Shall I Shill? [Kirsten]

We seem to have a distinct lack of international perspective around these parts. In fact, we seem to have a distinct lack of anyone besides me. I considered posting an anti-McCain piece to rally Jenna to some good vitriol spewing, but I’ve been busy enjoying the weather and diligently avoiding work and never got around to it. Besides, if she doesn’t check the blog she won’t see it, and it looses about 98% of its effect if I have to tell her it’s there. 

Because all you’re getting is me dithering I think it’s time to start posting links to what other people are saying. I wanted to start doing a collected links of the day thing, but I’m still on a desperate and fruitless quest for something resembling a neutral source. I know it’s a fools errand, but I have all this excess Hope (TM) that I keep pouring into undeserving vessels like the media. 

Absenting a neutral source, here’s a link from DailyKos. Hey, it’s an international perspective!

I’m pretty sure I am misusing ’shill’ in the title. I am full of wine and don’t much care.

So it’s a bit soon… [Kirsten]

…to call the Democrats Abroad vote for Obama, but early results seem to say he’s got 75% of that vote. Edit: It seems I am silly. Those numbers are with just the precincts in Indonesia reporting. The full results won’t be in until 12 February or later.

I feel sad that I already voted absentee (in NYC…Clinton country!) well before I had even heard about Democrats Abroad. In proportion to delegates, I think my vote would have counted for more in the DA election. Besides, it will be May before my absentee ballot is even looked at… (Perhaps I exaggerate a bit.)

Yes We Can [Kirsten]

This is my last post before Super Tuesday and its slurry of election results.

Tonight a friend posted on my Facebook wall (oh yes, we’re young’uns around these parts, if you didn’t already know) that: “My faith in humanity (or at least, the democratic party) will be restored with an Obama victory!”

I just wanted the record to reflect that my faith in humanity has already been restored. Obama victories certainly help the enthusiasm crescendo, but the power of finally having something to believe in, of finally having a politician who represents you being heard by millions of people…that’s amazing and that’s what does it. These victories won’t be made hollow in the event that the underdog doesn’t pull through. John Edwards is out of the race but he helped bring progressive values to the table. If Obama goes out (and it won’t be tomorrow) he will have brought hope and a change in rhetoric to the table. Clinton is a chameleon; she’ll pick up those values and those words and that dream and she’ll make them her own and her campaign will be better for it.

I’ve never been so proud of my country as I’ve been in 2008.

“But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.”
-Barack Obama 

It’s My Birthday & I’ll Post What I Want To: Yes We Can Video [Kirsten]

Amazing video.

Democrats Abroad – Last chance to register for Super Tuesday voting! [Kirsten]

Our setup seems to be a little wacky in that it doesn’t show who is posting what! Silly WordPress… For now we’re just going to slap our names all over everything and hope for the best.

This post is just a reminder that midnight today, 31 January 2008, is the last chance you will have to register to participate in the international Democratic primary on 5 February, “Super/Tsunami” Tuesday. Once again, sorry Republicans. I think you should make a fuss and demand an international primary in 2012/2016.

That said, I don’t know who we’re reminding since we haven’t really told anyone about this blog yet, but it just seemed irresponsible not to!

Next up: Kirsten’s rant against uninformed voters. We’ll tackle the non-voters some other time.

Cheers,
Kirsten.

Less than Stellar Monday [Kirsten]

We’re looking to launch on Super Tuesday, so this entry is really just a placeholder in case you stumble this site before then.

Two quick announcements:

1) Drop a comment if you’re an American living abroad who is interested in blogging on the 2008 election.

And

2) 1st February is the deadline to register to vote in the global Democratic primary on 5th February. You can sign up here: http://votefromabroad.org/ If you’re still eligible to vote via your home address in the States I don’t think you qualify, but it probably applies to at least some permanent expats. Sorry to anyone who wants to vote in the Republican primary, as the GOP has not yet launched online absentee voting. However, you can check out their outreach site at http://www.republicansabroad.org/ for the other resources they offer. (Democrats have a similar site: http://www.democratsabroad.org/. Don’t want anyone to feel neglected!)