Jane Hamsher is one of the founders of the blog firedoglake. That blog has been one of the liberal blogs most critical of several of President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet and advisor picks, so far. It is also the blog that presented Cordova Alaska author and environmental activist, Riki Ott, last Sunday, at their weekend Book Salon, hosted U.S. Senator-elect Mark Begich for two Blue America fundraising sessions last summer and fall, and hosted my TedFest! poetry contest, that somehow ended the day Sen. Stevens was indicted by the Federal Government, last July.
Here's Jane explaining why so many of Obama's strongest backers are so strongly opposed to Rick Warren's "inclusion" in Obama's inauguration ceremonies:
I'll be discussing my concerns about some of Obama's picks soon, but not until next week.
Update - Thursday evening: On the other hand, Dr. Joseph Lowery will get last word - The Benediction:
8 comments:
While Obama's intentions are good, I'm sorry he picked Rev. Rick Warren because Warren's problems go beyond his religious beliefs to respect for other human beings.
Rev. Warren's disrespect for gay couples, comparing them to people who commit incest and bestiality, is beyond the pale.
It a poor choice to honor Warren when Warren campaigned for Prop 8, which removes equal rights under the law for gay couples in California.
When a minister decides to choose sides in a political issue that affects millions of people, or compares homosexuality to incest and bestiality he has taken himself out of the realm of religious leader to political advocate who shows no respect for a certain class of human beings.
Obama needed to consider Warren's politics a little more thoroughly before he chose him because Warren's politics do not respect American gay and lesbian men and women.
Rick Warren also believes being a good person is not sufficient to be taken into the kingdom of god when we die, he believes you must also be an Evangelist Christian. Anybody here think Warren could be right about that?
No Catholics, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, only evangelists are good enough for good? Yea, ok Rick.
Jane ought to stop bashing Caroline Kennedy pushing for NY's senate seat. That assumes Hillary was "qualified". Hillary barely stepped foot in NY before she decided to buy the senate seat there...and Hillary had NEVER been elected to ANYTHING prior to acquiring the seat...I know that's off topic but...where else to bitch?
naming Carolyn Kennedy to the U.S. Senate is no better than naming Lisa Murkowski to the U.S. Senate. I think they should have special elections for as many of these newly opened seats as possible, rather than appointments.
Regardless of how you characterize Jane's argument, it has some merit.
As Phil says, appointed senators (versus elected senators) have all the wrong incentives - the govenor's future plans, the candidate's ability to hold the seat, to fund raise for their next campaign, etc.
Choosing Kennedy because of the name would be like choosing another Bush or another Clinton because of the name. The name does not qualify someone.
I'm wary of star-power appeal as a substitute for experience. She has never been in elected office or run a campaign. Her legal degree and her two books on con law are a plus. Her fund raising for NYC schools, another plus.
Jane argues Kennedy is not a seasoned politician who knows how to get things done in the Senate. She has point.
On the other hand, Kennedy's progressive politics match up with a progressive agenda.
Once in a while I agree with you Phil. It seems that you are an advocate of special elections rather than appointments to fill vacant seats.
Here are three great reasons for elections as opposed to appointments.
Murkowski, Blagojevitch, Caroline Kennedy
I posted the above concern about Jane Hamsher's Kennedy bashing. My point had NOTHING to do with appointing a senator vs electing a senator. Obviously, an election is the way to go. NY ought to change the way they fill senate seats-however, that's not likely to happen this go around.
That said, my original comment had to do with Firedog Lakes Founder, Jane Hamsher and her continual bashing of Caroline Kennedy. My point is that Kennedy is certainly more qualified than NON New Yorker Hillary Clinton was when she ran for the seat. Unlike the warmonger Clinton, Kennedy did not support the war in Iraq. That alone would make a better senator than our new establishment Secretary of State to be...UGH.
anon @ #6 - I agree with you, especially regarding HRC. You may not remember, but Hamsher wasn't exactly excited about HRC's presidential campaign, especially from late January 2008 on to the end. I'm much less a fan of HRC's husband, and his role as president than is Jane Hamsher. I consider his conduct of the bombings of Iraq during his presidency as borderline criminal, if not worse.
Jane is my friend, though, and I agree with her more often than not. And I love the authoritative ways she can swear...
希望大家都會非常非常幸福~
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