Standing O for Clinton at Yale Graduation Ceremony

Hillary Clinton picked up another degree (honorary) and a standing ovation at Yale University’s graduation ceremony. Hooray for Hillary!

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the Yale University commencement in New Haven yesterday. (Douglas Healey/ Associated Press)

NEW HAVEN – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton got a standing ovation as well as an honorary degree at Yale University’s 308th graduation ceremony yesterday.

Clinton, all smiles, was given the ovation when called to receive her Doctor of Laws honorary degree.

Clinton, who earned her Yale law degree in 1973, was first lady during her husband’s presidency, was elected to the US Senate from New York in 2000, reelected in 2006, and sought the Democratic party’s presidential nomination in 2008. She became a diplomat in President Obama’s Cabinet in January.

University president Richard Levin praised Clinton for bringing attention to healthcare, education, and women’s and children’s rights throughout her career.

Clinton raised the degree in her hand, waved, and mouthed “thank you” to the cheering crowd.

Robert Nelb, 23, appreciated Clinton’s presence.

“She’s a true public servant,” said Nelb, who graduated with a master’s in public health. He will begin a two-year fellowship working for the Obama administration’s health initiatives.

“It’s tough to find a job, so it’s nice to have gotten a good one,” Nelb said.

Hillary is Awesome in Asia

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is winding up a tour of Asia that has captivated crowds and wowed women everywhere. NPR’s Day to Day has a great story about her travels called “Clinton’s Brand of Diplomacy“. It’s a great listen and/or read. Enjoy!

Here is what I learned:

Clinton is a team player who understands an envoy of qualified people working in concert are needed to address the worries of the world.

Clinton said she’s a real believer in using envoys.

To me, this is how I like to operate,” she said. “I think it enhances my ability to actually be effective globally. I don’t think that one person in this world — given the complexity and intensity — could possibly handle all these portfolios without doing injustice to them.”

“I don’t think there is any way to say ‘this is how it is going to work,’ ” she said. “It is more like jazz. You’ve got to improvise. You’ve got to have people who are great individuals and ensemble players.”

Hillary is a superstar who can wield that ‘celebrity’ power to promote important messages

Clinton’s forte, though she says she doesn’t want to overplay it, is her celebrity. And she says it is her role to reintroduce America to the world.

Her personal diplomacy was on display throughout this swing through Asia, whether it was strolling through a poor neighborhood in Jakarta or taking part in a town hall meeting like one at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, the largest women’s university in the world.

The 3,000 people in the auditorium jumped out of their seats to applaud Clinton, who told them that promoting women’s rights will be a central mission for her as secretary of state.

Women’s issues are a top priority because Hillary has deemed it vital for security

“I view this not only as a moral issue but also as a security issue,” she said. “I think it is imperative that nations like ours stand up for the rights of women. It is not ancillary to our progress, it is central.”

People love Hillary and see her as a person not a politician

It was a very personal town hall, covering issues that included her childhood dreams to be an astronaut, her relationship with her daughter, Chelsea, balancing work and family — and her love life.

One student asked her how she knew her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was and is her love.

“You know I feel more like an advice columnist than a secretary of state today,” Clinton said, laughing.

She went on to describe Bill Clinton as her best friend, saying they have an endless conversation and never get bored.

Hillary is using her considerable campaign mojo for the good of America

It was vintage Hillary Clinton — working the crowds and still campaigning in a way — only this time, campaigning to improve America’s image.

A White House Blog Czar

Doesn’t it feel like the Obama administration has more czars than Russia has had in its entire history!?

With the hiring of Jesse Lee as the new White House ‘blog czar’, the Obama administration is one job closer to its stated goal of creating 4 million new jobs.

Oh, and keep watching the video below to see how you can create your very own Obama valentine card. What a special treat for the super Kool Aid drinkers in your life!

Vodpod videos no longer available. 

If you are looking for a new job and have czar potential, experience creating faux presidential seals, or just love creating websites, then perhaps the Obama administration might be your key to a new gig. Why just this week, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner announced a new website: FinancialStability.gov. They love building these things and don’t seem likely to stop. Perhaps it’s only a matter of time until we’re all working for the Obama web corps.

Newsweek Interviews Will Bower

Since Obama won the election, I have often wondered about Will Bower- a founder of Just Say No Deal and a highly visible PUMA who lives in Washington. I can’t imagine what it must be like for him as a diehard Hillary supporter to be living at the epicenter of hopey/changey Obamaland.

I don’t have to wonder any longer because Newsweek has posted an interview with Will.

So what is Will doing now? Has he given up the fight? No way. Not Will. Will has chosen to focus his efforts on the need to reform the primary system.  Rigging the caucus system should no longer be an option to leapfrog into a party nomination. The process as it exists is full of loop holes and can easily be manipulated. It does not produce the best candidate but rather the best person at tipping the system.

I applaud the effort of Will and all PUMAs who continue to advocate for a better process/party.

Hillary did not become President this time around. I hate it, you hate it, but there is still much to be done beyond the election of Hillary Clinton. PUMAs  we need to keep working because frankly, no one else will sound the alarm or put out the fire if we don’t rise up to do it.

We need to reform the primary system (as Will is advocating) and we needed to combat the sexism uncovered during Hillary’s historic campaign. PUMAs there is still so much to be done. I’m inspired by Will’s continued efforts. Maybe you will be too.

Here are a few bits from the interview. The whole thing is worth a read. You can read the entire piece at Newsweek.

Will Bower, 36, walked around the Mall with millions of other Americans this morning. But unlike nearly everyone else in the crowd, Bower wasn’t cheering. He wore a Hillary Clinton T shirt (adorned with a HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT sticker) to show his support for the woman he feels the Democratic Party and a sexist media stole the election from. Bower recently left his job as an intellectual-property researcher at Thomson Reuters in order to work full time for the pro-Clinton group he cofounded, PUMA (Party Unity My Ass) ‘08. Bower, who is now living off of savings to work full time on what he calls his “labor of love,” has focused his efforts on reforming the primary system, which he says is undemocratic. NEWSWEEK’s Suzanne Smalley spoke with Bower by phone today.

NEWSWEEK: Is PUMA still active?

Bower: Yes. People feel like we don’t have a clear objective. The problem is we have many clear objectives. During the 2008 primaries, so many things went wrong and we were inspired by so many of them–primary reform, misogyny in media, media reform … There are many different PUMAs [dedicated to different issues].

Do you plan on working for PUMA indefinitely?

I intend on being critical of Barack Obama for the next four years. I do recognize him as president. I think he’s the rightful president, but I don’t think he’s the rightful leader of the Democratic Party. That sounds ironic, but I believe that Hillary Clinton … was the winner and represented the will of the people. She is my political leader … I wanted her to stay in the Senate, be the lion of the Senate, the next Ted Kennedy. I wanted her to be her own boss … and represent the 18 million who voted for her. Now that she’s in the executive branch I’m looking at her as our shadow president … A lot of us are taking comfort in the fact that she’ll be our shadow president and someone to look out for our interests abroad.

Did you go to the inauguration?

I wasn’t going to go out to the festivities, but I went out in my Hillary gear [a T shirt depicting Clinton as Rosie the Riveter] … There were two thumbs ups, a couple of scoffs, and a lot of stares.

Why did you go?

I was going to lock myself in and not watch TV and I got a few calls from friends saying, “Aren’t you going to participate?” … And then I said I might as well go outside and watch and then I thought I might as well be supportive of Hillary while I do it.

How does it make you feel seeing all of the exuberance over Obama and his inauguration?

I feel that this is supposed to be Hillary’s day, to be honest. I feel he’s unqualified … A lot of what scares me is Obama mania and all. I feel like I’m living in “American Idol,” a four-year episode of “American Idol” … It feels like mass hysteria–the pictures, the jargon … If this were all going on for Hillary I’d like to think I’d take a step back and say, “This is crazy.” It is a little unsettling, the fanaticism.

What is your reaction to what Jill Biden said on the Oprah Winfrey show yesterday [that her husband, Vice President Joe Biden, was given his choice of jobs–secretary of state or vice president]?

It seems like it’s a never-ending stream of minor insults. Every step of the way the Obama administration finds a way to insult Hillary. They’re finding a way to take another jab at Hillary–that she got sloppy seconds … The fact that Dr. Biden was so casual about something like that means a lot.

When you say it means a lot what do you mean?

I don’t think these are naive people. She’s a politician’s wife … It’s hard to believe someone would be that careless on Oprah.

Given all the problems facing us, are you rooting for Obama to succeed?

Yes. I don’t want him to fail; that would be bad for the country. I plan on being critical of him though. He’s already dropped the ball. He campaigned on the fact that he would lift the Bush ban [on stem cells and] now is saying, “Leave it to Congress” … The pledges [he made] were political in nature. There was very little conviction behind them and it surprises me how few Democrats see that. I’m going to do my best to get Democrats and liberals to hold him accountable.

Celebrate the History

Today is a tough day for someone who held hopes of seeing the first woman in US history take a presidential oath.  Watching the less qualified man step on ahead, is a tough thing to swallow. I have PUMA friends who just couldn’t watch any of it. I respect that, but am glad I was able to watch because I got to witness the history of this day even if it was not the the history I had most hoped to see.  

As I watched the events unfold, I tried to put aside the disappointment of the primary season and the dashed hopes of  being a Hillary supporter to focus simply on the amazing history being made this day. As far as moments in US history go, it did not disappoint.

Despite all the fancy pageantry, the real ‘wow’ moment for me came as I watched the Obamas walk into their new residence- the White House.

They had just finished up at the parade and were ‘home’ for a quick stop to get ready for the evening events ahead. They walked up to the White House door and very simply walked in. That’s when it hit me.

The First Family is the first black family to reside in that house – the White House! For all that implies for the advancement of race in this country, what a milestone! What a moment for all Americans.

The symbolism of this is so much larger than the politics or the man. 

Regardless of how much one despises the politics or tactics that camp Obama used to rack up caucus wins while Hillary trumped him in the larger primaries, this was a historic moment for all Americans whether you support him or not.

For today,  I decided to celebrate the history. I’m grateful I did. I don’t believe Obama is more qualified than Hillary- because he isn’t- but I’m humbled at the historic moment this day is for America.

And Bush is gone…HOORAY!!

Hillary Speaks for Women Everywhere

“Our foreign policy must reflect our deep commitment to help millions of oppressed people around the world, and of particular concern to me is the plight of women and girls who comprise the majority of the world’s unhealthy, unschooled, unfed, and unpaid.

If half the world’s population remains vulnerable to economic, political, legal and social marginalization–our hope of advancing democracy and prosperity is in serious jeopardy.

The United States must be an unequivocal and unwavering voice in support of women’s rights in every country, on every continent.”

– Hillary Clinton (1/13/09)

Oh how I’ve missed seeing her in action. Go Hillary!

 

Oprah House Hunting in Washington?

The NY Post  has this item about Oprah possibly purchasing a home in Washington:

OPRAH Winfrey wants to be as close to Barack Obama as possible. Insiders say Winfrey has started a preliminary search for a home in Washington, DC. A nine-bedroom Georgetown mansion she’s said to have asked about is listed at $50 million, but another source said, “She has never personally been to see it.” We’re sure Winfrey will try to swing by during Inauguration week. Her rep didn’t return calls.

Oprah’s 42 acre Montecito CA estate, which she named “Promised Land“, cost her a cool $52 million a few years back. If she were to buy a home in Washington, I wonder what she would name it. Perhaps ‘Hope Manor’?

The Promised Land- Oprah's Montecito CA Estate

FOXNews.com has researched listings in the area and found a single house that fits that description: a $49 million, nine-bedroom, four-bathroom mansion on three-and-a-half acres with parking for 100 cars, a gatehouse, and an additional building overlooking the Washington monument.

In case Oprah has any very special guests.

Possible new mansion for Oprah in Washington

 

 

The Further Reduction Of Joe Biden’s VP Power

You know Joe is in trouble when there’s more talk about the future Obama dog than the future VP. Here’s another sign Joe is losing power fast.

Vice President-elect Joe Biden will be forbidden by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid from attending Senate Democratic Caucus meetings, Reid said in an interview with the Las Vegas Sun set to run Sunday at 2 a.m., as excerpted by Politico’s Mike Allen.

“Absolutely not,” responded Reid when asked if Biden would be allowed to attend these meetings.

But Biden spokesperson Elizabeth Alexander notes that Biden had “no intention” of going to the meetings anyway and there is no conflict at all between him and Reid.

“Vice President-elect Biden had no intention of continuing this practice started by Vice President Cheney of regularly attending internal legislative branch meetings,” she told ABC News. “He firmly believes in restoring the Office of the vice president to its historical role. He and Sen. Reid see eye to eye on this.”

Source

I find this amusing and a tad sad. Biden’s increasingly shrinking VP role does suggest that Obama insiders like the idea of banishing him to the off stage shadows. They appear to regard Joe as the buffoon he sometimes is. Losing a power Cheney had once staked out for the VP, is not the direction I imagine Biden would like to go.

I think it’s a waste of a man, who even though he gaffes a lot, could indeed bring something valuable to the table. If he were to sit in on these meetings, he could at least keep a better eye on what Pelosi and Reid are doing and inform Obama of any potential treachery.

You just know Pelosi is bound to pull a power trip or two if she doesn’t like something Obama is doing or she doesn’t get something she wants for the MoveOn.org crowd. Obama might have the nicer office, but let’s not forget, he needs the Pelosi seal of approval to get Congress to vote on the items he presents to them.

So Joe won’t be running the international relations efforts- Hillary will. He won’t be menacing bad dems who are not playing ball- that’s Rahm Emmanuel’s job, and now Joe won’t be attending dem caucus meetings either. What exactly will Joe work on that would be in line with ‘restoring the Office of the vice president to its historic role’?

The only historical role has been to attend state funerals and weddings of foreign leaders and inquire as to the general health of the President. 

That doesn’t seem like much for a man of Joe Biden’s experience to be satisfied with during the next four years. He’s not a thumb twirler, sit back kind of guy. If they don’t find something legitimate to keep Joe busy, he’s likely to become even more gaffe prone out of sheer idleness and boredom. Perhaps the White House could install Solitaire on his computer. At my workplace, many fellow colleagues quietly fill the working hours with online chess games. Perhaps Biden should take that up too.

Oprah: I’m not seeking job with Obama

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Although Oprah Winfrey worked hard on Barack Obama’s presidential election campaign, she never considered going to work for the president-elect’s administration, the talk show host said Friday.

“I have a few full-time jobs already and a few full-time commitments, you know — contractual commitments that say I have to be where I am,” Winfrey told AP Television. “So, it never ever occurred to me, not even occurred to me.”

Winfrey said she would stay put, even if the president-elect came calling.

“Even if I was offered, I still have contractual commitments and what could I do?” Winfrey said. “I do what I do best on TV every day.”

Earlier this week, Winfrey’s production company confirmed she would host her Chicago-based talk show to Washington for at least two episodes during inauguration week. She’ll have a live show from the Kennedy Center Opera House one day before the ceremony, and tape another one on Jan. 21.

One plan she hasn’t yet thought out was her dress for the inaugural ball, despite rumors to the contrary.

“I actually haven’t picked it,” Winfrey said. “I had a dress on the vision board, but I’m not sure that’s gonna fit, so I have to work on something else.”

Source

LOL! Oprah in the Obama administration!?

She can do more on his behalf by remaining on her show than anything she could ever do in Washington. I would expect that no matter what Obama does or does not do while President, Oprah will remain his top cheerleader. Even as he backs away from previous positions he campaigned on, fans like Oprah are likely to overlook that and just focus on the history of Obama instead of the reality of Obama. I hope for all our sakes, that Obama can deliver on his hope/change promise, but let’s not lose sight that he’s a mere human being capable of stumbles and missteps, not the messiah Oprah has ordained.

Kennedy Clan Urging Caroline To Seek Senate Seat

The 2012 Ticket?

Further confirmation of Caroline Kennedy’s intention to seek Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat has come from inside the Kennedy camp today. Her cousin, Robert Kennedy Jr., the lone Kennedy who chose to back Hillary instead of Obama during the dem primaries, has confirmed the Caroline Senate story.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he and the rest of the powerful Kennedy clan are urging Caroline to seek the New York governor’s appointment to the Senate seat now held by Hillary Rodham Clinton — and added she is ready and seriously considering it.

“I know she’s interested,” Robert Kennedy, who himself was prominently mentioned for the seat, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Friday. “She spent a lot of her life balancing public service with obligations to her family. Now her children are grown, and she is ready to move onto a bigger stage.”

Once Clinton, in line to become secretary of state, is confirmed to President-elect Barack Obama’s Cabinet, New York Gov. David Paterson will appoint someone to fill the seat for two years.

The Kennedy family’s connections and history cannot force Paterson to choose Caroline, but the family’s strong support could increase pressure on him to pick her over lesser-known contenders. For Caroline Kennedy, seeking the Senate seat would be a significant departure from the life she has lived until now, protecting her family’s privacy — and her own.

Robert Kennedy said his extended family would come out en masse for her if she does get the appointment and has to run for election in 2010.

“If she runs, you will see more Kennedys than you have ever seen in your life,” he said.

source

There are many ways that Caroline could contribute to causes and advocate for issues as a private citizen. Political service is one way to make an impact in this world, but it is hardly the only way. With the Kennedy name behind her, Caroline could achieve much without having to pull the seat out from under other candidates who have more experience and wanted the Senate seat too. The name ‘Kennedy’ should not be a free pass to cut ahead in line of others who have worked for years to establish themselves through hard work and effort.

After everything that has happened with a relatively unknown Barrack Obama exploding onto the national stage and becoming President- elect within his first Senate term, I shouldn’t be surprised that Caroline Kennedy could walk into a Senate seat because she woke up one day and said she wanted it.

Welcome to the new democratic party brought to you by political thugs from Chicago and orchestrated by the democrats own Rovian team of Axelrod and Brazile. The new democrats include such illustrious members as: Obama, Al Franken, Chris Matthews (you know he’s eye a PA Senate race of his own), and now Caroline Kennedy. It’s all in the name and connections.

Richard Nixon always claimed that one day Caroline Kennedy would become the first female President. I thought about that today. I thought about how a path could emerge that would take Caroline from Senator to White House in 2016. It’s actually very easily mapped out if she becomes a Senator now, replaces Biden as VP in Obama’s second term, and runs for the president once Obama’s second term ends (if he were to win a second term of course).

It’s not that far fetched if you factor that Biden will not likely run for President himself in 2016 as he would be 75 years old at that time. Plus, Biden who has already had several aneurysms, could have further health issues over the next 8 years. Needing an heir apparent for the dem party after Obama’s reign is over, will make someone an insider favorite well before 2014 when the 2 year pre election campaign efforts begin.

As a VP, Caroline would have a tremendous platform to mount a campaign while also sidestepping the ‘experience’ question nicely. She has already demonstrated her ‘loyalty’ to Obama. They’ve worked together well when she helped on the VP selection committee.

As the first black president, he could make even more history by bringing along the first female VP to office and then helping her become the first President too.  He wouldn’t do it for Hillary, but Obama owes the Kennedy’s a lot, he finds Caroline likable enough, and it would buy one more historical footnote to the Obama legacy- why wouldn’t he do it?

As much as it breaks my heart to think it, if Caroline were to become a Senator, it’s likely she could be in a position to outmaneuver Hillary in a presidential bid in 2016. Heartbreaking isn’t it?

Maybe that was the Kennedy plan all along? Knock off Hillary to push forward one of their own. No one was in position to make it for this election, but the stage is set for a few years down the road. I predict we’ll see a Kennedy on a national ticket in 2012 and then again in 2016. Biden better gird his loins. There’s a Kennedy kick coming his way soon.