GRAMMYS FOR OBAMA AND J. J. CALE-- AND MAINE FOR OBAMA

When I retired from the music business two of my happiest notions were No More Conventions and no more awards ceremonies, like the Grammys. I was laughing this weekend when my friend Seymour called to complain that some airline had lost his tuxedo somewhere between Mumbai, Montpellier, Paris and Los Angeles. Until then I wasn't even aware that this was Grammys week. Tonight one of my old colleagues, who now works for Eric Clapton, called to tell me that Eric and J.J. Cale had won one for best contemporary blues album for The Road to Escondido. He was excited because it was J.J.'s first ever. I celebrated by making a clip for my MOG Page.

Meanwhile the Hollywood music community, which has always supported the Clintons, sent a clear signal tonight by giving the spoken word Grammy to Barack Obama, who beat out Bill Clinton. "Obama on Sunday won the spoken word Grammy for the audiobook version of his blockbuster tome The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. It marked his second statuette, following a win in 2006 for Dreams From My Father, an audiobook for a memoir first published in 1995.

I suspect Obama was more excited about the unexpected win among Maine Democrats today. The turnout was immense, despite a snow storm and freezing weather across the state and with Maine's governor, John Baldacci, stumping for Clinton it Maine had been considered a lock. Once unpredicted numbers of voters started showing up at the polls this morning, all predictions got tossed out, Obama took a lead and never relinquished it. Clinton fired her campaign manager, Patti Solis Doyle, and replaced her with Maggie Williams. Tuesday Clinton expects to lose primaries in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.


UPDATE ABOUT MAINE

What does it say about craven Bush rubber stamp Susan Collins' desperate attempt to hold onto the Maine Senate seat she now holds that only 5,000 Republicans bothered to show up at the polls last week-- despite her hysterical campaigning for McCain-- while this weekend, in a blizzard, over 45,000 fired up Democrats came for a practice run to rid their state of the right-wing vermin? Just asking.

Which reminds me, Blue America-endorsed Democrat, Rep. Tom Allen, the one who is challenging Collins, had some remarks at the Maine caucuses in Bangor, Lewiston, Auburn, Portland and Kittery. “The times have never been so serious and the stakes have never been so high. I believe that change in Washington isn’t an option-- it’s a necessity. This year Maine people have an extraordinary opportunity and a great responsibility. Because whether or not we have a working majority for change in the Senate depends on a handful of states, and Maine is one of the few that will decide the future direction of the country... It’s about you, each of you-- your family, your children and grandchildren. It’s about the future direction of the country. It’s about finding solutions. It’s about what is best for Maine and America in the 21st century. It’s also about two fundamentally different, competing sets of ideas, about old ideas versus a new direction, the status quo versus change, fear versus hope. This election is about you, and the choice is yours. You are going to change this country. You’re going to make it stronger, safer, and more prosperous. You’re going to bring our troops home from Iraq. You’re going to give tax breaks to the middle class and restore America’s economic future. You’re going to meet the challenges of climate change and achieve energy independence. And you’re going to give every American access to quality affordable health care. You’re going to do it on November 4, 2008 by voting for real change.”

“If you think the Bush-Cheney economic policies have worked for you and the country, vote for Susan Collins.

“If you think an agenda of tax cuts for the middle class, support for small business, and investment in people and infrastructure is the better path, then vote for Tom Allen.

“If you believe we need to keep our troops in harm’s way in Iraq – if you believe we need to keep spending $10 billion a month in an endless civil war, vote for Susan Collins.

“If you believe we need to set a deadline to bring our troops home and create pressure for a compromise among the Iraqi power blocs, vote for Tom Allen.

“If you trust the Republican party to solve our healthcare crisis, then vote for Susan Collins.”

Feel free to donate to Tom's campaign right here