An Open Letter to Senator Obama and the Democratic Leadership: On Election Night, DO NOT CONCEDE! “Eight years is too much” is how Barack Obama explained why we must win the coming election and begin to restore America. But, even if we receive the most votes, will we win the election? DO NOT CONCEDE!
Both of the last two elections were conceded by the Democratic presidential candidate. The 2004 election was handed to George Bush while votes were still being counted in closely-fought Ohio. While the 2000 election was contested to the Supreme Court, it too was ultimately conceded to Bush “for the good of the country.” Some good. Numerous politicians, investigators and authors, including Robert Kennedy, Jr., agree the 2004 election was stolen, not only in Ohio but in several other battleground states. Tactics included purging of legitimate voters and the use of nefarious voting software--but when even these actions did not yield the required numbers, Republican election officials simply changed the vote tallies in several states, all without a peep from the Democratic Party. DO NOT CONCEDE!
In the time since the last general election the public has learned much about these scandals, which have led some states to reject electronic touchscreen voting (and which caused the infamous Diebold voting machines corporation to hide behind a new corporate name,) yet the Democratic Party seems to have learned nothing. THREE STRIKES AND WE'RE OUT!
If we cannot afford another Republican administration, we cannot afford a third concession in the face of election fraud. Already there is evidence of massive fraud such as voter purging and caging of Democratic voters, and “flipping” of votes in early voting on electronic touchscreen machines. It is reasonable to once again expect further manipulation on election night by some Republican operatives and election officials, as was seen in 2004; should we also expect our Democratic Party leaders and candidates to repeat history, by once again conceding in the face of such blatant fraud? Senator Obama, we need you, our Party and all candidates to stand firm, come what may on election night. You ask us to work for you, contribute to you--and to have your back; we ask that you promise to have our back: We ask that you PLEDGE TO STAND FIRM, AND NOT CONCEDE THE COMING ELECTION in the face of election irregularities, no matter how long it takes to contest such fraud, while there remains any doubt as to any part of the process. Be assured, Democratic voters will be more--not less--energized if we see you promise to stand firm.
Senator Obama, if there is any reason to contest the election, DO NOT CONCEDE!
Gore Vidal, Author
Mark Crispin Miller, Professor of Media, Culture and Communication at New York University
David Swanson, Co-Founder, After Downing Street
David Earnhardt, Filmmaker, “Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections” & a number of members of Progressive Democrats of America, CA Dem party, OpEd News & others - not presented in full here because of space required - (hat tip to Doug Tarnapol of Free Expressions blog)
NC Democratic Headquarters Vandalized
Kayakbiker's sister is in the video (with the long beautiful braids) - the newscaster that is shown first-off has kind of a modified Palin hairdo, which looks dumb. The police story is rather phoney-sounding. The guy interviewed thought that negative ads helped incite violence and bad energy. -- CLICK ON THE LINK FOR THE VIDEO (I was unable to embed it)
I was sent this by a local (Seattle) community organizer:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/us/politics/02states.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
This is still an "anything that works"campaign. It is critical to get out the vote all across the country. Anything can happen. We also know the Diebolds etc. can corrupt this election and throw a nightmare into the results. Take nothing for granted. Call your friends across the country. Make sure they call their friends and insure they vote. Over and over we must not let up until there is no question, no debate about this result.
Yikes!
Dear Dianne,
For anyone who thinks this election is already won and there's nothing to worry about, I have one word for you: Florida.
We all remember what happened in my home state of Florida in 2000, when the lack of voter protections cost Al Gore the Presidency. In 2000 it was Florida. In 2004, we heard stories from Ohio. We can't let it happen to Barack Obama or any of our House candidates anywhere in America in 2008.
With at least 35 Democrats likely to win or lose their races by a handful of votes, we are depending on you to help us win.
We wouldn't ask again but we literally need $110,000 more in the bank by Monday morning to wire back out to candidates for the final 48 hours. A gift of $20 could be the difference in keeping a race alive.
If we are unable to make Monday's wire transfer, there will be Democratic candidates defeated by only a few votes on Election Day.
Posted by: Slugbug | November 02, 2008 at 08:56 AM
Too many coincidences in my email this morning!
Why Al Gore is bad for the planet
Dear Fellow Conservative:
Did you know that the Live Earth concert to "save the planet" released more Co2 into the atmosphere than every SUV in America?
Or that estrogen from birth control and "morning after" pills is causing male fish across America to develop female sex organs - and that environmentalists, who are overwhelmingly "pro-choice," have helped cover it up?
Or that the #1 killer in Africa today today isn't AIDS, but malaria -- thanks to environmentalists who banned the pesticide that used to have the disease under control?
It's all true - but you'd never know it from watching Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.
Posted by: Slugbug | November 02, 2008 at 09:14 AM