Hankster Liveblog Friday Night, April 1, 2011

11:20pm -- I got a college degree from VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) majoring in art history, in Richmond VA...

9:02pm -- And something that Randy and I talked about was a possible collaboration between Randy and long-time independent political cartoonist Alice Rydel. I happen to own an original Alice Rydel cartoon which I present to you now (! see below -- personally speaking -- I think this cartoon serves the test of time...).  This cartoon was created during the infamous "Dump Koch" campaign waged by the NYC New Alliance Party reform campaign. Community organizers also targeted the professional psychology and social work community on behalf of poor and working people. Their work continues to develop. If you want to read more about current work see here.

8:44pm -- Back from my neighborhood shopping trip for eggs and coffee for the morning. Spoke with Randy Miller, founder of ULIV.org and instigator of many interesting grassroots campaigns to empower independent voters... Randy is a surveyor and political activist AND political cartoonist

Randy and I will participate in a national grassroots activists conference call tomorrow evening and I'll get back to you on that...


7:47pm Ahh, I seriously love the view out my window... It's still interesting now as the universal lights go off and the human made lights go on...

done, with an interesting atmospheric band cutting the totally blue ESB

7:18pm

We had some drizzle today now morphing to beautiful clouds refracting latest sunlight as us earth-bound life forms in a major people-organized area settle down for a very nice show...

7:13pm

7:12.8pm

7:12pm

7:11pm

7:10pm

7:00 pm: I know you've been wondering 'Where the H is The H on Friday Night?'

Lot's of Friday nights we are running around doing stuff that needs to get done, or hanging out with friends or grocery shopping or going to a movie and all that.

I am happy to report that we have a spectacular sunset tonight from the view out my window and I hope you'll enjoy that with me...

I'll also be checking in with some online friends to see what's happening...

Stay with us!

Live-blogging Pres. Obama's State of the Union Address from an Independent POV

9:54pm -- Obama: This era requires reform and innovation, freedom, justice, dignity.... Check this link for live coverage from CNN.

9:47pm -- I'm disappointed but not discouraged in the President's SOTU address. The independent movement, even though independents were the margin of victory for President Obama, in both the primaries and in the general election, is not big enough and doesn't yet have the political clout to get his ear.

9:44pm -- Even before the address is done, I'm left wondering if Prez Obama has heard NOTHING over the past 2 years from the independent voters. These voters in open primary states put him in office. We need structural political reform so that ordinary Americans have a voice in the policies and decisions of our country.

9:42 -- repeated pleas to Dems and Repubs to come together and solve these problems...

9:37pm -- now talking about infrastructure [NYC MTA public transit is increasingly unreliable for ordinary workers in NYC -- ed.] But somehow O wants to build infrastructure...

9:35pm -- Talking about American competitiveness in education.... Prepared to work with Dems and Repubs to work on immigration issues.

9:28pm -- Education reform - family, turn off the tv, science fair winners, success is hard work and discipline... Classroom should be a place of high expectations... Race to the Top is successful... [hmm...]  [not sayin' that NCLB was better... reminds me of a statement that Lenora Fulani made at Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network conference last year where Dr. Fulani and Sec. of Education Arne Duncan made statements...

9:25pm -- Develop science and technology as an alternative to subsidizing oil companies... (?)  Urges Dems and Repubs to work together to make this happen....

9:22pm -- Winning the Future... creativity, innovation is how we (Americans) make our living, our free-enterprise system drives this... this is our generation's Sputnik moment...

9:14pm ET -- recall the assassination attempt of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona... Says the future hangs on the coming together of the parties. (Dems and Repubs)...

9:09: Check this link for live coverage from CNN. Pres introduced by Boehner... begins to speak. O congratulates ppl but seems to be pointed at Boehner... pray for health of Gabby Giffords (recent attempted assassination victim from Arizona)...

9:05pm: The President has been introduced. I am currently searching for a livecast... bear with me.!

8:56pm: Joint Session of Congress - mostly ceremony now, with SC justices walking in.. no other coverage on network broadcast media at this point... Michelle Obama arrives...

The "speaker's cabinet"...

8:47pm: Repub spin is Obama is moving to the center, Dem counter -- no, a compromise on behalf of the country...

BTW - Post-SOTU address from the "opposition" party (because politics in our country is over-determined by a partisan system and in a TWO party system, one is out and one is in.... Apparently an interesting feature of the responses from the "opposition" is that they are both from "tea party" representatives -- social conservatives who seek to take over the Repub Party -- def reminds me of Jackie Salit's Christian Science Monitor article "Tea party activists: Don't confuse them with independents"...

8:45pm - Presidential Motorcade leaving the WH... Bloggers clustering in Statuary Hall.... B-roll.... Live from the floor of the House...

8:39pm - House is now being called into order... some of the chatter before hand had to do with the concern about projecting a "unified front" between Dems and Repubs. Apparently the Supreme Court only sends members of the Party appointed by the Ruling Party to this address. However some exception has been made because of the assassination of a judge in Tucson AZ a few weeks ago....

8:37pm - Talk of "bipartisanship" "good will" -- Congress people now walking in to Statuary Hall at the US Capitol building.

8:33pm Watching C-Span's pre-speech coverage about the history of this address and points about the pols who will respond to Obama's address.

Live-blog Oct. 15 Presidential Debate: To Blog or Not to Blog, That is.... ... or do I Twitter the night away?

Let's see what happens!

Bob Sshieffer CBS for the CBC

Domestic Policy Debate

McCain likes to remind people about the prominent Repubs who are on his mind...

See Twitter for great ongoing commentary....


McCain is talking about keeping people in their homes. And the problem of other people being put out of their homes...

Obama: Greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression... CEOs should not enrich themselves...



9:11 They are both talking to Joe the Plumber... (I think Obama started this character)

McCain: wants to help small businesses like Joe the Plumber
Obama: "My friend Warren Buffett" plan will be better for Joe...

They are being very very interactive, not holding back, not waiting for Schieffer to call on them, etc. MUCH MORE INTERESTING!




9:17
McCain: Across the board cuts in govt. spending out of control... I will reduce...
Schieffer: How?
McCain: Reduce every earmark... cut out All the Pork

Obama: Sounds good, doesn't happen, yes we do need to do something to fund the programs that work... Earmarks account for 1/2 of 1% of the fed budget... history of budget surplus when Bush came into office, now 1/2 trillion deficit....

McCain: I'm not Bush


9:23
Obama: You have been a vigorous supporter of Pres. Bush. You have been outspoken on torture, however on econ policy, hasn't worked....

McCain: I have disagreed with the Bush Admin, I've got the scars to prove it.... I have a long history of standing up in Congress...



Schieffer: tone of campaign, nastiness, negativeness....

McCain: It's been a tough campaign. Obama didn't want to do a town hall campaign... the worst chapter in American History segregation... Obama needs to repudiate John Lewis.....

Obama: 100% of your ads John have been negative... yes vigorous debate on health care, energy etc... I don't mind being attacked during the next 4 weeks, but American people need to hear about the issues....


9:32
Obama: responding to John Lewis, goes at audience taunts "Kill Him"... Amercian people have become so cynical about politics bec. they only see tit for tat...

McCain trying to jump in

Obama: paling around with terrorists

McCain: I'm proud of our audiences, but to say that military wives for mccain and the veterans who wear those hats.... my audiences are nothing but patriotic... just bec. someone yells out something at a rally.... you've had same... we shouldn't stand for these things...

Obama: Key to recognize that solving the problems in the economy, Dems indies and Repubs need to work together, disagree without being disagreeable, can't characterize each other as being bad people...

McCain: I don't care about some old washed up terrorist... we need to know about [Acorn]

Schieffer will extend the time on this....


Obama: Ayers is now substance in McCain's campaign.... [reciting history of relationship] going over his "associations" -- seems to be very effective...!

McCain: Acorn, Ayers, livingroom, [CNN poll tracking going down....] My campaign is getting the economy back on track, not raising taxes....


Schieffer: Next topic. Running mates.


9:42
Obama: stump speech on domestic issues....
McCain: Palin a role-model to women.... gave money back to taxpayers... understands autism... [CNN tracker likes this...]

Obama: Nation will decide if she's qualified. Dealing with autism will take funding...
McCain: Biden voted against the first Gulf War.... disagree on national security policy, etc. Obama says we need to spend more...


9:49
McCain: energy independence
Obama: energy independence w/ alternatives

McCain: Obama has never traveled south of our border.... drug war...
Obama: produce fuel efficient cars... transporation accounts for 30% of our [something] -- alternative energy

McCain: Obama doesn't want free trade but wants to be with Hugo Chavez, terrorist-sympathizer.... Obama wants to restrict trade and -- HERBERT HOOVER


Schieffer: New topic, health care

Obama: [human interest stories] Toledo, coverage, sick, bankrupt: plan -- if you have health insurance, keep it. Lower costs (can cut $2500/year for family) If you have no insurance, you will be able to buy in to the same type plan that Congress has.

9:58:
McCain: Painful situation for Americans. The cost is painful. We need to put health care records on line. Obesity is bad. Employers should reward employees who join gyms. Joe the Plumber, Sen. Obama wants to fine you.

Obama: Joe, if you're out there, your fine is zero....


10:02
Obama: (cont.) reciting the details of the insurance plan
McCain: (apparently has created a character on stage Joe the Plumber) talking to Joe, will receive current benefits plus $5000 except for the cadillacs etc. Joe should choose the plan. Govt is too big, increased by 40% in the past 8 years. Dems in contol during th past 2 year.


Schieffer: Roe v Wade/Supreme Court

McCain: no litmus test on supreme court appointment. need qualified rather than social policy litmus test. Dems were partisan.... Obama sided with Dems. I would consider anyone....
Obama: Their capacity to provide fairness and justice to the American people. Important consideration in election, Roe v Wade probably hangs in balance. I supported R v W.... women in best position to determine the decision (on abortion -- word not used on tv...?)



10:13
[missing discussion from Twitting.... sorry... I'll be serious now...]
seems to be a discussion on partial birth abortion [now they are using the word abortion...]
McCain: "life of the mother" has been stretched to mean "almost anything" by the pro-abortion movement


Schieffer: education, [trucks and loud vehicles outside]
Obama: we need to get our ed system right. more money? reform? we need both -- we will have to invest.... recruit new generation of teachers esp. in science and math... Student loans. and parents have to take responsibility

McCain: it's the civil rights issue of the day. Choice and competition. Proven in New Orleans and NYC -- charter schools. Student loans.



Schieffer: fed govt role?
Obama: Important that fed govt steps up to help local school systems to succeed. [some rhetoric about no child left behind...] teachers higher salaries.... supports charter schools ... yes to competition... bad teachers need to go.... [more rhetoric] someone has to pay for it...
McCain: [condescending] Wash. DC example vouchers surprised you didn't mention that...[??] Head start is good, but not effective... let's reform it. Dems didn't support that, need reform and transparency and autism that Sarah Palin knows about, and we .... [more rhetoric] will support the reforms and fund those reforms, esp. vouchers.

Obama: Vouchers in DC -- vouchers isn't the way to go... details, tackle the problem headon...
McCain: (another sarcastic remark....]


END NOTES:
McCain: HMO Bill of Rights, 9/11 commission, steward of tax dollars.... STOP THE SPENDING. Long line of McCains serving this country.
Obama: American tough times. Washington's unwillingness to tackle the tough issues. Failed politics.... Need fundamental change... grow the middle class.... not easy not quick... Dems, independents, Repubs.... will work tirelessly on behalf of our children....

THE END

Schieffer quotes mom: go vote now it will make you big and strong....


AND A NEW CHARACTER IS BORN: JOE THE PLUMBER!

Live-blogging the Presidential Debate at the University of Mississippi September 26, 2008

Ok, I'm going to live-blog the debate. You have to scroll down in this post to see the chronolgy top to bottom...

9:00pm ET
Jim Lehrer moderating (yea!)... the CPD is sponsoring (boo!)

This is a debate about foreign policy.

The audience has taken an oath of silence.

they shake hands, mccain doesn't really meet obama's eye -- (i'm biased bec. i prefer obama, i think he's the more "out of the box" candidate in this election -- including third party candidates...)

Obama: talking about the bailout (or as my friend and cartoonist Alice Rydel calls it the bale-out...) is the middle class getting a fair shake?

McCain: a note about Ted Kennedy's hospitalization, bi-partisanship -- wants to keep wall street and banks stable...

Lehrer: go back to question of where do you stand on the bailout?

Obama: how did we get here? giving credentials about having addressed this before with congress people... econ. philosophy that says that (oops missed the phrase...)

McCain: also warned about corporate greed... etc... (story about military invasion....) he called for the resignation of the SEC chief...

Obama: we need leadership not only when there's a crisis... healthcare system broken...

Lehrer directs Obama to talk directly to McCain



9:14 pm ET
McCain: rhetoric about american workers, productivity.. etc

Lehrer: continue

McCain: we repubs came to DC to change politics and politics changed us.... (he's getting his talking points in very quickly...) I'll veto every spending bill that comes across my desk -- no more pork barrel

Obama: suspended earmarks process in his state of IL... $18 bil. dollars in last years budget.. mccain wants $300 bil in tax cuts to corps. in reduced taxes....


McCain thinks that earmarks has grown to the extent that it corrupts people

[this is a supposedly "fundamental difference" bet. raising taxes and giving earmarks]

Obama: talking about healthcare now.... getting middle class back on track

McCain: compares US econ to Irish econ.... he wants every family to have a $5K tax cut or rebate or something... Obama wants everybody to be rich [did he really say that???]

Obama: loopholes, businesses pay low tax rate, working people not getting a tax break.. $5K health credit: Mccain will tax health benefits, either from you or your employer.... notion is the less regulation we have the better we are....

McCain: [jumps in -- now they are getting in to the "free form" dialogue] who said the best thing is for smg... existing tax code? new tax code? Obama has shifted to taxing low income people

Obama: we would like to lower taxes, but if we lower taxes on oil companies, then ....


Lehrer: financial rescue system [BAILOUT]-- what are you going to have to give up for this?

Obama: hard to anticipate... we can't do everything we should, have to have energy independence.... invest in alternative energy.... fix healthcare system enormous burden on families.... compete in education, science, children education in math, science, AND rebuild infrastructure... to compete in global economy...

McCain: re: Obama statement -- hard to reach across the aisle from that point on the Left.... need fixed cost contracts...

Lehrer: what's the difference?

Obama: John's right we have to make some cuts.... lobyists...medicare.... "wildly liberal is just me opposing Pres. Bush"....



9:32 pm ET
Lehrer: what's the difference?

McCain: spending freeze

Obama: don't use a hatchet when you need a scalple.... $10 bil spent on Iraq... ??? bring that war to a close...

McCain: need wind, off-shore drilling. you can't get there from here.... nuclear power plants.... important for climate change- he 's proud of his participation.

Lehrer:

Obama: we have to know what our values are to guide our econ priorities

McCain: important to not hand over our policy decisions from the families to the congress? (sorry missed the direct dialogue)

Obama: addresses McCain directly -- you haven't addressed this issue in your term

McCain: long record of contesting the record of the president...


9:39pm NYT
Lehrer: lessons of Vietnam, what are the lessons of Iraq?

McCain: supported the surge..... this strategy has succeeded/will succeed with victory and honor.. thanks to Gen. Petraus... we willcome home in victory

Obama: fundamental difference -- I opposed this war, not only because this was not good going in, but also bec. we didnt' get Osama bin Laden. heavy cost in american lives, no loss to al quiada... heavy cost to our govt. ... have to use our military wisely...

McCain: the next pres has to decide when we leave and how we leave not if we leave.... Sen. obama never asked for a meeting with Patreas?

Lehrman inter: to the point...

Obama: senate inside -- but -- surge is successful -- but that was a tactic to manage the mismanagement of the war...


McC is now getting emotional about the war.

Obama: troop funding.... we have seen the effort in Afganistan worsen... has a plan to support a comprehensive plan

McC: Gen Petraeus -- O original plan didn't succeed beyond ..

Lehrer: troups? how many when?

Obama: it's getting worse.... we have 4 times the number of troops in Iraq -- we need to press the Afghan govt to step up and also deal with the poppy trade....

McCain: mistake to help afghan to wash our hands and that propelled supporters to al quaida... sen obama is threatening strikes into afganistan... you don't do this.... this needs to be a new strategy.... obtain the allegiance of the Iraqis.... counting on the leadership of Gen. Petraeus

Obama: If these countries are unwilling to cooperate, we should take them out. And this is difficult.... The problem John is that we had a 20th century dictator...

McCain: failed state in Iran at the time..... i was afraid that [all these international interventions] wouldn't succeed.... and i have participated in sending our young men into war with war...

[emotional gauntlet has been thrown -- let's see what obama has to say....... bathroom break...}


10:02 pm ET (New York time)

Lehrer: we are now even in time...

Threat of IRAN

McC "we cannot allow a 2nd holocaust".... russians are obstructionists.... we could impose significant painful sanctions on iran, with the french, the italians, we can affect iranian behavior.... the iranians are harboring terrorists....

Obama: the repub guard of iran is a terrorist org.... the war in Iraq has strengthened the terrorist... build a coalition of democracies including Russia.... do not punish people by not talking to them....

McCain: Akmajbajinajbd is threatening to destroy Israel...

Obama: is talking about the difference bet. working with "enemies" and caving in to "enemies".... he certainly has practiced this response... mention of McC wouldn't meet with Spain....

McCain: doesn't allow... pres US/pres Pakistan... not pro forma... a country calling a country a "stinking corpse" of ..... north koreans have broken every ...

Obama: suddenly a pres would meet without prep... we

McCain: so Akmaj says we're going to .... calls in Dr. Kissinger..

Lehrer: Russia... relationship -- ???

Obama: Russia is a threat to the region in Georgia -- 6 point agreement ( huh?) and the other nations in the area... something about the loose nuclear weapons in the area...

ooops space out...

McC: both parties need to understand that there is a threat from Putin... this is about energy...

[personally I don't think either one of them has much to say about the Eastern European agreements...]


10:21 pm ET
Obama: defensive on intervention on Georgian sit -- [did we intervene???] we have to have foresite and anticipate these situation... not done.... could avoid this situation... we consumers of the world's oil... need to approach this on alternative production possibilities...

McC: off-shore drilling is a bridge, and will help at least temporarily... supported [Obama trying to interrupt]

Obama: have never objected to

Lehrer: 2 min.: another 9/11 attack:

McC: a long way, we are more safe.... Sen. Leiberman and I were stimied.. don't torture prisoners... America is safer now than in 2001.... we still have a long way to go including our borders...

Obama: yes safer, need more work. biggest threat is terrorism.... hmmm.. all chips in

McCain: something about

Obama: My father came from Kenya... invest in how ordinary people can succed..

McCain: something or other....

I'm quite sure that my consentration fell off at the end... and now the COMMENTARY!!

CNN is now fact-checking... http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/24/debate.styles/?iref=hpmostpop

That's great. And I hope independent voters have enjoyed this first serious presidential debate.

Live-blogging Barack Obama's acceptance speech

6:42pm: Ok, I'm a blogging sucker! I'm home, I've done my grocery shopping and dropped off my dry cleaning, there's a beautiful sunset (as usual) from my studio in Queens NY, and I'm watching CNN. My computer is on.... Why not go ahead and make a few comments on this eve of the final act of the Democratic Party nomination of the candidate who will most likely be the first black president of the US?

So many themes, so little time!

But that's ok, I have CNN and MSNBC and NY1 and FoxNews and all those guys to parse it for me... maybe I'll take a look at some of the blogs as well...

So, join me for a minute or two, and enjoy the sunset!
- Hankstering for you!

6:56pm Ok, it's not that dark, I had the camera set on "twilight"... Also, I can't guarantee that all the pix might end up at the top of the blog... not sure why that is, something about blogger, no doubt.....

7:07pm -- entrance of son(s) and daughter(s) of Martlin Luther King, Jr. after a very moving video (this is the anniversary of the 45th commemorative March on Washington, when MLK gave his "I Have A Dream" speech) and lots and lots of historical emotion.

No doubt this is a great moment for Americans -- black, white, brown, red and yellow. And, just to mention Dr. King was not a Democratic Party spokesperson. He was responding to the need of the community, and helped build a movement that ordinary black people engineered..... (just had to say that....)

7:38 Ok, the pictures are going to appear at the top of the post, and all the words will be down here, but the sunset is really wonderful, so you'll hopefully enjoy it immediately!

7:53 pm Lots of music of the people. It's actually a wonderful production. Not as spectacular as the Beijing Olympics, but hey, we're Americans! What do you want? Philosophy AND syncronized swimming??? (Cheryl Crow singing)

8:26pm What I was trying to say about MLK's I Have a Dream speech is that MLK was a leader of the people, not a party politician. While Barack certainly comes "from the people", as do we all, and not from the Party, his leadership tonight is being recognized by the Party and they're hoping he's one of them and not particulary one of "us" -- the people. There's a big difference in the interests of the people and the interests of the Party. Barack Obama will have to make his way through this.

8:47 Ok, enough of that. I was hoping to hear my friend Omar Ali Tonight Listen live to Omar Ali: Thursday, August 28, 2008 8:35 pm (EST) The Bev Tyler Show http:/www.waok.com/ but all I hear is a lot of applause for now speaker Al Gore.... hmmmm.... Omar would no doubt be talking about what independent voters think about his convention....

Ok, let's go see what the stratosblog has to say now:

Alaskans are gathering to view the speech according to JuneauEmpire.com

Here's some more rhetoric on how Obama needs to not be rhetorical... at Cross Party Lines...

And meantime, The "Open Primary" Debate Rages On at Free Citizen!

10:23pm Obama is speaking now. High energy from the crowd of course. He's basically re-capping the primary pitch, speaking about and to the people he met while campaigning... There probably won't be anything of note in this speech, but we'll see. I'll be interested to hear if he never utters the words "Democratic Party". He's anti-Republican, anti-McCain, but you don't hear a lot of pro-Democratic Party talk here... "It's time for us to change America and that's why I'm running for President!"

Live-blogging the CNN coverage of Washington Caucus

5:20 pm EST Jessica Yellin is speaking to us from the floor of a large caucus in Spokane (I think). She says there are about twice as many people there as turned out last time. The word is that Obama is leading in sentiment. [CNN seems to be very cagey about this and in fact when Gov. Christine Gregoire was speaking about 15 minutes ago, Jessica said over a live mic, Oh, she's for Obama... and they cut to a speech yesterday by Hillary.... Gov. Gregoire has endorsed Obama.]

5:35: Ok, now Gregoire is speaking about why she's for Obama, he brings out the best in people. Jessica asks if Gregoire will support Hillary if she wins the nomination. Yes, she says. We need to make America great again. It could be close, but Gregoire thinks Obama will win.

Jessica jumps in with a little "fair time" for Clinton.... [Whatever happened to just reporting on what is going on....?]

Here's the Washington DC anchor coming with what an "interesting thing it is for a white woman governor to endorse Obama....