I'm in Idaho, a small college town. And today I cast my vote for Barack Obama. I voted the full Democratic ticket. I've met all of the local candidates in person and they are a great bunch of people. I got my I Voted sticker and have worn it everywhere! I've never been so proud of my vote as I was today. I realize that Idaho is probably not going to be red, but I think we are purple. Everywhere I go I see Obama yard signs and people I talk to all seem to be impressed with Obama. I feel great! Anyway! GO VOTE!!!! Then brag about it!
Hi all,
I've been invited to speak at an Obama fundraiser in Idaho. Not a state expected to go blue, but with a lot of excited Democrats wanting to do their part to help Obama. I'm an Obama Fellow from Washington, but live in Idaho, and have been trying to encourage my Idaho Democrat brothers and sisters to help in Washington. A state that we feel we can and will take but will require a massive get out the vote effort.
I am excited about sharing my story and Obama's story and the American hopes and vision for our future with this group of dedicated people. What an amazing honor this is for me. I have some important issues I'd like to discuss with these wonderful people, and I am looking for specific ideas and talking points that I should touch on with this group of Obama supporters. Any ideas? We are located in Moscow, Idaho. That is 8 miles from Pullman, WA. The University of Idaho, and Washington State University are located in these towns. Talking to university students from both campuses I realize that whatever we do wiill have to include the youth vote and how to harness their amaizing enthusiasm and energy for Obama.
For Anyone who wishes to know WHY Obama voted for the FISA Bill please educate yourselves.
Following is his statement on why he voted the way did:
Obama on the FISA 'Compromise' ...
"Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people. There is also little doubt that the Bush Administration, with the cooperation of major telecommunications companies, has abused that authority and undermined the Constitution by intercepting the communications of innocent Americans without their knowledge or the required court orders. "That is why last year I opposed the so-called Protect America Act, which expanded the surveillance powers of the government without sufficient independent oversight to protect the privacy and civil liberties of innocent Americans. I have also opposed the granting of retroactive immunity to those who were allegedly complicit in acts of illegal spying in the past."After months of negotiation, the House today passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year's Protect America Act."Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against terrorism will continue, but the President's illegal program of warrantless surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap statutes as the exclusive means to conduct surveillance - making it clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil liberties of the American people. It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial oversight over all domestic surveillance in the future. It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses. But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General of our national security agencies to determine what took place in the past, and ensures that there will be accountability going forward. By demanding oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act. "It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives - and the liberty - of the American people."
"That is why last year I opposed the so-called Protect America Act, which expanded the surveillance powers of the government without sufficient independent oversight to protect the privacy and civil liberties of innocent Americans. I have also opposed the granting of retroactive immunity to those who were allegedly complicit in acts of illegal spying in the past.
"After months of negotiation, the House today passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year's Protect America Act.
"Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against terrorism will continue, but the President's illegal program of warrantless surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap statutes as the exclusive means to conduct surveillance - making it clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil liberties of the American people. It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial oversight over all domestic surveillance in the future. It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses. But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General of our national security agencies to determine what took place in the past, and ensures that there will be accountability going forward. By demanding oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act.
"It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives - and the liberty - of the American people."
The author of From Beirut to Jerusalem, Mr. Thomas L. Friedman. Two Time Pulizer Prise winning correspondent of the New Your Times. What an intelligent man. Born in Minneapolis in 1953. Graduated from Bedeis Unviersity and held a Marshall Scholarship at St. Antony's college. Oxford, earning an M. Phil in moddern Middle East Studies in 1970. From 1979 tp 1981 Mr. Friedman was UPI's Beirut Correspondent. In 1982 he became the New York Times Beirut bureau chif, winning a 1983 Pulizer Prize for his coverage of the Israeli Invasion of Lebanon. In 1984 he moved to Jerusalm as the Times bureau chief, and in 1988 won a second Pulitzer Prize for reporting. He became the Times chief diplomatic correspondent, covering the State Department and foreign affairs, in January 1989. Mr. Friedman's honrs include the Overseas Press Club Award, the George Polk Award, the Livingston Award for Young Journalists, the New York Newspaper Guild Page One Award, the New Israel Fund Award for Outstanding Reporting from Israel. He was awareded a Guggenheim Fellowship for his work on From Beirut to Jerusalem.. He lives in Washington, with his wife Ann and daughters Orly and Natalie.
Vet Him!
Don't know if he is Republican or Democrat, and don't care. The man is one smart cookie :)
I realize that at times, in the heat of a campaign battle that things get turned upside down, and we sometimes forget why we are here. The news today reported that Obama supporters were upset that Obama didn't go out and clobber McCain over the head for a surrogates Gaffe. I sat there blinking at the TV when I heard this. It never once occurred to me that Maybe I even should be upset. Obama hit McCain with it yesterday but not today, because he was on message? So he's not going for the jugglar and he is once again raising above the fray. And Obama supporters are upset? Why? Because he's not conducting politics as usual? I fail to understand why people are upset. In my mind Obama is being Obama. He is a reconciler, a Uniter, and look how bad Hillary looked when she went after Barack. It hurt her to go negative. So Barack stays mostly on message and positive, and giving hope that he Really IS a different kind of politician. Maybe he just had some ingrained instint that the media, and others are beating up McCain for him. Maybe by pointing it out he'd just look so petty. Maybe Barack knows something we don't? I'm going to trust my future president and save my anger for The GOP and BUSH and focus on beating McCain. Rather than trying to get Obama to be mean and hateful. I think you can remember how unfair the Bitter thing was for Obama, and our guy is a Christian man who believes truly that there's a right way and a wrong way. A high road and a low road. Obama will take the high road and drag us all with him.
Obama 08
Here's how you can tell a real Obama supporter from a bald faced liar. Click on their profile. They A. Don't have one, or just created one. Never posted here before or if they did its all just a bunch of junk that puts down Obama. People! LISTEN UP!!! THERE ARE COWARDS AND LIARS ON OUR SITE!!! They are TRYING to stir up all kinds of trouble, and I for one am sure you can spot them a mile away. They viel their criticism of Obama in lies like this: I WAS an Obama supporter, but NOW I'm voting for McCain because of X. Or Can I get my money back? Or whatever it is. Just click on their profile and their lack of positive participation on this site becomes quickly seen. They are attempting to play a fear mongering game and using lies and dishonesty as weapons. Kick them in the butt and off our site!!!
VOTE NO ON HATE VOTE OBAMA 08!!!
Well it looks like the trolls are out in force. They are the ones putting down our candidate and pretending (LIKE THE YELLOW BELLIED COWARDS THEY REALLY ARE) to be Obama supporters. They are the ones that LIE!!!!! Like the GOP ALWAYS LIES and say's, "OH I Used to LIKE OBAMA BUT NOW I'm SOOO DISSAPOINTED! Such crap! Give me a break. Anyone who has come to support Obama knows what he stands for, supports his judugement, and truly understands why he voted for this bill. Why? Because our NATIONAL SECURITY DEMANDED IT!!! The GOP RIGHT WING NEO CONS ARE ON IN FULL FORCE! IGNORE THEM!!! Don't give them the time of day. They are just jealous because we have a GREAT CANDIDATE and their Candidate is so Boring!
In this election there is a clear choice. McCain who offers nothing new, and Obama, who has always been and will always be faithful to some core values. For people upset about this FISA thing I can tell you this, A. The second bill is better than the first and insures that we keep our rights and that this kind of eavesdropping won't happen again. And B. It only gives immunity to civil prosecution, not criminal prosecution for the telecom companies. A presidents job is to find that place where we can compromise. Obama isn't just running to be president for Democrats he is running to be president for everyone. He must demonstrate his ability to compromise and to do what is best for America to the best of his ability. He has stated unequiovocally where he stands on this issue. We know what he means when he says that he does not support criminal immunity. I suspect that the BUSH adminstration and those who stood against our civil liberties will eventually have to pay the piper. But we had to strengthen FISA. It was imperative! Our national security stands at risk, if we don't have the ability to catch terrorists before they act then we will be in a situation where there is an attack on our soil and everyone would point to those who held up this bill as responsible. As far as I am concerned I would rather see Obama getting things done in a compromise then to never get anything done! Those that come on this site trying to instigate anger against Obama over this aren't Obama supporters in the first place. No one issue can make me change my support from Obama to McCain. NEVER EVER!!!! I will NOT VOTE FOR MCCAIN!
Ok, so Idaho isn't expected to go blue this year. But I can sure attest to its Purpleness. There is an energy on the OBama side that is just unprecedented here. I'd like to tell you about two parades... The Kootenia County Fourth of July parade, and the Hayden parade.
Hayden had nearly fifty Democrats march for Obama in their fourth of July parade. Mcain 0. And the conservatives noticed.
Today in the Kootenai County 4th of July Parade I, my two daughters, my mother, and a fellow Democratic Obama supporter arrived in Cour d alene Idaho and we were not alone. There were 245 Democrats in that parade, and not a single McCain supporter. As we marched we thanked every Veteran we saw, we shouted YES WE CAN and Fired up and Ready to go! We talked to the crowds about Health Care, Gas Prices, and voting for Change. My nine year old, held her sign high up over her head. She started us chanting over and over again. SHe walked right up to sour faced Republicans sitting on the curb and would shake their hands. Over and over she shook hands with perfect strangers and said, "VOTE FOR OBAMA!" Or "YES WE CAN!" Or "OBAMA ROCKS!" she was fearless and on fire. Her face was glowing with pride. I was probably doing a little glowing myself. With pride in her!
My six year old wandered about and had to be chased down a number of times as something new and exciting would draw her attention. She rode in the caboose of the "Get on Board with Democrats train and waved to the crowds through the window. She thought that was just great fun!
Obama may not win Idaho. But he could! Because I see a grass roots organization and people fired up to tell everyone they meet what electing Senator Obama as the next President of the US means to them. Its a personal story that we have to tell, but we can tell it together. There were old women in wheel chairs, veterans, old, young, too young to vote and never voted before, there were independents and Repubicans, but what we all had in common today...was a pride in what we were doing and why it matters so much. This isn't Barack's campaign. This is MY campaign. This isn't just Barack Obama in the White House. ITS ME in the white house. I know that I may not always agree with Brack's policies. I've never agreed with anyone one hundred percent of the time. But what I can count on Obama doing is telling me the truth, even if it isn't the popular truth. I'm not about to stop running for office. Because that is what I'm doing when I elect Barack Obama. He isn't just a Democrats president. He isn't just a liberal. He needs to be the president of all Americans. That's what a president does. He compromises. He compromises in favor of what is best for our country to the best of his ability. So I'll stand by my future presient. And trust his judgement. Because if its one thing Barack Obama is very skilled at, its excorcising good judgement.
And so, I think that Idaho is ready for change. I think that we can and will make a difference. I think that Americans just might be fed and ready to give us a try. Americans are better than I have ever given them credit for. And like I've chanted til I was hoarse for sixteen blocks, I'll chant it again. YES WE CAN!
I've been very busy lately working as an organizing fellow in the State of Washington, so I haven't had much time to come here and see what is going on...but it seems that we have a bit of an infestation. Please ignore the trolls. Anyone who does not honestly know about the FISA bill not including immunity from criminal prosecution and is honestly upset about Obama's vote can have that issue explained to them, but those "Pretend SUpporters" who say they are voting for McCain over this one issue...they were never Obama supporters. They are just trying to break your moral. Its called fearmongering. Don't fall for it. Don't give ANYONE who says they are voting for McCain over any one issue the time of day. They are trolls. Simply put, not worth your time and effort. If they really were democrats, really were Obama supporters, NOTHING would sway them from their vote. So ignore them. They are just mean spirited FEAR MONGERS!!!
YES WE CAN!!!
ROCK THE VOTE FOR OBAMA IN 08!
I am sitting here after just watching Obama's speech online for the third time. I cried every time I watched it. An earlier poster talked about Obama's speech as being well delivered. I don't think for me its the words, or the tone, or the meaning behind the speech, its the integrity and my own deepest held beliefs being validated. Obama shares my deepest values, and has been able to articulate them in a way I never could.
Forty years ago, America voted for Bobby Kennedy. Bobby was the candidate of change. His was the voice of the youth, the strength of the working man, the hope of an electrified and excited party. In many ways, I see Obama's campaign as a fulfillment and continuation of Bobbys legendary campaign. I choose to believe that Bobby would be quite proud of Barack. I can't help but feel that John F. Kennedy would also be giving Obama a pat on the back. Lincoln, though he might be a bit appalled because after all, that was a different time, could not fail but be proud of how far America has come.
To Barack Obama I extend my heartfelt congratulations. Your courage and honesty, and leadership have won the day. I believe that you have so much to be proud of. And to every person who has called, donated, voted, canvassed, blogged, emailed, talked, watched, prayed, and then when things looked darkest dared to hope, I thank you. We are going to put Barack Obama in the white house in November. We have won this nomination. Things are going to be hard. There will be times we get discouraged. There will be firestorms to put out, and lies to debunk, and minds to change, and hearts of courage required. But we will make sure that Barack Obama becomes the next president of the United States of America!!!
YES WE CAN
I've been watching CNN and MSNBC. Flipping between one news station to another and over the last five minutes Obama went from 40 needed to clinch the nomination to 35. Let the stampede begin!
YES WE CAN!!!!!
I am profoundly saddened by the fact that the Obama's have had to resign their membership from Tinity. The implication to me is that this country is sick with racism.
To an earlier poster who said that the people of Trinity agreeing with the visiting pastor made it look like they were being taught racism my reply is this:
What one would conclude, if one were truly honest with themselves, was that this congregation has been victimized - NOT TAUGHT HOW TO HATE. Out of this congregation came a great leader. The presumptive Democratic nominee and the future President of the United States. Hillary and her ilk, in cooperation with an invasive media, and Right Wing Radio and Media outlets like FOX *Tabloid Republican Mouthpiece* have tried to wrest what they see as Obama's victory from his grasp. Trinity church has been subjected to lies and targeted by racists and racism in its most horrific forms (ie numerous death threats, scores of bomb threats, harassing phone calls to the sick and dying. They can't worship in PEACE) You think they aren't a little bitter about that? Obama left that church, not because he doesn't love them, but for THEIR SAKE. I firmly believe that. These people deserve better and their love of God is being mocked.
Obama deserves to worship in the church he loves without having every persons words from the pulpit or out of the pulpit assigned to him. BUT EVEN MORE!!!! WE DESERVE A PRESIDENT WHO CAN WORSHIP GOD AND GO TO GOD FOR DIRECTION AND GAIN WISDOM FROM GODS SERVANTS!!! Yes I'm screaming! I'm mad as hell and I do not take kindly to what has been done here. I will not let it pass without crying FOUL!
There will be a day of reckoning here. The Bible say's, Give to Caesar what is Caesars and to God what is Gods. I believe the message of Seperation from Church and State is clear. I don't care where or how a person worships God, I only care that they are afforded the FREEDOM to worship God. I ONLY CARE THAT THEY DO WORSHIP GOD! Cause we need a leader with Divine Wisdom!
I have been speaking for a while about Obama's greatest promise to us his supporters. That is that we will turn the page on the way business is done in Washington. That we will overcome the partisan bickering and Obama will work to reach across the aisle. I've heard this same promise from every single candidate in my lifetime. And no one has been able to do it. They DO get caught up in partisanship. Thats the nature of the beast. Just watching the floor debates on the Senate and the House makes you see the truth. Bipartisanship is rare. Republicans will vote against any bill penned by a Democrat and Democrats do the same. They are politically motivated to disagree with eachother. Doesn't matter if the bill is a good one or not. Its rare in politics when you see a person consistantly voting on the bills based on their own merits and not based on who sponsored it or put it on the floor. Unless its a bill about naming a post office.
That being said, how does Obama make good on his promise? How does he bring the two parties together in a constructive way? How does he shock the legislative branch out of its partisan politics? Because its got to be a shock! Its got to be something unlikely and immediately grabs the attention and the headline. Its got to make people sit back and say, Now that's different!
For me the answer is quite simple. He selects a Republican as his running mate. Obama has said consistantly that he wants those in his cabinet (Advisors etc.) who will disagree with him! This won't unify the Democratic party as much as it will create a whole new political landscape. It will remake the electoral map completely! I am not stuck on any one particular Republican that Obama should pick if this is the way he wants to do it, but I've heard Hagel's name. Hagel doesn't agree with Obama on much except the war. But I must say that if Obama wants to change the political landscape then having a bipartisan ticket is a major step. It would guarantee a few key things.
1. That Obama always has someone close who can help him understand what the other side is thinking, and how to convince the Republican Party to get on board with important policy issues.
2. That disenfranchised Republicans and Independents will come out in droves to support him.
3. That the electoral map really will be purple!
4. That consensus in the white house, means that consensus in the legislative branch is more than possible.
5. That Obama truly does represent ALL Americans. Not just Democrats.
I am by no means saying that this is the ONLY way Obama can make good on his promise of bipartisanship, but I think its a great first step! Shock the electorate to sit up and truly take notice that Obama means what he say's.
I'm sitting here thinking about the day. I watched CSPAN most of the day and avoided the talking heads. No commercials, and no silly stupid pundits parsing every sound bite and polevaluting over mouse turds. I was very pleased with the resuts. Of course I would have been more pleased with a 50/50 split, but felt the decisions was fair enough.
I was pretty happy until tonight. And then I watched Senator Obama in a press conference explaining why he had to resign from his church. My heart went out to him. I felt a deep and abiding sadness. Our political landscape has become so poisonous, and the Republican Right Wingers, who say they represent christians and evangelicals more than democrats do, harrass and stoke racial fears and prejudice so strongly that they actually give a candidate no choice but to leave his church. You could tell that the decision wasn't an easy one...but that he felt it was important for the churches sake. All I can think is shame on those who couldn't abide by our sacred founding documents. The seperation of church and state should be extended to the candidates. I don't give a rats butt where anyone goes to church! I only care that they love God!
It is truly shameful how Trinity and Rev. Wright was treated by the media. I'm very saddened and disgusted. This on the day when we should be happy about the DNC's decision and how Barack is to obtaining the nomination.
Dick Cheney had an interview with Tim Russert a short time before the invasion of Iraq. In his own lying words...
MR. RUSSERT: So bottom line, he *Suddam* would have to disarm completely and leave the country?
VICE PRES. CHENEY: I think that would be the only acceptable outcome I can think of at this point, but obviously, we can continue to try to work through the United Nations and work diplomacy to try to arrive at an acceptable outcome. To date, we haven’t been successful.
MR. RUSSERT: Many Americans and many people around the world are asking one question: Why is it acceptable for the United States to lead a military attack against a nation that has not attacked the United States? What’s your answer?
VICE PRES. CHENEY: Tim, we have, I think admittedly, a new and unique set of circumstances we’re trying to deal with here. If you think back to the way we were organized in the last century, the 20th century, to deal with threats to the United States, or to our friends and allies, we had to deal with large states, significant military forces, intercontinental ballistic missiles, the kinds of threats we dealt with throughout the period of the Cold War, all of that changed on September 11 of a year and a half ago. Since that time, we’ve had to deal with the proposition that truly deadly weapons could be delivered to the United States by a handful of terrorists. We saw on 9/11 19 men hijack aircraft with airline tickets and box cutters, kill 3,000 Americans in a couple of hours. That attack would pale into insignificance compared to what could happen, for example, if they had a nuclear weapon and detonated it in the middle of one of our cities, or if they had unleashed weapons of mass destruction, biological weapons of some kind, smallpox or anthrax, on a major attack on the United States. That’s a whole different proposition for us to think about, how we deal with that.
And at the front of our concerns as we try the deal with these issues is the proposition that the al-Qaeda organization is absolutely determined to do everything they can to acquire chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. We found ample evidence of that in the camps and the tunnels and the caves in Afghanistan. We see evidence of it in the interrogations that we have been able to do now on many of the al-Qaeda members that have been captured. We know that they have done everything they could to acquire those capabilities over the years, and we also are confident that if they ever do acquire that kind of capability, there’s no doubt they’ll use it. There’s absolutely nothing to restrain them from doing that.
To read the entire transcript (Full of fascinating Tidbits) go to.... http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/bush/cheneymeetthepress.htm
This also kinda points to the fact that the Media were asking the right questions, but sure not getting any of the right answers.
*PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH REAL INVESTIGATION INTO FACTS*
Anyway its a very interesting interview...
