KathyF’s Recent Comments

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  Again, with feeling

  Once again I'm logging in to say, Gore's endorsement of Dean was NOT botched! I was there. I had to answer the phone calls that were ringing off the wall after that endorsement, deal with the people who walked in off the streets to see who this Howard Dean was that Al Gore endorsed. We got a huge bounce in the polls after that endorsement.

  It also served to put the other candidates on notice, and in addition, the Club for Growth, who all ran anti-Dean ads in Iowa. (Remember that "Howard Dean supporters are Volvo-driving liberals?)

  It was the fallout of the negative advertising that killed Dean, not the endorsement.

  That said, I don't think a Gore endorsement would be nearly as valuable as Grist readers imagine. The Kennedy endorsement was pretty much as big as they come, unless someone has a direct line to JFK. It may, however, make just enough difference to matter in California, which is probably going to be very, very close.

  So I hope he does endorse. On If Gore's endorsement could make the difference, will he give it? posted 1 year, 9 months ago 5 Responses

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  The Dean implosion

  The Gore endorsement and the Dean implosion have been incorrectly interpreted. I was working on the Dean campaign in NM when Gore endorsed. People streamed through the doors right after that, wanting to volunteer, find out more--it was a huge plus.

  But it also sent Dean straight to the top of the polls in Iowa and NH. And the other candidates, and the Republican Club for Growth, started running negative ads in Iowa against Dean.

  That's what caused the implosion, not the endorsement but the fact that it meant Dean was the frontrunner. (Sound familiar? Hillary was proclaimed the frontrunner, and look what that did for her.)

  In light of this, with Obama already considered the man to beat, I don't see how a Gore endorsement hurts him, or damages Gore's "brand", which is the reason I hear he's hesitating. On Whom will Gore endorse? posted 1 year, 10 months ago 21 Responses

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  One important thing

  You forgot to take into account one important thing, and that's how green--literally--these cities are. One thing I love about London is its "greenness"; i.e., its parks, grass, trees, etc. No other European city I've been in has as many green spaces as London. It wasn't until after I left Florence after a visit that I realized why I was uncomfortable there: no trees.

  I live in the Green Belt, the lungs of the metropolis, and  would be miserable anywhere else. On How do U.K. cities stack up in terms of sustainability? posted 1 year, 11 months ago 1 Response

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  Educational

  I actually found the discussion educational. I learned that there are a lot of misconceptions about PETA out there, even among educated Grist users.

  I bet very few people realize that PETA doesn't rely on shock and awe when it comes to improving animals' lives. Their strategy is to first write a letter to the offending corporation/entity. Then they write another. Then they ask their supporters to write letters.

  Then, if none of this works (and almost always the letters DO work), they pull out the chicken suits.

  Obviously, meat eaters haven't responded to the letters.

  In all seriousness, I've been reading the PETA blog for a while now. That's done a lot to convince me that PETA is a worthwhile organization that doesn't deserve its bad press.

  Now, I'm going to write another letter. On The subjects of PETA and vegetarianism ... posted 2 years, 2 months ago 15 Responses

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  Swiftboating

  Please don't confuse this with swiftboating. John Kerry was attacked with charges that weren't true. As far as I can tell, these accusations are completely true. On Same as it ever was posted 2 years, 8 months ago 37 Responses