being a laundry list of in-the-weeds wonkiness. It laid out a strong philosophical rationale for why we need to do these reforms, and it was politically compelling as well. Her politically compelling argument laid out a strong philosophical rationale for why we need these reforms. Perhaps most importantly, she did all this while masterfully refuting the hackneyed attacks about her being anti-business, anti-growth, and anti-market forces.
Warren's series of proposed reforms would be a major and much needed boost to an economy still held down by the Wall Street abuses that brought on the collapse of the massive housing bubble, the 2008 financial collapse, and the hardest hitting economic slowdown since the Great Depression. Here is an outline of her proposals:
Hold financial institutions and individuals accountable for cheating customers
• Close the auto loan loophole and extend CFPB oversight to auto dealers
• Stop financial fraud recidivism by preventing any institution from entering into a non-prosecution agreement or deferred prosecution agreement if they are already operating under such an agreement
• Deter future financial fraud by imposing a mandatory minimum monetary penalty at least equal to the profits generated by the illegal conduct and strengthening judicial review of deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements
Strengthen enforcement by requiring the Fed's Board of Governors to vote on all major supervisory and regulatory matters, and giving each Governor his or her own staff
• Stop financial institutions from passing risk on to taxpayers
• Cap the size of financial institutions as originally proposed by Senators Brown and Kaufman
• Reinstate the barrier between commercial banking and investment banking as proposed in the 21th Century Glass-Steagall Act
• Improve market discipline by restricting the Fed's emergency lending authority
Change tax policies that encourage excessive risk-taking and financial instability
• Close the bonus loophole that allows financial institutions to write off billions in executive bonuses each year
• Limit highly leveraged financial institutions from fully deducting their interest payments
• Institute a targeted financial transactions tax
• Create simple, structural rules for regulating the shadow banking sector
There are a number of important policy goals here, of course: basic fairness to consumers, a more level playing field for everyone, ending the era of the Too Big To Fail banking system, holding cheaters in the financial system more accountable, keep taxpayers from being on the hook for the big banks' risky speculation, and discouraging excessive risk-taking. All of these are incredibly important things that will make the financial system in this country far more healthy. At the heart of this agenda, though, is one simple idea: making the financial markets work better. As Warren says in her speech:
"...without some basic rules and accountability, financial markets don't work. People get ripped off, risk-taking explodes, and the markets blow up. That's just an empirical fact - clearly observable in 1929 and again in 2008.
The point is worth repeating because, for too long, the opponents of financial reform have cast this debate as an argument between the pro-regulation camp and the pro-market camp, generally putting Democrats in the first camp and Republicans in the second. But that so-called choice gets it wrong. Rules are not the enemy of markets. Rules are a necessary ingredient for healthy markets, for markets that create competition and innovation. And rolling back the rules or firing the cops can be profoundly anti-market.
Right now the Republicans are pushing an anti-market agenda."
Warren hits the nail on the head. To be pro-business and pro-market, you have to some rules that guarantee a level playing field, you have to have cops on the beat, and you have to have a regulatory and judicial system willing to actually prosecute the businesses who actually break the rules -- no matter how big, wealthy, and powerful those businesses are in the marketplace and political system. Market competition does not work if one business is so big and powerful that it can squeeze out its competitors, and if the rules give unfair advantages only to the richest and most politically powerful.
The people who refer to Elizabeth Warren as anti-business just don't get it. What she is in reality is anti-predator, anti-cheater, anti-monopolist, and anti-cronyism. If you have a fair system that regulates those market and competition-stifling things, then it helps the vast majority of businesses to fairly compete. What this speech reminds us is that Elizabeth Warren is a pro-business, pro-market progressive.
Here's a link to the text of the speech [ http://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/Unfinished_Business_20150415.pdf ], and here is the speech itself [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpfGodTrtk (next below, as embedded; with comments)]:
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-lux/elizabeth-warrens-compreh_b_7087582.html [with comments]
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Warren: We're not done with Wall Street
04/15/15
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/238907-warren-were-not-done-with-wall-street-yet [with comments]
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If Elizabeth Warren Were Running for President, This Would Be Her Agenda
April 16, 2015
http://www.thenation.com/blog/204433/big-elizabeth-warren-speech-how-finish-financial-reform [no comments, comments closed]
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Wall Street’s new huge gamble: Why they’re betting Hillary Clinton will stay in their pocket
Jamie Dimon, Hillary Clinton
Clinton's praising Elizabeth Warren, but the 1 percent isn't worried. They may be in for a nasty surprise
Apr 16, 2015
http://www.salon.com/2015/04/16/wall_streets_new_huge_gamble_why_theyre_betting_hillary_clinton_will_stay_in_their_pocket/ [with comments]
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EXCLUSIVE: Hillary Clinton Said to Hire Former Wall Street Cop as Campaign CFO
Apr 16, 2015
Hillary Clinton is planning to name Gary Gensler, a former top federal financial regulator and strong advocate for strict Wall Street rules, as the chief financial officer of her campaign, according to a Democrat familiar with the decision.
Gensler, in his role as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, was a leading player in the drafting and then implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act, the financial rules that President Barack Obama signed into law in 2010 in the wake of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Gensler also served in President Bill Clinton's Treasury Department.
For Clinton, who has been fighting her left flank’s concern that she is too cozy with Wall Street, Gensler is a notable hire. He became known as someone with sharp elbows—even during his negotiations within the Obama administration—in his push for tighter regulation.
[...]
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-16/exclusive-hillary-clinton-said-to-hire-former-wall-street-cop-as-campaign-cfo
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Hillary Clinton Hiring of C.F.O. Is Called Signal to Possible Donors
APRIL 17, 2015
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s recruitment of Gary Gensler, a former top federal Wall Street regulator, as her campaign’s chief financial officer was meant to show donors she is serious about avoiding the overspending that plagued her 2008 presidential campaign, according to people briefed on the matter.
It was also the latest indication that Mrs. Clinton is prepared to take a tougher stance toward the financial industry. Mr. Gensler, as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 2009 to 2014, overhauled the commission from one of Wall Street’s most lax regulators to one of its most aggressive, and campaigned to rein in risk-taking in response to the financial crisis.
[...]
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/18/us/politics/hillary-clinton-hiring-gary-gensler-is-called-signal-to-possible-donors.html
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How Hillary Jilted Wall Street
By bringing in Gary Gensler, scourge of the big banks, she’s fending off liberal challenges.
April 17, 2015
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/hillary-wall-street-117092.html [ http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/hillary-wall-street-117092_full.html ] [with comments]
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Clinton Campaign Will Accept Donations From Lobbyists And PACs
04/16/2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/clinton-campaign-donation_n_7079320.html [with embedded video report, and comments]
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2016 candidates line up their big money backers
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/13/15
Rachel Maddow reports on the billionaires and super PACs behind some of the major candidates in the 2016 race for the presidency, and how big money shapes modern American democracy.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/candidates-line-up-their-big-money-backers-427551811928 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZq2NQiwK3s (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-13-2015-trms (no comments yet)]
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Campaign cash becomes early differentiator between parties for 2016
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/21/15
Rachel Maddow contrasts the rush to court billionaire among Republican hopefuls for 2016 with the Democrats' and Hillary Clinton's campaign posturing against the role of big money in politics (though obviously no less willing to spend to win).
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/campaign-cash-becomes-early-2016-difference-431827523774 [with comments] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-22-2015-trms (no comments yet)]
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Hillary Clinton Backs Worker Protests For Higher Minimum Wage
04/16/2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/hillary-clinton-minimum-wage_n_7075258.html [with embedded video report, and comments]
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Clinton Reserves Judgment On Trade Deal
The Clinton campaign laid out criteria for all new trade measures, but didn’t rule on whether the newest bill from Congress meets them.
by Jennifer Epstein
Apr 17, 2015 4:07 PM CDT
Hillary Clinton’s campaign stayed vague Friday when describing her position on the agreement reached by lawmakers on a new trade bill, setting out criteria, but not saying whether the legislation creating a “fast track” toward a deal's approval meets them.
That's in contrast to the strong opposition to any new trade deals that likely rival former Gov. Martin O'Malley and some other Democrats share.
“Hillary Clinton believes that any new trade measure has to pass two tests: First, it should put us in a position to protect American workers, raise wages, and create more good jobs at home. Second, it must also strengthen our national security," Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement. "We should be willing to walk away from any outcome that falls short of these tests."
President Barack Obama supports the completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership—for which his administration has worked for years—as do some Senate Democrats, including those who reached an agreement Thursday with congressional Republicans to move forward with a bill to grant trade promotion authority and move quickly to vote on TPP.
Clinton favors "greater prosperity and security for American families, not trade for trade’s sake," Merrill added, and will keep close tabs on whether the trade deal does enough to tackle a range of issues including currency manipulation, climate change and labor rights.
Because Clinton served as secretary of state during the first half of the Obama administration, she's closely associated with the negotiation process, even though she hasn't been involved in it for more than two years.
O'Malley has made clear that he opposes TPP and said in an e-mail to supporters, sent within minutes of the release of Merrill's statement, that he opposes moving ahead on the “fast track” with TPP, saying that authority would deny Congress the ability to amend yet another bad trade deal.
"We must stop entering into bad trade deals that hurt middle-class wages and ship middle-class jobs overseas," he said. "And we certainly shouldn’t be fast-tracking failed deals."
In a nudge at the vague Clinton statement, O'Malley adviser Lis Smith wrote on Twitter that her boss "continues to *lead* on critical issues."
Perhaps anticipating criticism from the left, the Clinton statement closes by noting that "as she warned in her book, Hard Choices, we shouldn’t be giving special rights to corporations at the expense of workers and consumers."
©2015 Bloomberg L.P.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-17/clinton-reserves-judgment-on-trade-deal
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What The 2016 Hopefuls Are Saying About Indiana's 'Religious Freedom' Law
Opponents of Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act gathered in front of the Indiana State House Saturday.
March 31, 2015
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Hillary Clinton
@HillaryClinton
Sad this new Indiana law can happen in America today. We shouldn't discriminate against ppl bc of who they love #LGBT http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/26/indiana-governor-mike-pence-anti-gay-bill_n_6947472.html …
Indiana Governor Signs Anti-Gay 'Religious Freedom' Bill At Private Ceremony
WASHINGTON -- Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) quietly signed legislation Thursday that could legalize discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. The Religious Freedom...
6:32 PM - 26 Mar 2015
[ https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/581267449523343360 ]
[...]
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2015/03/31/396570683/what-the-2016-hopefuls-are-saying-about-indianas-religious-freedom-law [with comments]
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Hillary Clinton Urges Veto of Arkansas ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill
April 1, 2015
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Hillary Clinton
@HillaryClinton
Like IN law, AR bill goes beyond protecting religion, would permit unfair discrimination against #LGBT Americans. I urge Governor to veto.
8:33 AM - 1 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/583291187559284736 ]
[...]
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/04/01/hillary-clinton-urges-veto-of-arkansas-religious-freedom-bill/
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Rubio, Paul stumble taking two sides on gay rights
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/14/15
Rachel Maddow shows Marco Rubio and Rand Paul struggling to be appropriately anti-gay for their base without offending the more tolerant mainstream. Robert Gibbs, former White House press secretary, talks about "trap door" questions on the campaign trail.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/gop-candidates-talk-circles-on-gay-rights-428191299979 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nepTSwrbRu0 (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-14-2015-trms (no comments yet)]
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Pat Robertson: Gay People And Hillary Clinton Are Out To Destroy Freedom
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Thursday, 4/16/2015 11:15 am
On “The 700 Club [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/700-club , http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/christian-broadcasting-network-0 ]” today, televangelist Pat Robertson [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/pat-robertson ] once [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-gays-want-control-everything ] again [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-gays-will-force-you-anal-sex-bestiality ] charged [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-americans-must-resist-totalitarian-dictators-gay-lobby ] that the gay rights movement [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/anti-gay ] is bent on destroying freedom, telling viewers [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P2EvQ1uqJA (below, as embedded; with comments)] that the gay community seeks to impose “totalitarian” socialism on America. He also implicated Hillary Clinton [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/election-2016 ] in the supposed gay plot to destroy liberty, claiming that she “wants to do away with the First Amendment, or at least part of it.”
Robertson was speaking about Indiana’s “religious freedom” law, which he falsely suggested [ http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/03/30/3640374/big-lie-media-tells-indianas-new-religious-freedom-law/ ] was no different from the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“Now this bunch of gays, what they have done is single out — for example, there will be a city and there will be five bakeshops, four out of the five will do wedding cakes for anybody that wants them, gay, lesbian, Muslim, Hindu, anybody, they’ll do cakes. One little company says, ‘No, we’re Christian, we won’t do homosexual wedding cakes.’ So they sue that one and force that one, because the idea now is not tolerance, it is conformity, they’re going to make you go along with their lifestyle whether you like it or not,” Robertson said.
“That’s not freedom, ladies and gentlemen, that is totalitarian coercion, and that’s what those people want. Liberals are not liberal, they are totalitarian socialists. They want the government to force everybody into their mold.”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-gay-people-and-hillary-clinton-are-out-destroy-freedom
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Hillary Clinton Evolves on Gay Rights, While Others Lag Behind
Hillary Clinton.
Credit Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press
By Andrew Rosenthal
April 16, 2015 2:55 pm
Two bits of news today on the civil rights front seemed worthy of comment.
The first, more important, was that Hillary Clinton has changed her view on same-sex marriage [ http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/04/15/shifting-position-clinton-says-gay-marriage-should-be-a-constitutional-right/ ], which she once said should be left up to the individual states but which she now believes should be protected by the federal government as a constitutional right.
That this is connected with her new presidential campaign is obvious, but it’s still welcome news, and I’m glad that Mrs. Clinton has evolved on this issue before she took office. President Obama, of course, failed to do so. Some will argue that endorsing a constitutional right to same-sex marriage is a less risky position for a Democratic candidate in 2015 than it was in 2008, and that may be true, but it’s still a positive development.
The other bit of news comes from ThinkProgress.org [ http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/04/16/3647710/mechanic-will-legally-refuse-service-gay-people-michigan-updates-laws/ ], which reports that a mechanic in Michigan, Brian Klawiter, has declared that he, by golly, will not repair any homosexual-owned vehicles. “I would not hesitate to refuse service to an openly gay person or persons,” he wrote. “Homosexuality is wrong, period. If you want to argue this fact with me then I will put your vehicle together with all bolts and no nuts and you can see how that works.”
It’s tempting to dismiss Mr. Klawiter as a crank, since he’s also offering a discount to people who come into his shop bearing arms (for reasons other than robbing him, I assume). But his statement echoes a very serious and very seriously dangerous campaign by right-wing lawmakers and pressure groups to carve out a “religious” exemption to laws that protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans from bigotry and abuse in the public arena.
The claim is that their religious freedom allows them to judge the sexual orientation of others as an abomination against God and therefore refuse to have anything to do with them. Never mind that this is exactly the kind of logic that has been used to discriminate against African Americans, Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, women, Hispanics, Jews and many other protected groups.
Asking the local, state or federal government to give you special treatment because of your particular religious beliefs is, to my mind, a straightforward violation of the establishment clause in the First Amendment.
In the well-known cases of bakers refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, some say the couple should just go down the street. I don’t buy that argument, but consider this: What if your car breaks down on your way to the doctor and Mr. Klawiter refuses to fix it because you have a gay rights bumper sticker?
And there is this practical question: Unless someone walks in and declares his or her sexual orientation before asking for an oil change, how does Mr. Klawiter plan to enforce his ban? How, exactly, is he going to tell which customers are straight?
© 2015 The New York Times Company
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/hillary-clinton-evolves-on-gay-rights-while-others-lag-behind/ [with comments]
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Bloomberg Politics Poll: Sexual Orientation Deserves Same Protection as Race, Americans Say
A majority also says the country is on the road to full marriage equality.
Apr 17, 2015
Nearly three quarters of Americans say sexual orientation should be protected from discrimination the same way race is, according to a new Bloomberg Politics poll [ http://images.businessweek.com/cms/2015-04-19/150417_final.pdf ].
The finding of widespread support for legal protections for gays and lesbians comes in the wake of the contretemps over religious-liberty laws in Indiana and Arkansas, and with the Supreme Court expected to rule broadly on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage in June.
“Gay people and people of color are going through the same fight to be accepted,” said Brandi Jackson, a 31-year-old nursing assistant from Baltimore who is African-American and participated in the poll. “It doesn’t matter your race, your orientation. Everybody should be treated fairly.”
[...]
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-17/bloomberg-politics-poll-sexual-orientation-deserves-same-protection-as-race-americans-say
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Hillary Clinton Takes Firm Stance [for] On Driver's Licenses For The Undocumented After Slip-Up In 2008 Race
04/16/2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/clinton-drivers-licenses-undocumented_n_7072570.html [with embedded video, and comments]
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What's Hillary Clinton's Stance On Weed? She's Been Tight-Lipped, But Needs To Make Up Her Mind
April 12, 2015
http://www.bustle.com/articles/75776-whats-hillary-clintons-stance-on-weed-shes-been-tight-lipped-but-needs-to-make-up-her-mind
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Americans See Green Light for Marijuana Legalization in Bloomberg Politics Poll
Fifty-eight percent say recreational pot will be legal nationwide in the next 20 years.
Apr 17, 2015
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-17/americans-see-green-light-for-marijuana-legalization-in-bloomberg-politics-poll
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Americans' Support For Marijuana Legalization Reaches All-Time High In CBS Poll
04/20/2015 Updated: 04/21/15
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/20/americans-support-legaliz_n_7101132.html [with embedded video report, and comments]
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FactChecking Hillary Clinton
April 12, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/factchecking-hillary-clinton/
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Hillary Clinton
http://www.factcheck.org/person/hillary-clinton/
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Bernie Sanders: Hillary Clinton Won't Stand Up To Billionaires On Income Inequality
Getty
By Mollie Reilly
Posted: 04/15/2015 6:55 pm EDT Updated: 04/15/2015 6:59 pm EDT
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is questioning whether Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is "prepared to take on the billionaire class" in her 2016 bid for the White House.
The self-described democratic socialist, who is considering running for president himself, met with Bloomberg [ http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-15/hillary-clinton-not-ready-to-confront-billionaire-class-bernie-sanders-says ] reporters and editors on Wednesday. During the meeting, Sanders said he does not believe, "based on her record" that Clinton is "prepared to take on the billionaire class" to address income inequality.
"It's not what she says, it's what she does," he said of the former secretary of state.
“The country belongs to all of us and not just the billionaire class," he continued. "Do I think that's Hillary Clinton's politics? No. No I don't."
Clinton launched her campaign Sunday, officially ending years of speculation that she would jump in the race. Like other candidates [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/14/upshot/why-republicans-are-suddenly-talking-about-economic-inequality.html ] eyeing the Oval Office, Clinton has vowed to take on economic inequality, and in her first campaign event criticized the high paychecks of top business executives.
"There's something wrong when CEOs make 300 times more than the typical worker," Clinton said at a roundtable in Iowa [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/hillary-clinton-ceos-hedge-fund-iowa_n_7069938.html ] on Tuesday. "There's something wrong when American workers keep getting more productive, as they have, and as I just saw a few minutes ago is very possible because of education and skills training, but that productivity is not matched in their paychecks."
Sanders told Bloomberg his decision on whether to challenge Clinton will depend on how much money he can raise. However, he said he believes his pro-worker message resonates with many voters.
“The message I have has a lot of support," he said. "It's going to be a gut decision."
The Vermont senator also questioned Clinton in a Tuesday interview with MSNBC [ http://www.msnbc.com/thomas-roberts/watch/bernie-sanders--whats-hillary-campaigning-on--427928131695 ].
"The American people want Secretary Clinton, all candidates, to talk about why the middle class continues to decline, why the rich get richer, why Wall Street continues to have unbelievable power over the American economy," Sanders said. "The American people not only want a serious debate on this campaign, they want candidates who will deal with the most important issue, and that is are we prepared to take on the billionaire class which has so much power over our economic and political life."
"Do you not believe that Hillary Clinton is out for the little guy?" host Thomas Roberts asked.
"Why don't you tell me what Hillary Clinton is campaigning on?" Sanders replied. “You don't know, and I don't know, and the American people don't know."
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton_n_7074500.html [with comments]
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Martin O'Malley Goes After Hillary Clinton For Leading By 'Polls,' Not 'Principles'
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) is considering a run for president.
04/16/2015 Updated: 04/17/2015
WASHINGTON -- Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) went after Hillary Clinton Thursday, accusing her of changing policy positions based on polls rather than her convictions. It's the first time the prospective Democratic presidential candidate has attacked Clinton since she announced her presidential bid Sunday.
"I’m glad Secretary Clinton’s come around to the right positions on these issues," said O'Malley, referring to same-sex marriage and immigration. O'Malley spoke to reporters at Harvard University, where he gave a speech on the economy.
"I believe that we are best as a party when we lead with our principles and not according to the polls," O'Malley added. "And every election is about the future. And leadership is about making the right decision, and the best decision before sometimes it becomes entirely popular."
[...]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/martin-omalley-hillary-clinton_n_7083278.html [with embedded (audio on) video, and comments]
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Martin O’Malley Takes Apparent Jab At Hillary For Pandering To Progressives
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listens to small business owners as she campaigns for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination at Capital City Fruit in Norfolk, Iowa April 15, 2015.
04/17/2015
http://dailycaller.com/2015/04/17/martin-omalley-takes-apparent-jab-at-hillary-for-pandering-to-progressives/ [with comments]
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Lincoln Chafee: 'I'm running' and here's why
By Jedd Rosche and Dan Merica
Updated 11:10 AM ET, Thu April 16, 2015
(CNN)—Former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee said Thursday on CNN that he's running for the Democratic nomination for president, just a week after announcing he formed an exploratory committee, his most definitive statement he's made toward formalizing a 2016 campaign.
"Yes, that's why I'm running. Because I feel strong about where we're going as a country," Chafee told CNN's "New Day" on Thursday, when asked why he's been so critical of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Chafee was asked by CNN's John Berman in the context of having not formally declared his presidential campaign.
Chafee spokeswoman Debbie Rich said Chafee did not declare himself as a candidate for president Thursday, despite saying "that's why I'm running."
"We are still in the exploratory committee phase," she told CNN in a phone interview, adding, "We will file the proper papers to be an official candidate, but that has not happened yet."
Chafee, a former Republican and former senator, announced he was forming an exploratory committee last week [ http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/09/politics/lincoln-chafee-2016-presidential-plans/ ]. Chafee's been differentiating himself from fellow Democratic primary contenders by taking sharp jabs at Clinton, willing to be more critical than would-be challengers former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley or former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb over her vote in Congress to authorize the war in Iraq.
"That was a moment where the premise for going to Iraq was so false that there were weapons of mass destruction; she didn't do her homework. We live with the ramifications," Chafee told CNN's "State of the Union" over the weekend [ http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/12/politics/hillary-clinton-lincoln-chafee-bush-election-2016/ ]. "You may say that's 12 years ago — that's a big motivator for me running. If you show a lack of judgment, lack of doing homework then, what can we expect in the future?"
Chafee has been blurring the line between considering a run and actually running since last week. In his CNN interview with Dana Bash over the weekend, he all but declared his candidacy.
"I want to be on the stage in November, December and January debating these issues," he said.
A long shot who's been out of office since his gubernatorial term ended at the beginning of 2015, Chafee hadn't been included in the overwhelming majority of public polling of the Democratic primary.
Chafee acknowledged his chances in Thursday's interview.
"There's no doubt I'm the underdog," he said.
CNN's Eric Bradner and Brenna Williams contributed to this report.
© 2015 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/16/politics/lincoln-chafee-running-for-president/ [with embedded videos]
===
5 Arguments Republicans Are Using to Try and Defeat Hillary Clinton in 2016
by David Knowles
Apr 16, 2015 4:46 PM CDT
It's on.
With Hillary Clinton's formal entry into the 2016 presidential race last Sunday, the arguments against her candidacy—made by her Republican rivals—have already begun to take shape. In part, that's because there was little question that Clinton would assume the mantle of Democratic frontrunner, giving strategists years to plot their battle plans.
In the near constant barrage of criticism tossed at Clinton over the past few days, a pattern has emerged that makes clear what we can expect over the coming weeks and months of the campaign. Here are five anti-Hillary refrains.
1. She's the same as Obama
Texas Senator Ted Cruz often refers to what he calls the failed Obama-Clinton foreign policy.
"Does America want a third Obama term or are we ready for strong conservative leadership to make America great again?" Cruz said in a Sunday statement following Clinton's announcement, adding, "We know that a Hillary Clinton Administration would be no different than an Obama Administration."
Former Texas governor Rick Perry is also fond of the couple of the two Democratic politician's names.
Rick Perry
@GovernorPerry
America can't afford another 4 years of the Obama-Clinton agenda. Stop Hillary. Sign the petition: http://goo.gl/OCECjy
RickPAC
RickPAC was created to help elect conservatives across our country who share Governor Perry’s strong belief in the 10th Amendment. Governor Perry is proud to support leaders who believe in the...
1:15 PM - 12 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/GovernorPerry/status/587348412229517312 ]
Florida Senator Marco Rubio agrees, arguing in his new book [ http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/01/07/marco-rubio-hillary-clinton-american-dream/ ], American Dreams, that, "The election of Hillary Clinton to the presidency, in short, would be nothing more than a third Obama term."
2. Like her husband, she thinks she's above the law
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was one of the first candidates of the 2016 election cycle to air an anti-Clinton ad. In it, he covers many of the arguments in this list, but emphasizes what he considers to be a pattern of behavior that shows Hillary believes she is above the law. “Hillary Clinton represents the worst of the Washington machine,” the narrator says in the minute-long spot. “The arrogance of power, corruption and cover-up, conflicts of interest and failed leadership with tragic consequences [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUAP_WMr2fw (next below, as embedded; comments disabled)].”
Specifically, Clinton's deletion of a trove of e-mails from her personal server has led candidates like Cruz to suggest that the former secretary of state broke the law.
"It is long past time for a fair and impartial investigation into what occurred here. Based on what she has admitted publicly, it appears that Secretary Clinton's conduct was in violation of federal law and may have even constituted criminal conduct," Cruz said in a radio interview on the Dana Show [ http://www.971talk.com/blogs/dana-show-blog/audio-demand/ted-cruz-dana-show-3-31-15 , https://soundcloud.com/fmnewstalk971/033115-ted-cruz ].
3. She's a hypocrite
There are several issues on which Clinton has been labeled a "hypocrite" from her Republican presidential rivals, but the two most common have to do with the Clinton Foundation's acceptance of donations from governments with less than stellar records on human rights, and over the issue of gender pay equality.
On Meet the Press [ http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/rand-paul-slams-hillary-clintons-grand-hypocrisy-n340096 ], Paul took issue with the former:
Hillary Clinton has taken money from countries that rape victims are publicly lashed," Paul said. "We should be boycotting, voluntarily boycotting a country, not buying stuff from a country that does that to women.
During her CPAC address, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina hit Clinton for the foundation's donations as well as for the alleged gender pay gap for members of Clinton's own staff. "She tweets about equal pay for women but will not answer basic questions about her own office's pay standards..." Fiorina stated [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMM3raEebkg (next below, as embedded; with comments)].
4. As secretary of state, she left us less safe
Fiorina has often repeated her assertion that Clinton's time as secretary of state was devoid of accomplishments, and, in fact, left us less safe than we were before she held that position.
"It’s a problem when you mislead the American people for a month about what really happened in Benghazi. It’s a problem when you believe that Vladimir Putin can be thwarted by a red reset button," Fiorina this week during an appearance on Morning Joe [ http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/04/13/carly_fiorina_hillary_has_had_a_lot_of_impressive_titles_but_record_real_blemishes_lacks_accomplishment.html ]. "I’ve met Vladimir Putin. I sat across the table from him; there’s no way a red reset button is going to work. It’s a problem when our relationship with Israel has deteriorated so dramatically, and it’s a problem when terrorism is on the rise, not on the wane as she and the president continue to try to convince the American people."
In his first anti-Clinton ad of 2016, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum piled on to the theory that Clinton, because of her use of a private e-mail account, left the United States vulnerable to terrorist attacks [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ExyzEhJ_8Q (next below, as embedded; comments disabled); http://www.patriotvoices.com/who_we_are ].
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, too, has questioned whether Clinton's time as secretary of state helped make America safer.
"This is very Clintonian, I think, to figure out a way to get out of a mess," Bush said in an interview with Hugh Hewitt [ http://www.hughhewitt.com/jeb-bush-on-the-indiana-law-iran-and-hillary/ ]. "But she was secretary of state of the first administration. And while some of this disruption and then all the stuff playing out right now didn't exist in the first four years, its roots were there. The pullback began then. The reset with Russia, the discussions with Syria, the red line, all these things created the beginnings of what we're now seeing."
5. She represents the past/is too old
Rubio, the youngest candidate to have entered the race thus far, has made a point of trying to highlight the generational divide between himself and Clinton. "Just yesterday, a leader from yesterday began a campaign for President by promising to take us back to yesterday," Rubio said during Monday's campaign roll-out [ http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-13/transcript-marco-rubio-announces-run-for-president ]. "But yesterday is over, and we are never going back."
That line of thinking picks up on an argument put forth by GOP strategist Karl Rove, who, during a 2014 interview with Fox News, describe Clinton as "something old and stale."
“In American politics, there’s a sense you want to be new, you don’t want to be too familiar, you want to be something fresh, you don’t want to be something old and stale,” the former Bush adviser said.
Paul, meanwhile, has also launched repeated attacks based on the idea that Clinton equals an outdated vision for the country.
Dr. Rand Paul
@RandPaul
Have you ordered your #LibertyNotHillary sticker yet? Don't let @HillaryClinton take us back to the past! https://cards.twitter.com/cards/3l4ipl/gihq …
12:30 PM - 15 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/588393962009821186 ]
That final knock against Clinton is the subject of debate, of course, but even from the likes of Jonathan Rauch, who coined the so-called 14-year rule during the 2004 election. It posits that a politician has a 14-year window to rise to the presidency before a metaphorical sell-by date is reached. This year, however, Rauch is unsure.
David Frum
@davidfrum
Apr 14
Meet the man whose professional reputation is most on the line in 2016: @jon_rauch, author of the 14 year rule. http://www.nationaljournal.com/columns/social-studies/who-can-win-in-2004-just-use-this-freshness-test-20031017 …
-
Jonathan Rauch
@jon_rauch
.@davidfrum 2016 is a hard test for the 14-year rule as Jeb and Hillary are both stale and fresh candidates are weaker.
5:38 AM - 14 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/jon_rauch/status/587958191935377408 ]
Of course, the many lines of attack on Clinton themselves belie a truth that even many of the Republican candidates themselves admit: Hillary will be hard to beat.
"Hillary Clinton is a determined, hard-working woman. She is. And she has set her sights on the White House. And so she’s not going to give up, and she’s not going to give in. She’s going to keep going," Fiorina said this week in an interview with Hewitt [ http://www.hughhewitt.com/carly-fiorina-on-hillary-clintons-campaign-launch/ ]. "And she has, we shouldn’t underestimate her, because she has support, whether enthusiastic or not, she has support from her party. She will have the best ground game in political history thanks for Barack Obama. And she will also have more money than anyone, because she doesn’t have to spend very much in a primary. So we shouldn’t underestimate her. She is a determined fighter, and she will fight for this."
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee agrees.
"You know the Clintons very well," Huckabee told George Stephanopolous [ http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/gov-mike-huckabee-clintons-2016-odds-30262660 ] last week, "they play to win, and anyone who thinks that she's going to get into this half-heartedly, well they've never ever encountered the will, the spirit, the heart and the determination of the Clinton political machinery."
©2015 Bloomberg L.P.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-16/5-arguments-republicans-are-using-to-try-and-defeat-hillary-clinton-in-2016
===
The Five Worst Attacks On Hillary Clinton In The Last Five Days
4/15/2015
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/five-worst-attacks-hillary-clinton-last-five-days
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Female CEO Says Women 'Shouldn't Be President' Because Of 'Different Hormones,' 'Biblical Reasoning'
By Dominique Mosbergen
Posted: 04/15/2015 1:52 am EDT Updated: 04/15/2015 1:59 am EDT
A female CEO in Texas has come under fire this week for saying a woman “shouldn’t be president [ http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/texas-marketing-ceo-women-cant-be-president-because-of-hormones-and-biblical-sound-reasoning/ ]” because of “different hormones” and “biblical sound reasoning.”
Cheryl Rios, CEO of Dallas marketing and public relations firm Go Ape Marketing, wrote on Facebook that she’d move “to Canada” if Hillary Clinton became head of state [ http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2015/04/13/dallas-woman-posts-on-facebook-a-female-shouldnt-be-president/ ].
“With the hormones we have, there is no way [a woman] should be able to start a war,” she wrote in her post, per KTVT. “Yes I run my own business and I love it and I am great at it BUT that is not the same as being the President, that should be left to a man, a good, strong, honorable man.”
Rios said she supports “equal rights,” but stressed that “there’s an old biblical sound reasoning why a woman shouldn’t be president,” according to the station. Rios, however, did not cite a particular biblical verse to support her view.
After drawing criticism for her comments on social media, Rios took to Twitter [ https://twitter.com/Cheryl_RRios/status/588196150265696256 ] Tuesday to defend her beliefs.
“In this great country we are allowed our own opinions. Mine may be something you don't agree with, and so be it. I am old fashioned, I am Christian and believe what I have said,” she wrote in an extended tweet [ http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1slonc4 ].
Rios added that she doesn’t believe that women should be “abused, or that they are stupid or can't be lawyers, doctors or run successful businesses,” only that they shouldn’t be the country’s head of state.
“With that, please stop the nastiness as it wasn't meant in that light,” she wrote.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/ceo-women-shouldnt-be-president-cheryl-rios_n_7067564.html [with embedded non-YouTube video report (the above YouTube of same, which is complete, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geaHvpLImaI {with comments}), and comments]
*
Cheryl Rios Statement
Published on Apr 16, 2015 by Opinions are our right [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdOlK5d4hHt5JEt2hlbD-9g / http://www.youtube.com/user/fishermen12 , http://www.youtube.com/user/fishermen12/videos ]
I spoke with Cheryl Rios on 4/15/2015
Her comments she made regarding us having a women president I personally do not agree with. I have worked online for 15 years and have seen many people post so many worse comments on this subject. So I honestly do not understand today's media.
I think its very sad that today's media has to find comments by people and make a mockery out of them and basically attempt to destroy every fiber of their being. We are allowed to have opinions BUT BEWARE your opinion may destroy you.
I have known Cheryl for good while and she is a really nice women with strong old school opinions. So as each of you tear her apart just remember maybe someday someone you care about could get crucified for speaking out.
I have set up a gofundme page for her and her family as I do not believe people should be treated this way over having a opinion but I am well aware that is the world we live in today.
http://www.gofundme.com/cheryl-rios
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8iNcxqIWiQ [with comments]
*
Texas CEO Cheryl Rios defends anti-woman comments on Fox News
Published on Apr 19, 2015 by Raw Story [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrwcaubBjseFaaq0j_LAoLw , http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrwcaubBjseFaaq0j_LAoLw/videos ]
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/fox-host-explodes-at-misogynist-ceo-completely-backwards-to-say-god-didnt-intend-women-presidents/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Oee3s-bUB4 [with comments]
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Fiorina Defends Female Hormones, Ridicules Rubio VA Bill
Fiorina is expected to announce her own presidential campaign in the coming weeks.
Apr 18, 2015
NASHUA, New Hampshire—Entering and exiting the stage to Alicia Keys' hit song, "Girl on Fire [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J91ti_MpdHA (next below; with {over 56,000} comments)],"
Fiorina's broadside against Clinton is a staple of her public speeches as she weighs a Republican presidential bid but at the First in the Nation Republican Leadership Summit here, she expanded the target zone to include the Democratic front runner's husband, former President Bill Clinton.
“I was asked this morning on Fox News [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7b_NkHyXb0 (next below; with comments)]
[...]
“Hillary Clinton cannot be president of the United States, but not because she is a woman," Fiorina said. "Hillary Clinton must not be president of the United States because she does not have a track record of accomplishment, because she lacks the candor and transparency that are so necessary to leadership, and because she will pursue a set of policies that crush possibilities and the potential of this great nation.”
Fiorina, 60, has assumed the role as one of her party's most aggressive critics of Clinton, who made her presidential bid official this week. After a career in business, Fiorina waded into electoral politics in 2010, winning her party's U.S. Senate nomination in California before losing to incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer by 10 percentage points.
The Californian reminded New Hampshire voters that she's her party's only potential candidate who has not spent a lifetime in politics, saying that she has the leadership skills to "change the order of things for the better."
[...]
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-18/fiorina-defends-female-hormones-ridicules-rubio-va-bill
*
Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina (born Cara Carleton Sneed; September 6, 1954) is an American former business executive and was the Republican nominee for the United States Senate from California in 2010. Fiorina served as chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005 after being an executive at AT&T and its equipment and technology spinoff, Lucent.
Fiorina was considered one of the most powerful women in business during her tenure at Lucent and Hewlett-Packard. While she was chief executive at HP, the company weathered the collapse of the dot-com bubble, although the stock lost half of its value throughout her tenure.[1] In 2002, the company completed a contentious merger with rival computer company Compaq, which made HP the world's largest personal computer manufacturer.[2] In 2005, Fiorina was forced to resign as chief executive officer and chair of HP following "differences [with the board of directors] about how to execute HP's strategy."[3] She has frequently been ranked as one of the worst tech CEOs of all time.[4][5][6][7]
[...]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carly_Fiorina
--
Republican Strategist: I Don't Need Hillary Clinton To 'Drown Me In Estrogen'
GOP strategist Ana Navarro said she's had enough of Hillary Clinton doing that whole "woman thing."
You know the thing: where she gets on stage and talks about hugely important, fundamental family and women's issues as she campaigns [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/12/hillary-clinton-2016_n_6134814.html ] to become the first female president of the United States.
Navarro claimed on CNN that Clinton's "woman thing" is "lacking subtlety" this time around.
"I don't need her to drown me in estrogen every time she opens her mouth," Navarro said Sunday. "Every time she opens her mouth it's about the granddaughter and Chelsea's wedding and the yoga routines ... She doesn't need to have a sign that says, 'I'm a woman, hear me roar!'"
[...]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/13/hillary-clinton-estrogen-gop-strategist_n_7054594.html [with a non-YouTube excerpt from the included YouTube (from http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/gop-strategist-is-tired-of-hillary-clintons-woman-thing-dont-drown-me-in-estrogen/ {with comments}), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ4r5vA9qFo (with comments), embedded, and comments]
--
County supervisor defends calling Hillary Clinton 'Ovary'
Hillary Clinton is seen in a video posted to YouTube announcing her candidacy for president.
April 16, 2015
Milwaukee County Supervisor Deanna Alexander is not a fan of former Secretary of State Hillary Cinton, a Democrat running for president.
So Alexander has come up with her own derisive nickname for Clinton.
Ovary.
And Alexander has taken to her personal Twitter account to try to build support for it.
First, she posted this, referring to Clinton as "Ovary":
Deanna Alexander
@DAinWIS
Did Ovary's campaign REALLY set a $2.5 BILLION goal just for her own #POTUS run? Yet SHE claims there's too much $ in politics? Sheesh #tcot
12:17 PM - 15 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/DAinWIS/status/588390671725305856 ]
[...]
Is it really appropriate to refer to the former first lady in this way?
Alexander, a conservative on the left-leaning County Board, thinks so.
She notes that people come up with nicknames for politicians all the time. For instance, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was dubbed The Governator and ex-President Bill Clinton was known as Slick Willie to his critics -- and even some of his supporters.
Alexander, who is considered a possible candidate for the state Senate, said she found it interesting that people have jumped to the conclusion that she was referring to Hillary Clinton when she discussed "Ovary's campaign." ...
[...]
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/300118581.html [with comments]
--
Michael Savage: Hillary Clinton's 'Looks Alone Could Sink The Campaign'
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Thursday, 4/16/2015 2:50 pm
On Monday [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3PV_4Mjik0 (next below; with comments)],
After saying that it’s “not fair” to talk about Clinton’s looks, Savage went ahead and did just that, asking viewers if they really want to look at Clinton’s “frightening face” for “eight straight years.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/savage-hillary-too-ugly-to-be-president ) embedded]
She’s the nice woman, the TV ad shows her with gay couples — like that’s the most important thing on earth, the happy gay couple. She’s ‘hitting the road to earn your vote,’ she hasn’t driven a car in 20 years but she’s one of us, the pancake woman. I can look at it, the pantsuits — I don’t want to go into the weight thing, that’s not fair, because time and gravity is unfair to all of us, so let’s put that aside, let’s not talk about her looks. But her looks alone could sink the campaign. From the neck up, forget about the neck down. We’re not going to ridicule her physically, it happens to all — but the head up, I’m telling you, do you want to look at that for eight years? Do you really want to have that face staring at you for eight straight years? That frightening face?
At least [Marco] Rubio is fresh-faced. I kiddingly call him ‘the ice cream man,’ but who hates an ice cream man? Nobody. Maybe we need an ice cream man running America. I don’t know what he has going for him other than the fact that he’s got a fresh face and his name ends in a vowel.
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/michael-savage-hillary-clintons-looks-alone-could-sink-campaign
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The American Family Association's Sandy Rios Implies Hillary Clinton Is A Lesbian In A New Broadcast
By JamesMichael Nichols
Posted: 04/15/2015 1:05 pm EDT Updated: 04/15/2015 4:59 pm EDT
The American Family Association [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/american-family-association ]'s Sandy Rios [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/sandy-rios ] is once again [ http://streamer1.afa.net/afr-aod/SandyRios/sr_20150413.mp3 , http://afr.net/afr-talk/sandy-rios-in-the-morning/ ] implying that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is secretly a lesbian [ http://www.towleroad.com/2015/04/sandy-rios-possibly-lesbian-hillary-clintons-launch-video-excludes-straight-christian-couples-listen.html ] and claims that the evidence is in the video announcing her presidential campaign [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/13/us/politics/hillary-clinton-2016-presidential-campaign.html ].
Clinton featured a same-sex couple [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/13/hillary-clinton-video_n_7055324.html ] in the clip which, in Rios's mind, serves to reinforce her adamant belief that the Democratic presidential hopeful is a lesbian.
Check out the recording, first featured on Right Wing Watch [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sandy-rios-possibly-lesbian-hillary-clinton-excluded-anglo-american-husband-and-wife-launch- ], below:
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/rios-suggests-clinton-is-a-lesbian ) embedded]
"Please keep in mind that Hillary Clinton was one of the first public officials to push this whole notion of embracing homosexuality," Rios said. "I would never forget my own personal shock in the late ‘90s when there was a women’s conference in Beijing and Hillary Clinton was in charge and they brought in women from all over the world at this UN conference, and the emphasis for the American delegation under Hillary’s tutelage was on lesbianism."
She continued:
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/rios-clinton-campaign-video-excluded-white-straight-couples-in-church ) embedded]
This is not the first time that individuals have speculated about Clinton's sexuality, and certainly not the first time that Rios has made such accusations. After Clinton publicly announced her support for same-sex marriage in 2013, Rios claimed that the former U.S. Secretary of State had a "love of homosexuality [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sandy-rios-floats-rumor-hillary-clinton-lesbian ]."
Glenn Beck also jumped on the bandwagon in 2014 [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/30/hillary-clinton-glenn-bec_n_5240240.html ], claiming that Clinton "will be having sex with a woman on the... White House desk if it becomes popular."
Meanwhile, Jenny McCarthy made a similar suggestion [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/23/jenny-mccarthy-hillary-clinton-lesbian_n_5613012.html ] on "The View" last year, broaching the idea that the Clintons may have some form of "arrangement."
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/hillary-clinton-sandy-rios-lesbian_n_7070784.html [with comments]
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Wayne LaPierre’s grotesque warning: Hillary Clinton ‘will bring a permanent darkness of deceit and despair’
NRA Executive Vice-President Wayne LaPierre speaks at the group's annual leadership forum on April 9, 2015.
[YouTube]
Arturo Garcia
10 Apr 2015 at 22:10 ET
National Rifle Association (NRA) executive vice president Wayne LaPierre railed against the possibility of Hillary Clinton becoming president during his remarks at the group’s annual leadership forum in Nashville on Friday [April 10, 2015], Right Wing Watch reported [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/nras-lapierre-hillary-rodham-clinton-will-bring-permanent-darkness-deceit-and-despair ].
“She will not bring a new dawn of promise and new opportunity,” LaPierre argued. “Hillary Rodham Clinton will bring a permanent darkness of deceit and despair, forced upon the American people to endure.”
The former secretary of state is expected to formally announce her entry into the presidential race on Sunday, but LaPierre argued that she was unfit for office because she was tainted by controversy.
“‘Whitewater-gate,’ ‘Cattle-gate,’ ‘Jenifer Flowers-gate,’ ‘Nanny-gate,’ ‘Lincoln bedroom-gate,’ ‘Travel-gate,’ ‘Trooper-gate,’ ‘File-gate,’ ‘Paula Jones-gate,’ ‘Vince Foster-gate’, ‘Helicopter-gate,’ ‘White House Coffee-gate,’ ‘Web Hubbell Hush Money-gate,’ ‘Pardon-gate,’ ‘Illegal Gift-Gate,’ ‘Monica-gate,’ ‘Benghazi-gate,’ ‘Email-gate,’ ‘Wiped Server-gate,'” he said. “Hillary Clinton has more ‘gates’ than a South Texas cattle ranch, and Americans know it.”
LaPierre also played up the fact that the NRA event had drawn several possible Republican contenders, saying the upcoming primary season would ensure that the GOP would field its best candidate.
“I vow on this day the NRA will stand shoulder to shoulder with you and good, honest decent Americans and we will stand and fight with everything we’ve got,” he argued. “And in 2016, by God, we will elect the next great president of the United States of America and it will not be Hillary Rodham Clinton.”
LaPierre’s remarks, as posted online [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU-s95v01yU (next below, as embedded; with comments)], can be seen in their entirety below.
Copyright 2015 Raw Story Media, Inc.
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/wayne-lapierres-grotesque-warning-hillary-clinton-will-bring-a-permanent-darkness-of-deceit-and-despair/ [with comments]
===
Senator Marco Rubio Presidential Announcement Full Speech (C-SPAN)
Published on Apr 14, 2015 by C-SPAN [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb--64Gl51jIEVE-GLDAVTg / http://www.youtube.com/user/CSPAN , http://www.youtube.com/user/CSPAN/videos ]
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. He made the announcement from the Freedom Tower in Miami, FL. Watch the prayer offered before Senator Marco Rubio announced his candidacy here:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?325251-101/rubio-campaign-announcement-invocation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51jmJn8XwPQ [with comments] [also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQuahjgiadY (with comments); on C-Span.org at http://www.c-span.org/video/?325251-1/senator-marco-rubio-rfl-presidential-campaign-announcement ]
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FactChecking Marco Rubio
April 13, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/factchecking-marco-rubio/
*
Marco Rubio
http://www.factcheck.org/person/marco-rubio/
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Marco Rubio’s Opening Speech Had a Goof (Updated)
April 13, 2015 Updated April 14, 2015
Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign announcement speech included inspirational parts of his life story, the outline of a governing agenda and one flat-out error that appears to be a clumsy Prince reference.
“Too many leaders” are “busy looking backwards,” the Florida Republican said.
“So they do not see how jobs and prosperity today depend on our ability to … compete in a global economy. And so our leaders put us at a disadvantage by taxing and borrowing and regulating like it was 1999.”
The problem with the senator’s statement is that the government is neither taxing, nor borrowing, nor regulating like it did in 1999. In fact, in 1999 there was a surplus, shrinking the debt owned by the public.
Taxes were much higher in 1999 — 19.2 percent of gross domestic product, versus 16.7 percent in 2013, with President Barack Obama agreeing to permanently extend the Bush-era tax cuts for 99 percent of taxpayers at the end of 2012.
As for regulating, 1999 was notable in part for repealing key sections of the Glass-Steagall Act.
(Prince’s 1982 megahit “1999” features the line “party like it’s 1999.”)
[...]
http://www3.blogs.rollcall.com/white-house/marco-rubios-opening-speech-goof/ [with comments]
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Marco Rubio's Miami Church: Exorcisms, Creationism, Anti-Gay Policies
ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Bruce Wilson [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-wilson/ ]
Posted: 04/14/2015 1:19 pm EDT Updated: 04/14/2015 1:59 pm EDT
"On most Saturday nights, we still attend services at Christ Fellowship, especially if Pastor Rick [Blackwood] is preaching the sermon. His sermons still inspire me to grow in my Christian faith... Some of my Catholic friends occasionally express concern over my continued association with Christ Fellowship. But I don't think you can go to church too often..." -- Marco Rubio, An American Son: A Memoir
"Evolution is not based on observable evidence. Creation is based on observable evidence." -- Rick Blackwood, 2014 sermon
"I could sense the demons going out of this man and the Spirit of God entering him" -- Rick Blackwood, describing his 2011 exorcism of a demon-possessed church member
Junior U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has just thrown his hat into the ring and announced his bid for the presidency. Since Rubio made a point of discussing, at length, his religious beliefs in his 2012 memoir An American Son: A Memoir, it seems fair to have a look. Following his announcement, LGBT rights media have showcased Rubio's lengthy record of anti-gay statements and rhetoric (see http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/rachelwitkin/marco_rubio_s_top_ten_anti_gay_statements , http://www.advocate.com/politics/election/2015/04/13/marco-rubio-might-be-most-antigay-presidential-candidate-yet ) but there's a broader pattern.
Among Rubio's two main religious influences, Catholic Church doctrine is a matter of public record. But an investigation of Rubio's Miami Baptist megachurch reveals, notably, an anti-homosexual hiring policy, the promotion of demonology and exorcism, Young Earth creationism, and denial of evolution.
Marco Rubio's walk with God has been meandering and, some might say, fickle. As a child Rubio, who was baptized Catholic, made a brief but fervent conversion to Mormonism. His switch to the Church of the Latter Day Saints lasted three years.
As an adult, from 2000 to 2004 Rubio took a detour from his Catholic roots to exclusively attend Miami's Christ Fellowship [ http://cfmiami.org/ ], a Southern Baptist megachurch to which Rubio has given at least $50,000.
Now straddling both Christ Fellowship and the Catholic Church, Marco Rubio seems positioned to appeal both to conservative Catholics but also the anti-LGBT, demon-casting, creationist segment of the Protestant evangelical right.
Though he's now primarily and "firmly" Catholic, Rubio has recently told [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/04/13/heres-what-we-know-about-marco-rubios-faith-of-many-colors/ ] Religion News Service reporter Sarah Pulliam-Bailey that he has "maintained the relationship with Christ Fellowship" and often attends services at the church.
During his Protestant years, Rubio revealed in his 2012 memoir, he nonetheless "craved, literally, the Most Blessed Sacrament, Holy Communion" (of the Catholic Church.) So, the rising GOP star found a practical, buffet-style solution. Rubio divulged that on Saturday nights he brings his family to worship at Christ Fellowship, and on Sunday the Rubio family attends St. Louis Catholic Church.
Christ Fellowship requires [ https://cfmiami.org/applications/employment ] prospective employees to sign the following sexual purity oath:
"I hereby certify that I am a Christian, not a practicing homosexual in accordance with scriptures (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, I Corinthians 6:9-10, I Timothy 1:10)"
Leviticus 18:22 (New International Version) reads, "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable." Leviticus 20:13 (NIV) is harsher: "If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."
In accord with the religious right's increasingly tortured effort to come to terms with growing public acceptance of same-sex marriage and LGBT rights, "one of the leading experts in our country on marriage and families", Dr. Bob Barnes, was in April 2012 brought in to Christ Fellowship for a guest sermon, "Why Family?" in which he explained [ http://cfmiami.org/sermons/watch/why-family ] that homosexuality was a form of addiction :
"Homosexual sin is no worse than heterosexual sin. There is not a hierarchy of sins. Sin is sin. But, if I find somebody that has a predisposition, a genetic predisposition, or a chromosomal predisposition toward substance abuse, it doesn't mean I should cave in to substance abuse. There are people who just have a predisposition to addiction."
Christ Fellowship's position is even more evident in a July 2014 sermon [ http://cfmiami.org/sermons/watch/putting-on-the-new-man ] by Pastor Ken Weathersby, who explained that any sex outside "marriage between a man and a woman" is "not pleasing to God" and proffered,
"Scripture reminds us that we have to put aside what oftentimes we really don't want to deal with. Impurity, evil desires, passion, greed, and covetousness... God is saying to us, we must put that lifestyle down."
Such ever-present "evil desires" can lead to addiction. Accordingly, Christ Fellowship has a men's group that helps those so-afflicted to fight their "predisposition to [sexual] addiction", a "Men's Sexual Integrity [ http://cfmiami.org/regroups/13 ]" group that meets every Thursday at 7 p.m.
But in the case that small group therapy should prove inadequate to the task, Christ Fellowship has another therapeutic method, exorcisms -- the expelling of demons that possess people and control their behavior, by bible verse reading.
One of the root causes of addictions, sexual and nonsexual, is demon possession according to a 2011 Christ Fellowship sermon [ http://cfmiami.org/sermons/watch/demon-possession ] by pastor Rick Blackwood titled "Demon Possession." As Blackwood describes,
"Satan's agenda is to seduce people away from God; to seduce them away from the heavenly Father, and then to take control of that individual. One of the ways that Satan accomplishes that is through what the Bible calls demonic possession. Make no mistake about it: Satan's angels can seize control of an individual and possess an individual physically, spiritually, and even mentally."
It's gripping stuff. Per Blackwood, those demons are everywhere but they're very subtle. Rather than making people crazy, they opt for sneakier ways of driving people from God; the demons undermine people's ability to think logically:
"Demonic possession is far more pervasive today than many of us are aware of... in a modern civilized society like ours, rather than exposing their presence inside of a person, they would rather conceal their presence. Rather than driving a person crazy and making them do all kinds of weird things so that people say that there is something wrong there, they would rather conceal their presence...
One of the ways they do that is by driving unbelievers away from logic. They drive people away from mental cognitive and what I would even call scientific logic."
This in turn raises the issue of science, and evolution. Besides demonology, Christ Fellowship also promotes a rather severe form of creationism. Proclaimed Rick Blackwood in a 2014 sermon [ http://cfmiami.org/sermons/watch/observable-evidence ],
"The scientific method actually teaches that the Bible is science because it is based on observable evidence, and that evolution is actually blind faith because it is not based on observable evidence. Let me say that again. Evolution is not based on observable evidence. Creation is based on observable evidence."
(For young learners, Blackwood's church has thoughtfully put together various creationism coloring books [ http://cfmiami.org/document/466 ] (see image, below) and a "detective" style lesson plan [ http://cfmiami.org/document/464 ], to promote a literal, creationist read of the Bible's book of Genesis. But back to the demons.)
As "Pastor Rick" recounted in his "Demon Possession" sermon, one day in the Fall of 2011 he met a man en route to one of Christ Fellowship's small groups, an individual who had "been into Satan worship" and "all sorts of occultic religions" and who had "participated in the vilest sexual stuff you can imagine."
So, he shepherded the man to his church office and read from the Bible during which, recounted Pastor Rick, "I could sense the demons going out of this man and the Spirit of God entering him." Cautioned Pastor Rick,
"it's not enough to expel demons from within. The void created by the expelled demons must be filled with Christ, or the demons will return."
Does Marco Rubio believe in the exorcism, of gay demons or other allegedly malevolent spirits? If so, he wouldn't be out of step with the Catholic Church -- which has joined [ http://www.slate.com/articles/life/faithbased/2014/05/exorcism_in_catholic_church_pope_francis_says_satan_the_devil_is_real.html ] in boosting the resurgence of the practice.
Nor would Rubio be out of step with a demographic he might hope that his relative youth would draw towards the Republican ticket in the 2016 election; as a 2012 Public Policy Polling survey revealed [ http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/HalloweenRelease%2BResults.pdf ], 63 percent of young Americans age 18-29 now believe it is "possible for people to be possessed by demons."
And it's a growing trend, showed the PPP survey. The age group least likely to believe in demon possession were Americans 65 and older. Among that age group, only 44 percent believed in demon possession.
Senator Rubio has not taken a public possession on demon possession or exorcism. But in 2012, Rubio's waffling response during an interview [ http://www.gq.com/news-politics/politics/201212/marco-rubio-interview-gq-december-2012?currentPage=2 ] with Gentleman's Quarterly, to the question "How old do you think the Earth is," suggested a certain sympathy for Christ Fellowship's strong creationist stance. Replied Rubio,
"I'm not a scientist, man. I can tell you what recorded history says, I can tell you what the Bible says, but I think that's a dispute amongst theologians and I think it has nothing to do with the gross domestic product or economic growth of the United States. I think the age of the universe has zero to do with how our economy is going to grow. I'm not a scientist. I don't think I'm qualified to answer a question like that. At the end of the day, I think there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created and I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all. I think parents should be able to teach their kids what their faith says, what science says. Whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I'm not sure we'll ever be able to answer that. It's one of the great mysteries."
And, Rubio's 2013 speech at a fundraiser for "anti-gay activist" Mat Staver also tracks closely with Christ Fellowship's dim view of homosexuality, as a potentially demon-related "addiction" that's especially hateful to God. As Mother Jones' Tim Murphy reported [ http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/11/marco-rubio-speaking-mat-staver-malawi ] in 2013,
"Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will speak at a fundraising dinner this week honoring Mat Staver, an ardent anti-gay activist who has defended Malawi's ban on homosexuality [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-under-obama-us-one-worlds-immoral-leaders ]. Staver is suing New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie for signing a law banning gay-to-straight conversion therapy, and has said that teaching gay rights in schools is tantamount to "sexual assault [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/liberty-counsel-lgbt-history-classes-are-sexual-assault ]".
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. (emphasis in original)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-wilson/marco-rubios-miami-church_b_7063336.html [with comments]
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Why Senator Rubio's Lies Matter
ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Arturo Lopez Levy
Posted: 04/14/2015 2:14 pm EDT Updated: 04/14/2015 2:59 pm EDT
"Grounded by the lessons of history [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/13/marco-rubio-set-to-announce-presidential-bid/ ]" -- according to his own words -- Senator Marco Rubio announced his campaign for the presidency of the United States. Since the senator has established history as the foundation for his new campaign, it will be interesting to look at the way that Rubio has treated his own personal history -- a subject in which he has based his appeal to the American voters for our support.
In October 2011, Senator Marco Rubio revised the biography that appears on his office website. He had no choice. Throughout his political career, he deceived Floridians, adoring Republican audiences and donors, journalists, fellow officeholders and others by claiming that his parents fled the Cuba of Fidel Castro. This is a lie exposed by hard journalism in the Washington Post [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/marco-rubios-compelling-family-story-embellishes-facts-documents-show/2011/10/20/gIQAaVHD1L_story_2.html ].
Every Cuban American knows the time and purpose of his family's departure from Cuba. The idea that Rubio never knew the facts until he was exposed by Manuel Roig-Franzia -- and that no family member ever bothered to correct the error before now -- is absurd. While Rubio's parents, Mario and Oriales, did adopt the anti-Castro position of many exiles who are opposed to the communist course taken by the Cuban revolution, the date of their emigration was not 1959 and the cause of their departure was not the current Cuban government. They left Cuba in 1956 as exiles from a tyrannical regime; that of Fulgencio Batista Zaldivar [ http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/batista.htm ], the right-wing dictatorship that Fidel Castro overthrew.
What Mario and Oriales Rubio did was human, but not an act of political defiance against Castro. The Cuba they left was not the worst country in Latin America, but inequality and poverty, along with the corrupt and murderous dictatorship, caused thousands of countrymen to actively resist or flee into exile. By revising the date and reason for his parents' emigration, Rubio ingratiated himself with the dominant Cuban exile factions and placed his political narrative into a Reagan-esque storyline about freedom.
But the significance of this story goes far beyond resume-padding; it has shined a spotlight on the senator's moral character. Rubio is not a responsible politician who deals with history in all its complexity. On the contrary, in full awareness of his parents' past, Rubio chose to lie, adapting himself to the simplistic mantras of the conflict, taking advantage of the dominant propaganda in Miami, and exploiting the trauma experienced by some of his constituents.
The tributes paid by Rubio to the thugs who toppled the second Cuban republic on March 10, 1952 are totally undeserved, and he knows it. Rubio knows, due to the experience of his own parents, that when he supported dedicating the new FIU law school building to Rafael Diaz-Balart he was paying homage to one of the politicians who brought an end to representative democracy in Cuba, one of those truly responsible for the flight of his parents.
The revelation of Marco Rubio's lie calls into question the central premise of the founding of the anti-Castro exile "community." The senator has repeated that the 1959 revolution was an "accident of history" while knowing, from his own family history, that this is false. It is the view that suits the anti-Castro element in which Batista supporters, who have obtained key positions of power in the U.S., have been exonerated of their crimes on the island. To say that Cuba in 1958 was a democracy, on its way to development, is a lie that has been repeated a thousand times in hopes of transforming it into the truth. The first exiles who fled to the U.S. in January, 1959 were officers and supporters of a corrupt and criminal dictatorial regime.
Rubio has been part of a history in which the Cuban American right supports the United States only when it is convenient for their property claims and opposition to the Castro government. Members of this exile community have engaged in terrorist activities [ http://www.democracynow.org/2006/9/21/thirty_years_after_the_assassination_of ] in violation of U.S. laws, even in U.S. territory, as was the case in the assassination of former Chilean minister Orlando Letelier in Sheridan Circle, Washington, D.C. One of these exile leaders is Armando Valladares, a former political prisoner in Castro's jails who received unconditional support from President Ronald Reagan who made him ambassador to the United Nations. Valladares now goes to international events to describe himself and Cuban right-wingers as "United States' victims." In the 2010 Oslo Freedom Forum, Mr. Valladares even encouraged people to "hate the United States with all the strength of your soul [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9fQcnOhO_g ]" but support his anti-Castro cause. Senator Rubio considers Ambassador Valladares [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTTmL4iDBtU ] one of his Cuban mentors and a hope for the future of Cuba.
Of course, a Cuban politician of his generation cannot be indifferent to the disasters and abuses of the Castro government. However, denying partial responsibility for the Cuban national conflict and constructing simplistic narratives are typically tactics of demagogues, not of nation unifiers and crisis solvers. The group Rubio represents claims ownership of all that belonged to them in Cuba except their responsibility as the political class that facilitated Fidel Castro's triumph and consolidation of power for 50 years.
The Florida senator speaks out both sides of his mouth, presenting himself as the Latino hope of the Republican Party, but refusing to clearly address the central issues concerning Hispanics in the United States. Within the Cuban-American community, using the false history of his parents, Rubio has avoided a debate with those who criticize his position in favor of partially repealing the Cuban Adjustment Act and his support for imposing restrictions on family travel to the island, thereby reversing the popular policies of President Obama that liberated such travel.
Rubio's ideological twist with the fact is not an exception but a pattern. Rubio has used oversimplification masked as "moral clarity" to put history at the service of ideology and petty partisan convenience. Look at his primitive use of historical lessons to defend his desires to send more American troops to the Middle East quagmire and waste more money in military spending [ http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/09/marco-rubios-ideological-understanding-of-foreign-policy/380619/ ]. If he is not a charlatan but the student of history he claims to be, he is intentionally changing facts and evidences. This ideological oversimplification of foreign policy is exactly what led to George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq. Just recently Secretary Kerry had to teach Rubio [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp6sTe1cNqs (next below; with comments)]
Offering one pretext after another, Rubio has flip-flopped several times on the issue of immigration reform [ http://thinkprogress.org/immigration/2015/04/13/3644830/11-million-problems-and-a-path-to-citizenship-aint-one/ ]. He has used the most twisted arguments to support the harsh and controversial Arizona laws that allow authorities to target Latinos as alleged illegal immigrants and criminals. He even opposed at times the Dream Act, a law that would allow access to a university education for thousands of children of undocumented immigrants who have entered or have remained in the U.S. as his parents, simple emigrants, did. Nor has he explained how he intends to solve the problem of unemployment, which hits minorities especially hard, while he consistently votes against all of President Obama's efforts on the matter. This is a problem of character.
The Washington Post revealed what would have been old news if Miami journalists didn't grovel every day before the entrenched power of the Cuban-American right. In Florida, and especially in Miami, Rubio has twisted the truth for decades without anyone questioning him. Perhaps Marco Rubio has not understood the one absolute truth that he repeats: the United States is an exceptional country. Here there is a press with the freedom and willingness to question the lies of dishonest politicians. As President Lincoln said, "You can't fool all of the people all of the time."
Dawn Gable contributed to this piece.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arturo-lopez-levy/marco-rubio-cuba-family-story_b_7058486.html [with comments]
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Marco Rubio in Spanish: Obama’s First Executive Amnesty ‘Important,’ People ‘Benefiting from It’
17 Apr 2015
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), a 2016 GOP presidential candidate, said he believes that President Barack Obama’s first executive amnesty for so-called DREAMers—the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)—is “important” and he won’t reverse it himself if elected president. He delivered these remarks in a Spanish-language interview he gave to Univision’s Jorge Ramos.
[...]
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/17/marco-rubio-in-spanish-obamas-first-executive-amnesty-important-people-benefitting-from-it/ [with (over 5,000) comments]
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Rubio Affirms He’ll End Obama’s Executive Amnesty; Univision Interview Mistranslated
18 Apr 2015
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/18/rubio-affirms-hell-end-obamas-executive-amnesty-univision-interview-mistranslated/ [with comments]
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CONFUSION OVER: Rubio Team Confirms Both Translations of His Spanish Language Interview With Jorge Ramos Accurate
19 Apr 2015
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/19/confusion-over-rubio-team-confirms-both-translations-of-his-spanish-language-interview-with-jorge-ramos-accurate/ [with comments]
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Rubio Team: Legislative Amnesty for DACA Recipients Before Border Secured
20 Apr 2015
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/20/rubio-team-legislative-amnesty-for-daca-recipients-before-border-secured/ [with comments]
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Marco Rubio, Gen-X Fraud
It will take more than youthful good Hispanic looks to appeal to today’s Millennial voters. If Marco Rubio doesn’t get that, he won’t go very far.
04.19.15
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/19/marco-rubio-gen-x-fraud.html [with comments]
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Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz Speaks at Liberty University
Published on Mar 23, 2015 by Ted Cruz [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzMQMhq7Id0Y_wSDA_CJdGg / http://www.youtube.com/user/TedCruzforSenate , http://www.youtube.com/user/TedCruzforSenate/videos ]
March 23, 2015
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujW071RLYNg [with comments] [also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N9H1SHL6Pg (with comments) and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YurHI-d3Dk (with comments)]
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We're Ready for Hillary
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by Ted Cruz
https://www.tedcruz.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqQQ0meWnFc [with comments]
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FlackCheck Video: Ted Cruz Announcement
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/flackcheck-video-ted-cruz-announcement/ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d2DFRlJJL8 [embedded; with comments]
*
FactChecking Ted Cruz
March 23, 2015| Updated March 27, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/03/factchecking-ted-cruz/
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FactChecking Ted Cruz, Part II
March 26, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/03/factchecking-ted-cruz-part-ii/
*
Ted Cruz
http://www.factcheck.org/person/ted-cruz/
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Second suicide shocks Missouri Republicans
The Rachel Maddow Show
3/30/15
Just weeks after Missouri state auditor and candidate for governor Tom Schweich shot himself, Spence Jackson, his communications director has also been found dead of apparent suicide. Dave Helling, columnist for the Kansas City Star, joins for discussion.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/second-suicide-shocks-missouri-republicans-420445251732 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krr57jUnADE (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-march-30-2015-trms (with comments)]
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Insane Conspiracy Theories Ted Cruz Actually Believes
Published on Mar 23, 2015 by The Young Turks [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yBKRuGpC1tSM73A0ZjYjQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/TheYoungTurks , http://www.youtube.com/user/TheYoungTurks/videos ]
Cenk Uygur ( http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur ) host of The Young Turks discusses the revelation of some pretty whack conspiracy theories Senator Ted Cruz believes.
"Believing in wild and wacky things is nothing new to either Republicans or Democrats so it should surprised absolutely no one that Texan Republican Senator Ted Cruz holds dear so rather tall tales. Things Cruz believes range from, but are certainly not limited to; Communist infiltrators of Ivy League schools to a devious plot to destroy the game of golf. And this is only the tamer things that he is sure of."
Should you vote on politicians based on their personal beliefs? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Read more here:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/03/23/3637462/five-conspiracy-theories-ted-cruz-actually-believes/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8bFf7s4gE0 [with comments]
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Senator Rand Paul Presidential Announcement Full Speech (C-SPAN)
Published on Apr 7, 2015 by C-SPAN
Senator Rand Paul announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. He made the announcement from the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, KY. Watch the complete Senator Rand Paul Presidential Campaign Announcement event here:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?325139-1/senator-rand-paul-rky-presidential-campaign-announcement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGfzoPQACPY [with comments] [also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKw3bz1GpmA (with comments) and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-6KnMd8g8g (with comments)]
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Sen. Rand Paul on Hillary Clinton
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by CNN [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCupvZG-5ko_eiXAupbDfxWw / http://www.youtube.com/user/CNN , http://www.youtube.com/user/CNN/videos ]
In an interview with CNN's Dana Bash, Senator Rand Paul talks about Hillary Clinton's public policy and what he considers "fair game" for this election.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T63QRWGglW4 [with comments]
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FlackCheck Video: Rand Paul Announcement
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/flackcheck-video-rand-paul-announcement/ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tto3K2tiHXY [embedded; with comments]
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FactChecking Rand Paul
April 7, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/factchecking-rand-paul/
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Rand Paul
http://www.factcheck.org/person/rand-paul/
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Rand Paul caught lying about past Civil Rights Act objections
The Rachel Maddow Show
7/25/14
Rachel Maddow points out the clear, on-video record of Rand Paul's past objections to the Civil Rights Act, showing he's lying when he denies having held that position.
©2014 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/record-shows-rand-pauls-civil-rights-act-lie-312584259850 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment (also at/see {linked in} http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=112555978 and preceding and following) at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZfqdJieNTM (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-july-25-2014-trms (no comments yet)] [related article at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/poor-messenger-dubious-message (with comments)]
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Rand Paul’s trouble with the truth
The Rachel Maddow Show
7/30/14
Rachel Maddow assesses Sen. Rand Paul’s record on the Civil Rights Act, and points out the discrepancies of his rhetoric.
©2014 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/rand-pauls-trouble-with-the-truth-313760835685 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2psdhK5hq8 (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-july-30-2014-trms (no comments yet)] [related article, with the segment embedded, at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-honest-discussion (with comments)]
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GOP candidates dogged by political baggage
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/6/15
Rachel Maddow talks to Courier-Journal political reporter Joe Gerth about Sen. Rand Paul’s imminent presidential bid and how several GOP candidates are dragging political baggage that could hurt their chances at winning the White House.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/gop-candidates-dogged-by-political-baggage-423919683802 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t4hqQa2HJk (with comments)]
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Paul launches ‘loud and clear’ WH bid
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/7/15
Rachel Maddow reports on how Sen. Rand Paul, dogged by a plagiarism scandal earlier in his career in the Senate, has officially launched his bid for the presidency, and whether he is up for the challenge.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/paul-launches-loud-and-clear-wh-bid-424605763708 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IxGTIBxT7Y (with comments)]
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Rand Paul avoids commenting on South Carolina shooting
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/9/15
As police dashcam video of the fatal shooting in South Carolina is released, Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul – speaking in South Carolina – decides not to weigh in on the incident.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/rand-paul-avoids-commenting-on-south-carolina-shooting-425924163890 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCcwzgDB9yg (with comments)]
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Paul inherits bribery scandal from dad’s past
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/9/15
Rachel Maddow talks to Jason Noble, political reporter for the Des Moines Register, about the bribery scandal that engulfed Ron Paul’s 2012 presidential campaign, and what this mean for his son Ran’s current bid for the White House.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/paul-inherits-bribery-scandal-from-dad-s-past-425912387888 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k70aB104a0Q (with comments)]
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What Would A Rand Paul Presidency Look Like?
Published on Apr 7, 2015 by The Young Turks
Cenk Uygur ( http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur ) and John Iadarola ( https://twitter.com/jiadarola ) hosts of The Young Turks discuss Rand Paul announcing his plans to run for President of the United States in the 2016 election.
"Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul has officially announced his plans to run as a candidate in the 2016 Presidential elections. He is the second to do so officially with freshman Senator Ted Cruz being the first. Paul announced his intentions to a cheering crowd of supporters, promising to restore freedoms he believes have been lost somewhere along the way. He rounded out his announcement on a think-of-the-children note, asking the crowd 'what kind of America will our grandchildren see?' A schedule of speaking events has been planned in the lead up to the Iowa Caucuses."
Should Rand Paul be President? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Read more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/us/politics/rand-paul-republican-presidential-nomination.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z3UzjkBFiY [with comments]
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The Rand Paul Store Is Totally F**king Hysterical
Published on Apr 7, 2015 by The Young Turks
Cenk Uygur ( http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur ) and John Iadarola ( https://twitter.com/jiadarola ) hosts of The Young Turks discuss Rand Paul and his store that is based around his 2016 presidential campaign.
"Of course Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul's campaign store is a thing. Showing that the internet is a well of things that never cease to amaze, the store sells hoodies, sandals, and t-shirts so ironic it makes hipsters look like nine to five office workers standing around the water cooler discussing what's new with that whole sports thing. The store is more about capturing the attention of the ADD digital millennial generation than turning an actual profit. Paul has made it consistently his agenda to capture the younger vote, a demographic that statistically votes democrat if they can be bothered to get off Facebook and go outside to interact with a real person at all."
What item should be for sale at the Rand Paul store? Let us know in the comments section below.
Read more here:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/rand-paul-presidential-store-20150407
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i85xhD0-KDg [with comments]
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Breaking Story: Dr. Ron Paul Says U.S. Dollar Could Soon Collapse
Exclusive: Dr. Ron Paul issues alarming presentation on how U.S. Dollar will crash—and how to protect yourself.
Stansberry Research
04.08.2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This is a fast-moving story… [bullshit, likely malware-riddled, embedded link omitted]
Dr. Ron Paul—the former Presidential candidate and 22-year Congressional veteran—says that despite the rosy outlook from politicians and the mainstream press…
We could be on the verge of a major currency collapse here in America.
In a recent exclusive interview Dr. Paul said:
“A U.S. financial crisis—greater than the crisis of 2008—is fast approaching… and this crisis will be very different from the last one.”
RELATED: Next White House Scandal? Looming financial crisis could send stocks tumbling [bullshit, likely malware-riddled, embedded link omitted]
As a result, Dr. Paul says “we are almost certain to have a major stock market crash.”
He added:
“We’re likely to see massive changes to our retirement system and Social Security. It will be particularly tough for seniors and anyone living on a fixed income.”
Dr. Paul says we’ll also witness major changes to the very fabric of our society, because destroying a nations’ money in this manner wrecks businesses, friendships, and families, who simply don’t understand and aren’t prepared for what will happen.
Dr. Paul is so concerned, he recently put together an investigative presentation, which explains how he sees this looming crisis unfolding… and exactly what you can do about it.
Be sure to check out Dr. Paul’s brand new free presentation, here… [bullshit, likely malware-riddled, embedded link omitted]
RELATED VIDEO:
© 2015 Stansberry & Associates Investment Research, LLC (emphasis in original)
http://thecrux.com/dyncontent/ron-paul-dollar-could-soon-collapse/
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Rand Paul Keeps Saying that a Secret Scandal Will Wreck Hillary Clinton “Soon”
It will “shock people.”
by David Weigel
Apr 17, 2015 9:56 AM CDT
In a speech yesterday to the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul made his third oblique reference to a scandal that—according to him—will grievously wound Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.
"You ever hear 'em ask Hillary Clinton, this money she's getting, whether it influences her decisions?" said Paul, referring to media questions about donors to the Clinton family's charitable organizations. "There's going to be stuff coming out about the Clinton Foundation and their donations from different companies that get special approval from the Secretary of State. Coming out in the next couple of weeks [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcwGrV8ll5E (next below, as embedded; comments disabled)]."
Paul had debuted this theory on April 7, in the interview he gave Fox News's Sean Hannity right after his announcement. "She's in charge of approving business deals as secretary of state," Paul said of Clinton. "They're called CFIAs, anything that relates to our security. There's going to be something coming out in the next few weeks about companies that she approved deals for."
"That they were against, and then they became for after money went to the foundation?" asked Hannity.
"Significant amounts, over $100 million being given to her foundation coming out in the next two weeks," said Paul.
The next day, in New Hampshire, Fox News's Carl Cameron asked him what the scandals might be.
"I think there is big news coming on the Clinton Foundation," said Paul [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rQdPh8j9lE&t=2m4s (next below; with comments)].
"Can you tell us what you're talking about?" asked Cameron.
"Then it wouldn't be a secret, Carl!" said Paul. "It's coming soon."
The rest of Paul's speech to the SBA List recapped a more successful media crusade of his: The effort to get Democrats to say when life begins, shifting the frame of the abortion debate. "Shouldn't the other side have to justify why this baby doesn't have any rights?" asked Paul, "The government does have some role in our lives. One of the main roles that government has is to restrict you from harming another individual. When life begins, there is a role for the state."
©2015 Bloomberg L.P.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-17/rand-paul-keeps-saying-that-a-secret-scandal-will-wreck-hillary-clinton-soon- , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcwGrV8ll5E [comments disabled; as embedded]
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Hillary Clinton, Cisco And China: Company Funded Foundation, Was Lauded By Clinton Despite Role In Repression
April 16 2015
http://www.ibtimes.com/hillary-clinton-cisco-china-company-funded-foundation-was-lauded-clinton-despite-role-1884160 [with comments]
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Clinton Foundation to Limit Donations from Foreign Countries
Facing criticism for receiving donations from countries like Saudi Arabia, the foundation has abruptly changed course.
Apr 15, 2015
The Clinton Foundation will continue taking contributions from six foreign governments while barring those from all others and begin disclosing all donations more frequently, it said Wednesday.
It’s an attempt by the foundation, now led by former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton, to tighten its financial policies in response to heightened scrutiny as Hillary Clinton begins her presidential campaign.
The foundation’s board—from which the former secretary of state resigned on Sunday—has voted to only take funding from the governments of Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom. That money will be directed to the economic development and climate-focused work of the Clinton Climate Initiative, the Clinton Development Initiative, and the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership, the foundation’s updated policy says.
The foundation will also, in July, begin disclosing its donors on a quarterly basis, a modification from its annual disclosures of recent years.
After the international conference scheduled for May in Morocco, the Clinton Global Initiative will stop holding international events or accepting foreign contributions or sponsorships. Foreign governments will only be able to pay meeting attendance fees.
The modifications come after weeks of pressure on the foundation to clarify its policies on accepting money from foreign governments following reporting on recent contributions from the governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among others, as Clinton prepared to run for president.
[...]
Foundation spokesman Craig Minassian said the new rules, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, are sign of the organization’s commitment to transparency.
“While it’s common for global charities to receive international support, it’s rare to find an organization as transparent as the Clinton Foundation,” Minassian told Bloomberg. "By implementing this new, even stronger and more transparent policy, the Clinton Foundation is reinforcing its commitment to accountability while protecting programs that are improving the lives of millions of people around the world.”
[...]
The Clintons have worked for the last few years to put the foundation on more solid financial footing in case the former secretary of state chose to run, aiming to build a $250 million endowment. Bill Clinton has said recently that his focus in 2015 will be on strengthening the foundation in case his wife's role forces him to limit his engagement in fundraising and other activities.
[...]
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-16/clinton-foundation-to-limit-donations-from-foreign-countries
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Book Said to Document Government Favors for Clinton Donors
A spokesman calls it “partisan-fueled fiction.”
Apr 20, 2015
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-20/book-said-to-document-government-favors-for-clinton-donors
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Hillary's Campaign Chair John Podesta Dismisses Allegations By New Book As 'Nothing New'
By Igor Bobic
Posted: 04/20/2015 9:04 pm EDT Updated: 04/21/2015 9:59 am EDT
WASHINGTON -- John Podesta, the chairman of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, dismissed allegations of influence peddling at the Clinton Foundation made in a book scheduled for release early next month.
Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich, authored by Peter Schweizer, reportedly [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/20/us/politics/new-book-clinton-cash-questions-foreign-donations-to-foundation.html ] alleges financial donations to the global non-profit influenced U.S. policy at the Clinton State Department.
Podesta, former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, dismissed the information in the book as "nothing new" and called into question the motivations of Schweizer, a conservative writer and staffer in the George W. Bush administration.
It's a book that's written by a former Bush operative who's a reporter for that august news institution, Breitbart.com, or has been in the past," Podesta said in an interview with Al Hunt that will air on the PBS show "Charlie Rose." "He's cherry-picked information that's been disclosed and woven a bunch of conspiracy theories about it. The facts, there's nothing new about. The conspiracy theories we'll get to judge when we read the book.
"The only reason those facts are out there is because the Clinton Foundation has put all that out," Podesta added. "They've gone beyond any foundation of like size that's operating globally in public disclosure."
Podesta also questioned "exclusive agreements [id.]" Schweizer struck with The New York Times, The Washington Post and Fox News "to pursue the story lines found in the book."
"I think they have to be asking themselves is that appropriate behavior," Podesta said.
The book has already become fodder for 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who declared his bid for the White House this month, said the book's revelations would “shock people [ http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rand-paul-predicts-hillary-clinton-revelations-shock-people/story?id=30162559 ]” and raise questions about Clinton's judgement and qualifications for the presidency.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/20/john-podesta-hillary-clinton-cash-_n_7104770.html [with embedded non-YouTube copy of the YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLYxZNSaXOU (with comment), included above, and comments]
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Mainstream lured by anti-Clinton book from activist with dubious record
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/20/15
Rachel Maddow points out that Peter Schweitzer, author if the upcoming "Clinton Cash" book, has a history of producing partisan misinformation and wonders why otherwise legitimate news outlets are giving him credulous treatment.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/activists-anti-clinton-book-attract-media-431160387932 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed5aa8_2c1o (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-21-2015-trms (with comment)]
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Clinton opposition finds receptive media eager for new material
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/20/15
David Brock, founder of Media Matters for America, talks with Rachel Maddow about the willingness of The New York Times and The Washington Post to engage discredited author Peter Schweitzer on the claims he makes in his new Hillary Clinton attack book.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/clinton-opposition-finds-receptive-media-431167043701 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVq3nIvFeaU (with comment)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-21-2015-trms (with comment)]
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Clinton Campaign Gears Up To Crush Another Book
04/21/2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/21/clinton-campaign-book_n_7109952.html [with comments]
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TIME 100 - Titans
Charles Koch & David Koch
David Koch; Charles Koch
Idea men
By Rand Paul
April 16, 2015
Charles and David Koch are well known for their business success, their generous philanthropic efforts and for their focus on innovation in management. Some also know them for their activism in the political realm. All of these are important contributions to society. What is underappreciated is their passion for freedom and their commitment to ideas. Unlike many crony capitalists who troll the halls of Congress looking for favors, the Kochs have consistently lobbied against special-interest politics.
For decades they have funded institutes that promote ideas, not politics, such as Cato and the Mercatus Center. They have always stood for freedom, equality and opportunity. Consistent with their love of liberty, they have become prominent advocates for criminal-justice reform. The Koch brothers’ investment in freedom-loving think tanks will carry on for generations, reminding all of us that ideas and convictions ultimately trump all else.
Paul is a U.S. Senator and a 2016 presidential candidate
© 2015 Time Inc.
http://time.com/3822767/charles-koch-david-koch-2015-time-100/ [with comments]
===
GOP Candidates Confounded by Questions from Press
By Richard Zombeck
Posted: 04/16/2015 9:11 am EDT Updated: 04/16/2015 12:59 pm EDT
Typically, at least in the last decade or so, Republicans have avoided the press. They've remained aloof and distant from what they commonly refer to as the "Liberal Media" or what Sarah Palin and her ilk likes to call, "The Lame Stream Media" in that signature catty mean girl way of hers. They've tended to opt for a friendlier FOX that barely qualifies as "The Press" in any real sense, lobbing soft ball questions, coaching answers, and never asking follow-up questions.
Recently however, GOP presidential contenders have started to wander out of their self-congratulatory echo chamber to brave the supposed adversarial reporters they see as the enemy. It's an enemy armed with substantive questions and who expect, of all things, answers to those questions -- a scenario most of the GOP are not only ill prepared and ill-equipped for, but seem almost shocked that they weren't asked onto the show to bloviate and expound on their latest talking point.
It gets a little dangerous for the candidate and a little comical for the rest of us when the media actually questions the rhetoric and vitriol spouted to the otherwise ignorant and uninformed. It's easy to claim that Obamacare is a job killer, that you're for the middle class, that there's a war on Christians, that gays have declared Jihad, or that we need to take our country back when the person sitting across from you is nodding their head in agreement, spewing the same lies and BS day in and day out. It's an entirely different scenario when an actual journalist presents you with facts and statistics proving you wrong.
We were treated to one hell of a show when Mitt Romney ran against President Obama in 2012 and the entire campaign and FOX echo chamber sulked in disbelief when Romney was crushed. There was no preparation for that outcome. Romney was so sure that he would win he hadn't even prepared a concession speech. Carl Rove was apoplectic on the night of the election [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TwuR0jCavk (next below; with comments)]
That's not the first time Megyn Kelly seemingly went against the FOX grain, nor the last. Shortly after Ted Cruz announced his plans to run for president before a literally captive audience (attendance was mandatory [ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/cruz-packed-2016-bid-event-attendance-mandatory-article-1.2160686 ]) he appeared on Kelly's show. At first she eased in, addressing the comparison by critics that he and President Barack Obama had both served just one term in the Senate before announcing their presidential run. "We already tried a first-term Senator," Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer said earlier the same week, suggesting that Cruz is inexperienced. The following night, Cruz argued that there are several differences between him and Obama, calling Obama a "backbencher" in the Senate while he, Cruz, has been a leader. "Yes, you've led the fight on certain issues," Kelly said, "but what have you actually accomplished [ http://www.mediaite.com/tv/megyn-kelly-challenges-cruz-on-his-record-what-have-you-actually-accomplished/ ]?" Cruz, who is now incidentally and hypocritically covered by Obamacare, responded that his accomplishments are "stopping bad things from happening," calling out his efforts to stop Obamacare, lower debt and protect the Second Amendment.
The Washington Post aptly pointed out the hypocrisy [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/03/25/yes-ted-cruz-is-a-hypocrite-for-going-on-obamacare/ ]:
But this isn't a case of following the law or not. The law does not require Cruz to get health insurance on the exchanges. Instead of going through the exchanges, he could have paid the tax penalty for not having insurance, "likely cheaper than buying an insurance plan," but at the cost of being uninsured. Or his wife could have applied to COBRA and extended her benefits from Goldman Sachs for up to 18 months, though she would have to pay all of the premium. Or he could bypass the exchanges and buy insurance directly from a private insurer. Sure, he'd have to spend time navigating the market himself, but I'm sure the Princeton graduate can figure it out.
Earlier this month Cruz showed up on CNBC with John Harwood and was called out for several statements he made that were factually incorrect.
Harwood, during the one-on-one with Cruz brought up one comment in particular that Cruz made [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/09/cnbc-reporter-ted-cruz-fact-checking_n_7034356.html ] during a speech in March about taking the "110,000 agents at the IRS" and putting them on the southern border.
"They've only got 25,000 agents or something," Harwood said. "You've talked about the job-killing nature of Obamacare. We're adding jobs at a very healthy clip right now. Why shouldn't somebody listen to you and say, 'The guy'll just say anything -- doesn't have to be true'?"
True to form, Cruz then lashed out at the media, because that's another good idea, saying, "There is a game that is played by left-wing editorial writers. It's this new species of yellow journalism called politi-fact. That particular stat is in a joke I used. So, they're literally fact-checking a joke. I say that explicitly tongue in cheek."
Cruz defended himself, saying he was just making a joke. A joke that no on laughed at and no one got. Is that where we are now? Where politicians running for the highest office can excuse their gross misrepresentations by claiming that they were, "just kidding?"
As Mediaite put it [ http://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnbc-reporter-grills-ted-cruz-why-should-anyone-listen-to-you-when-your-facts-are-wrong/ ]:
Point 1: Cruz clearly made a joke, and it was "explicitly tongue in cheek."
Point 2: The joke, however, was about an over-the-top thing Cruz wanted to do with the IRS.
Point 2(a): The number of IRS agents was not implicated in the joke-making, and thus seemed like a plausible number of agents that could exist.
Point 3: Even if he defined "agents" as "all employees of the IRS," the number is still off: The IRS had roughly 90,000 employees as of 2013, and is actually facing a staffing shortage.
Point 4: Cruz could have made the joke without sacrificing accuracy -- 25,000 agents is still a lot of agents, enough to make a joke argument that one should abolish the IRS. But 110,000 agents is on a completely different magnitude than 25,000; and while it's not OMG FALSEHOOD level of bad, it's a worrisome tendency towards embellishment.
Alternative Point 4: Cruz needs new joke writers?
Alternative Point 4(a): This is getting pedantic.
Rand Paul has also shown his adversity to being questioned, going beyond righteous indignation to on-air tantrums. During a Today Show interview Savannah Guthrie asked Paul, "You've had views in the past on foreign policy that are somewhat unorthodox, but you seem to have changed over the years. You once said Iran was not a threat, but now you say it is. You once proposed ending foreign aid to Israel. You now support it, at least for the time being, and you once offered to drastically cut defense spending and now you want to increase it sixteen percent, so I just wonder if you've mellowed out?"
Paul went into full meltdown and tantrum, berating Guthrie [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL878fniK-s (next below; with comments)]:
Why don't you let me explain instead of talking over me, ok? Before we go through a litany of things you say I've changed on, why don't you ask me a question. Have I changed my opinion on? That would be sort of a better way to approach an interview. No, no, no, no, no. You've editorialized. Let me answer a question. You ask a question and say have your views changed, instead of editorializing and saying my views have changed.
Guthrie then pointed out specific examples of Paul changing positions and flip-flopping in every direction on every issue because he is trying to make himself an acceptable candidate to Republican primary voters. Guthrie asked Paul, during the friendliest morning show, if his positions had changed. She was giving him a chance to explain away inconsistencies, not brow beating him.
Paul, rather than take the opportunity to clarify his position and explain to prospective voters where he stands, instead demonstrated his inability to answer simple questions. He chose to lecture Guthrie, a former White House correspondent and accomplished journalist, in an obviously sexist way, begging the question if he would have addressed a male reporter in the same way.
Speaking of facts, here's a fact-checker destroying Rand Paul's campaign in a short video [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbYia6bNtEk (next below; with comments), via/embedded at http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-a-fact-checker-destroys-rand-pauls-phony-campaign-in-90-seconds/ (with comments)].
Marco Rubio is next on the chopping block, having announced his bid earlier this week. If he decides to venture out into the world of Cruz's mythical "yellow journalism" he may be asked about his past scandals [ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/03/scandals-marco-rubio-has-escaped ] like double-billing flights or misuse of party credit cards; or why he flip-flopped on immigration reform [ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/04/marco-rubios-immigration-problem ]; how he used to believe in climate change [ http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2015/04/marco-rubio-president-climate-change ] and God forbid, science. Maybe he'll be asked why he thinks his ideas to defeat ISIS differ from Obama's when they sound almost exactly like them [ http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/02/marco-rubio-has-peculiar-idea-how-defeat-isis ]. The one that may be of most interest though, is that Rubio is not the son of Cuban exiles as his Senate bio claims [ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/04/ten-things-you-need-know-about-marco-rubio ]:
Up until last year, Marco Rubio described his parents as exiles from Fidel Castro's communist regime in Cuba: "In 1971, Marco was born in Miami to Cuban-born parents who came to America following Fidel Castro's takeover," his Senate biography stated. But it turns out his parents actually arrived in the US in 1956, before the revolution, and even made multiple trips back to the communist island. Rubio insisted he hadn't known his family's actual history, but polls showed most of his constituents thought he'd "embellished" his account.
Things get even messier: According to a Rubio biography due out in June by Washington Post reporter Manuel Roig-Franzia, Rubio's grandfather Pedro Victor Garcia was an illegal immigrant to the United States. Disillusioned by his financial prospects, Garcia reportedly left the United States for Cuba two weeks after Fidel Castro took power in 1959. He flew back to the States two years later without a visa...and was booked by a US immigration official, who stated: "[Y]ou do not appear to me to be clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to enter the United States." Garcia was ordered deported, but instead he hung out illegally in Miami, resurfacing in 1967 to petition for permanent residency. Even though Garcia had been in the US since 1962, "The form he filled out then states that he had been a Cuban refugee since February 1965," according to Roig-Franzia.
Maybe that was a joke? Written in jest, misinterpreted or taken out of context? We hear that a lot too. Even in this day of constant video, recordings, and 24-hour news, politicians seem to find a way to weasel out of what they actually said.
The level of false indignation, arrogance and accusatory tone many of these candidates seem to think they can take with the press is a bit surprising. The Press is there to hold politicians accountable for what they say. In many cases, particularly with those on the right, much of it is fabricated, exaggerated and misinterpreted. When they're called on it they lash out like petulant children caught in a lie. They throw tantrums, whine that they've been treated unfairly, and sulk. Hopefully reporters and journalist will continue to do what they do best and call politicians out in an effort to hold them accountable for what comes out of their mouths.
There's an old quote that's been attributed to different sources from Mark Twain to Civil War Generals that should give anyone dealing with the media pause. Particularly a dejected and disrespected media. While I do like the quotes that are often attributed to Mark Twain, this rendition by Donald Sensing is particularly appropriate [ http://senseofevents.blogspot.com/2011/05/never-argue-with-people-who-buy-ink-by.html ]:
Boston is a tough town. It was a Boston newspaper, names escapes me, during the Civil War that became the object of a vendetta by a Union general, who banned the paper's reporter from his division. So the paper simply responded by running only negative stories about the general and generally ruining his reputation. He is said later to have remorse, "Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton."
The GOP have gotten used to a FOX softball press that offers them a national stage to say whatever they want with no push-back. If the little resistance to their BS we've seen in the last few weeks is any indication of what's to come, it should make for an entertaining campaign season.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-zombeck/gop-candidates-confounded_b_7075292.html [with comments]
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Beck Says ''Hillary Clinton Will Be Having Sex With A Woman On The White House Desk'
Published on Apr 29, 2014 by RWW Blog [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMXqRHe8n1TX5iDvkLS62rw / http://www.youtube.com/user/RWWBlog , http://www.youtube.com/user/RWWBlog/videos ]
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/beck-hillary-clinton-will-be-having-sex-woman-white-house-desk-if-it-becomes-popular
Right Wing Watch reports on the extreme rhetoric and activities of key right-wing figures and organizations by showing their views in their own words. In this video, Glenn Beck says that Hillary Clinton will announce she is a lesbian if she thinks it will help her get elected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWOJZccJVk4 [with comments]
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Sen. Rand Paul Full Interview With Glenn Beck (April 10, 2015)
Published on Apr 10, 2015 by TheDailyBeck [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDiAP_n5ABGqRNeVQwu-5WQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDailyBeck , http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDailyBeck/videos ]
From the April 10, 2015 edition of "The Glenn Beck Radio Program": Glenn Beck puts Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul on the hot seat, asking several tough questions- including how we would handle being blamed for terrorist attacks after cutting NSA domestic spying capabilities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S13zAMc3aQ [with comments]
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Will Elizabeth Warren Replace Hillary Clinton as the Democratic Presidential Candidate?
Apr. 16, 2015
http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/will-elizabeth-warren-replace-clinton-as-the-democratic-presidential-candidate/ [with comments]
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Dear Rand Paul
Published on Apr 8, 2015 by AdamKokesh [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0RJJ_Wm7jyOU9eY10LgcwA / http://www.youtube.com/user/AdamKokesh , http://www.youtube.com/user/AdamKokesh/videos ]
Do all you commenters really think that the LP can't nominate someone better than Rand? Even his father got this one wrong apparently!
Get the most important book ever for free in every format including audiobook at: http://thefreedomline.com
Audiobook on YT: http://youtu.be/OobMGexM6Ks
Send your love mail to adam@thefreedomline.com
Please support FREEDOM! by liking this video, subscribing, and sharing!
Order the book & all your freedom gear at: http://thefreedomline.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=784vgGAVaog [with comments]
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Interview with Rand Paul
Published on Apr 14, 2015 by AdamKokesh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM_-TRJAnjE [with comments]
===
Why The Establishment Hates Rand Paul
Published on Apr 9, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvsye7V9psc-APX6wV1twLg / http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlexJonesChannel , http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlexJonesChannel/videos ]
Alex Jones takes calls and breaks down why the establishment hates Rand Paul and why he needs your support.
http://www.infowars.com/clinton-numbers-fall-as-rand-paul-leads-in-iowa/
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb_U6ZhBEDs [with comments]
--
Rand Paul Exposes Hillary Clinton's 'Grand Hypocrisy'
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel
Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul says that the Clintons “think they’re above the law” and that there is “a grand hypocrisy” to Hillary Clinton’s acceptance of donations from countries with poor records on women’s rights.
http://www.infowars.com/rand-paul-slams-hillary-clintons-grand-hypocrisy/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX0cf7oHu6o [with comments]
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Hillary Launches Presidential Campaign as The People's Champ
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s second presidential bid was announced by campaign chairman John Podesta Sunday alongside the launch of https://www.hillaryclinton.com/ .
In a video posted to the new campaign website, Clinton portrayed herself as a “champion” to everyday people.
http://www.infowars.com/hillary-clinton-launches-presidential-bid/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFajd3qE9Pg [with comments]
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Hillary Clinton is Not Jesus Christ!
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel
Listeners respond to hillary clinton announcing 2016 presidential run for president and don't think too much of her
announcment.
http://www.infowars.com/hillary-clinton-launches-presidential-bid/
http://www.infowars.com/exclusive-national-guard-trains-to-take-on-us-citizens/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdqF9Sm5dW4 [with comments]
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Hillary Supporter Wants Whites Exterminated
Published on Apr 13, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel
Alex Jones takes a call from a crazed Hillary supporter who advocates the extermination of all white people.
http://www.infowars.com/hillary-vows-to-protect-americans-from-the-1-while-being-funded-by-the-1/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ljx8txHQ5o [with comments]
===
Larry Kramer On His New Book, 'The American People,' Which Identifies George Washington, Ben Franklin And More As Gay
This is a 1795 oil painting by Rembrandt Peale of President George Washington, who considered lengthy portrait sittings for artists mind numbing.
(AP Photo/National Portrait Gallery)
By Michelangelo Signorile
Posted: 04/14/2015 1:12 pm EDT Updated: 04/15/2015 5:59 pm EDT
Playwright and legendary AIDS activist Larry Kramer expounded on his new book, The American People: Volume 1: A Search for My Heart [ http://www.amazon.com/The-American-People-Volume-Search/dp/0374104395 ], which is billed by its publisher as "a novel" but which Kramer says is a "history [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/books/larry-kramers-novel-the-american-people-adds-a-gay-dimension-to-history.html ]," and which, as usual with Kramer, is creating controversy [ http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/11/were-lincoln-nixon-gay-history-book-divides-america ].
In The American People, Kramer describes George Washington as a man who had sex with men -- a “big queen,” he said in an interview -- and writes the same of Alexander Hamilton, who “was in love with George,” Ben Franklin, Andrew Jackson, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, and “the most powerful gay man” in American history, J. Edgar Hoover. Historic Jamestown was a hotbed of gay sex, Kramer writes, partly because the settlement for a long time only included men. And not only did Abraham Lincoln have intimate affairs with men – a thesis that was seen as far-fetched a number of years ago, but which more historians now support [ http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/10/25/abraham-lincoln-a-life-in-the-closet/ ] – but, Kramer writes, Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth was queer, too, and Joshua Speed, thought to be Lincoln’s lover, was a “hustler” as well as a “gift” from Booth.
But it’s all much more complicated than that, detailed in over 700 pages (and Volume 2 is on the way next year). In an interview with me on SiriusXM Progress [ http://www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmprogress ] Kramer talked about his version of history, and again criticized his long-time friend, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner, for not queering Lincoln in the Steven Spielberg 2012 film, "Lincoln [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443272/ ]," for which he wrote the screenplay.
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/siriusxm-news-issues/signorile-kramer-kushner-lincoln ) embedded]
“We were very close friends,” Kramer said of Kushner. “We speak to each other again, but he was very mad with me that I publicized the issue. I really thought that he had a responsibility as a gay artist to indicate that about Lincoln, that there was enough known. I put him in touch with all kinds of academic people who support that there was enough to indicate” that Lincoln was involved with men.
“I’m not asking for a love scene in the movie,” Kramer said, “but just some touch that would indicate that it was there. And for all I know Spielberg was not in favor of what? I don’t know. But I just...I lost a little respect for Tony, because I think a gay artist has a gay responsibility. There, I said it.”
Kramer also talked about what he sees in studying history that many historians didn’t see with regard to who was queer.
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/siriusxm-news-issues/signorile-kramer-washington-queen ) embedded]
“In the case of Washington, he was a big queen, basically,” Kramer said. “He decorated everything. He designed all the uniforms, the buttons. The correspondence exists with all the dealers he dealt with in England to make everything. And then there was a man called Baron von Steuben [ http://www.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/baron-von-steuben/ ], who was German, who designed all the maneuvers for all the troops of all the great armies in Europe. And he kept getting thrown out after he made the armies real – like Rockettes [laughs]. He got kicked out and he came to George. And he and George hit it off like nobody’s business.”
“George put him to work right away and they designed all these maneuvers and it was like putting on show,” Kramer said. “That’s for starters. And there’s no question, that Alex [Alexander Hamilton], really-- whether it was a father/son thing -- that Alex was very much in love with him. And Alex Hamilton was very handsome. And George was much older. And that’s been written about [ http://www.queerty.com/was-founding-father-alexander-hamilton-bisexual-his-letters-suggest-so-20140704 ]. There was a mutual attraction between them…Hamilton also had a young lover, a fellow officer, John Laurens is his name. There were letters between the two [ http://bobarnebeck.com/hamlau.html ]. Even the [Ron] Churnow book [ http://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Hamilton-Ron-Chernow/dp/0143034758 ] mentions that.”
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/14/larry-kramer-the-american-people-_n_7056622.html [with comments]
===
People Comment on Fake Hillary Clinton Campaign Logos
Published on Apr 16, 2015 by Jimmy Kimmel Live [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa6vGFO9ty8v5KZJXQxdhaw / http://www.youtube.com/user/JimmyKimmelLive , http://www.youtube.com/user/JimmyKimmelLive/videos ]
We went out on the street and asked people what they thought about a bunch of fake Hillary Clinton campaign logos we made up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGPFLY7Zm80 [with comments]
===
in addition to (linked in) the post to which this is a reply and preceding and (any future other) following, see also (linked in):
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Hillary Clinton described lawmaker Elizabeth Warren as a champion for the middle class.
April 16, 2015
http://cnnphilippines.com/world/2015/04/16/Hillary-Clinton-Elizabeth-Warren-Time-Magazine-100-most-influential-list.html
*
TIME 100 - Leaders
Elizabeth Warren
Progressive champion
By Hillary Clinton
April 15, 2015
It was always going to take a special kind of leader to pick up Ted Kennedy’s mantle as senior Senator from Massachusetts—champion of working families and scourge of special interests. Elizabeth Warren never lets us forget that the work of taming Wall Street’s irresponsible risk taking and reforming our financial system is far from finished. And she never hesitates to hold powerful people’s feet to the fire: bankers, lobbyists, senior government officials and, yes, even presidential aspirants.
Elizabeth Warren’s journey from janitor’s daughter to Harvard professor to public watchdog to U.S. Senator has been driven by an unflagging determination to level the playing field for hardworking American families like the one she grew up with in Oklahoma. She fights so hard for others to share in the American Dream because she lived it herself.
Clinton is a former U.S. Secretary of State and a 2016 presidential candidate
© 2015 Time Inc.
http://time.com/3823064/elizabeth-warren-2015-time-100/ [with comments]
--
Would Clinton-Warren Be a Winning Ticket?
04/17/15
http://observer.com/2015/04/would-clinton-warren-be-a-winning-ticket/ [with comments]
===
Elizabeth Warren's Comprehensive Wall Street Reform Agenda
ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Mike Lux
Co-Founder, Democracy Partners
Posted: 04/17/2015 2:46 pm EDT Updated: 04/17/2015 3:59 pm EDT
Elizabeth Warren has given her fair share of great speeches, and has written some outstanding legislation on reforming Wall Street, but her speech on April 15 to the Hyman P. Minsky Conference was the best Wall Street policy speech I have ever heard her, or anyone, ever give. It was comprehensive without being a laundry list of in-the-weeds wonkiness. It laid out a strong philosophical rationale for why we need to do these reforms, and it was politically compelling as well. Her politically compelling argument laid out a strong philosophical rationale for why we need these reforms. Perhaps most importantly, she did all this while masterfully refuting the hackneyed attacks about her being anti-business, anti-growth, and anti-market forces.
Warren's series of proposed reforms would be a major and much needed boost to an economy still held down by the Wall Street abuses that brought on the collapse of the massive housing bubble, the 2008 financial collapse, and the hardest hitting economic slowdown since the Great Depression. Here is an outline of her proposals:
Hold financial institutions and individuals accountable for cheating customers
• Close the auto loan loophole and extend CFPB oversight to auto dealers
• Stop financial fraud recidivism by preventing any institution from entering into a non-prosecution agreement or deferred prosecution agreement if they are already operating under such an agreement
• Deter future financial fraud by imposing a mandatory minimum monetary penalty at least equal to the profits generated by the illegal conduct and strengthening judicial review of deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements
Strengthen enforcement by requiring the Fed's Board of Governors to vote on all major supervisory and regulatory matters, and giving each Governor his or her own staff
• Stop financial institutions from passing risk on to taxpayers
• Cap the size of financial institutions as originally proposed by Senators Brown and Kaufman
• Reinstate the barrier between commercial banking and investment banking as proposed in the 21th Century Glass-Steagall Act
• Improve market discipline by restricting the Fed's emergency lending authority
Change tax policies that encourage excessive risk-taking and financial instability
• Close the bonus loophole that allows financial institutions to write off billions in executive bonuses each year
• Limit highly leveraged financial institutions from fully deducting their interest payments
• Institute a targeted financial transactions tax
• Create simple, structural rules for regulating the shadow banking sector
There are a number of important policy goals here, of course: basic fairness to consumers, a more level playing field for everyone, ending the era of the Too Big To Fail banking system, holding cheaters in the financial system more accountable, keep taxpayers from being on the hook for the big banks' risky speculation, and discouraging excessive risk-taking. All of these are incredibly important things that will make the financial system in this country far more healthy. At the heart of this agenda, though, is one simple idea: making the financial markets work better. As Warren says in her speech:
"...without some basic rules and accountability, financial markets don't work. People get ripped off, risk-taking explodes, and the markets blow up. That's just an empirical fact - clearly observable in 1929 and again in 2008.
The point is worth repeating because, for too long, the opponents of financial reform have cast this debate as an argument between the pro-regulation camp and the pro-market camp, generally putting Democrats in the first camp and Republicans in the second. But that so-called choice gets it wrong. Rules are not the enemy of markets. Rules are a necessary ingredient for healthy markets, for markets that create competition and innovation. And rolling back the rules or firing the cops can be profoundly anti-market.
Right now the Republicans are pushing an anti-market agenda."
Warren hits the nail on the head. To be pro-business and pro-market, you have to some rules that guarantee a level playing field, you have to have cops on the beat, and you have to have a regulatory and judicial system willing to actually prosecute the businesses who actually break the rules -- no matter how big, wealthy, and powerful those businesses are in the marketplace and political system. Market competition does not work if one business is so big and powerful that it can squeeze out its competitors, and if the rules give unfair advantages only to the richest and most politically powerful.
The people who refer to Elizabeth Warren as anti-business just don't get it. What she is in reality is anti-predator, anti-cheater, anti-monopolist, and anti-cronyism. If you have a fair system that regulates those market and competition-stifling things, then it helps the vast majority of businesses to fairly compete. What this speech reminds us is that Elizabeth Warren is a pro-business, pro-market progressive.
Here's a link to the text of the speech [ http://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/Unfinished_Business_20150415.pdf ], and here is the speech itself [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpfGodTrtk (next below, as embedded; with comments)]:
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-lux/elizabeth-warrens-compreh_b_7087582.html [with comments]
*
Warren: We're not done with Wall Street
04/15/15
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/238907-warren-were-not-done-with-wall-street-yet [with comments]
*
If Elizabeth Warren Were Running for President, This Would Be Her Agenda
April 16, 2015
http://www.thenation.com/blog/204433/big-elizabeth-warren-speech-how-finish-financial-reform [no comments, comments closed]
--
Wall Street’s new huge gamble: Why they’re betting Hillary Clinton will stay in their pocket
Jamie Dimon, Hillary Clinton
Clinton's praising Elizabeth Warren, but the 1 percent isn't worried. They may be in for a nasty surprise
Apr 16, 2015
http://www.salon.com/2015/04/16/wall_streets_new_huge_gamble_why_theyre_betting_hillary_clinton_will_stay_in_their_pocket/ [with comments]
--
EXCLUSIVE: Hillary Clinton Said to Hire Former Wall Street Cop as Campaign CFO
Apr 16, 2015
Hillary Clinton is planning to name Gary Gensler, a former top federal financial regulator and strong advocate for strict Wall Street rules, as the chief financial officer of her campaign, according to a Democrat familiar with the decision.
Gensler, in his role as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, was a leading player in the drafting and then implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act, the financial rules that President Barack Obama signed into law in 2010 in the wake of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Gensler also served in President Bill Clinton's Treasury Department.
For Clinton, who has been fighting her left flank’s concern that she is too cozy with Wall Street, Gensler is a notable hire. He became known as someone with sharp elbows—even during his negotiations within the Obama administration—in his push for tighter regulation.
[...]
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-16/exclusive-hillary-clinton-said-to-hire-former-wall-street-cop-as-campaign-cfo
--
Hillary Clinton Hiring of C.F.O. Is Called Signal to Possible Donors
APRIL 17, 2015
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s recruitment of Gary Gensler, a former top federal Wall Street regulator, as her campaign’s chief financial officer was meant to show donors she is serious about avoiding the overspending that plagued her 2008 presidential campaign, according to people briefed on the matter.
It was also the latest indication that Mrs. Clinton is prepared to take a tougher stance toward the financial industry. Mr. Gensler, as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 2009 to 2014, overhauled the commission from one of Wall Street’s most lax regulators to one of its most aggressive, and campaigned to rein in risk-taking in response to the financial crisis.
[...]
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/18/us/politics/hillary-clinton-hiring-gary-gensler-is-called-signal-to-possible-donors.html
--
How Hillary Jilted Wall Street
By bringing in Gary Gensler, scourge of the big banks, she’s fending off liberal challenges.
April 17, 2015
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/hillary-wall-street-117092.html [ http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/hillary-wall-street-117092_full.html ] [with comments]
--
Clinton Campaign Will Accept Donations From Lobbyists And PACs
04/16/2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/clinton-campaign-donation_n_7079320.html [with embedded video report, and comments]
===
2016 candidates line up their big money backers
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/13/15
Rachel Maddow reports on the billionaires and super PACs behind some of the major candidates in the 2016 race for the presidency, and how big money shapes modern American democracy.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/candidates-line-up-their-big-money-backers-427551811928 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZq2NQiwK3s (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-13-2015-trms (no comments yet)]
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Campaign cash becomes early differentiator between parties for 2016
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/21/15
Rachel Maddow contrasts the rush to court billionaire among Republican hopefuls for 2016 with the Democrats' and Hillary Clinton's campaign posturing against the role of big money in politics (though obviously no less willing to spend to win).
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/campaign-cash-becomes-early-2016-difference-431827523774 [with comments] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-22-2015-trms (no comments yet)]
===
Hillary Clinton Backs Worker Protests For Higher Minimum Wage
04/16/2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/hillary-clinton-minimum-wage_n_7075258.html [with embedded video report, and comments]
===
Clinton Reserves Judgment On Trade Deal
The Clinton campaign laid out criteria for all new trade measures, but didn’t rule on whether the newest bill from Congress meets them.
by Jennifer Epstein
Apr 17, 2015 4:07 PM CDT
Hillary Clinton’s campaign stayed vague Friday when describing her position on the agreement reached by lawmakers on a new trade bill, setting out criteria, but not saying whether the legislation creating a “fast track” toward a deal's approval meets them.
That's in contrast to the strong opposition to any new trade deals that likely rival former Gov. Martin O'Malley and some other Democrats share.
“Hillary Clinton believes that any new trade measure has to pass two tests: First, it should put us in a position to protect American workers, raise wages, and create more good jobs at home. Second, it must also strengthen our national security," Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement. "We should be willing to walk away from any outcome that falls short of these tests."
President Barack Obama supports the completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership—for which his administration has worked for years—as do some Senate Democrats, including those who reached an agreement Thursday with congressional Republicans to move forward with a bill to grant trade promotion authority and move quickly to vote on TPP.
Clinton favors "greater prosperity and security for American families, not trade for trade’s sake," Merrill added, and will keep close tabs on whether the trade deal does enough to tackle a range of issues including currency manipulation, climate change and labor rights.
Because Clinton served as secretary of state during the first half of the Obama administration, she's closely associated with the negotiation process, even though she hasn't been involved in it for more than two years.
O'Malley has made clear that he opposes TPP and said in an e-mail to supporters, sent within minutes of the release of Merrill's statement, that he opposes moving ahead on the “fast track” with TPP, saying that authority would deny Congress the ability to amend yet another bad trade deal.
"We must stop entering into bad trade deals that hurt middle-class wages and ship middle-class jobs overseas," he said. "And we certainly shouldn’t be fast-tracking failed deals."
In a nudge at the vague Clinton statement, O'Malley adviser Lis Smith wrote on Twitter that her boss "continues to *lead* on critical issues."
Perhaps anticipating criticism from the left, the Clinton statement closes by noting that "as she warned in her book, Hard Choices, we shouldn’t be giving special rights to corporations at the expense of workers and consumers."
©2015 Bloomberg L.P.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-17/clinton-reserves-judgment-on-trade-deal
===
What The 2016 Hopefuls Are Saying About Indiana's 'Religious Freedom' Law
Opponents of Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act gathered in front of the Indiana State House Saturday.
March 31, 2015
[...]
Hillary Clinton
@HillaryClinton
Sad this new Indiana law can happen in America today. We shouldn't discriminate against ppl bc of who they love #LGBT http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/26/indiana-governor-mike-pence-anti-gay-bill_n_6947472.html …
Indiana Governor Signs Anti-Gay 'Religious Freedom' Bill At Private Ceremony
WASHINGTON -- Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) quietly signed legislation Thursday that could legalize discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. The Religious Freedom...
6:32 PM - 26 Mar 2015
[ https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/581267449523343360 ]
[...]
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2015/03/31/396570683/what-the-2016-hopefuls-are-saying-about-indianas-religious-freedom-law [with comments]
--
Hillary Clinton Urges Veto of Arkansas ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill
April 1, 2015
[...]
Hillary Clinton
@HillaryClinton
Like IN law, AR bill goes beyond protecting religion, would permit unfair discrimination against #LGBT Americans. I urge Governor to veto.
8:33 AM - 1 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/583291187559284736 ]
[...]
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/04/01/hillary-clinton-urges-veto-of-arkansas-religious-freedom-bill/
--
Rubio, Paul stumble taking two sides on gay rights
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/14/15
Rachel Maddow shows Marco Rubio and Rand Paul struggling to be appropriately anti-gay for their base without offending the more tolerant mainstream. Robert Gibbs, former White House press secretary, talks about "trap door" questions on the campaign trail.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/gop-candidates-talk-circles-on-gay-rights-428191299979 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nepTSwrbRu0 (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-14-2015-trms (no comments yet)]
--
Pat Robertson: Gay People And Hillary Clinton Are Out To Destroy Freedom
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Thursday, 4/16/2015 11:15 am
On “The 700 Club [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/700-club , http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/christian-broadcasting-network-0 ]” today, televangelist Pat Robertson [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/pat-robertson ] once [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-gays-want-control-everything ] again [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-gays-will-force-you-anal-sex-bestiality ] charged [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-americans-must-resist-totalitarian-dictators-gay-lobby ] that the gay rights movement [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/anti-gay ] is bent on destroying freedom, telling viewers [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P2EvQ1uqJA (below, as embedded; with comments)] that the gay community seeks to impose “totalitarian” socialism on America. He also implicated Hillary Clinton [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/election-2016 ] in the supposed gay plot to destroy liberty, claiming that she “wants to do away with the First Amendment, or at least part of it.”
Robertson was speaking about Indiana’s “religious freedom” law, which he falsely suggested [ http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/03/30/3640374/big-lie-media-tells-indianas-new-religious-freedom-law/ ] was no different from the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“Now this bunch of gays, what they have done is single out — for example, there will be a city and there will be five bakeshops, four out of the five will do wedding cakes for anybody that wants them, gay, lesbian, Muslim, Hindu, anybody, they’ll do cakes. One little company says, ‘No, we’re Christian, we won’t do homosexual wedding cakes.’ So they sue that one and force that one, because the idea now is not tolerance, it is conformity, they’re going to make you go along with their lifestyle whether you like it or not,” Robertson said.
“That’s not freedom, ladies and gentlemen, that is totalitarian coercion, and that’s what those people want. Liberals are not liberal, they are totalitarian socialists. They want the government to force everybody into their mold.”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-gay-people-and-hillary-clinton-are-out-destroy-freedom
--
Hillary Clinton Evolves on Gay Rights, While Others Lag Behind
Hillary Clinton.
Credit Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press
By Andrew Rosenthal
April 16, 2015 2:55 pm
Two bits of news today on the civil rights front seemed worthy of comment.
The first, more important, was that Hillary Clinton has changed her view on same-sex marriage [ http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/04/15/shifting-position-clinton-says-gay-marriage-should-be-a-constitutional-right/ ], which she once said should be left up to the individual states but which she now believes should be protected by the federal government as a constitutional right.
That this is connected with her new presidential campaign is obvious, but it’s still welcome news, and I’m glad that Mrs. Clinton has evolved on this issue before she took office. President Obama, of course, failed to do so. Some will argue that endorsing a constitutional right to same-sex marriage is a less risky position for a Democratic candidate in 2015 than it was in 2008, and that may be true, but it’s still a positive development.
The other bit of news comes from ThinkProgress.org [ http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/04/16/3647710/mechanic-will-legally-refuse-service-gay-people-michigan-updates-laws/ ], which reports that a mechanic in Michigan, Brian Klawiter, has declared that he, by golly, will not repair any homosexual-owned vehicles. “I would not hesitate to refuse service to an openly gay person or persons,” he wrote. “Homosexuality is wrong, period. If you want to argue this fact with me then I will put your vehicle together with all bolts and no nuts and you can see how that works.”
It’s tempting to dismiss Mr. Klawiter as a crank, since he’s also offering a discount to people who come into his shop bearing arms (for reasons other than robbing him, I assume). But his statement echoes a very serious and very seriously dangerous campaign by right-wing lawmakers and pressure groups to carve out a “religious” exemption to laws that protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans from bigotry and abuse in the public arena.
The claim is that their religious freedom allows them to judge the sexual orientation of others as an abomination against God and therefore refuse to have anything to do with them. Never mind that this is exactly the kind of logic that has been used to discriminate against African Americans, Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, women, Hispanics, Jews and many other protected groups.
Asking the local, state or federal government to give you special treatment because of your particular religious beliefs is, to my mind, a straightforward violation of the establishment clause in the First Amendment.
In the well-known cases of bakers refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, some say the couple should just go down the street. I don’t buy that argument, but consider this: What if your car breaks down on your way to the doctor and Mr. Klawiter refuses to fix it because you have a gay rights bumper sticker?
And there is this practical question: Unless someone walks in and declares his or her sexual orientation before asking for an oil change, how does Mr. Klawiter plan to enforce his ban? How, exactly, is he going to tell which customers are straight?
© 2015 The New York Times Company
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/hillary-clinton-evolves-on-gay-rights-while-others-lag-behind/ [with comments]
--
Bloomberg Politics Poll: Sexual Orientation Deserves Same Protection as Race, Americans Say
A majority also says the country is on the road to full marriage equality.
Apr 17, 2015
Nearly three quarters of Americans say sexual orientation should be protected from discrimination the same way race is, according to a new Bloomberg Politics poll [ http://images.businessweek.com/cms/2015-04-19/150417_final.pdf ].
The finding of widespread support for legal protections for gays and lesbians comes in the wake of the contretemps over religious-liberty laws in Indiana and Arkansas, and with the Supreme Court expected to rule broadly on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage in June.
“Gay people and people of color are going through the same fight to be accepted,” said Brandi Jackson, a 31-year-old nursing assistant from Baltimore who is African-American and participated in the poll. “It doesn’t matter your race, your orientation. Everybody should be treated fairly.”
[...]
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-17/bloomberg-politics-poll-sexual-orientation-deserves-same-protection-as-race-americans-say
===
Hillary Clinton Takes Firm Stance [for] On Driver's Licenses For The Undocumented After Slip-Up In 2008 Race
04/16/2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/clinton-drivers-licenses-undocumented_n_7072570.html [with embedded video, and comments]
===
What's Hillary Clinton's Stance On Weed? She's Been Tight-Lipped, But Needs To Make Up Her Mind
April 12, 2015
http://www.bustle.com/articles/75776-whats-hillary-clintons-stance-on-weed-shes-been-tight-lipped-but-needs-to-make-up-her-mind
--
Americans See Green Light for Marijuana Legalization in Bloomberg Politics Poll
Fifty-eight percent say recreational pot will be legal nationwide in the next 20 years.
Apr 17, 2015
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-17/americans-see-green-light-for-marijuana-legalization-in-bloomberg-politics-poll
--
Americans' Support For Marijuana Legalization Reaches All-Time High In CBS Poll
04/20/2015 Updated: 04/21/15
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/20/americans-support-legaliz_n_7101132.html [with embedded video report, and comments]
===
FactChecking Hillary Clinton
April 12, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/factchecking-hillary-clinton/
*
Hillary Clinton
http://www.factcheck.org/person/hillary-clinton/
===
Bernie Sanders: Hillary Clinton Won't Stand Up To Billionaires On Income Inequality
Getty
By Mollie Reilly
Posted: 04/15/2015 6:55 pm EDT Updated: 04/15/2015 6:59 pm EDT
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is questioning whether Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is "prepared to take on the billionaire class" in her 2016 bid for the White House.
The self-described democratic socialist, who is considering running for president himself, met with Bloomberg [ http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-15/hillary-clinton-not-ready-to-confront-billionaire-class-bernie-sanders-says ] reporters and editors on Wednesday. During the meeting, Sanders said he does not believe, "based on her record" that Clinton is "prepared to take on the billionaire class" to address income inequality.
"It's not what she says, it's what she does," he said of the former secretary of state.
“The country belongs to all of us and not just the billionaire class," he continued. "Do I think that's Hillary Clinton's politics? No. No I don't."
Clinton launched her campaign Sunday, officially ending years of speculation that she would jump in the race. Like other candidates [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/14/upshot/why-republicans-are-suddenly-talking-about-economic-inequality.html ] eyeing the Oval Office, Clinton has vowed to take on economic inequality, and in her first campaign event criticized the high paychecks of top business executives.
"There's something wrong when CEOs make 300 times more than the typical worker," Clinton said at a roundtable in Iowa [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/hillary-clinton-ceos-hedge-fund-iowa_n_7069938.html ] on Tuesday. "There's something wrong when American workers keep getting more productive, as they have, and as I just saw a few minutes ago is very possible because of education and skills training, but that productivity is not matched in their paychecks."
Sanders told Bloomberg his decision on whether to challenge Clinton will depend on how much money he can raise. However, he said he believes his pro-worker message resonates with many voters.
“The message I have has a lot of support," he said. "It's going to be a gut decision."
The Vermont senator also questioned Clinton in a Tuesday interview with MSNBC [ http://www.msnbc.com/thomas-roberts/watch/bernie-sanders--whats-hillary-campaigning-on--427928131695 ].
"The American people want Secretary Clinton, all candidates, to talk about why the middle class continues to decline, why the rich get richer, why Wall Street continues to have unbelievable power over the American economy," Sanders said. "The American people not only want a serious debate on this campaign, they want candidates who will deal with the most important issue, and that is are we prepared to take on the billionaire class which has so much power over our economic and political life."
"Do you not believe that Hillary Clinton is out for the little guy?" host Thomas Roberts asked.
"Why don't you tell me what Hillary Clinton is campaigning on?" Sanders replied. “You don't know, and I don't know, and the American people don't know."
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton_n_7074500.html [with comments]
--
Martin O'Malley Goes After Hillary Clinton For Leading By 'Polls,' Not 'Principles'
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) is considering a run for president.
04/16/2015 Updated: 04/17/2015
WASHINGTON -- Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) went after Hillary Clinton Thursday, accusing her of changing policy positions based on polls rather than her convictions. It's the first time the prospective Democratic presidential candidate has attacked Clinton since she announced her presidential bid Sunday.
"I’m glad Secretary Clinton’s come around to the right positions on these issues," said O'Malley, referring to same-sex marriage and immigration. O'Malley spoke to reporters at Harvard University, where he gave a speech on the economy.
"I believe that we are best as a party when we lead with our principles and not according to the polls," O'Malley added. "And every election is about the future. And leadership is about making the right decision, and the best decision before sometimes it becomes entirely popular."
[...]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/martin-omalley-hillary-clinton_n_7083278.html [with embedded (audio on) video, and comments]
*
Martin O’Malley Takes Apparent Jab At Hillary For Pandering To Progressives
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listens to small business owners as she campaigns for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination at Capital City Fruit in Norfolk, Iowa April 15, 2015.
04/17/2015
http://dailycaller.com/2015/04/17/martin-omalley-takes-apparent-jab-at-hillary-for-pandering-to-progressives/ [with comments]
--
Lincoln Chafee: 'I'm running' and here's why
By Jedd Rosche and Dan Merica
Updated 11:10 AM ET, Thu April 16, 2015
(CNN)—Former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee said Thursday on CNN that he's running for the Democratic nomination for president, just a week after announcing he formed an exploratory committee, his most definitive statement he's made toward formalizing a 2016 campaign.
"Yes, that's why I'm running. Because I feel strong about where we're going as a country," Chafee told CNN's "New Day" on Thursday, when asked why he's been so critical of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Chafee was asked by CNN's John Berman in the context of having not formally declared his presidential campaign.
Chafee spokeswoman Debbie Rich said Chafee did not declare himself as a candidate for president Thursday, despite saying "that's why I'm running."
"We are still in the exploratory committee phase," she told CNN in a phone interview, adding, "We will file the proper papers to be an official candidate, but that has not happened yet."
Chafee, a former Republican and former senator, announced he was forming an exploratory committee last week [ http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/09/politics/lincoln-chafee-2016-presidential-plans/ ]. Chafee's been differentiating himself from fellow Democratic primary contenders by taking sharp jabs at Clinton, willing to be more critical than would-be challengers former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley or former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb over her vote in Congress to authorize the war in Iraq.
"That was a moment where the premise for going to Iraq was so false that there were weapons of mass destruction; she didn't do her homework. We live with the ramifications," Chafee told CNN's "State of the Union" over the weekend [ http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/12/politics/hillary-clinton-lincoln-chafee-bush-election-2016/ ]. "You may say that's 12 years ago — that's a big motivator for me running. If you show a lack of judgment, lack of doing homework then, what can we expect in the future?"
Chafee has been blurring the line between considering a run and actually running since last week. In his CNN interview with Dana Bash over the weekend, he all but declared his candidacy.
"I want to be on the stage in November, December and January debating these issues," he said.
A long shot who's been out of office since his gubernatorial term ended at the beginning of 2015, Chafee hadn't been included in the overwhelming majority of public polling of the Democratic primary.
Chafee acknowledged his chances in Thursday's interview.
"There's no doubt I'm the underdog," he said.
CNN's Eric Bradner and Brenna Williams contributed to this report.
© 2015 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/16/politics/lincoln-chafee-running-for-president/ [with embedded videos]
===
5 Arguments Republicans Are Using to Try and Defeat Hillary Clinton in 2016
by David Knowles
Apr 16, 2015 4:46 PM CDT
It's on.
With Hillary Clinton's formal entry into the 2016 presidential race last Sunday, the arguments against her candidacy—made by her Republican rivals—have already begun to take shape. In part, that's because there was little question that Clinton would assume the mantle of Democratic frontrunner, giving strategists years to plot their battle plans.
In the near constant barrage of criticism tossed at Clinton over the past few days, a pattern has emerged that makes clear what we can expect over the coming weeks and months of the campaign. Here are five anti-Hillary refrains.
1. She's the same as Obama
Texas Senator Ted Cruz often refers to what he calls the failed Obama-Clinton foreign policy.
"Does America want a third Obama term or are we ready for strong conservative leadership to make America great again?" Cruz said in a Sunday statement following Clinton's announcement, adding, "We know that a Hillary Clinton Administration would be no different than an Obama Administration."
Former Texas governor Rick Perry is also fond of the couple of the two Democratic politician's names.
Rick Perry
@GovernorPerry
America can't afford another 4 years of the Obama-Clinton agenda. Stop Hillary. Sign the petition: http://goo.gl/OCECjy
RickPAC
RickPAC was created to help elect conservatives across our country who share Governor Perry’s strong belief in the 10th Amendment. Governor Perry is proud to support leaders who believe in the...
1:15 PM - 12 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/GovernorPerry/status/587348412229517312 ]
Florida Senator Marco Rubio agrees, arguing in his new book [ http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/01/07/marco-rubio-hillary-clinton-american-dream/ ], American Dreams, that, "The election of Hillary Clinton to the presidency, in short, would be nothing more than a third Obama term."
2. Like her husband, she thinks she's above the law
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was one of the first candidates of the 2016 election cycle to air an anti-Clinton ad. In it, he covers many of the arguments in this list, but emphasizes what he considers to be a pattern of behavior that shows Hillary believes she is above the law. “Hillary Clinton represents the worst of the Washington machine,” the narrator says in the minute-long spot. “The arrogance of power, corruption and cover-up, conflicts of interest and failed leadership with tragic consequences [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUAP_WMr2fw (next below, as embedded; comments disabled)].”
Specifically, Clinton's deletion of a trove of e-mails from her personal server has led candidates like Cruz to suggest that the former secretary of state broke the law.
"It is long past time for a fair and impartial investigation into what occurred here. Based on what she has admitted publicly, it appears that Secretary Clinton's conduct was in violation of federal law and may have even constituted criminal conduct," Cruz said in a radio interview on the Dana Show [ http://www.971talk.com/blogs/dana-show-blog/audio-demand/ted-cruz-dana-show-3-31-15 , https://soundcloud.com/fmnewstalk971/033115-ted-cruz ].
3. She's a hypocrite
There are several issues on which Clinton has been labeled a "hypocrite" from her Republican presidential rivals, but the two most common have to do with the Clinton Foundation's acceptance of donations from governments with less than stellar records on human rights, and over the issue of gender pay equality.
On Meet the Press [ http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/rand-paul-slams-hillary-clintons-grand-hypocrisy-n340096 ], Paul took issue with the former:
Hillary Clinton has taken money from countries that rape victims are publicly lashed," Paul said. "We should be boycotting, voluntarily boycotting a country, not buying stuff from a country that does that to women.
During her CPAC address, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina hit Clinton for the foundation's donations as well as for the alleged gender pay gap for members of Clinton's own staff. "She tweets about equal pay for women but will not answer basic questions about her own office's pay standards..." Fiorina stated [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMM3raEebkg (next below, as embedded; with comments)].
4. As secretary of state, she left us less safe
Fiorina has often repeated her assertion that Clinton's time as secretary of state was devoid of accomplishments, and, in fact, left us less safe than we were before she held that position.
"It’s a problem when you mislead the American people for a month about what really happened in Benghazi. It’s a problem when you believe that Vladimir Putin can be thwarted by a red reset button," Fiorina this week during an appearance on Morning Joe [ http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/04/13/carly_fiorina_hillary_has_had_a_lot_of_impressive_titles_but_record_real_blemishes_lacks_accomplishment.html ]. "I’ve met Vladimir Putin. I sat across the table from him; there’s no way a red reset button is going to work. It’s a problem when our relationship with Israel has deteriorated so dramatically, and it’s a problem when terrorism is on the rise, not on the wane as she and the president continue to try to convince the American people."
In his first anti-Clinton ad of 2016, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum piled on to the theory that Clinton, because of her use of a private e-mail account, left the United States vulnerable to terrorist attacks [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ExyzEhJ_8Q (next below, as embedded; comments disabled); http://www.patriotvoices.com/who_we_are ].
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, too, has questioned whether Clinton's time as secretary of state helped make America safer.
"This is very Clintonian, I think, to figure out a way to get out of a mess," Bush said in an interview with Hugh Hewitt [ http://www.hughhewitt.com/jeb-bush-on-the-indiana-law-iran-and-hillary/ ]. "But she was secretary of state of the first administration. And while some of this disruption and then all the stuff playing out right now didn't exist in the first four years, its roots were there. The pullback began then. The reset with Russia, the discussions with Syria, the red line, all these things created the beginnings of what we're now seeing."
5. She represents the past/is too old
Rubio, the youngest candidate to have entered the race thus far, has made a point of trying to highlight the generational divide between himself and Clinton. "Just yesterday, a leader from yesterday began a campaign for President by promising to take us back to yesterday," Rubio said during Monday's campaign roll-out [ http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-13/transcript-marco-rubio-announces-run-for-president ]. "But yesterday is over, and we are never going back."
That line of thinking picks up on an argument put forth by GOP strategist Karl Rove, who, during a 2014 interview with Fox News, describe Clinton as "something old and stale."
“In American politics, there’s a sense you want to be new, you don’t want to be too familiar, you want to be something fresh, you don’t want to be something old and stale,” the former Bush adviser said.
Paul, meanwhile, has also launched repeated attacks based on the idea that Clinton equals an outdated vision for the country.
Dr. Rand Paul
@RandPaul
Have you ordered your #LibertyNotHillary sticker yet? Don't let @HillaryClinton take us back to the past! https://cards.twitter.com/cards/3l4ipl/gihq …
12:30 PM - 15 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/588393962009821186 ]
That final knock against Clinton is the subject of debate, of course, but even from the likes of Jonathan Rauch, who coined the so-called 14-year rule during the 2004 election. It posits that a politician has a 14-year window to rise to the presidency before a metaphorical sell-by date is reached. This year, however, Rauch is unsure.
David Frum
@davidfrum
Apr 14
Meet the man whose professional reputation is most on the line in 2016: @jon_rauch, author of the 14 year rule. http://www.nationaljournal.com/columns/social-studies/who-can-win-in-2004-just-use-this-freshness-test-20031017 …
-
Jonathan Rauch
@jon_rauch
.@davidfrum 2016 is a hard test for the 14-year rule as Jeb and Hillary are both stale and fresh candidates are weaker.
5:38 AM - 14 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/jon_rauch/status/587958191935377408 ]
Of course, the many lines of attack on Clinton themselves belie a truth that even many of the Republican candidates themselves admit: Hillary will be hard to beat.
"Hillary Clinton is a determined, hard-working woman. She is. And she has set her sights on the White House. And so she’s not going to give up, and she’s not going to give in. She’s going to keep going," Fiorina said this week in an interview with Hewitt [ http://www.hughhewitt.com/carly-fiorina-on-hillary-clintons-campaign-launch/ ]. "And she has, we shouldn’t underestimate her, because she has support, whether enthusiastic or not, she has support from her party. She will have the best ground game in political history thanks for Barack Obama. And she will also have more money than anyone, because she doesn’t have to spend very much in a primary. So we shouldn’t underestimate her. She is a determined fighter, and she will fight for this."
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee agrees.
"You know the Clintons very well," Huckabee told George Stephanopolous [ http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/gov-mike-huckabee-clintons-2016-odds-30262660 ] last week, "they play to win, and anyone who thinks that she's going to get into this half-heartedly, well they've never ever encountered the will, the spirit, the heart and the determination of the Clinton political machinery."
©2015 Bloomberg L.P.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-16/5-arguments-republicans-are-using-to-try-and-defeat-hillary-clinton-in-2016
===
The Five Worst Attacks On Hillary Clinton In The Last Five Days
4/15/2015
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/five-worst-attacks-hillary-clinton-last-five-days
--
Female CEO Says Women 'Shouldn't Be President' Because Of 'Different Hormones,' 'Biblical Reasoning'
By Dominique Mosbergen
Posted: 04/15/2015 1:52 am EDT Updated: 04/15/2015 1:59 am EDT
A female CEO in Texas has come under fire this week for saying a woman “shouldn’t be president [ http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/texas-marketing-ceo-women-cant-be-president-because-of-hormones-and-biblical-sound-reasoning/ ]” because of “different hormones” and “biblical sound reasoning.”
Cheryl Rios, CEO of Dallas marketing and public relations firm Go Ape Marketing, wrote on Facebook that she’d move “to Canada” if Hillary Clinton became head of state [ http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2015/04/13/dallas-woman-posts-on-facebook-a-female-shouldnt-be-president/ ].
“With the hormones we have, there is no way [a woman] should be able to start a war,” she wrote in her post, per KTVT. “Yes I run my own business and I love it and I am great at it BUT that is not the same as being the President, that should be left to a man, a good, strong, honorable man.”
Rios said she supports “equal rights,” but stressed that “there’s an old biblical sound reasoning why a woman shouldn’t be president,” according to the station. Rios, however, did not cite a particular biblical verse to support her view.
After drawing criticism for her comments on social media, Rios took to Twitter [ https://twitter.com/Cheryl_RRios/status/588196150265696256 ] Tuesday to defend her beliefs.
“In this great country we are allowed our own opinions. Mine may be something you don't agree with, and so be it. I am old fashioned, I am Christian and believe what I have said,” she wrote in an extended tweet [ http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1slonc4 ].
Rios added that she doesn’t believe that women should be “abused, or that they are stupid or can't be lawyers, doctors or run successful businesses,” only that they shouldn’t be the country’s head of state.
“With that, please stop the nastiness as it wasn't meant in that light,” she wrote.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/ceo-women-shouldnt-be-president-cheryl-rios_n_7067564.html [with embedded non-YouTube video report (the above YouTube of same, which is complete, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geaHvpLImaI {with comments}), and comments]
*
Cheryl Rios Statement
Published on Apr 16, 2015 by Opinions are our right [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdOlK5d4hHt5JEt2hlbD-9g / http://www.youtube.com/user/fishermen12 , http://www.youtube.com/user/fishermen12/videos ]
I spoke with Cheryl Rios on 4/15/2015
Her comments she made regarding us having a women president I personally do not agree with. I have worked online for 15 years and have seen many people post so many worse comments on this subject. So I honestly do not understand today's media.
I think its very sad that today's media has to find comments by people and make a mockery out of them and basically attempt to destroy every fiber of their being. We are allowed to have opinions BUT BEWARE your opinion may destroy you.
I have known Cheryl for good while and she is a really nice women with strong old school opinions. So as each of you tear her apart just remember maybe someday someone you care about could get crucified for speaking out.
I have set up a gofundme page for her and her family as I do not believe people should be treated this way over having a opinion but I am well aware that is the world we live in today.
http://www.gofundme.com/cheryl-rios
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8iNcxqIWiQ [with comments]
*
Texas CEO Cheryl Rios defends anti-woman comments on Fox News
Published on Apr 19, 2015 by Raw Story [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrwcaubBjseFaaq0j_LAoLw , http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrwcaubBjseFaaq0j_LAoLw/videos ]
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/fox-host-explodes-at-misogynist-ceo-completely-backwards-to-say-god-didnt-intend-women-presidents/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Oee3s-bUB4 [with comments]
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Fiorina Defends Female Hormones, Ridicules Rubio VA Bill
Fiorina is expected to announce her own presidential campaign in the coming weeks.
Apr 18, 2015
NASHUA, New Hampshire—Entering and exiting the stage to Alicia Keys' hit song, "Girl on Fire [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J91ti_MpdHA (next below; with {over 56,000} comments)],"
former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Officer Carly Fiorina criticized Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as undeserving ...
Fiorina's broadside against Clinton is a staple of her public speeches as she weighs a Republican presidential bid but at the First in the Nation Republican Leadership Summit here, she expanded the target zone to include the Democratic front runner's husband, former President Bill Clinton.
“I was asked this morning on Fox News [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7b_NkHyXb0 (next below; with comments)]
whether a woman’s hormones prevented her from serving in the Oval Office," Fiorina said, adding satircally: "Not that we have seen examples ever of a man’s judgment being clouded by hormones, including in the Oval Office."
[...]
“Hillary Clinton cannot be president of the United States, but not because she is a woman," Fiorina said. "Hillary Clinton must not be president of the United States because she does not have a track record of accomplishment, because she lacks the candor and transparency that are so necessary to leadership, and because she will pursue a set of policies that crush possibilities and the potential of this great nation.”
Fiorina, 60, has assumed the role as one of her party's most aggressive critics of Clinton, who made her presidential bid official this week. After a career in business, Fiorina waded into electoral politics in 2010, winning her party's U.S. Senate nomination in California before losing to incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer by 10 percentage points.
The Californian reminded New Hampshire voters that she's her party's only potential candidate who has not spent a lifetime in politics, saying that she has the leadership skills to "change the order of things for the better."
[...]
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-18/fiorina-defends-female-hormones-ridicules-rubio-va-bill
*
Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina (born Cara Carleton Sneed; September 6, 1954) is an American former business executive and was the Republican nominee for the United States Senate from California in 2010. Fiorina served as chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005 after being an executive at AT&T and its equipment and technology spinoff, Lucent.
Fiorina was considered one of the most powerful women in business during her tenure at Lucent and Hewlett-Packard. While she was chief executive at HP, the company weathered the collapse of the dot-com bubble, although the stock lost half of its value throughout her tenure.[1] In 2002, the company completed a contentious merger with rival computer company Compaq, which made HP the world's largest personal computer manufacturer.[2] In 2005, Fiorina was forced to resign as chief executive officer and chair of HP following "differences [with the board of directors] about how to execute HP's strategy."[3] She has frequently been ranked as one of the worst tech CEOs of all time.[4][5][6][7]
[...]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carly_Fiorina
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Republican Strategist: I Don't Need Hillary Clinton To 'Drown Me In Estrogen'
04/13/2015
GOP strategist Ana Navarro said she's had enough of Hillary Clinton doing that whole "woman thing."
You know the thing: where she gets on stage and talks about hugely important, fundamental family and women's issues as she campaigns [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/12/hillary-clinton-2016_n_6134814.html ] to become the first female president of the United States.
Navarro claimed on CNN that Clinton's "woman thing" is "lacking subtlety" this time around.
"I don't need her to drown me in estrogen every time she opens her mouth," Navarro said Sunday. "Every time she opens her mouth it's about the granddaughter and Chelsea's wedding and the yoga routines ... She doesn't need to have a sign that says, 'I'm a woman, hear me roar!'"
[...]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/13/hillary-clinton-estrogen-gop-strategist_n_7054594.html [with a non-YouTube excerpt from the included YouTube (from http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/gop-strategist-is-tired-of-hillary-clintons-woman-thing-dont-drown-me-in-estrogen/ {with comments}), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ4r5vA9qFo (with comments), embedded, and comments]
--
County supervisor defends calling Hillary Clinton 'Ovary'
[ http://bluenationreview.com/meet-the-gops-newest-darling-mouthpiece-deanna-alexander/ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adEKz0iYLb8 (at CPAC 2013; embedded)]
Hillary Clinton is seen in a video posted to YouTube announcing her candidacy for president.
April 16, 2015
Milwaukee County Supervisor Deanna Alexander is not a fan of former Secretary of State Hillary Cinton, a Democrat running for president.
So Alexander has come up with her own derisive nickname for Clinton.
Ovary.
And Alexander has taken to her personal Twitter account to try to build support for it.
First, she posted this, referring to Clinton as "Ovary":
Deanna Alexander
@DAinWIS
Did Ovary's campaign REALLY set a $2.5 BILLION goal just for her own #POTUS run? Yet SHE claims there's too much $ in politics? Sheesh #tcot
12:17 PM - 15 Apr 2015
[ https://twitter.com/DAinWIS/status/588390671725305856 ]
[...]
Is it really appropriate to refer to the former first lady in this way?
Alexander, a conservative on the left-leaning County Board, thinks so.
She notes that people come up with nicknames for politicians all the time. For instance, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was dubbed The Governator and ex-President Bill Clinton was known as Slick Willie to his critics -- and even some of his supporters.
Alexander, who is considered a possible candidate for the state Senate, said she found it interesting that people have jumped to the conclusion that she was referring to Hillary Clinton when she discussed "Ovary's campaign." ...
[...]
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/300118581.html [with comments]
--
Michael Savage: Hillary Clinton's 'Looks Alone Could Sink The Campaign'
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Thursday, 4/16/2015 2:50 pm
On Monday [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3PV_4Mjik0 (next below; with comments)],
right-wing talk show host Michael Savage [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/michael-savage ] reacted to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign announcement by going on a riff about her looks.
After saying that it’s “not fair” to talk about Clinton’s looks, Savage went ahead and did just that, asking viewers if they really want to look at Clinton’s “frightening face” for “eight straight years.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/savage-hillary-too-ugly-to-be-president ) embedded]
She’s the nice woman, the TV ad shows her with gay couples — like that’s the most important thing on earth, the happy gay couple. She’s ‘hitting the road to earn your vote,’ she hasn’t driven a car in 20 years but she’s one of us, the pancake woman. I can look at it, the pantsuits — I don’t want to go into the weight thing, that’s not fair, because time and gravity is unfair to all of us, so let’s put that aside, let’s not talk about her looks. But her looks alone could sink the campaign. From the neck up, forget about the neck down. We’re not going to ridicule her physically, it happens to all — but the head up, I’m telling you, do you want to look at that for eight years? Do you really want to have that face staring at you for eight straight years? That frightening face?
At least [Marco] Rubio is fresh-faced. I kiddingly call him ‘the ice cream man,’ but who hates an ice cream man? Nobody. Maybe we need an ice cream man running America. I don’t know what he has going for him other than the fact that he’s got a fresh face and his name ends in a vowel.
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/michael-savage-hillary-clintons-looks-alone-could-sink-campaign
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The American Family Association's Sandy Rios Implies Hillary Clinton Is A Lesbian In A New Broadcast
By JamesMichael Nichols
Posted: 04/15/2015 1:05 pm EDT Updated: 04/15/2015 4:59 pm EDT
The American Family Association [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/american-family-association ]'s Sandy Rios [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/sandy-rios ] is once again [ http://streamer1.afa.net/afr-aod/SandyRios/sr_20150413.mp3 , http://afr.net/afr-talk/sandy-rios-in-the-morning/ ] implying that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is secretly a lesbian [ http://www.towleroad.com/2015/04/sandy-rios-possibly-lesbian-hillary-clintons-launch-video-excludes-straight-christian-couples-listen.html ] and claims that the evidence is in the video announcing her presidential campaign [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/13/us/politics/hillary-clinton-2016-presidential-campaign.html ].
Clinton featured a same-sex couple [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/13/hillary-clinton-video_n_7055324.html ] in the clip which, in Rios's mind, serves to reinforce her adamant belief that the Democratic presidential hopeful is a lesbian.
Check out the recording, first featured on Right Wing Watch [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sandy-rios-possibly-lesbian-hillary-clinton-excluded-anglo-american-husband-and-wife-launch- ], below:
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/rios-suggests-clinton-is-a-lesbian ) embedded]
"Please keep in mind that Hillary Clinton was one of the first public officials to push this whole notion of embracing homosexuality," Rios said. "I would never forget my own personal shock in the late ‘90s when there was a women’s conference in Beijing and Hillary Clinton was in charge and they brought in women from all over the world at this UN conference, and the emphasis for the American delegation under Hillary’s tutelage was on lesbianism."
She continued:
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/rios-clinton-campaign-video-excluded-white-straight-couples-in-church ) embedded]
This is not the first time that individuals have speculated about Clinton's sexuality, and certainly not the first time that Rios has made such accusations. After Clinton publicly announced her support for same-sex marriage in 2013, Rios claimed that the former U.S. Secretary of State had a "love of homosexuality [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sandy-rios-floats-rumor-hillary-clinton-lesbian ]."
Glenn Beck also jumped on the bandwagon in 2014 [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/30/hillary-clinton-glenn-bec_n_5240240.html ], claiming that Clinton "will be having sex with a woman on the... White House desk if it becomes popular."
Meanwhile, Jenny McCarthy made a similar suggestion [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/23/jenny-mccarthy-hillary-clinton-lesbian_n_5613012.html ] on "The View" last year, broaching the idea that the Clintons may have some form of "arrangement."
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/15/hillary-clinton-sandy-rios-lesbian_n_7070784.html [with comments]
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Wayne LaPierre’s grotesque warning: Hillary Clinton ‘will bring a permanent darkness of deceit and despair’
NRA Executive Vice-President Wayne LaPierre speaks at the group's annual leadership forum on April 9, 2015.
[YouTube]
Arturo Garcia
10 Apr 2015 at 22:10 ET
National Rifle Association (NRA) executive vice president Wayne LaPierre railed against the possibility of Hillary Clinton becoming president during his remarks at the group’s annual leadership forum in Nashville on Friday [April 10, 2015], Right Wing Watch reported [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/nras-lapierre-hillary-rodham-clinton-will-bring-permanent-darkness-deceit-and-despair ].
“She will not bring a new dawn of promise and new opportunity,” LaPierre argued. “Hillary Rodham Clinton will bring a permanent darkness of deceit and despair, forced upon the American people to endure.”
The former secretary of state is expected to formally announce her entry into the presidential race on Sunday, but LaPierre argued that she was unfit for office because she was tainted by controversy.
“‘Whitewater-gate,’ ‘Cattle-gate,’ ‘Jenifer Flowers-gate,’ ‘Nanny-gate,’ ‘Lincoln bedroom-gate,’ ‘Travel-gate,’ ‘Trooper-gate,’ ‘File-gate,’ ‘Paula Jones-gate,’ ‘Vince Foster-gate’, ‘Helicopter-gate,’ ‘White House Coffee-gate,’ ‘Web Hubbell Hush Money-gate,’ ‘Pardon-gate,’ ‘Illegal Gift-Gate,’ ‘Monica-gate,’ ‘Benghazi-gate,’ ‘Email-gate,’ ‘Wiped Server-gate,'” he said. “Hillary Clinton has more ‘gates’ than a South Texas cattle ranch, and Americans know it.”
LaPierre also played up the fact that the NRA event had drawn several possible Republican contenders, saying the upcoming primary season would ensure that the GOP would field its best candidate.
“I vow on this day the NRA will stand shoulder to shoulder with you and good, honest decent Americans and we will stand and fight with everything we’ve got,” he argued. “And in 2016, by God, we will elect the next great president of the United States of America and it will not be Hillary Rodham Clinton.”
LaPierre’s remarks, as posted online [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU-s95v01yU (next below, as embedded; with comments)], can be seen in their entirety below.
Copyright 2015 Raw Story Media, Inc.
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/wayne-lapierres-grotesque-warning-hillary-clinton-will-bring-a-permanent-darkness-of-deceit-and-despair/ [with comments]
===
Senator Marco Rubio Presidential Announcement Full Speech (C-SPAN)
Published on Apr 14, 2015 by C-SPAN [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb--64Gl51jIEVE-GLDAVTg / http://www.youtube.com/user/CSPAN , http://www.youtube.com/user/CSPAN/videos ]
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. He made the announcement from the Freedom Tower in Miami, FL. Watch the prayer offered before Senator Marco Rubio announced his candidacy here:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?325251-101/rubio-campaign-announcement-invocation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51jmJn8XwPQ [with comments] [also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQuahjgiadY (with comments); on C-Span.org at http://www.c-span.org/video/?325251-1/senator-marco-rubio-rfl-presidential-campaign-announcement ]
--
FactChecking Marco Rubio
April 13, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/factchecking-marco-rubio/
*
Marco Rubio
http://www.factcheck.org/person/marco-rubio/
--
Marco Rubio’s Opening Speech Had a Goof (Updated)
April 13, 2015 Updated April 14, 2015
Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign announcement speech included inspirational parts of his life story, the outline of a governing agenda and one flat-out error that appears to be a clumsy Prince reference.
“Too many leaders” are “busy looking backwards,” the Florida Republican said.
“So they do not see how jobs and prosperity today depend on our ability to … compete in a global economy. And so our leaders put us at a disadvantage by taxing and borrowing and regulating like it was 1999.”
The problem with the senator’s statement is that the government is neither taxing, nor borrowing, nor regulating like it did in 1999. In fact, in 1999 there was a surplus, shrinking the debt owned by the public.
Taxes were much higher in 1999 — 19.2 percent of gross domestic product, versus 16.7 percent in 2013, with President Barack Obama agreeing to permanently extend the Bush-era tax cuts for 99 percent of taxpayers at the end of 2012.
As for regulating, 1999 was notable in part for repealing key sections of the Glass-Steagall Act.
(Prince’s 1982 megahit “1999” features the line “party like it’s 1999.”)
[...]
http://www3.blogs.rollcall.com/white-house/marco-rubios-opening-speech-goof/ [with comments]
--
Marco Rubio's Miami Church: Exorcisms, Creationism, Anti-Gay Policies
ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Bruce Wilson [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-wilson/ ]
Posted: 04/14/2015 1:19 pm EDT Updated: 04/14/2015 1:59 pm EDT
"On most Saturday nights, we still attend services at Christ Fellowship, especially if Pastor Rick [Blackwood] is preaching the sermon. His sermons still inspire me to grow in my Christian faith... Some of my Catholic friends occasionally express concern over my continued association with Christ Fellowship. But I don't think you can go to church too often..." -- Marco Rubio, An American Son: A Memoir
"Evolution is not based on observable evidence. Creation is based on observable evidence." -- Rick Blackwood, 2014 sermon
"I could sense the demons going out of this man and the Spirit of God entering him" -- Rick Blackwood, describing his 2011 exorcism of a demon-possessed church member
Junior U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has just thrown his hat into the ring and announced his bid for the presidency. Since Rubio made a point of discussing, at length, his religious beliefs in his 2012 memoir An American Son: A Memoir, it seems fair to have a look. Following his announcement, LGBT rights media have showcased Rubio's lengthy record of anti-gay statements and rhetoric (see http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/rachelwitkin/marco_rubio_s_top_ten_anti_gay_statements , http://www.advocate.com/politics/election/2015/04/13/marco-rubio-might-be-most-antigay-presidential-candidate-yet ) but there's a broader pattern.
Among Rubio's two main religious influences, Catholic Church doctrine is a matter of public record. But an investigation of Rubio's Miami Baptist megachurch reveals, notably, an anti-homosexual hiring policy, the promotion of demonology and exorcism, Young Earth creationism, and denial of evolution.
Marco Rubio's walk with God has been meandering and, some might say, fickle. As a child Rubio, who was baptized Catholic, made a brief but fervent conversion to Mormonism. His switch to the Church of the Latter Day Saints lasted three years.
As an adult, from 2000 to 2004 Rubio took a detour from his Catholic roots to exclusively attend Miami's Christ Fellowship [ http://cfmiami.org/ ], a Southern Baptist megachurch to which Rubio has given at least $50,000.
Now straddling both Christ Fellowship and the Catholic Church, Marco Rubio seems positioned to appeal both to conservative Catholics but also the anti-LGBT, demon-casting, creationist segment of the Protestant evangelical right.
Though he's now primarily and "firmly" Catholic, Rubio has recently told [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/04/13/heres-what-we-know-about-marco-rubios-faith-of-many-colors/ ] Religion News Service reporter Sarah Pulliam-Bailey that he has "maintained the relationship with Christ Fellowship" and often attends services at the church.
During his Protestant years, Rubio revealed in his 2012 memoir, he nonetheless "craved, literally, the Most Blessed Sacrament, Holy Communion" (of the Catholic Church.) So, the rising GOP star found a practical, buffet-style solution. Rubio divulged that on Saturday nights he brings his family to worship at Christ Fellowship, and on Sunday the Rubio family attends St. Louis Catholic Church.
Christ Fellowship requires [ https://cfmiami.org/applications/employment ] prospective employees to sign the following sexual purity oath:
"I hereby certify that I am a Christian, not a practicing homosexual in accordance with scriptures (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, I Corinthians 6:9-10, I Timothy 1:10)"
Leviticus 18:22 (New International Version) reads, "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable." Leviticus 20:13 (NIV) is harsher: "If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."
In accord with the religious right's increasingly tortured effort to come to terms with growing public acceptance of same-sex marriage and LGBT rights, "one of the leading experts in our country on marriage and families", Dr. Bob Barnes, was in April 2012 brought in to Christ Fellowship for a guest sermon, "Why Family?" in which he explained [ http://cfmiami.org/sermons/watch/why-family ] that homosexuality was a form of addiction :
"Homosexual sin is no worse than heterosexual sin. There is not a hierarchy of sins. Sin is sin. But, if I find somebody that has a predisposition, a genetic predisposition, or a chromosomal predisposition toward substance abuse, it doesn't mean I should cave in to substance abuse. There are people who just have a predisposition to addiction."
Christ Fellowship's position is even more evident in a July 2014 sermon [ http://cfmiami.org/sermons/watch/putting-on-the-new-man ] by Pastor Ken Weathersby, who explained that any sex outside "marriage between a man and a woman" is "not pleasing to God" and proffered,
"Scripture reminds us that we have to put aside what oftentimes we really don't want to deal with. Impurity, evil desires, passion, greed, and covetousness... God is saying to us, we must put that lifestyle down."
Such ever-present "evil desires" can lead to addiction. Accordingly, Christ Fellowship has a men's group that helps those so-afflicted to fight their "predisposition to [sexual] addiction", a "Men's Sexual Integrity [ http://cfmiami.org/regroups/13 ]" group that meets every Thursday at 7 p.m.
But in the case that small group therapy should prove inadequate to the task, Christ Fellowship has another therapeutic method, exorcisms -- the expelling of demons that possess people and control their behavior, by bible verse reading.
One of the root causes of addictions, sexual and nonsexual, is demon possession according to a 2011 Christ Fellowship sermon [ http://cfmiami.org/sermons/watch/demon-possession ] by pastor Rick Blackwood titled "Demon Possession." As Blackwood describes,
"Satan's agenda is to seduce people away from God; to seduce them away from the heavenly Father, and then to take control of that individual. One of the ways that Satan accomplishes that is through what the Bible calls demonic possession. Make no mistake about it: Satan's angels can seize control of an individual and possess an individual physically, spiritually, and even mentally."
It's gripping stuff. Per Blackwood, those demons are everywhere but they're very subtle. Rather than making people crazy, they opt for sneakier ways of driving people from God; the demons undermine people's ability to think logically:
"Demonic possession is far more pervasive today than many of us are aware of... in a modern civilized society like ours, rather than exposing their presence inside of a person, they would rather conceal their presence. Rather than driving a person crazy and making them do all kinds of weird things so that people say that there is something wrong there, they would rather conceal their presence...
One of the ways they do that is by driving unbelievers away from logic. They drive people away from mental cognitive and what I would even call scientific logic."
This in turn raises the issue of science, and evolution. Besides demonology, Christ Fellowship also promotes a rather severe form of creationism. Proclaimed Rick Blackwood in a 2014 sermon [ http://cfmiami.org/sermons/watch/observable-evidence ],
"The scientific method actually teaches that the Bible is science because it is based on observable evidence, and that evolution is actually blind faith because it is not based on observable evidence. Let me say that again. Evolution is not based on observable evidence. Creation is based on observable evidence."
(For young learners, Blackwood's church has thoughtfully put together various creationism coloring books [ http://cfmiami.org/document/466 ] (see image, below) and a "detective" style lesson plan [ http://cfmiami.org/document/464 ], to promote a literal, creationist read of the Bible's book of Genesis. But back to the demons.)
As "Pastor Rick" recounted in his "Demon Possession" sermon, one day in the Fall of 2011 he met a man en route to one of Christ Fellowship's small groups, an individual who had "been into Satan worship" and "all sorts of occultic religions" and who had "participated in the vilest sexual stuff you can imagine."
So, he shepherded the man to his church office and read from the Bible during which, recounted Pastor Rick, "I could sense the demons going out of this man and the Spirit of God entering him." Cautioned Pastor Rick,
"it's not enough to expel demons from within. The void created by the expelled demons must be filled with Christ, or the demons will return."
Does Marco Rubio believe in the exorcism, of gay demons or other allegedly malevolent spirits? If so, he wouldn't be out of step with the Catholic Church -- which has joined [ http://www.slate.com/articles/life/faithbased/2014/05/exorcism_in_catholic_church_pope_francis_says_satan_the_devil_is_real.html ] in boosting the resurgence of the practice.
Nor would Rubio be out of step with a demographic he might hope that his relative youth would draw towards the Republican ticket in the 2016 election; as a 2012 Public Policy Polling survey revealed [ http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/HalloweenRelease%2BResults.pdf ], 63 percent of young Americans age 18-29 now believe it is "possible for people to be possessed by demons."
And it's a growing trend, showed the PPP survey. The age group least likely to believe in demon possession were Americans 65 and older. Among that age group, only 44 percent believed in demon possession.
Senator Rubio has not taken a public possession on demon possession or exorcism. But in 2012, Rubio's waffling response during an interview [ http://www.gq.com/news-politics/politics/201212/marco-rubio-interview-gq-december-2012?currentPage=2 ] with Gentleman's Quarterly, to the question "How old do you think the Earth is," suggested a certain sympathy for Christ Fellowship's strong creationist stance. Replied Rubio,
"I'm not a scientist, man. I can tell you what recorded history says, I can tell you what the Bible says, but I think that's a dispute amongst theologians and I think it has nothing to do with the gross domestic product or economic growth of the United States. I think the age of the universe has zero to do with how our economy is going to grow. I'm not a scientist. I don't think I'm qualified to answer a question like that. At the end of the day, I think there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created and I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all. I think parents should be able to teach their kids what their faith says, what science says. Whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I'm not sure we'll ever be able to answer that. It's one of the great mysteries."
And, Rubio's 2013 speech at a fundraiser for "anti-gay activist" Mat Staver also tracks closely with Christ Fellowship's dim view of homosexuality, as a potentially demon-related "addiction" that's especially hateful to God. As Mother Jones' Tim Murphy reported [ http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/11/marco-rubio-speaking-mat-staver-malawi ] in 2013,
"Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will speak at a fundraising dinner this week honoring Mat Staver, an ardent anti-gay activist who has defended Malawi's ban on homosexuality [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-under-obama-us-one-worlds-immoral-leaders ]. Staver is suing New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie for signing a law banning gay-to-straight conversion therapy, and has said that teaching gay rights in schools is tantamount to "sexual assault [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/liberty-counsel-lgbt-history-classes-are-sexual-assault ]".
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. (emphasis in original)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-wilson/marco-rubios-miami-church_b_7063336.html [with comments]
--
Why Senator Rubio's Lies Matter
ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Arturo Lopez Levy
Posted: 04/14/2015 2:14 pm EDT Updated: 04/14/2015 2:59 pm EDT
"Grounded by the lessons of history [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/13/marco-rubio-set-to-announce-presidential-bid/ ]" -- according to his own words -- Senator Marco Rubio announced his campaign for the presidency of the United States. Since the senator has established history as the foundation for his new campaign, it will be interesting to look at the way that Rubio has treated his own personal history -- a subject in which he has based his appeal to the American voters for our support.
In October 2011, Senator Marco Rubio revised the biography that appears on his office website. He had no choice. Throughout his political career, he deceived Floridians, adoring Republican audiences and donors, journalists, fellow officeholders and others by claiming that his parents fled the Cuba of Fidel Castro. This is a lie exposed by hard journalism in the Washington Post [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/marco-rubios-compelling-family-story-embellishes-facts-documents-show/2011/10/20/gIQAaVHD1L_story_2.html ].
Every Cuban American knows the time and purpose of his family's departure from Cuba. The idea that Rubio never knew the facts until he was exposed by Manuel Roig-Franzia -- and that no family member ever bothered to correct the error before now -- is absurd. While Rubio's parents, Mario and Oriales, did adopt the anti-Castro position of many exiles who are opposed to the communist course taken by the Cuban revolution, the date of their emigration was not 1959 and the cause of their departure was not the current Cuban government. They left Cuba in 1956 as exiles from a tyrannical regime; that of Fulgencio Batista Zaldivar [ http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/batista.htm ], the right-wing dictatorship that Fidel Castro overthrew.
What Mario and Oriales Rubio did was human, but not an act of political defiance against Castro. The Cuba they left was not the worst country in Latin America, but inequality and poverty, along with the corrupt and murderous dictatorship, caused thousands of countrymen to actively resist or flee into exile. By revising the date and reason for his parents' emigration, Rubio ingratiated himself with the dominant Cuban exile factions and placed his political narrative into a Reagan-esque storyline about freedom.
But the significance of this story goes far beyond resume-padding; it has shined a spotlight on the senator's moral character. Rubio is not a responsible politician who deals with history in all its complexity. On the contrary, in full awareness of his parents' past, Rubio chose to lie, adapting himself to the simplistic mantras of the conflict, taking advantage of the dominant propaganda in Miami, and exploiting the trauma experienced by some of his constituents.
The tributes paid by Rubio to the thugs who toppled the second Cuban republic on March 10, 1952 are totally undeserved, and he knows it. Rubio knows, due to the experience of his own parents, that when he supported dedicating the new FIU law school building to Rafael Diaz-Balart he was paying homage to one of the politicians who brought an end to representative democracy in Cuba, one of those truly responsible for the flight of his parents.
The revelation of Marco Rubio's lie calls into question the central premise of the founding of the anti-Castro exile "community." The senator has repeated that the 1959 revolution was an "accident of history" while knowing, from his own family history, that this is false. It is the view that suits the anti-Castro element in which Batista supporters, who have obtained key positions of power in the U.S., have been exonerated of their crimes on the island. To say that Cuba in 1958 was a democracy, on its way to development, is a lie that has been repeated a thousand times in hopes of transforming it into the truth. The first exiles who fled to the U.S. in January, 1959 were officers and supporters of a corrupt and criminal dictatorial regime.
Rubio has been part of a history in which the Cuban American right supports the United States only when it is convenient for their property claims and opposition to the Castro government. Members of this exile community have engaged in terrorist activities [ http://www.democracynow.org/2006/9/21/thirty_years_after_the_assassination_of ] in violation of U.S. laws, even in U.S. territory, as was the case in the assassination of former Chilean minister Orlando Letelier in Sheridan Circle, Washington, D.C. One of these exile leaders is Armando Valladares, a former political prisoner in Castro's jails who received unconditional support from President Ronald Reagan who made him ambassador to the United Nations. Valladares now goes to international events to describe himself and Cuban right-wingers as "United States' victims." In the 2010 Oslo Freedom Forum, Mr. Valladares even encouraged people to "hate the United States with all the strength of your soul [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9fQcnOhO_g ]" but support his anti-Castro cause. Senator Rubio considers Ambassador Valladares [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTTmL4iDBtU ] one of his Cuban mentors and a hope for the future of Cuba.
Of course, a Cuban politician of his generation cannot be indifferent to the disasters and abuses of the Castro government. However, denying partial responsibility for the Cuban national conflict and constructing simplistic narratives are typically tactics of demagogues, not of nation unifiers and crisis solvers. The group Rubio represents claims ownership of all that belonged to them in Cuba except their responsibility as the political class that facilitated Fidel Castro's triumph and consolidation of power for 50 years.
The Florida senator speaks out both sides of his mouth, presenting himself as the Latino hope of the Republican Party, but refusing to clearly address the central issues concerning Hispanics in the United States. Within the Cuban-American community, using the false history of his parents, Rubio has avoided a debate with those who criticize his position in favor of partially repealing the Cuban Adjustment Act and his support for imposing restrictions on family travel to the island, thereby reversing the popular policies of President Obama that liberated such travel.
Rubio's ideological twist with the fact is not an exception but a pattern. Rubio has used oversimplification masked as "moral clarity" to put history at the service of ideology and petty partisan convenience. Look at his primitive use of historical lessons to defend his desires to send more American troops to the Middle East quagmire and waste more money in military spending [ http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/09/marco-rubios-ideological-understanding-of-foreign-policy/380619/ ]. If he is not a charlatan but the student of history he claims to be, he is intentionally changing facts and evidences. This ideological oversimplification of foreign policy is exactly what led to George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq. Just recently Secretary Kerry had to teach Rubio [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp6sTe1cNqs (next below; with comments)]
why Iran was not against American attacks on ISIS and Sunni Arab countries were not necessarily against a deal on the nuclear non-proliferation issue with Iran. Mr. Kerry explained clearly how the facts completely contradict Rubio's assertion about U.S strategy towards ISIS, "flat wrong."
Offering one pretext after another, Rubio has flip-flopped several times on the issue of immigration reform [ http://thinkprogress.org/immigration/2015/04/13/3644830/11-million-problems-and-a-path-to-citizenship-aint-one/ ]. He has used the most twisted arguments to support the harsh and controversial Arizona laws that allow authorities to target Latinos as alleged illegal immigrants and criminals. He even opposed at times the Dream Act, a law that would allow access to a university education for thousands of children of undocumented immigrants who have entered or have remained in the U.S. as his parents, simple emigrants, did. Nor has he explained how he intends to solve the problem of unemployment, which hits minorities especially hard, while he consistently votes against all of President Obama's efforts on the matter. This is a problem of character.
The Washington Post revealed what would have been old news if Miami journalists didn't grovel every day before the entrenched power of the Cuban-American right. In Florida, and especially in Miami, Rubio has twisted the truth for decades without anyone questioning him. Perhaps Marco Rubio has not understood the one absolute truth that he repeats: the United States is an exceptional country. Here there is a press with the freedom and willingness to question the lies of dishonest politicians. As President Lincoln said, "You can't fool all of the people all of the time."
Dawn Gable contributed to this piece.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arturo-lopez-levy/marco-rubio-cuba-family-story_b_7058486.html [with comments]
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Marco Rubio in Spanish: Obama’s First Executive Amnesty ‘Important,’ People ‘Benefiting from It’
17 Apr 2015
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), a 2016 GOP presidential candidate, said he believes that President Barack Obama’s first executive amnesty for so-called DREAMers—the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)—is “important” and he won’t reverse it himself if elected president. He delivered these remarks in a Spanish-language interview he gave to Univision’s Jorge Ramos.
[...]
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/17/marco-rubio-in-spanish-obamas-first-executive-amnesty-important-people-benefitting-from-it/ [with (over 5,000) comments]
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Rubio Affirms He’ll End Obama’s Executive Amnesty; Univision Interview Mistranslated
18 Apr 2015
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/18/rubio-affirms-hell-end-obamas-executive-amnesty-univision-interview-mistranslated/ [with comments]
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CONFUSION OVER: Rubio Team Confirms Both Translations of His Spanish Language Interview With Jorge Ramos Accurate
19 Apr 2015
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/19/confusion-over-rubio-team-confirms-both-translations-of-his-spanish-language-interview-with-jorge-ramos-accurate/ [with comments]
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Rubio Team: Legislative Amnesty for DACA Recipients Before Border Secured
20 Apr 2015
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/20/rubio-team-legislative-amnesty-for-daca-recipients-before-border-secured/ [with comments]
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Marco Rubio, Gen-X Fraud
It will take more than youthful good Hispanic looks to appeal to today’s Millennial voters. If Marco Rubio doesn’t get that, he won’t go very far.
04.19.15
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/19/marco-rubio-gen-x-fraud.html [with comments]
===
Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz Speaks at Liberty University
Published on Mar 23, 2015 by Ted Cruz [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzMQMhq7Id0Y_wSDA_CJdGg / http://www.youtube.com/user/TedCruzforSenate , http://www.youtube.com/user/TedCruzforSenate/videos ]
March 23, 2015
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujW071RLYNg [with comments] [also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N9H1SHL6Pg (with comments) and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YurHI-d3Dk (with comments)]
*
We're Ready for Hillary
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by Ted Cruz
https://www.tedcruz.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqQQ0meWnFc [with comments]
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FlackCheck Video: Ted Cruz Announcement
April 10, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/flackcheck-video-ted-cruz-announcement/ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d2DFRlJJL8 [embedded; with comments]
*
FactChecking Ted Cruz
March 23, 2015| Updated March 27, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/03/factchecking-ted-cruz/
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FactChecking Ted Cruz, Part II
March 26, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/03/factchecking-ted-cruz-part-ii/
*
Ted Cruz
http://www.factcheck.org/person/ted-cruz/
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Second suicide shocks Missouri Republicans
The Rachel Maddow Show
3/30/15
Just weeks after Missouri state auditor and candidate for governor Tom Schweich shot himself, Spence Jackson, his communications director has also been found dead of apparent suicide. Dave Helling, columnist for the Kansas City Star, joins for discussion.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/second-suicide-shocks-missouri-republicans-420445251732 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krr57jUnADE (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-march-30-2015-trms (with comments)]
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Insane Conspiracy Theories Ted Cruz Actually Believes
Published on Mar 23, 2015 by The Young Turks [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yBKRuGpC1tSM73A0ZjYjQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/TheYoungTurks , http://www.youtube.com/user/TheYoungTurks/videos ]
Cenk Uygur ( http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur ) host of The Young Turks discusses the revelation of some pretty whack conspiracy theories Senator Ted Cruz believes.
"Believing in wild and wacky things is nothing new to either Republicans or Democrats so it should surprised absolutely no one that Texan Republican Senator Ted Cruz holds dear so rather tall tales. Things Cruz believes range from, but are certainly not limited to; Communist infiltrators of Ivy League schools to a devious plot to destroy the game of golf. And this is only the tamer things that he is sure of."
Should you vote on politicians based on their personal beliefs? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Read more here:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/03/23/3637462/five-conspiracy-theories-ted-cruz-actually-believes/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8bFf7s4gE0 [with comments]
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Senator Rand Paul Presidential Announcement Full Speech (C-SPAN)
Published on Apr 7, 2015 by C-SPAN
Senator Rand Paul announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. He made the announcement from the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, KY. Watch the complete Senator Rand Paul Presidential Campaign Announcement event here:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?325139-1/senator-rand-paul-rky-presidential-campaign-announcement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGfzoPQACPY [with comments] [also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKw3bz1GpmA (with comments) and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-6KnMd8g8g (with comments)]
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Sen. Rand Paul on Hillary Clinton
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by CNN [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCupvZG-5ko_eiXAupbDfxWw / http://www.youtube.com/user/CNN , http://www.youtube.com/user/CNN/videos ]
In an interview with CNN's Dana Bash, Senator Rand Paul talks about Hillary Clinton's public policy and what he considers "fair game" for this election.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T63QRWGglW4 [with comments]
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FlackCheck Video: Rand Paul Announcement
April 17, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/flackcheck-video-rand-paul-announcement/ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tto3K2tiHXY [embedded; with comments]
*
FactChecking Rand Paul
April 7, 2015
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/04/factchecking-rand-paul/
*
Rand Paul
http://www.factcheck.org/person/rand-paul/
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Rand Paul caught lying about past Civil Rights Act objections
The Rachel Maddow Show
7/25/14
Rachel Maddow points out the clear, on-video record of Rand Paul's past objections to the Civil Rights Act, showing he's lying when he denies having held that position.
©2014 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/record-shows-rand-pauls-civil-rights-act-lie-312584259850 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment (also at/see {linked in} http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=112555978 and preceding and following) at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZfqdJieNTM (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-july-25-2014-trms (no comments yet)] [related article at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/poor-messenger-dubious-message (with comments)]
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Rand Paul’s trouble with the truth
The Rachel Maddow Show
7/30/14
Rachel Maddow assesses Sen. Rand Paul’s record on the Civil Rights Act, and points out the discrepancies of his rhetoric.
©2014 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/rand-pauls-trouble-with-the-truth-313760835685 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2psdhK5hq8 (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-july-30-2014-trms (no comments yet)] [related article, with the segment embedded, at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-honest-discussion (with comments)]
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GOP candidates dogged by political baggage
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/6/15
Rachel Maddow talks to Courier-Journal political reporter Joe Gerth about Sen. Rand Paul’s imminent presidential bid and how several GOP candidates are dragging political baggage that could hurt their chances at winning the White House.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/gop-candidates-dogged-by-political-baggage-423919683802 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t4hqQa2HJk (with comments)]
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Paul launches ‘loud and clear’ WH bid
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/7/15
Rachel Maddow reports on how Sen. Rand Paul, dogged by a plagiarism scandal earlier in his career in the Senate, has officially launched his bid for the presidency, and whether he is up for the challenge.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/paul-launches-loud-and-clear-wh-bid-424605763708 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IxGTIBxT7Y (with comments)]
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Rand Paul avoids commenting on South Carolina shooting
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/9/15
As police dashcam video of the fatal shooting in South Carolina is released, Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul – speaking in South Carolina – decides not to weigh in on the incident.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/rand-paul-avoids-commenting-on-south-carolina-shooting-425924163890 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCcwzgDB9yg (with comments)]
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Paul inherits bribery scandal from dad’s past
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/9/15
Rachel Maddow talks to Jason Noble, political reporter for the Des Moines Register, about the bribery scandal that engulfed Ron Paul’s 2012 presidential campaign, and what this mean for his son Ran’s current bid for the White House.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/paul-inherits-bribery-scandal-from-dad-s-past-425912387888 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k70aB104a0Q (with comments)]
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What Would A Rand Paul Presidency Look Like?
Published on Apr 7, 2015 by The Young Turks
Cenk Uygur ( http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur ) and John Iadarola ( https://twitter.com/jiadarola ) hosts of The Young Turks discuss Rand Paul announcing his plans to run for President of the United States in the 2016 election.
"Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul has officially announced his plans to run as a candidate in the 2016 Presidential elections. He is the second to do so officially with freshman Senator Ted Cruz being the first. Paul announced his intentions to a cheering crowd of supporters, promising to restore freedoms he believes have been lost somewhere along the way. He rounded out his announcement on a think-of-the-children note, asking the crowd 'what kind of America will our grandchildren see?' A schedule of speaking events has been planned in the lead up to the Iowa Caucuses."
Should Rand Paul be President? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Read more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/us/politics/rand-paul-republican-presidential-nomination.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z3UzjkBFiY [with comments]
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The Rand Paul Store Is Totally F**king Hysterical
Published on Apr 7, 2015 by The Young Turks
Cenk Uygur ( http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur ) and John Iadarola ( https://twitter.com/jiadarola ) hosts of The Young Turks discuss Rand Paul and his store that is based around his 2016 presidential campaign.
"Of course Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul's campaign store is a thing. Showing that the internet is a well of things that never cease to amaze, the store sells hoodies, sandals, and t-shirts so ironic it makes hipsters look like nine to five office workers standing around the water cooler discussing what's new with that whole sports thing. The store is more about capturing the attention of the ADD digital millennial generation than turning an actual profit. Paul has made it consistently his agenda to capture the younger vote, a demographic that statistically votes democrat if they can be bothered to get off Facebook and go outside to interact with a real person at all."
What item should be for sale at the Rand Paul store? Let us know in the comments section below.
Read more here:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/rand-paul-presidential-store-20150407
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i85xhD0-KDg [with comments]
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Breaking Story: Dr. Ron Paul Says U.S. Dollar Could Soon Collapse
Exclusive: Dr. Ron Paul issues alarming presentation on how U.S. Dollar will crash—and how to protect yourself.
Stansberry Research
04.08.2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This is a fast-moving story… [bullshit, likely malware-riddled, embedded link omitted]
Dr. Ron Paul—the former Presidential candidate and 22-year Congressional veteran—says that despite the rosy outlook from politicians and the mainstream press…
We could be on the verge of a major currency collapse here in America.
In a recent exclusive interview Dr. Paul said:
“A U.S. financial crisis—greater than the crisis of 2008—is fast approaching… and this crisis will be very different from the last one.”
RELATED: Next White House Scandal? Looming financial crisis could send stocks tumbling [bullshit, likely malware-riddled, embedded link omitted]
As a result, Dr. Paul says “we are almost certain to have a major stock market crash.”
He added:
“We’re likely to see massive changes to our retirement system and Social Security. It will be particularly tough for seniors and anyone living on a fixed income.”
Dr. Paul says we’ll also witness major changes to the very fabric of our society, because destroying a nations’ money in this manner wrecks businesses, friendships, and families, who simply don’t understand and aren’t prepared for what will happen.
Dr. Paul is so concerned, he recently put together an investigative presentation, which explains how he sees this looming crisis unfolding… and exactly what you can do about it.
Be sure to check out Dr. Paul’s brand new free presentation, here… [bullshit, likely malware-riddled, embedded link omitted]
RELATED VIDEO:
© 2015 Stansberry & Associates Investment Research, LLC (emphasis in original)
http://thecrux.com/dyncontent/ron-paul-dollar-could-soon-collapse/
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Rand Paul Keeps Saying that a Secret Scandal Will Wreck Hillary Clinton “Soon”
It will “shock people.”
by David Weigel
Apr 17, 2015 9:56 AM CDT
In a speech yesterday to the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul made his third oblique reference to a scandal that—according to him—will grievously wound Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.
"You ever hear 'em ask Hillary Clinton, this money she's getting, whether it influences her decisions?" said Paul, referring to media questions about donors to the Clinton family's charitable organizations. "There's going to be stuff coming out about the Clinton Foundation and their donations from different companies that get special approval from the Secretary of State. Coming out in the next couple of weeks [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcwGrV8ll5E (next below, as embedded; comments disabled)]."
Paul had debuted this theory on April 7, in the interview he gave Fox News's Sean Hannity right after his announcement. "She's in charge of approving business deals as secretary of state," Paul said of Clinton. "They're called CFIAs, anything that relates to our security. There's going to be something coming out in the next few weeks about companies that she approved deals for."
"That they were against, and then they became for after money went to the foundation?" asked Hannity.
"Significant amounts, over $100 million being given to her foundation coming out in the next two weeks," said Paul.
The next day, in New Hampshire, Fox News's Carl Cameron asked him what the scandals might be.
"I think there is big news coming on the Clinton Foundation," said Paul [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rQdPh8j9lE&t=2m4s (next below; with comments)].
"I think there are things that went on at the Clinton Foundation that are going to shock people. I think they're going to make people question whether she ought to run for president."
"Can you tell us what you're talking about?" asked Cameron.
"Then it wouldn't be a secret, Carl!" said Paul. "It's coming soon."
The rest of Paul's speech to the SBA List recapped a more successful media crusade of his: The effort to get Democrats to say when life begins, shifting the frame of the abortion debate. "Shouldn't the other side have to justify why this baby doesn't have any rights?" asked Paul, "The government does have some role in our lives. One of the main roles that government has is to restrict you from harming another individual. When life begins, there is a role for the state."
©2015 Bloomberg L.P.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-17/rand-paul-keeps-saying-that-a-secret-scandal-will-wreck-hillary-clinton-soon- , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcwGrV8ll5E [comments disabled; as embedded]
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Hillary Clinton, Cisco And China: Company Funded Foundation, Was Lauded By Clinton Despite Role In Repression
April 16 2015
http://www.ibtimes.com/hillary-clinton-cisco-china-company-funded-foundation-was-lauded-clinton-despite-role-1884160 [with comments]
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Clinton Foundation to Limit Donations from Foreign Countries
Facing criticism for receiving donations from countries like Saudi Arabia, the foundation has abruptly changed course.
Apr 15, 2015
The Clinton Foundation will continue taking contributions from six foreign governments while barring those from all others and begin disclosing all donations more frequently, it said Wednesday.
It’s an attempt by the foundation, now led by former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton, to tighten its financial policies in response to heightened scrutiny as Hillary Clinton begins her presidential campaign.
The foundation’s board—from which the former secretary of state resigned on Sunday—has voted to only take funding from the governments of Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom. That money will be directed to the economic development and climate-focused work of the Clinton Climate Initiative, the Clinton Development Initiative, and the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership, the foundation’s updated policy says.
The foundation will also, in July, begin disclosing its donors on a quarterly basis, a modification from its annual disclosures of recent years.
After the international conference scheduled for May in Morocco, the Clinton Global Initiative will stop holding international events or accepting foreign contributions or sponsorships. Foreign governments will only be able to pay meeting attendance fees.
The modifications come after weeks of pressure on the foundation to clarify its policies on accepting money from foreign governments following reporting on recent contributions from the governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among others, as Clinton prepared to run for president.
[...]
Foundation spokesman Craig Minassian said the new rules, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, are sign of the organization’s commitment to transparency.
“While it’s common for global charities to receive international support, it’s rare to find an organization as transparent as the Clinton Foundation,” Minassian told Bloomberg. "By implementing this new, even stronger and more transparent policy, the Clinton Foundation is reinforcing its commitment to accountability while protecting programs that are improving the lives of millions of people around the world.”
[...]
The Clintons have worked for the last few years to put the foundation on more solid financial footing in case the former secretary of state chose to run, aiming to build a $250 million endowment. Bill Clinton has said recently that his focus in 2015 will be on strengthening the foundation in case his wife's role forces him to limit his engagement in fundraising and other activities.
[...]
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-16/clinton-foundation-to-limit-donations-from-foreign-countries
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Book Said to Document Government Favors for Clinton Donors
A spokesman calls it “partisan-fueled fiction.”
Apr 20, 2015
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-20/book-said-to-document-government-favors-for-clinton-donors
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Hillary's Campaign Chair John Podesta Dismisses Allegations By New Book As 'Nothing New'
By Igor Bobic
Posted: 04/20/2015 9:04 pm EDT Updated: 04/21/2015 9:59 am EDT
WASHINGTON -- John Podesta, the chairman of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, dismissed allegations of influence peddling at the Clinton Foundation made in a book scheduled for release early next month.
Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich, authored by Peter Schweizer, reportedly [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/20/us/politics/new-book-clinton-cash-questions-foreign-donations-to-foundation.html ] alleges financial donations to the global non-profit influenced U.S. policy at the Clinton State Department.
Podesta, former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, dismissed the information in the book as "nothing new" and called into question the motivations of Schweizer, a conservative writer and staffer in the George W. Bush administration.
It's a book that's written by a former Bush operative who's a reporter for that august news institution, Breitbart.com, or has been in the past," Podesta said in an interview with Al Hunt that will air on the PBS show "Charlie Rose." "He's cherry-picked information that's been disclosed and woven a bunch of conspiracy theories about it. The facts, there's nothing new about. The conspiracy theories we'll get to judge when we read the book.
"The only reason those facts are out there is because the Clinton Foundation has put all that out," Podesta added. "They've gone beyond any foundation of like size that's operating globally in public disclosure."
Podesta also questioned "exclusive agreements [id.]" Schweizer struck with The New York Times, The Washington Post and Fox News "to pursue the story lines found in the book."
"I think they have to be asking themselves is that appropriate behavior," Podesta said.
The book has already become fodder for 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who declared his bid for the White House this month, said the book's revelations would “shock people [ http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rand-paul-predicts-hillary-clinton-revelations-shock-people/story?id=30162559 ]” and raise questions about Clinton's judgement and qualifications for the presidency.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/20/john-podesta-hillary-clinton-cash-_n_7104770.html [with embedded non-YouTube copy of the YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLYxZNSaXOU (with comment), included above, and comments]
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Mainstream lured by anti-Clinton book from activist with dubious record
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/20/15
Rachel Maddow points out that Peter Schweitzer, author if the upcoming "Clinton Cash" book, has a history of producing partisan misinformation and wonders why otherwise legitimate news outlets are giving him credulous treatment.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/activists-anti-clinton-book-attract-media-431160387932 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed5aa8_2c1o (with comments)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-21-2015-trms (with comment)]
*
Clinton opposition finds receptive media eager for new material
The Rachel Maddow Show
4/20/15
David Brock, founder of Media Matters for America, talks with Rachel Maddow about the willingness of The New York Times and The Washington Post to engage discredited author Peter Schweitzer on the claims he makes in his new Hillary Clinton attack book.
©2015 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/clinton-opposition-finds-receptive-media-431167043701 [with comments] [the above YouTube of the segment at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVq3nIvFeaU (with comment)] [show links at http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/citations-the-april-21-2015-trms (with comment)]
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Clinton Campaign Gears Up To Crush Another Book
04/21/2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/21/clinton-campaign-book_n_7109952.html [with comments]
--
TIME 100 - Titans
Charles Koch & David Koch
David Koch; Charles Koch
Idea men
By Rand Paul
April 16, 2015
Charles and David Koch are well known for their business success, their generous philanthropic efforts and for their focus on innovation in management. Some also know them for their activism in the political realm. All of these are important contributions to society. What is underappreciated is their passion for freedom and their commitment to ideas. Unlike many crony capitalists who troll the halls of Congress looking for favors, the Kochs have consistently lobbied against special-interest politics.
For decades they have funded institutes that promote ideas, not politics, such as Cato and the Mercatus Center. They have always stood for freedom, equality and opportunity. Consistent with their love of liberty, they have become prominent advocates for criminal-justice reform. The Koch brothers’ investment in freedom-loving think tanks will carry on for generations, reminding all of us that ideas and convictions ultimately trump all else.
Paul is a U.S. Senator and a 2016 presidential candidate
© 2015 Time Inc.
http://time.com/3822767/charles-koch-david-koch-2015-time-100/ [with comments]
===
GOP Candidates Confounded by Questions from Press
By Richard Zombeck
Posted: 04/16/2015 9:11 am EDT Updated: 04/16/2015 12:59 pm EDT
Typically, at least in the last decade or so, Republicans have avoided the press. They've remained aloof and distant from what they commonly refer to as the "Liberal Media" or what Sarah Palin and her ilk likes to call, "The Lame Stream Media" in that signature catty mean girl way of hers. They've tended to opt for a friendlier FOX that barely qualifies as "The Press" in any real sense, lobbing soft ball questions, coaching answers, and never asking follow-up questions.
Recently however, GOP presidential contenders have started to wander out of their self-congratulatory echo chamber to brave the supposed adversarial reporters they see as the enemy. It's an enemy armed with substantive questions and who expect, of all things, answers to those questions -- a scenario most of the GOP are not only ill prepared and ill-equipped for, but seem almost shocked that they weren't asked onto the show to bloviate and expound on their latest talking point.
It gets a little dangerous for the candidate and a little comical for the rest of us when the media actually questions the rhetoric and vitriol spouted to the otherwise ignorant and uninformed. It's easy to claim that Obamacare is a job killer, that you're for the middle class, that there's a war on Christians, that gays have declared Jihad, or that we need to take our country back when the person sitting across from you is nodding their head in agreement, spewing the same lies and BS day in and day out. It's an entirely different scenario when an actual journalist presents you with facts and statistics proving you wrong.
We were treated to one hell of a show when Mitt Romney ran against President Obama in 2012 and the entire campaign and FOX echo chamber sulked in disbelief when Romney was crushed. There was no preparation for that outcome. Romney was so sure that he would win he hadn't even prepared a concession speech. Carl Rove was apoplectic on the night of the election [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TwuR0jCavk (next below; with comments)]
and remained that way for days having to be reminded, several times, by Megyn Kelly that Obama won [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsqYFNsP2U8 (next below; with comments)].
That's not the first time Megyn Kelly seemingly went against the FOX grain, nor the last. Shortly after Ted Cruz announced his plans to run for president before a literally captive audience (attendance was mandatory [ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/cruz-packed-2016-bid-event-attendance-mandatory-article-1.2160686 ]) he appeared on Kelly's show. At first she eased in, addressing the comparison by critics that he and President Barack Obama had both served just one term in the Senate before announcing their presidential run. "We already tried a first-term Senator," Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer said earlier the same week, suggesting that Cruz is inexperienced. The following night, Cruz argued that there are several differences between him and Obama, calling Obama a "backbencher" in the Senate while he, Cruz, has been a leader. "Yes, you've led the fight on certain issues," Kelly said, "but what have you actually accomplished [ http://www.mediaite.com/tv/megyn-kelly-challenges-cruz-on-his-record-what-have-you-actually-accomplished/ ]?" Cruz, who is now incidentally and hypocritically covered by Obamacare, responded that his accomplishments are "stopping bad things from happening," calling out his efforts to stop Obamacare, lower debt and protect the Second Amendment.
The Washington Post aptly pointed out the hypocrisy [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/03/25/yes-ted-cruz-is-a-hypocrite-for-going-on-obamacare/ ]:
But this isn't a case of following the law or not. The law does not require Cruz to get health insurance on the exchanges. Instead of going through the exchanges, he could have paid the tax penalty for not having insurance, "likely cheaper than buying an insurance plan," but at the cost of being uninsured. Or his wife could have applied to COBRA and extended her benefits from Goldman Sachs for up to 18 months, though she would have to pay all of the premium. Or he could bypass the exchanges and buy insurance directly from a private insurer. Sure, he'd have to spend time navigating the market himself, but I'm sure the Princeton graduate can figure it out.
Earlier this month Cruz showed up on CNBC with John Harwood and was called out for several statements he made that were factually incorrect.
Harwood, during the one-on-one with Cruz brought up one comment in particular that Cruz made [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/09/cnbc-reporter-ted-cruz-fact-checking_n_7034356.html ] during a speech in March about taking the "110,000 agents at the IRS" and putting them on the southern border.
"They've only got 25,000 agents or something," Harwood said. "You've talked about the job-killing nature of Obamacare. We're adding jobs at a very healthy clip right now. Why shouldn't somebody listen to you and say, 'The guy'll just say anything -- doesn't have to be true'?"
True to form, Cruz then lashed out at the media, because that's another good idea, saying, "There is a game that is played by left-wing editorial writers. It's this new species of yellow journalism called politi-fact. That particular stat is in a joke I used. So, they're literally fact-checking a joke. I say that explicitly tongue in cheek."
Cruz defended himself, saying he was just making a joke. A joke that no on laughed at and no one got. Is that where we are now? Where politicians running for the highest office can excuse their gross misrepresentations by claiming that they were, "just kidding?"
As Mediaite put it [ http://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnbc-reporter-grills-ted-cruz-why-should-anyone-listen-to-you-when-your-facts-are-wrong/ ]:
Point 1: Cruz clearly made a joke, and it was "explicitly tongue in cheek."
Point 2: The joke, however, was about an over-the-top thing Cruz wanted to do with the IRS.
Point 2(a): The number of IRS agents was not implicated in the joke-making, and thus seemed like a plausible number of agents that could exist.
Point 3: Even if he defined "agents" as "all employees of the IRS," the number is still off: The IRS had roughly 90,000 employees as of 2013, and is actually facing a staffing shortage.
Point 4: Cruz could have made the joke without sacrificing accuracy -- 25,000 agents is still a lot of agents, enough to make a joke argument that one should abolish the IRS. But 110,000 agents is on a completely different magnitude than 25,000; and while it's not OMG FALSEHOOD level of bad, it's a worrisome tendency towards embellishment.
Alternative Point 4: Cruz needs new joke writers?
Alternative Point 4(a): This is getting pedantic.
Rand Paul has also shown his adversity to being questioned, going beyond righteous indignation to on-air tantrums. During a Today Show interview Savannah Guthrie asked Paul, "You've had views in the past on foreign policy that are somewhat unorthodox, but you seem to have changed over the years. You once said Iran was not a threat, but now you say it is. You once proposed ending foreign aid to Israel. You now support it, at least for the time being, and you once offered to drastically cut defense spending and now you want to increase it sixteen percent, so I just wonder if you've mellowed out?"
Paul went into full meltdown and tantrum, berating Guthrie [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL878fniK-s (next below; with comments)]:
Why don't you let me explain instead of talking over me, ok? Before we go through a litany of things you say I've changed on, why don't you ask me a question. Have I changed my opinion on? That would be sort of a better way to approach an interview. No, no, no, no, no. You've editorialized. Let me answer a question. You ask a question and say have your views changed, instead of editorializing and saying my views have changed.
Guthrie then pointed out specific examples of Paul changing positions and flip-flopping in every direction on every issue because he is trying to make himself an acceptable candidate to Republican primary voters. Guthrie asked Paul, during the friendliest morning show, if his positions had changed. She was giving him a chance to explain away inconsistencies, not brow beating him.
Paul, rather than take the opportunity to clarify his position and explain to prospective voters where he stands, instead demonstrated his inability to answer simple questions. He chose to lecture Guthrie, a former White House correspondent and accomplished journalist, in an obviously sexist way, begging the question if he would have addressed a male reporter in the same way.
Speaking of facts, here's a fact-checker destroying Rand Paul's campaign in a short video [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbYia6bNtEk (next below; with comments), via/embedded at http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-a-fact-checker-destroys-rand-pauls-phony-campaign-in-90-seconds/ (with comments)].
Marco Rubio is next on the chopping block, having announced his bid earlier this week. If he decides to venture out into the world of Cruz's mythical "yellow journalism" he may be asked about his past scandals [ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/03/scandals-marco-rubio-has-escaped ] like double-billing flights or misuse of party credit cards; or why he flip-flopped on immigration reform [ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/04/marco-rubios-immigration-problem ]; how he used to believe in climate change [ http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2015/04/marco-rubio-president-climate-change ] and God forbid, science. Maybe he'll be asked why he thinks his ideas to defeat ISIS differ from Obama's when they sound almost exactly like them [ http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/02/marco-rubio-has-peculiar-idea-how-defeat-isis ]. The one that may be of most interest though, is that Rubio is not the son of Cuban exiles as his Senate bio claims [ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/04/ten-things-you-need-know-about-marco-rubio ]:
Up until last year, Marco Rubio described his parents as exiles from Fidel Castro's communist regime in Cuba: "In 1971, Marco was born in Miami to Cuban-born parents who came to America following Fidel Castro's takeover," his Senate biography stated. But it turns out his parents actually arrived in the US in 1956, before the revolution, and even made multiple trips back to the communist island. Rubio insisted he hadn't known his family's actual history, but polls showed most of his constituents thought he'd "embellished" his account.
Things get even messier: According to a Rubio biography due out in June by Washington Post reporter Manuel Roig-Franzia, Rubio's grandfather Pedro Victor Garcia was an illegal immigrant to the United States. Disillusioned by his financial prospects, Garcia reportedly left the United States for Cuba two weeks after Fidel Castro took power in 1959. He flew back to the States two years later without a visa...and was booked by a US immigration official, who stated: "[Y]ou do not appear to me to be clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to enter the United States." Garcia was ordered deported, but instead he hung out illegally in Miami, resurfacing in 1967 to petition for permanent residency. Even though Garcia had been in the US since 1962, "The form he filled out then states that he had been a Cuban refugee since February 1965," according to Roig-Franzia.
Maybe that was a joke? Written in jest, misinterpreted or taken out of context? We hear that a lot too. Even in this day of constant video, recordings, and 24-hour news, politicians seem to find a way to weasel out of what they actually said.
The level of false indignation, arrogance and accusatory tone many of these candidates seem to think they can take with the press is a bit surprising. The Press is there to hold politicians accountable for what they say. In many cases, particularly with those on the right, much of it is fabricated, exaggerated and misinterpreted. When they're called on it they lash out like petulant children caught in a lie. They throw tantrums, whine that they've been treated unfairly, and sulk. Hopefully reporters and journalist will continue to do what they do best and call politicians out in an effort to hold them accountable for what comes out of their mouths.
There's an old quote that's been attributed to different sources from Mark Twain to Civil War Generals that should give anyone dealing with the media pause. Particularly a dejected and disrespected media. While I do like the quotes that are often attributed to Mark Twain, this rendition by Donald Sensing is particularly appropriate [ http://senseofevents.blogspot.com/2011/05/never-argue-with-people-who-buy-ink-by.html ]:
Boston is a tough town. It was a Boston newspaper, names escapes me, during the Civil War that became the object of a vendetta by a Union general, who banned the paper's reporter from his division. So the paper simply responded by running only negative stories about the general and generally ruining his reputation. He is said later to have remorse, "Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton."
The GOP have gotten used to a FOX softball press that offers them a national stage to say whatever they want with no push-back. If the little resistance to their BS we've seen in the last few weeks is any indication of what's to come, it should make for an entertaining campaign season.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-zombeck/gop-candidates-confounded_b_7075292.html [with comments]
===
Beck Says ''Hillary Clinton Will Be Having Sex With A Woman On The White House Desk'
Published on Apr 29, 2014 by RWW Blog [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMXqRHe8n1TX5iDvkLS62rw / http://www.youtube.com/user/RWWBlog , http://www.youtube.com/user/RWWBlog/videos ]
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/beck-hillary-clinton-will-be-having-sex-woman-white-house-desk-if-it-becomes-popular
Right Wing Watch reports on the extreme rhetoric and activities of key right-wing figures and organizations by showing their views in their own words. In this video, Glenn Beck says that Hillary Clinton will announce she is a lesbian if she thinks it will help her get elected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWOJZccJVk4 [with comments]
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Sen. Rand Paul Full Interview With Glenn Beck (April 10, 2015)
Published on Apr 10, 2015 by TheDailyBeck [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDiAP_n5ABGqRNeVQwu-5WQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDailyBeck , http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDailyBeck/videos ]
From the April 10, 2015 edition of "The Glenn Beck Radio Program": Glenn Beck puts Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul on the hot seat, asking several tough questions- including how we would handle being blamed for terrorist attacks after cutting NSA domestic spying capabilities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S13zAMc3aQ [with comments]
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Will Elizabeth Warren Replace Hillary Clinton as the Democratic Presidential Candidate?
Apr. 16, 2015
http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/will-elizabeth-warren-replace-clinton-as-the-democratic-presidential-candidate/ [with comments]
===
Dear Rand Paul
Published on Apr 8, 2015 by AdamKokesh [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0RJJ_Wm7jyOU9eY10LgcwA / http://www.youtube.com/user/AdamKokesh , http://www.youtube.com/user/AdamKokesh/videos ]
Do all you commenters really think that the LP can't nominate someone better than Rand? Even his father got this one wrong apparently!
Get the most important book ever for free in every format including audiobook at: http://thefreedomline.com
Audiobook on YT: http://youtu.be/OobMGexM6Ks
Send your love mail to adam@thefreedomline.com
Please support FREEDOM! by liking this video, subscribing, and sharing!
Order the book & all your freedom gear at: http://thefreedomline.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=784vgGAVaog [with comments]
--
Interview with Rand Paul
Published on Apr 14, 2015 by AdamKokesh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM_-TRJAnjE [with comments]
===
Why The Establishment Hates Rand Paul
Published on Apr 9, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvsye7V9psc-APX6wV1twLg / http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlexJonesChannel , http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlexJonesChannel/videos ]
Alex Jones takes calls and breaks down why the establishment hates Rand Paul and why he needs your support.
http://www.infowars.com/clinton-numbers-fall-as-rand-paul-leads-in-iowa/
Help us spread the word about the liberty movement, we're reaching millions help us reach millions more. we all want liberty. Find the free live feed at http://www.infowars.com/watch-alex-jones-show/
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb_U6ZhBEDs [with comments]
--
Rand Paul Exposes Hillary Clinton's 'Grand Hypocrisy'
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel
Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul says that the Clintons “think they’re above the law” and that there is “a grand hypocrisy” to Hillary Clinton’s acceptance of donations from countries with poor records on women’s rights.
http://www.infowars.com/rand-paul-slams-hillary-clintons-grand-hypocrisy/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX0cf7oHu6o [with comments]
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Hillary Launches Presidential Campaign as The People's Champ
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s second presidential bid was announced by campaign chairman John Podesta Sunday alongside the launch of https://www.hillaryclinton.com/ .
In a video posted to the new campaign website, Clinton portrayed herself as a “champion” to everyday people.
http://www.infowars.com/hillary-clinton-launches-presidential-bid/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFajd3qE9Pg [with comments]
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Hillary Clinton is Not Jesus Christ!
Published on Apr 12, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel
Listeners respond to hillary clinton announcing 2016 presidential run for president and don't think too much of her
announcment.
http://www.infowars.com/hillary-clinton-launches-presidential-bid/
http://www.infowars.com/exclusive-national-guard-trains-to-take-on-us-citizens/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdqF9Sm5dW4 [with comments]
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Hillary Supporter Wants Whites Exterminated
Published on Apr 13, 2015 by The Alex Jones Channel
Alex Jones takes a call from a crazed Hillary supporter who advocates the extermination of all white people.
http://www.infowars.com/hillary-vows-to-protect-americans-from-the-1-while-being-funded-by-the-1/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ljx8txHQ5o [with comments]
===
Larry Kramer On His New Book, 'The American People,' Which Identifies George Washington, Ben Franklin And More As Gay
This is a 1795 oil painting by Rembrandt Peale of President George Washington, who considered lengthy portrait sittings for artists mind numbing.
(AP Photo/National Portrait Gallery)
By Michelangelo Signorile
Posted: 04/14/2015 1:12 pm EDT Updated: 04/15/2015 5:59 pm EDT
Playwright and legendary AIDS activist Larry Kramer expounded on his new book, The American People: Volume 1: A Search for My Heart [ http://www.amazon.com/The-American-People-Volume-Search/dp/0374104395 ], which is billed by its publisher as "a novel" but which Kramer says is a "history [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/books/larry-kramers-novel-the-american-people-adds-a-gay-dimension-to-history.html ]," and which, as usual with Kramer, is creating controversy [ http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/11/were-lincoln-nixon-gay-history-book-divides-america ].
In The American People, Kramer describes George Washington as a man who had sex with men -- a “big queen,” he said in an interview -- and writes the same of Alexander Hamilton, who “was in love with George,” Ben Franklin, Andrew Jackson, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, and “the most powerful gay man” in American history, J. Edgar Hoover. Historic Jamestown was a hotbed of gay sex, Kramer writes, partly because the settlement for a long time only included men. And not only did Abraham Lincoln have intimate affairs with men – a thesis that was seen as far-fetched a number of years ago, but which more historians now support [ http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/10/25/abraham-lincoln-a-life-in-the-closet/ ] – but, Kramer writes, Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth was queer, too, and Joshua Speed, thought to be Lincoln’s lover, was a “hustler” as well as a “gift” from Booth.
But it’s all much more complicated than that, detailed in over 700 pages (and Volume 2 is on the way next year). In an interview with me on SiriusXM Progress [ http://www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmprogress ] Kramer talked about his version of history, and again criticized his long-time friend, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner, for not queering Lincoln in the Steven Spielberg 2012 film, "Lincoln [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443272/ ]," for which he wrote the screenplay.
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/siriusxm-news-issues/signorile-kramer-kushner-lincoln ) embedded]
“We were very close friends,” Kramer said of Kushner. “We speak to each other again, but he was very mad with me that I publicized the issue. I really thought that he had a responsibility as a gay artist to indicate that about Lincoln, that there was enough known. I put him in touch with all kinds of academic people who support that there was enough to indicate” that Lincoln was involved with men.
“I’m not asking for a love scene in the movie,” Kramer said, “but just some touch that would indicate that it was there. And for all I know Spielberg was not in favor of what? I don’t know. But I just...I lost a little respect for Tony, because I think a gay artist has a gay responsibility. There, I said it.”
Kramer also talked about what he sees in studying history that many historians didn’t see with regard to who was queer.
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/siriusxm-news-issues/signorile-kramer-washington-queen ) embedded]
“In the case of Washington, he was a big queen, basically,” Kramer said. “He decorated everything. He designed all the uniforms, the buttons. The correspondence exists with all the dealers he dealt with in England to make everything. And then there was a man called Baron von Steuben [ http://www.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/baron-von-steuben/ ], who was German, who designed all the maneuvers for all the troops of all the great armies in Europe. And he kept getting thrown out after he made the armies real – like Rockettes [laughs]. He got kicked out and he came to George. And he and George hit it off like nobody’s business.”
“George put him to work right away and they designed all these maneuvers and it was like putting on show,” Kramer said. “That’s for starters. And there’s no question, that Alex [Alexander Hamilton], really-- whether it was a father/son thing -- that Alex was very much in love with him. And Alex Hamilton was very handsome. And George was much older. And that’s been written about [ http://www.queerty.com/was-founding-father-alexander-hamilton-bisexual-his-letters-suggest-so-20140704 ]. There was a mutual attraction between them…Hamilton also had a young lover, a fellow officer, John Laurens is his name. There were letters between the two [ http://bobarnebeck.com/hamlau.html ]. Even the [Ron] Churnow book [ http://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Hamilton-Ron-Chernow/dp/0143034758 ] mentions that.”
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/14/larry-kramer-the-american-people-_n_7056622.html [with comments]
===
People Comment on Fake Hillary Clinton Campaign Logos
Published on Apr 16, 2015 by Jimmy Kimmel Live [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa6vGFO9ty8v5KZJXQxdhaw / http://www.youtube.com/user/JimmyKimmelLive , http://www.youtube.com/user/JimmyKimmelLive/videos ]
We went out on the street and asked people what they thought about a bunch of fake Hillary Clinton campaign logos we made up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGPFLY7Zm80 [with comments]
===
in addition to (linked in) the post to which this is a reply and preceding and (any future other) following, see also (linked in):
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=42616686 and preceding and following
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=66340122 and preceding (and any future following)
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=72778395 and preceding and following
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=86436069 and preceding and following
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http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=112923097 and preceding and following
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http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=112924785 (and any future following)
Greensburg, KS - 5/4/07
"Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty."
from John Philpot Curran, Speech
upon the Right of Election, 1790
F6
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