Gore Vidal Et Al To Obama: Do Not Concede!

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/37295

Gore Vidal et al to Obama: Do Not Concede!

Submitted by davidswanson on Sat, 2008-11-01 17:06. Elections

An Open Letter to Senator Obama and the Democratic Leadership:

On Election Night, DO NOT CONCEDE!

“Eight years is too much” is how Barack Obama explained why we must win the coming election and begin to restore America. But, even if we receive the most votes, will we win the election?

DO NOT CONCEDE!
Both of the last two elections were conceded by the Democratic presidential candidate. The 2004 election was handed to George Bush while votes were still being counted in closely-fought Ohio. While the 2000 election was contested to the Supreme Court, it too
was ultimately conceded to Bush “for the good of the country.”

Some good.

Numerous politicians, investigators and authors, including Robert Kennedy, Jr., agree the 2004 election was stolen, not only in Ohio but in several other battleground states. Tactics included purging of legitimate voters and the use of nefarious voting software--but when even these actions did not yield the required numbers, Republican election officials simply changed the vote tallies in several states, all without a peep from the Democratic Party.

DO NOT CONCEDE!
In the time since the last general election the public has learned much about these scandals, which have led some states to reject electronic touchscreen voting (and which caused the infamous Diebold voting machines corporation to hide behind a new corporate
name,) yet the Democratic Party seems to have learned nothing.

THREE STRIKES AND WE'RE OUT!
If we cannot afford another Republican administration, we cannot afford a third concession in the face of election fraud. Already there is evidence of massive fraud such as voter purging and caging of Democratic voters, and “flipping” of votes in early voting on electronic touchscreen machines. It is reasonable to once again expect further manipulation on election night by some Republican operatives and election officials, as was seen in 2004; should we also expect our Democratic Party leaders and candidates to repeat history, by once again conceding in the face of such blatant fraud? Senator Obama, we need you, our Party and all candidates to stand firm, come what may on election night. You ask us to work for you, contribute to you--and to have your back; we ask that you promise to have our back: We ask that you PLEDGE TO STAND FIRM, AND NOT CONCEDE THE COMING ELECTION in the face of election irregularities, no matter how long it takes to contest such fraud, while there remains any doubt as to any part of the process. Be assured, Democratic voters will be more--not less--energized if we see you promise to stand firm.

Senator Obama, if there is any reason to contest the election,
DO NOT CONCEDE!

Signed: (Titles for identification purposes only)
Gore Vidal, Author
Bob Fitrakis, Professor of Political Science, Columbus State Community College, Attorney; Editor of The Free Press (freepress.org)
Harvey Wasserman, Senior Editor, FreePress.org, Author of SOLARTOPIA! Our Green-Powered Earth
Mark Crispin Miller, Professor of Media, Culture and Communication at New York University, Author of Fooled Again, How the Right Stole the 2004 Election
Tim Carpenter, Director, Progressive Democrats of America
Mimi Kennedy, Chair, National Advisory Board, Progressive Democrats of America
David Swanson, Co-Founder, After Downing Street
Eric Bauman, Chair, Los Angeles County Democratic Party
Garry S. Shay, Member, Democratic National Committee (CA)
Lead Chair, Rules Committee, California Democratic Party
Jo Olson, MD, Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus, California Democratic Party
Mal Burnstein, Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus, California Democratic Party
Marcy Winograd, Executive Board representative, California Democratic Party, 41st AD, Former Chair, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles
David Earnhardt, Filmmaker, “Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections”
Don Goldmacher, Chair, Election Integrity, Progressive Caucus, California Democratic Party
Michael Jay, Progressive Democrats of America, Special Projects, Former Delegate, California Democratic Party, 42nd AD
Sheri Myers, Director, “Wake Up and Save Your Country"
Robert A. Feuer, Former Chairman, Stockbridge, MA Town Democratic Committee
Thomas Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Region 3 Vice Chair, Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair, Irish American Caucus, California Democratic Party
Howard Jennings, PDA-Virginia, State Co-Coordinator
Sarah Stott, Chapter Chair, PDA-Virginia
Lisa Pease, Co-editor, “The Assassinations: Probe Magazine on JFK, MLK, RFK and Malcolm X”
Cindy Asner, Former Delegate, California Democratic Party, Member, National Advisory Board, Progressive Democrats of America
Julie Lopez Dad, President, Santa Monica Democratic Club, Chair, 41st AD Committee, Los Angeles County Democratic Party
Dr. Bill Honigman, PDA California State Coordinator and Orange County Chapter Leader, Delegate, California Democratic Party, 73rd AD
Linda Milazzo, Senior Editor, OpEdNews.com, Blogger, Huffington Post
Rady Ananda, Senior Editor, OpEdNews.com
Jan Baumgartner, Managing Editor, OpEdNews.com
Cheryl Biren-Wright, Managing Editor, OpEdNews.com
Sherry Healy, Co-Founder California Election Protection Network, Coordinator, Election Defense Alliance
Laura Bonham, Summit County, UT Democratic Party Chairperson
Albert E. Fairchild, Retired Foreign Service Officer
Dorathea Peters, Precinct Captain, Alexandria, VA Democratic Committee

Face it: in tight races, the CIA and FBI determine election outcomes, not voters. Republicans have too much vested interests to loose now - they will use every method to win, nothing is too low, nothing is too dirty.

We need a landslide Tuesday for fraud to be impossible / irrelevant.

Long term, Democrats need to show our support for the Army and the intelligence agencies. Only once we have the trust there will we really win.

PS. I mentioned in an earlier post that, looking at successful republican candidates - the only qualification required for high office is the ability to lie with no regard for decency. I should add that rigging election results is important too.

:hi:

There is no such thing as "legitimacy by proclamation".

Their only right to govern us is the right WE GIVE THEM WITH OUR VOTE.

"Gets to" implies that it is a privilege granted to the people by someone. The opposite is true. The vote is the way we grant privileges and positions of power to our representatives. We have the right to vote. They have no right to govern us. They "get to" represent us when we grant them that privilege. Otherwise, their rule is not legitimate.

That is why the details of the system are so vital.

Quite disagreed with you.

<I am not saying I disagree with you, I am just saying that the Supreme Court did not feel that a citizen has the right to choose the President. Until we abolish the electoral college, that attitude could legally prevail.>

"...to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

Civics is no longer taught, and many younger Americans have no concept of the principles upon which our nation was founded

The many "dumbing down" efforts have succeeded

:kick:

When Sen. Boxer challenged the electors from Ohio, Obama declared that he was "absolutely convinced" that the results of the Ohio election were legit, and he gave a long speech about how nice it is to be able to vote. The U.S. and the world declared the elections in Ukraine illegitimate, while all the same red flags of fraud - and more - were present in Ohio and other states. This was a bitter pill, and it wasn't until Kucinich and Biden were out of the primary that I allowed myself to become "invested" in Barack. He is certainly the only hope for our country right now. but I hope that he can accept with somber humility that it was a mistake to dismiss his senior colleague from California and all the evidence of fraud in Ohio. Do not concede, Senator Obama, if the states in question cannot prove that their results are legitimate. Please demonstrate the wisdom and respect for the American people that we have come to expect from you.

Here's hoping he has learned his lesson.

Or just published in the hope that it is brought to Obama's attention?

edited to add this link to a letter from Obama where he says:
"Thank you for contacting us, and for sharing your concerns about voter protection. We’ve
seen what’s happened in past elections and we have a clear message: Not This Time."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=7616078

Hekate

He was going to come back and save us all and the concession speech was part of it? :puke:

I hope if any even remotely similar happens again that we take to the streets. Protest like there is no tomorrow (because there won't be a tomorrow for democracy if we allow this).

It is our constitutional right to take to the streets. We don't need to whine on this board or lament that Obama conceded. We ignore the concession and make sure that the people will not be put down by another coup d'etat. The Democratic party might be willing to be overthrown, but the people will NOT take it again.

The sovereignty in the US resides with the people. Elections can only be stolen if we let them be stolen.

Who know what will happen?

I feel like I myself might kiss the kids goodbye and take to the streets - no protest signs required. The people this time would not need to "declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

When people are obeying the laws, paying taxes, etc., then they see that the government/law is not fulfilling its part of the bargain, the people are no longer bound by the law. Sociologists Piven and Cloward put it this way: "Violence is the political expression of the politically powerless." With this understanding, the riots that followed the Rodney King verdict should be no surprise. Perhaps we can expect the same, except that the mobs will include young frustrated African Americans, white neo-hippies, educated tofu-eating, Pruis-driving baby boomers, tweed jacket-wearing academics, and white-haired grannies.

Or not.

Anyway, I'm still waiting for my $50.00 back that I gave to Kerry's "army of lawyers" that was to protect us after the election.

:spank: :shrug: :rofl: :shrug: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :spray:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :spank: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
:spank: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :spank: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Oregon and last time we protested was on a very snowy day when Bush's last win became official (Jan. 6, 2005). We had a small group protesting with signs (including my kids and our exchange student from Germany) and people drove by in their big trucks honking and yelling "Yeah Bush!". I knew our election had been stolen right away and when I tried to let people know who live around here they thought I was crazy. Our local paper did put a picture of our protest with a vary small AP article about the possible election problems (in the very back of the paper). Slowly over the next few years I watched as the articles about this problem creeped closer to the front of the Oregonian (which we also get) and that gave me some hope. Now finally most liberals know about it and are worried about this election but the republicans just put their head in the ground and say "I don't want to know about it...I just don't have the time!". It's times like this that I am so happy to have DU!

It has provided an affirmation, a haven, a home, and a school for all of us at different times.

eagertolearn! Roger that.

And we don't have enough cohesion or community to fight that.

:(

To be honest, I am afraid of guns. But not afraid enough to stay at home. I don't think that is the issue. My biggest fear is SILENCE. Silence will doom us. It is the biggest danger we face in this nation. I honestly believe that.

After all, all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing (or so they say).

But with respect to physical danger, I am tired of living the meaningless life and won't stay home. If someone wants to shoot protesters because they stand for democracy, let 'em. As Patrick Henry said, "Give me liberty or give me death." There's true patriotism in that sentiment. Unlike the fake, bigoted patriotism the right always spews about.

What I was saying is, we don't have the community and/or cohesion that we need in order to fight this.

Rugged individualism can't come up against that particular machine. Some will be martyrs, which is noble, but the outcome is uncertain.

We badly need to build cohesion.

Always has been.

I really want some reassurance that they will NOT let them take us all for a ride again...
been a really emotional day on many fronts, and worrying about the stealing of our most important election EVER sure doesn't help at this point!

What I want is the same thing urging McCain to concede, because I like our position a lot better.

It is McCain who will have to concede as soon as the polls close in Hawaii and Alaska. He does not stand a chance.

than most of us of the depths of moral turpitude those people inhabit; and what villainy they are capable of, in order to gain their ends. I certainly hope his concerns prove unfounded in the event, but absolutely respect his precautionary warning, and those of his co-signatories.

Grotesque, indeed.

Gore Vidal is a patriot, and deserves the respect of at least considering what he is saying.

Again, thank you.

And don't fool yourself - if the other side CAN steal this one, they WILL steal this one.

That's why he, and the other signatories, are saying "don't concede". Theft WILL be revealed, just as it was after 2000 & 2004 - but if we concede before it is revealed it is all for naught.

So you have not heard a peep about all the election fraud that has taken place in this country for the last 8 years, or more?

dealt with this???

Anyone. Please.

That question needs its own thread. I have some thoughts and would love to hear yours.

The result is a party that essentially does nothing, given that the party is conflicted within.

That's my best guess. :shrug:

a red vs. blue, or conservative vs. liberal. These divisions are just being used to divide up the working class to make it easier to conquer us. I believe that there are some Congress critters that really want to help us, but the bottom line is that they are all in the upper class. I am betting that after Obama gets elected, the Democrats (most) will say that we shouldn't proceed with arresting the Bush gang, but let it be in the past. Start fresh and move on. I say bullshit personally.

:kick: :patriot:

This should be put out as a petition, and sent to Obama before Tuesday.

:kick:

If Republicans are pushing a miraculous squeaker win, hold your ground and please don't concede.

Election night 2004 is still a very painful memory.

Please respect the millions who have stood in line for hours and hours and however uncomfortable it may be for you with the peer pressure our conservative owned media conglomerates will exert, please hold out for us citizens.

What electoral map is rational, plausible, llogical enough that he would conceed?

I love your optimism, but we that support Obama deserve his commitment to throw out the tyrants. First step is to assure us that he will not concede.

Is there an online petition echoing these sentiments? I'd love to sign this letter.

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

See StandingForVoters.org.

I was like where've I heard that name from. Oh duh!! That movie. Nah, not bringing it up. However the trailer to the fake remake was a total laugh.

The who is the Media and the Pollsters!



Homer tries to vote for Obama

We are living in corporate fascism...and at some point..our candidates conceded.

http://www.bradblog.com/

Please count my rec. ;-)

Gore fought it as far as he possibly could.

Regardless- this is an important statement to which I will gladly add my name!

The MSM kept pressuring him to concede with the "sore loser" label. Gore fought as hard as he could under this kind of pressure. Sandra Day O'Connor recently, being the swing vote, had the grace to expressed regrets at her decision to side with the pro-Bush 4 on the Court.

But Kerry was a disgrace. I laugh at my email when I get Kerry mail asking me to do this or that.

no concession from the democrat, not this year.

100% correct

Off to the greatest page!

It's best for the country to just accept the theft, trust that it didn't really happen or that there's no real way to prove it, and "move on".

Trust is a cornerstone our "democracy".

The one signature I was looking for was not there...John Bonifaz. I thought he has plans to return at some point, yet have not seen or heard anything about him since his run for SOS here in MA. I worked on his campaign, and am wondering.....I know he dashed off to assist with the Ohio voting issues in 2004...I miss him.


peace~

Both 2000 and 2004 were obviously stolen. But neither Gore nor Kerry had the strength to take it all the way to what was needed. In their defense, a required number of citizens may not have stood behind them to take the matter into the hands of the people. Particularly in Kerry's case where the electronic corruption deceived the peoples knowledge and the media have been cowed into looking the other way. If it happens again, I think it will be clear what has been done. It will be time for the American people to take a stand where the people have not gone before in over 225 years. Obama will have to lead and we will have to follow. Hopefully this won't happen, but if it does, the people will look to Obama for leadership. We must be prepared to follow.

an obligation to reestablish our free government and throw off the tyranny.
We deserve to know where Obama stands on this issue of conceding.

I take nothing away from Al Gore. He fought hard in the face of overwhelming opposition and name-calling.

Never again.

Not. This. Time.

:kick:

The admonition not to concede seems to imply that the vote count might suggest that McCain is the winner. I absolutely cannot believe that the count will be close. I can't believe that even election thieves could cause McCain to be the winner. I cannot believe that enough foolish people will scramble out of the septic tank which houses Joe the Plumber and the Republican mindless minions to cause McCain's vote total to be close to Obama's.

Excerpt from an email I received from Rep. Schultz (D-FL) this morning.

hopes for a "miracle"; hopes for a stunning "turnaround" Didn't you ever wonder why exit polls, which have been amazingly accurate, suddenly are called into question and called unreliable? The voter suppression and vote theft is alive and well. there are robocalls telling Democrats in some states to vote on November 5th. There are robocalls in Democratic areas that say "you can vote by phone, just hit 1 for Obama, 2 for McCain" and telling them they don't have to vote. There are fliers circulating by republicans stating that 'undercover officers will be at the polls and will take you in for unpaid tickets and warrants", there are flyers stating that your polling place has moved... electronic voting machines that seem to switch votes ONLY over to McCain from Obama, the lack of adequate voting equipment in the strong Democratic precincts., etc. etc. etc.

YES.. it can happen, and what they hope for it an accumulative effect in swing states. If enough of these shitty tactics work, it can add up to enough of a margin. It's like death of a 1,000 cuts. They chip away at it in particular states, where they have friends in high places in the election division or sec of state..

Oh. it can happen. The friendlies in the media has set up that narrative that McCain can "come from behind in a Truman shocker!!!" It's all over the media today.

That's why exit polls have been vilified and marginalized in this country. Exit polls would never jive with rigged black-box voting results, and their lie would out.

And we can't concede either. If they call this thing for Obama, after all the support, polls and math we've seen, every single one of us has to hit the streets in protest.

No effing way will they do this to us again. No way. WE won't stand for it. AMERICA won't stand for it.

Way to represent, girlfriend! :toast:

K&R!

What is likely to happen is that Obama wins the overall election, but one or two states, maybe Florida, will again show significant shenanigans - irregularities, and so on.

The temptation will be there to just say "Fuck it, we've won anyways, why make a stink!"

NO!

This is the perfect time to make an example of some of those thieving fucks, once and for all.

Contest every shady vote! Fight every shady count! No matter what!

And throw the election thieves in jail. Scratch that. Under the jail!

I totally agree.... I don't want a repeat of how it felt when Al conceded, and then 4 years later when Kerry conceded. "UrrrK!" would be too mild a descriptor!

But, I feel different this time--sure of Obama's leadership qualities. The energy supporting him here and worldwide is so strong, and Obama has a strength that I think we all feel.

Anyway, we all are on board with this O.P. -- I just would like to know it's gone farther than just our place here.

Send Obama a big long list of names of the people he is fighting for.

For over 4 years posts like these have been immediately shoved into the "election reform" dungeon then jumped on by a virtual tag team of detractors, who viciously attacked anyone claiming election fraud as a bunch of conspiracy nuts. (The exact same detractors operate in the 9/11 forum.)

Oh, you hadn't noticed? EXACTLY. These threads disappear in a hurry.

Let's see how long this one stays out of the dungeon. It looks like it has enough momentum to avoid that fate for awhile.

Not this time!

I feel it coming.

Despite all the frauds that repuglicans perpetrate, Obama is gonna trounce McSame.

I can't stress it enough.. what is the margin by which we can feel that it's "too large to steal?"

I don't trust them until after the reigns are handed over. Actually I still won't trust them but I'll trust that they've been de-clawed. Perhaps. For awhile.

The abuse that Al Gore took because he chose not to give in and accept it, was more than any other politician would have to guts to endure. I admire the hell out of him for fighting it so hard and long, in the face of being called "Sore/Loserman", being attacked in the media, by his own colleagues. Gore is a hero in most Democrats eyes, because he didn't give up. He finally let go after the Supreme Court decision because he know that there was nothing left.

Now Kerry.. he conceded so fast it made my head spin.

And, movies are not your best source for factual information btw.

Which of course it needs to be, in order to support the dramatic changes that America needs at this moment in its history. I have little doubt that Obama will have the mandate he needs for CHANGE.

It is imperative that we all pay strict attention as history unfolds before us. Be ever vigilant.

:bounce:

concede, and there'll be a major fight afterward, based on pugs' baseless fraud claims?

I'm still worried they'll steal it, though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJHNizBm_BY

we had a weak candidate. This year we don't have that problem. We'll win!

your blind optimism, but don't underestimate the neocon-nazi's. They will do anything to keep power.

by soppressing and purging Dem voters and gaining control of evey level of the process where votes are allowed, cast and counted.

You think Obama would have prevailed in 2004 with McAuliffe's DNC sitting on its hands for four years and letting the RNC and GOP officials gain that control of the election process in so many key states?

Do you UNDERSTAND what the 50 state strategy has done for our party the last 4 yrs as formerly collapsed Dem party infrastructures in many states were strengthened and rebuilt from the ruins left behind by previous chairs??

Sorry, but I'm cynical after '04 when I thought Kerry would fight those criminals tooth and nail and he didn't. :(

People don't see it often, but owls are predators.

n/t.

this time and that means not conceding even if all hell breaks loose.

NOT THIS TIME. NOT EVER AGAIN.

I heard some media discussion yesterday about the Obama team's perception that he could win with a large majority (or landslide) or lose with a tight vote. I believe this supports most of our perspective that the larger the margin, it is less likely the election can be stolen. On the other hand, I believe the more we concede, the more we are giving the Republican corruption machine the victory.

My original support of Clinton instead of Obama in the primary was based on the perception that she would fight an election theft and he might concede. While I have become comfortable enough with him as the Democratic candidate, I hope he is as tough as he needs to be and has demonstrated he may be in this campaign.

know WE WILL FIGHT WITH HIM!

But NO CONCESSIONS!!!!!!

Go Obama!

Hillary2008.

Of course.

office; city hall, state capitol, White House, whatever's closest. Like they did in the movie "V".
I think silent marches are much more dramatic than chanting. And if I were among the thieves I would be very concerned. Plus, not a whole lot of justification to bring out their new crowd control weapons if everyone is simply standing there.

:mad:

Fight, fight, fight!

I stood in the rain ALONE at the Seattle Federal Building on December 12 & 13, 2000.

Not one fucking person in Seattle stood with me.

We are still living inside a LIE.

Whatever good this election may do, this election exists inside a Neocon American timeline created by a LIE.

This election is acceptance of a LIE.

The reality of our broken electoral process, the truth of the events of 9-11, the mega war crime that is Iraq, and the U.S. sponsorship of international terrorism not the least of which is the genocide that is Gaza.

No truth, no healing.

It will be blatant especially to us. I think if anyone concedes; A colossal Boston tea party is in order for Diebold and the like. Two things have frightened me about Obama, though I have Phone banked for him and am doing all I can for his election. The First was his speech defending the Ohio debacle and the second was FISA. The supreme court had no business in the 2000 election and Gore should have said so and brought on a constitutional crisis. Kerry with his army of lawyers was just a very sad joke on this country.

to concede..and they already stated they weren't going to allow it to be stolen from the American People.

Ed Schultz and stated this as in speaking for the campaign.

the hard working millions that have given and given to get him elected. Not too much to ask.

THIS is where the shit hits the fan. NEVER concede while there's a shred of doubt.

GOBAMA :applause: :woohoo:

Vidal had to see that his relative was far superior to Bush ... and needed the votes to win.

But he publicly backed Nadar.

*sigh*

which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Nov 5 we will know if it is time "to dissolve the political bans"

:thumbsup: