The Douglas Democrats celebrated the Obama victory with an election night party at the Carson Valley Inn. From left are Dotty Dennis, Melanie Mehan-Crossley, Chuck Vickrey, Gim Hollister, and Lynda Ratcliff.
Politically the election of Obama promotes liberal reform not radical transformation, but culturally the election of Obama is radically transformational. The electorate endorsed very high degrees of inclusiveness, intellectualism, and decency.
Now one can now have the following qualities and still be a viable candidate for the Presidency or Vice Presidency: (1) an African father, (2) femaleness, (3) an Asian Muslin step-father, (4) a single parent mother, (5) an adopted brown Indian child, (6) a partially Native-American husband, (7) an unmarried pregnant teenage daughter, (8) an African-American wife, (9) an Euro-Asian half sister, (10) years of teaching in higher education, (11) a childhood partially in a Muslim country with a couple of years in a Muslim school and (12) an African name.
Racism and sexism have not ended. Some anti-affirmative action initiatives passed. These demand that decision makers pretend that past and present racism and sexism have nothing to do with who shows up with what qualifications. A lie. Still in this election the American electorate embraced a vision of an America in which people of different racial statuses love, marry, reproduce with, befriend, work with, and support each other.
In this new vision of America the majority of the electorate has endorsed, children of any racial status and either gender can aspire to the highest political offices. This includes the vast varieties of Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latinos as well as Blacks and Whites. They might have to be particularly well qualified, but the opportunity is there as long as they are straight Christians.
The endorsement of inclusiveness did not extend to gay marriage with Arizona-, California- and Florida-passed initiatives limiting marriage to a contract between one man and one woman. In California the closeness of the vote combined with strong support for gay marriage amongst the young will probably lead to electoral support for gay marriage within several years.
While both the Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin tickets promoted inclusiveness, only the Obama/Biden campaign strongly promoted intellectualism and issue-oriented campaigning with no personal attacks. Obama/Biden is by far the most intellectually imbedded successful Presidential/Vice Presidential candidacy. Sarah Palin’s anti-intellectualism (I have foreign policy experience. You can see Russia from Alaska) has been repudiated. Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and Joe Biden have law degrees. Barack’s half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, and Jill Biden have doctorates. Barack Obama and Joe Biden have taught law school. Maya Soetoro-Ng and Jill Biden have taught college. Michelle Obama has served in college administration.
Tactically, Obama responded quickly and forcefully to sometimes rough and personal Republican attacks, but he responded by clearly stating his positions and attacking Republican policies while avoiding personal attacks on McCain/Palin. His most personal attacks on McCain/Palin were for “not understanding,” and “being out of touch.”
When Obama was attacked for his association with Reverend Wright, Obama prepared a detailed and complex speech on race. He did not negatively reference Sarah Palin’s minister’s beliefs in exorcism. When Obama was attacked for serving on a committee with and having a luncheon hosted by Bill Ayers decades ago and decades after Ayer’s radical Weatherman period, Obama simply stated that the committee had been organized by a Republican formerly close to Reagan and had prominent Republicans on it. He did not reach back decades to talk about John McCain’s infidelities or Cindy McCain’s temporary drug addiction. When press interested in Bristol Palin’s unmarried pregnancy opened the way for Obama to morally condemn Bristol and Sarah Palin, Obama cut off the conversation by recounting that his mother had only been nineteen when she gave birth to him.
When Obama was attacked for being “elitist,” “socialist,” “redistributor in chief,” and having supporters who were not “real Americans,” his response was the same. Obama turned to the issue of what he intended to do for the country. Problematic aspects of the McCain/Palin past such as Todd Palin’s association with Alaska secessionists were not mentioned. In contrast to McCain/Palin tolerance of booing Obama, when Obama crowds booed mentions of McCain/Palin, Obama shushed them.
Many radio and television commentators or callers-in stated or implied Black support was based upon Obama’s race. This is not true. Blacks provided the margin of victory for Obama, but their votes were primarily based on policy, not race.
In this election Obama took about 530 out of every 1,000 votes and McCain 460, an Obama victory margin of 70 votes per 1, 000 voters.
According to CNN exit polls, Blacks were 13 percent of the electorate and voted for Obama 95 percent of the time. Thus there were 130 Black voters for every 1,000 voters. Of these 123 (130*.95) voted for Obama and seven for McCain, a plus 116 per 1000 margin for Obama. This is 46 votes per 1000 higher than Obama’s victory margin. Blacks provided the margin of victory for Obama. Non Blacks on average favored McCain.
However, it would be a mistake to claim, as many callers to radio and television shows have, that Black support for Obama was due to Obama’s race. In 2004, when White John Kerry was the Democratic candidate, according to CNN, Blacks were 12 percent of the electorate and voted 85 percent of the time for Kerry. For every 1,000 voters in that election about 120 were Black, with 106 voting for Kerry and 14 for Bush, a Kerry margin of 92 votes for Kerry for every 1,000 votes cast.
Thus the Black margin for Black Obama in 2008 was only 24 votes per 1000 more than the Black margin for White Kerry in 2004 (116-92), a substantive increase but small compared to the Black support for White Kerry. Additionally, this increased support for Obama cannot be attributed solely to Obama’s racial status. Like many Americans, Blacks were greatly angered by Bush’s failure to assist poor Blacks and Whites marooned by Hurricane Katrina. Further, Bush’s economic policies favored the rich. His civil rights enforcement policies ignored Black interests. He fired Justice Department attorneys who would not pursue frivolous “illegal voting” cases.
McCain did not fight against any of these policies at the time they were implemented. If Biden, Hillary Clinton, or some other Democrat sympathetic to Black interests had run for president, Black votes for that person would undoubtedly have been higher than their votes for Kerry in 2004. However happy Black voters were to see a competent liberal Black man running for president, their overwhelming support for him was primarily due to policy issues, not racial identification.
Culturally this has been a transformative election. Let us hope the transformation continues; that future electorates regard intellectual achievement and academic involvement as positive and strongly support inclusiveness and smear-free, issue-oriented campaigning.
Carl Jorgensen was one of the many California volunteers who spent time in Douglas County, canvassing voters for Barack Obama during the presidential campaign. He is a retired sociology professor at University of California, Davis.
Gim Hollister took this photo of the defaced Obama sign at the base of Kingsbury on Saturday.
He said, “It was gratifying to see that somebody cared enough to put a wreath of flowers on the sign and add a two-by-four message that reads ‘Vote.’ We thank whoever took the time and thought to make something beautiful out of something destroyed.”
By Associated Press | The Nevada Appeal | October 16, 2008
...Shelby Coleman said the Cy Coleman Estate turned down a request last month to use "Big Spender" as background music in the ads critical of travel expenses by Derby during her 18 years as a state university-college system regent, but the ads were produced anyway...
...Derby spokeswoman Kristen Cullen questioned why a request to use the music was made in the first place if there was no problem in using it without permission. She also said the ad incorrectly says Derby had nearly $100,000 in travel expenses. She said that $100,000 is nearly double what expense records show.
Cullen also said the travel budget in the Nevada secretary of state's office, when Heller held that post, was nearly $500,000, adding, "Who's the big spender?"
Never in living memory has an election been more critical than the one fast approaching—that’s the quadrennial cliché, as expected as the balloons and the bombast. And yet when has it ever felt so urgently true? When have so many Americans had so clear a sense that a Presidency has—at the levels of competence, vision, and integrity—undermined the country and its ideals?
Click to visit JillDerby.com to find our how you can help Jill Derby win Congressional District 2 (U.S. House of Representatives) by taking part in the new virtual phone banking program.
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Last cycle, our community helped Jill Derby come up just short of defeating Dean Heller. This year, it's going to be different. Jill has spent her career as an educator, and served 18 years on the Nevada Board of Regents, the governing board for the Nevada System of Higher Education. As a Regent, Jill earned respect and praise from Nevadans of all political stripes, as well as national attention as a leader in higher education.
Dean Heller has voted 92% of the time with President Bush, opposed educational benefits for our veterans, and has blocked renewable energy development and efficiency standards at every opportunity.
Nevadans are ready for change. Let's help put Jill over the top this time. Click on the link button below to Donate to Jill's campaign today!
As you can see, Obama's tax plan increases taxes on millionaires, but for average Joe and Jane Citizen, taxes go down--compared to just the opposite for McCain's tax plan! This shows how Obama is keeping his commitment to support middle-income American families.
Gim and Joyce Hollister took photos from afar at the speech given by Obama in Reno on September 30. Obama spoke about the U.S.'s dire economic situation and roused the crowd as only he can do. Gim said he was heartened to see and hear all the young people at the event. (See a closeup of Obama below.)
JoEtta Brown, candidate for Assembly District 39, and the Douglas County Democratic Central Committee sponsored a voter forum on Saturday at Douglas High School, where Douglas County Clerk Ted Thran demonstrated the electronic voting machines used in the county. From left are Brown, Elaine McNeil, Thran, and Belinda Moran. Submitted photo.
Central Committee member Edmund James (left) coordinated a booth at the Washoe Family Resources Fair and Barbecue September 20 in Dresslerville. He was helped by other Demo members, including Sally Jasperson, Melanie Mehan-Crossley, Dottie Dennis, and Joyce and Gim Hollister. They passed out candidates' information and registered people to vote.
Saturday night's Obama Bash at Genoa Lakes Golf Course clubhouse included, from left, Debbie Chappell, JoEtta Brown and Gary Kendrick. The event brought in more people than expected and featured hors d'oeuvres and live music. Submitted photo — Gim Hollister
What a great time we had last night in Genoa! The Bama Bash was a roaring success. Thanks go to all of you who attended and volunteered and helped in some way to make it happen.
Nancy, the room looked fabulous, and your graceful touch was most evident...it made for a classy evening! Elaine, we couldn't have pulled it off without you (as usual)—all the details and most importantly invitation and contact lists and money tracking. Thanks so much.
Many thanks to Gary and Rick for setting up most of the afternoon and handling most of the administrative details. To Robin and Dana for taking over the raffle and providing those gorgeous baskets, many, many thanks!
Sue—you always are such a work horse; thanks for manning the sales table and being so cheerful while working seemingly effortlessly (though we all know how hard it is.) A big thank you to Gim and his daughter Jennifer for their last-minute miracles of an awesome banner and bumper stickers that just flew off the table and looked absolutely terrific. Also thanks to Melanie for tracking down folks’ precinct numbers, generally filling in where needed, and for always sharing her wisdom and valued, experienced advice.
And most importantly, thanks to all of you who were out pounding the pavement, calling, or making your presence known at the Palin event while we were setting up for last night. Whether you were actively campaigning or showing support by attending the party, your contribution is noted and very much appreciated.
You always come through in spectacular fashion, and we should all be proud for our collective involvement in the worthiest of causes. My appreciation is most heartfelt.
Gim Hollister, left, Douglas County chair, and Cindy Trigg, Douglas school board candidate and central committee member-at-large, laugh with Wally Bowen, chair of the South Lyon Democrats, at Joe Dini's Old-Fashioned Democratic Picnic at Fort Churchill State Park on Sunday, September 14.
By Cindy Trigg | Jill Derby Campaign | September 14, 2008
See one of Jack Carter’s new favorite Web sites; Click the link to look at the Minden piece on FiveThirtyEight.com. You’ll love it!
Let me remind you that Jack was a guest at our "Turn NV Blue Dinner" in 2006 along with every other Democratic candidate for state office and that New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson along with General Wesley K. Clark, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander (Ret.) were guests at our 2007 Turn NV Blue Dinner.
We have been coming out of the closet since we elected Stephanie Hague, our chair in 2003. Douglas County has three members on the executive board of the state party. Douglas County School Board went from six Republicans and one nonpartisan in 2003 to three Democrats, three Republican and one nonpartisan since 2004. The rural organizer for the Dean 50 State Strategy for Early Precinct Caucus January 19, 2008, and 17 county conventions on the same day in April (not known to have happened before in Nevada—state political history per Guy Rocha, State Archivist) and seating 100% of rural county delegates to the state convention for the first time is from Douglas County.
Congratulations go to the Obama Team from Douglas County (88 Cups group—u rock!) where almost 300 supporters from Douglas and neighboring counties turned out for a rally/party at the Genoa Lakes Country Club. It was more successful than the previous night Republican gathering where less than 200 hundred gathered, and it was a lot more fun. Special thanks to Rick Brown, Nancy Stiles, Debby Chappell, Elaine McNeil, Gary Kendrick and so many more. Douglas County has the potential to turn the state blue. We have the activists, we have the road map and there are enough candidates to keep everyone busy.
Jill Derby, our fantastic candidate for Congress, is from Douglas County. In the predominately Republican landscape of CD2 Heller was barely able to win in 2006 (by just under 5%). It took Bush two trips to the area in the last three weeks of the campaign to put him over the top. Oh, do we wish that Bush would come back this time! There has been a dramatic change in voter registration in CD2. Give some of your valuable time to the Derby campaign — Click here visit www.jillderby.com — and the next Nevada Congresswoman will be from Douglas County.
There is much to be said about Minden, Gardnerville and Lake Tahoe. Let the lead story on November 5 be that Nevada is now as blue as the water in Lake Tahoe thanks to the overwhelming voter turnout in Douglas County that voted for Obama, Derby, Epstein, and Brown.
Here's the good news: Women have become so politically powerful that even the anti-feminist right wing -- the folks with a headlock on the Republican Party -- are trying to appease the gender gap with a first-ever female vice president. We owe this to women -- and to many men too -- who have picketed, gone on hunger strikes or confronted violence at the polls so women can vote. We owe it to Shirley Chisholm, who first took the "white-male-only" sign off the White House, and to Hillary Rodham Clinton, who hung in there through ridicule and misogyny to win 18 million votes.
Here's the good news: Women have become so politically powerful that even the anti-feminist right wing -- the folks with a headlock on the Republican Party -- are trying to appease the gender gap with a first-ever female vice president. We owe this to women -- and to many men too -- who have picketed, gone on hunger strikes or confronted violence at the polls so women can vote. We owe it to Shirley Chisholm, who first took the "white-male-only" sign off the White House, and to Hillary Rodham Clinton, who hung in there through ridicule and misogyny to win 18 million votes.
Gloria Steinem is an author, feminist organizer and co-founder of the Women's Media Center. She supported Hillary Clinton and is now supporting Barack Obama.
Douglas County school superintendent Carol Lark, left, spoke to the Douglas County Democratic Central Committee Thursday evening about the bond continuation proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot. She is shown with Greta Hambsch, vice chair, and Gim Hollister, chair.
The Democrats need to be careful about the intensity of their criticism of Sarah Palin.
She may look like an easy target, an appalling lightweight who will send serious voters scurrying to the more substantive Obama-Biden ticket. And the temptation to get on her case probably became greater with Ms. Palin’s disclosure Monday that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. But the Democrats should not push this stuff too far.
August 29, 2008 | Statement of NOW PAC Chair Kim Gandy on the Selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's Vice Presidential Pick
Sen. John McCain's choice of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate is a cynical effort to appeal to disappointed Hillary Clinton voters and get them to vote, ultimately, against their own self-interest.
Gov. Palin may be the second woman vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket, but she is not the right woman. Sadly, she is a woman who opposes women's rights, just like John McCain.
The fact that Palin is a mother of five who has a 4-month-old baby, a woman who is juggling work and family responsibilities, will speak to many women. But will Palin speak FOR women? Based on her record and her stated positions, the answer is clearly No.
In a gubernatorial debate, Palin stated emphatically that her opposition to abortion was so great, so total, that even if her teenage daughter was impregnated by a rapist, she would "choose life" -- meaning apparently that she would not permit her daughter to have an abortion.
Palin also had to withdraw her appointment of a top public safety commissioner who had been reprimanded for sexual harassment, although Palin had been warned about his background through letters by the sexual harassment complainant.
What McCain does not understand is that women supported Hillary Clinton not just because she was a woman, but because she was a champion on their issues. They will surely not find Sarah Palin to be an advocate for women.
Sen. Joe Biden is the VP candidate who appeals to women, with his authorship and championing of landmark domestic violence legislation, support for pay equity, and advocacy for women around the world.
Finally, as the chair of NOW's Political Action Committee, I am frequently asked whether NOW supports women candidates just because they are women. This gives me an opportunity to once again answer that question with an emphatic 'No.' We recognize the importance of having women's rights supporters at every level but, like Sarah Palin, not every woman supports women's rights.
As I watch Barack Obama’s speech to the Democratic convention tonight, I will be remembering another speech: the one that made Martin Luther King cry. And I will be thinking: Mr. Obama’s speech — and in a way his whole candidacy — might not have been possible had that other speech not been given.
The Douglas Democratic Central Committee donated $250 to the Keep Improving Douglas Schools (KIDS) group in support of the school district's continuation bond initiative that will be on the November 4 ballot.
Gim Hollister, Democratic chair, right, presented the check to KIDS committee chair Cheryl Blomstrom at a KIDS meeting at the Douglas High Media Center last Wednesday. Blomstrom said it was the first large public donation the KIDS group has received.
Blomstrom stressed that the bond would NOT raise property taxes but simply continue collection of 10-cents-per-$100,000-assessed-property value for capital improvements. If the bond is not passed, taxes will NOT go down, she said, as other agencies could increase their tax collections and absorb the school district’s share.
The funds raised would only be used for maintenance and building repair needs, such as roofs, electrical and heating and cooling systems, resurfacing of parking lots and playgrounds, and repair of other infrastructure.
School Superintendent Carol Lark said among the major problems for schools have been 49 aging water heaters. Recently, a school was closed for a day after a water heater failed and flooded the facility. As funds become available, Lark said, the district is replacing the oldest heaters.
The KIDS group is mounting a campaign to educate voters about the capital improvements that would be funded by passage of the continuation bond and why the quality of the schools affects all citizens of the county, not just those with children in the school system.
“Someone else paid for my education, and now it’s our turn to ensure that our children, grandchildren and future generations can attend high-quality schools,” said Hollister.
Nancy Epstein, Democratic candidate for County Commission who also attended the meeting, noted that good schools attract businesses looking to relocate. “When a community demonstrates a commitment to public education and pays attention to school buildings and the quality of education, that affects the decisions that businesses make in coming here,” she said.
The quality of schools affect individual and commercial property values, as well, Blomstrom said, and deferred maintenance raises the ultimate cost of school repair.
Lark and Blomstrom will speak on the topic of the continuation bond at the next DCDCC meeting, September 11, 7 p.m., at the Demo HQ in the Sierra Center on Highway 395 in Minden.
This is the week that should have effectively ended John McCain's efforts to become the next president of the United States. But you wouldn't know it if you watched any of the mainstream media outlets or followed political reporting in the major newspapers.
During this past week: McCain called the most important entitlement program in the U.S. a disgrace, his top economic adviser called the American people whiners, McCain released an economic plan that no one thought was serious, he flip flopped on Iraq, joked about the deaths of Iranian citizens, and denied making comments that he clearly made -- TWICE...
This afternoon, President Bush signed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, a piece of legislation that will needlessly expand the government's ability to spy on Americans and ensure that the country never learns the full extent of Bush's unlawful wiretapping. There were many good Senators who showed courage in standing up to the White House and for the Constitution, but not enough...
Mark Rahner interviews Vincent Bugliosi ("Helter Skelter") about his new book, "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder."
By MARK RAHNER Seattle Times staff reporter; Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - 05:41 AM
The man who put Charles Manson in the big house wants to do the same thing for the occupant of the White House. At the very least. Just the title of legendary prosecutor and best-selling true-crime author Vincent Bugliosi's new book makes it a hot potato: "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder" (Vanguard Press, $26.95, currently No. 12 on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction list). Nutshell: Because the president lied America into war, he's responsible for every resulting death.
By 
