When John Volkmar wrote his 100-word essay on Barack Obama's Web site a few weeks ago, he figured that would be the end of it.
Then, Wednesday, the former Army major got a call from the Obama campaign saying he had been selected as one of 10 people to go backstage and meet the presidential hopeful before his nomination speech at Invesco Field Aug. 28.
"I'm a little overwhelmed," Volkmar said today when the campaign made the official annoucement.
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Barack Obama inched closer to securing the Democratic presidential nomination on Friday, picking up four delegates, including a California congressman who switched his allegiance from Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Obama "has proven himself to be a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and inspirational leader and will take America in a new direction, which we desperately need," said Rep. Dennis Cardoza, who became the 14th superdelegate to switch from Clinton to Obama.
Obama has 1,969 delegates in the Associated Press tally, out of the 2,026 he needs to become the first black to win a major party presidential nomination. Clinton has 1,779.
Two of John Edwards' New Hampshire delegates, State Sen. Peter Burling and high school teacher Deborah Nelson, held a news conference to announce they were backing Obama.
In a phone interview, Burling told the AP that he and Nelson believe either Obama or Clinton would make a superb president, but it came down to "who can win and who could make a better president."
"We chose Obama because he so clearly understands the American yearning for change," Burling said. "He understands it, he embraces it, and I think he has the leadership to deliver it."
Burling said he, too, was influenced by the fact that Obama is so close to capturing the nomination.
"If it were Senator Clinton who in my mind had the edge at this moment, she would be getting exactly this kind of endorsement," Burling said.
Nelson said she has been impressed with Obama's hardworking field staff and the huge numbers of ordinary people who are supporting him, although she doesn't feel his health care plan goes far enough.
Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina, had won a total of 19 delegates before dropping out of the race in January. Following Edwards' endorsement of Obama last week, 11 of them have told the AP they will back Obama.
In addition to Cardoza, Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., announced his support for Obama.
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McCain 51% Obama 43% McCain 43% Hillary 49%
Campaign records show that supporting Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has forced a U.S. major labor union to take out a $1 million loan.The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFSCME, spent some $2 million backing Clinton, whom the union endorsed, and then took out a $1 million bank loan in February to replenish its political war chest."When we endorse a candidate, we back it up with everything we've got," said AFSCME President Gerald McEntee.The Washington Times said McEntee is a longtime ally of both Sen. Clinton, D-N.Y., and former President Bill Clinton – and that has raised questions among union officials as to the wisdom of sticking with her until the presumed bitter end.AFSCME spent $200,00 on a negative mailer about Barrack Obama during some of the early primaries. The national union also has continued to stump for Clinton in Tuesday's Oregon primary despite requests from state union leaders to back off.Oregon AFSCME officials said in a letter to state members that the spending on Clinton's behalf was "disrespectful" and "probably meaningless," The Times said.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), the lion of Senate liberals, has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, doctors announced today. In a statement, doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital said the 76-year-old senator, who has served in the Senate since 1962, has suffered no additional seizures since a weekend incident that landed him in the hospital.
"Over the course of the last several days, we've done a series of tests on Sen. Kennedy to determine the cause of his seizure," said Dr. Lee Schwamm, vice chairman of the hospital's department of neurology, and Dr. Larry Ronan, Kennedy's primary care physician.
"He has had no further seizures, remains in good overall condition, and is up and walking around the hospital." The doctors said that "preliminary results from a biopsy of the brain identified the cause of the seizure as a malignant glioma in the left parietal lobe." Noting that "the usual course of treatment includes combinations of various forms of radiation and chemotherapy," the doctors said decisions about his care will be finalized after further testing. "Sen. Kennedy will remain at Massachusetts General Hospital for the next couple of days according to routine protocol," said the statement. "He remains in good spirits and full of energy." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada read the press release to Democratic senators during their weekly luncheon today. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska described the reaction as stunned silence. Sen. Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont said later, "I'm having a hard time remembering a day in my 34 years here that I felt this badly." Afterward, Reid told reporters that the Senate stands "as a body and certainly as a Democratic family" in sending prayers. "My heart dropped when I heard the news," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Noting that he has "great physicians, a loving and beautiful wife in Vicki, and the indomitable Kennedy spirit," Feinstein said, "I look forward to the day when Sen. Kennedy is back on the Senate floor, giving one of his famous stem-winder speeches. I hope that day will be soon." The news was also announced at the weekly Republican luncheon, where Sen John W. Warner of Virginia said senators immediately bowed their heads and said a prayer. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), spoke to reporters briefly, saying that news of Kennedy's illness was met with sadness throughout the country. "Sen. Kennedy has been a fighter all his life," she said, noting that she'd learned the news from his son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island. "I know that his fighting spirit will hold him in good stead now." Illinois Sen. Barack Obama called the news "heartbreaking." Kennedy, in endorsing Obama on Jan. 28, hailed Obama's "courage" in opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning and Obama's outreach to a new generation. Kennedy has stumped vigorously for Obama, and the candidate recalled on MSNBC that the 76-year-old senator was invigorated by being in the political arena. "When he gets on the stage -- he's got that bad back and other ailments -- but when he gets on the stage, it's magic," Obama said. "That voice comes out from deep inside him. You can feel history coursing through him." New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama's rival for the Democratic nomination, issued a statement calling Kennedy "one of the greatest legislators in Senate history." Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), in a statement, said he hopes Kennedy will make a full recovery. "I have described Ted Kennedy as the last lion in the Senate, and I have held that view because he remains the single most effective member of the Senate," he said. At the White House, President Bush issued a statement saying, "Laura and I are concerned to learn of our friend Sen. Kennedy's diagnosis." Calling Kennedy a man "of tremendous courage, remarkable strength and powerful spirit," Bush said their prayers are with the family. Kennedy was first elected to the Senate to finish the term of his brother, John F. Kennedy, who had become president in 1961. He was re-elected in 1964 and for seven more terms. "Teddy" became an uber-uncle to the children of his slain brothers -- President Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963, and Robert F. Kennedy, assassinated when he was running for president in 1968. A staunch champion for education and healthcare, Kennedy's personal troubles -- a car accident on Chappaquiddick Island in which a young woman, Mary Jo Kopechne drowned -- marred his reputation. And a run for the Democratic nomination against incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1980 made the Massachusetts senator infamous for not having a ready answer to newsman Roger Mudd's question about why he was running for president. But in the last 20 years, Kennedy has reached across the aisle to partner with Republicans such as Arizona's John McCain on issues such as immigration. "Ted Kennedy is a passionate advocate for equality and has worked to lift up all of America's families throughout his distinguished career in public service," said Sen. Patty Murray (D.-Wash). Calling Kennedy "a personal mentor to me and a tremendous partner on issues from education to workers' rights to healthcare," Murray said that Kennedy "approaches every obstacle with tremendous courage, poise and resolve. And I know his tremendous heart and spirit will prevail now." Sen. John F. Kerry, the Democrats' 2004 standard bearer, told senators at the luncheon that he had been in touch with his Massachusetts colleague and that Kennedy remained optimistic. "Ted Kennedy and the Kennedy family have faced adversity more times . . . with more courage and more grace than most families have to," Kerry told reporters. "Every one of us knows what a big heart this fellow has. He's helped millions and millions of people -- from the biggest of legislation on the floor to the most personal." "This guy is one unbelievable fighter," said Kerry, who saw the senior senator over the weekend and reported that he is asking questions about his treatment options. "We're pulling for our pal," said Kerry. "He is determined to fight this."
MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press Writer CROW AGENCY Pledging to usher in a new era of honest federal dealings with Indian tribes, Democratic presidential front-runner Barack Obama on Monday made an unprecedented stop in Montana Indian country for a rally at the Crow reservation. Obama told several thousand American Indian supporters that he would honor long-ignored treaty obligations and revamp health care and education on reservations across the United States. Such services have long suffered due to inadequate funding and the much criticized oversight of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. "Few have been ignored by Washington for as long as Native Americans, the first Americans," Obama said. "That will change when I am president of the United States." Obama said treaty commitments with Indian nations were "paramount to law" and could not be ignored when Washington makes funding decisions affecting Indian country. He characterized the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a bureaucracy out of touch with those it serves, and said the agency needs to be shaken up so it will perform better. "You guys pay taxes too. You deserve to get decent services from Washington," he told the crowd in Crow Agency. Earlier, in a private ceremony, the candidate was adopted into the Black Eagle family of the tribe under the name Awe Kooda Bilaxpak Kuuxshish, or "One Who Helps People Throughout the Land." Crow Vice Chairman Cedric Black Eagle said a purification ceremony was performed in which the candidate faced east — the source of new life — and was prayed over by his adopted father, Hartford Black Eagle. Tribal representatives from across Montana said it was the first time such a high-profile candidate had appeared on one of the state's reservations. The closest precedent, they said, was a visit to the Crow reservation by first lady Lady Bird Johnson in the 1960s. "Here's a gentleman who could be president of the United States who is putting his hand out to us," said Roger Running Crane, vice chairman of the Blackfeet Tribe of northwest Montana. "It's great to see someone take an interest and see what is really happening with Indians today." By reaching out to Indians, Obama was playing to a traditional Democratic constituency, but one with limited influence at the ballot box, said Montana State University-Billings political analyst Craig Wilson. He said Native Americans represent about 6.5 percent of Montana's population, one of the highest percentages in the nation. "It's good politics, certainly for a Democrat," Wilson said. "Will it matter in terms of the election? No." During a prior stop in Billings Monday morning, Obama looked past the state's June 3 primary to focus on an anticipated November battle against Republican John McCain. He said electing the Arizona senator would amount to a third term for supporters of President Bush. And he Took aim at the Republican party's close ties to lobbyists. By contrast, he said, an Obama presidency would be modeled on the high standard of open government demonstrated in Montana, where Gov. Brian Schweitzer has pledged to allow public access to all of his meetings. "I want to carry those same Montana values, those Montana values of openness and transparency, with me to the White House," Obama said. He also made a stop Monday night at Montana Stat e University in Bozeman, where he spoke to a crowd of about 7,000. Obama stuck to common themes in his campaign, such as national security and weaning the country from its reliance on foreign oil. "On June 3, we're going to bring this nomination to a close right here in Montana," he said. As Obama stands on the verge of emerging the victor from a protracted primary battle with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a Clinton spokeswoman insisted it was "premature" to call the race over. "We are campaigning in Montana with the idea that this is historic for Montana and every vote should count," said t h e s p o ke swoma n , Ka t e Downen. "He still doesn't have the number of delegates he needs to claim victory." Montana Republicans said an Obama win would be bad for the region's lucrative coal industry, on which they claim he would impose new taxes. Obama's remarks in Billings hit on the potential for other energy sources — such as solar, wind and biofuels — but not coal. State Republican Chairman Erik Iverson said Obama also was out of step with Montana on gun issues and proposals to suspend the gas tax, which Obama opposes. "He's just plain wrong for Montana on a lot of issues that we care about," Iverson said.
Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Scott Brennan released the following statement after hosting a morning press conference in Des Moines announcing his endorsement of Senator Barack Obama: “Today, I stand with many Iowa Democrats by announcing my support for Senator Barack Obama. I’m endorsing Barack Obama today because he is positioned to pick up a majority of pledged delegates later tonight. I have said all along, that pledged delegates should be the marker, and today I am proud to stand with the majority of Iowa Democrats and a nearing majority of national delegates. The level of enthusiasm for Democratic candidates this year is unlike anything I have seen in Iowa politics. In January, we saw 240,000 people turn out to caucus for Democrats here in Iowa, virtually doubling the turnout from 2004. Iowa Democrats are going to work hard to turn Iowa blue, and we are armed with 60,000 new Democrats, and an 85,000 voter registration advantage over Republicans. Senator Obama is going to help Iowa Democrats win up and down the ticket in November. He is bringing new people into the political process at historic levels and helping us to build the future of the Iowa Democratic Party. Iowa is where it all began for Senator Obama. I am pleased to welcome him back to the state today and I am proud to stand with Iowa Democrats by endorsing Senator Barack Obama.”
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Friday called for an investigation into reports that U.S. officials tried to discourage post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses.Obama, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, wrote to Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake, urging him to look into a Washington Post report that Norma Perez -- a psychologist at the Department of Veterans Affairs' Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center in Temple, Texas -- urged staff members to consider a diagnosis of adjustment disorder rather than post-traumatic stress disorder for patients there.The report was based largely on an e-mail obtained by a veterans' advocacy group.Given that we are having more and more compensation seeking veterans, I'd like to suggest that you refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD straight out, the Post quotes the March 20 e-mail as saying.Veterans diagnosed with PTSD can be eligible for compensation of up to $2,527 per month. Bush administration officials said there was no effort to underdiagnose post-traumatic stress disorder to save money.Peake issued a statement denouncing Perez's e-mail as inappropriate and maintained that it doesn't reflect Veteran's Administration policy. The e-mail has been repudiated at the highest level of our healthcare organization, he told the Post.In his letter to Peake, Obama said an investigation should determine whether Perez sent the e-mail at the urging of her superiors, and whether staff members at the Teague Center followed her suggestion.He also said investigators should determine whether officials at other veterans centers have given some similar admonitions.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Chris Dodd on Tuesday endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president, calling on fellow Democrats "to come together."
At a campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio, Dodd warned that a divisive campaign could damage the party.
Obama is in a heated battle for the Democratic presidential nomination with Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. Obama leads Clinton in the race for delegates 1,327 to 1,255.
Obama and Clinton will next compete March 4 in primaries in Ohio, Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island.
Obama has won 11 contests in a row since Super Tuesday on February 5. Supporters of Clinton -- including former President Clinton -- has said she must do well in Texas and Ohio if she is to soldier on for the nomination.
A former adviser for Dodd said the timing of the senator's endorsement "works pretty well" given that foreign policy has become a key issue of the campaign.
Watch Dodd explain why he supports Obama »
"With Clinton on the attack, a recognized leader on foreign and military affairs is vouching for Obama's readiness," the Dodd adviser said.
Dodd is a senior member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
The Connecticut lawmaker dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination following a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses in January.
In an e-mail to supporters Tuesday morning, Dodd wrote, "While both of our party's remaining candidates are extremely talented and would make an excellent commander in chief, I am throwing my support to the candidate who I believe will open the most eyes to our shared Democratic vision.
"I'm deeply proud to be the first 2008 Democratic presidential candidate to endorse Barack Obama," he added. "He is ready to be president. And I am ready to support him -- to work with him and for him and help elect him our 44th president."
FROM: cnn.com
