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Wind In the Sails!

By Anita Thompson, Section Democratic National Convention 2008
Posted on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:31:00 PM EST
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Ships in the harbor are safe," someone once said,  "but this is not what ships are made for."  And sometimes relationships become not partnerships in life's great adventure but excuses to stop ourselves from growing, taking risks, and living life to the fullest.

--Arianna Huffington, On Becoming Fearless.

This is the first page that I opened of Arianna's book that was being offered to bloggers that I picked up at her "Huffington Post Oasis: to unplug and recharge," a new age Yoga,  massage and meditation quiet zone on the third floor of the crazy zoo that is the Big Tent.

Jeralyn and I arrived earlier in the day, just as Arianna was swarmed by flashing bulbs, cameras, reporters and bloggers all wanting to talk to her about, well, everything. It was like watching the Marilyn Monroe/ Katharine Graham of the DNC. She maneuvered gracefully and through the crowd and gave her time and attention as if each reporter was the only one in the room. [more...]

Later, we went up to the "Oasis." I didn't need a massage, or yoga (spent 1 ½ in Bikram this morning) but the books on the shelf were a treat. Jeralyn made a good request to have hair-dryers and rooms to primp, as it's hot, sweaty and crowded everywhere.

Anyway, why am I bringing up the sailboat image that jumped out at me as I thumbed through my new copy of Arianna's book? Because Ted Kennedy's speech and the video tribute tonight did move me, unexpectedly.  My blog entries on my own blog, and Huffington post don't hide the fact I've been a Hillary supporter ever since I started researching her history with the press over a year ago.  Like many pragmatics,  I decided, reluctantly to support Obama the day Hillary dropped out.

But the pieces are coming together now, and Kennedy's and Jimmy Carter's video address did put some wind back into the sails for me.  


So, here's to the setting sail for the future with Obama at the helm.  Okay?  What do you think?

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    Wind In the Sails! | 43 comments (43 topical)

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    Arriana Huffington? The defense industry's (5.00 / 4) (#2)
    by WillBFair on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:36:23 PM EST
    rabid attack dog? No thanks.

    yeah, (none / 0) (#3)
    by Lil on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:38:05 PM EST
    I'm still peeved at Arianna but the post was good, nonetheless.

    [ Parent ]
    HA! (5.00 / 4) (#22)
    by flashman on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:31:23 PM EST
    Earlier today, we were treated to a blog entry from Huffington that once again attacked Bill Clinton as a racist.  Boo!  I cancelled my subscrition to HuffPro and NEVER read it.  I didn't expect this group would be friendly territory to Arianna, and rightly so.  We demand a more reasonable opinionist.

    [ Parent ]
    I call it the Ughington Post (5.00 / 3) (#25)
    by Cream City on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 12:15:40 AM EST
    and haven't been able to go back there in ages.

    I am sick of these so-called former Republicans relabeling themselves to claim to be insiders so they now trash Democrats from within rather than from outside.  

    That's the only difference, but it's far more damaging when they claim to be Democrats.

    I begin to think they were sent by the Republicans in revenge for them getting stuck with the Dixicrats.  Same thing.  They divided the Democrats and then crossed over to screw up the Republicans.  Now the Arianna Ughintons and Markoses and more are screwing up the Dems.  

    [ Parent ]

    Sorry to be blunt (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by ghost2 on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 04:21:47 AM EST
    and hope this post is not deleted.  However, I find this statement utterly sad:

    ..."Huffington Post Oasis: to unplug and recharge," a new age Yoga,  massage and meditation quiet zone on the third floor of the crazy zoo that is the Big Tent.

    So Arianna is buying other bloggers with pampering them?? Good to know.

    [ Parent ]

    Thank you (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by Jjc2008 on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 08:03:03 AM EST
    I despise Arianna.....
    She is the ultimate hate monger when it comes to the Clintons.  She was a close friend of the Gingrich family and her years as a right winger left no doubt about her deep seated CDS.

    I am disappointed so many cannot see through this woman.

    [ Parent ]

    During the Clinton years, Arianna was one (none / 0) (#41)
    by JavaCityPal on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 11:13:52 AM EST
    of the most hateful outspoken judges of Bill Clinton.

    My recollection is she only left the Republican party because they rejected her gay husband when he came out of the closet.


    [ Parent ]

    Oh yea (none / 0) (#39)
    by Jjc2008 on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 08:03:52 AM EST
    the ever present face of Clinton hate, Sirota.

    [ Parent ]
    Anita, I'm glad to see that (5.00 / 0) (#27)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 12:41:11 AM EST
    you're posting at TL and I look forward to getting better acquainted with your journalism.

    Have a great time in Denver!

    [ Parent ]

    Arianna Huffington (none / 0) (#32)
    by daria g on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 02:48:19 AM EST
    Whose journal ran constant hit pieces on Hillary throughout the campaign, with comments full of vitriol that went completely unmoderated.  What kind of progressive is that.  

    People are in debt up to their eyeballs, losing their homes to foreclosure, worried about a recession, the price of gas going up and up, losing health insurance.. somehow all this glamour in Denver is depressing the hell out of me.

    [ Parent ]

    Arianna is not a progressive, (none / 0) (#40)
    by Jjc2008 on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 08:04:51 AM EST
    certainly not a liberal.

    That woman is about herself. Period.

    [ Parent ]

    is Arianna (5.00 / 5) (#5)
    by dws3665 on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:39:16 PM EST
    still hypocritically snarking about the Clintons because of their (gasp) sex life?

    Pot, meet kettle.

    I am glad you're re-discovering some inspiration, Anita. I'm still looking, and if the speakers keep rambling on and on about God, this secular humanist is going to throw something.

    Blergh.

    dws665.....ditto (5.00 / 3) (#8)
    by PssttCmere08 on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:41:23 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    double ditto dws3665 (5.00 / 5) (#20)
    by MonaL on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:18:52 PM EST
    I can't remember a time when I felt less like a Democrat than tonight.  Sad, I am.

    [ Parent ]
    triple ditto (none / 0) (#43)
    by JavaCityPal on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 11:24:26 AM EST
    I'm easily star struck when the star shines for things I admire, respect and would hope to emulate in my own life. Can't fathom Arianna in that.

    [ Parent ]
    Cheers to severing relationships (5.00 / 7) (#7)
    by Practically Lactating on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:40:46 PM EST
    And sometimes relationships become not partnerships in life's great adventure but excuses to stop ourselves from growing, taking risks, and living life to the fullest.

    This quote summarizes why I don't foresee myself voting for Obama in November.

    My continued allegiance to the Democratic party has become a harbor, so despite entreaties / fearmongering arguing for party loyalty, this ship has sailed in search of growth, risk, and something better.

    The Huffington Post (5.00 / 9) (#9)
    by txpolitico67 on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:41:54 PM EST
    used to be my homepage until they started their completely biased coverage of the primary.

    I couldn't even tell you when the last time I have even seen the Huffington Post.  To me, Arianna is getting dangerously close to Judith Miller territory.

    All these former conservatives like her, the Kos guy and that Americablog guy.  I don't know about them. I think that they jumped ship because they saw the tides turning.  Opportunistic moreso than true liberal/progressives.

    I'm trying to remember the last time (5.00 / 5) (#11)
    by JavaCityPal on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:46:11 PM EST
    Arianna was really right on anything.

    [ Parent ]
    Oh (5.00 / 7) (#10)
    by txpolitico67 on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:45:34 PM EST
    and the Katherine Graham comparison?  No way. Ms. Huffington doesn't compare with respect to the journalistic integrity of the woman who helped bring down Nixon.  Her blog can't even report a primary fairly.

    Sweet Sailings From You (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Desired User Name on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:48:06 PM EST
    Lovely post. I am not a fan of Arianna. I used to be, was gung-ho for the AH, until this election began and it all went downhill from there...Nearly every thing on her blog caused me to HUFF and PUFF.

    Ships? Someone on Talk Left, on a previous blog posting said something to the effect of:

    "Obama and Crew are busy rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, meanwhile the HRC supporters are sneaking away on rafts"

    I loved that quote [not verbatim, but close]

    ?Arianna's ship, what's it called ...does it start with a "T"? :}

    i don't think this is going to go over well (5.00 / 8) (#13)
    by Edgar08 on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 10:32:48 PM EST
    there's few peope who have outdone arianna huffington at spreading lies and hate about Hillary Clinton.

    And everyone knows how much I speak out against angry personal attacks on democratic party politicians.

    aside from that, i put huffington's brand of empowerment on the same shelf as deepak chopra's, the secret's and camille paglia's.

    virginia woolf, alice walker, toni morrison, and addrienne kennedy are on a different shelf if anyone wasn't sure.

    As soon as there is a Democrat (5.00 / 7) (#14)
    by JDM in NYC on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:02:59 PM EST
    in the White House, Arianna will suddenly remember what she found so attractive in Newt and his pals.

    I'm having a hard time (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by weltec2 on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 12:48:38 AM EST
    thinking of Obama as a Democrat right now. Democrats don't bully the way Obama's team has. They play by the rules. But it isn't just that. His economic team is Reagan lite. His legal team is conservative as well. It's one thing to reach across the isle, but to leave it there...

    [ Parent ]
    Anita, love your guest blogs at TL but (5.00 / 7) (#17)
    by Valhalla on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:17:09 PM EST
    can't manage any interest in Ariana.  HuffPo became such a fetid swamp in the last year, any respect I might have had for her is long gone.

    I don't know what to think of it (5.00 / 3) (#21)
    by Edgar08 on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:31:22 PM EST
    On the same day it's set down that TL does not tolerate repetitive and personal attacks on democratic party politicians we see some praise for arianna huffington, someone who can't keep her jubilation contained while she's ripping apart dems on a show like bill maher.

    i chalk it up to it being just a really bad coincidence.

    But i will continue to speak out against arianna huffington because i, as well, do not like repetitive and personal attacks on democratic party politicians.

    I have spoken out against those attacks for a very long time.

    [ Parent ]

    Teddy Kennedy was wonderful (5.00 / 6) (#18)
    by Grace on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:17:23 PM EST
    and he made me remember why I was a Democrat in the first place.  

    However, the saddest word he said was "healthcare."  We are not going to get decent healthcare for everyone with Obama.  We just won't.  It's not a major issue for him.  

    What made the word "healthcare" even sadder to me was acknowledging that Teddy Kennedy has a fabulous healthcare plan, now, when he needs it.  

    It's too bad it's not like that for everyone.    

    I find it troubling that Ted is trying (none / 0) (#42)
    by JavaCityPal on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 11:21:03 AM EST
    to adopt Obama into the Kennedy family. Passing the torch.

    Is he afraid the Kennedy legacy will disappear if he allows the Clintons to bask in the light of all they've done for the country?


    [ Parent ]

    guess again valhala. (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by cpinva on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 01:24:48 AM EST
    People have gotten over their anger, and moved on.

    no, i haven't. i'm angrier by the day, at the thought of a "president obama". the DNC has clearly lost its collective minds, succumbing to some (hopefully ergot inspired) mass hysteria. i refuse to be part of that lunatic herd.

    arianna huffington? pffffffffffffft! yeah, she knows about fearless alright, she fearlessly married a really rich guy, who gave her a platform she'd not ordinarily have ever achieved on her own merits. puhleaaaaaaaaaze!

    if ms. huffington were ugly and poor, do you seriously think anyone would ever have paid any attention to her idiotic rantings? and please have the decency to not insult the memory of the late katherine graham, by comparing ms. huffington to her; the only way those two were alike is that ms. graham was also female.

    ok, slight correction (5.00 / 3) (#31)
    by Valhalla on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 01:41:30 AM EST
    (I didn't say the least thing in praise of Ariana, and wouldn't on pain of death.  Just wanted to be clear about that).  Actually, there's a YouTube clip of Ariana talking about Obama that I just saw the last few days, although I don't know when it was made, where she claims he's sympathetic to Hamas and would be very dangerous in a position of power.  Fwiw.  I just have a hard time not believing the claims that she's just a big famous people suck-up.

    cpinva -- my having gotten over it remark was in reply to the previous comment (maybe it's not there now?) that Clinton supporters are just irrationally crying in their soup still (paraphrasing).  I've gotten over the Democratic Party.  Insults to my intelligence or principles don't move me.  There has been so much vitriol, even here on this highly moderated site, that it just doesn't affect me in the least.  Maybe if I were a lot younger, and less sure of myself, and felt I needed to 'prove' my liberalism to people, they'd have a greater effect.  But they don't.

    I'm quite sure of myself, my principles, and my decision not to in any way support this iteration of the Democratic party.  I'm also not the only one.  That drives the louder, more vitriolic faction of the Obama party insane.  Aggressive groupthink tactics don't work on me, or many others.  But it's the only card they know how to play, so they can't control their fury when it doesn't work.

    I'm past anger, and have gone on to what to do about it.  But I didn't mean to imply that anger wasn't justified, or right; of course it is.  Sorry if I gave that impression.

    [ Parent ]

    Every time I think (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by lentinel on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 05:12:48 AM EST
    that I'm "past anger", something happens to infuriate me anew.
    An editorial in today's NYTimes chides Hillary Clinton for not conceding with more "grace". They wouldn't dare say this if they were talking about a male politician. I can't stand them.

    Then, there is Michelle, looking great, soaking up the applause, and then starting off with a joke about Barack's basketball playing. I don't have time for this.

    Then there is the general spectacle of conventioneers reveling to rock music as our soldiers die in Iraq.

    This is not the planet I wish I were inhabiting.

    [ Parent ]

    AFAIC (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by magisterludi on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 03:29:13 AM EST
    Arianna is and always has been an arrogant opportunist. She disgraced herself 10 years ago with her ubiquitous Tv tirades against all things Clinton.

    Aruanna is all about Arianna. Whichever pasture is greener...

    I think (3.66 / 3) (#6)
    by Faust on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:40:25 PM EST
    that we all have to remember that despite the deep flaws of the democratic party, the deep flaws of the DNC, and the flaws of Obama that the Democratic Party is still the best shot we have of getting this country moving in the direction of the right track.

    We are off the rails folks. Choosing the lesser of two evils over and over again is maddening. But it is what is before us.

    I understand that some people in their despair, or rage, or in what they believe to be a calculated political move think otherwise, but in the end there are only two kinds of actions that can be taken between here and November. Actions that give aid and comfort to the Republican led oligarchy, and those that have a small chance of getting us back on track via the deeply flawed democratic party.

    Everything else is pissing in the ocean.

    You are missing the point, still. (5.00 / 9) (#16)
    by Valhalla on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:15:10 PM EST
    Or again, or even yet, or something.

    People have gotten over their anger, and moved on.

    2% less evil isn't worth bothering to check a box for.

    Obama supporters persist in believing that this is about petulance, or revenge, or other juvenile emotions.  It's much, much easier to think that than to face the fact that he's not a good candidate, and the Democratic party would rather sing kumbaya with the very Republicans we're supposed to be so appalled by than stand up for women, for the working class, for minorities other than AAs, or any other group they should be championing rather than shoving under the bus.

    It's not.  It's about principles and what people can bring themselves to support.  And it's not the DNC anymore.

    I'll come back when they give a cr*p about me and my concerns.

    [ Parent ]

    I'm not missing anything. (5.00 / 0) (#30)
    by Faust on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 01:31:05 AM EST
    I get your argument. I just think it's about the same as Nader's argument in 2k. And will lead to about the same place.

    I get that the argument resonates with some people. It just seems naive in a world as brutal and pragmatic as ours happens to be.

    [ Parent ]

    Why shold the deeply flawed DNC care (5.00 / 2) (#19)
    by Radix on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:18:22 PM EST
    to move itself back on track? It's not like they have anything to lose by staying where they are.

    [ Parent ]
    Very close to what my dad (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by weltec2 on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:36:34 PM EST
    tells me (now that Biden is in the picture) in just about the same language. Are you 87? I'm just not as convinced as either of you that a vote one way or the other will make any difference at all. I am convinced that both will be bad for the overall economy of the United States. See here. I am convinced that both will put judges on SCOTUS that I do not approve of. See BTD's thread on Cass Sunstein here. And then there is FISA, the fact that he is without almost any experience for the position, he is untested in the vital areas necessary for such a position.

    I will never vote for McCain. I will vote Democrat on the rest of the ticket. But Pres/VicePres will remain blank... or maybe I'll write in Hillary just because I'm so disgusted with the way she has been railroaded.

    [ Parent ]

    good post! (none / 0) (#1)
    by Lil on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:35:39 PM EST


    Arriana is a pistol (in a good way) (none / 0) (#4)
    by catfish on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:39:03 PM EST
    She is so approachable too.

    Arriana can (5.00 / 4) (#26)
    by weltec2 on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 12:33:40 AM EST
    put that pistol where the sun don't... no, no, no, we won't go there but for a brief look at some of Arriana's attacks against Hillary look here, here, here, and here. Plus there have been all the attackdog comments of her editorial staff who put together more pages that I could list here... plus there have been an army of Clinton bashers who have found safe haven on HuffPo.

    You will notice that even when she praises Hillary -- like after Hillary suspended her run -- she cannot do it without delivering some backhanded blows.

    I don't like Arriana. She may be a friendly person who smiles warmly and listens to those press persons she meets... but I wouldn't want her walking behind me while I was wearing my Hillary '08 t-shirt.

    [ Parent ]

    As to Arianne's comment: (none / 0) (#24)
    by Xanthe on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:48:09 PM EST
    Emily Dickenson said it a bit differently:  Ships might be of satin if not to fight - to walk on tides requires cedar feet.

    It's all about money (none / 0) (#36)
    by mmc9431 on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 06:34:14 AM EST
    Huffington is a business person. Her first and foremost objective is to promote her business whether it be her blog or books. She seems more than willing to say or write anything that will create interest (contraversy)in that enterprise. When she was a "republican" she was quick to jump in the spotlight to condeme WJC too. I respect her opinion about as much as I would any corporate shill.

    Monroe of the DNC? She's a repug hack (none / 0) (#37)
    by masslib on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 06:54:06 AM EST
    who is trying to overtake the Dem Party.  She knows absolutely nothing about being fearless.  She's an idiot.  

    I met Arianna at LA townhall-type affair (none / 0) (#44)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 12:54:25 PM EST
    a few years ago and completely agree with this description of her
    She maneuvered gracefully through the crowd and gave her time and attention as if each reporter was the only one in the room.
    She is one of the most gracious "famous" people I've ver met.

    Wind In the Sails! | 43 comments (43 topical)

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