Just want to vent some, Sorry!! I don't know about any one else but I am tired of the McCain campaign playing childish games. What is worse is that some in the media fall for it. As do some Americans. The time is now to change the nature and the direction of this country.
We need to fight and hustle harder than ever to help Barack win this election. No matter how much it is evident that McSloppy does not even know how to run his own campaign, he is some how keeping this election tight. I know that it is helped by the MSM but hopefully this debate that WILL take place tomorrow will change alot of voters' minds.
It is imperative that Barack makes a good showing. We know that he is a great speaker and motivator but he needs to show that he is a great debater. It is possible that close to a 100 million people tune in for it. If he blows McDummy out of the water it will drastically change the course of the election.
Thanks for letting me blow off some steam. It has been awhile as I had to relocate b/c of work obligations and it took some time to get acclimated to my new community. But I am here and as active as ever.
BARACK AND ROLL 08!!!
MIKE
Interesting view point on a campaign strategy that could be beneficial to our cause. Please read and decide what you think.
Surprise Me Most By DAVID BROOKSIf I were advising Barack Obama and John McCain, I’d tell them to double down on weirdness.
Palin's husband, Todd, is a Yup'ik Alaskan native.[4] Outside the fishing season, Todd works for BP energy corporation at an oil field on Alaska's North Slope[52] and is a champion snowmobiler, winning the 2000-mile "Iron Dog" race four times.[
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin
Read this. Minutes into the vp slot and already more of the same.
By KYLE HOPKINS | khopkins@adn.com
Published: August 19th, 2008 08:18 PMLast Modified: August 19th, 2008 08:18 PM
Gov. Sarah Palin has placed one of her aides on paid leave until an investigator finishes looking into accusations that her team broke ethics or personnel rules.
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The investigation stems from Palin's July firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. Monegan later said he felt pressured by the governor's office to fire Palin's ex-brother-in-law, Mike Wooten, a trooper who had been locked in a child-custody battle with Palin's sister.
Palin last Wednesday revealed a phone call made by her boards and commissions director, Frank Bailey, to a trooper lieutenant.
In the call, Bailey lists various complaints about Wooten and says the governor and her husband couldn't understand why he still had a job. The governor admitted the call could be perceived as her office pressuring the Public Safety Department, but says that's not what actually happened.
On Tuesday, Palin's office announced Bailey is off the job pending an investigation by the state Legislature.
"Obviously the governor is not happy with that phone call, but we don't know what the investigation is going to show in total," said Palin spokesman Bill McAllister.
Bailey's salary is $78,528 a year, according to the Department of Administration, and he will continue to draw a paycheck while on leave.
A former Alaska Airlines employee who joined Palin's campaign team at the beginning of her successful run for governor in 2006, Bailey worked under Palin as a special assistant to one of her commissioners.
Later, as director of boards and commissions, Bailey was responsible for recruiting and vetting candidates for the state's more than 100 mostly volunteer boards -- posts that can range from Board of Fish members to Superior Court judges.
As criticism of Monegan's firing mounted, a council of legislators voted to spend up to $100,000 to investigate the case for up to three months. They hired retired prosecutor Steve Branchflower.
Palin directed the Department of Law to do its own inquiry first, leading to the discovery and release of Bailey's phone call.
During the Feb. 29 call, Bailey tells Trooper Lt. Rodney Dial that Palin "really likes Walt a lot, but on this issue, she feels like it's, she doesn't know why there is absolutely no action for a year on this issue. It's very, very troubling to her and the family."
Bailey couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday but has said no one asked him to make the call.
Palin says she was shocked to hear the call but that it doesn't prove her administration pushed Monegan to fire her former brother-in-law.
"He did not say Monegan needs to fire this guy," she said, adding it was "absolutely inappropriate that he appeared to be representing me."
Palin spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said that with Bailey still a state employee, Palin "can direct him to assist Mr. Branchflower, thereby fulfilling her pledge to Alaskans to cooperate fully with the investigation."
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"While there's an investigation going on, you assume innocence, but you take the person out of the mix just so there are no questions raised," McAllister said.
Sen. Hollis French, D-Anchorage, is overseeing the investigator's work. He said the investigation will explore whether the governor's office broke ethical or personnel rules in its handling of the Wooten case -- including whether Bailey had improper access to Wooten's private records.
As for whether Bailey will lose his job if the investigator finds wrongdoing, McAllister said that's the governor's decision.
"It's not up to Mr. Branchflower to take personnel actions. That will be the governor's call when the time comes."
Find Kyle Hopkins' political blog online at adn.com/alaskapolitics or call him at 257-4334.
Please forward this to others in the media and ask them why they aren’t covering this story.
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I am sending this on because we are seeing the 2008 swiftboating begin. This idea that Obama ignored the vets on his trip is being pounded in all the media. It has got to be addressed by all of our supporters.This is how the GOP plans to take this election...by destroying Obama's character and questioning his patriotism.The irony is that McCain's lack of support for vets is getting a free pass from much of the media.PLEASE pass this info on to all of your contacts and be sure to watch this video.We have to speak up....all of us.
This video got me to look at the McCain Vet Support Record. It is amazing.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGvxK660oFoPS. There is an effort on the internet to say that Hudson is a fake, a poser. He is not. He is a long time advocate for disabled vets recognized by numerous associations. His service record has been verified. McCain could not find the time in his schedule to meet with Hudson even though he promised he would at the townhall.I then looked up McCain's ratings:..The Iraq/Afghan Vets Association gives him a D (and Obama a B+)Disabled Am Vets gives him a 20% support rating (and Obama a 80%)53 Senators Sponsored the New GI Bill. McCain was not one of them.When 75 voted for it in the final version, McCain did not.McCain claims a perfect rating with the VFW but the VFW does not give ratings.In 2007 McCain missed 11 of 15 votes on Veteran issues. He has missed 11 so far this year. It looks to me (after studying the pattern laid out below), that McCain generally either votes against measures that raise benefits or he does not vote at all. Once he began his run for the presidency, he stopped voting on veteran measures.More Specifically- Veterans Issues (from www.ProjectVoteSmart.org):2006 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 20 percent in 2006.2006 In 2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator McCain a grade of D.2006 Senator McCain sponsored or co-sponsored 18 percent of the legislation favored by the The Retired Enlisted Association in 2006.2005 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 25 percent in 2005.2004 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 50 percent in 2004.2004 Senator McCain supported the interests of the The Retired Enlisted Association 0 percent in 2004.From the Congressional Record:* McCain Voted Against A $20 Million Increase In Healthcare For Veterans. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment that would add $20 million for veterans' health care facilities. It would offset the additional spending by striking $20 million in the underlying bill for AmeriCorps. Amendment failed 39-59. [HR 4939, Vote #111, 5/4/06]* McCain Was One of 13 Senators To Vote Against Increase In Veterans' Healthcare. In 2006, McCain was one of 13 senators to vote against an amendment to add $430 million for outpatient and inpatient health care and treatment for veterans. Amendment passed 84-16. [HR 4939, Vote #98, 4/26/06]* McCain Voted To Cut Funding For Veterans' Healthcare. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment to strike a provision in the 2007 Budget that will hold farm programs, veterans, Social Security, and Medicaid hostage to rising health care costs by creating automatic cuts once an arbitrary level of spending is reached in the Medicare program. The amendment failed 50-50. [SCR 83, Vote #70, 3/16/06]* McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans' Funding By $10 Billion. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment to eliminate a tripling of fees for veterans in the TRICARE health care program by raising the discretionary spending limit by approximately $10 billion. The provisions would have been fully offset by eliminating certain corporate tax breaks. The amendment failed 46-53. [SCR 83, Vote #67, 3/16/06]* McCain Voted Against Veteran's Healthcare Program. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment to make veterans' health benefits a mandatory program, spending $104 billion over five years. The funding would have been offset by closing corporate tax loopholes and rolling back the Bush tax cuts for millionaires. Amendment rejected 46-54. [SCR 83, Vote #63, 3/16/06]* McCain Voted Against A $1.5 Billion Increase In Healthcare For Veterans. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment that increased the discretionary spending limit by $1.5 billion to $874.5 billion to provide an increase in funding for veterans' medical services. It would be offset by ending certain corporate tax breaks. Amendment rejected 46-54. [SCR 83, Vote #41, 3/14/06]* McCain Failed To Vote To Support Healthcare For Veterans In Lieu of Tax Breaks For Millionaires. In 2006, McCain failed to vote on a motion to instruct conferees to insist that the tax reconciliation conference report includes funding to support health needs of veterans and military personnel in lieu of an extension of capital gains or dividends tax breaks for individuals with incomes of more than $1 million. Motion failed 40-53. [HR 4297, Vote #15, 2/13/06]* McCain Voted Against $19 billion For Military And Veterans' Hospitals. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment that provided $19 billion for military and veterans' hospitals, offset by limiting the dividend and capital-gains tax rates to individuals earning less than $1 million. Amendment failed 44-53. [HR 4297, Vote #7, 2/2/06]* McCain Voted Against Mental Healthcare For Veterans. In 2005, McCain Voted against an amendment that provided an additional $500 million per year for the next five years for mental health services for veterans. The funding would be offset by deferring tax cuts for those making $1 million per year. Amendment rejected 43-55. [S 2020, Vote #343, 11/17/05]* McCain Voted Against Considering Inflation In Veterans Funding Formula. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that would establish a future funding formula for health care for former members of the Armed Forces takes into account changes in population and inflation. Amendment failed 48-51. [HR 2863, Vote #251, 10/5/05]* McCain Voted Against A $10 Million Increase In Readjustment Counseling for Veterans. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that would provide an additional $10 million for the Readjustment Counseling Service, offset with a $10 million reduction in the HealthVet account. The amendment failed 48-50. [HR 2528, Vote #242, 9/22/05]* McCain Failed To Vote For A $1.5 Billion Increase In Veterans' Healthcare. In 2005, McCain failed to vote for an amendment that would add $1.5 billion of funding to the Department of Veterans' Affairs for medical services provided by the Veterans Health Administration. Amendment passed 96-0. [HR 2361, Vote # 165, 6/29/05; HR 2361, Vote # 166, 6/29/05; HR 2361, Vote # 168, 6/29/05]* McCain Voted Against $1.9 Billion In Emergency Funding For Veterans' Hospitals. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that designated $1.9 billion in emergency funding for veterans' hospitals. The $1.9 billion provided for the VA by the underlying amendment will help the VA to cover the costs of caring for these new veterans, and ensure that the VA is able to provide them with the care they deserve. The amendment failed 46-54. [HR 1268, Vote #90, 4/12/05]* McCain Voted Against A $2 Billion Increase In Veterans' Funding. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that would increase funding for the Veterans Affairs Department by $1.98 billion and designate it as emergency spending. It would stipulate that $840 million be used for veterans' regional health networks; $610 million be used to address the needs of service members deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan; and $525 million be used to provide mental health care and treatment. Amendment failed 46-54. [HR 1268, Vote #89, 4/12/05]* McCain Voted Against Creating A Reserve Fund For Veterans' Health Care. In 2004, McCain voted against an amendment that would create a reserve fund to allow for an increase in veterans medical care by $1.8 billion, the amount determined by Veterans' Affairs Committee to meet existing needs; and is fully offset by closing tax loopholes. Amendment rejected 46-51. [SCR95,Vote #40,3/10/04]* McCain Voted Against A $1.3 billion Increase In Veterans' Health Benefits. In 2003, McCain voted to table an amendment that included a $1. Billion increase in funding for health benefits. The amendment would reduce the amount provided for Iraqi reconstruction by $5.03 billion, and redirect that funding for domestic programs, including $1.8 billion for veterans' health benefits, $1 billion for school reconstruction, renovation and repair and class size reduction, and $1.5 billion for capital improvements for federal highways. It also would express the sense of the Senate that Congress should consider an additional $5.03 billion in funding for Iraqi reconstruction during the fiscal 2005 budget and appropriations process. The motion to table passed 59-35. [S 1689, Vote #379, 10/14/03]* McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans' Health Care Program. In 2003, McCain voted against an amendment that would increase spending on the TRICARE program by $20.3 billion over 10 years to give members of the National Guard and Reserves and their families greater access to the health care program. The increase would be offset by a reduction in tax cuts. Amendment rejected 46-51. [SCR23,Vote #81,3/25/03]* McCain Failed To Vote For A $1.3 Billion Increase In Funding For Veterans' Healthcare. In 1999, McCain failed to vote for an amendment that increased the funding provided to Veterans' Health Administration by $1.3 billion. The amendment failed 36-63. [HR 2684, Vote #285, 9/22/99]* McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans' Health Administration By $1 Billion. In 1998, McCain voted against an amendment that would add $1 billion for Veterans' Health Administration Medical Care. The funding would budget neutral and would come from the termination of the space station program. The amendment failed 33-66. [S 2168, Vote #185, 7/7/98]* McCain Voted Against $400 Million In Veterans' Funding. In 1997, McCain voted to table an amendment that would permit $400 million in DOD funds to be transferred to Department of Veterans' Affairs to provide health benefits under laws administered by Secretary. Motion to table agreed to 58-41. [S936,Vote #168,7/10/97]* McCain Voted Against Covering Spina Bifida For The Children of Veterans. In 1996, McCain voted against the germaneness of an amendment that would extend veterans health care and related benefits to the children of Vietnam Veterans suffering from spina bifida, a spinal cord birth defect that causes neurological damage. The amendment was judged germane 62-35. [HR 3666, Vote #276, 9/5/96]* McCain Voted Against Preventing Cuts In Veterans' Healthcare Funding. In 1996, McCain voted to table an amendment that would prohibit the Department of Veterans' Affairs from reducing funds to any state for health care facilities in fiscal 1997 below the fiscal 1996 funding level. Motion to table passed. [HR 3666, Vote # 275, 9/5/96]* McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans' Healthcare Funding By $511 Million. In 1995, McCain voted against an amendment which would increase the funding for veterans' medical care by $511 million; and offsets the cost of this amendment by limiting any tax cut to families with incomes of less than $100,000. Amendment failed 51-49. [HR 2099, Vote #466, 9/27/95]* McCain Voted To Restrict Funding For Veterans' Care Facilities. In 1994, McCain voted against tabling an amendment that the amendment would prohibit the construction of three inpatient facilities, located in Hawaii, California, and Tennessee. The projects in Hawaii and California will provide access to acute care for large numbers of veterans in the areas to be served, without which they would not have access to VA inpatient services. The project in Tennessee involves the correction of serious seismic deficiencies in the Memphis VA facility, which is located in a dangerous earthquake area. Motion to table passed 62-36. [HR 4624, Vote #256, 8/4/94]* McCain Voted To Cut $25 Million From Veterans' Health Programs. In 1993, McCain not to table an amendment that transferred $25 million of veterans' health funding to programs for the Veterans Department to occupation conversion and employment training programs for veterans. Motion to table passed 57-43. [HR 1335, Vote #97, 4/1/93]* McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans' Healthcare & Research Funding By $431 Million. In 1991, McCain voted against an amendment to increase veterans' program funding by $378 million for medical care and $53 million for medical and prosthetic research. Amendment failed 35-64. [HR 2519, Vote #132, 7/17/91]* McCain Voted Against $200 Million For Veterans' Healthcare. In 1990, McCain voted to table an amendment that transferred $200 million to the Department of Veterans' Affairs medical account. The money would be transferred from the Strategic Defense Initiative. Motion to table passed 54-43. [S 2884, Vote #226, 8/4/90]McCain Has Voted To Cut, Eliminate, or Gut Veterans Health Care Funding At Least 29 Times. [HR 4939, Vote #111, 5/4/06][HR 4939, Vote #98, 4/26/06][SCR 83, Vote #70, 3/16/06][SCR 83, Vote #67, 3/16/06][SCR 83, Vote #63, 3/16/06][SCR 83, Vote #41, 3/14/06][HR 4297, Vote #15, 2/13/06][HR 4297, Vote #7, 2/2/06][S 2020, Vote #343, 11/17/05][HR 2863, Vote #251, 10/5/05][HR 2528, Vote #242, 9/22/05][HR 2361, Vote # 165, 6/29/05; HR 2361, Vote # 166, 6/29/05; HR 2361, Vote # 168, 6/29/05][HR 1268, Vote #90, 4/12/05][HR 1268, Vote #89, 4/12/05][SCR 95, Vote #40, 3/10/04][S 1689, Vote #379, 10/14/03][SCR 23, Vote #81, 3/25/03][S 2168, Vote #185, 7/7/98][S 936, Vote #168, 7/10/97][HR 3666, Vote #276, 9/5/96][HR 3666, Vote # 275, 9/5/96][HR 2099, Vote #466, 9/27/95[HR 4624, Vote #256, 8/4/94][HR 1335, Vote #97, 4/1/93][S 2884, Vote #226, 8/4/90][HR 2519, Vote #132, 7/17/91]
Team:My name's Phil Carter; I'm an Iraq vet now serving as the Obama campaign's veterans director. We are recruiting a group of Iraq / Afghanistan veterans to advise the campaign and participate in events around the country. You all have already expressed your support for Barack Obama by joining this listserv, and many of you are already engaged around the country as field staff, volunteers and leaders within your community. If you'd like to join this national group, please send me your resume and a short email about the issues that matter most to you, at pcarter@barackobama. We're putting this together in the next 7-10 days, so please respond quickly.Thanks -- and stay fired up!!!-PhilPhillip CarterVeterans DirectorObama for Americapcarter@barackobama.com
Dear Mike,
Thousands killed, billions wasted, and countless opportunities lost.You've seen this story play out before. We pay the costs and the war profiteers get rich at our expense. Just look at Blackwater's attempt to build a massive base on California's border with Mexico (see the end of this message to read what CEO Erik Prince said about your grassroots activism to block Blackwater).Now, we've got a new battle on our hands. KBR -- Halliburton's former subsidiary -- is the largest contractor in Iraq. And, what have they done? No bid contracts, offshore tax havens, massive fraud, and even claims of rape.Despite the mounting evidence against KBR, CalPERS -- California's largest pension and retirement fund -- continues to invest millions in this corporation.That's why, as part of their Iraq Accountability Project, our friends at True Majority are demanding that CalPERS divest all holdings from KBR.Investing public pension funds in a corporation accused of massive fraud and war profiteering isn't good economics. It's not good for America. And it's not good for California. Please click here now to tell CalPERS to divest from KBR:http://www.TrueMajority.org/DivestHere's the complete petition text:
As a California resident I urge you to divest all holdings from KBR. As the largest contractor in Iraq, KBR has failed to pay hundreds of millions in taxes through off shore tax havens, and past employees have testified of massive fraud which is costing the American people billions of dollars. War profiteering is un-American and it is time you divest all shares of KBR.
From ending apartheid in South Africa to convincing college campuses to carry non-sweatshop made clothing, divestment campaigns like this have a long history of successfully changing behavior. A public retirement fund can't claim to have the best interest of workers at heart while investing in a company profiteering off the war in Iraq.Please sign True Majority's petition for divestment today:http://www.TrueMajority.org/DivestAs you may know, the Courage Campaign has worked with grassroots activists in San Diego County to block another war profiteer -- Blackwater -- from attempting to establish a massive base on the California border with Mexico. After grassroots leaders in the small town of Potrero shut down Blackwater's plans to build a 824-acre mercenary operation in their small town, Blackwater was forced to open a much smaller training facility in San Diego.As Blackwater CEO Erik Prince acknowledged in an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Potrero uprising was a significant blow to Blackwater's attempt to get a "bigger footprint" in California. Prince has all but given up on California, "because it's hard to do business here" due to the "politics, the nonsense of it all." We're thrilled to hear it, quite frankly. We don't need Blackwater's business in California. And we certainly don't need KBR's business either.Thanks for taking action with True Majority and the Courage Campaign today to make 2008 a new era for progressive politics in California.Eden JamesManaging DirectorCourage Campaign
..............
The Courage Campaign is an online organizing network empowering nearly 100,000 grassroots and netroots activists to make 2008 a new era for progressive politics in California.
Please consider making a contribution to the Courage Campaign:
July 27, 2008 12:20 PM
"Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb, this morning criticized two attacks his friend, fellow Republican, fellow Vietnam veteran and Senate Russell Building next-door neighbor Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., launched against Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, this week.
On CBS's Face the Nation this morning, host Bob Schieffer asked Hagel about McCain's claim that "Senator Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a campaign."
"I think John is treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives and when we start to get into, 'You're less patriotic than me. I'm more patriotic,'" Hagel said. "I admire and respect John McCain very much. I have a good relationship. To this day we do. We talk often. I talked to him right before I went to Iraq, as a matter of fact. John's better than that."
Schieffer also asked about McCain's new TV ad in which he says Obama in Europe "made time to go to the gym but canceled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras."
Hagel, who accompanied Obama on their official trip to Afghanistan and Iraq but broke off in Jordan, said, "the congressional delegation that you referred to ended when we parted in Jordan. At that point, it was a political trip for Senator Obama. I think it would have been inappropriate for him and certainly he would have been criticized by the McCain people and the press and probably should have been if on a political trip in Europe paid for by political funds - not the taxpayers -to go, essentially, then and be accused of using our wounded men and women as props for his campaign...I think it would be totally inappropriate for him on a campaign trip to go to a military hospital and use those soldiers as props. So I think he probably, based on what I know, he did the right thing."
Hagel said he wasn't sure about all the details of the controversy, but "we saw troops everywhere we went on the congressional delegation. We went out of our way to see those troops."
Hagel said of McCain's ad, "I do not think it was appropriate."
Please read this NYTimes article depicting the military's interference in the true reporting of the grisly nature in Iraq.
4,000 U.S. Combat Deaths, and Just a Handful of Images By MICHAEL KAMBER and TIM ARANGOSome journalists say the American military is making a growing effort to control graphic war images from Iraq.
But now the administration’s agreement to consider a “time horizon” for troop withdrawals from Iraq has moved it, at least in the public perception, in the direction of the policies of Senator Barack Obama. That has thrown Mr. McCain on the political defensive in his opposition to a timed withdrawal, Republicans in the party’s foreign party establishment say.
However, On Friday Mr. McCain went so far as to say that the idea of a 16-month withdrawal, which Mr. Obama supports, was “a pretty good timetable,”
Bush and McCain Seem to Diverge in Foreign Policy By ELISABETH BUMILLERPresident Bush’s decisions on Iraq troop withdrawals and talks with Iran and North Korea have put John McCain on the defensive.
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed2/idUSL198009020080719
Was this just a Fruedian slip of the tongue or was this a pre-meditated calculation be McSloppy?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/18/mccain-leaks-details-of-o_n_113682.htm
