I am so excited to present this new clip from our film, The Audacity of Democracy: The Hillary Flashpoint and the Battle for the Soul of the Democratic Party. Directed by Brad Mays and produced by Lorenda Starfelt, our documentary tells the story of what really happened and why during the Democratic primaries and in Denver, as well as traces the birth and explosion of the Puma Movement — all of us. Sit back and enjoy. I’ve also included the first clip that we presented in July in case you have not yet seen it. The final film will be released just in time for Inauguration Day, a very fitting moment in time to end this important chapter in the ongoing story of Puma PAC.
I am also excited to announce the opportunity for Puma PAC members to PRE-ORDER a copy of the film. Be the first to own a copy of what I believe will be an invaluable document in the history of not just the Democratic Party but of American Democracy itself.
Everyone who pre-orders in September will receive a VERY SPECIAL gift — a Great Puma PAC Moments in Denver memorial DVD! Everything from our protest at MSNBC to Riverdaughter’s rousing speech at The Rise rally, from Tommy Christopher’s EPIC BATTLE With the Crazed Maniacs at Puma PAC Headquarters (comedy GOLD!) to Lori’s moving interviews with dozens of Pumas who traveled from near and far to be together in Denver. This Great Moments DVD really will make you laugh and make you cry.
One of the things I focus on at my own blog is telling the stories of Women’s History. As a teacher, it became obvious to me early on that there was a lot of focus on black history and practically none on women’s history in grades K-12. In fact, I myself had to attend college to learn anything about this fascinating trajectory within history. I was 22 years old before I ever heard the names Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Alice Paul. I swore then that I would do my best to educate as many women as I could about their own compelling history. With that in mind, I offer you the tale of one of the most controversial American women to ever grace our great nation. A leader in business and journalism, she came from a poor and questionable background, but she eventually made her way so high that she directly challenged the existing status quo. That’s what gadflies do.
Victoria Woodhull is a special case, and no other time in our history has been more appropriate to a lesson on her than right now. Maybe it’s because I share her wildness, having come from similar poor and roaming roots. Maybe I have an affinity for her because she was ahead of her time. Whatever the reason, she’s one of my all time favorite historical figures. She was controversial and courageous in so many ways. So indulge me a little if you will (it is Sunday after all), as I tell you the story of a poor girl exploited by her family, who then took on the world with her doe eyes, her rosy cheeks, and her mental acuity, and actually made some progress for women in America.
In her most controversial act, fearlessly, Woodhull declared her candidacy for U. S. President in 1872 (Equal Rights Party), and she had the money to support such a campaign, though not the vote. She was the first woman ever to run for that high office in America. But her origins were much different, and along the way, she left a trail broken barriers. She was nothing like Hillary Clinton, who has always played it straight every day of her life, but she was similarly defiant in the face of criticism, and every bit as accomplished and inspiring.
Victoria California Claflin was born in Homer, Ohio to a rough and ready family. Her father, Reuben, eventually took Victoria and her sister Tennessee on a traveling medicine show, exploiting them for “psychic healing.” Tennessee and Victoria grew very close during this tumultuous, uncertain time, and would remain together throughout their lives. At 15, Victoria married a doctor, Channing Woodhull, whose name she would keep even after they divorced ten years later. They had two children, Byron and Zulu.
Before the divorce, though, Woodhull had moved herself, her sister Tennessee, and her two children to New York City where she began to make connections among wealthy New Yorkers. One of these connections, a certain Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt, helped finance Victoria in the very first female-run brokerage house in New York City in 1870. Calling it Woodhull, Claflin & Company, she proceeded to expand her empire from there, establishing the Woodhull & Claflin Weekly newspaper shortly thereafter. After success in their brokerage firm, the sisters were given the nicknames “Queens of Finance” and “Bewitching Brokers,” and they quickly earned a notorious reputation for the content of their newspaper. As if it were perfectly normal, the newspaper published articles on “free love,” divorce, sex outside of marriage, and, famously, was the first publication in America to publish the Communist Manifesto.
Of course, this entire time, rumors were swirling within the privileged NYC community (and beyond, due to tabloids) that the sisters were promiscuous or worse, prostitutes, and how their rhetoric was irreligious and immoral. But the sisters didn’t care. They recognized that any publicity was good publicity for women’s rights. And they wanted to be a part of that. Others within the women’s movement disagreed. They thought Woodhull and Claflin were bringing shame and notoriety to the cause of women’s rights, and that it would set it back. I contend that as a matter of history, the sisters were right. They set the margin, quite frankly. Give us rights, or you get more of this. And apparently, it worked, because by 1871, Victoria was giving a speech before Congress.
In fact, she preempted the opening of the National Women’s Suffrage Associations 3rd Annual Convention in Washington D.C., which immediately convened to go see her speak. There she argued such a revolutionary idea–that women already had the right to vote because woman was man’s equal, and thus covered under the Constitution–that many Suffragist leaders, including Stanton and Anthony, immediately invited her to represent their cause. Just as importantly, the argument was powerfully logical to several of the Committee members to which she delivered her speech. Thus, politics was the third realm, after business and publishing, that were traditionally men’s realms, that Victoria had taken on and won.
Reminder!
We have 51 Days to stop the DONC.
We will be mounting a weekend Fundraiser starting later today to raise funds for Canvassing and Outreach for our Protest of the Election. Get a jump now and donate this morning if you can, and THANK you! You can Contribute HERE!
Puma PAC, People United Means Action, is Protesting the 2008 Election. We are Democrats who will vote for President this year in Protest. We will not support the Selected presidential nominee. Millions of us will vote John McCain as a PROTEST against the DNC and the Obama Movement. Millions will vote 3rd Party or leave the top spot BLANK. Not because we are angry or bitter or sore losers. Not because we are shrieking holdouts. We are Protesting the 2008 Election because the DNC and the Obama Movement used dirty tricks and disenfranchisement to grab the nomination.
These are the Reasons for the Puma PAC Protest of the 2008 Election
* The DNC punished the VOTERS of Florida and Michigan with DISENFRANCHISEMENT. because of the actions of their elected officials. In Florida, Democratic VOTERS WERE DISENFRANCHISEDbecause of the shenanigans of a REPUBLICAN legislature.
* The DNC CHANGED THE VOTES of 600,000 Michiganders on May 31, 2008 when it stole 4 pledged delegates from one candidate and re-pledged them to another.
* The Obama Movement PAID THE SUPERDELEGATES who endorsed Senator Obama. Crucial Super Delegates pledged their support to Obama after the Obama Movement contributed tens of thousands of dollars to them. These were Super Delegates whose constituents had voted overwhelmingly for Senator Clinton in the the primaries.
* The DNC allowed sexist bias to HANDICAP the ONLY WOMAN in the race. When Tucker Carlson said that Hillary Clinton was a CASTRATOR, the DNC WAS SILENT. When Chris Matthews said that Bill Clinton’s INFIDELITY was the ONLY REASON for Hillary Clinton’s achievements, the DNC WAS SILENT. When the MEDIA CIRCUS unleashed a sexist onslaught of criticism against Senator Clinton regarding: her laugh, her cleavage, her pants, her wrinkles, her earrings, her “bitchiness,” her emotional “instability” the DNC WAS SILENT.
* The DNC and the Obama Movement SUPPRESSED THE VOTES OF CLINTON Delegates at the National Convention in Denver. On August 27th, 2008 the DNC and the Obama Movement maneuvered an undemocratic and underhanded voting script to ensure that Hillary Clinton’s pledged delegates (and the 18 million votes they represented) HAD NO VOTE. Entire state delegations were brow-beaten into voting Present or Passing their votes to other states. August 27, 2008 is a day that will live in infamy for the Democratic National Committee.
If you are a Democrat and you are FED UP with the DNC and the Obama Movement’s tactics, JOIN US! We are Protesting the 2008 Election.
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A few in the last thread were concerned that The Audacity of Nope could be construed as PUMApac’s endorsement of John McCain. PUMApac does not endorse John McCain.
I thought I had clearly stated at the end of the essay was that it was the opinion of myself only, a lowly guest blogger from Peacocks and Lilies. I apologize if some were offended and am re-posting the official statement of PUMApac regarding the top of the ticket. Thanks to Hillstheone for posting it in comments in the last thread.
Reminder!
We have 52 Days to stop the DONC.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to Sheila Jackson Lee yesterday. I will post the final tally later this morning.
We will be mounting a weekend Fundraiser starting later today to raise funds for Canvassing and Outreach for our Protest of the Election. Get a jump now and donate this morning if you can, and THANK you! You can Contribute HERE!
Post title taken from Joan Walsh’s comment today on CNN that Sarah Palin, “looks like a Walmart woman.” Well Joan, excuse us for living. But we’ll be sure to vote on November 4th before we slink back to our cheap houses and stop offending your refined sensibilities with our presence.
Gogandalf, with the help of Trish’s Crack Team of Political Researchers, is helping me put together the Puma PAC Slate for Each and Every State to help us all vote Nothing On Top for Obama in November at the same time that we protect the Democratic majority in Congress. Think of it as a one-two punch. We knock out Obama with one, and with the second we maintain our leverage in a Democratic Congress.
DWP, when she’s not making photoshop magic for our amusement and delectation, is busy uploading the ZILLIONS of new links and documents to our lovely ACTION Center. Thanks dwp, you can sleep on Thursday, don’t worry.
FreddieBrown, Asia4Hillary, and Trish are working on making our Puma PAC Party Templates a reality. AND, we are setting up our very first weekend of canvassing in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Virginia this weekend. Please stay tuned.
We DO need funds to keep our momentum. Our budget has always been lean and mean — no salaries, consultants, lobbyists, etc etc — but even the grassiest grass-roots effort needs help. Please consider a donation tonight. You can contribute HERE, and THANK you!
UPDATE 9/1/08 AT 12:17PM: Please read Riverdaughter’s Post on the BBC Blog about Pumas and the Power of REAL Unity. Puma comments needed. Read it HERE.
Happy Labor Day Puma PAC! One of my favorite bumper stickers is “Labor Unions: The Folks Who Brought You the Weekend.” The Obama Movement often tries to pretend that we are rich, lazy housewives with nothing better to do than sit around and whine like sore losers, or worse — Republicans.
We all know this is not true. In comments let us know what you do for a living (if you’re retired, what you DID for a living) and whether you love your job or mostly do it to pay the bills. Also, let us know if you have health insurance.
Relax and enjoy the day. Our minds and thoughts are all on the Gulf Coast this morning as Gustav bears down. Stay safe and wonderful to each other Puma PAC — today is a new day!
Spent the morning inside the Pepsi Center doing interviews with NECN, New Delhi TV, the CBC, Al Jazeera England, and WABC in San Francisco. (That’s me with the lovely ladies from New Delhi TV, Sarah and Nadia). Larry King is calling.
Pumas are returning back from all the corners of Denver to HQ to get ready for tonight’s speech. We’ll all be here together watching. The press will be here — look for us on TV.
Back to the blog — boy is it good to be back. The Rise was beautiful and inspiring. Riverdaughter, always brilliant on her feet had us all cheering, Betty from Pittsburgh PA told us a story about Hillary and why she drove straight to Denver in her red pickup truck decorated all over with HILLARY signs. Igor, Ladyboomer, Edwin, and Shtu brought us all to tears — and the candles were flickering in the wind.
I shamelessly STOLE the above picture from the ravishing Riverdaughter’s place. When Saharra introduced Riverdaughter she said, “You know she’s trouble — look at that red hair!” and Riv took the mic and said, “My red is hair is mine because I paid for it!” (have I mentioned that I love Riverdaughter?) That’s Puma PAC in front of the MSNBC tent at Union Station today. We STOLE the show!!
Denver is so damn QUIET. There are more police officers than reporters and there are no Obama supporters in sight (well, maybe a few — but honestly, we walk down the streets with our signs and t-shirts and people cheer! They ask us for Hillary stickers!)
Sitting beside dances with pumas while mamapuma, patrick, and taffy unpack boxes of flyers and signs and set up laptops. Our Puma PAC HQ is humming. We are a half-mile from the Pepsi Center, right across the street from the Denver Police Headquarters. Dave, the world’s greatest landlord, had his guys washing our windows and glueing down the last pieces of carpet. The people of Denver must be the friendliest folks in the world.
I’ll post photos of the HQ later tonight.
Waiting for MP to arrive — Riverdaughter, Igor, and Jessi are on their way.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA INQUIRIES: 978-505-3933
Puma PAC Official Schedule of Events
Denver, Colorado
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24
PUMA PAC HQ, 1325 Delaware Street 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Meet and Greet MEDIA AND DELEGATES WELCOME. All Pumas, Hillary Supporters, and Friends of Puma PAC WELCOME! Come and meet all the Pumas from around the country who are gathering in Denver for the Convention. We will have signs, buttons, stickers, t-shirts, and other PUMA Gear for you to take with you on your travels through Denver and beyond. We will also have snacks and drinks to keep you refreshed and energized. Restroom facilities and parking available on premises. This is the place to go for ALL of the info you need: schedules, maps, instructions, shuttle rides, rally signs, sign supplies, flyers and handouts. Visit OFTEN during your stay.
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Live Blogging Wireless and wired internet access, printers, office supplies, and community for all your live blogging needs. Access email and catch up on the news. Bring your own internet-ready laptop. If we get too crowded we will begin scheduling internet access.
Puma PAC Media Loft - PRIVATE LOCATION 8:00 p.m. - Audacity of Democracy Screening and Party This is an invitation only event for Puma PAC members, Puma Friends, members of the Press, and Delegates. We will be screening the latest installment of our documentary, “The Audacity of Democracy,” at 9:00 p.m. Doors will close when we reach capacity. Cash bar and hors d’oeuvres will be available.
MONDAY, AUGUST 25th
PUMA PAC HQ, 1325 Delaware Street 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Rise and Rally! MEDIA AND DELEGATES WELCOME Puma PAC HQ will be open ALL DAY and evening as a resource center, meeting place, and rest stop. You can pick up signs, t-shirts, goodies, and refreshments here anytime. This is the place to gather BEFORE the Beautiful Protest and Rise at Cheesman Park. We will be making signs and handing them out. You can get your t-shirts and buttons and candles here. We will have some shuttle vans/cars taking people over to the Park - but if you have your own car, please bring it! We’ll put you to work helping get people to the park!
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Live Blogging Wireless and wired internet access, printers, office supplies, and community for all your live blogging needs. Access email and catch up on the news. Bring your own internet-ready laptop. If we get too crowded we will begin scheduling internet access.
CHEESMAN PARK - East 8th Avenue 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Beautiful Protest and Rise
MEDIA AND DELEGATES WELCOME.
A Celebration of Hillary Clinton’s Historic Presidential Campaign! What makes this historical event special? It’s not just because it’s named after Maya Angelou’s famous poem “Rise,” but that it will also close with the lighting of candles to pay tribute to Hillary and all of her achievements, while also symbolically reigniting the flame of America’s great Democracy and Lady Liberty’s torch. Candles will Rise as participants at Cheesman Park and communities across the nation will recognize Senator Clinton’s achievements in one harmonious gesture of celebration. This will be a marvelous opportunity for those who worked on Hillary’s behalf and her supporters as well as all who believe in and appreciate our Liberty and Democracy to come together and enjoy an afternoon and evening of festivities. This is a free event; all Hillary supporters/fans are welcome. Puma Pac activities begin at 4:00 p.m. and end at 6:00 p.m. The Rise 2008 takes over at 6:00 p.m. Speakers and entertainment begin at 7 p.m.. The festivities will end with the national “RISE” candle salute to Hillary, Democracy and Lady Liberty at precisely 9:45 MDT.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26TH
PUMA PAC HQ, 1325 Delaware Street 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Ambassador Day MEDIA AND DELEGATES WELCOME. Puma PAC HQ will be open ALL DAY and evening as a resource center, meeting place, and rest stop. You can pick up signs, t-shirts, goodies, and refreshments here anytime.
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Live Blogging Wireless and wired internet access, printers, office supplies, and community for all your live blogging needs. Access email and catch up on the news. Bring your own internet-ready laptop. If we get too crowded we will begin scheduling internet access.
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Hillary Clinton’s Address to the Convention MEDIA WELCOME. We will have a 46″ flat screen TV set up for everyone to watch Hillary’s historic address on the 88th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage. Drinks and light food will be served.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27th
PUMA PAC HQ, 1325 Delaware Street 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Ambassador Day
MEDIA AND DELEGATES WELCOME. Puma PAC HQ will be open ALL DAY and evening as a resource center, meeting place, and rest stop. You can pick up signs, t-shirts, goodies, and refreshments here anytime.
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Live Blogging Wireless and wired internet access, printers, office supplies, ETC for all your live blogging needs. You can also check email and check up on the news. Bring your own laptop.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28th
PUMA PAC HQ, 1325 Delaware Street 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - The Lion’s Share Closing the convention with our community. Gather to share your experiences, your thoughts, your emotions. Celebrate our achievements and plan for November.
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WELCOME TO ALL NEW PUMA PAC MEMBERS!
To be an active participant on the blog, we ask that you share our mission and our motto - NObama.
We ask that all conversation be civil, respectful, and absent of any sexist, racist, misogynistic, ageist and all the other -isms that have been thrown around in this election. We work very hard to keep the forum positive and powerful.
There are 3 Rules for Posting on Puma PAC’s forums
1. No sexism
2. No racism or homophobia
3. No insulting other Pumas, including condescension
Join us in our fight to take our democracy back to the people!
NHFORHILLARY is challenging all PUMAs to join her in supporting a mock ROLL CALL to take place in Cheesman Park at 4:00 p.m. on Monda, August 25. Speak for YOUR state! Sponsor a STATE sign for $5.
Imagine what an exciting event this will be in DENVER! Envision fellow PUMAS holding signs from ALL 50 states and the cheers of support for Hillary as we start!
Arkansas, how do you vote?
New York, how do you vote?
As we go through each state you can cheer at home in solidarity and support for Hillary!
Get involved and make HISTORY!! We can have more than one sign per state! Use the link above to sponsor a sign for your state. Put ROLL CALL - (your state) in the PURPOSE field on the donation form.
Post on the blog which state you’re sponsoring for the ROLL CALL so NHforHILLARY can keep track!
We will have live video from the event and pics that will be posted as soon as we can get them uploaded.
