You're gonna be bothered by how cool I am.

The chief lawyer for Senator Clinton's campaign submitted this letter to the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee. The meat of it is that the Clinton campaign is asking that all of Florida's and Michigan's delegates be seated with full votes, with Obama getting NONE of Michigan's delegates, since no votes were cast for him - and, yanno, since he wasn't even on the ballot and the Michigan Democratic leadership decided a week before the primary to not count write-in votes that is TOTES FAIR TRUFAX! So ... everybody would have their votes represented. Except the people who voted Uncommitted, of course, most of whom were likely Obama/Edwards/Richardson/Biden supporters.

Never mind the fact that Clinton agreed to the rules that the DNC is trying to enforce to begin with. What gets me is this part:

The states have already been punished because no campaign activity was conducted in Florida or Michigan. There is no requirement or need to punish their duly elected delegates who represent the 2.3 million voters in Michigan and Florida who participated in the nominating process.

Um, WHAT?! The states have been sufficiently punished just because candidates didn't make campaign stops in those states and didn't have offices there? That has to be the most ridiculous thing I've heard in this primary battle, and I've heard some DOOZIES. Since when is not getting a personal visit from a presidential candidate or having a campaign office in your backyard punishment for anything? I'm in AWE.

I truly feel for the people who went out and voted in Florida and Michigan. I do think their votes should be represented in some way (although I don't see how Michigan's can, since Clinton was basically the only candidate on the ticket). But it's clear from the appearances that officials from these states have made over the past few weeks that their intention in moving their primaries up was because they thought it was unfair that Iowa and New Hampshire got so much cache in the political process from having the first say. But dudes ... if this primary calendar has taught us anything, it's that it ain't over till it's over. And while Iowa's and New Hampshire's opinions were important this go round, no doubt, it was the Clinton campaign's lack of planning for the later states that has at least partly led to her downfall in the nomination process.

One thing's for sure, though, in my mind. If Clinton fights the Committee's decision, especially after Obama reaches whatever new delegate number is required for the nomination, any chance she might have had for a future run will be gone. Fair or not fair, she can't hope to lead a party that is clearly not behind her.

The chief lawyer for Senator Clinton's campaign submitted this letter to the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee. The meat of it is that the Clinton campaign is asking that all of Florida's and Michigan's delegates be seated with full votes, with Obama getting NONE of Michigan's delegates, since no votes were cast for him - and, yanno, since he wasn't even on the ballot and the Michigan Democratic leadership decided a week before the primary to not count write-in votes that is TOTES FAIR TRUFAX! So ... everybody would have their votes represented. Except the people who voted Uncommitted, of course, most of whom were likely Obama/Edwards/Richardson/Biden supporters.

Never mind the fact that Clinton agreed to the rules that the DNC is trying to enforce to begin with. What gets me is this part:

The states have already been punished because no campaign activity was conducted in Florida or Michigan. There is no requirement or need to punish their duly elected delegates who represent the 2.3 million voters in Michigan and Florida who participated in the nominating process.

Um, WHAT?! The states have been sufficiently punished just because candidates didn't make campaign stops in those states and didn't have offices there? That has to be the most ridiculous thing I've heard in this primary battle, and I've heard some DOOZIES. Since when is not getting a personal visit from a presidential candidate or having a campaign office in your backyard punishment for anything? I'm in AWE.

I truly feel for the people who went out and voted in Florida and Michigan. I do think their votes should be represented in some way (although I don't see how Michigan's can, since Clinton was basically the only candidate on the ticket). But it's clear from the appearances that officials from these states have made over the past few weeks that their intention in moving their primaries up was because they thought it was unfair that Iowa and New Hampshire got so much cache in the political process from having the first say. But dudes ... if this primary calendar has taught us anything, it's that it ain't over till it's over. And while Iowa's and New Hampshire's opinions were important this go round, no doubt, it was the Clinton campaign's lack of planning for the later states that has at least partly led to her downfall in the nomination process.

One thing's for sure, though, in my mind. If Clinton fights the Committee's decision, especially after Obama reaches whatever new delegate number is required for the nomination, any chance she might have had for a future run will be gone. Fair or not fair, she can't hope to lead a party that is clearly not behind her.

I wasn't in the press room (as you clearly were) for the Q&As in the press room backstage to the Golden Globes, and I'm finding it strangely difficult, in the age of YouTube, to find any video of said Q&As. (ETA: Maybe if I'd looked at the HFPA web page, I would have found it. My bad.) However, I'm more than a little annoyed at your description of Jennifer Hudson - the deserving Golden Globe winner for Dreamgirls - as the "Coolest Cat" and your implication that she was not "nervous" or "excitable" enough while answering questions from the press right after her win. You seem to be accusing her "grinning and relaxed" demeanor as if it were a sign of arrogance.

Perhaps, being stuck in the press room, you missed her endearingly emotional acceptance speech, where she did such "cool" and "relaxed" things as crying, laughing at herself when she said something a bit silly, and dedicating her award to the late Florence Ballard (on whom her character Effie was partially based). But perhaps not, since in the very next paragraph you're subtly lampooning Kyra Sedgwick for essentially being too nervous and excitable and thanking too many people during her press room moment.

Mr. Vary, I am anxiously awaiting the day that you win a Golden Globe and/or Oscar and are forced to endure that few minutes of interrogation from a room full of reporters. I am sure that you will cry just the right amount of tears, exude the perfect amount of nervous laughter, stammer in exactly the right and appropriate manner and volume, and thank no more and no less people than actually, literally deserve it.


Yours in Eye-Rolling,
Pam

ETA, contintued: - I am watching the video of her press room Q&A now, and I honestly don't see what your problem is. I'm also failing to see how a reporter remarking about how calm she seems and asking what her celebrating plans were is "calling her" on anything.

I wasn't in the press room (as you clearly were) for the Q&As in the press room backstage to the Golden Globes, and I'm finding it strangely difficult, in the age of YouTube, to find any video of said Q&As. (ETA: Maybe if I'd looked at the HFPA web page, I would have found it. My bad.) However, I'm more than a little annoyed at your description of Jennifer Hudson - the deserving Golden Globe winner for Dreamgirls - as the "Coolest Cat" and your implication that she was not "nervous" or "excitable" enough while answering questions from the press right after her win. You seem to be accusing her "grinning and relaxed" demeanor as if it were a sign of arrogance.

Perhaps, being stuck in the press room, you missed her endearingly emotional acceptance speech, where she did such "cool" and "relaxed" things as crying, laughing at herself when she said something a bit silly, and dedicating her award to the late Florence Ballard (on whom her character Effie was partially based). But perhaps not, since in the very next paragraph you're subtly lampooning Kyra Sedgwick for essentially being too nervous and excitable and thanking too many people during her press room moment.

Mr. Vary, I am anxiously awaiting the day that you win a Golden Globe and/or Oscar and are forced to endure that few minutes of interrogation from a room full of reporters. I am sure that you will cry just the right amount of tears, exude the perfect amount of nervous laughter, stammer in exactly the right and appropriate manner and volume, and thank no more and no less people than actually, literally deserve it.


Yours in Eye-Rolling,
Pam

ETA, contintued: - I am watching the video of her press room Q&A now, and I honestly don't see what your problem is. I'm also failing to see how a reporter remarking about how calm she seems and asking what her celebrating plans were is "calling her" on anything.

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I do not appreciate minding my own business and, thanks to the handy-dandy Gmail notifier that gives me the title and first line of each e-mail message, seeing a string of perversities pop up on my screen at any given time. No, I DON'T want to see pictures of [insert name of random ethnic group here] [insert name of anatomical orifice here] [insert bizarre sexual act here] [insert body fluid here].

If I want porn, I'll read some HP fanfic.

LeavemealoneKTHXBAI!

Dear porn spammers,

STOP! NOW!

I do not appreciate minding my own business and, thanks to the handy-dandy Gmail notifier that gives me the title and first line of each e-mail message, seeing a string of perversities pop up on my screen at any given time. No, I DON'T want to see pictures of [insert name of random ethnic group here] [insert name of anatomical orifice here] [insert bizarre sexual act here] [insert body fluid here].

If I want porn, I'll read some HP fanfic.

LeavemealoneKTHXBAI!