The American Medical Association (AMA) — GASP!!! — has endorsed the healthcare reform legislation proposed by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives according to the Associated Press:
The American Medical Association on Thursday endorsed a liberal health overhaul bill that includes a public insurance option, a bold step for a traditionally conservative group with a checkered past on health reforms.
In its strongest action yet signaling support for President Barack Obama's vow to reform health care, the nation's largest doctors' group sent letters to three House committees behind the bill. The letters, signed by AMA's executive vice president, Dr. Michael Maves, said the AMA appreciates and supports what is being called America's Affordable Health Choices Act.
This is an historic shift. The AMA opposed the introduction of Medicare and Medicaid in the 1960s. It's conference of delegats gave President Obama a lukewarm reception when he addressed their convention earlier this summer.
"I don't represent the big oil companies, the big pharmaceuticals or the big insurance industry. They already have great representation in Washington. Its the rest of the people that need representation." - Senator Paul Wellstone, Democrat, Minnesota
The good news is the Senate confirmed Hillary Clinton as our next Secretary of State, by a vote of 94 to 2. The missing votes are those of Clinton, Kennedy, Colorado's junior Senator and Minnesota's junior Senator.
The bad news for Louisiana is that our junior Sinator's struggle against Clinton garnered exactly one more "nay" vote, that of Jim DeMint of South Carolina. So much for the influence Sinator Vitter wields within his own party.
What is so idiotic and short-sighted about Vitter's vote is that while he's pontificating about the so-called "minefield" of Bill Clinton's Foundation, Bill Clinton has raised more money for Louisiana than any other state in the Union through his charitable efforts ... here's a partial breakdown of the $130.6 million he raised for the Gulf Region in the aftermath of Katrina via the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund:
$30 million was awarded to 38 higher education institutions
$40 million went to non-profits working on reconstruction in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi
$25 million was awarded to 1,151 houses of worship and organizations assisting the faith community
$35.6 million was given to 42 other non-profits for various services
And Vitter just can't get over the GOP's Clinton-bashing excess of the 1990's. Amazing that he even thinks it is a winning strategy, especially given his own peccadilloes.
"Over the recess, Sen. Vitter has had his staff investigate some of the potential conflicts of interest between the secretary of state and her husband's enterprises. He's going to ask her to provide a more substantial explanation."
I wonder how Sinator Vitter would like to have his wife questioned about his enterprises on live television by a partisan as unscrupulous as him. Perhaps we ought to ask Mrs. Vitter for a more "substantial explanation" regarding his extracurricular activities on Bourbon Street and DC brothels.
7.20pm: "Most important of all, Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are first strong at home. People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power."
And Oyster over at YRHT piles on, with a twist at the end, plugging for Obama, instead of calling for what I think is right:
Clinton and Obama should call a joint presser and demand that this bullshit reporting against Democratic candidates END NOW. That's the carrot. The stick is cancelling the MSNBC debate, and asking another network to carry it.
I say this because while Obama is getting the benefit of Clinton Rules right now, as he's about to overtake Hillary in the overall delegate count after tomorrow night's Beltway Primary (DC, MD and VA), his campaign is insane if they think it's going to stay this way. If and when Obama clinches the nomination, the GOP smear machine will be relentless, and the corporate media will be all over him like a starving man on a Christmas ham with all the bullshit the GOP smear machine will put out there.
DAAAAY-um ... talk about a smack-down. Here's South Carolina's results, if you haven't already seen them:
Obama: 55% Clinton: 27% Edwards: 18%
In terms of the raw total of voters, Obama garnered more than a 2 to 1 advantage, with 295,000+ to Clinton's 141,000+.
This one's going to the covention, folks. While friends of mine think that this spells doom for Hillary, as it may show that she cannot win in the South, I think it's too early, and the dynamics are much too fluid, to make that call yet. I think that Bill, with his overaggressive politicking for Hillary, and his injection of race into this primary, hurt Hillary and that swung voters into Obama's camp in South Carolina. I think there is plenty of time for Hillary to erase the hurt that Bill gave her campaign. Whether she does, of course, is another question.
It's going to be interesting to see what happens on Super Tuesday, with 22 states, 1 protectorate and the Democrats Abroad group holding primaries/caucuses for the Democrats, and 21 states holding primaries/caucuses for the Republicans.
DAAAAY-um ... talk about a smack-down. Here's South Carolina's results, if you haven't already seen them:
