The MarxistGopher Report

RNC march route may not handle the crowd

2008-06-10T09:06:00.000-05:00

Approved streets can fit about 40,000, short of turnout estimates
By Jason Hoppin

An analysis of the route granted to protesters for marching at the Republican National Convention raises questions about whether it's large enough to contain a standing crowd of 50,000 comfortably, let alone a moving crowd of people carrying peace signs and chanting anti-war slogans.

The route, which runs from the Capitol to the Xcel Energy Center along Cedar and West Seventh streets, has a surface area of less than 400,000 square feet — enough for a loose crowd of 40,000, using standard crowd-estimation measures.

That's without factoring in medians, barriers, protest signs, strollers and other objects that might subtract from the space available to marchers.

The St. Paul Police Department expressed confidence that the route granted two weeks ago could accommodate the anticipated number of protesters. Spokesman Tom Walsh cited the June 1 Grand Old Day event in St. Paul as evidence of the route's adequacy.

"Look at what 300,000 people look like in a space about as long," Walsh said.

Walsh also noted that the protest will be staggered, with groups starting the march in succession. He stressed that he did not believe the route's length would be an issue.

But protesters said it verifies their concerns. Sarah Martin, with the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, said her group believes from past experience that the route is not adequate.

"The police are underestimating the effect of that many people in that small of an area," Martin said. "... Everybody seems to know it, actually. The instinct is it won't happen in an orderly way."

Protesters have questioned the route on several fronts and filed an unsuccessful appeal to the St. Paul City Council. They question the time frame — the march along the route is authorized by police to begin at noon Sept. 1 — and the fact that marchers are expected to retrace their steps along West Seventh Street once they reach the Xcel Energy Center.

"If the route has to double back on itself, then it means you can only fit about 20,000," said Sara Flounders, an organizer for the New York-based Troops Out Now Coalition, which plans to protest the convention.

The Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War is seeking an alternative route that crosses Interstate 94 along John Ireland Boulevard and arrives at the Xcel Energy Center via Kellogg Boulevard. While protesters prefer the route because of its visibility, it is not longer — at about three-quarters of a mile, it is identical in length to the route through downtown St. Paul.

The convention, where the Republican Party is expected to nominate John McCain as its presidential candidate, will run Sept. 1-4 at the Xcel Energy Center.

The Pioneer Press measured the distance of the march route and the varying width of the streets along the route. It also factored in a triangular block across from Xcel Energy Center that will be used as a free-speech area, along with the streets surrounding the triangle. The figure was then divided by 10 square feet, a standard area used, per person, for estimating the size of a crowd.

Whether the route's length is cause for concern also depends on whether protesters' predictions of 50,000 marchers are reasonable.

Gauging expected crowd size by looking at past conventions is difficult. While both Democratic and Republican conventions have been targeted, much of the anti-war movement's ire is directed at Republican lawmakers. The only Republican convention since the Iraq war began was in 2004 in New York City — and St. Paul is no New York.

There, an estimated 500,000 people marched the day before the convention. Local protest organizers have estimated a fraction of that number will be in St. Paul.

But there are reasons to believe the protesters' estimate of 50,000 is plausible.

Two years ago, police estimated a crowd of 30,000 for an immigrants' rights rally near the state Capitol. That was the largest crowd since 35,000 congregated outside the Capitol following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The Twin Cities also seem ripe to generate the kind of interest needed for a crowd that size. Both cities have reputations for being liberal, with former St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly suffering an overwhelming re-election defeat following his 2004 endorsement of President Bush.

Furthermore, there are dozens of colleges and universities in the two cities, with the 10 largest having a combined enrollment in excess of 100,000. Many students will have just begun a new academic year when the convention begins and will not be in class because of the Labor Day holiday Sept. 1.

"I think we have every reason to believe that the organizers of the march and rally have their finger on the pulse," said Judith LeBlanc, national organizer for New York-based United for Peace and Justice, an umbrella group that includes 1,400 left-leaning organizations. "From our vantage point, the mood out there is to be in the streets."

Teresa Nelson, a lawyer from the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union who represents the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, is conducting a similar analysis.

"We are looking at capacity," Nelson said, "but we haven't come to any conclusions yet."

U.S Out of Iraq: All Out for Sept. 1 RNC protest

2008-06-10T09:05:00.001-05:00

Editorial by Freedom Road Socialist Organization

On Sept. 1, 2008 the Republican Party will hold its national convention at the Xcel Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They will be there to nominate John McCain for president, and justify the wars against - and occupations of - Iraq and Afghanistan. The Republicans will gather to celebrate economic policies that have brought riches to the few and foreclosures, homelessness and unemployment to the many. Republican delegates will cheer the anti-immigrant attacks as party leaders try to use racism to cement their reactionary supporters. We can also expect attacks from the podium on women's rights to control our own bodies and attacks on gay marriage.

The main thing the Republicans will be doing in Saint Paul is building support for John McCain in his bid to continue Bush's policies of the past eight years. John McCain has said that the U.S. occupation of Iraq could last for 100 years and that he wants to make sure the rich remain as wealthy as possible by keeping tax cuts and the cuts to healthcare and education that go with them. The Republican National Convention (RNC) will try to shore up support and U.S. national chauvinist fervor for the Iraq occupation throughout the convention. Five years of war is more than long enough. The troops need to come home now so that the Iraqi people can take control of and begin to rebuild their own country. The government needs to stop running up trillions in debt that our children and grandchildren will be paying off and that will lead to even more cuts in health care, education and other human needs in the name of a failed strategy to dominate the Middle East.

All of us know what is wrong with the politics and policies of the Republicans. Sept. 1 is the time to change knowing into doing. Bush, Cheney and the lesser-known but equally powerful will be together on location in Saint Paul. The RNC is a prime opportunity to bring our demands directly to the war-makers. Not only will the architects of the occupation be in Saint Paul, 10,000 journalists from around the world will be there as well. This is one of those rare times when the whole world really will be watching and we cannot allow the only message to be shiny happy Republicans dancing on the dead men, women and children of Iraq for their own political gain. We have a right to march against the war and the Republican agenda. The police are seeking impede that right by issuing a permit that makes it difficult for tens of thousands to march on the Xcel Center. Organizers in Minneapolis and Saint Paul need our support between now and September to win the battle for an acceptable permit.

Many people are planning many different activities that will send powerful messages to both the Republicans and the world. The permitted march on Sept. 1, organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, is a very important event. In the course of the four days of the convention many movements with many tactics will be seeking to challenge the Republican agenda. While there may be differences of emphasis, issues or tactics, organizers are striving for a sense of unity and solidarity. Saint Paul police have already formed a special unit for the purpose of dividing us from each other. We can't allow them to succeed.

Organizers have come together around a number of important principles. These principles say in part that our solidarity will be based on respect for a diversity of tactics and the plans of other groups. That debates on tactics will stay internal to the movement, avoiding any public or media denunciations of fellow activists and events. Another principle is opposition to state repression of dissent and a refusal to assist law enforcement actions against activists and others. Furthermore, a separation of time or space will be maintained to allow for different kinds of protests to take place. This set of principles is very good and is part of what will allow the largest and strongest demonstrations against the war and occupation.

The Republican Convention will come one week after the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The Denver convention will also see protests against the war. For too long the Democrats have been complicit in carrying out the occupation of Iraq and they should also be held accountable for empty promises to end the war.

Here is a promise that we know will be kept. On Sept. 1 a diverse coalition of activists will gather to March on the RNC. Tens of thousands will march from the State Capitol to the Xcel Center to stop the war and oppose the Republican agenda. Peace activists and anti-imperialists, veterans, trade union members, immigrant workers, low-income families, anti-police brutality and anti-globalization activists, communists and anarchists will march together. We will march to be heard, we will march to stop the war and we will march to show the world that real opposition exists to the Republican agenda.

U.S. out of Iraq now

Money for human needs, not for war

Say no to the Republican agenda

Demand peace, justice and equality

Incomplete Justice - Part Two: Stalking RFK?

2008-05-28T08:54:00.000-05:00

by Larry Hancock, 23 May 2008

The LAPD eventually chose to repudiate, reject or filter all the witness observations suggesting that other individuals (specifically a young woman and two men) were acting suspiciously and possibly in company with Sirhan Sirhan. Certainly even sincere eyewitnesses do make mistakes under stressful circumstances. But such mistakes normally involve the details of physical description and appearance. If we accept the LAPD conclusions, we are left with an entire series of witnesses who apparently created observations (including the wording of verbal exchanges) out of whole cloth - and somehow managed to independently place the individuals observed in a series of consistent locations and times.

In addition to the Bernsteins and Sandra Serrano, a considerable number of witnesses reported a specific combination of suspicious individuals around and in apparent contact with Sirhan that night at the Ambassador Hotel. Those observations become even more credible when placed in the context of reported observations of two men and a young woman in company with Sirhan during the two weeks prior to the murder of Senator Kennedy. In several cases those individuals appear to actually have been “stalking” the Senator.
Robbies Restaurant, Pomona California, May 20th 1968

A 400 person campaign luncheon was being held for RFK in the second floor dining area of the restaurant. Albert LeBeau, the night manager, was called on duty to act as ticket screener on the staircase leading to the function. William Schneid, a Pomona police officer, was assigned to security duty in the restaurant.

Schneid encountered a young woman standing by the kitchen door of the restaurant, apparently trying to get inside through that door. He informed her that the door was locked and she then asked him which way Senator Kennedy would enter the luncheon. He told her that RFK would probably go up the stairs to the second floor.

Later, Schneid observed the same young woman, along with a young man, cross over a brick façade adjacent to the stairs, climb over the stair railing behind people checking tickets at the foot of the stairs – only to be intercepted by LeBeau at his position further up the stairs. LeBeau challenged the pair and the woman responded “we are with the Senator’s party.” LeBeau told her that they still needed tickets, to which she responded, “we are part of the Senator’s party; he just waved us upstairs.” Later, he observed them standing apart from the gathering, at the rear of the luncheon room on the second floor. [1]

At that point he was struck by the fact that the man had a coat over his arm, even though it was a very warm day, and he also appeared to be in what amounted to a “crouch”. LeBeau challenged them as to why they were at the back of the room if they were really with the party and the young man turned on him and angrily asked “what the hell is it to you?” [2]

In addition to LeBeau and Schneid, the owner of the restaurant, Mrs. Felicia Maas, also recalled the incident with the young couple. However, she had not been close enough to them to offer any identification.

LAPD records show that LeBeau was fairly certain the young man was Sirhan but would not swear it under oath. LeBeau had successfully picked Sirhan’s photo from a sample set of 25 young dark skinned males but failed to pick out another photo of Sirhan taken from his Racing Commission ID. Schneid apparently did not participate in any photo reviews. Although there is no supporting information in LeBeau’s files (portions of which are missing), the final LAPD report states LeBeau “initially stated the man was Sirhan, but later admitted he lied”. There is also no remark about the importance of the man being with a young woman or about corroboration of the incident from police office Schneid and the restaurant owner. [3]
Kennedy Campaign headquarters, Azuza California, May 30th 1968

Laverne Botting, a 41 year old RFK campaign worker, observed a young woman and two young men enter the Azuza campaign office. One of the young men approached Botting at her desk and said that he was from the RFK headquarters in Pasadena (Sirhan lived in Pasadena at the time). He wanted to know if RFK would be visiting that area. Botting told the young man that RFK would not. In an interview with the LAPD, Botting picked Sirhan out of a photo display as closely resembling the man who had spoken with her. She accurately described Sirhan’s height, black eyes and kinky black hair.

Independently of Botting, Ethel Crehan, another volunteer in the office, called police and told them that she was “fairly certain” that Sirhan had come into the office. She said she could be sure if she could see him in person, so was Botting. Neither women was offered the opportunity to view Sirhan in a line-up.

The police did check with the Pasadena RFK office staff and were told that there would have been no reason for that office to send anyone to Azuza to check a schedule. For some reason, that seems to have played a part in the police decision to discount the importance of Botting and Crehan’s observation.

No transcript exists of the Botting interview, the officer in charge closed out her file with the remark that she “had obviously made an honest mistake.” Although no one other than the police should have known of Botting’s report, she later received a threatening phone call at home – “ I hear you think you saw Sirhan; you had better be sure of what you are saying!” [4]

Crehan’s report was closed because the officer noted that her estimate of the man’s height was three to four inches above Sirhan’s actual height (although still relatively short at 5’8”). For this reason he felt “it was doubtful she observed Sirhan.”
Santa Ana Mountains, south of Corona, California, June 1, 1968

Dean Pack, a Santa Ana insurance executive was hiking with his son in a secluded part of the Santa Ana Mountains. After the assassination, he recognized Sirhan as “strongly resembling” a young man whom they had encountered during their hike. The young man was shooting at cans set up on a hillside, shooting with a pistol. The young man was in the company of a girl (in her early twenties with long brunet hair) and another man who was around six feet tall, with sandy colored hair and a ruddy complexion.

The main thing that struck Pack “was how unfriendly they were.” The shooter refused to reply or talk to Pack, standing and glaring at him. The tall young man was the only one who would even acknowledge his greeting. Their hostility was so strong that Pack had the “funny sensation that it would be possible for them to put a bullet in your back” and was relived to get out of their sight.

Pack reported the incident to the FBI, offering to take them to the spot to recover bullets or shell casings and look for fingerprints on the bottles and cans being handled by the three. The FBI was uninterested.

A two-sentence LAPD report on Pack states that he “was exhibited a photograph of Sirhan” and said that the man he saw “strongly resembled” Sirhan but that he “was not positive of the identification.” When interviewed by Christian in 1969, Pack stated that he had only talked to the police on the telephone, had been shown no picture and still felt that the young man he and his son had seen shooting was Sirhan. [5]

The lack of police interest in Pack’s report is particularly strange since they had developed considerable evidence that Sirhan was indeed in the Corona area on June 1, shooting his gun. Detective Chief Houghton described the “Corona Police Department Gun Range investigation” on pages 251 and 252 of Special Unit Senator. The range master, William Marks (a Corona policeman) identified Sirhan from a photo display, as did Harry Starr, the range assistant. In addition, the sign in log for the range contained Sirhan’s signature and the District Attorney’s handwriting expert gave an official opinion that it was indeed Sirhan’s.

The only issue with the Corona range sighting was that both men reported Sirhan in the company of another man and both apparently gave a description of Sirhan which would have had him a good deal too tall as well as too heavy (the height and weight of the second man would have been much closer to Sirhan). Because of the discrepancy in the descriptions, the police officially rejected the sighting. However, Chief Houghton himself seems to be of a different opinion on the incident, closing his own writing on the incident by stating that Sirhan probably had used up his bullets at the range, causing him to purchase the two boxes of ammunition that a sales receipt found in his car had recorded for that date. In fact, Houghton opens the third section of his book with a statement that Sirhan had spent time at the Corona practice range that day!

In addition to the incidents noted above, there is an ongoing pattern of Sirhan “stalking” RFK at other public appearances. That pattern will be discussed at more length in an essay on Sirhan. However, his association with others, specifically a young girl, continued on to repeated sightings at the Ambassador hotel.
At the Ambassador – Sunday evening

Karen Ross was interviewed by Ramparts Detectives on June 6, 1968. She stated that while attending a rally for RFK in the Coconut Grove room in the Ambassador Hotel, the Sunday before the assassination, she had observed a young woman in a polka dot dress at the rally. The woman was medium height, somewhat “husky” with dark blond hair worn with a “puff”. Ross thought there was something unusual about the girls nose, possibly it had been “fixed”.

Sirhan was also at the Ambassador that evening. He was positively identified as having been in the Coconut Grove room by Mrs. Susan Redding and later in the vicinity of the Embassy ballroom by Burt Blume. Blume knew Sirhan personally because he had worked next door from him and Sirhan had dropped by frequently, making small talk. In RFK Must Die!, Robert Kaiser wrote that at first Sirhan denied being at the Ambassador on Sunday, then admitted being at the hotel but specifically called two individuals who reported him in the area of the kitchen, liars.
At the Ambassador – election night

The evening of the primary election, Irene Gizzi noticed a group of three people “who just didn’t seem to be dressed properly for the occasion.” The individuals were talking amongst each other and didn’t fit in with the exuberant crowd. The young woman in the group had on a polka dot dress and was with a young man with a dark complexion, dark hair and a gold colored shirt. She felt that the third man might well have been Sirhan. [6]

Gizza was in the company of a friend, Katherine Keir, who corroborated her observation of the group and gave a very similar description of the individuals including the girl being in a polka dot dress and one man being in a gold colored shirt.

Later that night, during Kennedy’s speech, Roy Mills observed a group of five people (including a woman) in the hallway outside the Embassy room. He identified one as Sirhan, remembering him specifically for his baggy pants. Mills had the impression that one of the men was a hotel employee. [7]

Darnell Johnson, one of the pantry shooting witnesses, described four men and a girl in the pantry as RFK was entering. One of the men was Sirhan. The girl was in a polka dot dress. The girl and the men walked out of the pantry as everyone was rushing to RFK and wrestling with Sirhan. [8]

As previously related, witnesses observed the young woman and man hurrying out of the pantry and corridor after the shooting, their reports trace the couple moving through the Embassy room and out towards the rear stairs and parking lot.
Accessories?

A young woman, medium height, medium weight, good figure -“busty” - with dark (dishwater) blonde hair, with a puff (bouffant look) at the front. Seen with Sirhan in company with young men prior to election night, making inquiries into RFK’s movements and reportedly gleeful after the Senator’s shooting.

A young man, short to medium height, dark skinned, similar in appearance to Sirhan or to one of Sirhan’s brothers.

A young man, taller, possibly six feet, sandy colored hair and a ruddy complexion.

The young woman, the tall young man, Sirhan – all reported loitering in the vicinity of the corridor and pantry during RFK’s speech. Reported in the pantry corridor as Robert Kennedy exited after his speech. Reported fleeing the pantry corridor and Embassy room as the rest of the observers were in shock, wounded, assisting RFK or wrestling with Sirhan.

It would appear that within a few days of the assassination, LAPD had sufficient information to create a picture of a group of individuals associated with Sirhan Sirhan in the weeks prior to Senator Kennedy’s murder and in the Ambassador hotel, in contact with Sirhan prior the shooting and even at the scene of the crime. Even if they were not participants in the shooting itself, they were in contact with Sirhan, encouraging and apparently assisting him. But for all their charts, timelines and diagrams, this was clearly one series of dots not connected by Special Unit Senator. They did seem to develop a bit of an attitude about the whole subject though.

Next in the Incomplete Justice series - Part Three: "They are all fibbing..."

RNC anti-war protests: Saint Paul city council rejects appeal, permit fight continues

2008-05-23T07:50:00.000-05:00

By Mick Kelly

St. Paul, MN - Organizers of the massive anti-war march scheduled for Sept. 1, the opening day of the Republican National Convention, slammed the Saint Paul city council for turning down the permit appeal, May 21. By a six to one vote, the Council voted to uphold the unworkable permit that was issued for the protest on May 15.

"The permit issued by the city May 15 does not allow for the massive anti-war march that we are organizing for Sept. 1. People are coming from all over the country to protest the war on Iraq. Tens of thousands are expected to march on the Xcel Center. The permit issued by the city does not allow for that in practice," said Meredith Aby of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War.

In testimony before the city council, Aby talked about the problems with the permit. She noted that the start and end times will not allow for many of the demonstrators to make it from the starting point at the Minnesota state capitol building to the Xcel Center. She also noted that the limited turnaround area at the Xcel Center and the expectation that demonstrators would march back on the same route that they came were unworkable.

Bruce Nestor of the National Lawyers Guild told the council that the permit did not meet the constitutional requirements for allowing free speech. Statements criticizing the city's permit - from Leslie Cagen, of United for Peace with Justice and Sara Flounders, of the Troops Out Now Coalition - were distributed to council members.

In a press conference before the city council meeting began, Deb Konechne of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War stated that politicians who were interfering with the planned anti-war march were in fact complicit with the war in Iraq.

Organizers of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War will continue the fight for permits that allow for a visible, mass protest as RNC opens Sept. 1.

Incomplete Justice Part One: At the Ambassador Hotel

2008-05-21T11:48:00.000-05:00

by Larry Hancock, 19 May 2008

The California campaign had been hard on the Senator. Everyone knew it was make or break for him. He had to win California to be able to have any chance of gaining the Democratic presidential nomination. Southern California had been especially difficult; he been unable to complete an election eve appearance in San Diego due to sheer exhaustion. [1]

But by late in the evening on June 4th, 1968, after watching election returns seemingly trickle in all evening, Robert Kennedy was in an upbeat mood, ready to claim victory. He would do so before a jam-packed crowd of campaign workers in the Embassy ballroom of the Ambassador Hotel. The crowd loved the short speech. They especially enjoyed a parting remark, directed towards Mayor Sam Yorty – “Mayor Yorty has just sent us a message that we’ve been here too long already!” [2]

Yorty, the outspoken right-wing mayor of Los Angeles, was no friend of the Senator. Kennedy had chided him for his racial insensitivity and his handling of the Watts riots during congressional hearings. The mayor, with his own presidential ambitions, had adamantly continued to support everything that RFK was opposed to in 1968 – and Yorty’s ultra-conservative power base in southern California was even more volatile than the mayor of Los Angeles. In the hours immediately following the Senator’s murder, Mayor Yorty made several efforts to focus the media on connecting Sirhan to Communists; he also revealed Sirhan’s private notebooks to the press. [3]
Security at the Ambassador

Whether or not Mayor Yorty’s attitude had anything to do with it, one thing was abundantly clear about the security surrounding Robert Kennedy that evening – the Los Angeles Police Department had no part in it. In fact, with over 1,800 Kennedy people packing into the Embassy ballroom and three other political functions going on in surrounding areas of the hotel, not a single LAPD officer was on the premises. A small number of hotel security, hired Ace Security guards and LA fire department personnel were trying to deal with the huge crowds in the hotel. [4] The only officers in the general area were driving their regular neighborhood patrols.

There remains considerable controversy about the lack of police involvement at the Ambassador Hotel. Following the assassination, un-named LAPD sources suggested off the record that the Kennedy staff had rejected offers of police security. In Special Unit Senator, Chief of Detectives Houghton writes that no protection had been requested; “in fact it had been discouraged.” [5] Kennedy staff members denied any security offers from the LAPD. William Turner relates that Mayor Yorty himself stressed that RFK had told LAPD that he wanted no protection in Los Angles and that Kennedy’s campaign staff refuted Yorty. [6]

There is further background to the controversy over security. The first LAPD officer to arrive at the Ambassador had been on local car patrol that evening and his encounter with witnesses in a rear parking lot of the hotel would become critically important in both implications of conspiracy and of suggestions of suppression of evidence by LAPD personnel. During a debriefing after his activities at the Ambassador, Sgt. Sharaga was told by Rampart Division Commander Capt. Floyd Phillips that the Kennedy’s and specifically Ethel Kennedy had violently rejected offers of LAPD security. More dramatically, Phillips seemed very agitated on the subject, remarking “the hell with them, they got just what they deserved!” [7]

Phillip’s remarks supported similar information that had been expressed to Sharaga in the Ambassador rear parking lot around 12:30 by Watch Commander Robert Sillings. Sillings had informed Sharaga that no police were stationed in the Ambassador because two days before (which could be interpreted as either been Saturday or Sunday) Sillings and Phillips had personally met with the Senator and his wife. The Kennedy’s had adamantly refused police security and Ethel Kennedy had insulted the officers, swearing at them as she rejected police security. Study of the trip schedule for the Senator has so far revealed no indication of a meeting between Ethel Kennedy and the LAPD, over that weekend or at any other time during the California campaign. And the RFK staff members most involved in the California campaign Jessie Unrah and Frank Burns adamantly denied any meetings or offer from LAPD. [8]

On August 29, 1976, the LA Herald-Examiner bannered a front page story under the title “Did RFK’s Order Seal His Death.” That story repeated the line that RFK ordered police bodyguards to stop protecting him. Turner and Christain interviewed retired LAPD security specialist Marion Hoover on the subject and quoted him as saying that LAPD had created a special “hot-squad” to guard Kennedy but they had been ordered off by the Senator. Hoover also described special Secret Service protection for the Senator and inferred that RFK preferred to depend on them over LAPD security.

That seems to be an elaboration of the story initially related to Sgt. Sharaga, but with the addition of the Secret Service element - which seems improbable since at that time the Secret Service was not legally authorized to provide security for Presidential candidates. That was only ordered and made into law after the Senator’s murder. SUS (Special Unit Senator, the LAPD murder investigation special group to investigate RFK’s murder) files obtained by Christian and Turner do reflect a pre-assassination meeting between Phillips and Sillings with two retired LAPD detectives, both of whom held key security positions at the Ambassador Hotel. [9]
RFK’s movements

Fortunately the crowds at the hotel were happy, enthusiastic and largely cooperative. Even so, the ten or so hotel security personnel and a handful of guards hired for the evening from the Ace Guard Service were stretched to the limit just controlling access at the main doors and hallways of the huge hotel. [10] Some of the Ace guards were at the public doors leading into the Embassy ballroom where Robert Kennedy was to speak to his presidential campaign supporters around midnight. But as with most hotel banquet rooms, there was easy access via service doors at the rear, doors normally used by catering and set-up staff. Few of these doors were secured and what guards were in those areas circulated from place to place throughout the evening.

The lack of effective security can be seen in the movements of one young man who had no press or Kennedy campaign connections. Evan so, Michael Wayne managed to enter not only the Embassy Room but also the Kennedy suite (Royal suite) on the fifth floor. He ordered a scotch and soda at the bar, and then followed the Kennedy party downstairs. [11]

As the party prepared to leave the suite, Robert Kennedy had expressed a desire not to have to cope with the crowds in the hotel lobby and corridors; in response, an Ambassador hotel manager led the party down in a freight elevator and then out through the kitchen. From there they moved into the service pantry and on through a corridor which led to the stage for the Embassy ballroom. The pantry and corridor were filled with people, and young Mr. Wayne managed to confront RFK and talk him into autographing a poster. Later, Wayne would end up standing in the pantry, immediately behind Sirhan Sirhan, as the Senator’s party left the stage via the service hallway. Wayne (whose real name was Wien) fled the pantry at the time of the shooting, claimed not to have seen neither either or the shooting and was dragged down by suspicious bystanders while running though the hotel.

It seems clear that anyone interested enough to monitor Kennedy’s movements might well have expected him to leave the Embassy ballroom the same way he had come in – via the service corridor and pantry area. The corridor also offered an alternative route to the adjacent Colonial Room, set up for the press contingent, in case Kennedy didn't want to move off the stage into a crowded and wildly celebrating room.

There has long been considerable controversy over the Senator’s departure through the service hall rather than through the crowd in the ballroom. Even Kennedy campaign staff members have claimed the plan was to exit though the crowd and that the exit though the service hall and pantry was a last minute decision. Given the crush of people in the room and the Senator’s earlier request, an exit to avoid the crowds does not seem terribly suspicious. After the assassination, the LAPD and the FBI interviewed security personnel who stated that Kennedy staff had told them, well before the Senator arrived to make his address, that RFK would be exiting though the pantry.

Fred Murphy (aka Pat Murphy) was interviewed by the FBI on June 13, 1968. Murphy, a retired LAPD Lt., was employed by the Ambassador as Hotel on its own security staff. He told the FBI that the evening of June 4, he had been stationed in the general area of the pantry during the Senator’s speech. He stated that he learned from an un-named female member of the Kennedy campaign staff that following the speech the Senator would exit from the rear of the stage, proceed through the service hall and pantry and go directly to the Colonial room which was being used as a press room. Murphy stated that this Security Officer William Gardner was present at the time he was given this information. Gardner was also identified as the head hotel security staffer by Thane Cesar, a part time Ace Security guard, who was to end up leading the Senator into the pantry and was holding his arm immediately prior to the shooting. [12]

In an LAPD interview, Cesar described getting his evening assignments from Mr. Gardner. Cesar also described being moved to the pantry area some time around 10 p.m. At that time he was told that Kennedy would be coming in the back entrance to the stage via the service pantry (this appears to be in direct contrast of most reports which state that the Senator only requested at the last moment that they not use the crowd packed main hallways into the ballroom). Cesar gave a more detailed description of his own movements, stating that at first (circa 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. or midnight) he had stayed near the doors which give access to the service hall and kitchen (these doors are adjacent to the side hall by the Colonial room which contains rest rooms and dead ends in the service hallway doors).

Cesar described stopping a number of people trying to use these doors to sneak into the Ambassador ballroom though the rear service entrances. Various individuals interviewed by police describe trying to go that route, some being stopped by security and some passing through. One witness describes an individual closely resembling Sirhan talking animatedly with a security guard in the vicinity of those doors.

Cesar described being moved further back in the service hall around 11 p.m. and being positioned by the double doors which are between the kitchen/serving pantry and the portion of the service hall which provides access to the rear of the Embassy ballroom stage. Cesar was there as RFK came into address the crowd and remained there until he exited after the speech, taking his arm as they moved forward into the serving pantry. In one police interview, Cesar went further, stating that the security officer had ordered him to “stay next to Bobby and try and clear the press so that they don’t gang up on him.” [13]

Fred Murphy’s own statement does not confirm these details from Cesar but does acknowledge being informed in advance of the Senator’s planned route after his speech. Murphy stated that about half way through the speech (circa 12:15 p.m.), he observed that there was not guard on the service hall doors (by the Colonial room) leading into the kitchen, so he stationed himself by those doors to prevent the crowd from rushing into the service hall and blocking the Senator. This does make some sense if Cesar was ordered off those doors and back further into the service hall by Gardner, or even if Cesar had moved at his own initiative. It also suggests that there was a window of about an hour when any number of people could, and apparently did, enter the service hall from the side hallway in front of the Colonial room. Just such a window of opportunity is confirmed by Leonore Moser, a student worker for Kennedy, who attempted to enter the main Embassy room door but was stopped; she in turn went into the kitchen hallway through the doors by the Colonial room and from there into the Embassy room through side doors in the service hall. She observed no uniformed guards or security personnel at the doors or in the kitchen hallway; this was only a few minutes prior to the beginning of the Senator’s speech.

However, about half way through the Senator’s speech, this access was blocked by Murphy positioning himself at the doors. [14] Judith Groves confirms Murphy’s position, describing how she and her husband were stopped from entering the kitchen hallway by a security guard after the Senator’s speech. [15]
All units, ambulances, shooting, 3400 Wilshire Blvd.

Sgt. Paul Sharaga had arrived at Rampart Station shortly before midnight on June 4th, 1968. By sheer coincidence he happened to be almost immediately across from the Ambassador when the all units message was broadcast. He immediately took the 8th street entrance and entered the rear parking lot; at approximately 12:21 he slammed on his breaks about 150 feet from the hotel complex. [16]

He had just stepped out of the police cruiser when a woman ran past him yelling “He’s been shot!” Sharaga turned to chase her down but at that point a middle aged couple ran up to him, also yelling that Senator Kennedy had been shot. Sharaga immediately asked them how they knew the Senator had been shot. The woman pointed toward the dimly lit backside of the hotel complex, to a fire escape ending in a concrete walkway. She said she and her husband had just come from the Embassy ballroom where Kennedy had spoken. They had taken a side door out and on to the fire escape balcony – where they encountered a young couple rushing out of the ballroom.

Accessories, first report – 12:23 a.m.

The young woman was yelling “We shot him! We shot him! The older couple was mystified, the wife asking “Who did you shoot?” The young man said nothing but the girl replied “Kennedy! We shot him! We shot him!”

The young people proceeded on down the fire escape stairs, leaving the older couple terrified and in shock.

Sharaga took notes on the couple (he recalled them saying they were the Bernsteins) and their basic descriptions of the young people, early 20’s, medium height and build, the girl wearing a black and white polka dotted dress. And the older couple were certain about what they had heard, as the girl was talking, both she and the young man had big smiles on their faces – they appeared absolutely gleeful. At 12:23 a.m. Sgt Sharaga radioed LAPD headquarters that Senator Kennedy had been shot at the Ambassador hotel, describing two suspects and calling available units to the rear parking lot.

Eventually Sharaga received word that a senior officer (Remparts Detective Sgt William Jordon) had taken charge of the crime scene in the kitchen pantry of the hotel. Sharaga tore out the notebook pages with the Bernstein information and sent it off to be hand carried by one of his own officers to Jordon. Shortly afterwards he was approached by Inspector John Powers who told him the shooting suspect was in custody so radio alerts for other suspects were unwarranted.

Sharaga didn’t really agree with that and discussed it with Captain Carroll Kirby; Kirby told him to go ahead and continue radio alerts every ten minutes. However, about half an hour later, Inspector Powers (Acting Chief of LAPD Detectives) contacted Sharaga, told him the shooter was in custody so there were no other suspects. Powers himself called Control, instructing them to disregard Sharaga’s earlier broadcasts – the radio log records Powers instruction that there was only one man “and we don’t want them to get anything started on a big conspiracy.”

Later, Powers would again call Sharaga, ordering him to return the officers that Sharaga had collected to active duty; Powers had brought his own personnel onto the scene. In the following days, Sharaga would hear more about the polka dot dress girl; he assumed the information he had passed to Sgt. Jordon that evening had become part of the suspect file on her.

Accessories, corroboration - 12:35 p.m.

John Ambrose, LA Deputy District Attorney, was in the area of the Ambassador hotel when he heard a news bulletin on the Kennedy shooting. He arrived at the hotel in approximately 15 minutes.

Upon entering the hotel’s main entrance, a young woman (Sandra Serrano) came running up to him and asked for his help in informing the proper authorities in regard to an encounter she had experienced. She described meeting two young people in the vicinity of the emergency stairway outside the Embassy ballroom at the rear of the hotel. In passing her, the girl had stated “We just shot him! When Serrano asked who had been shot the girl replied “We just shot Senator Kennedy!” [17]

Ambrose immediately asked Serrano if the woman could have actually said “They just shot Senator Kennedy” and Serrano replied that she was sure the girl said “we” and used the name “Kennedy”. Serrano gave Ambrose the following descriptions – the girl a Caucasian, early twenties, very “shapely”, wearing a black and white polka dot dress. The young man was Latin in appearance (Mexican-American as perceived by Serrano) with black hair and a gold sweater.

In his follow-on letter to the LAPD, Ambrose stated that Serrano impressed him as a very sincere person and although she was very alarmed and excited, Serrano was positive about the girl’s statements. Ambrose had taken down contact information on Serrano and had personally taken Serrano to the shooting scene and turned her over to investigation officers as a witness. Upon identifying himself to officers and presenting Serrano as a witness, the two were led to a room with LAPD detectives. The detectives talked with Serrano and another witness in the room (Vincent Diperro) listened to the conversation, Diperro commented that he had also seen a girl in a polka dot dress in the pantry at the time of the shooting. Not long after this, Serrano was interviewed on television by the press. Ambrose expressed his concern to the officers about this but they took the attitude that it was too late to do anything about it. [18]

Ambrose was informed by the police they were going to take Serranto to Ramparts for questioning; Serrano requested that Ambrose come along and he followed after calling her Aunt and Uncle with whom she lived. Upon arriving at Ramparts and identifying himself he was told he would not be needed; the following day he called Ramparts and gave detectives the information Serrano had given him. They took his number but made no further contact with him, resulting in his writing a letter to his supervisor on June 7th. In it he mentions being impressed by Serrano and felt that she was not at all impressed with publicity. He had called her at her home the following day and she had expressed regret that she had been interviewed on TV and was in fear for her safety. She told him she was actually about to leave the hotel when she saw him enter and felt compelled to tell someone her story. [19]

Over the next few days, additional witnesses would emerge. They would further corroborate the existence of this particular young woman in a polka dot dress. They would also place her in the vicinity of other people, including someone who looked a good deal like Sirhan Sirhan.

“Somewhat out of place”

Lonny Worthy had brought his wife and a friend to the Ambassador Hotel, hoping to join in the Kennedy victory celebration. Unable to enter the Embassy Room without official campaign or press credentials, they settled for mixing in a first floor room set apart for campaign workers. At about 10 p.m. Lonny went to the bar to get his wife a Coke and accidentally bumped into an individual he would later identify as Sirhan Sirhan. Lonny apologized but received no reply. Later he saw a young woman standing beside the same man; the two weren’t talking with each other, they weren’t talking with anyone.

Worthy described this encounter in an interview with the FBI on June 7, 1968, two days after the attack in which Robert F. Kennedy was fatally wounded. His and several other FBI witness interviews were included in an August 1969 FBI Summary Report – which remained classified until released after FOIA action in 1976. However, Worthy’s observation about the woman and identification of Sirhan didn’t make it into the LAPD’s own Summary Report.

Booker Griffin also lacked campaign credentials; he ended up in the same room as Worthy. Later Griffin recalled eventually noticing two people in the room who “seemed out of place…because everyone else but these two were celebrating.” One was a small, shabbily-dressed man that Griffin would identify to police as Sirhan Sirhan; the second was a girl slightly taller, in a white dress with designs of another color, possibly polka dots. Sirhan and the girl were in proximity to each other but not speaking; Griffin simply had the feeling that they might have been together. [20]
Outside the Colonial Room

As the evening progressed, George Green began to look for his friend Booker Griffin, who he thought would be able to come up with credentials or passes. He found Griffin, who had gotten a press pass, but Griffin was unable to get anything for Green. However, Griffin found that he could enter the Colonial (Press) room by going down the adjacent hall, though the service doors and into the kitchen service hall which ran behind both the Embassy ballroom and the Colonial room. While in the hallway, he observed a group of photographers and press interviewing Frank Mankiewicz; this would have been between 11 and 11:30 p.m.. At that time he noticed the young man whom he would later identify as Sirhan (wearing jeans, a shirt and jacket) standing at the edge of the crowd, along with a taller, thin Caucasian (about 22 years of age) and a female Caucasian (good figure, wearing a polka dot dress). [21]

By 11 p.m., Booker Griffin had managed to obtain a press pass from Pierre Salinger, an acquaintance, which gained him access to both the Embassy ballroom and the Colonial (Press) Room on the second floor. Due to the crowds and heat in the ballroom, Griffin made several trips to the Colonial room which was much cooler and less crowded – using the rear kitchen/service corridor to avoid the crowds trying to enter the ballroom. At around 11:30 he observed the same small man (Sirhan) in the kitchen corridor. [22]

Later, during the Senator’s speech, Griffin encountered Sirhan, a taller white male and a young, blonde haired woman, all standing in proximity to each other. There was now a third person with the two – a young man who was muscular and rather tall, over six feet tall. Griffin would notice Sirhan again a short while later and remark to a friend that he seemed to keep running across this same fellow.

Griffin, Green and Worthy weren’t the only ones that had noticed Sirhan that night – or the young woman. There were also witnesses to the young women in the company of other men, not identified as Sirhan. Pauline Walker tried unsuccessfully to enter the ballroom beginning around 10:30 p.m. When blocked there, she tried the rear kitchen access but was blocked by guards before she could enter the ballroom. Returning to the lobby outside the Embassy room, she waited some time until she recognized a friend who eventually managed to get her into the ballroom. Walker’s LAPD interview of June 6, 1968 relates that she observed a young woman in a polka dot dress, in the company of a young, dark skinned male. The woman was in her 20’s, hair a bit unkempt and described as “busty”. The man was in jeans, a windbreaker and sneakers – with dark hair that appeared greasy. Walker’s independent descriptions are noteworthy for being almost identical to those provided by Sandra Serrano.

Blocked in the service hall?

Griffin and Green’s observations suggests that Sirhan, the young woman in the polka dot dress and the young man were quite familiar with using the service hall. However, the movements of Cesar, Gardner and Murphy may not have allowed them simply to remain in the hallway. Eara Marchman reported to the LAPD that before the assassination, she observed a man in a short blue coat arguing with a uniformed guard who was standing by the swinging kitchen doors. She identified the man as Sirhan although she had only seen him in profile.

In the Embassy Ballroom

Just before RFK and his party entered the Embassy Room for his speech, campaign worker Suzanne Locke had noticed a young woman standing between the stage and the main door. She described the woman as "expressionless" and "somewhat out of place," noting that she had no badge and wore a white dress with blue polka dots. [23] Locke was concerned enough about the girl to report her to Carol Breshears, the woman in charge of the “Kennedy Girls” support organization. Breshears alerted a security guard on the matter, but there is no record that later investigators sought further information about the security guard and what he may or may not have done about this. [24] Locke’s observations on the polka dot dress girl, comprising about a third of her FBI interview, did not make it into the LAPD reports.

Although the girl observed by Susanne Locke might be considered suspicious, it appears that she is not the same girl observed in other locations, in proximity to Sirhan, the tall young man or the darker skinned young man. That girl is generally described as having dark “dishwater” blonde or light brown hair, with a bouffant appearance in the front, having a “good” figure and when seen up close, something “different” about her nose. The girl seen by Locke in the ballroom was described as having long brown hair, tied in the back.

TV footage from the Embassy ballroom and numerous other witness reports make it clear that there were multiple women in polka dotted dresses of various sorts in the hotel the evening of June 4th. Clearly this proved to be a distraction for the LAPD investigation, however there is also no indication that the police attempted to plot the observations, differentiate or collate them in any meaningful fashion. In fact, all follow-up of the various observations regarding a polka dot dressed girl were discounted from further investigation based on the highly questionable police rejection of a single witness – Sandra Serrano.

Outside the ballroom – on the rear stairs:

The next sighting of a suspicious “polka dot dress” girl (not in the company of Sirhan) was made by Sandra Serrano, a “Youth For Kennedy” volunteer. [25]

As previously mentioned, “Sandy” Serrano had been working as a Kennedy volunteer for some time. She had heard the Senator speak many times and had met him briefly in person. The Embassy ballroom was packed with people and extremely warm, so Serrano had left before the Senator arrived for his speech, going downstairs for a drink. While in the lower ballroom she saw the television monitors and realized his speech had begun.

At that point she went back upstairs but decided to wait by the outside stairs at the rear where it was cooler. In two separate police interviews between 2 and 4 am the morning of June 5th, Serrano was interrogated at length and provided a number of additional details. She stated that she had initially seen a three people come up the stairs and that within 15 to 20 minutes they returned.

The people seen going up the stairs included a girl in her 20’s, medium height, Caucasian, brown hair in a polka dot dress. The two men were both short and dark skinned (Serrano assumed they were Mexican). The young man had on a white shirt and gold sweater while the other man had “messed up” clothes and longer (greasy) hair. The girl and the man in the gold sweater came back to exit down the stairs later.

Serrano’s description of the young woman and man with greasy hair is corroborated by the LAPD June 6th interview with Pauline Walker. Mrs. Walker stated that about an hour before the Senator’s speech, prior to her entry into the Embassy room, she had observed a male accompanied by a woman in a polka dot dress. She described the woman as being in her early twenties, medium height and “busty”; the young man was short, dark skinned, and had dark hair slicked down with grease. He was wearing a windbreaker and faded jeans.

“They seemed to be smiling.”

In an FBI interview, RFK campaign worker George Green described following the Kennedy party into the service hall and pantry area. He had just entered the pantry as the shooting broke out, and immediately noticed a young woman in a polka dot dress and a man attempting to get out of the pantry area while everyone else was still moving in behind Senator Kennedy. The two were running away and had their backs to him at that point. Green’s observation was supported by Evan Freed, a press photographer. Freed also observed a young woman and man rush out of the pantry immediately after the shooting. [26]

Booker Griffin had also trailed the Kennedy party towards the pantry; as he entered the pantry itself, he too observed a girl and a man rush out together, followed by a second man who seemed to be chasing them. Griffin recognized the first man and the woman as the same individuals he had seen earlier in the evening, standing in the corridor between the Colonial and Embassy ballrooms - along the man he later identified as Sirhan Sirhan.

The LAPD Summary Report dismisses Griffin’s information by stating that “the story of a male and female escaping was a total fabrication on his part.” However, nothing in the tapes, transcripts or summaries of Griffin’s interviews mentions any indication of this. In 1987, Griffin was shown the statement in the Summary Report and angrily rejected the charge; he described being a trained newsperson and his ability to note details. Since the report was held secret for some twenty years, Griffin and many other witnesses were in no position to know what had been done with their information at the time; as far as they knew, each of their observations was unique. [27]

Dr. Marcus McBroom had been standing outside the access doors to the service pantry corridor when he heard the first couple of gunshots. A young woman immediately ran past him into the Embassy room; she was wearing a polka dot dress and shouting something as she passed. McBroom thought it sounded like “We got him!” or “We shot him!” but at that instant he was not certain. It became clearer to him as he saw the girl quickly followed by a young man. The man had a newspaper over his arm, but McBroom could see a pistol underneath. McBroom and an ABC cameraman both drew away upon seeing the gun. McBroom described the young man as an “Arab looking person” wearing a blue suit and sweating noticeably; when later shown some mug shots, McBroom actually picked out one of Sirhan’s brothers. [28] (Evan Freed had also noted that the man he saw was similar in appearance to Sirhan.)

The LAPD Summary Report does not mention McBroom’s observations about the girl, but does mention that he retracted all additional statements he made other than his noticing that Sirhan Sirhan seemed “out of place.” When interviewed in 1986 by Greg Stone, McBroom denied that he had ever retracted any statements and reviewed the details of the incident, including the partially hidden gun. [29]

Ace Guard Jack Merritt reported to both the LAPD and FBI that he had observed “two men and a woman leaving the kitchen,” the woman wearing a polka dot dress and both of the men in suits: “They seemed to be smiling.” [30]

Far from being unique to each witness, these observations about a young woman and other men were in fact very consistent and mutually corroborative. They appear to demonstrate an ongoing association of individuals with Sirhan Sirhan, and show their movements through the Ambassador Hotel.

After the attack on RFK, the movements of the young woman and at least one man are seem clear. They fled back out of the pantry as the crowd rushed towards Kennedy and other injured bystanders, then out towards the service hall corridor which provided access to the rear emergency stairs. It appears that as they moved down the hall, they first met the Bernstein’s and as they moved down the stairs they encountered Sandra Serrano.

Two days after the shooting, a woman whose called the police and told them she had found a brown paper shopping bag in an alley near her home in west Los Angeles. The bag contained a full set of brand-new women’s clothing: a bra and underpants, a slip, a pair of nylons, black shoes, a black purse with cosmetics and a nine-ounce can of hair spray, and a polka dot dress. An outfit seemingly worn only one time, never laundered. Of course this find may strictly have been a coincidence but the clothing sizes were described and they would be a good match the descriptions of the “well built” young woman seen at the Ambassador Hotel late on the night of June 4th, 1968.

Authors William Klaber and Philip Melanson have noted that the LAPD’s assertion, that in thousands of interviews they discovered no evidence to support the story of the polka dot dress woman, is clearly untrue. It is also apparent that neither the LAPD nor the FBI ever effectively consolidated their investigations, collated accounts, diagramed observations, or attempted to construct any patterns in these observations. When that is done, there is a clear suggestion is that there may well have been accessories to the murder of Senator Kennedy.

That suggestion becomes even stronger when individuals with the same descriptions are found to have been observed “stalking” the Senator in the weeks before the murder – and in company with an individual strongly resembling Sirhan.

Thanks to D.W. Dunn, Pat Speare, David Boylan, Alan Kent, Stu Wexler, and Sherry Fiester for their assistance in the development of this essay.
Next in the Incomplete Justice series - Part Two: Stalking RFK

16 Arrested at UCLA Protesting Fee Increase

2008-05-21T09:15:00.001-05:00

By Eric Gardner

Los Angeles - Chanting, "Regents, regents, can't you see? You're creating poverty!" 16 student activists from UCLA Students for a Democratic Society, the UCLA Student Worker Front and other University of California campuses temporarily brought a meeting of the University of California Regents to a halt May 14 to protest a hike in student fees. The students locked arms and continued chanting until they were physically removed by UC police officers. All were charged with misdemeanor counts of failing to disperse.

Those arrested were part of a larger group of more than 100 student demonstrators from across the UC system that attended the meeting to protest the proposed fee increases.

"Every year that the UC regents increase student fees, thousands of low-income students, and especially students of color, are denied access to higher education," said David Chavez, a UCLA student among those arrested. "Myself and others are tired of the economic oppression that our communities face, which the regents take part in with their efforts to privatize the UCs. The levels of poverty and harm in our communities will not shrink so long as higher education continues on the current track towards a homogeneous and elitist institution."

From May 14-16 UCLA was host to a quarterly meeting of the UC regents - a group of ten people, appointed by the governor, which has final say over all decisions affecting the University of California. While the meeting took place, student activists at UCLA hosted a counter-meeting of their own to agitate for greater democracy in the UC system as well as an end to practices like investment in war profiteering, nuclear weapons research and the constant increasing of tuition and fees.

In a statement released after their arrest, the 16 said that the fee increase, "would mean more out-of-state students...because they bring more revenue for the school, thus limiting space for California residents. It would mean less diversity, as the poorest students - overwhelmingly of color - are effectively excluded from a public education because they simply can't afford it. It would mean families most vulnerable to fee increases would be forced into a false choice of accruing massive debt or not sending their children to school. It would mean pushing the California Dream farther and farther off the coast for much of the state's truly diverse population, as the UC student body becomes both richer and whiter."

The fee increase will raise costs for students by 7.4%, or about $500 per year for resident undergraduates. The slogan "7.4% = 1 month's rent!" could be seen at a display set up by some of the protesters on the UCLA quad.

Thirty years ago, resident students paid nominal registration costs and virtually no tuition, making the cost of a public education almost free. But all this has changed in the era of Republican cutbacks and Democrat 'reforms.' Under the new fees, in-state undergraduates will pay around $8000 each year, a cost that is already far out of reach for many working families in California who are struggling to cope with astronomical prices for rent, gas, food and healthcare.

The only beneficiaries of the constant UC fee increases (which have gone up 91% since 2001) are California's rich. By fighting tooth and nail against any taxes on their enormous incomes, the richest segment of California's population has worked to force the costs of public services on to those least able to afford them. This also pushes public institutions like the UC ever closer to full privatization, directly benefiting the same wealthy interests.

By voting in favor of continuing fee increases, the regents (with the exception of a small minority that opposed the hike) have embraced these trends and chosen to settle the university budget crisis on the backs of the students.

The May 14 civil disobedience action was one of many such actions that have interrupted recent meetings of the regents, as students continue to demand a say in the way their universities are run. In the face of such willful disregard for the needs of the people they are supposed to represent, the regents can expect more frequent - and more militant - actions in the future.

Vegan Terrorists - In preparation for the Republican National Convention, the FBI is soliciting informants to keep tabs on local protest groups

2008-05-16T11:23:00.001-05:00

This article is from the May 14th issue of the City Pages.

"They were looking for an informant to show up at "vegan potlucks" throughout the Twin Cities and rub shoulders with RNC protestors."

Moles Wanted
By Matt Snyders

Paul Carroll was riding his bike when his cell phone vibrated.

Once he arrived home from the Hennepin County Courthouse, where he’d been served a gross misdemeanor for spray-painting the interior of a campus elevator, the lanky, wavy-haired University of Minnesota sophomore flipped open his phone and checked his messages. He was greeted by a voice he recognized immediately. It belonged to U of M Police Sgt. Erik Swanson, the officer to whom Carroll had turned himself in just three weeks earlier. When Carroll called back, Swanson asked him to meet at a coffee shop later that day, going on to assure a wary Carroll that he wasn’t in trouble.

Carroll, who requested that his real name not be used, showed up early and waited anxiously for Swanson’s arrival. Ten minutes later, he says, a casually dressed Swanson showed up, flanked by a woman whom he introduced as FBI Special Agent Maureen E. Mazzola. For the next 20 minutes, Mazzola would do most of the talking.

“She told me that I had the perfect ‘look,’” recalls Carroll. “And that I had the perfect personality—they kept saying I was friendly and personable—for what they were looking for.”

What they were looking for, Carroll says, was an informant—someone to show up at “vegan potlucks” throughout the Twin Cities and rub shoulders with RNC protestors, schmoozing his way into their inner circles, then reporting back to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, a partnership between multiple federal agencies and state and local law enforcement. The effort’s primary mission, according to the Minneapolis division’s website, is to “investigate terrorist acts carried out by groups or organizations which fall within the definition of terrorist groups as set forth in the current United States Attorney General Guidelines.”

Carroll would be compensated for his efforts, but only if his involvement yielded an arrest. No exact dollar figure was offered.

“I’ll pass,” said Carroll.

For 10 more minutes, Mazzola and Swanson tried to sway him. He remained obstinate.

“Well, if you change your mind, call this number,” said Mazzola, handing him her card with her cell phone number scribbled on the back.

(Mazzola, Swanson, and the FBI did not return numerous calls seeking comment.)

Carroll’s story echoes a familiar theme. During the lead-up the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, the NYPD’s Intelligence Division infiltrated and spied on protest groups across the country, as well as in Canada and Europe. The program’s scope extended to explicitly nonviolent groups, including street theater troupes and church organizations.

There were also two reported instances of police officers, dressed as protestors, purposefully instigating clashes. At the 2004 Republican National Convention, the NYPD orchestrated a fake arrest to incite protestors. When a blond man was “arrested,” nearby protestors began shouting, “Let him go!” The helmeted police proceeded to push back against the crowd with batons and arrested at least two. In a similar instance, during an April 29, 2005, Critical Mass bike ride in New York, video footage captured a “protestor”—in reality an undercover cop—telling his captor, “I’m on the job,” and being subsequently let go.

Minneapolis’s own recent Critical Mass skirmish was allegedly initiated by two unidentified stragglers in hoods—one wearing a handkerchief over his or her face—who “began to make aggressive moves” near the back of the pack. During that humid August 31 evening, officers went on to arrest 19 cyclists while unleashing pepper spray into the faces of bystanders. The hooded duo was never apprehended.

In the scuffle’s wake, conspiracy theories swirled that the unprecedented surveillance—squad cars from multiple agencies and a helicopter hovering overhead—was due to the presence of RNC protesters in the ride. The MPD publicly denied this. But during the trial of cyclist Gus Ganley, MPD Sgt. David Stichter testified that a task force had been created to monitor the August 31 ride and that the department knew that members of an RNC protest group would be along for the ride.

“This is all part of a larger government effort to quell political dissent,” says Jordan Kushner, an attorney who represented Ganley and other Critical Mass arrestees. “The Joint Terrorism Task Force is another example of using the buzzword ‘terrorism’ as a basis to clamp down on people’s freedoms and push forward a more authoritarian government.”

Bill O'Reilly Inside Edition Freak Out - Dance Remix

2008-05-16T10:04:00.001-05:00

I never get tired of watching this one. I love the dismissive wave of the hand too. Classic!

Chris Matthews Rips Apart Right Wing Talk Show Host

2008-05-16T09:45:00.002-05:00

Finally someone in the media stands up to this idiocy. And it's.....Chris Matthews? I guess the only mainstream news worth watching is MSNBC.

Emily Fox on ESPN E:60

2008-05-15T13:23:00.001-05:00

Gotta give some love to The Fox. She's getting some national exposure on ESPN. Just make sure you focus on those basketball skills and don't get too caught up in the glamorous world of Speed Stacking!

Union Leaders' Clash Over Dem Endorsements A Sign Of Racial Polarization

2008-05-15T12:27:00.000-05:00

Some black leaders within the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) are complaining that under Gerald McEntee, Hillary Clinton's strongest and most outspoken backer in the labor movement, union money is being spent to build white turnout for the New York Senator in what has become a racially polarized competition for the Democratic presidential nomination, according to a number of sources.

The conflict is emblematic of the intensifying hostility within Democratic ranks as the nomination fight slowly moves towards closure. The fact that the two leading candidates are a black and a woman has produced internal and external disputes involving civil rights, women's rights and a variety of other groups and leaders in the liberal wing of the party.

William Lucy, International Secretary-Treasurer of the 1.4 million member AFSCME, raised the issue of the union's spending on behalf of Clinton at a recent board meeting.

Lucy, according to sources, pointed out that Clinton is winning whites, while Obama is carrying blacks by 9-to-1 margins, forcing her supporters, including AFSCME, to concentrate on building white turnout.

In addition to his number two post at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Lucy is founder and president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.

Tensions between McEntee and Lucy have been simmering outside of public view for years, and the Clinton-Obama contest has forced these tensions closer to the surface. While AFSCME under McEntee's direction endorsed Clinton, Lucy has personally given Obama $2,300.

A spokesman for AFSCME, who asked not to be identified, said only: "We don't comment on board discussions."

Sources familiar with the internal dispute say McEntee, who has a temper and does not tolerate disagreement well, has voiced outrage over dissent within his union. His anger has been directed not only at Lucy, but also at the Oregon State AFSCME, which defied McEntee and endorsed Obama. Oregon holds a primary this coming Tuesday, May 20.

Attempts to reach Lucy by phone and email were unsuccessful.

Nationwide, of the 16.9 million workers who are members of all the nation's trade unions, 2.4 million are black, 1.9 million Hispanic, and 657,000 Asian American, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. AFSCME, according to a spokesman, is 15 percent black.

McEntee's political stature rose dramatically in 1992 when he was one of the few labor leaders to back Bill Clinton. After Clinton won, McEntee enjoyed access to the White House and his calls to the president were returned. After McEntee's ally, John Sweeney, was elected president of
the AFL-CIO in 1995, McEntee became chairman of the labor federation's political committee.

McEntee and many other union officials took a hit in 2004 after they endorsed Howard Dean and had to watch his candidacy implode during the Iowa caucuses.

In the current election, McEntee has pulled out the stops for Clinton. So far, according to the Federal Election Commission, AFSCME has spent $415,800 on television and radio advertising, and has invested much more, $2.45 million, in a group called the American Leadership Project,
which has run ads for Clinton and against Obama.

Clinton met earlier this week with McEntee and other labor leaders to discuss her prospects and choices in the closing weeks of the campaign. McEntee pledged to stick with her until the end.

UCLA Students March Against War, 'Seize' Campus Building

2008-05-15T08:03:00.001-05:00

By Fight Back staff

Los Angeles, CA - On April 17, a coalition of campus peace groups led by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a protest against the U.S. war on Iraq. After a spirited rally at the site of the 1969 assassination of Black Panthers Bunchy Carter and John Huggins, the crowd marched through the campus, chanting the slogan, "Iraq for Iraqis! Troops out now!" before symbolically 'seizing' the student union building. Once inside, onlookers gawked in astonishment or gave the thumbs-up, as the deafening sound of anti-imperialist chanting, accompanied by the stomps, whistles, cheers and claps of the crowd, filled up the enclosed space. Finally, the protesters rallied in front of the building for more than hour, giving speeches, performances and thought-provoking materials to the passers-by before dispersing.

For many of the organizers and participants of the event, it was their first time being involved in a mass anti-war event on campus. "Many haven't done this sort of thing before, but now they are inspired, and we are already talking about what to do next," said Eric Gardner, who is a campus employee as well as a member of SDS.

The protesters' principle demands were first of all for the immediate withdrawal of all the foreign troops from Iraq, and secondly the reallocation of the money and resources being spent for wars abroad to instead go towards education and other human needs at home. Several speakers also condemned the recruiting practices of the U.S. military, describing the targeting of immigrants, the poor and oppressed nationalities as exploitative and dishonest.

The timing of the event close to tax day was a deliberate choice. The organizers of the event say they sought to highlight the stark choice of jobs, education and health care on the one hand, versus bullets and bombs for occupation on the other. To publicize the event, on April 15 a team of students dressed up as IRS agents and handed people tax 'bills' for their 'share' of the cost of the war. Given the fact that the Regents of the university announced tuition increases only days before, the action sometimes elicited powerful reactions. Said one student, "Our hard earned tax dollars are going to fund a war for Bush's cronies, rather than the people's needs. If that isn't upside down, then I don't know what is!"

Colbert on O'Reilly's Inside Edition Meltdown

2008-05-14T09:43:00.000-05:00

Withheld in Full - Episode 1: Morley vs. CIA

2008-05-13T10:19:00.001-05:00

“Who was Howard?”

17 months of missing progress reports, a mysterious name on cables and correspondence about and between the DRE, a Cuban exile group - who in 1963 had various interactions with Lee Harvey Oswald - sent former Washington Post reporter and editor Jefferson Morley on a decade-long investigative journey to find the answer to that very question...

“Who was Howard?”

First dismissed by the CIA as possibly a mere “routing indicator,” and after the Agency denied any affiliation with the DRE in 1963, “Howard” was revealed to be George Joannides, an experienced career CIA officer known at the time only as a liaison between the CIA and the House Select Committee on Assassinations during their late 1970s investigation into the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King.

Joannides kept his 1963 activities secret from the HSCA, in strict violation of the CIA’s agreement with the HSCA that no operational officer from the time of Kennedy’s murder would work with the HSCA.

Morley’s discovery provided proof that the CIA knowingly and willingly compromised the Committee’s investigation into the murders. This, prompted the HSCA’s Chief Counsel, G. Robert Blakey in 2003 to denounce his own committee’s findings about any CIA relation to Oswald, and remark that "I now no longer believe anything the Agency told the committee any further than I can obtain substantial corroboration for it from outside the Agency for its veracity."

In 2003, after unsuccessfully attempting to seek interest in his Washington Post colleagues in the Joannides story, Morley and renowned FOIA attorney Jim Lesar sued the CIA for release of the Joannides records. In response, the Agency released approximately 100 pages of documents, including the revelation that, in April and May of 1964, Joannides traveled to New Orleans - coincidentally the same day (April 1) that the Warren Commission notified DRE leader Carlos Bringuier that the Commission wanted his testimony.

The purpose of Joannides’ trip to New Orleans remains a mystery.

In November, 2005, the CIA released a Vaughn Index of all secret Joannides documents in his administrative file, including 33 records that the CIA claims cannot be released in any form. In the index, it was revealed that Joannides received a Career Intelligence Medal in March, 1981 - with the reason for that award being “Denied in Full.”

The next month, in December of 2005, the Agency submitted the declaration of Marilyn Dorn, who justified the CIA’s refusal to search its records on Joannides’ secret activities in 1963, during the time of the DRE’s contact with Oswald. While her declaration reveals the existence of secret operational files on Joannides, it also says that the CIA retains 1,100 JFK assassination records that they plan to keep secret until at least 2017.

Morley responded the same month with a 10-page affidavit challenging the adequacy of the Agency’s search, which was met in September, 2006 with Judge Richard Leon’s decision that upheld the CIA’s position, and dismissed Morley’s case.

In July, 2007, Morley and Lesar appealed Judge Leon’s decision, and in December, 2007, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in Morley’s favor, overturning Judge Leon’s decision, and ordering the CIA to search its operational files for Joannides records, and explain the absence of monthly reports on the DRE from Joannides’ time with them. On February 27, 2008, CIA lawyers promised the Appeals court a response to their decision by April 30.

For more information, please follow the resource links below, containing Morley's writings on the case, Mary Ferrell Foundation Unredacted interviews, and documents from the Morley V. CIA lawsuit.

The RFK Assassination 40th Anniversary - Part I: Stalking RFK

2008-05-13T09:20:00.002-05:00

This article is taken from maryferrel.com

Sirhan Sirhan's repetitive writing, his claimed failure to remember the events at the Ambassador hotel, the ease with which he could be hypnotized - for these reasons and more, many observers have speculated that Sirhan was some form of "Manchurian candidate," programmed via hypnosis to be the "patsy" in RFK's assassination.

However, there are several credible sightings of someone closely resembling Sirhan, in the company of others, apparently stalking RFK in the days leading up to June 5. Sirhan was seen in the company of a woman and at times other men, acting suspiciously and in some cases trying to get close to Kennedy or gain access to his schedule. Persons matching the same descriptions were seen in Sirhan's company on the evening of the assassination in the Ambassador hotel, and also fleeing the scene of the crime.

The LAPD eventually chose to repudiate, reject or filter all the witness observations suggesting that other individuals had any connection to Sirhan. But while even sincere eyewitnesses can and do make mistakes in details, what is noteworthy here is the consistent descriptions of physical appearance and aggressive demeanor in these independent accounts.

What is also noteworthy is the way in which the LAPD discounted these stories, in some cases justifying the rejection based on alleged retractions for which there is no record. Why weren't these witnesses afforded the standard police procedure of viewing a lineup including Sirhan, to see if they could make a positive id?

The earliest of these reports concerns an incident involving Sirhan and a young woman. at a campaign stop two weeks prior to RFK's murder. It was two days after Sirhan wrote in his notebook "my determination to eliminate RFK is become more the more [sic] of an unshakable obsession." Was this the start of the stalking of RFK?
Robbie's Restaurant, Pomona California, May 20

In Pomona, a 400-person campaign luncheon was being held for RFK in the second floor dining area of the restaurant. Bartender Albert LeBeau was called on duty to act as ticket screener on the staircase leading to the function. William Schneid, a Pomona police officer, was assigned to security duty in the restaurant.

Schneid encountered a young woman standing by the kitchen door of the restaurant, apparently trying to get inside through that door. He informed her that the door was locked and she then asked him which way Senator Kennedy would enter the luncheon. He told her that RFK “would probably go up the stairs to the second floor.”

Later, Schneid observed the same young woman, along with a young man, cross over a brick façade adjacent to the stairs, and then climb over the stair railing behind people checking tickets at the foot of the stairs. There, they were intercepted by LeBeau at his position further up the stairs. LeBeau, who heard a noise as the couple had apparently jumped over the banister. Le Beau challenged the pair, and the woman responded “we are with the Senator’s party.” LeBeau told them that they still needed tickets, and she replied, “we are part of the Senator’s party; he just waved us upstairs.” Since so many people were being allowed upstairs, Le Beau let them go at that point, only to encounter them again.

LeBeaus' interview by LAPD on June 26 has a wealth of detail about his interactions with the couple. He thought it "very odd" that the young man had a coat thrown over his arm even though it was a very warm May afternoon in southern California. When LeBeau encountered them on the second occasion he was made more suspicious because the couple were clearly not with the Seantor's party, and the man appeared to be in what amounted to be a “crouch”, his coat still over his arm. LeBeau began to confront them, saying "pardon me," at which point the young man turned on him and in a "surly" tone asked “Why should I?”

LAPD records show that LeBeau was fairly certain the young man was Sirhan but would not swear it under oath. That ended the LAPD investigation.

In his June 26 LAPD interview, LeBeau described the young man as "a male Latin type, 25 to 30 years, 5-5.....black hair, dark complected," and also successfully picked Sirhan’s photo from a sample set of 25 young dark skinned males (he also failed to pick out another photo of Sirhan taken from his Racing Commission ID). LeBeau described the girl thusly: "female Caucasian, 25-30 years, 5-4 to 5-6, trim nice figure, with shoulder length straight light brown hair," a good match for the "polka dot dress girl" seen in other circumstances.

While the final LAPD report asserts that LeBeau “initially stated the man was Sirhan, but later admitted he lied," there is nothing in the files to substantiate this alleged retraction.

Police officer Schneid apparently told the FBI that he "did not feel that the man observed by him on the stairs would have been Sirhan Sirhan," but the description he supplied fits Sirhan well - "Early 20's, 5'6" to 5'7", slender, dark curly hair, Latin or Mexican." His description of the girl also matches the "polka dot dress girl." LAPD records note the FBI interview but do not contain any LAPD interview with Schneid.

Kennedy Campaign headquarters, Azuza California, May 30

Ten days after the incident at Robbie's Restaurant, Laverne Botting, a 41 year old RFK campaign worker, observed a young woman and two young men enter the Azuza campaign office. One of the young men approached Botting at her desk and said that he was from the RFK headquarters in Pasadena (Sirhan lived in Pasadena at the time). He wanted to know if RFK would be visiting that area; Botting told the young man that the Senator would not. In an interview with the LAPD, Botting picked Sirhan out of a photo line up as closely resembling the man who spoke with her. She accurately described Sirhan’s height, black eyes and kinky black hair.

Independently of Botting, Ethel Crehan, another volunteer in the office, called police and told them that she was “fairly certain” that Sirhan had come into the office. She said she could be sure if she could see him in a line-up, as had Botting. Neither was offered the opportunity.

The police did check with the Pasadena RFK office staff and were told that no one had been sent from that office on that day. Thus, a potentially innocent explanation for this event does not appear to hold up.

No transcript exists of the Botting interview; the officer in charge closed out her file with the remark that she “had obviously made an honest mistake.” Although no one other than the police and FBI should have known of Botting’s report, she later received a threatening phone call at home – “I hear you think you saw Sirhan; you had better be sure of what you are saying!”

Crehan’s report was closed because the officer noted that her estimate of the man’s height was three to four inches above Sirhan’s actual height - although still relatively short at 5’8” - and despite her selecting his picture out. For this reason he felt “it was doubtful she observed Sirhan.” This dismissal seems premature at best, given the rest of her description and the corroborating account of Lavern Botting.

Santa Ana Mountains, South of Corona, California, June 1

Dean Pack, an insurance executive, was hiking with his son in a secluded part of the Santa Ana Mountains on June 1, two days after the Azuza visit. After the assassination, he recognized Sirhan as “strongly resembling” a young man whom they had encountered during their hike. The young man was shooting with a pistol at cans set up on a hillside. He was in the company of a girl in her early twenties with long brunet hair and another man who was around six feet tall, with sandy colored hair and a ruddy complexion.

According to a 1969 interview with author Jonn Christian, recounted in the book The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, the main thing that struck Pack “was how unfriendly they were.” Pack told Christian:

"The person who looked like Sirhan didn't say a word. He just stood there and glared at me. The other fellow was the only one who would talk."

Pack added:

"Sirhan was shooting a pistol.....As I walked away from them, you know, you get the funny sensation that it would be possible for them to put a bullet in your back. I was relieved to get out of their sight."

Pack reported the incident to the FBI, offering to take them to the spot to recover bullets or shell casings and look for fingerprints on the bottles and cans being handled by the three. The FBI was uninterested: "I got the attitude that they had their man so why spin wheels about anything else."

A two-sentence LAPD report on Pack states that he “viewed a photograph of Sirhan” and said that the man he saw “strongly resembled” the man he encountered with the pistol, but that he “could not be positive of the identification.” When interviewed by Christian in 1969, however, Pack stated that he had only talked to the police on the telephone, had been shown no picture and still felt that the young man he and his son had seen shooting with a pistol was Sirhan.

At the Ambassador, June 2

Karen Ross reported to the LAPD that, while attending a Kennedy rally at the Grove room in the Ambassador the Sunday before the assassination, she had observed a young woman in a polka dot dress at the rally. Her description of the dress matches that of witnesses to the girl at the assassination scene. The woman was medium height, somewhat “husky” with dark blond hair worn with a “short flip" and "puffy.” Ross thought there was something unusual about the girl's nose, possibly it had been “fixed”, another recurring feature of polka dot dress girl descriptions.

Sirhan was also at the Ambassador that evening. According to author and defense participant Robert Kaiser, who wrote the book RFK Must Die!, Sirhan told his attorney Grant Cooper that he had been to the hotel on June 2, "to hear him talk." He said the same thing to defense psychiatrist Dr. Bernard Diamond. He denied being in the kitchen that night, calling two individuals who had seen him there liars. Ultimately he testified at his trial about being at the Ambassador on June 2, though was not asked about being there in the presence of a girl. About seeing Kennedy there: "I was really thrilled, Sir.....he looked like a saint to me. I liked him.”

At the Ambassador, June 4/5

A girl in a polka dot dress, whose description matches that given by the witnesses previously noted, was seen at the Ambassador Hotel on the night of RFK's assassination by several witnesses. Some saw her in the company of Sirhan. She was even seen in the pantry where Kennedy was shot, and fleeing the scene in the company of another man.

Irene Gizzi of Students for Kennedy and a 14-year-old student named Katherine Keir noticed a group of three people who didn't seem to fit in with the exuberant crowd. The young woman in the group had on a polka dot dress and was with a young man with a dark complexion, dark hair and a gold colored shirt. Gizzi felt that the third man might well have been Sirhan. Katherine Keir even told police that later that evening, the woman had run by her saying "We shot Kennedy," but Keir revised her statement when re-interviewed in the presence of her parents (three fellow students who gave corroborating accounts were also re-interviewed in this manner).

During Kennedy’s speech, Roy Mills observed a group of five people (including a woman) in the hallway outside the Embassy room. He identified one as Sirhan, remembering him specifically for his baggy pants. Pauline Walker also saw a girl in the polka dot dress in this general area, in the company of a man (apparently not Sirhan).

Photographer Conrad Seim and other witnesses observed a girl with a "funny nose." Seim told the LAPD that the girl had asked him for his press pass and was "very persistent."

Darnell Johnson, one of the pantry shooting witnesses, described four men and a girl in the pantry as RFK was entering. One of the men was Sirhan. The girl was in a polka dot dress. The girl and the men walked out of the pantry as everyone was rushing to RFK and wrestling with Sirhan.

Several witnesses - George Green, Booker Griffin, Dr. Marcus McBroom, Jack Merritt - observed the young woman and man hurrying out of the pantry and corridor, through the Embassy room and out towards the rear stairs and parking lot.

Campaign worker Sandra Serrano, out at a staircase behind the hotel, later heard some "backfires," and then watched as a woman in a polka dot dress and a male companion burst out of the hotel shouting "we shot him, we shot him" Serrano asked who, and the woman replied "Senator Kennedy."

This incredible account was corroborated by LAPD Officer Paul Sharaga, who arrived quickly at the back lot of the hotel and set up a command post there. He was told a nearly identical story by an elderly couple named the Bernsteins, who told him that a man and a woman in a polka dot dress ran past them, gleefully shouting "We shot him! We shot him!" When queried, the girl replied, "Kennedy, we shot him! We killed him!"

An All Points Bulletin was issued by the Los Angeles police, looking for two additional suspects. A few hours later the APB was canceled by Acting Chief of LAPD Detectives John Powers. Powers is quoted on the LAPD radio logs: "don't want them to get anything started on a big conspiracy."

Coming soon: The Polka Dot Dress Girl expands on the sightings of Sirhan's accomplices at the Ambassador Hotel, and the manner by which the LAPD dealt with this stark evidence of a conspiracy involving Sirhan.

This article is adapted from an essay written by Larry Hancock, and is based on the research of Robert Kaiser, Dr. Philip Melanson, Jonn Christian, Lisa Pease, and others.

The article on the original Mary Ferrell page contains links to books and documents.

Ladies and Gentlemen.....We Got Him!

2008-05-09T16:00:00.000-05:00

By Billy Tucker
It might be early, but Tim Brewster is certainly off to a great start on the recruiting trail in '09 and building off his surprising No. 23 class from a year ago. The second year head coach with a reputation as a fierce recruiter has landed another talented offensive prospect who by most accounts, was a reach for the Golden Gopher program that went 1-11 in 2007.

Running back Hasan Lipscomb (Houston/Cypress Ridge) chose Minnesota over Nebraska, LSU and Iowa State and has the physical makeup in our opinion to be a very productive college running back, a guy who could potentially carry the load for the Gophers. Lipscomb has the lateral quickness and perimeter speed to hurt a defense on the outside and we feel he will develop into a great runner who can become a one cut and go downhill runner at the next level. With great upside, he forms a great offensive nucleus with Under Armour All-American quarterback Moses Alipate (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson).

Aside from his impressive skills as a running back, Lipscomb is a significant land out of the talent rich state of Texas. Minnesota went the extra mile to snag the ESPN 150 Watch List back, and it made quite an impression on him while doing so.

"They told me I can come in and start like every school tells recruits, but I believe them," Lipscomb explained. "At some of those other schools like LSU I would be like the third running back -- in just the freshmen class alone."

A victim of Hurricane Katrina when living in New Orleans, Lipscomb fell behind in his school credits. He said the effort Minnesota's staff has put forth in getting the gifted running back on the right track to be eligible for college, was one of the deciding points as well. Some schools in Lipscomb's eyes were scared off by the challenge, but Minnesota hung with him, and now the back who rushed for over 1,600 yards and 26 touchdowns while playing in the shadow of Under Armour All-American athlete Russell Shepard (Houston/Cypress Ridge) is doing some solid recruiting of his own.

"I am calling and texting other recruits Minnesota has offered," Lipscomb said. "There are not going to be as many scholarships this year so I want to make sure we get great players."

3 jr. high kids suspended for sitting during pledge

2008-05-09T13:46:00.000-05:00

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Three small-town eighth-graders were suspended for not standing at the start of the school day Thursday for the Pledge of Allegiance.

"My son wasn't being defiant against America," said Kim Dahl, mother of one of the students, Brandt, who attends Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Junior High School in western Minnesota. She said her son offered no reason for sitting.

Brandt told the Fargo Forum that Thursday's one-day in-school suspension, "was kind of dumb because I didn't do anything wrong. It should be the people's choice."

Kim Dahl said the "punishment didn't fit the crime. If they wanted to know why he didn't stand, they should've made him write a paper."

She said that Brandt has not been standing all year, and "all of a sudden it became an in-school suspension."

The district today is defending the punishments. The school's handbook says all students are required to stand but are not obligated to recite the pledge. The same is true for all four schools in the district, a school official said.

"These three [students] didn't, and they got caught," said Mel Olson, the district's community education director. He said he backs the punishment, "being a veteran and a United States of America citizen, absolutely." Olson served in the Marines in Japan during the Vietnam War.

The head of the Minnesota American Civil Liberties Union said that the school's actions against the students are unconstitutional.

"The school can't do that; that's illegal," said Chuck Samuelson, the civil liberties group's executive director. "Wow."

Samuelson said that numerous U.S. Supreme Court rulings dating to the 1940s say that "students who refuse to participate in the pledge cannot be punished for refusing to participate."

Samuelson said he's surprised that any public school district would have such a pledge requirement. In St. Paul, said district spokesman Howie Padilla, "Students can respectfully not participate in the Pledge of Allegiance."

Olson said this morning that a "very nice announcement" was made at the start of the junior high's school today reminding the students that they must stand for the pledge.

Principal Colleen Houglum said that all students this morning were "involved in some fashion" during the pledge, adding that no additional suspensions were needed.

"Our social studies teacher led the pledge, and that was kind of a nice change of pace," Houglum said.

Kim Dahl asked Brandt why he has remained seated all school year, but "he didn't have an answer ... he doesn't get in trouble; he's just a normal 13-year-old."

As for today, she told Brandt to take his cell phone with him to school and text her should he run into trouble again.

"I said you should probably just stand if you're not protesting something."

John McCain Is the Moonwalking Bear

2008-05-07T12:18:00.000-05:00

McGovern, former Clinton backer, urges her to drop out

2008-05-07T11:27:00.000-05:00

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Former Sen. George McGovern, who backed Hillary Rodham Clinton, is urging her to drop out of the Democratic presidential race.

McGovern said Wednesday he has decided to endorse Barack Obama.

After watching the returns from the North Carolina and Indiana primaries Tuesday night, McGovern says it's virtually impossible for Clinton to win the nomination.

McGovern says he is calling former President Clinton to tell him of the decision and adds that he remains close friends with the Clintons.

Hillary's Been Up All Night Moving the Goalposts

2008-05-06T16:22:00.000-05:00

North Carolina: Sit-in against UNC's ties to sweatshops ends with 5 arrests

2008-05-06T09:04:00.000-05:00

By Kosta Harlan

Chapel Hill, NC - A 16-day sit-in at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) administration building came to a dramatic close on Friday May 2, when Chancellor Moeser ordered UNC police to arrest five of the protesters. It was the longest sit-in protest in UNC's history. Dozens of students had occupied the lobby of South Building, the administrative headquarters at UNC, in a protest against the university's use of sweatshops for the manufacture of UNC apparel.

The students, members of the Carolina Sweatfree Coalition, had demanded that Chancellor Moeser and the UNC Licensing Labor Code Advisory Committee sign on to the Designated Suppliers Program, which would ensure that university apparel is manufactured in factories where workers earn a living wage and have the right to organize. In contrast, most UNC apparel is currently manufactured in Central American and South Asian sweatshops, where workers are routinely harassed on the job, denied the right to organize and earn pitiful wages that fall short of what is needed to support a family.

After 16 days of sitting in, members of the Carolina Sweatfree Coalition were granted a meeting with the licensing committee and the Chancellor. Commenting on what took place at the meeting, Student Action with Workers member Salma Mirza said, "Chancellor Moeser demonstrated at that committee meeting that he had no intention of taking any moral leadership on the fact that our apparel is manufactured under sweatshop conditions."

After the meeting, the Carolina Sweatfree Coalition held a press conference in South Building. A dozen students then entered Chancellor Moeser's office to inform him that they would continue to occupy the administration building until he entered into a genuine dialog with the Coalition. In response, Moeser ordered the students arrested. The police arrested one student without warning, and then told the others to leave if they did not want to be arrested. Four remained and were arrested on charges of failure to disperse, while one student was charged with resisting arrest.

"We knew our arrests would join with the 46 others that have taken place across the U.S. around this campaign, and that we would be contributing to the deep history of struggle at UNC," said Tim Stallmann, a graduate student at UNC and a member of Student Action with Workers. "This was an anti-sweatshop fight, but we were putting our bodies on the line for all workers involved at UNC: the clerical and campus workers, the student workers and the workers manufacturing UNC apparel in sweatshops around the world."

The statement from the Coalition on the arrests said, "The Chancellor stated that he was disappointed by our actions. We cannot begin to express our disappointment in the Chancellor of a university that calls itself the 'university of the people,' who would prefer to arrest peaceful student protesters instead of ensuring that there is justice for the workers who make this university run."

Members of the Coalition and Student Action with Workers, the group that led the protests, promise to continue the struggle the next year. "The campaign for justice for all workers in the Carolina community will not end with the arrests of peaceful student protesters," explained Salma Mirza. "Though we were the ones arrested, we must ask - which is more criminal, our act of peacefully occupying an office of a public institution that our tuition pays for, or Chancellor Moeser allowing our Carolina apparel to be made under sweatshop conditions that violate international and domestic law?"

For more information, and to support the campaign, please visit: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/uncsitin

Size matters

2008-05-06T08:31:00.000-05:00

Iowa was The Biggun.

Then New Hampshire was The Biggun.

Michigan was supposed to be The Biggun but state party officials interfered and made it a wee'un.

Then Nevada and South Carolina were The Bigguns.

Florida played Michigan's game and ended up another wee'un.

Then...Super Tuesday, baby! Now that was The Biggun.

The Potomac Primary? The real Biggun!

Then Texas and Ohio were The Biggest Bigguns of all.

Until Pennsylvania came along. It wasn't just The Biggun, it was THE BIGGUN.

Now Indiana and North Carolina are The BIGGEST BIGGUNS IN ALL BIGGUNLAND.

Clinton Camp Says It Will Use The Nuclear Option

2008-05-06T08:24:00.000-05:00

UPDATE | May 5, 11am ET : Hillary Clinton's campaign today acknowledged plans to try to win seating of the disputed Michigan and Florida delegations to the Democratic Nation Convention at a meeting of the party's Rules and Bylaws Committee on May 31.

In a statement issued in response to a story on The Huffington Post ("Clinton Camp Considering Nuclear Option," see below), the campaign declared:

"There is no secret plan.... The Clinton campaign has been vocal in stating that the votes of 2.5 million people must be respected. Hardly a day goes by when a Clinton official doesn't publicly declare that the votes of Michigan and Florida count and that the delegations from those states should be seated."

The campaign's public assertions stand in contrast to its response to inquiries prior to publication of the story. At that point, Clinton aides insisted on keeping all comments either off the record or on deep background, or did not respond to questions at all. The campaign statement appeared to be designed to try to reduce the significance of the story.

In a more typical reaction to the story, political analyst Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia said: "Wow. The nuclear option will yield nuclear winter for the Democratic Party."

---

Hillary Clinton's campaign has a secret weapon to build its delegate count, but her top strategists say privately that any attempt to deploy it would require a sharp (and by no means inevitable) shift in the political climate within Democratic circles by the end of this month.

With at least 50 percent of the Democratic Party's 30-member Rules and Bylaws Committee committed to Clinton, her backers could -- when the committee meets at the end of this month -- try to ram through a decision to seat the disputed 210-member Florida and 156-member Michigan delegations. Such a decision would give Clinton an estimated 55 or more delegates than Obama, according to Clinton campaign operatives. The Obama campaign has declined to give an estimate.

Using the Rules and Bylaws Committee to force the seating of two pro-Hillary delegations would provoke a massive outcry from Obama forces. Such a strategy would, additionally, face at least two other major hurdles, and could only be attempted, according to sources in the Clinton camp, under specific circumstances:

First, this coming Tuesday, Clinton would have to win Indiana and lose North Carolina by a very small margin - or better yet, win the Tar Heel state. She would also have to demonstrate continued strength in the contests before May 31.

Second, and equally important, her argument that she is a better general election candidate than Obama -- that he has major weaknesses which have only been recently revealed -- would have to rapidly gain traction, not only within the media, where she has experienced some success, but within the broad activist ranks of the Democratic Party.

Under that optimistic scenario, some Clinton operatives believe she could overcome several massive stumbling blocks:

-- Clinton loyalists on the Rules Committee would have to be persuaded to put their political futures on the line by defying major party constituencies, especially black leaders backing Barack Obama. Committee members are unlikely to take such a step unless they are convinced that Clinton has a strong chance of winning the nomination.

Former DNC and South Carolina Democratic Party chair Donald Fowler -- a Hillary loyalist -- would, for example, face an outpouring of anger from South Carolina Democrats if he were to go along with such a strategy.

-- A controversial decision to seat the two delegations, as currently constituted, would be appealed by the Obama campaign to the Democratic National Convention's Credentials Committee.

The full make-up of the Credentials Committee will not be determined until all the primaries are completed, but the pattern of Clinton and Obama victories so far clearly suggests that Obama delegates on that committee will outnumber Clinton delegates. Obama will not, however, have a majority, according to most estimates, and the balance of power will be held by delegates appointed by DNC chair Howard Dean.

For the scenario to work, then, Dean would have to be convinced of Clinton's superior viability in the general election, and that she has a strong chance of defeating McCain next November.

One of the arguments the Clinton campaign is privately making to autonomous "super" or "automatic" delegates, as well as to delegates technically "pledged" to Obama as a result of primary and caucus results, is that the campaign shifted dramatically in roughly mid-February. At that point, Clinton supporters contend, the economy replaced Iraq as the dominant issue among primary voters, and that transition led to Clinton's successes in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania.

Clinton people also make the case that the past six weeks have seen examples of Obama's political vulnerabilities: his wife's "proud to be an American" remarks, the emergence of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, wider coverage of Obama's ties to 1960s radicals Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, "bittergate," the flag pin imbroglio, and "hand on the heart" accusations -- all impugning Obama's patriotism.
* * *

The controversy over Michigan and Florida grows out of the decision of both states to flout national party rules prohibiting all but a few states -- Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina -- from holding primaries or caucuses before February 5, 2008. Michigan held its primary on January 15 and Florida on January 29.

On December 1, 2007, well before the contests were held, the Rules and Bylaws Committee voted to refuse to seat either state's delegation at the August 2008 convention in Denver.

When the contests were actually held, none of the candidates actively campaigned in either state. In Michigan, Obama had his name taken off the ballot. Clinton "won" both contests.

The Obama campaign contends that the primaries in the two states were not legitimate, especially in Michigan where voters could not cast a ballot for Obama. Clinton "won" the Michigan contest with 55 percent, while 40 percent voted "uncommitted" and the remainder went to minor candidates.

Obama manager David Plouffe has argued that the only way to seat the Michigan delegation would be to divide the delegates evenly between Clinton and Obama: "A 50-50 split would be fair."

Many Democrats, including DNC chair Howard Dean, believe it is critically important to reach some kind of compromise to seat the Michigan and Florida delegations in order not to alienate voters in the two battleground states, each of which could be pivotal in the November general election.

In the case of Florida, there are a number of proposals under consideration. One would be to seat the delegation as is, but give each delegate only one half a vote. Another would be to cut the number of Florida delegates in half.

Spokesmen for the Obama campaign declined to discuss their strategies for dealing with the May 31 Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting, or to speculate on what they think the Clinton forces with try to do.

The Long Flat Seemingly Endless Bataan Death March to the Whitehouse

2008-05-06T08:15:00.000-05:00

Six Degrees of Barack Obama

2008-05-02T14:16:00.000-05:00

by Cenk Uygur

The latest right-wing game is to pin controversial figures, who might have said or done anything objectionable at any point in their lifetimes, to Barack Obama. Then make him apologize for them. Then make him denounce and reject them. And then say he hasn't done enough to "distance" himself from them.

It could be his pastor, it could be his neighbor, it could be someone he served on a board with, it could be someone who donated to him, it could be someone who gave him an unsolicited endorsement (Louis Farrakhan) or it can just simply be someone who is black (Harry Belafonte).

So, let's play the six degrees of Barack Obama game and see who else he should denounce and reject. I'll start off the festivities. I'm an easy one. I connect to him in only two degrees. I know Josh Orton, who worked on the online side of his campaign for some time. Bingo. Obama now owns everything I have ever said.

He's not going to like what he finds. Although I am perfectly reasonable in politics (though given to fits of vitriol), I am a fervent agnostic. I have argued vehemently against religion. Quotes of mine in this field could be devastating to Obama. I'll provide no links here; it wouldn't be fun if I did the media's job for them. Have fun, it's a treasure hunt.

Worse yet, I was born Muslim. I went to school in Turkey until I was eight (that will be translated as "attended a madrasa" by Fox "News" Channel). His connection to a known Muslim and atheist (come on, who is going to bother with the distinction between agnostic and atheist in the sound bite world) could be devastating. Is America ready for non-flag wearing, Muslim, atheist two heart beats away from the president?

If you think it's damaging that I am only two people removed from Obama, it gets worse. I often speak favorably of Obama on our show and among the remaining candidates he is clearly my favorite! Aha, that's the equivalent of an endorsement. He might not have asked for it, but just by the virtue of me issuing it, he's stuck with it.

I hope he at least does me the solid of denouncing my words and not my entire existence. It's gotta sting to have your whole being denounced and rejected.

I invite all of you to play along. See how many degrees it takes you to get to Obama and how enthusiastically and vociferously he has to denounce you.

Now, unfortunately, there is one man who is not allowed to play - John McCain. Because the media has decided that while it is eminently fair to attach any person Obama has ever met (or in some cases not even met) to him, you can never look into anyone that John McCain has ever been associated with. He is a maverick, moderate, war-hero, straight-talker. So, obviously he doesn't need to answer for anyone in his past or undergo any of the Obama treatment. Sorry, John. This is one fun game you'll have to sit out.

Though there will be this awkward moment when people realize Barack Obama knows John McCain. And he is therefore is responsible for everything McCain says - even though he is running against him. Wrap your mind around that one.

I do have some concerns about this though. I wonder if this game will distract from the real issues. I wonder if people will see through it as an obvious attempt to smear Obama by association. I wonder if people will realize it has absolutely nothing to do with how Obama would govern if he were elected. I wonder if people will wonder why it's only done to one candidate and not the others.

Nah, probably not. Don't want to ruin the fun, let's just keep mindlessly playing it until November and see what happens.

Recent Speeches by Rev. Wright

2008-05-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

I want to provide the recent interviews and speeches of Rev. Wright for you to check out for yourself, if you want to. Judge for yourself. Let's be real though.....everything he's saying is true! (well, except for the AIDS thing

Bill Moyer's interview with Rev. Wright

Rev. Wright's speech at The National Press Club

The Origins of May Day, International Workers Day

2008-05-02T13:12:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was May Day 2008, and being the MarxistGopher Report, I've decided to post about the history of May Day...a day late.

PBS looks at one of the incidents that gave rise to International Workers Day--May 1 or Mayday.

The video only deals with the Haymarket Square confrontation with police and the aftermath where eight labor leaders were charged with murder. Four were hanged, one committed suicide and three had their sentences commuted.

Labor organizers had called a national strike for an eight-hour work day on May 1, 1886. In Chicago, workers held a parade and rally with over 80,000 participants.

On May 3, 1886, striking employees of the McCormick Reaper Works clashed with replacement workers. Police retaliated against the striking employees, killing two.

On May 4th, 1886, a rally of anarchists and labor activists in Chicago's Haymarket Square in support of the McCormick strikers turned deadly. An unknown assailant tossed a bomb into a throng of riot police who were advancing on the rally, killing one instantly. In the chaos that erupted, seven policemen were killed, sixty injured, and civilian casualties were likely as high.

The eight men were arrested and charged with murder at Haymarket. Though they all opposed Chicago's elite businessmen, whom they believed stood for "starvation of the masses, privileges and luxury for the few," the eight held very different ideas about what action to take. Some advocated change through violence, while others believed progress could come via social engineering. Despite their different beliefs, the trial, convictions and sentencing that followed would unite these "Haymarket Eight" in history.

At a convention of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1888 the union decided to campaign for the eight-hour day once again. May 1, 1890 was agreed upon as the date on which workers would strike for an eight-hour work day and to commemorate the earlier fight for an eight hour day.

In 1889 AFL president Samuel Gompers wrote to the first congress of the Second International, which was meeting in Paris. He informed the world's socialists of the AFL's plans and proposed an international fight for a universal eight-hour work day.
In response to Gompers's letter the Second International adopted a resolution calling for "a great international demonstration" on a single date so workers everywhere could demand the eight-hour work day.

In light of the Americans' plan, the International adopted May 1, 1890 as the date for this demonstration. It has been celebrated around the world as Mayday--International Workers Day-- ever since.

HSCA "Mugbook" Photos

2008-05-02T09:21:00.000-05:00

I found this on maryferrel this morning. The HSCA just released their mugshot photo collection.

These photographs come from the HSCA Numbered Boxes of photos (box 5). They depict various people related to the JFK assassination saga and in whom the HSCA had an interest. Index is in record number 180-10124-10172.

Shocking New Polls!!!

2008-05-02T08:59:00.001-05:00

Wow, unbelievable! It looks like Obama is going to win North Carolina, and Clinton is going to win Indiana. I simply can't believe it?!

State Pollster End date Clinton Obama
Indiana Rasmussen Apr. 29 46% 41%
Indiana TeleResearch Apr. 29 48% 38%
North Carolina Zogby May 01 34% 50%
North Carolina Research 2000 Apr. 30 44% 51%
North Carolina Mason-Dixon Apr. 29 42% 49%
Oregon SurveyUSA Apr. 30 44% 50%

DNC Ad Running Against McCain

2008-04-30T10:55:00.001-05:00

The A-11 Offense (all 11 players eligible!)

2008-04-30T09:23:00.000-05:00

Kurt Bryan might be onto something. Bryan, the head football coach at Piedmont (Calif.) High, e-mailed recently to spread the word about the A-11 offense, a formation in which all 11 offensive players are potentially eligible.

Piedmont created it and -- after much discussion with officials about its legality -- ran it for the first time this past season to the tune of a 7-3 record. Intrigued, we decided to give Bryan a call. Turns out we're not the only ones around the country -- or even in Minnesota -- that want to know more.

"Some coaches are more open and some are more cryptic about who they are," Bryan said of interest generated among his peers. "There are two from Minnesota that are using anonymous names. They're definitely coaches. You can tell by the lingo they use."

The spread offense was hot in Minnesota last year. But it's a copycat game, and the A-11 offense could be "the next step in the evolution of the sport," Bryan said.

Frustrated by Piedmont's lack of size, coaches developed the offense, which is described on the website www.a11offense.com as "blending aspects of the spread option, West Coast and run-and-shoot." Anything beyond that gets a little too technical for this confined space, but the website does a good job of breaking it down and also provides video examples.

Bryan said coaches of large high schools are interested in it as a change-of-pace package, while smaller schools are curious about using it as their base offense. Bryan said he even has been contacted by college teams and one NFL team.

While Bryan couldn't reveal the identity of the interested Minnesota schools, he does think there eventually will be more than only two intrigued coaches in this state. Fans might even see it locally as early as the fall.

"It takes a little bit to just get your mind around it. It's so unique," Bryan said. "That's what we're hearing from coaches. 'We can't believe we didn't think of this.' They're sending us ideas and plays."

Gophers Unveil New Football Uniforms for 2008 Season ...yuck!

2008-04-24T10:37:00.001-05:00

Well, we all knew it was going to happen. They great uniforms of 1999-2007 are gone. So here's my take on the new uni's.

I expected something bad, but even so I have to say I'm disappointed. I was expecting something modern, but not a change of the colors! So lets take it step by step here:

Side Piping: I'm not a fan of it, but I know that's the trend and it's what the recruits like, so I'm fine with it. This is the new feature of the uniforms that I have the least problem with.

MINNESOTA on the front: I really don't like this feature. I think it looks silly and makes the jersey look cluttered. It reminds me of 80's style uniforms and also the 1992-1993 Gopher jerseys that Jim Wacker changed to when he was named the coach.....bad memories.

Numbers: Well again, because of the MINNESOTA on the front the numbers had to be reduced in size, and they look too small. Also, and much more offensive, is the addition of the white outline around the numbers on the home jersey and yellow outline on the away jerseys. White isn't one of our colors! It adds to the cluttered look of the jersey having an outline. Numbers are much cleaner and easier to read without any outline at all. And if you have to add an outline, why not make it yellow to match the outline on the M on the helmets?!

Colors: This is the biggest mistake, and a terrible tragity. The maroon on the old uniforms was lighter and looked very good in all lighting. The new uniforms went back to the terrible brown/purple maroon look of the 1997-1998, and 1992-1993 teams. This is the same thing that both Jim Wacker and Glen Mason did in their first 2 season as coach, before going back to a lighter maroon. We lost the great colors of the 1999-2008 teams, and will now have to endure many years of brown uniforms....thanks a bunch for ruining the great uniforms Tim Brewster!!

Also in the color category is the addition of white pants to the rotation. I actually don't have a problem with the white pants being worn at home with the maroon jersey. It's not a terrible combination, and the first time the Gophers have had white pants since the 1967 season. (White pants were worn throughout the late 50's, through the 1960-1961 rose bowl season, to 1967.) The white road jerseys look bad, as there's a serious lack of color, especially yellow, in the trim. And the white jersey and white pants look aweful! Again, our colors aren't WHITE!!!

After having a day to digest this new look I've calmed down a little. It could have been much worse, but it's definitely NOT an improvement form the previous uniforms. I'll give it a grade of a C-.

And on a scale of 1-10, I give them a 4.

Updated Democratic Primary Maps

2008-04-23T08:13:00.002-05:00

Okay, lets calm down people. Obama is still going to win the delegate count and popular vote. Hillary isn't going to win the nomination.

On the Conflicts in SEIU: Take a stand for class struggle unionism, union democracy and solidarity

2008-04-22T08:47:00.000-05:00

By the Labor Commission of Freedom Road Socialist Organization

Over the past months, two conflicts have been heating up involving one of the most important unions in the U.S. - the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). It is important to understand the issues at stake. These are our thoughts on what the key issues are and what approach we think workers should take toward these conflicts.

One conflict is internal to SEIU, in which SEIU's 150,000-member United Health Workers-West has spearheaded a rank-and-file movement within SEIU against the increasingly business-unionist direction of the national union; the second is fighting for more internal democracy in the union. They say they will bring proposals to SEIU's national convention this summer for 'one person, one vote' for offices in the international union, including the presidency.

The other conflict is between SEIU and the California Nurses Association /National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), with the flashpoint being a deal SEIU reached with the management of the Catholic Healthcare Partners hospital system in Ohio.

SEIU and CNA/NNOC have had conflicts in other states too, such as Nevada. In Ohio, SEIU had reached a deal with the management of the Catholic Healthcare Partners hospital for nurses to have a quick election under unusual rules where the employer petitions for the union that it wants to be voted in (in this case SEIU), without requiring any workers to actually sign cards saying they want that union. In the face of this agreement between SEIU and hospital management, CNA/NNOC actively encouraged the nurses there to vote against SEIU, which caused SEIU to back out of the elections. Now both unions are actively and publicly denouncing each other in the sharpest terms while actively working to undermine each other.

This conflict came to a head on Saturday, April 12 at the Labor Notes conference in Dearborn, Michigan, a gathering where over 1000 progressive, rank-and-file union activists from hundreds of unions around the country met at a conference to 'put the movement back in the labor movement.'

In an incident on Saturday night of the conference, during the dinner banquet, hundreds of SEIU staff and members came in buses and crashed the conference to protest the presence of CNA president Rose Anne DeMoro - though she had actually canceled her appearance there and just sent a message to the conference via video.

The SEIU protesters came in to intimidate and disrupt the most important conference for progressive rank-and-file labor fighters in the country. They engaged in pushing and shoving anyone in their way, forcing their way into the hotel where the conference took place and then trying to muscle their way in to disrupt the packed dinner reception. At least one union sister was dealt a head injury.

SEIU's action at Labor Notes was beyond the pale. The escalation to attempted mass intimidation and physical confrontation against hundreds of rank-and-file progressive union activists must be condemned.

These points put forward our basic orientation on the struggle within SEIU and the conflict between SEIU and CNA/NNOC. We encourage comments and dialogue on how honest fighters in the labor movement can make sense of these conflicts and push the unions forward to fight for workers' interests.

1. We support the reform movement in SEIU. We support their call for 'one person one vote' on contracts, bargaining committees, local officers and international officers, including the president.

2. SEIU has been moving more and more toward business unionism. For example, in their deals with the nursing homes, in which they signed no-strike pledges, allowed the owners to choose which homes would be unionized and pledged that the union wouldn't criticize the treatment of workers. Andy Stern says that class struggle unionism is a thing of the past - we don't agree.

3. Regarding Ohio: We don't support what CNA did in their 'vote no' campaign at the Catholic Healthcare Partners hospitals. On the other hand, what SEIU did there - using an employer petition to the Labor Board for an election without the involvement of workers, and in which the employer identifies their preferred union - is a terrible direction for the labor movement.

4. SEIU and CNA have gone to war with each other. This is destructive and we don't support the actions by either side that weaken the labor movement.

5. A mob of staff and workers forced their way into the Labor Notes conference in order to disrupt the speech by Rose Anne DeMoro, head of the CNA. Their pushing and shoving resulted in at least one person having to be taken to the hospital after falling and hitting her head. Also, an SEIU member was seen lying on the sidewalk with blood from a head wound. DeMoro had already canceled her speech in order to avoid provoking SEIU; SEIU knew she had canceled and they carried out this physical assault on the conference anyway. Labor Notes is the largest gathering of progressives in the labor movement, and everyone knows it. What SEIU did at the conference has to be condemned.

6. Workers need to organize and fight against the attacks from the capitalists. Unions that help do that are doing the right thing. Unions that don't fight against the attacks on workers need to be challenged by their members and changed. Leaders that won't change should be replaced. Class conscious workers don't want their unions to fight each other in these scorched-earth turf battles.

Cat Haiku

2008-04-17T13:27:00.000-05:00

You never feed me.
Perhaps I'll sleep on your face.
That will sure show you.

You must scratch me there!
Yes, above my tail!
Behold, elevator butt.

The rule for today:
Touch my tail, I shred your hand.
New rule tomorrow.

In deep sleep hear sound
cat vomit hairball somewhere
will find in morning.

Grace personified.
I leap into the window.
I meant to do that.

Blur of motion, then --
silence, me, a paper bag.
What is so funny?

The mighty hunter
Returns with gifts of plump birds --
your foot just squashed one.

You're always typing.
Well, let's see you ignore my
sitting on your hands.

My small cardboard box.
You cannot see me if I
can just hide my head.

Terrible battle.
I fought for hours. Come and see!
What's a 'term paper?'

Small brave carnivores
Kill pine cones and mosquitoes,
Fear vacuum cleaner

I want to be close
to you. Can I fit my head
inside your armpit?

Wanna go outside.
Oh, poop! Help! I got outside!
Let me back inside!

Oh no! Big One
has been trapped by newspaper!
Cat to the rescue!

Humans are so strange.
Mine lies still in bed, then screams;
My claws are not that sharp.

www.strangeplaces.net/weirdthings/cathaiku.html

Gopher Football Spring Practice Update

2008-04-16T13:14:00.000-05:00

from Chip Scoggins:

The Gophers returned to practice Tuesday for the first of four workouts in five days. The Gophers also practiced outside for the first time this spring, which made coach Tim Brewster happy.

Here are some notes and quotes from Brewster’s post-practice chat:

– Brewster on Saturday’s 100-play scrimmage: “I was really pleased. I thought the kids flew around. Execution both offensively and defensively was pretty far along for where we’re at right now.”

– Brewster said the coaching staff has challenged RB Duane Bennett to become a more physical runner and to get his pad level lower. He said Bennett is getting better at that and had a big collision with linebacker Steve Davis on the goal line.

– Speaking of goal-line situations, I asked Brewster if he has a fullback now that Justin Valentine has graduated. He said the staff is looking at Nick Tow-Arnett. They also used nose guard Eric Small at fullback in goal line for the first time Tuesday. “He’s a load,” Brewster said. “He’s an athlete. It was kind of exciting to see him. He’s an athletic kid for a big guy.”

– Brewster said David Pittman will play multiple positions in the spring game on both sides of the ball.

– The Gophers are scheduled to practice Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Asked what he hopes to achieve in four practices this week, Brewswter said: “I want to be a hard-nosed physical football team. That’s how we’ve practiced all spring. Anybody who has been out to see us practice has seen a hard-nosed physical team. I think we’ve taken the proper steps this spring to improve next fall.”

– Brewster said his team’s health has been good so far. Only a few bumps and bruises. “To me, you get your injuries when you’re kind of being sloppy,” he said. “When your feet are hot, when you’re playing fast, less of that stuff is likely to happen.”

– Brewster on the impact of incoming jucos: “Any of the junior college kids, if they don’t really help us from Day One, then we didn’t necessarily do as good a job as we should have in our evaluation.”

– I had a chance to talk to running back Jay Thomas, who is rehabbing a torn ACL. Thomas said he’s a little ahead of schedule and began cutting on his right knee this week. I’ll have more on Thomas this weekend.

Barack Obama the Elitist

2008-04-16T11:59:00.002-05:00

The Fight for Control of the SEIU

2008-04-10T16:46:00.000-05:00

Sidestepping democracy is no path to building SEIU or the movement.
by: barbara.lewis
Wed Apr 09, 2008

Unnoticed by most mainstream media, a crisis is unfolding over the direction of America's largest union, Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The president of SEIU, Andy Stern, is on a drive to centralize power in Washington DC and put control over the union's resources and decisions into the hands of a small number of leaders. We believe SEIU may be moving into position to impose an illegal takeover on my union local, United Healthcare Workers - West (UHW), to silence the voice of our members, who have been vocal critics of the compromised direction that SEIU is heading.

We have to ask: how can SEIU play an important part in a progressive movement if they respond to internal criticism and honest debate with attacks intended to intimidate or possibly crush the loyal opposition?

SEIU leaders have a strong tradition of speaking out when they believe something is seriously wrong. Four years ago, at the SEIU national convention, Andy Stern spoke out. Stern spoke about how the AFL-CIO was an ineffective organization for workers, and that the leadership had been unable to turn around the stagnation of the labor movement. And then Stern led our union and others out of the AFL-CIO to create the Change to Win coalition.

Our members believe that something is wrong within SEIU, but our leadership would never contemplate leaving. Instead we worked from within to try to get our issues and concerns addressed. UHW is a union local that has an active, committed membership and has always been on the "program" -- whether it's COPE goals, political activism goals or organizing contributions and goals, we have been one of the leading locals in all categories. Instead of recognizing that the second largest local in this country had concerns that should be taken seriously it became clear that a systematic assault was launched to dismantle our union by pulling out 65,000 homecare and nursing home members without an open, democratic vote and placing them into another union local.

UHW members have shown time and again they're ready to raise their dues to increase the organizing budget, or be selfless by holding off on short-term gains in order to get organizing rights for others in order to build union density. But in UHW it's always our members themselves who weigh the options. Full participation of the members is what makes UHW one of the country's most successful and progressive union locals.

For years, we worked side-by-side with Andy Stern in developing a strategy of union growth through strength, member participation and coordinated bargaining. But in the past few years, Stern has veered off course by putting employer interests first in a failed growth strategy that undermines workers rights and hasn't produced substantial numbers.

I ask my comrades in the labor movement to once again imagine the dream of workers truly taking power over their lives and believing that they can achieve everything that we inspired them to believe when we were organizing them to join the union.

We tell workers that they will have a voice, a seat at the bargaining table, deal with their employers as an equal; be part of national union committed to organizing and raising standards, elect their own leaders, have the ability to speak out without retaliation.

When you develop good, strong leaders who not only believe in the leadership but, more importantly, believe in themselves the sky's the limit on what can be achieved.

However, when these same leaders see a conflict with what you say and what you do at some point, no amount of "sugar coating," "vision," "analysis" or "leadership" will prevent them from realizing that something is very wrong and that this is not the kind of union they dreamed about, believed in or joined.

That's exactly what happened when 6,000 members who work for Tenet Healthcare bargained their contract in 2006-07. That experience radicalized the leadership and the membership, and they will never forget the disconnect between what we said and what they experienced.

I'm a former 18-year SEIU staff member, assigned from '98 to '05 as an SEIU staff person in Southern California. My job was to help lead healthcare organizing, along with leaders from Local 399 and Local 250, prior to the merger that created UHW. In early 2005, I left the international union to join the staff of UHW; I led our Tenet work in California, helping to organize Tenet workers in Florida and leading the Tenet Rank-and-File Unity Council.

Our UHW elected bargaining team entered into the Tenet negotiations in 2006 in what would become a key example of the turn SEIU was taking towards sidestepping the will of the membership for the sake of growth at all costs.

A year and half before our 2006 Tenet negotiations, we began educating our members on the need to prioritize organizing rights in the next contract fight, as well as improving standards. (See the Unity Council Platform April 2005 and 2006)

In August 2006, our members were asked to give up the right to bargain over pension and retiree health benefits -- standards we had won with almost every other major hospital system in California -- in exchange for expansive organizing rights in other parts of the country.

Our leaders, after much discussion and debate, voted yes. Despite our members having voted to prioritize organizing rights in exchange for other standards -- in agreement with the plan laid out by national SEIU leadership -- the negotiations turned out to be a total disaster. Some examples:

* Rank-and-file bargaining team members and the local's lead negotiator were barred from negotiations with the employer.
* The SEIU national staff people assigned to help with the negotiations mocked the contract demands of the membership as "petty."
* Tentative agreements were reached behind closed doors -- without any member involvement -- that completely contradicted the clear priorities of the membership.

Members were asked to give up on more issues, and at one point SEIU tried to thwart our democratic Unity Council procedures and cast votes on behalf of the "unorganized Tenet workers" to rig the outcome of the contract ratification.

Rank-and-file leaders wrote several letters to President Stern expressing their frustration and met with SEIU Vice President Mary Kay Henry in Los Angeles. Members were promised by Henry and Stern that there would be a third-party analysis of the negotiations to ensure that this experience would not be repeated. Despite multiply requests, our members are still waiting for this evaluation.

Ultimately the negotiations were resolved. Thanks to the leadership of our members, we won organizing rights and a good contract in California. However the Tenet story is one example of the troubling and disturbing path that SEIU is going down.

Member leaders made the right decision from the beginning; members were willing to give up retirement benefits and other standards in order to organize healthcare workers from around the country. SEIU's pattern of centralizing control and eliminating members from decision-making about their lives is not only unprincipled, but also shows a lack of faith in the ability of members to make hard decisions. Our Tenet bargaining experience shows exactly the opposite.

There is something seriously wrong when the international appears determined to tear apart one of the strongest links in a fragile chain of the progressive movement for being critical of these practices. We are trying to advance a reform agenda to make sure that members' voices are heard and experiences like the Tenet negotiations are not repeated. Resolution of these issues will require tremendous leadership and hard work, but it is the only viable option that responsible leaders can take.

It is with deep hope that saner minds will prevail and that we can utilize the collective strength, skills and commitment we all share to get on with the work of winning for workers.

Traye Simmons is Good to Go!

2008-04-10T08:47:00.001-05:00

From Sid: There's good news for the Gophers defense: Outstanding junior college cornerback Traye Simmons has passed all of his academic requirements at Strayer University in Atlanta and will enroll at Minnesota in June.

The Dangers of Being A TV Reporter

2008-04-09T15:44:00.000-05:00

Some Spring College Football News from Uni Watch

2008-04-08T07:54:00.001-05:00

• Iowa State still has the old logo on its helmets. It will change to this theme in the fall.

• Both Auburn and Mississippi State have already had spring games — both wore game uniforms.

• Penn State really, really would like you to not hit some of its players, though I guess it’s possible those are special prayer jerseys.

• Word on the street in Minneapolis is that the Golden Gophers will break out their new uniforms during the April 25 spring game.

• Contrary to what most people seem to think, Michigan is still a Nike school, at least until the end of the current academic year, so don’t let the occasional/ omnipresent swoosh throw you off.

March for Immigrant Rights May 1st

2008-04-08T07:20:00.000-05:00

from Fight Back!

St. Paul, MN - Undocumented workers and their supporters will take to the streets here May 1 to demand an end to the raids and deportations and for legalization. Protest organizers of the May 1 Coalition announced that marchers will assemble at 2 p.m. in downtown Saint Paul at Kellogg and Robert, and march to the State Capitol building.

Over the last two years immigrant workers have spearheaded a revival of International Workers Day in the U.S., making May Day a day of struggle. This year's May Day coincides with an increase in repression directed at undocumented workers.

Gopher Football Spring Practice #4

2008-04-04T08:58:00.000-05:00

from Chip Scoggins

The Gophers put on full pads for the first time this spring Thursday, and judging by the commotion during practice and Tim Brewster’s mood afterward, they liked the results.

Brewster began his post-practice update with this: “If you didn’t like that practice, you don’t love football because that was a great practice,” he said. “Hard-nosed, physical. I feel really good about what we accomplished today.”

Brewster called it one of the best practices the team has had since he took the job.

Here are some highlights:

– The team finished practice with goal line. They did four snaps (two from the 2-yard line and two from the 1-yard line). The defense won the competition 3-1.

– The team will have two live scrimmages and the spring game.

– The team is thin at wide receiver right now without Eric Decker and the incoming freshmen (Brandon Green, Brodrick Smith) who will play a lot. Brewster said Marcus Sherels and Ralph Spry have performed well so far. He also said Jimmy Thompson made a long catch-and-run Thursday.

– Brewster really likes the competition at center. Jeff Tow-Arnett is slightly ahead because he has more experience, but Trey Davis and Ryan Wynn are pushing him hard.

– We were talking about how the secondary could change completely from last season and Brewster said he will go out on a limb and predict that safety Tramaine Brock will be one of the four starters. I think it’s safe to write that one in ink.

– Brewster reiterated that juco safety Simoni Lawrence could move up to SAM linebacker.

– I talked to Tony Mortensen about long snapping and he said he’s getting better at it. He joked that he could use a 7-foot punter though.

– Steve Davis had a nice gash on his nose after practice. He said the coaching staff now makes each defensive position do five up-downs every time they don’t pursue to the ball. The linebackers, he noted, did 45 on Thursday. “They’re trying to eliminate loafing,” he said.

– We don’t have access to the team again until Tuesday so we’ll check back then. Have a great weekend.

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from GopherSports

The Minnesota football team came out hitting and battled through its most intense practice of the spring as the Golden Gophers drilled for just over two hours in full pads indoors at the Gibson-Nagurski football complex Thursday afternoon.

It was the first practice of the spring in full gear for the Gophers, and according to head coach Tim Brewster it was one of the program’s best workouts of his tenure at Minnesota.

“If you didn’t like that practice, then you don’t love football because that was a great practice,” Brewster said during his post-practice media session. “It was hard-nosed and physical. I feel really good about what we accomplished. Today was an outstanding day.”

Minnesota came out and again focused on fundamentals early in the workout before turning its focus to team drills, taking plenty of reps in both 7-on-9 and 11-on-11 situations from all over the field.

Both sides of the ball experienced their fair share of bright spots, with quarterback Adam Weber making several completions over the middle from midfield during the 7-on-9 portion of the workout.

Two of his favorite targets were wide receivers Marcus Sherels and Ralph Spry, who both made nice grabs in the center of the field to keep the chains moving.

The Gopher defense, though, stiffened in the red zone and with less room to defend held its own. Linebacker Nathan Triplett came up big for the defenders, snagging a pair of interceptions on the goal line.

Minnesota closed out the practice with an exciting session on the goal line that saw the defense turn away the offense on three of four snaps from the one- and two-yard-lines.

“It was a competitive practices and that’s what it’s going to take for us to get better as a football team,” Brewster said. “The kids competed from the time they got out on the practice field to the end. I think they all left the field with a sense of accomplishment.”

The Gophers will be back at it on Friday afternoon, when Minnesota returns to the parctice fields for its fifth spring workout.

Gopher Football Spring Practice #3

2008-04-03T08:21:00.000-05:00

Shells and thud
Posted on April 1st, 2008 - 7:09 PM
By Chip Scoggins The Gophers practiced in helmet and shoulder pads (shells) on Tuesday in what coach Tim Brewster calls "thud" tempo - hitting but no tackling.

Here are some notes and Brewster's thoughts from practice No. 3:

- The defense forced a few sacks against an offensive line that is relatively young and inexperienced. Brewster said there is good competition at center between Jeff Tow-Arnett, Ryan Wynn and Trey Davis. "All those three guys have a great opportunity to win that job," Brewster said. "It will be interesting to see how that plays out."

- Brewster said he likes what he sees from Otis Hudson at right guard. He said Hudson told him that he feels more confident now than at any point in his career.

- Brewster said the offense might line up Adam Weber and David Pittman in the backfield together and then motion one out and throw it to him. "There is no limit to the things that we can do," Brewster said.

- Brewster said he likes what he sees from Steve Davis so far this spring. He admitted the transition to linebacker was hard for Davis last season but he felt Davis looked more comfortable in the final few games.

- Brewster said the defensive line will have some good depth once everyone arrives in the fall. He said right now the staff is counting on juco transfers Tim McGee and Cedric McKinley and freshman Jewhan Edwards playing right away.

- Brewster is particularly impressed with McKinley. "Big Ced comes in June. He is a physical specimen. He plays with a motor. He's a little bit rough around the edges, but he's going to be a really good player."

- Another day, more high praise for safety Tramaine Brock. Brewster: "He's a vicious player on the field. I love his temperament. He absolutely plays the game the way I see the game being played, with tremendous toughness and passion. He is an absolute joy to coach."

- Eden Prairie coach Mike Grant and son Ryan attended practice.

- Brewster said juco transfer Simoni Lawrence can play linebacker or safety. With so many teams running the spread, Brewster said the SAM linebacker walks out on slot receiver. "The SAM linebacker is basically a strong safety," Brewster said. "He's not a box player. He's a space player."

- I ran into former safety Brandon Owens at the facility. Owens, whose career was cut short by a devastating shoulder injury, said he would like to get into coaching. Brewster said he would help Owens pursue that career but he said Owens needs to commit himself to getting his degree.

U.S. Government Threatens El Salvador Solidarity Movement

2008-04-01T16:14:00.001-05:00

An Interview with Cherrene Horazuk

In recent months the U.S. Department of Justice has sent threatening letters to the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES), which works in solidarity with grassroots social justice movements and the left in El Salvador. The government is accusing CISPES of being an 'agent of a foreign power' - specifically of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), the leftist political party in El Salvador. This echoes the FBI's groundless accusations against CISPES in the 1980s, which led to a seven-year campaign of illegal U.S. government harassment against CISPES that the FBI later had to apologize for.

CISPES works to build solidarity in the U.S. with the Salvadoran popular movement and with the FMLN. CISPES has done this work since 1980, when it was formed at the start of the civil war in El Salvador, during which the FMLN led an armed struggle for liberation against the brutal U.S.-backed right wing Salvadoran military dictatorship.

The following is an interview with Cherrene Horazuk, who was Executive Director of CISPES from 1993 to 2003. She talks about the current government attack on CISPES, the history of such attacks, and some thoughts on why this is happening now.

Fight Back!: What is going on now with the U.S. Department of Justice harassing CISPES?

Cherrene Horazuk: The U.S. Department of Justice sent threatening communications to CISPES in January saying that they thought that CISPES was contracted by the FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front) to run the FMLN's electoral campaign and to fundraise for the FMLN presidential campaign in the U.S. There are presidential elections in March 2009 in El Salvador and the FMLN slate of Mauricio Funes and Salvador Sanchez Ceren has a good chance to win. The Department of Justice said they read in the Washington Post and on web pages that the FMLN had contracted CISPES to do this, so they insisted that CISPES turn in all documents relating to a contract with the FMLN or presidential candidate Mauricio Funes. They wanted documentation because they said CISPES would be required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) of 1938.

Of course there is no such documentation because CISPES hasn't signed any contractual agreements or taken orders to do the solidarity work that CISPES does. CISPES organizes solidarity in the U.S. based on shared values with the Salvadoran social justice movement and the FMLN. It's a relationship of solidarity.

Fight Back!: What is the history of FBI and U.S. government harassment of CISPES and of the Latin America solidarity movement? Tell us about what happened with CISPES in the 1980s.

Horazuk: From 1981 to 1987 the FBI carried out one of the largest domestic spying endeavors in recent U.S. history. They investigated more than 100,000 individuals and more than 3000 groups. That included CISPES committees, Central America solidarity groups, church groups, student groups, social justice organizations and anyone that in any way shape or form was speaking out against human rights abuses in El Salvador and Central America. Anyone speaking out in support of grassroots progressive human rights groups and revolutionary organizations was investigated.

I think 52 out of the 59 FBI bureau offices in the U.S. were involved in the investigation. They started the investigation within months of CISPES's founding in 1980. It included surveillance, harassment, intimidation, break-ins to offices and houses. Some people lost their jobs as a result. The worst impact is that some Salvadorans were investigated that were then deported back to El Salvador, and the U.S. government turned their names over to the brutal Salvadoran military and those people were never heard from again.

In 1987 CISPES filed a lawsuit against the FBI because we got some files under the Freedom of Information Act. Congressional hearings were held, and ultimately the FBI was found to have carried out a completely illegal investigation, in which they found no proof of any wrongdoing on CISPES's part. All the wrongdoing was by the FBI in their illegal spying and harassment. As a result the FBI was ordered to cease and desist. That case also led to some law changes that curtailed domestic surveillance, made it harder for the FBI to do spying. Of course that was then later reversed under the Patriot Act. At the end of the lawsuit the FBI actually had to issue a statement saying they were wrong.

Fight Back!: Why was CISPES specifically targeted?

Horazuk: We were the largest solidarity organization in the U.S. We took a clear position against the U.S. government support for the right-wing death squad regime in El Salvador and we stood strongly in solidarity with the people of El Salvador fighting back against that regime. We were supportive not just of the grassroots movement, but also the revolutionary movement and the FMLN. The FMLN was fighting against a brutal right-wing death squad government that was propped up by millions of dollars of U.S. military aid. The right-wing government was shown to be responsible for countless massacres and torture and for the vast majority of the 75,000 deaths during the Salvadoran civil war.

CISPES stands up for the Salvadoran people's right to self-determination, and I think because of that the U.S. government saw the solidarity movement and CISPES particularly as a threat to U.S. policy in Latin America. This was in the early 1980s in the context of newly-elected President Reagan saying he was going to 'draw the line' in El Salvador to prevent a revolution there, after the left-wing Sandinistas had just overthrown the pro-U.S. military dictatorship in Nicaragua. The Reagan administration thought El Salvador would be next and were providing millions of dollars a day in military aid to stop a progressive victory in El Salvador.

CISPES organized delegations to El Salvador throughout the war for people from the U.S. to go see for themselves what our government was doing there. Thousands of people from the U.S. went with CISPES to El Salvador during the war and saw what was really going on. President Reagan was saying there were no massacres, no bombings, but people went and talked to survivors of bombings and massacres. People saw that our government was lying, it was a huge learning experience for a whole generation of activists.

In addition, people who went on CISPES delegations also saw that there was a resistance movement fighting back, an alternative. People traveled to the FMLN's liberated territories and saw a different vision of a better society. People came back to the U.S. and rededicated themselves to the fight against injustice and oppression, to the fight for fundamental change in El Salvador and here at home.

This is some of the context of the FBI's harassment of CISPES in the 1980s.

Fight Back!: Why do you think this harassment is happening again now? There's not an armed struggle or a war going on in El Salvador now - why do you think they're interested in CISPES again all the sudden?

Horazuk: I think what the Department of Justice is doing is a clear attempt to intimidate El Salvador and Latin America solidarity activists, who know very well the history of the FBI investigation into CISPES in the 1980s.

There's not an armed struggle in El Salvador right now, but there's a growing wave of left-wing governments in Latin America and a growing wave of support for leftist policies in the region by the people.

The Salvadoran presidential elections are coming up in March 2009 and the FMLN has a good chance of winning. The U.S. did a lot to try to manipulate the last Salvadoran elections in 2004, using scare tactics and misinformation. The U.S. told Salvadoran voters that if the FMLN won then the U.S. would cut off Salvadorans living in the U.S. from sending money back to their families in El Salvador. These 'remittances' that Salvadorans in the U.S. send to their families in El Salvador are the only thing keeping many Salvadoran families from starvation and keep the Salvadoran economy from total collapse. I think this harassment of CISPES is part of the U.S. government trying again to prevent support and visibility in the U.S. for the people's movement in El Salvador.

It's important to understand that the right wing ARENA government in El Salvador isn't just any old government. It is one of the U.S. government's closest allies in Latin America, and does whatever the U.S. government tells it to do. El Salvador is the only country in Latin America that still has troops in Iraq as part of the U.S. occupation forces, even though over 70% of the Salvadoran people oppose their troops being there. El Salvador is used as an experiment for U.S. foreign policy. The implementation of free trade, privatization, dollarization, all these policy initiatives, they use El Salvador as a testing ground.

The U.S. is opening up an international 'police training school' called ILEA in El Salvador. ILEA is just like the School of the Americas but for training police forces instead of military forces. The ARENA government maintains El Salvador as a subservient U.S. puppet in the region. The U.S. administration doesn't want to lose that. So they are trying to create a situation where they can guarantee that El Salvador will remain a U.S. ally. They really don't want to see a grassroots popular opposition to that, and they don't want to see a government elected in El Salvador that will put people before profits.

The FMLN is committed to creating a different society. It's a society that does not say that there should be a race to the bottom. Instead it's about making sure people have adequate food, health care, education, housing, that people in the countryside have land to grow crops on, that labor policy would not be to just open more free trade zones and pay people pennies to manufacture good to ship to the U.S. The U.S. government considers it a huge threat for people to see there's an alternative. And people in El Salvador want that alternative.

Fight Back!: What can people do?

Horazuk: I think people should follow closely what's happening in El Salvador. Presidential elections are coming up in March 2009 and the right forces are likely to commit fraud and possible violence to try to hold on to power. The ARENA party is run by the richest people in El Salvador and has been in power 19 years now. The founder of the ARENA party, Roberto D'Aubuisson, is the founder of the death squads in El Salvador and was the mastermind of the assassination in 1980 of Archbishop Romero, which sparked 12 years of civil war. ARENA is not likely to give up power willingly. And unfortunately until now they have been able to count on the full support of the U.S. government.

But the Salvadoran people are ready for a change. In the election itself there will be a need for people to be aware of right-wing fraud and violence and to denounce that. There will be a call for international election observers before and during the elections.

People should do what you can to support CISPES and to support progressive movements in El Salvador. The CISPES website, www.cispes.org, has the latest campaigns and action alerts that you can help with.
Throughout Latin America the people are showing that another model is possible besides the U.S.-imposed model. Those of us here in the U.S. have a responsibility to oppose the oppressive things our government does in our name with our tax dollars in Latin America. And we should also learn from and support those that are fighting back.

Rapper DMX interview in XXL magazine on Barack Obama (hilarious!)

2008-04-01T15:48:00.001-05:00

Are you following the presidential race?
Not at all.

You’re not? You know there’s a Black guy running, Barack Obama and then there’s Hillary Clinton.
His name is Barack?!

Barack Obama, yeah.
Barack?!

Barack.
What the fuck is a Barack?! Barack Obama. Where he from, Africa?

Yeah, his dad is from Kenya.
Barack Obama?

Yeah.
What the fuck?! That ain’t no fuckin’ name, yo. That ain’t that nigga’s name. You can’t be serious. Barack Obama. Get the fuck outta here.

You’re telling me you haven’t heard about him before.
I ain’t really paying much attention.

I mean, it’s pretty big if a Black…
Wow, Barack! The nigga’s name is Barack. Barack? Nigga named Barack Obama. What the fuck, man?! Is he serious? That ain’t his fuckin’ name. Ima tell this nigga when I see him, “Stop that bullshit. Stop that bullshit” [laughs] “That ain’t your fuckin’ name.” Your momma ain’t name you no damn Barack.

Gopher Football Spring Practice Report #2

2008-04-01T14:52:00.001-05:00

From GopherSports.com:

With nearly 200 of the state’s top high school coaches looking on, the Minnesota football team worked through its second of 15 spring practices at the indoor practice facility of the Gibson-Nagurski football complex Saturday afternoon.

The coaches on hand at practice were just a portion of the over 700 who attended the annual Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association clinic that featured a number of the Golden Gophers’ coaches as speakers, including head coach Tim Brewster.

The Gophers put on a good show for those in attendance, drilling for roughly two hours in helmets and shorts. Afterward Brewster said he was please with the spirit and tempo the team exhibited throughout the workout.

“I really like the way the team came out and responded to our challenge to have another great practice,” Brewster said. “Right now we are two-for-two this spring as far as our practices are concerned and our effort is concerned. Our attention to detail was excellent again today, which was nice to see because a lot of our players were practicing in front of their former coaches and that’s really special.”

Minnesota spent the majority of the practice working on fundamentals before ending the workout with a spirited 20 minutes 11-on-11 session.

Adam Weber took the brunt of the snaps under center at quarterback, with Tony Mortensen, Clint Brewster and David Pittman also getting in the mix.

Pittman was especially impressive in the quarterback run game and showcased his speed on a 30-yard burst of the right sideline that featured a nifty move at the line of scrimmage that had several defenders grasping at air.

“David does a lot of different things very well,” Brewster said. “He’s a very smart kid and he has learned the offense very quickly. He can really do some things with his feet that are exciting.”

The Minnesota defense also had another strong practice and produced a number of negative-yardage plays during the team session.

“I’m really excited about what we’re doing defensively under Ted Roof,” said Brewster. “There’s a tremendous attitude and effort developing. Swarm, attack and tackle is what we are emphasizing with the defense. And if we play with great effort and passion every snap we have a chance.”

Brewster noted that the veterans on defense continue to catch his eye. Defensive ends Willie VanDeSteeg and Lee Campbell along with linebacker Steve Davis sustained their solid play Saturday. Brewster also said he was impressed with the efforts of redshirt freshman Anthony Jacobs.

The Golden Gopher will get their first taste of contact next Tuesday, when Minnesota dons pads for the first time this spring.

The Race Chasm

2008-04-01T10:38:00.001-05:00

This analysis is taken from electoral-vote.com.
Progressive author David Sirota has an interesting observation about where Barack Obama has done well and where he has done poorly. He constructed the graph below, which shows how well Obama did as a function of the percentage of the population that is black.

What it shows is that in states with few blacks (like Wyoming and Idaho) Obama does well. In states with many blacks (like Georgia and Mississippi) he also does well. However, in states with a medium concentration of blacks (like Ohio and Tennessee) Clinton does well. What's the explanation? Sirota says it is race. In places like Wyoming and Idaho, race simply isn't an issue. There are so few blacks in these states that many people don't even know a black person, so race is simply not part of anyone's daily life. In contrast, in George and Mississippi, it is a huge part of everyone's life, but since most whites are Republicans, blacks make up a very large percentage of the Democratic voters (often approaching 50%) and their overwhelming preference for Obama has carried him to victory.

The problem for him comes in the states with enough blacks that race is definitely an issue but not enough to affect the election much. This theory would predict Clinton victories in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Kentucky and Obama victories in North Carolina, South Dakota, and Montana.

Blake Hoffarber- The Shot

2008-03-28T11:50:00.000-05:00

I never got a chance to post this after it happened, so we'll step back in time a couple of weeks and relive "the shot" that beat hated Indiana in the Big Ten tournament.

North Dakota Cheap Shots vs, Gophers

2008-03-28T11:45:00.000-05:00

In honor of the NCAA hockey tournament starting today I thought I'd post this video of the scum at North Dakota in the closing minutes of a Gopher game earlier this season.

North Dakota is a #1 seed in the tournament, the Gophers a #3.

The Red Flag - Billy Bragg

2008-03-28T11:13:00.001-05:00

Gopher Football Spring Practice: Day 1

2008-03-28T08:04:00.000-05:00

The University of Minnesota football team opened preparations for the 2008 season Thursday afternoon at the indoor practice facility at the Gibson-Nagurski football complex with the first of 15 spring workouts.

The Golden Gophers practices for 2 ½ hours in shells and will work in helmets and shorts again on Saturday afternoon before moving into full pads next week.

Head coach Tim Brewster addressed the media following Thursday afternoon’s first spring practice and indicated that he was pleased with the initial workout.

“I think (today’s first practice) was exactly as I expected it to be,” said Brewster, who leading the Gophers through the second spring practice regimen of his tenure at Minnesota. “There was tremendous attention to detail, tremendous energy and focus. There were a lot of good things going on with our football team in there.”

Brewster said that it’s clear that the Gophers were much more comfortable on the field compared to last spring, resulting in very productive first practice.

“Obviously we’re so far ahead of where we were last year at this time,” Brewster said. “The challenge is that you only have 15 opportunities to get better as a football team during the spring. We’ve got to make certain that on Saturday we have the same focus, the same attention to detail and the same energy we had today.”

Minnesota spent the majority of the practice working on individual fundamentals among position groups and in tandem with other units.

The last 20 minutes of the workout were devoted 11-on-11 team drills, with the Gophers offense even running a no-huddle concept at times.

The Minnesota defense wasn’t phased, however, and more than held its own during the team session as the coaching staff drilled ones-versus-ones and twos-versus-twos.

Sophomore safety Scott Jilek came up with the lone turnover of the team session, intercepting a Tony Mortensen pass over the middle.

Defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg was also impressive throughout the team segment, registering a tackle for loss and a sack of quarterback Adam Weber as the practice wound down.

“I was really excited by the way our defense flew around today,” Brewster said. “We have a ton of work to do, but it was a good first day.”

In addition to the defense, Brewster also noted the play of Weber, who smashed virtually every Minnesota passing and total offense record during a very productive freshman campaign.

“Adam (Weber) really had a good first day,” said Brewster. “You can see that he’s poised and confident. The biggest challenge for him is to become a leader and I was pleased with how he took charge in the huddle today.”

Minnesota returns to the practice field on Saturday at noon for its second of 15 spring workouts.

“We’ve got to make great strides this spring,” Brewster said. “To do that we’ve got to utilize each one of these practices to the fullest.”

Students, Workers Rally at U of M to mark 5 year Anniversary of Iraq War

2008-03-27T16:51:00.006-05:00

Rally in Front of Coffman Union, march through campus.
Members of Macalester SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) chain themselves to Army and Navy recruiting centers on Washington Ave., shutting them down for the day.
Activists sit in at National Guard recruiting center, are arrested.
Protesters shut down Washington Ave. in the heart of U of M Minneapolis campus for over 30 minutes.

Minnesota Daily story

Terrible Video story from Star Tribune

WCCO story

KSTP story

KARE 11 story

FOX 9 story

Security guards stage protest at IDS; 9 arrested

2008-03-27T16:48:00.001-05:00

Star Tribune story

Secret Service Agent Abraham Bolden Interview with Chicago Sun-Times

2008-03-25T15:48:00.000-05:00

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/books/856394,SHO-Books-chilit23.article

If a novelist set out to rewrite Franz Kafka's The Trial as a modern-day horror tale, it might read much like Abraham Bolden's The Echo From Dealey Plaza.

Kafka's character Josef K. is tried by some faceless bureaucracy but never learns why he is on trial. He maintains his innocence.

Bolden, the first African-American Secret Service agent assigned to the presidential detail, at the request of John F. Kennedy, was tried twice for bribery and convicted. He has always maintained his innocence, and now he meticulously backs up his claim with a blow-by-blow chronology of his legal ordeal.

The Chicago lawman forfeited a promising career, spending three years and nine months in prison. He felt the crushing weight of a bureaucracy fighting to save itself after JFK's assassination.

Just 28 years old when Kennedy was killed in 1963, Bolden is now telling his story at age 73. Speaking by phone from his South Side home, Bolden shows no bitterness or disillusionment. That's a testament to his unbending faith and indomitable spirit.

"I've always had faith in the American system of justice," he explains. "I spent a great deal of time in police work, where I came to believe if a person sticks to the truth and continues to seek justice, somewhere along the line that justice is going to prevail."

Bolden's problems began the day he arrived in Washington in 1961 for his White House assignment. He describes a month of harassment and bigotry at the hands of the good old boys on Kennedy's detail, some of whom he says drank heavily, chased women and were lax in following procedures. Although JFK showed him special kindness, he couldn't wait to get back to Chicago and his family, and turned down any permanent Washington post.

Later, when Kennedy was assassinated, Bolden's warnings to his superiors became a threat to the agency. He doesn't believe his presence in Dallas would have prevented the slaying. But the Secret Service dropped the ball after learning of assassination plots in Chicago and Miami that might have led to beefed-up security in Dallas, he says.

"If I had stayed there [with Kennedy], my very life would have been in danger," he says. "After my run-in with [senior agent] Harvey Henderson where he denigrated my race . . . we all carried guns, and accidents do happen -- and yes, you could put 'accidents' in quotes."

When the agency brought charges against Bolden, he was in Washington on a training assignment and was flown back to Chicago, where he says he was forced to take a Secret Service-administered polygraph exam. His superiors questioned him about a phone call he had placed to the White House switchboard in which he had asked about giving information to Warren Commission general counsel J. Lee Rankin.

The Bolden case made front-page news, and the next day he went public with his criticism of the agency's Kennedy detail. That led to a more vigorous prosecution, he says, admitting he should have handled things differently.

"I would have done it in a different venue," he says. "What I should have done was resign my position as a Secret Service agent. That would have been difficult to do because I was a family man and had no other job to go to. The best avenue would have been to resign and come to people like . . . newspaper reporters. Going to the chief and so-called bad-mouthing them at meetings was not the best way to do it. I became known as not a team player."

If there's a villain in Bolden's story, it's U.S. District Judge Joseph Sam Perry, who presided over both trials. Perry, Bolden writes, browbeat the holdout juror in an 11-1 vote for conviction at the first trial, telling her that Bolden was guilty. During the retrial, Perry seated an all-white jury, then closed the courtroom to the defense and media while he charged the jury. After Bolden was convicted, one of his two accusers admitted at his own counterfeiting trial, also before Perry, that the prosecutor had told him to lie at Bolden's trial. Instead of causing a mistrial or a reversed verdict when the prosecutor took the Fifth Amendment about suborning perjury, higher courts ruled there was insufficient cause to retry Bolden. Still, the former agent lets Perry off the hook.

"What he was doing was making sure that the mandates from the higher-ups were carried out," he explains. "He was influenced by people who were far above him who said, 'Bolden's got to go.' The conspiracy was formulated in Washington, D.C., itself. After Oswald was assassinated, the sole purpose of the Secret Service was to save itself."

When the prison bars slammed shut, Bolden's real nightmare began. He landed in a psychiatric ward, kept in isolation and heavily drugged. Then he experienced two vivid, prophetic visions for which he has no explanation.

"I think about it even today," he says. "It was not something I expected or conjured up by doing anything special. They just seemed to come. When I had the first one in [the psych ward], I thought I was going nuts. I became afraid that something had happened to me mentally. I was doing everything I could to maintain my mental balance while I was near those psychiatric patients who were screaming and being beaten. Had not that event of the fire [in an adjoining cell] freed me the next morning, I probably would have ignored it as a dream or something."

He finally left prison in September 1969 as an unemployed parolee, then rebuilt his life. He worked for 15 years in quality control consulting with machining companies.

Now retired and widowed from Barbara, his tower of strength through the darkest hours, Bolden says he's telling his story out of obligation to Kennedy -- and because it's what Barbara wanted.

"Right now today, I tell you, sometimes it's difficult to relive the chapters in that book. They're very emotional to me. It affects my life in that in taking my case to the public, I feel somewhat relieved. I've carried out my charge and my duty to President Kennedy, who entrusted me with his life. I owed that to President Kennedy to bring forth the facts I have surrounding his death. It helps to pay that debt.

"The American people deserve to know the truth about the tragic day of Nov. 22, 1963. I know it's a very optimistic statement, but I really believe the truth is going to come out."

New JFK Assassination Books in March

2008-03-18T10:49:00.000-05:00

March has brought a new crop of books, including Jefferson Morley's biography of CIA Station Chief Win Scott, entitled Our Man in Mexico. David Kaiser, historian and author of book on the Vietnam War called American Tragedy, has a new book entitled The Road to Dallas, which focuses on the evidence of an assassination plot involving organized crime and Cuban exiles. Another new book, entitled The Echo from Dealey Plaza, is written by Abraham Bolden, the first black presidential Secret Service agent. Bolden was arrested in May 1964 on counterfeit charges, but protested that he was being framed to keep him from telling the Warren Commission about lax Secret Service behavior. Bolden also told the HSCA about a 4-man team planning to kill JFK in Chicago. See an article by Lamar Waldron and Thom Hartmann for more on Bolden's story.

My take on the Democratic Primary

2008-03-13T09:43:00.001-05:00

I haven't actually written a blog post in a while, so I thought I'd give a little update on the state of the Democratic primary.

Since the supposed disaster of March 4th, when Obama actually ended up winning more delegates in Texas than Clinton, and Clinton picked up only around 10 delegates on Obama...........Obama has now one Wyoming and Mississippi decisively.

61-38 in Wyoming
61-37 in Mississippi

Apparently though, if you watch the mainstream media, those 2 states don't really matter. Only the white racist states that Hillary can win "really" count.

However, if you look at the number....ah, those damn numbers bringing you back to reality....Hillary can't win the nomination....she just can't. She'd have to win 80-20 or 90-10 in all the remaining states in order to catch Obama. And if Obama can just keep the superdelegates that are already pledged to him, he will have enough delegates (2025) to clinch the nomination.

Here's the latest polls in the 2 big upcoming states:

North Carolina
Obama - 49
Clinton - 41

Pennsylvania
Clinton - 55
Obama - 36

Clinton - 45
Obama - 31

Shocking! Hillary is going to win Pennsylvania, probably fairly comfortably, but not by as much as is shown in these polls. And Obama is going to win North Carolina, although not by a huge margin.

SO.......after saying all this, what I'm really saying is.....IT'S OVER! I'm calling it! MarxistGopher is officially calling this race for Barack Obama. The math shows that Hillary can't catch him. she'd need a mass defection of the superdelgates, some strange unfair scenario in FL and MI, and she'd probably need to steal some of Obama's pledged delegates at the convention. AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!!!

Barack Obama will be the Democratic Presidential nominee!

Hilarious Tirade Against the Media (oldie but goodie)

2008-03-06T09:21:00.000-06:00

University of Minnesota orders up 108- by 48-foot HD scoreboard from Daktronics

2008-03-06T07:56:00.000-06:00

The University of Minnesota has finally found a way to one-up OSU and the other U of M's football squads by ordering up the first Daktronics HD-16 scoreboard in the Big Ten (Will you be able to watch the Big Ten Network on it?). Second-largest in college football to Texas' Godzillatron, the 108- by 48-foot display takes advantage of all the company's latest technologies, and should be ready for Minnesota's home opener against Air Force in 2009. Some fans may wonder how the big screen will make the football team better, but if top-notch facilities help recruit the next Marion Barber III-Laurence Maroney connection then it should be well worth it.

Teamster Reformers Struggle to Overcome Sabotage by Outgoing Officers

2008-03-06T07:43:00.001-06:00

By staff

Chicago, IL - Five union reformers entered the offices of Teamsters Local 743 Dec. 31 to receive keys to the union hall from their opponents who had lost election in the fall. The old president Richard Lopez knew he was defeated and that he might be going to jail.

Since that day, Richard Berg, the new president of Local 743, and his staff have been working around the clock to repair a broken union.

"They said that there were two break-ins, one a couple of days after we won the election and one right before they had to hand over the keys," said Richard Berg, the new president. The walk-through that night told a different story: The old guard leaders had done their best to cover up their theft and wrongdoing.

Massive bags of shredded documents were found in the garbage. Most of the computers were gone. Bills were gone. The phone system was sabotaged. Trustee documents for the pension funds were gone, and the list goes on and on.

Members of the local have expressed excitement about the new leaders and the staff. "I was just happy someone returned my call," said one caller from Bagcraft, a local manufacturer of boxes. Hundreds of other members have joined in this sentiment.

"There were 175 messages on the phone at my new desk, the old desk of Michael Corrigan. They went all the way back to March of 2007. These guys were really vacationing on the members money," said Tony Caldera, union representative.

"We are committed to turning this local around and making it a fighting union once again," said Berg, "I put the union on notice that we are going to train and educate workers from bottom to top about effective union leadership and building a fighting movement of workers."

Berg continued, "We had over 50 people attend our first stewards and activist training with very little notice. Our members are hungry for change." The road ahead is going to be tough in the down-turned economy and the new leadership is asking all members to step up and play a role in re-building the union.

As staff and members try to unbury themselves from the years of neglect and theft left behind by the old officers - Walston and Lopez and the others - they are realizing a new thing lies underneath: The members have expressed hope and are now getting involved in the affairs of the union like they have not done since 30 years ago.

O'Reilly calls Arianna Huffington a Nazi!

2008-03-05T11:29:00.000-06:00

Did the Hillary Campaign Darken Obama's Skin in an Ad?

2008-03-05T08:28:00.000-06:00

Looks that way to me. See for yourself.

Organizers of RNC anti-war protest say, "Permits now! No police spying and Tasers"

2008-03-04T08:34:00.001-06:00

From Fight Back News

St. Paul, MN - About 300 people demonstrated here, March 1, as part of the continuing fight to get permits for the massive anti-war protest scheduled for the opening day of the Republican National Convention. Organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, protesters marched from the State Capitol to the Xcel Center.

Katrina Plotz of the Anti-war Committee and the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War told the crowd that organizations from all over the country are building for the Sept. 1 protests and slammed city officials for holding up the permits.

Says Plotz, "We're frustrated that the St. Paul police seem more concerned with spying on activists and intimidating protesters than with upholding our right to freedom of speech. We applied for permits over a year ago. Having a permit is crucial for our ability to organize a national anti-war demonstration that will draw tens of thousands. We have the right to protest the war within sight and sound of the Xcel Center during the RNC, and we expect a permit to guarantee that right."

The March 1 protest was the second in a series of recurring demonstrations to pressure the city of St. Paul to grant a permit for an anti-war march on Sept. 1.

A St. Paul city ordinance states that permits for a recurring event can be granted within 30 days of the request. As part of a new strategy first enacted in January, the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War applied for a recurring permit to rally in front of the State Capitol and march to the Xcel Center on the first of every other month culminating with the Sept. 1 protest at the RNC. So far, city officials have granted permits for the January and March demonstrations but continue to withhold a permit for Sept. 1.

St. Paul police have given no indication that they will grant permits in a timely manner, instead focusing on their capacity to repress protest activities. Last week St. Paul police documents revealed a framework to use when infiltrating and spying on activist groups. St. Paul police recently ordered 230 additional Taser weapons, enough for every officer on the force. They claim these policies are not related to the RNC.

"The protest on March 1 is important because it kicks off a month of protests against the war in Iraq," said Anh Pham, also a member of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. "This is the fifth anniversary and anti-war activists still say no to war. As long as the Iraqi people suffer under occupation, progressive people will come to Saint Paul to say, 'no to the Republican agenda; no to wars for profit; money for human needs and not for war; troops out now!'"

Listen to Podcasts from March 1 protest

Katrina Plotz of the Anti-war Committee and the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War

Didi Frances of the Welfare Rights Committee and the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War

Morley's New Book Sheds Light on Oswald & CIA

2008-02-29T14:59:00.000-06:00

Mexico City was the Casablanca of the Cold War—a hotbed of spies, revolutionaries, and assassins. The CIA’s station there was the front line of the United States’ fight against international communism, as important for Latin America as Berlin was for Europe. And its undisputed spymaster was Winston Mackinley Scott.Chief of the Mexico City station from 1956 to 1969, Win Scott occupied a key position in the founding generation of the Central Intelligence Agency, but until now he has remained a shadowy figure. Investigative reporter Jefferson Morley traces Scott’s remarkable career from his humble origins in rural Alabama to wartime G-man to OSS London operative (and close friend of the notorious Kim Philby), to right-hand man of CIA Director Allen Dulles, to his remarkable reign for more than a decade as virtual proconsul in Mexico. Morley also follows the quest of Win Scott’s son Michael to confront the reality of his father’s life as a spy. He reveals how Scott ran hundreds of covert espionage operations from his headquarters in the U.S. Embassy while keeping three Mexican presidents on the agency’s payroll, participating in the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and, most intriguingly, overseeing the surveillance of Lee Harvey Oswald during his visit to the Mexican capital just weeks before the assassination of President Kennedy. Morley reveals the previously unknown scope of the agency’s interest in Oswald in late 1963, identifying for the first time the code names of Scott’s surveillance programs that monitored Oswald’s movements. He shows that CIA headquarters cut Scott out of the loop of the agency’s latest reporting on Oswald before Kennedy was killed. He documents why Scott came to reject a key finding of the Warren Report on the assassination and how his disillusionment with the agency came to worry his longtime friend James Jesus Angleton, legendary chief of CIA counterintelligence. Angleton not only covered up the agency’s interest in Oswald but also, after Scott died, absconded with the only copies of his unpublished memoir.Interweaving Win Scott’s personal and professional lives, Morley has crafted a real-life thriller of Cold War intrigue—a compelling saga of espionage that uncovers another chapter in the CIA’s history.

John McCain Sings

2008-02-29T08:02:00.001-06:00

The Brave New Workshop Celebrates 50th Anniversary

2008-02-28T12:47:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite things to do in the Twin Cities has become a night at the Brave New Workshop. It's a comedy theater on Hennepin Ave in Minneapolis that mainly does social and political satire. The BNW is celebrating their 50th Anniversary with a show called "Old Enought to Know Better." I just wanted to put in a huge plug for the BNW. It's a great way to spend an evening.

The Pioneer Press just ran a story of the 50 year history of the BNW.

NPR recently ran an on air feature along with a story on their website.

In the world of television, WCCO ran this story about the history of the BNW.

Even the ??Southwest Journal?? got in on the act.

Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

2008-02-27T16:54:00.000-06:00

Non-union workers at University of Minnesota get $300 lump-sum bonus

2008-02-27T09:02:00.001-06:00

I think the University of Minnesota just wanted to bitch slap the AFSCME workers who struck for 17 days in September. The University said all the money was on the table, and ended up putting a $300 lump-sum payment on the table for AFSCME workers. Then they magically come up with some more money for non-union workers. Wow! Shocking! Where did that come from?!

"I have to say, that this is just so brash of the U administration to do this that at this time that I don't even know what to say. Of course, it's a good thing that the U is giving more money to civil service workers - they should give more money to all U workers. But coming just months after the U refused to budge on wages after 2+ weeks of a strike by 3 unions, intense pressure from key legislators, a student hunger strike, etc, with their argument being that they had no more money for wages, this just feels like a slap in the face to us. Which of course is probably exactly what they want us to feel. Unbelievable." -Anonymous U of M AFSCME employee

By Riham Feshir, Joy Petersen
Minnesota Daily

Five months after American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees stepped off the picket lines and finished contract negotiations, the University's non-union civil workers will each receive a piece of $1.5 million come March.

Each of the University's 5,000 non-union employees, which include scientists and financial workers, get $300 in their March 12 paychecks, said Carol Carrier, vice president of the office of human resources.

The University reviews nonunion worker pay plans each spring to evaluate if bonuses are necessary, Carrier said. Conversely, AFSCME negotiations happen every two years.

"With other employee groups, it's more of a consult with and discuss the University's proposed pay plan," she said.

Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME Local 3800 clerical workers, said the bonuses are the University's reaction to contracts finalized last September.

"I find it really interesting that when we were in contract negotiations with the University, they told us they didn't have any more money to pay us," Walker said. "Then they came up with lump sums for civil service workers."

Walker said that by paying the $300 lump sums - the same amount the University gave AFSCME workers per their current contract - to non-union workers, current non-union workers won't have to form a union.

"If they didn't give those lump sums to civil service, it sends a strong message to civil service that the only way to get more money is to form a union," she said.

Despite Walker's disappointment, University spokesman Dan Wolter said the bonuses are to maintain competitiveness of wages paid to civil service employees, not in reaction to AFSCME contract wages.

Senior University chemistry scientist Steve Philson said he never worried too much about the competitiveness of the wages because the University is a "desirable place to work."

Philson, a 27-year University employee and non-union worker, said though he'll receive the March bonus, it won't have a drastic affect on him.

"Salaries become less and less important to me," he said, "I'm getting close to retirement. I'm not likely to be going any place else."

Unions aren't appealing to Philson because, he said, there's too much bargaining involved and he doesn't see the benefits.

"Clearly people who have unions don't do that well at (bargaining)," he said.

Five-year assistant University physics scientist Brian Sherwood will also be receiving the bonus.

He said he'd rather get a salary increase than a $300 bonus, but it "will help pay a few bills."

UIC Workers Prepare for Strike

2008-02-27T08:28:00.000-06:00

By Joe Iosbaker

Chicago, IL - The contract fight between 1500 clerical and administrative workers at University of Illinois - Chicago (UIC) has seen hundreds of workers on picket lines in recent weeks. Members of Local 73 SEIU (Service Employees International Union) voted overwhelmingly (94%) in January to authorize a strike if negotiations fail to reach an agreement. Since then, the campus has not stopped hearing the sounds of marching feet.

While legally required to attempt to resolve differences through federal mediation, the union has kept fighting back against attacks on members by departments and by human resources. On Feb. 7, 75 people took over the street in front of the offices of the Department of Pediatrics. The marchers included Local 73 members, but also members of the Illinois Nurses Association, Graduate Employees Organization, the Laborers Union and Students for a Democratic Society.

At least eight union members had received elimination notices by the new department head the previous Friday. Sirlena Perry, executive board member of Local 73, said "Who's going to do their work? I'll bet it's Academic Professionals, since there's still ten of those in the department."

The message to management was clear: Workers are ready to fight on the picket line if things can't be settled through negotiations. "This shows why we have to have language protecting our job security," said Perry. The bargaining committee has been pressing this issue for one and a half years.

Department Heads Gone Wild?

Two weeks later, 50 workers, students and supporters rallied to support a long time employee being unfairly targeted by another new department head. Donna Dorney has been the administrative assistant in the Criminal Justice department for 15 years and has won praise and awards by UIC. However, the new department head decided she wanted a non-union academic professional, and has been making Dorney's life hell ever since, going as far as suspending her without pay for something that was the head's fault.

Gwen Pinager, a union member and old friend of Dorney's, walked a mile and a half across campus to join the picket line. "I had to stand up for her," she said.

These and many other examples show that it is more than just anti-union attitudes by new department heads. In each case, campus human resources is aware of these actions, knows that the department heads are violating civil service regulations, UIC Policy and Rules and Local 73's contract, but still gives them a green light.

This treatment by these department heads is the same treatment management at UIC has given to members of Local 73 at the bargaining table - disrespect in the form of crummy wage offers and refusal to raise the top steps for our most senior employees, while pleas for job security go unheard. The next meeting with the federal mediator is set for March 6, but union members know they have to rely on themselves to get justice, in contract negotiations and in all other conflicts with management.

Clinton is on the Ropes and Being Pounded

2008-02-22T10:29:00.000-06:00

Another clip from The Young Turks attacking Hillary Clinton. Ahhh, she's really becoming an easy target.

Clinton's Feeler About Going After Obama's Pledged Delegates

2008-02-22T10:27:00.001-06:00

Updated Primary Results Map by County

2008-02-22T08:35:00.000-06:00

These now include everything through February 19th.

Secret Service Abrubtly Stops Screening at Obama Rally in Dallas

2008-02-22T08:05:00.001-06:00

Does this seem as alarming to anyone else as it does to me. Especially since it's happening in Dallas!!

Police concerned about order to stop screening
By JACK DOUGLAS Jr.
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Barack Obama speaks Wednesday at a Democratic rally in Dallas' Reunion Arena. Police were told to stop screening people for weapons before the rally began.

DALLAS -- Security details at Barack Obama's rally Wednesday stopped screening people for weapons at the front gates more than an hour before the Democratic presidential candidate took the stage at Reunion Arena.

The order to put down the metal detectors and stop checking purses and laptop bags came as a surprise to several Dallas police officers who said they believed it was a lapse in security.

Dallas Deputy Police Chief T.W. Lawrence, head of the Police Department's homeland security and special operations divisions, said the order -- apparently made by the U.S. Secret Service -- was meant to speed up the long lines outside and fill the arena's vacant seats before Obama came on.

"Sure," said Lawrence, when asked if he was concerned by the great number of people who had gotten into the building without being checked. But, he added, the turnout of more than 17,000 people seemed to be a "friendly crowd."

The Secret Service did not return a call from the Star-Telegram seeking comment.

Doors opened to the public at 10 a.m., and for the first hour security officers scanned each person who came in and checked their belongings in a process that kept movement of the long lines at a crawl. Then, about 11 a.m., an order came down to allow the people in without being checked.

Several Dallas police officers said it worried them that the arena was packed with people who got in without even a cursory inspection.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because, they said, the order was made by federal officials who were in charge of security at the event.

"How can you not be concerned in this day and age," said one policeman.

New Polls in Texas and Ohio show Clinton still leading, but the gap is closing

2008-02-22T07:54:00.000-06:00

Ohio
ABC News
Clinton- 50%, Obama- 43%

Pennsylvania
Franklin+Marshall Coll.
Clinton- 44%, Obama- 32%

Texas
ABC News
Clinton- 48%, Obama- 47%

Constituent Dynamics
Clinton- 46%, Obama- 45%

IVR Polls
Clinton- 50%, Obama- 45%

Rasmussen
Clinton- 47%, Obama- 44%

Obama Victory Speech after Landslide Victories in WI & HI

2008-02-20T08:30:00.001-06:00

Obama wins 9th and 10th States in a Row......is it over for Hillary?

2008-02-20T07:59:00.000-06:00

I'm republishing todays entire entry form electoral-vote.com. This is the best synopsis on the state of the race that I've read, and thought it worthy of passing along.....(its much better than anything I could write)

Barack Obama made it 10 in a row by winning the Wisconsin primary and Hawaii caucus. He is ahead in momentum and delegates, but as Yogi Berra once famously pointed out, it ain't over til it's over. If Hillary Clinton can pull off big victories in Ohio and Texas on March 4 (and maybe little victories in Vermont and Rhode Island), she can blunt his momentum and get back even. If Obama wins Ohio and Texas, Clinton is basically finished. Thus in contrast to what everyone expected at the start of the campaign, superduper Tuesday on Feb. 5 didn't determine the winner. It will be later events.

Here are the results from yesterday's elections.
State Clinton Obama McCain Huckabee Paul
Hawaii 24% 76%
Wisconsin 41% 58% 55% 37% 5%
Washington 49% 22% 7%

Obama's win in Hawaii, where 20 pledged and 9 unpledged delegates were at stake, was expected since he is a native son. Besides, Hawaii is a caucus state and winning caucuses requires superior on-the-ground organization, something Obama's enthusiastic young supporters have provided in spades.

Wisconsin is a different story. It is ajacent to the state Obama represents in the Senate, Illinois, but Clinton was born in Illinois, so that might have been worth something. Apparently not enough though.

Now let's look at the Wisconsin exit polls as reported by the NY Times. Obama won the men by 61% to 35% but he also (narrowly) won the women, 51% to 49%. He won the people making more than $50,000 a year easily, 59% to 39% but he also won the under $50,000 voters (narrowly), again 51% to 49%. Women and downscale voters have been the core of Clinton's candidacy up until now. If Obama can win huge victories among men and upscale voters and break even with women and downscale voters, Clinton is in deep trouble.

Education is probably the clearest separator between the two of them. Among high school graduates, Clinton won by 8%. Among people with some college, Obama won by 14%. With voters holding a college degree he won by 18%. Finally, among people holding a postgraduate degree by a huge 32%. The picture is clear here: the more education you have, the more likely you are to support Obama. In Wisconsin, 73% of the Democratic voters had at least some college. It is interesting to see how Obama is viewed. Fundamentally, he is not seen as the black candidate (except by blacks, who are a tiny fraction of the Wisconsin population). Instead he is seen as the educated candidate, a guy with degrees with Columbia and the Harvard Law School (which apparently trumps a degree from Wellesley College, which is what Hillary Clinton has).

Another surprising item is the partisan breakdown of the vote. Among Democrats, Obama squeak by Clinton 50% to 49%. But among independents and Republicans he won near 2 to 1. Religion was not a huge factor, with Obama winning both the churched and the unchurched. Among Protestants Obama won by 14%; among Catholics Clinton edged him out by 1%. No Jews were reported voting (probably both of Wisconsin's U.S. senators, Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold--both Democrats and both Jewish--were out of town).

Finally age played out as it has in the past. the 72% of the voters under 65 preferred Obama 61% to 37% while those 65 and older went for Clinton 60% to 39%. No specific breakdown by age and gender was reported, but based on past data, Clinton's lead among seniors may be due to a prodominance of older women.

All in all, Obama is making great inroads into Clinton's base. He is winning his base of educated, upscale, and young voters by huge margins and fighting her to a draw among her core supporters of less well educated, downscale, and older voters. Even more frightening for her must be the thought that both Texas and Ohio have open primaries. With the Republican race all over but the shoutin', most of the independents in Texas and Ohio are going to vote in the Democratic primaries there and they have been breaking 2 to 1 for Obama over Clinton. If the election comes down to Obama vs. McCain, the independents are going to be in hog heaven--two candidates they really like. If it is Clinton vs. McCain, they are going to break strongly for McCain, except maybe older women. And even that is less sure, since a 72-year-old candidate may exert a lot of pull on the geriatic vote.

While it will take several days for the polls to reflect yesterday's results, the trading markets respong much faster. At www.intrade.com as of this morning stock in Obama was trading at $79 and stock in Clinton was trading at $19. This means you can buy 10 shares of Obama for $79. If he gets the nomination, you get $100. If he loses the nomination, you get zero. If you think Hillary Clinton is going to win the nomination, this is a good time to buy stock in her. For every $19 you invest, you get $100 if she is nominated. Here are the charts for the past 90 days.
Clinton Obama

In the general election market, 10 shares of Obama to win the Presidency cost $56, 10 shares of Clinton cost $12 and 10 shares of McCain cost $35. The political futures market thus thinks it likely that Barack Obama will not only win the Democratic nomination, but will also win the general election and gives Hillary Clinton hardly any chance to become President. McCain may think so, too, at least about the nomination part. In his speech yesterday, he began attacking Obama already. Nary a word about Clinton.

Now on the the much less exciting Republican side. Mike Huckabee keeps plugging away, but it is not entirely clear why. John McCain basically has the nomination locked up. However, he got only 55% of the vote in Wisconsin, which means that he still has his work cut out for him convincing conservatives that he is their man, despite endorsements by two President Bushes (two Presidents Bush? like two attorneys general?). McCain beat Huckabee in most demographic categories, including men, women, upscale, downscale, college educated, HS grad, Protestant, and Catholic. However, Huckabee won by 20% among evangelicals and by 23% among the voters for whom "shares my values" is top priority.

Here is a new Ohio poll, taken before the Wisconsin results were known.
State Pollster End date Clinton Obama McCain Huckabee Paul
Ohio SurveyUSA Feb. 18 52% 43% 61% 29% 5%

The polling results for all states are available as a Web page and in .csv format.

Here are the delegate totals from various news sources. They differ because in most caucus states, no delegates to the national conventions have been chosen yet, just delegates to the district, county, or state convention. Also, some sources try to count the PLEOs (Party Leaders and Elected Officials) and unpledged delegates, who also get to vote at the convention. When different reporters call a PLEO and hear "Well, I like Hillary, but Barack has his charms too" they may score it differently.
Delegates

Source Clinton Obama Edwards McCain Romney Huckabee Paul
NY Times1081 1078 12 808 139 198 5
AP 1245 1319 26 942 253 245 14
CNN 1239 1301 26 918 286 217 16
ABC 1261 1355 35 895 274 242 14
CBS 1252 1349 26 856 166 199 10
MSNBC 1262 1323 822 282 243 104

Billy Bragg "Mr. Love & Justice" Website

2008-02-20T07:37:00.001-06:00

A website for Billy Bragg's new album, "Mr. Love and Justice," is now up. The site includes track-lists, videos, and many more little extras and info. Here's a couple of the videos that are currently up in the site

Dallas D.A.'s Office Finds JFK Memorabilia

2008-02-19T13:44:00.000-06:00

from MaryFerrell.org:

A safe in the Dallas County district attorney's office was opened and found to contain a cache of JFK-related materials, according to a story in the Dallas Morning News. Items include personal letters to Dallas D.A. Henry Wade (pictured at left), records from the Jack Ruby trial, and clothing possibly belonging to Ruby and Oswald. Attracting the most attention is a two-page transcript marked with a sticker "Plaintiff's Exhibit 27" which purports to be a conversation between Oswald and Ruby on Oct 4, plotting JFK's murder. The dialog, which reads like a grade B movie script ("Lee: You said the boys in Chicago want to get rid of the Attorney General.....I can still do it, all I need is my rifle and a tall building; but it will take time, maybe six months to find the right place; but I'll have to have some money to live on while I do the planning.") may be just that. Wade did work with producers on a movie entitled Countdown in Dallas, and letters discussing the film were discovered in the safe. The transcript is similar but not identical to CE 2821, an FBI report of an alleged Oct 4 meeting of Oswald and Ruby at the Carousel Club, as related by Carroll Jarnagin.

Ouch! That's Gotta Hurt. (but damn it's funny)

2008-02-19T09:31:00.000-06:00

Franken leads Coleman in MN Senate Poll

2008-02-19T09:09:00.001-06:00

According to the latest poll from Rasmussen, Al Franken has taken a 49% to 46% lead over Norm Coleman. Norm Coleman appears to be very vulnerable, and Franken's numbers have been slowly increasing over the past few months. Winning the MN Senate race would also be very important to the Dems nationally, and would probably help increase their majority in the Senate.....which would be a great help to ?President Obama?

Unofficial Tallies in City Understated Obama Vote

2008-02-19T08:14:00.000-06:00

An article in last weeks New York Times points to some serious shenanigans in the New York Democratic primary.

Latest Polls

2008-02-19T07:35:00.000-06:00

These newest numbers look very good for Barack Obama. It looks as if he'll win Wisconsin tonight, although not by huge numbers. But what's really good news are the numbers in Texas. He's closed a 20 pt gap down into the margin of error. If Obama can pull Texas out of the bag, that will be the end for Hillary, even if she wins Ohio and Pennsylvania.

TEXAS
Opinion Research
Clinton 50%
Obama 48%

SurveyUSA
Clinton 50%
Obama 45%

WISCONSIN
Obama 52%
Clinton 42%

Polls in Texas All Over the Map

2008-02-15T11:27:00.000-06:00

TEXAS
Feb 15 ARG
Obama 48%, Clinton 42%

Feb 15 Rasmussen
Clinton 54%, Obama 38%

Feb 14 IVR
Clinton 49%, Obama 41%

This probably means that Clinton is ahead, but not by that much. I tend to believe that the ARG and Rasmussen polls are outliers and Clinton is probably up by 8-10 pts. right now. I have no evidence of this, just going with my gut

Civil Rights Icon John Lewis Switches Super-Delegate Vote From Hillary To Obama

2008-02-15T07:36:00.000-06:00

By Eric Kleefeld - February 14, 2008, 10:26PM

This is big news, and may well be the beginning of the end for Hillary Clinton's super-delegate strategy. The New York Times reports that Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), a legend of the civil rights movement who had endorsed Hillary last year, is switching his super-delegate vote from her over to Barack Obama.

Lewis stopped short of formally switching his endorsement over to Obama, but said he would make a decision on that matter within a few days. Lewis also said that he and other lawmakers would meet soon to decide just how they should involve themselves in the nomination fight — and he cited the super-delegate battle as a pitfall that could weaken the party's hopes this Fall.

In short, it looks like the Hillary campaign probably can't count on the super-delegates to save them, should they lose out in the elected delegate race. So if it becomes clear that Obama ends up with an insurmountable lead — or Hillary, for that matter — there could be a strong message from super-delegates that the loser has to concede defeat and close up shop.

Wow!

2008-02-14T19:39:00.000-06:00

Obama ad running in Wisconsin

2008-02-14T15:41:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week, the Clinton campaign started running an attack ad in Wisconsin. Today the Obama campaign released this ad in response. I think this signals a new phase in the campaign. It's going to get ugly before this is cleared up.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T14:33:00.000-06:00

Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert Welcome Back the Writers!!

2008-02-14T13:22:00.001-06:00

dgw

Latest Polls don't Look Good for Obama (Hillary might still win this)

2008-02-14T13:04:00.000-06:00

WISCONSIN
Rasmussen
Obama 47%
Clinton 43%

Strategic Vision
Obama 45%
Clinton 41%

OHIO
Rasmussen
Clinton 51%
Obama 37%

Quinnipiac
Clinton 55%
Obama 34%

PENNSYLVANIA
Clinton 52%
Obama 36%

Panic at Fox News

2008-02-14T09:54:00.000-06:00

Democratic Primary Results by State (and margin of victory)

2008-02-13T15:01:00.001-06:00

Why Obama is Winning in So Many States

2008-02-13T13:43:00.000-06:00

This is an excerpt from yesterday's Young Turks. I'm starting to come to this conclusion myself. Obama seems to have a much better on the ground organization than Clinton. His massive grassroots support combined with his choice to spend money on local field offices and 50 state strategy are REALLY paying off.

Updated Vote by County Maps

2008-02-13T08:35:00.000-06:00

Some Analysis from The Votemaster

2008-02-13T08:11:00.001-06:00

Analysis taken from the great election site electoral-vote.com

In a development that should make Republicans nervous, Obama got more votes (619,000) in Virginia than all the Republican candidates combined (485,000). In fact, the combined Democratic vote in Virginia was more than double the combined Republican vote. And this in a state that hasn't voted Democratic in a Presidential election since 1964 when Lyndon Johnson wiped Barry Goldwater off the map. If the Democratic enthusiasm is running so high in places like Virginia, what's going to happen in the general election in true swing states like Missouri, Iowa, New Mexico, and Colorado? In Maryland, the Democrats got over 2.5x more votes than the Republicans, but Maryland is traditionally a blue state, so that was to be expected.

The Virginia exit polls, as reported by the NY Times, are enlightening. Obama swept every demographic category except white women, which Clinton won 54% to 45%. Black women went for Obama by the amazing margin of 85% to 15%. Thus black women clearly identify by race stronger than by gender. In contrast, white men went for Obama 56% to 42%. In what should be a huge red flag for Clinton, voters making less than $50,000 a year, the core of her base, voted for Obama 60% to 38% and seniors (60+) went for Obama 54% to 46%. Obama also swept up the voters without college degrees 61% to 39%. None of this is good news for Clinton. Her base has been the downscale, older, high school graduates, which is not a bad base to have since there are a lot of voters in these categories, but they seem to be moving away from her. She did slightly better in Maryland, where she nosed out Obama among the seniors 48% to 47% but still lost among voters making less than $50,000 a year and voters without college degrees.

Now on to the Republican side. John McCain won all three primaries, increasing his delegate total and making him unstoppable at this point. But as the votes show, there is still a lot of resistance to him. In Virginia he got just 50% of the vote, for example. He may have more delegates than Huckabee, but he hasn't closed the deal entirely yet. McCain's victory was not as broad as Obama's. In Virginia he lost among younger voters (17-29), those without college degrees, conservatives, and Protestants. While Huckabee can make life slightly uncomfortable for McCain for a few more weeks, he has virtually no chance of winning the nomination. Apparently Huckabee's strategy at this point is to do sufficiently well that McCain feels forced to choose him as Veep to mollify the extreme conservatives in the party.

Obama hasn't even gotten the nomination and already he has coattails. In congressional district MD-04 in suburban Montgomery and Prince George's Counties surrounding D.C., there was a fierce battle in the Democratic primary for a seat in the House of Representatives. In that district, a progressive young black community organizer, Donna Edwards, challenged and beat a popular eight-term incumbent Democrat, Albert Wynn. Edwards ran against him in 2006 and lost. The difference this time was all the enthusiastic young Obama supporters who showed up to vote. Since MD-04 has a PVI of D+30, she can go visit Nancy Pelosi today to start discussing office space and committee assignments. The Washington Post has a story about her upset win. In MD-01, Wayne Gilchrest (R), may also lose a primary.

Wake up Call for Obama Supporters: Clinton with wide lead in Ohio

2008-02-13T08:03:00.002-06:00

After Obama big wins last night, we should all take a second and think about weather this nomination is over yet. Hillary has a huge lead in Ohio according to this SurveyUSA poll (which had been the most accurate in the primaries so far), and she is, in all likelyhood, going to win the Texas primary.

NORTH CAROLINA
SurveyUSA
Obama 50%
Clinton 40%

OHIO
SurveyUSA
Clinton 56%
Obama 39%

WISCONSIN
PPP
Obama 50%
Clinton 39%

RHODE ISLAND
Brown U.
Obama 36%
Clinton 28%

UPDATED: Dem & Rep Primary Vote by County

2008-02-12T15:46:00.000-06:00

This is what the race looks like up to today (before Potomac Tuesday). All states are in except the contentious Washington caucuses on the Republican side.

The Democratic Primary Race after Today

2008-02-12T14:33:00.000-06:00

After Obama sweeps today, it looks really good for him in all but 3 states in my opinion. I predict he will win every state except Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, Vermont and Rhode Island. Unfortunately for him, those include the 3 most populous states remaining. If this happens it will come down to the super delegates and Howard Dean to decide the nominee. Now, If Obama can pull out a win in Ohio things look better for him but I think we'd still be looking at a convention fight over Michigan and Florida delegates. If someone wants to win this thing outright before the convention (and terrible infighting) Obama probably needs to win almost every state including Ohio and Pennsylvania. If he loses 1 or both of those then the Democratic Party has a major problem. How they deal with that is anyones guess.......but that's a topic I don't want to get into right now.

February 19th: Hawaii, Wisconsin
March 4th: Texas, Ohio, Vermont, Rhode Island
March 8th: Wyoming
March 11th: Mississippi
April 22nd: Pennsylvania
May 6th: Indiana, North Carolina
May 13th: West Virginia
May 20th: Kentucky, Oregon
June 3rd: Montana, South Dakota

Potomac Primary Delegate Baseline

2008-02-12T13:49:00.000-06:00

from MyDD....

Marc Ambinder links to a new Constituent Dynamics (pdf) analysis of how delegates out of Maryland, Virginia and DC are likely to be apportioned when all is said and done today based on their polling of 14,276 registered voters in Maryland, Virginia and DC from February 7-8. Overall, they see Obama winning 93, Clinton taking 62, with 13 up in the air. Take this breakdown as an indicator of what's expected to happen tonight in order to judge the candidates' relative over- and under-performance once results come in.

Virginia (83 delegates)

Obama 45
Clinton 32
Too Close 6

Maryland (70 delegates)

Obama 38
Clinton 26
Too Close 6

Washington, DC (15 delegates)

Obama 10
Clinton 4
Too Close 1

It should be noted that this scenario has Obama significantly over-performing one of his campaign's leaked scenarios that would leave him with a pledged delegate lead by the end of the primary process. In addition, the Virginia projections are fairly in line with NotLarrySabato's Virginia estimates, which has the 6 too close to call delegates going to Obama 4-2.

The Rebel Girl

2008-02-12T13:26:00.000-06:00

The begining of this video, is an audio narrative by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, with images of her, as well as a quote of hers about women in the I.W.W. This Narative is commonly used on recordings to introduce the song "The Rebel Girl" in which Joe Hill dedicated to Elezabeth Guley Flynn. The second part, is the song "The Rebel Girl" Writen by Joe Hill, and performed by Hazel Dickens.

Emma Goldman: Well known anachist writer and feminist, took part in the IWW free speech fight during the first world war.

Helen Keller: Mostly known for her disability, was an active member of the I.W.W. and influential feminist.

Grace Silver: Mother of once famous actress Queen Silver. Active organizer in the I.W.W. Grace and Queen Silver were influental supporters of evolution, and athiests.

Lucy Parsons: Wife of Albert Parsons a haymarket Martyr, organizer for the I.W.W. and Communist Party.

Judi Bari: Radical enviromentalist, feminist, and member of the I.W.W. and Earth First. Victom of a failed assasination, later died of cancer.

Mother Jones: Helped form the I.W.W. in 1905. One of the most well known organizers, and active socailists of the day. She would most likely be annoyed that liberals have a magazine named after her.

Lesbia Harford: She was a well known poet in Australia, and a member of the Australian contingent of the I.W.W.

Amelia Siblich: Known as "Flaming Milka" due to her wearing red while at only 19 she helped lead a coal strike in Colorado.

Rosie Kane: Former member of the Scotish Parlement, member of the Scotish Socialist Party, and the I.W.W.

Caroline Leckie: (Same as above)

Dorothy Day: Member of the I.W.W. Formed the Anarchist organization "Catholic Workers".

Charlene Sato:(It's misspelled in the video) Member of the I.W.W. supporter of the Hawaiian-based LACASA, and
important in sociolinguistics.

Faith Petric: I.W.W. Member and folk singer.

Anne Feenley: I.W.W. Member and folk singer.

Charolotte Anita Whitney: As far as I know, had never joined the I.W.W. Yet was an active communist. Was arrested in California for making a speech on behalf of an I.W.W. member which violated an anti-syncialism law, established to crush the I.W.W.

Suley Ayala: I.W.W. Member who joined during recent organizing of Starbucks in New York City. She had faced religious persecution several times due to her faith as a Wiccan.

The rest of the photos are of random women in the I.W.W. (Names unkown). The first is at a Rally in 2007 in Seatle WA. The second is a Starbucks worker in New York City. The third is of two women in Scotland U.K. Fourth and Fifth.. Starbucks workers in NYC, and lastly is the logo for the I.W.W. Woman's Caucus.

National Democratic Polling Trends from Pollster.com

2008-02-12T13:22:00.000-06:00