People United Means Action

{{bronze}}[[File:PumaNov06.jpg|thumb|right|165px|A typical puma, upset that its chosen candidate did not win the party primary]]{{uspolitics}}
'''People United Means Action''' or '''PUMA''' ({{wpl|Cougar_(slang)|not to be confused with cougars}}) was a group of disaffected [[Hillary Clinton]]-supporting "[[DINO|Democrats]]" who not only opposed [[Barack Obama]]'s 2008 nomination but opposed his [[President of the United States|presidency]]. They provided a good source of [[conspiracy theories]] about Obama for [[wingnut]]s at the other end of the spectrum.

The name "People United Means Action" is widely regarded as a backronym, even within the PUMA community, and is generally only used in polite company.  Among the sane, the acronym means "Party Unity My Ass."<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/07/hillaryclinton.barackobama 'Party Unity, My Ass' - what the Pumas really stand for], ''The Guardian''</ref>

PUMA is most notable for starting{{cn}} the rumors that Barack '''<u>HUSSEIN</u>''' Obama [[Obama citizenship denial|wasn't actually a "natural-born citizen,"]] later taken up with such theatrics by the [[Birther]]s.<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/02/08/the-secret-history-of-the-birthers.html The 'Birthers' began on the Left], ''The Daily Beast''</ref>

==Notable PUMAs==
===Darragh Murphy===
The undisputed queen of the PUMAs, Murphy is the founder and owner of PUMA PAC. She is a "lifelong Democrat," except for [[2000 U.S. Presidential Election|2000]] when she donated money to [[John McCain]] (and only John McCain)<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=murphy&cycle=All&sort=R&state=MA&zip=01741&employ=&cand=&submit=Submit Donor Lookup: Darragh Murphy], OpenSecrets</ref> and voted in the [[Republican]] primary.<ref>[http://www.rumproast.com/index.php/site/comments/puma_pacs_founder_darragh_murphy_proudly_presents_party_unity_my_ass_redux/ Puma PAC’s founder Darragh Murphy (hearts) John McCain]</ref> Of course, there's no reason to suspect foul play based on this alone, but Murphy's repeated failure to file a report with the FEC seems a bit suspicious.<ref>[http://www.rumproast.com/images/uploads/puma_failure_to_file.gif Copy of the FEC letter, November 3rd, 2008]</ref>

===Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild===
Lady de Rothschild (''especially'' not to be confused with ''cougars'') was a major Clinton fundraiser (or "Hillraiser" as she insisted on being identified) who supported John McCain in the general election. The Lady de Rothschild set some record for irony when she appeared on Anderson Cooper 360 and called Obama an [[elitist]], even though he grew up on food stamps and she was the daughter of an aircraft tycoon who married into [[Rothschild family|one of the wealthiest and most influential families on the planet]].<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvhFPyBoVLs&feature=player_embedded AC360 Clinton Hillraisers - "Frankly we don't like him"]</ref>

===Amy Siskind===
Amy Siskind is the founder of the website The New Agenda. Siskind is vehement that her movement is unconnected to PUMA; however, the fact that the group is composed of members of PUMA groups<ref>[http://thestilettoblog.com/2008/08/13/on-the-cutting-edge-new-nonpartisan-group-to-promote-womens-agenda.aspx A copy of the press release]</ref> and sides with the PUMAs on every significant issue would suggest otherwise. She is perhaps best known for her inexplicable attack on National Organization for Women president Kim Gandy<ref>[http://thenewagenda.net/2009/02/08/no-way-no-how-to-kim-gandy-for-director-of-womens-bureau/ No Way, No How to Kim Gandy for Director of Women’s Bureau]</ref> (who, by the way, backed Clinton during the primaries<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwCn7sB1rxY NOW PAC Chair Kim Gandy Endorses Hillary Clinton]</ref>).

===Larry Johnson===
Larry Johnson is a [[CIA]] analyst-turned-consultant-turned blogger. His website, "No Quarter," was a haven for PUMAs throughout the [[2008 U.S. Presidential Election|2008 election]] and continues to be so today. He is best known as the originator of the "[[whitey tape]]" hoax.

===Harriet Christian===
Harriet Christian is a popular figure among the PUMAs. Although she has no authority in any PUMA groups, she is one of their most well-known members, courtesy of an unhinged rant in which she infamously referred to Obama as an "inadequate black male."<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KACQuZVAE3s Here]</ref> At one point, there was actually a movement among the PUMAs to get Christian appointed [[US Senate|Senator]] for [[New York]].<ref>Sadly, the Appoint Harriet website is no longer around, but [http://www.rumproast.com/images/uploads/harriet_header.jpg here's proof that it existed]</ref>

==External links==
*[http://pumapac.org/ Website]
*[http://blog.pumapac.org/ Old website]
*[http://snarkopolitan.blogspot.com/2009/01/field-guide-to-fraidy-cats-we-can.html A Field Guide to Fraidy Cats] - A good overview of the current PUMA movement

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Birtherism]]
[[Category:The Clintons]]
[[Category:United States politics]]
[[Category:Political action groups]]

Categories: Birtherism, The Clintons, United States politics, Political action groups