Progressive Book Club/Air America Panels in Denver

Jonathan Alter (The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope): "I'm in a business where words matter, and Barack Obama is elevating the debate". Alter told a fascinating story of how FDR campaigned as a pragmatic Democrat, yet governed as a progressive Democrat. FDR had no blueprint for the New Deal before he took office and yet he "redefined the social contact people have with their government". Alter believes this ties directly into the idea that Obama is a "wishy washy progressive" because even FDR pandered (specificly to William Randoph Hurst) to get elected, yet he was easily the most progressive president America has ever had.

Arianna Huffington- Claimed that the right and left debate makes it harder for the Democratic Party to claim the center (which is where they are in the American Political spectrum). Huffington believes that since 60-70% of Americans are in sync with the Democratic Party on healthcare, Global warming, and Iraq, the Democratic Party just represents mainstream ideas. However, she claims the media for presenting everything in a neutral way, simply because the truth is very rarely neutral. Thats why the new media is so important... the idea that we can present the truth rather than a neutral frame debate. Huffington also believes that the Democratic Party needs to stress national security as an issue needs to be stressed because people vote their fears.

She also presenting a fascinating argument about how Obama will guarantee a win. If he vies for the center... he will be doomed to repeat the loses of the past, simply because the center is so unpredictable. Instead she believes Obama should vie for the 80 million unlikely voters, whom he is uniquely qualified to bring into the political process.

Ted Sorenson: "There Could Be No Sharper Contrast Then JFK and Bush-Cheney-McCain"

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