Indiana and North Dakota Democrats feel the excitement

At the least, the ongoing Democratic presidential race is giving activists in states where the party usually is hopelessly outmatched in White House elections a chance to rally their forces -- and raise some cold, hard cash.

In Indiana, site of a now-crucial primary on May 6, the state Democratic chairman adroitly re-scheduled the date of the party's annual spring dinner from April 18 to May 4 -- and made a point of inviting both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to attend.

No Democratic presidential candidate has won Indiana (which now has 11 electoral votes) since Lyndon Johnson did so in his 1964 landslide. And the odds should be against either Obama or Clinton this fall. But their nomination battle almost assuredly will make the state party's banquet a much livelier, and far more lucrative, affair than in the past.

Carrying North Dakota's three electoral votes will be an even stiffer challenge for the Democratic ticket in November -- George Bush garnered 63% of the vote there in 2004 and, again, Johnson was the last Democrat to carry it. But the state party is taking advantage of Obama's appeal (he easily won the state's caucuses on Feb. 5) to build up ...

its treasury.

Obama has agreed to deliver the keynote address at North Dakota's Democratic convention this Friday (presumably, he'll piggyback this trip with some stops in South Dakota, which holds its primary on June 3). Folks can hear him at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks for free. But if they'd like to greet him at a reception beforehand, that will cost $100 a ticket -- "with all funds raised going to the state party," Jamie Selzler, its executive director, assured fellow Democrats in a recent blog posting.

Obama will arrive in North Dakota in the midst of a mini-tempest in which he is an unwitting part. A recent skit at North Dakota State University, put on as part of a charity fundraiser, featured a white student in blackface portraying Obama and receiving a lap dance.

Also as part of the skit -- which clearly qualifies on several levels for the characterization "sophomoric" -- two students dressed as cowboys expressed their affection for one other, a la "Brokeback Mountain."

Josh Reimnitz, the school's student government president, was among the audience members and termed the performance "totally tasteless" (no kidding). University officials are investigating (not surprisingly). More about the flap can be found here.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[We take no prisoners and eat the wounded !]

Trrust the democrats to exploit shocking vice and sexual
depravity for fun and profit. So Barack will preside over
yet another orgy...as if further proof was required to
disqualify the bum from ever becoming commander in chief. That liberal impostor,masquarading as a republican,
Larry Craig , would be the idel maître D.

[Deeply imbedded]

Tuesday, April 1, 2008
President Gore Continues Bold Initiative
President Gore arose today rested and hopeful, proclaiming in an early rose garden speech. “The world has turned the first of many corners”. He cited the standing ovation he received yesterday at the United Nations, and the resulting worldwide positive comments on his continued pledge to lift the planet from the burden of fossil fuels.

“The United States will continue its policy of investing in the future?.

“I pledge another trillion dollars for research. We have already created a million new Green jobs in America and by establishing this worldwide fund we hope to bring every nation, including those emerging from poverty, support so they may leap into the twenty-first century with the rest of us. This will bring world peace, save the ozone layer, and restore the proper balance to our beautiful planet. No longer must we worry that our great port cities will be flooded by the end of the century. I know, there will be some who will be reluctant to throw away those old chimneys, reluctant to give up their oil revenues, reluctant to move forward. But this must be done for America and the world.”

For the complete speech click here.

Chris Mathews, said “This is the President we wanted. This bold move reminds us of our great presidents of the past.”

There has been some Republican grumbling, in the house and senate, about the “enormous waste”...the deficit spending of a trillion dollars on hope and the factories of the future. “But, there are so few of them left in congress that this does not matter”, said Ted Kennedy.

The CEO of Exxon, Robert Bundle, said “The oilmen will not stand for this”. However polls show the nation is behind the President.

Said Chris Mathews. "Why wouldn’t the people be behind him. We live in a time of prosperity, peace and bold new change, and Bundle, he’s a dinosaur”.

On a sad footnote, George W Bush died last night of cirrhosis of the liver, brought on by his return to alcoholism after his loss to Gore in the 2000 election. Reports are few but it is said he died in his own juices, choking on his own saliva, bundled up and trapped in some brush. His father, former president George Bush senior, said “the family mourns... Poor Georgie, he could never measure up.”

The service for the former Texas governor will be private. “He will be put to rest in the Texas dirt he loved”

Posted by Deeply Imbedded at 7:01 AM 0 comments