Hello Democratic Underground

[mmonk]

The thread saying good bye http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4949942 was my method of self extraction. It was not out of anger of DU'ers. It wasn't a take my ball home and pout moment. All that stuff is child's play. What is was was making sure I didn't get banned from DU. The resignation of Samantha Power was personal. How so you say? Because she isn't a political hack. She is someone, who if Obama got elected, would make a great UN Ambassador or Secretary of State. She is someone that could help put back a positive face for the United States internationally after the last near decade. She would work through the UN and others as well as AID agencies for refugees. She wouldn't hesitate in trying to help out in stopping genocide because it isn't profitable for a multi national corporation. In fact, she might help in showing global leadership in that area. That would be a big step in another direction from our current face of unilateral invasions and torture camps. For some people, entering the political process isn't seeking political gamesmanship. I know that's hard to believe in this current atmosphere of seeking political power, ensuing riches and golden parachute retirements as a lobbyist as well as seeking personal desires over the desires and welfare of the people. Therefore, I had to extract myself so I wouldn't be banned from here. I hope I can return soon but I'm not ready and I'm not ready to make permanent enemies. Hope that explains it and hope to see you all here soon when I can exercise personal control and separate my thoughts from verbal possibilities.

[BelgianMadCow]

1. A hearty welcome back

:toast:

[mmonk]

3. Thanks

:toast:

It may be in limited spurts but later back to normal.

[tekisui]

2. My heart sank into my stomach when I heard she resigned.

I hope he gets her back into an Obama Administration.

[mmonk]

6. Yes. Though she had to take responsibilty,

watching the congressional jackels start screaming was a little bit too much to handle in light of the public apology.

[DemBones DemBones]

54. You have got to be kidding. Imagine her working for Clinton

and fucking up so badly? You'd want her head on a platter, not a post in the Clinton administration for her. And I would feel the same way, though I will vote for Clinton if she's the nominee.

[tekisui]

58. I hate to lose her, regardless of the situation.

I didn't think it was such a big deal, but recognize she had to accept it. I still hope she can be a part of Obama's Administration.

[Cha]

63. We should make lemonade outta this..

A Sam Powers.."Took One For The Team" donation drive. :loveya: Sam!

[VolcanoJen]

4. Right on, mmonk.

:hug:

[mmonk]

7. Thanks

[bicentennial_baby]

5. Rock on friend

:hug:

[mmonk]

8. Thank you

:thumbsup:

[housewolf]

9. Thanks - for many things

for sharing with us what's going on with you
for caring so much
for having the self-wisdom to step back & take care of yourself

as for Samantha Power- I totally agree with you on her wonderful traits and potential and the marvelous contribution she could make. And I have to keep reminding myself that that potential contribution has not been diminished by the events of yesterday and today. While she may not be an "official" member of the Obama team today, that's only the case until the end of the primary campaign. When Obama wins the nomination, a new team can be formed and she can be part of it, as she can be a part of his administration when he wins the GE.

Take heart! All is not lost!

:loveya:

[mmonk]

12. Thanks for the pep talk.

And if it didn't work that Obama wins, she would make a fine addition for someone in the future. Trying to stay positive all around.

[JuniperLea]

10. She showed herself to be unprofessional...

There's no way she would have been good for our country in any capacity.

No one put a gun to her head and made her say that. Obama did what he needed to do in firing her, regardless of the backlash.

Un-freaking-professional. Period. Nothing more to say. Nothing more needs said. Nothing more can be said.

[mmonk]

15. Plenty can be said.

Hope you look a little deeper into people someday. And no, she isn't a political professional. She is one that was appalled at the continued attacks and let it get the best of her.

[JuniperLea]

35. Letting it get the best of her is the unprofessional bit

If a person is going to work in PR, whether it be for a political candidate, a pharmaceutical company, a clothing manufacturer, a bank, or a stock exchange, the professional demeanor can never, ever go lax. You must be on your mark 24/7, and never, ever let anyone throw you off. Emotions are your worst enemy if you can't keep them under control. We are talking about very important positions within a campaign in this instance. What she did was unacceptable in that regard. As a person, she may well be extremely brilliant with a bright future. Again, you can't allow emotion to enter into this particular situation. She had to go. She fucked up. There is no excuse. It's a rough job, and there is no margin for error. What she was up against may very well have been disgusting and horrific... but it makes no difference whatsoever. I feel for her personally, but a resignation was absolutely the right thing to do, and the only thing to do.

[mmonk]

38. Yes, I know.

Too bad the same standard can't be applied to people in office.

[JuniperLea]

44. They should be

But that's not the point here. That's not what this thread, or your OP, is about. This is about someone fucking up royal and a bunch of people making her a martyr instead of seeing it for what it is... someone fucking up royal and resigning.

[here_is_to_hope]

43. Yeah, you might apply some of that logic to Hillary...n/t

[JuniperLea]

47. You forgot the "neener neener"...

That's not what this thread is about. Go find a Hillary bashing thread if that's what you want to do. This thread, and the OP, is about someone fucking up royal and resigning. She screwed up bad, and she resigned... it was the right thing to do.

[cascadiance]

62. I would say that what is unprofessional is the mainstream media...

... that singles her out, after she asked a comment to not be on the record, and focus on every little tabloid piece of trash to bring a race into the gutter by design to distract us away from real substantive issues that we want.

What is unprofessional is a mainstream media that focuses on this sort of crap to the point that the only kind of people we have working in government are those that know how to play these taloid trash games, and not people that have had experience and can deal with real problematic issues in creative ways, when they might not be as politically polished as others to avoid making mistakes like this.

Like mmonk says, it's a shame that we let them be this unprofessional and deflect to those that deserve a lot more credit for being potentially decent leaders this label of being "unprofessional". And we wonder why we have a government full of corporate shills that are no longer listening to us!

[roguevalley]

51. no one put a gun to that man to say ken starr but he's busy lying about

it right now.

[JuniperLea]

61. I don't follow... eom

[bigtree]

11. sorry to see you go, but I could tell this was affecting you in a big way

I can't help, because I really don't see this board as the influence some pretend here. I think we are mostly talking to ourselves, getting our thoughts down, marking time and events, and generally just enjoying the politics of it all. It's really not an exercise here in GDP for someone who is looking for productive solutions or some elevating debate. It's full contact politics. It's an exercise we're engaging in here, not fashioning some manifesto for the present or the future. Ideas flow here without second thought. The nonsense is inevitably mixed in with serious intent, creating the disturbing chaos which drives off serious concerned folks like yourself. But, this is just an exercise here, with, not a few sparks of brilliance and purpose. It's not life, or even the campaign. I feel for you when I see you on a foolish thread. It's like, why is mmonk here looking for sanity? I'm usually busy gnawing on some bones and embarrassed at my own thuggishness at the sight of you. But I actually need and crave these exchanges, if only to keep my poor wife from the brunt of my insatiable thirst for politics.

But, hey, see ya on the policy side when the cutting's done. Sorry you felt the need to leave, but I completely understand. Best of luck.

[mmonk]

16. It wasn't the boards, it was me. I'll be back.

We haven't always been on the same page but I consider you a friend and very intelligent.

[bigtree]

18. you must know

you have been a tempering influence on my irrational exuberance. I need you here. Hurry back.

[panader0]

13. I'll bet she won't be permanently gone from the Obama team

She is an asset, and will surface later.

[mmonk]

31. Hope so. Hate to see good people ground up in this process.

[Josiah1982]

14. Powers would make a "great UN Ambassador or Secretary of State"? ROFLMAO

a woman who doesn't know how to make sure something is "off the record"? Who spouts off when she could damage the campaign she is working for? On what planet would she be "great"? Obama forced her to resign and for good reason. She fucked up and helped the clinton camp.

[mmonk]

17. I understand you aren't here for deeper discussion but that's ok.

[DearAbby]

19. I am sure after the heat of the campaign

is over, and President Obama is making his choices, to place the best people in positions that would help this country on the path into the future...there will be a place for Ms. Powers.

:thumbsup::toast:

[mmonk]

21. Hopefully so, but if not, that's life.

:toast:

[Josiah1982]

32. not with you, no I'm not.

[mmonk]

40. I apologize for my short remark.

It's to move on so not say something too negative. She would be great for the reasons I mentioned above.

[Bluerthanblue]

20. you are a prime example of

the character of people Obama attracts.

I completely understand your actions- and salute your self-control.

I also feel that Samantha Powers is a very good asset to Obama's campaign.

I hope and believe she will not stay away for long.

:hi:

peace~

[mmonk]

22. Peace and thanks.

[AntiFascist]

23. Welcome back mmonk...

If the fight is getting too personal in GD;P then I hope you will at least continue in GD. We desperately need your contributions with respect to Sibel Edmonds and related issues! :)

On edit: having trouble with my smilies!!!

[mmonk]

24. Thanks a million.

Yes, in that respect, whenever I'm needed or need help in that matter.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

25. Oh Cry Me A Fucking River.

You're that worked up over her? She's such a great woman helping people blah blah blah?

Yeah, well when you start showing some fucking outrage around here for the HEINOUS fucking comments thrown at Hillary every single goddamn day, maybe you'll have a leg to stand on with your outrage above. Everything you speak about Power is tru of Hillary. Hillary has spent her life helping TONS of people. She is a good dem with a great heart and has done much to try and better society. So when people here tear her down, assassinate her character, and try and rip to shreds every single thing she is and has stood for, where's your fucking outrage then? Where's your damn emotions about seeing a good woman, who has put so much effort into helping people and caring about people, get totally thrashed here and destroyed as a HUMAN FUCKING BEING, EVERY SINGLE DAMN DAY.

Huh mmonk? Where's your fucking outrage there?

Open your damn eyes. For real.

[mmonk]

27. LOL

Glad to see you aren't changing. Now that would disappoint me OMC.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

29. Cut The Shit. Don't Dismiss The Message. How Bout Addressing It.

You want to pour out all this emotion over poor old Power, but where's your damn outrage for the MONUMENTAL abuse that's thrown at Hillary? You have the nerve to chastise a poster above for disagreeing with you, telling them you hope they could look more deeply into people someday? Oh yeah? Really? What about you? Where's your defense of Hillary, for all that SHE'S done, and all the ways that SHE'S helped, and how when looking deeper, how good of a heart SHE has?

Use your fuckin head.

[mmonk]

30. I am. That's why I'm not discussing your candidate at this time.

Nice try though.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

33. You're A Hypocrite. And Your Words To The Poster Above Make You Even More So.

What a misguided outrage you have.

You don't give a fuck about Samantha Power. You only give a shit that she was a benefit to YOUR side of primaries, and it pisses you off she fucked up and Hillary supporters won in their call for her ouster.

If you were so damn genuine about this mushy wushy feel good she's a good person crap, you'd have a least a tenth a degree of outrage towards the way Hillary is decimated here. But ya don't. Know why? Cause you're being disingenuous. Yup. I'm callin you out for it. Get over it.

Getting outrage over the way people are treated is not something that is selective, when it is within the core of somebody. It's something that arises each time a violation occurs. But with you? Nahhhhh, trashing the fuck out of Hillary is fine. Trying to destroy and decimate everything she's ever done, while slandering her a thousand times over, is perfectly ok. But pwease, pwease don't affect the image of Ms. Power, she's a good person!

What self serving garbage.

Me? I actually feel sad for Ms. Power, because I don't think she deserves this attack spotlight on her, though she's brought it unto herself. But I also feel horribly for Hillary, since she doesn't deserve anywhere near the level of vitriol she receives from so may here, as if she's satan himself. It's about consistency, not what's convenient for you.

Sorry, like I said; cry me a fuckin river.

[mmonk]

36. Sorry, but this low road didn't begin with Samatha Power.

I see people bashing candidates here all the time. Where's your outrage? I felt bad for Hillary at one time in this campaign. However, if you can show me another candidate on our side in this process who has been following her strategy of late, please point that candidate out to me. Like I said, it's not about the boards. Why more people don't get banned is beyond me but I won't be goaded.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

39. It's About Being Genuine.

No way in hell can I take your OP as being sincere, when you allow the absolutely DISGRACEFUL attacks on our good senator to go unabated. The hypocrisy is astounding.

And if you think that what Hillary has done during this primary rises to the level of deserving the OUTRIGHT HATRED, vitriol, character assassination, and disgustingly over the top rhetoric and attacks she's received, then I truly feel for you.

So that's why I say spare me. Spare me your leaving because you're oh so hurt that a woman who is a good woman, acted within the setting of politics in a nasty way, but is now receiving attacks she doesn't deserve since when it comes down to it, she's a really good person blah blah blah. You either believe in caring that much about people or you don't. If you did, you'd be every single bit as outraged over the absolutely disgusting ways in which Hillary is treated here.

I've made my argument, and have little else to say.

Peace to ya.

[mmonk]

45. Samantha Power has no power so to speak.

The feeding frenzy by the congressional members after her mistake is unfortunate but how sharks play. We're not talking about equals.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

49. You're Wrong.

They are equals. At the end of the day, they're both human beings and should be treated as such. Wake up.

See ya round...

[mmonk]

53. Then one can say they both say bad things but only one

will be publicly castigated for it in front of the world and lose their job. I haven't implied Clinton is not a human being worthy of dignity.

[mmonk]

59. Here's what you're not getting.

In my opinion, we missed out on someone with great policy ideas because of her mistake. Watching the sharks go to work on her publicly is a tragedy. It's NOT about the candidates running for president though her mistake is related.

[JuniperLea]

Powers fucked up... she needed to go...

She is the current Obamanista Martyred Saint, nothing more. She does deserve this spotlight, imho, and it will be good for her to learn this lesson if she expects to work in politics. Better she should learn this valuable lesson now instead of when she is actually doing something important in the government.

I do agree that these yokels don't stop to think about Hillary being a human being too. But then, that's what hypocrites do, right?

[mmonk]

55. I guess it's a good thing she has been the only one in this primary

to say something unbecoming of someone. Otherwise they should be fired, right? I agree it was her screw up and the responsibilty for it is hers. But many of the political sharks have no class and can save their outrage.

[JuniperLea]

60. That's not the point...

And you obviously don't care to understand that you are mixing apples and oranges.

Apples: It's one thing to be a politician and slam your opponent. That's how it has been done since the beginning of time. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it has always been so.

Oranges: It's quite another thing to be working on a campaign as a professional spokesperson or holding some other position within a campaign working FOR a politician.

[mmonk]

65. Hillary Clinton's team says about any negative thing they want concerning

Obama and aren't fired. I put Samatha Power over all of them in intellect. When Hillary Clinton and her team get rid of those people and say they won't tolerate such things let me know. I really hate what your candidate is doing to this party. But what I hate worse than that are members of Congress that support your candidate and their feigned outraged. Crap.

[casus belli]

26. I agree with you...

firing her over an off-the-record comment which wasn't particularly nasty given the history of this primary was a bogus call. Though, having given it some thought for awhile, I can see WHY he did it. It isn't that the comment was out of line, or that it was an unforgivably low blow. What it DOES do, however, is cast doubt on the entire premise of our campaign, which has been a campaign that he has promised would be elevated and held to a new standard. By not acting, it would have looked like an endorsement of her comments.

Take heart. Her career isn't over. All of the possibilities you mentioned for her still exist. After the primary is behind us and Obama is putting together an administration, I have no doubt he will find a place for her.

[mmonk]

28. You're correct.

[babylonsister]

34. I also have faith she'll be back, mmonk, and I'm very glad to see

you! Hang in there; those of us with faith have to, and I'm here for you. :hug:

[mmonk]

37. Thanks alot.

You're a gem here. Hopefully she will but she will survive nonetheless.

[seabeyond]

41. hear ya.... and thanks for explanation. i feel the same with the woman

and i too was disgusted with the hillary group. i have always enjoyed your posts and time on du.....

i am having a tough time cause there are a lot of names i am running into saying things i cannot believe they would say or believe, ... and i am having to tell myself it is the getting wrapped up in like bushco who convinced so many good people to blindly follow.

[mmonk]

48. It gets to be a vicious cycle and people get zealous.

[Coexist]

42. Hi!

[mmonk]

57. .

:hi:

[DemBones DemBones]

46. If you think Samantha Powers would make a great Secretary of State or

ambassador after what she said, you really need to lay off the Kool-Aid.

I will vote for Clinton if she's the nominee, but if Samantha P. had worked for Clinton and directed her comments toward people who voted for Obama and toward Obama himself, I would not defend her or say she should hold an important position in the Clinton administration, and I don't think you would, either.

Aides who screw up that badly have to go and not come back, no matter who they're working for.

[mmonk]

50. I didn't claim her comment was wise nor professional

But I look at Congress and think the same thing. I think she would be good in public service because I've read alot of her work. So intellectually is where I'm coming from. The confederate army had proper protocols and behavior and it didn't make them better humans or leaders.

[redqueen]

52. ...

:hug:

[mmonk]

56. .

:hug:

[NoFederales]

64. I am channeling Peace and Wellness your way, it may take awhile.

I almost killed myself yesterday by an errantly falling tree. After a few hours, my perspective on current events changed. I can turn on and off the theater of the world. I cannot turn off my need to care for spouse and children foremost. Despair and hatred are the elements of political and social theater, so I will be a sometime critic, but a full-time, breathing Dad who is very lucky, in so many ways. ways in which the theatrical personas have lost their vision and purpose.

Be well.

NoFederales

[mmonk]

66. Thanks.

You too.