Unfortunitly, the person who demonstrated the moral courage to speak out honestly about the systemic problems facing democracy in America is a tall left handed Saudi.

Need to take a stand... Impeaching Cheney would be a good start… A real good start...

We love you, Helen Thomas!

Democrats have already taken a stand. They voted to continue to pay for the colonial war and to stay in the pocket of the corporatocracy.

The tree of liberty has been flooded with the blood of patriots for too long, and now it's time to be refreshed with the blood of tyrants.

I agree. My vote is most likely to go to the candidate who demonstrates the moral courage to speak out honestly about the systemic problems facing democracy in America.

Kucinich & Edwards have, so far, been the most outspoken on most of these issues, in my opinion, neither has been outspoken Enough.

They also need to begin taking the News Media to task for Participating in and attempting to "Shape" the story instead of honestly reporting it in an unbiased manner. Too many "news reports" show such obvious bias that it becomes ludicrous. When reporters ask "Questions" which contain an embedded answer, that's not "Reporting". It's electioneering. And, if the rules were honestly enforced, would trigger the old fashioned "Equal Time" rules that the media corporations hate so much.

Thank you Helen for being one of the few honest REPORTERS left in America.

The only Democratic stand I've seen:

We are not George Bush.

Headlines to hearten progressives on CD and others but not MSM : Dennis Kucinich Does a Lieberman and Goes Independent. WOOOW

Huckabee is a nut case. The Republicans left to caucus last night for their party were the ones who voted for Huckabee. The rest of the party went over to Obama's camp and caucused for him. Otherwise Edwards would have won. Republicans want either Obama or Clinton to get the ticket. During Iowa's caucus party members are allowed to cross party lines. This was a planned strategy on the part of the Republican party. They know Huckabee will lose other states.

Listen up CD people, Dennis Kucinich will NOT go independent, because the result would only be that he loses his seniority in the House of Representatives. He would have to forego running to retain his seat in Congress!

In case you have not been following what his role is in Congress, Rep. Waxman, ranked 4th most powerful in Congress is chair of the Oversight and Governmental Reform Committee. Chairman Waxman appointed Kucinich as chair of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee: Jurisdiction includes domestic policies, including matters relating to energy, labor, education, criminal justice, the economy, as well as the Office of National Drug Control.

This means that it is Kucinich who has the power to hold hearings and investigate every single executive department and agency in the federal government.

He will NOT be giving that up to tilt at windmills as an independent and subsequently retired member of Congress.

The Republicans don't have a viable candidate, none. The only way they have a chance in the general election is if Obama or Hillary wins the primary, for they believe Huckabee can defeat them. They know John Edwards is the one they CANNOT beat.

If the Democrats REALLY wish to join ranks, Hillary will bow out now and allow Edwards and Obama to fight it out. She has to realize she cannot win the primary, no matter how much money she tosses into the pot. Perhaps she could be selected as the VP on the Edwards ticket, such types of deals are not uncommon. __ It won't happen though.

It helps to have major candidates talking about issues we care about, but sometimes it is just talk during campaign season. I think our job is to be the ones who are talking about these issues every day so when candidates talk about them, people will know what they are talking about. We need to be the leaders, speakers, creators, innovators, motivators....

As long as the the lawmakers have to beg for money to get elected the government will be controlled by special intrests with deep pockets.

I like Kucinich but I don't believe he could win so I feel Edwards is the only candidate now standing up for the regular guy. He has many spicefics on his web site on what he would do as president.

Obama gave an insperiational speech last night but he is light on the issues on his web site and says nothing about restoring our constitutional protections that the Bushites have taken away.

I keep reading about Mr. Obama's resolve to put aside partisanship and work across the aisle. I have to say, in principle, that sounds great. In fact, the biggest argument I have with many folks on this site is their determination to let the "perfect" be the enemy of the "good." But, from a practical perspective, I can't help but wonder with whom is he going to reach his grand compromise and what, exactly, he is going to compromise?

Now, this may change after November '08 – and if it does, I believe any of the Democratic contenders would be willing to work with people of goodwill - but, when I gaze across the aisle, I don't see goodwill. I see people with absolutely no interest in compromise. Exactly how do you "come together" with people whose guiding principle is to take no prisoners? Perhaps I suffer from a lack of imagination or my capacity for hope is insufficiently audacious.

So, some questions for Mr. Obama. What compromise will you reach with people who:

Believe some illusion of security is more important than the Bill of Rights?

Insist the Executive is above the Law and superior to the other two branches of government?

Think hedge fund managers should be subject to a lesser tax rate than the rest of us?

Prescribe tax cuts - for the wealthiest, of course – as the remedy for an overheated economy, a slowing economy, a surplus (as if that needs to be cured) or a deficit.

Defend the politicization of our legal system?

Take the tops off mountains to mine more coal to create more greenhouse gasses?

Kidnap citizens of any nation – including our own – hold them without charge or counsel and torture them?

Intentionally disenfranchise qualified voters?

See a "free" market when all the resources and information are controlled by a select few and believe that market should be entrusted to allocate resources for social needs like health care for our children?

Send our young men and women to die for a lie but refuse to care for them when they return damaged?

Promote shopping as an expression of citizenship?

Pile massive debt on our children to finance their ruinous war and tax cuts for corporations and the well off?

Preach that you must be a Christian to be an American?

Refuse to submit to oversight by anyone but their handpicked foxes?

Consistently advance ideology over fact in forming policy?

There are many more but you get the idea.

the one candidate they have is Kucinich. He is the ony one they have who is not being bought.
Obama is taking money from Israel. So is Hillary Clinton.
On anither note: if hillary had given bill a little BJ now and then,,,maybe he would have been a better president.

Obama is like a balloon. What you see is all there is. Theres nothing inside.

"All the candidates should be pinned down on how they feel about Bush's concept of pre-emptive war; wiretapping without a warrant; waterboarding and other forms of torture; and the policy of "rendition" — sending prisoners to jails abroad where they are subject to abusive interrogation while being held in limbo." The very fact that they have to be "pinned down" on issues of such profound moral importance tells us all we need to know. All the candidates would sell out on fundamental human rights and principles to buy votes from the dark age nationalists who believe the US is above the law and can do whatever it likes, however atrocious.

I wish they'd take a train/plane/boat, instead of this so-called 'Stand'...and take these so-called 'conservatives' with-them. [Can't they ALL just go live someplace else, like wherever most of their money-lives?]

When only weasels run for public office, do you expect them to act like something more noble? Politics 101 these days seems to have as its Prime Directive: Taketh not a position on anything if you can help it, somebody might vote against you because of it.

Helen Thomas, one of, if not the only, useful reporter left in Washington. Hats off to Helen!

Excellent point, brissot: Exactly how do you "come together" with people whose guiding principle is to take no prisoners?

I wish someone would directly ask Obama how he would handle that problem. Edwards has already pointed out you cannot compromise with people who don't compromise. That got my vote.

Helen Thomas=American Hero, so few of them Left

Amen, sister Helen!!!

I think it was Helen who quoted Bush SR something like.. "If the people ever found out what we were doing, they would hunt us down and lynch us."

The Bush Crime family is so full of evil secrets that the only thing that saves their self respect is the belief that if their secrets were officially uncovered they would be hanged by an unruly Mob.... Bush's "Class Warfare" excuse again.

Now we should all know why they took the USA out of the International Criminal Court!

Helen is great!

Elected leaders seldom lead... But they are very good at anticipating where the public wants to go, and then "leading" us in that direction - as though it were their own idea.

Neither Edwards nor Obama will save us. We have to save ourselves. If we create political power on progressive issues at the local level, and show them that it's safe to do so, we can wean them away from the tempting power offered by Wall Street and K Street.

God love ya, Helen. You have more courage and independence than all the other White House correspondents together. But I'm afraid the democrats don't have either the vision or backbone to do the right thing and advocate the sort of deep reforms that the country really needs at this time. Single payer health care for all is the place to start, but that is only a beginning. Obama and the others except Kucinich don't dare advocate single payer health care, because that would mean unemployment for hundreds of thousands of paper pushers in the insurance business. So we can count on the country continuing its lurch into mediocrity and dependency on outside creditors like China. We the people are too blame as well for falling into the decadence of mesmerization by a bread and circus popular culture and gross consumerism.

Just more of the same! Do you think Obama is going to restore your Civil Liberties end torture and spying on Americans? Think again.

Helen, I love you. ALAS, the Democrats will NOT take a stand on the issues you're talking about. Why? They need to RAISE MONEY and they need to TRIANGULATE for purposes of electability. Finally, they half-agree with the Republicans. Obama may be "against" so-called preventive war-- then again, he may be for it. It depends on the case! The same may often hold true on Waterboarding, Random Wiretapping. The Democratic Party's job is to INDICATE to "progressives" that they MAY be against the WORST offenses of Dubya. But the Democratic Party as potential OPPOSITION Party? Gimme a break!

"But in 2002 as war clouds gathered, Clinton aligned herself with the administration on a critical vote giving Bush the green light in Iraq."

Republicans and ALL Clinton bashers love using the above against her. When the truth of the matter is Quite a few Senators aligned themselves doing the same thing, GOP as well as Demos. McCain did it too and Rethugs continue to do it even those as candidates for 2008!
For her and many of the other Senators it happened in 2002, it's 2007, it's about time they left it alone!

The other questions Common Dreams posses can be asked and answered, even after a person has been selected by the party to run for the Presidency. We have time to get it all sorted out.

I'm not worried, well I am, they might pick the Wrong person for the wrong reason and in my opinion Barack is the wrong person.

Dominick

If Helen Says they need to take a stand, If they know what's Good for them, they had better take it.

Take your pick, change or The Gulag.

WEXLERWANTSHEARINGS.COM
sign the petition to begin impeachment hearings for cheney

I get surveys from the DNC about issues important to "the grassroots". Then they ask for money. I always answer each question in longhand and in my own words and tell them I will send money when I see some change. I'll send money when Cheney is impeached. I'll send money when war funds are cut off. I'll send money when congress passes an idiot boy signs into law universal health care.

Here is a long list of reasons to eliminate one of the candidates:

http://www.sonic.net/~taryfast/Hillary.html

Helen,

It's too bad Molly Ivins is no longer with us. I'd vote for a Thomas/Ivins or Ivins/Thomas ticket anyday. Just for the fact you repeatedly made Bush so fearful to call on you in a press conference means you got too close to the truth (or lies he wanted to cover up).

Keep on his ass; we're behind you all the way. I'll even lend you a paddle for use on the errant juvenile.

For all you 'undecided' idiots here is a little quiz that might help you select a candidate you agree with:

http://www.dehp.net/candidate/

They are getting money from the telecoms and giving them immunity. The telecoms are refusing to tell Congress what they did, when, and why. Congress needs that information to determine what crimes have been committed by whom. No information, no prosecution; certainly no impeachment.

The Constitution of the United States is being violated every American citizen is being harmed. This is happening right now.

What are the candidates doing about it?

Senator Christopher Dodd is asking them for their help.

"A single-payer system — much like what we have with Social Security — is the most comprehensive solution, but the candidates are avoiding it in favor of tweaks to the haphazard, luck-of-the-draw coverage we have now." Thomas

Right, right, right.

But Helen, in order for the democrats to take a stand they will have to stop defecating in their hats.

Great article Helen. But you do all that and the misguided majority will call it communism.

dreamertoo:

You wonder about the Constitution being violated and what the candidates are doing about it?

There is only ONE candidate even MENTIONING the Constitution, Ron Paul:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UnLLcsqavNA

This speech by Ron Paul in New Hampshire will help you realize that he SERIOUSLY respects the Constitution far more than any other candidate, except Dennis Kucinich:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7493899900883927358&loc=interstitialskip

ABC has now decided to allow Ron Paul into their debate before the New Hampshire primary. I believe Fox is still excluding him, even though Giuliani (1% in Iowa?) is still invited.

If the American People allow the media to choose which candidates we can hear from then we truly are living under a corporate fascist state, not a democracy.

I suggest Commondreamers do as much research as they can on Ron Paul and please watch the ABC debate. Observe how the media and the other Republicans are CRINGING that they have to listen to him talk about ending the war in Iraq and on and on.

And I do find it VERY interesting that ALL the Dems and Repubs are for the death penalty, except....Ron Paul.

Thank you Helen Thomas!
Now what we need is someone with your guts, that is holding a political position to promote a Health Care System that we can challenge Canada, England and France as depicted in Moore's "Sicko".
What an outrage that we have been hood-winked and lied to and told how BAD their systems were for all these years. How much worse could they be if we are paying $400 to $500, maybe more, for the rotten system we have. (I fortunately belong to "Group Health of Washington", a very satisfactory and efficient service.) But the horror stories we hear regarding other facilities, makes me angry and disgruntled.
If what we need to get a satisfactory "Health Care System" is a revolution, then let's start a revolution. We don't want to overthrow the Government, we just want our citizens health taken care of.
It seems that ExSen. Edwards is the only candidate that has the guts to mention "Universal Health Care". So my vote goes to EDWARDS.
Thanks again Helen Thomas.

AGREE TO SURRENDER 'DA$ BOOTY' ON DEMAND? YES OR NO...

PRESIDENTIAL BLIND TRUSTED HEDGE FUNDIES BE-F-IN'-WARE

"[this]topic ought to draw discussion among 2008 presidential candidates, who have a lot of air time to fill in an overly long campaign. Forswearing profits from war is very little to ask of someone who would be president...

SEATTLE P-I / Editorial Board
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/25/5422/

Helen Thomas - what a dipshit! She's offering the Democrats advice about how to get elected?

We should be figuring out a way to bury the entire party after we bury the Republicans.

She wants them to talk about gun control, gay rights, and abortion. Those are the issues that got Bush elected the first time around.

"Edwards: The American people deserve to know about President Bush's illegal spying on Americans."

- - -

"In late November, we sent questionnaires to the top candidates–measured by funds raised and poll standings–from each major party. We asked each the same 10 questions."

"Telecommunications companies such as AT&T have been accused in court of opening their networks to the government in violation of federal privacy law. Do you support giving them retroactive immunity for any illicit cooperation with intelligence agencies or law enforcement, which was proposed by the Senate Intelligence Committee this fall (S 2248)?

Edwards: The American people deserve to know about President Bush's illegal spying on Americans. Providing big telecom companies retroactive immunity would mean that the facts about these abuses will never come out in court. Congress should stand up for the Constitution and the rule of law by rejecting any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies."
http://www.worldtwist.com/john-edwards/

Thank you, abbybwood.

I researched.

"Once we get the answers on issues that do matter from our would-be presidents, then we can all honestly wish for peace on Earth in 2008."

Helen, dear,

Some have tried to give us answers on issues that do matter, but they have been shut out by your pals in the media. Want to hear some real answers? Do something about it yourself. You have the power.

Iammyself:

I just totally agree with notions of self reliance, Just another brick in the wall!-Another song comes to mind "people get ready there's a train coming". 'REJECT THE BOOGY MAN'. none OF THEM HAVE ANSWERS FOR YOU, IT'S ABOUT FULFILLING THEIR EGO' OR SHOULD i SAY ACTUALIZING THEIR IDS

The rise of the populist movement against economic oppression and police state tyranny is the domestic side of what the anti-war movement is against expanding imperialist foreign wars.

The really seminal point is that both these rising political trends are simply the domestic and foreign policy aspects of an even more all encompassing political trend ------ the rise of a deeper anti-empire movement.

The rising of this anti-empire movement combining anti-war activism and economic populism is against the non-democratic actions of the global corporatist Empire hiding behind the facade of 'Vichy America' ---- which is the core of all American's problems both foreign and domestic.

Hannah Arendt presciently warned that, "Empire abroad (always) entails tyranny at home", and the American people are now recognizing and confronting the effects of this corporatist empire for the combined threat that it represents to our democracy both in wars abroad and tyranny at home.

THANK YOU HELEN THOMAS!!!! WE NEED MORE NEWSMAKERS TO SPEAK OUT LIKE THIS AND HOPEFULLY SOME POLITICIANS WITH COHONES TO DO SO AS WELL.

Dominick J. January 4th, 2008 5:31 pm

""But in 2002 as war clouds gathered, Clinton aligned herself with the administration on a critical vote giving Bush the green light in Iraq."

Republicans and ALL Clinton bashers love using the above against her. When the truth of the matter is Quite a few Senators aligned themselves doing the same thing, GOP as well as Demos. McCain did it too and Rethugs continue to do it even those as candidates for 2008!
For her and many of the other Senators it happened in 2002, it's 2007, it's about time they left it alone!"

What better way to learn how someone will act after being elected than by scrutinizing their voting record in their current and past offices that they have held?

Not to mention the fact that Hillary has never admitted that her 2002 vote was wrong nor has she apologized for it.

Lobo Gris

Helen, I'd vote for YOU any day! If we could get someone in the White House that has even half the guts you exhibit - we MAY be able to turn this great Country around!

Thanks for all you do,

Susan Frishkorn, Pensacola