People United Means Action

PUMA ("People United Means Action" or "Party Unity My Ass") is a political action committee in the United States that is protesting the Democratic Party leadership and the nomination of Sen. Barack Obama as the Democratic candidate for President in the 2008 presidential election.cite news
last = Abrahams
first = Tom
title = What'a P.U.M.A.?
publisher = ABC 13 VOTE08
date = 2008-07-14
url = http://thevote.abc13.com/2008/07/whats-a-puma-1.html
accessdate = 2008-07-20 ] PUMA began as an effort of supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton who believe that Clinton should be the Democratic nominee.cite news
last = Preston
first = Mark
title = Preston on Politics: PUMAs Stalking Obama
publisher = CNN Political Ticker
date = 2008-07-23
url = http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/23/preston.puma/index.html#cnnSTCText
accessdate = 2008-08-16 ] cite news
last = King
first = Allison
title = Obama, Clinton might not find united party
publisher = NECN
date = 2008-06-24
url = http://thevote.abc13.com/2008/07/whats-a-puma-1.html
accessdate = 2008-07-01] According to PUMA, "We are protesting the 2008 Presidential election because we refuse to support a nominee who was selected by the leadership rather than elected by the voters." cite news|publisher=News.com.au|title=Party Unity, My Ass group shows Obama's fight ahead|date= 2008-06-10 |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23840402-5012572,00.html] Infobox_Organization |name = Pumapac.org |
|size =125px

Organization

Origin

PUMA PAC is registered as a non-affiliated political action committee (PAC) with the Federal Election Commission and organized as a 527 Organization with the IRS. [http://blog.pumapac.org/about/ PUMA PAC] . ] PUMA originated out of online comments of a group of Clinton supporters on a pro-Clinton blog, The Confluence. [cite web
last = Riverdaughter
title = Monday: PUMA Power
url = http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/monday-puma-power
accessdate = 2008-07-20] [cite web
last = Riverdaughter
title = Ladies and Gentlemen, You Are Looking Fine Today!
url = http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2008/06/01/ladies-and-gentlemen-you-are-looking-fine-today/
accessdate = 2008-08-02]

PUMA is also part of a coalition of online activists with similar goals, the JustSayNoDeal coalition. The PUMA acronym as originally coined stood for "Party Unity My Ass", however, the official PAC is registered as "People United Means Action." cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/07/hillaryclinton.barackobama|title='Party Unity, My Ass' - what the Pumas really stand for|last= Burkeman|first=Oliver|date=June 7, 2008|work=The Guardian|accessdate=2008-07-01] Executive Director Darragh Murphy estimates that PUMA PAC proper has gathered over 10,000 members and the organization's official site has received more than a million hits between its founding in June through August 2008.cite news
last = Costa
first = Robert
title = Political Diary: Darragh vs. the Obamabots
publisher = The Wall Street Journal
date = 2008-08-17
url = http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121894355972047277.html?mod=opinion_main_review_and_outlooks
accessdate = 2008-08-17] Dianne Mantouvalos, founder of the larger JustSayNoDeal coalition, estimates the coalition comprises over 100 groups, and is more than ten percent of the eighteen million votes Clinton received in the primaries.

Will Bower, a media spokesperson for PUMA and JustSayNoDeal, has summarized many of PUMA's objections to the actions of the Democratic Party during the 2008 presidential primaries. PUMA believes that Obama was selected undemocratically by the party leadership rather than through respect for Democratic voters' wishes. [cite news|publisher=Fox News|title=Party Unity, My Ass|date=June 9th, 2008 |url=http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=1275457] Further, PUMA argues that Obama was unfairly advantaged by the ruling by the Rules and Bylaws Committee on seating Florida and Michigan delegates.

Finally, PUMA members point to charges of media sexism and misogyny directed at Clinton during the primary campaign and express anger at the failure of Democratic Party leaders to speak out against them or otherwise respond appropriately.cite news
last = Cocco
first = Marie
title = Misogyny I Won't Miss
publisher = Washington Post
date = 2008-05-15
url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/14/AR2008051403090.html
accessdate = 2008-07-29] cite news
last = Stephen
first = Andrew
title = Hating Hillary
publisher = New Statesman
date = 2008-05-22
url = http://www.newstatesman.com/north-america/2008/05/obama-clinton-vote-usa-media
accessdate = 2008-07-29] cite news
last = Erbe
first = Bonnie
title = Obama and the Democrats Owe Hillary Clinton and Her Supporters a Formal Apology for the Campaign's Sexism
publisher = US News & World Report
date = 2008-06-09
url = http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2008/6/9/obama-and-the-democrats-owe-hillary-clinton-and-her-supporters-a-formal-apology-for-the-campaigns-sexism.html
accessdate = 2008-07-29] Post-primaries, DNC Chairman Howard Dean stated "The media took a very sexist approach to Senator Clinton's campaign" in response to hearing objections from what he described as "cross-section of women, from individual voters to powerful politicians and chief executives."cite news
last = Katherine Q. Seelye and Julie Bosman
title = Media Charged with Sexism in Clinton Coverage
publisher = New York Times
date = 2008-06-13
url = http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/us/politics/13women.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
accessdate = 2008-08-06]

Some media and online commentators use the term PUMA to describe any Clinton primary voter who does not support Obama's nomination or the Democratic Party leadership, regardless of PAC affiliation.cite web
author= Traister, Rebecca
date= 2008-06-23
title= Why Clinton Voters Say They Won't Support Obama
publisher= Salon
url=http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/06/23/pumas/
accessdate= 2008-08-31]

Political Action

PUMA's protest actions take several forms, including encouraging a Clinton write-in campaign for the general election, voting for no presidential candidate, or supporting other candidates such as U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ). [cite web
url = http://www.writehillaryin.com/
title = WriteinHillary
accessdate = 2008-07-29] [cite web
url = http://www.mccaindemocrats.blogspot.com/
title = McCain Dem/Clinton Republican
accessdate = 2008-07-29] [cite web
url = http://www.clintons4mccain.com/
title = Clintons4McCain
accessdate = 2008-07-29] Some hoped that enough superdelegates would change their minds to give the nomination to Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in August.cite news|publisher=New York Daily News |title=Hillary Clinton fanatics keep fight alive |date=June 12, 2008 |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/06/12/2008-06-12_hillary_clinton_fanatics_keep_fight_aliv-1.html|last= Saul|first = Michael] Some state that they are willing to put McCain in office this year, and have Clinton run again in 2012. Finally, some have also suggested that Clinton run as an Independent candidate in the election.cite web|url=http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080607/FOREIGN/763911149|title=Clinton supporters vow to fight on|last= Niedowski|first=Erika|date=June 7, 2008|publisher="The National"|accessdate=2008-07-01] Some have noted that the internet has fostered the organization. Many PUMA advocates are part of the blogosphere and use it for organization, advocacy and viral communication.

PUMA advocated for an open convention in which Clinton's name would be placed in nomination and her delegates allowed to vote for her at the convention.cite news
last = Preston
first = Mark
title = Preston on Politics: PUMAs Stalking Obama
publisher = CNN Politics
date = 2008-07-23
url = http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/23/preston.puma/index.html#cnnSTCText
accessdate = 2008-08-14 ] The group is supporting a petition by delegates to the convention to put Clinton's name into nomination.cite news
last = Satter
first = Andrew
title = Efforts to Promote Clinton at Convention Heat Up
publisher = CQ Politics
date = 2008-08-13
url = http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002937428
accessdate = 2008-08-15 ] [cite web | last = Democratic National Committee| authorlink = Democratic National Committee| title = "Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention"| pages = p.16 |publisher = Democratic National Committee| date = 2006-08-19| url = http://www.democrats.org/page/-/dem_convention/rules.pdf| accessdate = 2008-01-21|format=PDF] Allied organization The Denver Group has spearheaded an ad-based media campaign advocating for an open nomination convention including placing Clinton's name in nomination, allowing speeches in support and a roll call vote. cite news
last = Wheaton
first = Sarah
title = The Caucus: Clinton Supporters Try One More Tack
publisher = The New York Times
date = 2008-07-23
url = http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/clinton-supporters-try-one-more-tack/
accessdate = 2008-08-18] [cite web
url = http://thedenvergroup.blogspot.com/
title = The Denver Group
accessdate = 2008-08-18] cite news
last = Horowitz
first = Jason
title = Defiant Clinton Women Refuse to Support Obama
publisher = The News York Observer
date = 2008-08-12
accessdate = 2008-08-16
url =http://www.observer.com/2008/politics/defiant-clinton-women-refuse-support-obama ] The ad campaign emphasizes a connection between historical events and the 2008 convention, calling on DNC Chairman Howard Dean and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to "follow fair and honest application of the democratic process and according to democratic principles" and resist turning "the convention into a coronation."cite web|url=http://bp3.blogger.com/_lJK9qaX7XKE/SHc4rEcaW_I/AAAAAAAABJI/NyjDkyQ-5D0/s1600-h/denvertribagain.jpg|title=Will Howard Dean and the DNC turn the Democratic Party into the Boston Tea Party?|publisher=The Denver Group|accessdate=2008-08-28]

PAC members are also one of several groups protesting the 2008 Democratic National Convention.cite news | last = Chozick | first = Amy
title = Pro-Clinton Force Plans Protest in Denver publisher = Washington Times | date = 2008-08-12 | url = http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/08/12/pro-clinton-force-plans-protest-in-denver/ | accessdate = 2008-08-15 ] PUMA's protests and events of the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries are the subject of an upcoming film by documentary filmaker Brad Mays,"The Audacity of Democracy". [cite web
title = Brad Mays
publisher = Internet Movie Database
url = http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0563058/
accessdate = 2008-08-06] [cite video
people=Mays, Brad (Director)
url= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8t4PKGc2Fw&eurl=http://blog.pumapac.org/?s=brad+mays
title= The Audacity of Democracy (trailer)
medium=Documentary
publisher=LightSong Films]

Organizers/co-founders and associated movements

Darragh Murphy, Executive Director of PUMA PAC, created the organization in June 2008. She says that the immediate goal of her website is "to let the party know, let the leadership know that millions and millions of us are not going to support [Obama] . That we believe the nomination process was flawed beyond belief, that is was unfair and biased." According to one reporter who interviewed her, "Murphy ... believes that the only way to save the Democratic Party at this point is to destroy it. Mr. Obama must lose, and his supporters must be purged." [Citation| last = Horowitz| first = Jason| title = Defiant Clinton Women Refuse To Support Obama| newspaper = The New York Observer| year = 2008| date = August 12, 2008| url = http://www.observer.com/2008/politics/defiant-clinton-women-refuse-support-obama?page=0%2C1] Murphy has characterized PUMA PAC's goals, however, as "not an organized effort to leave the Democratic Party, but to get it back, to bring real unity to the party. Millions of voters are still very unhappy. We're going to still be here on November 5."

Diane Mantouvalos, who also founded HireHeels.com, a website trying to get women involved in politicscite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/26/AR2008062604162.html|title=Hill, Yes! O., No!|last=Merida|first=Kevin |date=June 27, 2008|work=Washington Post|accessdate=2008-07-01] founded “Just Say No Deal.com” along with Peter Boykin (creater of the slogan for the domain name), Will Bower, Cristi Adkins, and Thuc Ngyuen after Hillary Clinton announced her suspension of her campaign. Just Say No Deal is a coalition of groups, including PUMA, advocating against the selection of Barack Obama as the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee.cite news
last = Parker
first = Jennifer
title = Clinton Supporters Protest Outside Obama Finance Meeting in DC
publisher = ABC News, Political Radar
date = 2008-06-26
accessdate = 2008-08-16
url = http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/06/clinton-suppo-1.html]

Christi Adkins, along with Anne Franklin, Peter Boykin and other Clinton supporters, created Clintons4McCain.com. Adkins’ organization is composed of volunteers who donated time, effort and energy to elect Clinton, and now feel Hillary was subjected to unfair attacks during the campaign by "sexism, misogyny, reverse racism and ridicule." [http://clintons4mccain.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=62 Clintons4McCain.com] About us] Clintons4McCain.com is "opposed to the DNC, the media and Hollywood's influence in the Democratic nomination process." The group’s membership intend to vote for Republican John McCain in November, and believe that John McCain would be tolerable. Adkins has been interviewed on Fox News on multiple occasions about the mission of the PUMA organization. [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,365687,00.html Member of Clintons for McCain, Cristi Adkins, Speaks] . Fox News, June 11, 2008.] Adkins was interviewed by Chris Matthews of MSNBC outside the Democratic National Convention in Denver. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVHZHuyVeio]

Criticism

PUMA has been criticized for their support of Republican John McCain. Officially PUMA does not support any candidate, the common thread being that its members oppose Obama as the DNC candidate. Some Democrats argue that the organization's goals contradict Hillary Clinton's stated views. [ [http://visiblevote08.logoonline.com/2008/06/16/puma-party-hillary-clinton-fanatics-working-for-mccain/ Visible Vote '08 ] ] On CNN's Situation Room, Clinton herself has been quoted as saying, "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that anyone who supported me... understands what a grave error it would be not to vote for Sen. Obama." [ [http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/14/clinton/ Clinton: It'd be 'terrible mistake' to pick McCain over Obama] May 14, 2008 CNN] One Democratic state committeewoman who says she supported Clinton, and whose attitude was "Enough with this PUMA stuff," said: "It's not like it's 'Rah rah Obama'. No. But he is our candidate...." [Citation| last = Benjamin| first = Elizabeth| title = The Anti-Pumas| newspaper = Daily News| year = 2008| date = August 24, 2008| url = http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/08/the-antipumas.html]

Patti Higgins, the Chair of the Alaska Democratic Party, wrote to a PUMA supporter: "Having Senator Clinton’s name on a roll call without having the votes would just embarrass her, waste time, and make people agonize over nothing. I find it difficult to believe that this organization is not an undercover McCain operation." [cite web| title = Why Are These People In Charge?| publisher = PUMAPac.org| date = July 28, 2008| url = http://blog.pumapac.org/2008/07/28/why-are-these-people-in-charge/ | accessdate = 2008-07-29] On August 14, 2008, Senators Clinton and Obama issued a joint news release stating that Senator Clinton's name would be put into nomination and a roll-call vote held at the convention, in response to calls from Clinton supporters.cite news
author= Kate Snow, Jake Tapper, Jennifer Parker
title = Dem's Deal: Hillary Gets Convention Vote
publisher = ABC News
date = 2008-08-14
accessdate = 2008-08-16
url = http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=5579194&page=1] cite news
title = Clinton, Obama Deal Could Let Supporters Disrupt Convention
publisher = Fox News
date = 2008-08-14
accessdate = 2008-08-16
url = http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/14/clintons-name-to-be-placed-in-nomination-at-convention/] Clinton previously stated at a fundraiser: " [I] believe that we will come out stronger if people feel that their voices were heard and their views were respected. I think that is a very big part of how we actually come out unified."

Amanda Marcotte of Pandagon has accused PUMA of being a front for McCain advocacy, pointing to founder Darragh Murphy's financial support of McCain in February 2000. [cite web | title = "Donor Lookup"| publisher = OpenSecrets.org| url = http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=murphy&state=MA&zip=01741&employ=&cand=&all=Y&sort=N&capcode=hmgtf&submit=Submit| accessdate = 2008-07-01] [ [http://pandagon.net/index.php/site/comments/pumas_are_swiftboats_darragh_murphy/ pandagon.net ] ] Murphy admits donating to McCain, stating that the donation was to help defeat George W. Bush in the primary. She says she voted for Al Gore in the general election, although she did not donate to his campaign. She says she was "devastated when Bush stole the election". cite news
last = Abrahams
first = Tom
title = P.U.M.A. Passion
publisher = ABC 13 VOTE08
date = 2008-06-23
url = http://thevote.abc13.com/hillary_clinton/index.html
accessdate = 2008-07-29 ] According to the Huffington Post's Fundrace 2008, Murphy has donated $850 to Clinton's presidential campaign through Q3 2008. [Huffington Post Donations Search [http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=name&lname=murphy&fname=darragh&search=Search Fundrace 2008] ] Marcotte's accusation omits Murphy's campaign contributions to Clinton. The donations to Clinton have not yet appeared on the official FEC site as of July 29. cite web|url=http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/norindsea.shtml|title=Official FEC Search|accessdate=2008-08-28] Bowers rejects the claims of Marcotte and others: "People have been trying to paint this as a Trojan horse, you know, as though I'm a Republican, that this is a Republican strategy... No, that's not it at all. From dog-catcher to president, I've voted Democrat."cite news
last = Tomasic
first = John
title = Hell No: P.U.M.A. Spokesman Will Bower on Post-Clinton Party Unity
publisher = Huffington Post
date = 2008-07-18
url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-tomasic/hell-no-puma-spokesman-wi_b_108581.html
accessdate = 2008-07-20 ]

Clinton-supporter Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) has argued that while she sees why many have subscribed to the "Puma attitude", she argues that for women "reproductive rights, the economy and a range other issues, the only choice is Obama." She believes that voting for McCain, or letting him win by default, is worse than not having Clinton as the nominee. Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has stated that PUMAs and other Clinton supporters "have been less than gracious" for their continuing refusal to support Senator Obama.cite news
last = Mooney
first = Alexander
title = Pelosi Not Happy with Some Clinton Backers
publisher = CNN Political Ticker
date = 2008-08-14
url = http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/14/pelosi-not-happy-with-some-clinton-backers/
accessdate = 2008-08-16 ]

DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee co-chairman James Roosevelt disputes the claim that the Michigan–Florida delegate decision was in any way pre-ordained to favor Obama. He argues that Party rules and regulations were "followed and interpreted fairly". He continues that there were allegations of impropriety in the Texas caucuses, but only one complaint was filed with a delegate..

References

External links

* [http://www.puma08.org PUMA08 Website]
* [http://blog.pumapac.org/ PUMA PAC blog]
* [http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com The Confluence] Originating PUMA site

* [http://www.justsaynodeal.com Just Say No Deal] Coalition site for opponents of the DNC and Obama nomination.
* [http://pumaalliance.wordpress.com PUMA-Just Say No Deal Alliance site]