Posts with the tag abc

limbaugh and gingrich worry that obama will bring us to socialism

Puppy from Boise, ID — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:24:19 EDT

Yes, fellow travelers!

We TOO can experience the wonders of Obamian Socialist Ideals.

Much like the ones that created the modern 'middle'class"...

It was called the GI BILL of Rights I believe.

It socialistically allowed people who might otherwise not ever have afforded it-- to own a first house.

Yes, the evil totalitarian socialists (the post ww ii government) hatched the insidious plot.

We're in RUIN this very day due to it.

Damn poor people got houses, got cocky and uppity and began investing in stocks!!!!

Oh, tis a tangled and odious weave we web....when Stalin comes a knockin'

Beware! Beware!

If Obama keeps up more people might own houses!!!!

Get yer pitchforks and meet me at the church at midnight!!!

(oops, I forgot...newt and rush can't use hand tools and besides they got a dinner party tonight)

There goes the revolution!

Now the damn fish are addicted to tea and i got 5,000 pitchforks i can't sell.

Maybe I'll loan em to some real people so they can pitch that line of crap out of the way before we all get it on our shoes.

So, we leave the reader, agape at Rush and Gingrich's 'paper-revolt"...a document written on

toilet paper...and head, fearful of socialism but contrite that our country

is much too spoiled and lazy to ever adapt to it, into the brave new world of twitter.

(yes, and scrap that "meeting at the church" too! WAY, way too socialist for twiddle and dee)

bow--wooo!

Pelosi Travel Abuse? Not!

Henry M — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:32:11 EDT

"Watchdog Group" Criticizes House Speaker for Travel Perks, but Records Don't AgreeBy JONATHAN KARL AND LUIS MARTINEZ
March 11, 2009
The treasure trove of documents obtained by Judicial Watch from the Department of Defense regarding Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's use of military aircraft doesn't seem to prove the organization's allegation that Pelosi has made "unprecedented demands" for the flights.

In fact, it appears that Pelosi uses military aircraft less often than her predecessor, former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.

My first blog post...

Dwan "Diane" — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:23:02 EST

I am so happy to write my first blog post! I really appreciate the awesome Obama Biden leadership, the campaign team and this fabulous website! Congratulations and thank you so much! This is a wonderful way to share and connect!

By way of a little background, my heritage is Asian American from Hawaii. I graduated from Columbia University in New York, majored in economics. I love Washington D.C. I have been in D.C. since I came to complete my Masters and Ph.D. majoring in economics and international relations from GWU. My passion is achieving human potential and promoting community service and social entrepreneurship. I love making new contacts and developing new win-win-win relationships.

I look forward to meeting you at the free monthly networking community events that I help to organize as president of Allies Building Community Inc. (A.B.C.) so people of diverse backgrounds can regularly come together to network, bond, know and appreciate each other as fellow members of the human family! This is a good way to introduce friends and allies to each other to start conversations for possibilities. I look forward to meeting you at one of these meetings. The next one is on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.

On the third Sundays of every month in 2009, from 12:30PM to 2:30PM, our Meetup Alliance for Networking comes together to explore opportunities for community service, to make new contacts, exchange ideas, develop new friendships and build community spirit! We have networking conversations over lunch (self-pay) at the Burma Restaurant, 740 6th St. NW 2nd Floor, Wash. DC 20001. This is about one block from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro station (red, green, yellow lines). (We chose the Burma Restaurant because they have good food, are near the Chinatown Metro stop, and they give us the entire restaurant for our regular monthly event.)

A little more background: A.B.C. (Allies Building Community), its friends and associates, were instrumental in the creation The Friendship Archway bringing together Wash. D.C. and Beijing as "Sister Cities". Located next to the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro station at 7th and H Streets NW, DC., it is the widest single span Chinese archway in the world. Unlike most monuments in Wash. DC that look to the past, the Friendship Archway looks to the future, a strong visual symbol for bridging the joint East-West, Chinese and American aspirations for peace, friendship and cooperation. China and America will be the two leading economic superpowers in the 21st century. The Friendship Archway commemorates their necessary interdependence.

The Friendship Archway physically symbolizes how to bridge over superficial differences by focusing on shared ideals and by working together to develop many effective solutions for generating more joy, friendship and prosperity for all. For more information, see http://www.archway2.org/ or http://www.meetup.com/networking/ or http://www.meetupalliance.com/conversationsNET/ My friends and I look forward to meet you on the 3rd Sundays of each month in Downtown Wash. DC! Please feel free to invite your friends and allies to meet us at the Burma Restaurant. Meetup.com/networking/ will send you monthly reminders if you sign up free of charge.

Our free monthly get-togethers are about appreciation, joy, fun, good humor, nonjudgment, nonattachment, unconditional Love and acceptance, sharing perspectives and developing community around your passion or cause. We believe all of us can make A Bigger Contribution by giving our positive energy to the world! You and I can change and be more powerful generators of Loving energy. You and I can give more gifts of hope, appreciation and friendship. We can all make a difference by choosing to focus on we want for ourselves, for others and for the community. Let's BE the change by becoming more aware of our subjective perceptions and attitudes. Let's help to spread happiness, locally and globally, on land and online!

My friends and I want more than just the absence of war or violence. We want to build an infrastructure of communications, mutual trust, good will and friendship among people of diverse backgrounds. Let's choose to reflect a change or improvement in our attitude, behavior and choices. We look forward to meeting you at our next Meetup Alliance community get-together in Wash. D.C.! Aloha!

Only 'Maximum 600 Palestinians died in Gaza' (re: Pallywood inflated numbers)

Unknown user — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:34:46 EST

'Maximum 600 Palestinians died in Gaza' Jerusalem Post, Israel (Jan 22, 2009)
Cremonesi interviewed Gazans who echoed Israel's insistence of how Hamas gunmen
used civilians as human shields. One Gazan recalled civilians in Gaza ...

'Video: Palestinians in Gaza Reopen Smuggling Tunnels' - http://www.youtube.com/v/w1_CJXAzows

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1232292939271&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

HELP WOUNDED VETERANS

WEBMASTER — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:46:06 EST

AIR FORCE * ARMY * COAST GUARD * MARINES * NAVY

If you are going to be in Washington DC during the Inauguration you may want to attend the Blogfest event to Help Wounded Veterans. see http://www.usaservice.org/page/event/detail/4jqt3

Where were you when the world stopped turning?

“If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But, recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Ebenezer Baptist Church, 4 February 1968.

HELP WOUNDED VETERANS
Source: David Apperson, LIFE CLOUD

http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxFK9

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

WEBMASTER — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 02:26:14 EST

The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.

Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.

Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when

individuals and organizations understand that alternative energy technology exists and
when people see the economic benefits of using alternative energy technologies

Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.

Alternative Energy
Source: David Apperson

url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy

BARACKOBAMA.COM INTERNET RANKINGS

WEBMASTER — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:53:18 EST

Special Note: Those interested in analytical search engine data please see Alexa Traffic Rankings

OBAMA HEADLINE NEWS

WEBMASTER — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:44:29 EST

"Our veterans are part of an unbroken line of heroes who have defended the American people and stood up for American values" - PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA

ABC * AP * CNN * C-SPAN * GOOGLE * MONITOR * MSN * REUTERS * TIMES * UPI * CARTOONS

Alabama * Alaska * Arizona * Arkansas * California * Colorado * Connecticut * DC * Delaware * Florida * Georgia * Guam * Hawaii * Idaho * Illinois * Indiana * Iowa * Kansas * Kentucky * Louisiana * Maine * Maryland * Massachusetts * Michigan * Minnesota * Mississippi * Missouri * Montana * Nebraska * Nevada * New Hampshire * New Jersey * New Mexico * New York * North Carolina * North Dakota * Ohio * Oklahoma * Oregon * Pennsylvania * Puerto-Rico * Rhode Island * South Carolina * South Dakota * Tennessee * Texas * Utah * Vermont * Virginia * Washington * West Virginia * Wisconsin * Wyoming *

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL TICKETS

WEBMASTER — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 19:59:30 EST

PRESIDENT INAUGURAL TICKETS are available for those who would like to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. RSVP must be made by 15 DEC 2008. This will be an historic moment of FAITH, HOPE and UNITY. Confirm your reservations while you still can.

Some US Senators are already out of tickets. As of 15 NOV 2008, I recommend trying to connect with your local congressional representative.

CLICK HERE FOR BARACK OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL TICKETS

UPDATE: WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), today introduced legislation prohibiting the sale and counterfeiting of inaugural tickets.

"The Inauguration of the President is one of the most important rituals of our democracy. The chance to witness this event should not be bought and sold like tickets to a football game," Senator Feinstein said. "This legislation is meant to immediately stop the unscrupulous behavior of those who obtain these tickets for free and then seek to profit by selling them, often at dramatically inflated prices. This bill also would target those duping the public with fraudulent tickets or promises of tickets they don't actually have.

"It is my hope that Congress will pass this legislation during this week's lame-duck session so that we can stop scam artists and profiteers from maligning this historic event," Senator Feinstein added.

The bill would make it unlawful to sell or attempt to sell tickets to the presidential inaugural swearing-in ceremony. It also would be illegal to create a fraudulent ticket or forge a ticket to the inauguration. Those who violate the law would face fines of up to $100,000 and imprisonment for up to one year.

Tickets to the 56th Inaugural Ceremonies are provided free of charge and are distributed through members of the 111th Congress and the President-elect and Vice President-elect. Tickets will not be distributed to Congressional offices until the week before the inauguration and will require in person pick-up with proper identification.

No websites or other ticket outlets have inaugural swearing-in tickets to sell, despite what they may claim. Last week, Ebay/StubHub announced it would not allow the sale of inaugural swearing-in ceremony tickets on any of its websites.

Contribute to the David Apperson Internet Civil Rights Campaign

NEW YEARS PRAYER AND CELEBRATION

WEBMASTER — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:22:45 EST

"Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today."
PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA

RSVP MIDNIGHT PRAYER AND CELEBRATION - 31 DEC 2008

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS OUR NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

We invite everyone breathing, or not, the opportunity to show global unity and dedicate three [ 3 ] minutes of time on News Years Eve to thank God for President Obama and ask the Creator of All Things for a GLOBAL BLESSING for ALL NATIONS, PEOPLES, AND TONGUES.

May we agree that 2009 can be a year of healing for the nation and the world as we celebrate this historic election. All faiths are encouraged to join the festivities. LET US GO DOWN TO THE RIVER AND PRAY.

Text translations of the readings supplied by GOOGLE TRANSLATE through GLOBAL BIBLE STUDY.

More on the CNN Tune-Out

Brian M Ross — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:18:37 EDT

OPINION - If you haven't noticed, the "Best Poltical Team on Television" at CNN has been playing a kind of epic spin game to keep the campaign close. While CBS, NBC, ABC and MSNBC have been done what they always do, hunt down stories on Sarah Palin to tell us more about her, identify inconsistencies, fibs and outright lies in her stump speeches, and document the immense waffling of John McCain on every politically sensitive issue on the economy this week, CNN covers it very lightly, and is always careful not to step on the McCain camp's toes, even when they have to follow the press pack into a story.

While dozens of media outlets were lambasting McCain for saying that he would fire the SEC chairman one day, and then do a 180 on the next, news cycle or come up with a "Plan" for the bailout even though everyone knows that the Fed and the Treasury Secretary will have a "plan" long before McCain can do anything about the financial crisis, CNN reported the facts of the event, and kept its talking heads away from calling McCain on any of it.

John McCain On Computers and Email : "I just never really felt a need to do it. "

KravitzKravitz — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:09:44 EDT

McCain agrees with the 'out of touch ad.'

Senator Obama need not change the 'John McCain is out of touch because he doesn't use computers or the internet' ad or copy one note or punctuation mark, nor need anyone back down from or question just how valid it is.

McCain, to reiterate, agrees with the statement made in the ad.

This is an update of my Daily Kos post, "John McCain Uses A BlackBerry."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/13/103735/543/712/597294

Palin Interview Says A Ton About McCain

Michelle — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:01:41 EDT

This week, Sarah Palin gave her first unscripted (although highly prepared for)interview, nearly two weeks after accepting her Republican vice presidential nomination. Although the interview spoke volumes about Palin and her inability to lead our nation, that is not my focus. Rather, my focus is on John McCain and how Palin’s interview is evidence of why he is unfit to serve as President of the United States of America.

In her interview last night, when asked if Obama should have picked Hillary Clinton as his running mate, Palin replied derisively, “I think he's regretting not picking her now, I do.” (Los Angeles Times, Sept. 13, 2008) Of course, what Palin failed to mention is that Barack Obama did not pick Hillary because, rather than focus on what would bring the most “wow factor” during this election or what could possibly get him a few more votes in the here and now, Obama focused on choosing a vice presidential running mate that would make the best president. After careful review of all of the potential VP candidates’ credentials, Obama realized that Biden has the Senate, foreign policy, national security and economic policy experience to successfully lead America.

McCain, on the other hand, chose Palin precisely for that “wow factor.” Seeing that Obama had chosen Biden and not Hillary, he hoped to create a media frenzy (which he did) by choosing a female running mate. Hoping to galvanize voters that might have been in that Clinton camp while, at the same time, appeasing the Christian conservative base that McCain has so much trouble connecting with, he settled on Palin despite her utter inexperience. McCain did not pick Palin because she would make the best president – that is clear. No, he chose her because she could possibly bring him the most votes right now and getting into office is all that McCain cares about right now. In choosing Palin, McCain failed America and it’s people – he is not planning what is best for America’s future, he is only planning what is best for John McCain right now.

If elected, should John McCain be unable to serve his entire term as President, McCain leaves us with Sarah Palin as President. Below is a an outline of Palin’s weaknesses, weaknesses that McCain knew Palin had when he chose her, but weaknesses that he was willing to overlook in an effort to get that extra vote; weaknesses that show McCain was not putting his “country first;” and weaknesses that we, as the American people voting in this election, cannot allow ourselves to overlook.

Foreign Policy is Foreign to Sarah Palin

Aside from a trip last year to Kuwait with a stop in Germany, in her 44 years of life Palin has not traveled outside the continent of North America, only having visited Mexico and Canada. (abcnews.com, Sept. 11, 2008) In the dangerous world we live in today, how can we have a president who has never even been to the very countries that are our allies, or even more importantly, our potential enemies?

When pressed during her interview, Palin admitted that she had never met with a foreign head of state. Of course, she only admitted it after attempting to fudge that she had – this would have been yet another lie to the American people had Charlie Gibson not caught it. (abcnews,com, Sept. 11, 2008)

When asked by Charlie Gibson if she agreed with the "Bush Doctrine," Palin was clearly, and embarrassingly, stumped.(abcnews.com, Sept. 11, 2008) I guess no one prepped her on the Bush Doctrine in the two weeks she spent in Alaska with McCain’s top policy advisors preparing for this interview. (New York Times, Sept. 11, 2008) Apparently the Bush-Doctrine of a preemptive strike on another nation that we believe poses a threat (ahem…Iraq!) was not important enough for her to be prepped on. That should tell us something.

Asked how the proximity of Alaska provides insight into Russian actions, shereplied: "They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska." (abcnews.com, Sept. 11, 2008) Unless Palin is some sort of superhero and she can actually see Russia’s actions when standing on this island, then no, that does not help to answer the question at all.

Palin’s War-Focused Mentality

During her interview, Palin stated “that Georgia and Ukraine should be admitted to NATO and that the U.S. should be prepared to go to war if Russia invades Georgia again.”(The Wall Street Journal, Sept. 12, 2008) She then went on to say that we cannot repeat the Cold War after, thankfully, winning the Cold War during the Reagan administration– the Cold War was actually ended three years after Reagan left the White House. (Los Angeles Times, Sept. 12, 2008) I guess none of the six colleges that Palin attended over six years taught her about the Cold War. (Associated Press, Sept. 4, 2008)

Palin also "said that she believed a nuclear Iran presented a threat to 'everyone in the world' and that if Israel's existence was threatened by those weapons it had a right to defend itself." (abcnews.com, Sept. 11, 2008). When asked if we would cooperate with Israel in that event, Palin replied that “We cannot second guess the steps that Israel has to take to defend itself,” implying that we would cooperate with an Israeli decision to take out Iranian nuclear facilities, thus going to war with Iran in support of Israel. ( abcnews.com, Sept. 11, 2008)

Palin’s Disregard for the Environment

Palin "also reversed her stand on the cause of climate change, telling ABC News that she believes 'man's activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming.' Less than a year ago, she said the opposite."(Los Angeles Times, Sept. 12, 2008) If Palin, against all scientific evidence, believes that global warming isn’t primarily man-made, how can Palin work to provide solutions to ease global warming? The solution must stop the problem at the root – of course, despite the volumes of scientific evidence proving otherwise, Palin conveniently believes the root lies elsewhere, making reducing global warming, should she lead our nation, difficult at best.

Despite the fact that McCain disagrees with US drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), Palin adamantly supports the idea. In fact, she has gone so far as to sue the U.S. Department of the Interior for it’s May ruling to list the polar bear species as threatened on the endangered species list. The decision is the result of nine U.S. Geological Survey Studies that find 2/3 of the world’s polar bear species population -and ALL of Alaska’s- will disappear by mid-century because of ice loss. Because for as long as the polar bears are listed as an endangered species we cannot drill in ANWR, Palin is ruthlessly aimed at removing the bears from the endangered species list, calling the ninegovernment studies highly speculative and questionable, insisting their populations are stable. Apparently, Palin prefers to put the interests of big oil ahead of that of our planet and its people, specifically, the environment and people of Alaska, her home state. Not exactly the best quality in a possible future president, is it?

Caution – Social Agendas May Differ

When asked about abortion, Palin replied: “I am pro-lfe. I do respect other people's opinion on this also, and I think that a culture of life is best for America.”(Los Angeles Times, Sept. 13, 2008)

“On stem cell research, the McCain campaign released a radio ad Friday touting his support for stem cell research the Bush White House -- and Palin -- opposes. Palin said she ‘owes it to Americans’ to explain her personal opinion which ‘may end up different than what the policy in an administration might be.’”(Chicago Sun-Times, Sept. 13, 2008)

So, on the issue of abortion, it is both McCain and Palin’s personal opinion that women should not have the freedom to be able to choose to have an abortion in America. Yet, they both feel it proper to overturn Roe v. Wade if elected and make their personal opinion the law that all Americans must follow, whether they agree with Palin and McCain or not. And on the issue of stem cell research, because McCain and Palin disagree, Palin’s personal viewpoint (that stem cell research should be outlawed) will not be vigorously pushed into policy by the administration. This doesn’t seem like a government of the people and for the people – seems more like the government of McCain for the people that agree with McCain. After all, even Palin’s viewpoints don’t influence McCain so how can we, as the American people, stand a chance of having his decisions influenced by our needs? And the inconsistencies among McCain and Palin mean that should Palin need to take office, we will have a president with a different social agenda than the one she is replacing. An America that changes at the whim of its leaders is not the democratic and free America that our forefathers worked so diligently to found.

Palin Loves Earmarks, Actually

Palin likes to claim she is a Washington outsider, always opposing earmarks, but as Charlie Gibson exposed during their interview:

She was a vigorous supporter of the “Bridge to Nowhere” (even wearing a t-shirt supporting the cause), a bridge slated to be built with $398 million in federal funds to a small island with only 50 residents, a project that is now the poster child for needless government spending.

This supposed “Washington outsider” hired a powerful Washington lobbyist in order to get the funds for the “Bridge to Nowhere,” the same bridge McCain ads say she opposed.

After Congress abandoned the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” and it became a national embarrassment, then Sarah Palin changed her stance to that of opposition, but Alaska still kept the $223 million it had received to build the bridge that never came to be.

Although McCain ads tout McCain and Palin as “mavericks” fighting against earmarks, under Palin, the state of Alaska, the second least populous state in the U.S., received $155 million in earmarks for 2008; Illinois, Obama’s state and one of our most populous states in the U.S., received only $22 per person for 2008. That is ten times the amount of earmarks per person for Palin and Alaska– not such a “maverick” when you look at the numbers, eh?

This year alone, this “maverick” requested $3.2 million in earmarks to study the genetics of harbor seals and the mating habits of crabs – the same type of earmarks that McCain/Palin in their speeches and ads have said they will fight if elected. By selecting Palin as his running mate, McCain stands in support of Palin’s history, her excessive use of government ear marks, her ties to powerful Washington lobbyists, actions that prove neither McCain or Palin are or will be the “maverick” agents of change they repeatedly claim they will be.

McCain, in choosing Sarah Palin, has done a disservice to America. Not only has he picked a candidate that is inexperienced in matters of foreign policy and national security, issues that are crucial to the continued safety of the American people, but he has also picked a candidate with a history of, even in the sparsely populated state of Alaska, working with lobbyists, supporting earmarks, abandoning important environmental issues, and failing to abide by established ethical standards. McCain has chosen “wow factor” over who would make the best President, he has chosen “wow factor” over who is best for America and it’s people. When he made this decision, he wasn’t thinking about the family that just had their home foreclosed on, the single mother that just lost her job, the elderly couple who can’t afford to heat their home this winter or the parents taking on third jobs to pay for their child’s cancer treatment which is not covered by insurance – no, McCain was thinking about how he could best manipulate the American people to get himself elected. When McCain chose Sarah Palin, he put McCain first and his country second. We can’t make the mistake of electing someone who has forgotten the American people even before he has been elected.

Those who attack diminish before us

Unknown user — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 05:12:35 EDT

You can thank the spectacle of Sarah Palin accepting the Republican VP nomination for fuelling the worst aspects of McCain’s campaign. Attacking his opponents has created a dynamism and an energy that had all but withered away, so that now he has foregone his earlier promise for a clean campaign. His voice is louder as it accuses, but who will listen? And who answer?

As with the primary season, the question came: should Obama do the same? Should he answer in kind? The GOP must surely prove easy targets. They have offered almost a decade of poor governance which has displaced America’s moral authority across the world, it has turned a financial surplus into a massive deficit, and it has cruelly abandoned its people to dishonest wars and natural disasters. And now, at the top of the ticket, is more of the same. ‘Fool me – you can’t get fooled again’. Who said that before now?

It is on this basis that we offer change. We now that America needs it. But for every day spent personally attacking opponents and countering attacks in return, another day is spent parrying and defending. Issues have already been lost on the GOP side. The sole purpose of their convention was the reminder of an old personality and the introduction of the new one, and the battle-cry to ‘stand up and fight,’ as if this was enough to elect. But an electorate wearied by 8 years of hawkishness have already lost their taste for this. They have seen it before, politicians treating them with disdain, lying to their face, belittling them before the world.

In relying on attacks to do the work of political discourse, you not only reduce the man attacking, you reduce the audience for listening. Reduce, not only in size but in stature. You have to reckon on the audience’s willingness for the fight, and in doing so you reduce them to the hard, mean-spirited, motley crew. You take from them their intelligence and independence of mind, their power to think and argue and weigh their opinions against the figure on the stage.

The same is true of lying. In lying about the truth, you denigrate those you are speaking to; you begin to think of them as someone to be fooled and reduce their intelligence so they can be fooled. Nothing is more disrespectful than an individual who thinks that you can’t see through them, that you haven’t the capacity to recognise a lie. In wonder if these were Charlie Gibson’s thoughts on Thursday night?

Politics should not be about pulling the wool over your eyes. It should be about opening the debate and inviting you to take part. America is a living, thinking, being. It has been well versed in telling truth from lies. And, certain of itself, it does not need to counter and attack. Its goal is clear. It is on the horizon, if it can just reach a little higher, a little further…

Palin on ABC

Freddie LaFemina — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:20:31 EDT

The McCain campaign has kept Sarah Palin shielded from the media since she was announced as his running mate. What country are we living in here? Anyway, ABC has the exclusive finally:Part 1 and Part 2. More to come.

For now, some reactions here at Politico.

I think despite the hard work the campaign has clearly put in with Palin (who clearly memorized a lot of things), she didn't do very well with foreign policy. It's pretty clear why they've kept her under wraps. The idea/image of Palin has united Republicans, but the more she's exposed in unrehearsed situations like this, the worse the prospects for McCain. She's a good governor, and has done some good work in her state, but clearly she just hasn't thought about national or international politics much at all, to the point where she just doesn't have an opinion on these things. In the end, I think the fault of this pick is less about Sarah Palin's severe weaknesses as a candidate than the fact that the man in the hot seat, the one we should really worry about, picked her.

BUT On the other hand folks, I can feel myself being convinced of Palin's strengths every day. You know, the fact that you can see Russia from an island in Alaska IS a perfectly logical reason why the governor of that state would give her credibility and mean she's qualified to discuss our relations with that country and the Georgian conflict!

I watched the ABC interview, and I will be surprised if they let her do any more interviews.

George from San Diego, CA — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:17:26 EDT

I watched the ABC interview, and I will be surprised if they let her do any more interviews. It would not surprise me if they cancel the VP debate. I gave her ability to pull off a written for her folksy stump speech as a sign of intelligence. I may have been premature on that. This softball ABC interview has exposed her simple minded world view. She did not even know what the Bush Doctrine is??? The McCain prep team seems to have taught her 5 to 6 general answers to give to all questions asked. They could have made a pull string doll of her and sent it to the interview. I really don't know how the interviewer keep a straight face. When asked about what insight she had into Russia, only a comedian or a primvative fundamentalist mind would actually answer, being governor of Alaska you can actually see Russian land from Alaska.... Oh, by the way... in answering about going to war with Russia, she said "perhaps so"..... #$%$ WHAT THE FUC#??? I have had more intelligent conversation with a drunk "CLOSE TALKING VINNIE" at my local pub. There are so many intelligent women that John McCain could have picked, and this is his best judgment? I am absolutely convinced that on a subconscious level John McCain does not want to be President.

All I know is, if John McCain wins, this atheist will become a catholic priest and start praying 24/7 for McCain's good health.

Sarah Palin ABC Interview A Very Scary Failure

Gregory Henschel — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:54:21 EDT

It became very apparent that Palin has no clue to International affairs. It also became very apparent she is very dangerous. All my fears have become a reality. A war mongering right wing fanatic is running for Vice President for a man that is very likely to not finish his first term if elected. Her strong religious view's from the very far right wing of her party would more than likely evolve in a world war with Russia and incinerate the world 1000 times over. Albert Einstein once said "I don't know What World War 3 Will Be Like, But I Know WW4 Will Be Fought With Sticks And Stones". This is not funny anymore. Lipstick, Pigs and all of the other sideshows that have been pushed are meaningless. Our very lives are in serious danger. We as Americans can not stand silent and let the republican's steal this election. We must do everything in our power to get Barack Obama and Joseph Biden elected. This is not an election we can let slip away. The world is depending on us.The ABC Interviews can be found atwww.youtube.com/cmdrgmh

Palin on ABC Nightly News

KendraWantsChange — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:52:04 EDT

Gov. Palin appeared in her first interview tonight. She stated that she is part of a campaign of reform. Isn't reform just another word for change?

Senator Obama has been running on a platform of change for months. If the Republicans can't even come up with their own one-word mission statement, then why should anyone believe that they have new ideas for the country?

Letters to CNN, #6 and #7

CentralCoastCarol — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:04:53 EDT

Sept. 10, 2008

To all CNN journalists and news producers, #6

Big kudos to Campbell Brown and staff of the Election Center for tonight’s program. It was exhilarating to watch the factual content of your program on so many fronts. Kudos to Campbell for interrupting one partisan commentator (former press secretary to Newt Gingrich) when he tried to answer a question by ducking it and talking about something somebody in South Carolina did. Kudos to Randi Kaye for a more in-depth look at Palin’s record as Mayor and Governor.

Keep the facts coming!

Respectfully,

Carol Benham

Sept. 11, 2008

To CNN Journalists and news producers, #7

No more lipstick stories, please, or any other phony charges of outrage over imagined and nonsensical slights. Let’s get back to the issues and report facts about the record of Gov. Sarah Palin. There’s so much we need to know about Gov. Palin’s record and performance in office. How about investigating and reporting on these issues:

The Wall St. Journal has reported on issues and problems with the building of the sports complex she championed: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122065537792905483.html

The New York Times (and others) have reported on her unusual practice of claiming per diem while working at home as Governor: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/us/politics/10billing.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

ABC News has run investigative pieces on Palin’s firing of the city librarian after inquiring about the librarian’s views on censorship. Palin rescinded the dismissal only after a public outcry. There was no list of books to be banned, but taken in context, the firing of the librarian is a telling story: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5766173&page=1

ABC News has reported on Palin’s firing of the Wasilla police chief and why he says he was fired: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5713866&page=1

The Associated Press has reported that a judged warned the Palin family three years ago not to disparage her sister’s ex-husband. As we all know, the Palin family and staff did anyway and brought pressure to bear on the Public Safety Commissioner to fire the trooper.

Gov. Palin, after promising complete cooperation with the Legislative inquiry into the possible abuse of her office regarding attempts to pressure the Public Safety Commissioner to fire her sister’s ex-husband, is now fighting the inquiry, claiming the Legislature has no jurisdiction. This seems like a blatant attempt to slow the process down until after the election.

Reported by a veterans organization, Palin’s promotion of Alaska National Guard commander smells like old-fashioned bribery: http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1869

Gov. Palin’s attempt to stop the federal government from placing polar bears on the endangered species act

Gov. Palin’s support of aerial hunting for wolves, and a rumored offer she made to give $150 to each hunter that brought in a right foreleg of a wolf.

I count on CNN for facts and news, delivered without bias. Don’t let these diversionary tactics about personal slights, real or imagined, keep us from learning the facts in the days remaining before Americans vote.

Respectfully,

Carol Benham

Suggestions for the Obama Campaign

Thomas W. — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:07:49 EDT

Three suggestions:

Obama: Stop Addressing Palin

Start ONLY discussing McCain's policies and ideas (and dishonor). Leave Palin to EVERYONE else. If asked a question about her, say simply, "We don't know much about her, there are a lot of questions about her past, but that is up to her and the McCain campaign to explain and provide. I'll leave it to them to provide the answers to the questions voters keep asking."

Done and done.

And keep saying this OVER and OVER. The only the way the media picks up a line of attack is when it is repeated (Rove knows this VERY well). Keep saying there are "questions about her" and push the media to the McCain campaign for answers. Again and again. There's no need for Obama or the Obama campaign to answer those questions.

Dem Women Leaders: "McCain-Palin is Lipstick on a Pig"

Have a press conference or send out big-name women leaders as surrogates on multiple shows(Pelosi, Clinton, Sebelius, McCaskill, etc.) to state that McCain-Palin policies are "Lipstick on a Pig" and challenge the McCain campaign to make it a gender issue with them. Take the fight to them, draw the fire away from Obama. What will the McCain's response be? Nada.

Have a Press Conference During Palin's ABC Interview

Let's face it: regardless of how hard-hitting the questions are by Gibson, Palin will stick with the talking points (see her performance during the AK Gov Debate) and everyone will be talking about how great an interview she is the next day (kinda like the build up to her speech and the accolades afterwards). The McCain campaign is outmaneuvering the Obama campaign in handling her right now. So, it's time to preempt.

Have a press conference or rollout an big endorsement during her interview. Make a big announcement...it's time to step on her rollout with something that draws media attention. Stop wasting your time "responding" and start being more proactive (like you were in the primaries).

New Poll!

Shannah — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:54:43 EDT

I was watching abc and cnn while getting ready for work and saw that a new poll shows that white women have moved over to Senator John McCain by 20 points.

No offense to the remarkable white women out there, but what the polls and the media neglected to mention is that there are more than white women voters out there. The white women vote is not the standard by which women votes should be measured.

Don't believe the propaganda Barack supporters. Speak up and Speak out!

Don't let the racist and sexist people decide the fate of our future. This election is about the issues.

Take care

Palin Interview: Letter senders needed. Please Help

BJ from Tallahassee, FL — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:23:44 EDT

We need to stand up and make our voices heard. I need for you to reach within your gut, and sent a message to the media that we respectfully ask for due diligence of Sarah Palin. Some of us have gotten together and have already send out the first round, but it is going to take a lot more of us to make a statement. We have to bombard the media with Facts. We have voter registrations across the country being cast aside by various states, particurlary with Republican run governors.

Are we going to sit silently and moan and not challenge reporters to fair and equitable coverage?

Are we defeatests or are we victors?

I believe, as well as Senators Obama and Biden, we are victors.

Please stand up with me and do the following:

1. You may sign letter enclosed below in its entiretly and send to the media individually, or you may call upon every supportive person you know to sign the email collectively by including them in the CC: address line when sending the letter

2. Copy the enclosed letter in it's entirety and draft a new email and replace my name with your own.

3. Add the following to the TO: address line:
nightline@abcnews.com, 2020@abc.com, netaudr@abc.com, thisweek@abc.com, abcboard@abc.virginia.gov, wnn@abcnews.com, support@abcnews.go.com; tblake@thepolitico.com, letters@newsweek.com, national@washpost.com, hardball@msnbc.com, thisweek@abc.com, scams@cbsnews.com, letters@msnbc.com, letters@time.com, 60M@cbsnews.com, newseditor@MAIL.CNN.COM, managing-editor@nytimes.com, missioncalendar@oprah.com, charlierose@pbs.org, public@nytimes.com, earlyshow@cbs.com, larry.king.live@cnn.com, NBC_MeetThePress_NewsMail@MSNBC.COM, Dateline@NBCUNI.com, joe@msnbc.com, crossfire@cnn.com, evening@cbsnews.com, steve.capus@nbc.com, thedailyshow@comedycentral.com, mailings@mail.cnn.com, FNS@foxnews.com, me@glennbeck.com, loudobbs@mail.cnn.com, 2020@abc.com, phil.griffin@nbc.com, situationroom@mail.cnn.com, letters@usnews.com, dsaunders@sfchronicle.com, readers.rep@latimes.com, wnt@abcnews.com, weekends@cbsnews.com, abcboard@abc.virginia.gov, HeraldEd@miamiherald.com, ftn@cbsnews.com, netaudr@abc.com, executive-editor@nytimes.com, larryking@mail.cnn.com, KAC@cbsnews.com, colmes@foxnews.com, ombudsman@washpost.com, Comments@foxnews.com, casey.wian@turner.com, nightline@abcnews.com, dabrooks@nytimes.com

4. Keep circulating this and ask supporting friendss to do the same.

PLEASE HURRY and SREAD THE NEWS ANYWHERE YOU CAN

THANKS!

BJ ALAN

______________________________________________________________________________________

RE: DUE DILIGENCE OF GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN, ALASKA

Dear ABC, Charlie Gibson, et al:

Since learning that Governor Sarah Palin has granted ABC's Charlie Gibson her first television interview since her VP nomination, we request, in good faith, that your constituents adhere to an objective, a fair and factual interview of Governor Palin.

For example, in ABC's April 16, 2008 coverage of the Clinton-Obama debate, Charlie Gibson defended his scrutiny of Senator Barack Obama's patriotism by stating: ""It comes up again and again when we talk to voters. And, as you may know, it is all over the Internet."

We commend ABC for listening to the voters on April 16, 2008, and now we ask that ABC listens to the voters today, September 8, 2008, and adequately ask Governor Palin---upon interview---precise, unadulterated questions while requiring that the Governor gives unambiguous, un-watered down, and non-deceptive answers to voters' concerns that come "up again and again" and that are "all over the internet".

Case in point: During Governor Palin's acceptance speech, she asserted:

"...I championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. In fact, I told Congress -- I told Congress, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' on that bridge to nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, I said we'd build it ourselves."

It is not the earmarks that upset voters the most; it is the deception, the disingenuousness, the documented lies about Palin's stance on earmarks as well as other issues, that infuriates us more, and it brings ethics and judgment to the forefront. Thus, we are counting on your wisdom and professional journalistic due diligence in this interview to keep voters informed.

We also enclosed a list of grave voter concerns as detailed on Think Progress' website for your review, and we ask that these issues are thoroughly addressed during this interview, and all others with the McCain campaign.

Thank you for your attention as we await what should be a fair and objective Palin interview on the matters mentioned below, without bias or partisan favor.

Respectfully,

BJ Alan,
Serving as Proxy to all emails included in the CC address, excluding media and politicians

CC: Media: tblake@thepolitico.com, situationroom@mail.cnn.com, missioncalendar@oprah.com, larryking@mail.cnn.com, thedailyshow@comedycentral.com, thisweek@abc.com, wnt@abcnews.com, larry.king.live@cnn.com, casey.wian@turner.com, loudobbs@mail.cnn.com, 60M@cbsnews.com, ftn@cbsnews.com, crossfire@cnn.com, letters@newsweek.com, letters@usnews.com, charlierose@pbs.org, colmes@foxnews.com, FNS@foxnews.com, letters@msnbc.com, abcboard@abc.virginia.gov, Dateline@NBCUNI.com, dabrooks@nytimes.com, phil.griffin@nbc.com, managing-editor@nytimes.com, executive-editor@nytimes.com, steve.capus@nbc.com, hardball@msnbc.com, readers.rep@latimes.com, earlyshow@cbs.com, Comments@foxnews.com,

CC: Politicians: barack_obama@obama.senate.gov, joseph_biden@biden.senate.gov

Enclosures:

As per http://thinkprogress.org/

ON FOREIGN POLICY

Palin Hasn’t Given The War In Iraq Much Thought. Palin told the Alaska Business Monthly, “I’ve been so focused on state government, I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place.” [Alaska Business Monthly, 3/1/07] Palin Has Never Been To Iraq. In her only trip overseas, Palin visited Al aska National Guard troops stationed in Kuwait and Germany in July 2007. [AP, 7/25/07] Palin Believes That The Iraq War Is A Task ‘From God.’ Speaking at the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June, Palin said that “our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God.” [Huffington Post, 9/2/08] Palin Believes The Iraq War Was Fought Over Oil. “We are a nation at war and in many [ways] the reasons for war are fights over energy sources,” Palin told BusinessWeek in an interview. [BusinessWeek, 8/29/08] Palin Didn’t Have A Passport Until 2007. Palin first obtained a passport in July 2007 for her trip to Kuwait and Germany to visit Alaska National Guard troops. Her only other trip outside of the United States was to Canada. A Palin spokeswoman had previously said that Palin had also been to Ireland, although it was actually just a “refueling stop” on her Germany/Kuwait trip. [New York Times, 8/29/08; Politico, 9/2/08] ON EARMARKS Palin Supported The Bridge To Nowhere. During her unveiling as McCain’s running mate, Palin claimed that she said, “Thanks, but no thanks” to federal funding for the Bridge to Nowhere. But in her 2006 campaign for governor, Palin repeatedly expressed support for the bridge project, saying Alaska should take advantage of earmarks “while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.” [Anchorage Daily News, 10/22/06; Ketchikan Daily News, 8/9/06, 11/21/06] Palin Obtained $27 Million In Earmarks As Mayor Of Wasilla. As mayor of Wasilla, AK, Palin “hired a private lobbyist to help the tiny town secure earmarks from [S en. Ted] Stevens.” “The town obtained 14 earmarks, totaling $27 million between 2000-2003.” [Associated Press, 9/3/08] ON THE ENVIRONMENT Palin Denies Man-Made Global Warming. When asked for her “take on global warming,” Palin replied, “A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I’m not one though who would attribute it to being man-made.” [Newsmax, 08/29/08] Challenging ‘Uncertain Climate Models,’ Palin Is Suing To Lift Protected Status For Polar Bears. After a multi-year court battle, the Bush administration recognized in 2008 that polar bears are threatened with extinction by global warming. Announcing Alaska’s suit to block the listing, Palin said, “We believe that the listing was unwarranted and that it’s unprecedented to list a currently healthy population based on uncertain climate models.” [Reuters, 5/22/08] Palin Established Illegal Fly-By Wolf Hunting Bounty. In 2007, Palin illegally established “a $150 bounty to the state sanctioned airborne wolf hunters as an added incentive to increase their kills,” soon overturned by the Alaska State Court. [Alaska Wildlife Alliance; Anchorage Daily News, 3/31/07] ON ENERGY Palin Is A Top Arctic Wildlife Refuge Drilling Advocate. Palin said she thinks McCain is “going to evolve into, eventually, supporting ANWR opening also” and “I’d like the opportunity to get to change his mind about ANWR.” [Kudlow & Co., 6/25/08] Palin Opposes Lieberman’s Bill To Prevent Arctic Refuge Drilling. In a letter to Congress opposing the Arctic Wilderness Act (S. 2316), Palin wrote that “as a citizen of the United States” she believes “development [of the Refuge] should be authorized.” [Letter to Sen. Akaka, 11/9/07] Palin Dismisses Alternative Energy. Palin said that “Congress needs to lift the ban on drilling” because “alternative-energy solutions are far from imminent and would require more than 10 years to develop.” [Charleston Post and Courier, 8/16/08] Palin Believes It Is ‘God’s Will’ To Build A Natural Gas Pipeline. Speaking to the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June, Palin said, “I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,” referring to a $30 billion national gas pipeline project. [Huffington Post, 9/2/08] ON BIG OIL Palin’s First Statewide Campaign Was Fueled By Veco. “While mayor of Wasilla, Palin ran for lieutenant governor in 2002. She gathered $5,000 — or about 10 percent of her campaign fund — from Veco officials or their wives along the way.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/6/06] Palin’s Inauguration Was Sponsored By BP. Beyond Petroleum Exploration Inc. is listed by the Alaska Inaugural Committee as a sponsor of Palin’s 2007 Governor’s Balls. [Alaska Inaugural Committee] ON SCIENCE Palin Supports Teaching Creationism In Public Schools. In a 2006 gubernatorial debate,=2 0Palin “said she thinks creationism should be taught alongside evolution in the state’s public classrooms.” [Anchorage Daily News, 10/27/06] ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS Palin Is A Member Of Anti-Abortion Group Feminists For Life. Palin is a member of an “anti-abortion group called Feminists for Life.” When running for governor in 2002, she “sent an e-mail to the anti-abortion Alaska Right to Life Board saying she was as ‘pro-life as any candidate can be’ and has ‘adamantly supported our cause since I first understood, as a child, the atrocity of abortion.’” [Anchorage Daily News, 8/6/08] Palin Opposes Abortion Even In Cases Of Rape Or Incest. In 2006, Palin said that even if her daughter were raped, “I would choose life.” She said that she would support abortion only if the mother’s life were in danger. [Anchorage Daily News, 11/3/06] Palin Slashed Funding To Help Teenage Mothers. Earlier this year, Palin used a line-item veto “to slash funding for a state program benefiting teen mothers i n need of a place to live.” Funding for Covenant House Alaska, which provides transitional housing for teen mothers, was cut by 20 percent — from $5 million to $3.9 million. [Washington Post, 9/3/08] Palin Supports Abstinence-Only Policies. In 2006, the Eagle Forum Alaska asked Palin whether she would “support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education.” Palin replied, “Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support.” [Politico, 9/1/08] Palin Supports Parental Consent Laws For Minors Seeking Abortions. According to the Anchorage Daily News, Palin was “disappointed lawmakers let a bill die requiring girls under 17 to get parental consent for an abortion. ‘My belief is parents have the right to know about the health and welfare of their children,’ she said.” [Anchorage Daily News, 8/14/08] ON ETHICS Palin’s Lobbyist Had ‘Close Ties’ To Don Young, Ted Stevens. “As mayor of Wasilla, however, Palin oversaw the hiring of Robertson, Monagle & Eastaugh, an Anchorage-based law firm with close ties to Alaska’s mos t senior Republicans: Rep. Don Young and Sen. Ted Stevens, who was indicted in July on charges of accepting illegal gifts.” [9/2/08] Palin’s Lobbyist Was Part Of ‘Team Abramoff.’ Steven Silver, the lobbyist Palin hired as Wasilla Mayor, also listed Jack Abramoff’s lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig, as a client. Silver lobbied on issues similar to those headed up by Abramoff, including “Indian/Native American policy” and “legislation relating to gaming issues.” [TPMmuckracker, 9/2/08; Washington Post, 9/2/08] Palin Served As Director Of ‘Ted Stevens Excellence In Public Service’ 527. Palin’s name was listed on 2003 incorporation papers of the “Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc.,” a 527 group that could raise unlimited funds from corporate donors. She also “served as one of three directors until June 2005, when her name was replaced on state filings.” [Washington Post, 9/1/08] State Employee Charged Palin With Ethics Violation. A state employee filed an ethics complaint alleging Palin tried to secure a job for one of her supporters. The complaint accused Palin and her top staffers of “breaking executive ethics branch and hiring rules. It centers on the hiring of surveyor Tom Lamal, who once co-hosted a Palin fundraiser, for a state right-of-way agent job in Fairbanks.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/7/08] Palin Forced Top Wasilla Employees To Resign As Loyalty Test. As Mayor of Wasilla in 1998, “asked all of the city’s top managers to resign in order to test their loyalty to her administration.”[Daily Sitka Sentenial, 10/28/06] Palin Fired Police Chief For Not Fully Supporting Her. After becoming Mayor of Wasilla, Palin fired the city’s police chief, Irl Stambaugh, writing, “I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment.” Stambaugh charged that Palin fired him “because he stepped on the toes of Palin’s campaign contributors, including bar owners and the National Rifle Association.” [Anchorage Daily News, 2/1/97; ABC News, 9/3/08] 0A Palin Used Mayoral Office Resources For Campaigning. During her 2002 campaign for lieutenant governor, Palin ordered campaign materials from City Hall, had them delivered there, and used city employees on city-aid time to arrange campaign events. According to the Anchorage Daily News, there was “no indication she repaid the city for the incidental expenses the city incurred.” [Anchorage Daily News, 7/21/06] ON TROOPERGATE Ousted Former State Official Accused Palin Of Pressuring Him To Fire Trooper. Palin allegedly “tried to get a state trooper fired and she then fired the trooper’s boss because he wouldn’t act on her request.” Palin’s sister was involved in a “bitter child custody battle” with the trooper. [Anchorage Daily News, 7/18/08] Palin’s Intial Denials Of Interference In Firing Were Proven False. Palin “previously said her administration didn’t exert pressure to get rid of trooper Mike Wooten,” but “an audio recording that shows an aide pressuring the Public Safety Department to fire a state trooper embroiled in a custody battle with her sister.” The McCain campaign now says Palin’s husband and members of her staff had made inquiries “about the appropriate Dep artment of Public Safety procedures for dealing with someone they considered a dangerous person and rogue trooper.” [Anchorage Daily News, 8/14/08, 9/02/08] Palin’s Lawyer In Investigation Is Also Her Personal Attorney. Thomas V. Van Flein, the lawyer Palin hired to defend her in the trooper investigation, is “representing Palin both personally and in her official capacity as governor.” The AP noted, “Depending on where the investigation leads, that could put him in a difficult situation if Palin’s interests and the interests of the public office diverge.” [AP, 9/02/08] Palin Has Refused To Release E-mails, Citing ‘Executive Privilege.’ Palin has refused to release e-mails requested by the state’s trooper union, citing executive privilege. Questions have been raised, however, as to whether these documents are actually related to official business, since her husband was copied on some of them. [KTUU, 8/6/08; TPMmuckraker, 9/1/08] ON THE RADICAL RIGHT Palin Cheered On the A laskan Independence Party. Six months ago, Palin “told members of the Alaskan Independence Party” — who advocate for a vote on secession from the union — to “keep up the good work” and “wished the party luck on what she called its ‘inspiring convention.’” Palin and her husband attended the party’s convention in 2000, and “for all but two months from 1995 to 2002, the governor’s husband was registered as an Alaskan Independence Party member.” George Clark, the vice chair of the party, claims that Palin was a member of the party “before she got the job as a mayor of a small town.” The McCain campaign denies the charge. [LA Times, 9/3/2008; ABC News, 9/1/2008] Palin Welcomed The Hard-Right Candidacy Of Pat Buchanan. Palin reportedly supported Pat Buchanan’s 1999 presidential bid. When Buchanan visited Alaska in 1999, “[a]mong those sporting Buchanan buttons were Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin and state Sen. Jerry Ward, R-Anchorage.” Buchanan said Palin “was a brigader in 1996 as was her husband, Chris, they were at a fundraiser for me.” The McCain campaign says Palin “never worked for any effort to elect” Buchanan. [The Nation, 8/29/08; ABC News, 8/30/08] Palin Characterized Ron Paul As ‘Cool.’ During an interview with MTV in February, Palin called Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), who ran against McCain in the primaries, “cool.” “He’s a good guy,” she added. “He’s so independent. He’s independent of the party machine. I’m like, ‘Right on, so am I.’ ” [MTV News, 8/29/2008] Palin Believes The Founding Fathers Wrote The Pledge Of Allegiance. In 2006, when asked by the Eagle Forum Alaska if she found the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance offensive, Palin replied, “Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me.” But the words “Under God” didn’t appear in the Pledge until 1954. The Pledge itself wasn’t written until 1892. [Huffington Post, 9/1/08; Slate, 6/28/02] ON CIVIL RIGHTS Palin Supports Denying Benefits To Same-Sex Couples. In 2006, Palin vetoed legislation denying benefits to same-sex couples, “based on a legal opinion from her new attorney general that the legislation was unconstitutional.” However, she said that she would support a constitutional amendment to deny same-sex couples the benefits. [Gay Republic Daily, 9/20/06; Anchorage Daily News, 12/21/06] Palin Opposed Expanding Hate Crime Laws. A 2006 Eagle Forum Alaska questionnaire asked, “Will you support an effort to expand hate crime laws?” Palin replied, “No, as I believe all heinous crime is based on hate.” [Washington Blade, 9/2/08] ON HEALTH CARE Palin Advocated Consumer-Driven Health Care. While running for governor, Palin attributed rising health care costs to “a lack of competition” and called for “flexibility in government regulation that allow competition in health care.” [On The Issues] Palin Introduced Health Care Transparency Act. Palin’s Alaska Health Care Transparency Act established “an Alaska health care information officeD to help consumers “make better-informed decisions about health care in the state.” The act also called for the repeal of Certificate of Need Laws, programs “aimed at restraining health care facility costs and allowing coordinated planning of new services and construction.” [Gov Tech, 1/28/2008; National Conference of State Legislatures, 8/21/2008] Palin Did Not Take A Position On Expanding SCHIP Funding. Palin did not advocate for greater federal funding of SCHIP. [Blagojevich Press Release, 2/23/07] Palin Signed Watered-Down SCHIP Bill. Palin signed legislation updating eligibility for Alaska’s SCHIP program, Denali KidCare, to maintain the eligibility level–which had dropped to an effective rate of almost 150 percent of the poverty line due to inflation. However, by limiting eligibility to families living below 175 percent of the poverty line, Alaska’s eligibility criteria are still among the lowest in the nation. Palin did not support legislation to expand eligibility to higher levels. [National Conference of State Legislatures, 6/2008; Kaiser Network, 5/22/2007; Anchorage Daily News,=2 04/15/2008] Palin Failed To Support A Bill To Cover All Alaskans. While governor, Palin “did not get behind the most significant piece of health legislation offered — a proposal to ensure that all residents have health insurance, without disrupting the coverage that many Alaskans already have.” [Anchorage Daily News, 5/17/2008] ON THE ECONOMY Palin Left Wasilla $20 Million In Debt. As mayor of Wasilla, Palin cut taxes while simultaneously expanding the town’s operating budget by almost $2 million. She ended her term in 2002 with Wasilla $20 million in debt. [Anchorage Daily News 10/23/06; the Politico, 8/29] Palin Instituted A Windfall Profits Tax On Oil Companies. In 2007, Palin raised taxes on oil company profits by $1.5 billion a year, enabling Alaska to double its oil revenue. However, in 2008 she said, “Windfall profits taxes alone prevent additional investment in domestic production.” [Bloomberg, 3/8; Seattle Times, 8/10; Go vernor’s Office Press Release] Palin Supported Flat Tax Advocate. Palin appeared in campaign commercials in support of Republican Senate candidate Mike Miller, who was advocating the Flat Tax. [Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 4/24/04]

John McCain playing the American Voters!

Omar Dyer — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:14:01 EDT

John McCain Ad!

If I ran an ad on John McCain it would go just like this:

Please don’t get fooled by John McCain stating that his VP pick was vetted like any other candidate or the like in the Democratic Party.

John McCain wants off-shore drilling, and war – plus cut taxes. How are they going to pay for those ideas: by going to war and borrowing money from China.

Sarah Palin wants to implant the windfall profits tax, and end the war. How will she get her way in John McCain’s plans? She won’t! Sarah Palin will not have a say in McCain’s government, she will be placed as a photo opt to get voters to vote for him.

Why was Sarah Palin picked over Kay Hutchinson, Elizabeth Dole, Judy Martz. Linda Lingle, Olene Smith-Walker, M. Jodi Rell – all of those that supported him during the primaries.

John McCain pick Sarah Palin because she’s young – inexperienced, and is a distraction on McCain’s true identity of pandering politics. Just like Bush, McCain will blame someone else. He had 2 months before Barack Obama became the DNL and he comes with a one-day pick and vetting of Sarah Palin. McCain was just looking for the first available Republican woman that was young enough to swift vote women voters. I am a male and if I am the only one that sees what he has done – it’s a shame on women’s right, and how had some males have actually fought for women’s rights.

That’s the real John McCain: Are you ready for Change or are you tired of the same.

John McCain's Secret Line of Attack

Darrick — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:47:50 EDT

John McCain is going to select Sen. Joe Lieberman (I) CT as his Vice-Presidential running mate. There are two reason for this selection. It display's McCain's bi-partisanship muscle. The second reason requires some set up. First, John McCain's been dropping Judeo-Christian like it's hot lately. He's planning to paint Sen. Obama as a Muslim v. the Christian and the Jew. Secondly, Mike Huckabee is dispatched to Israel to rally the troops. That is the master plan and it must be defeated now.

I want this man to be the Vice President

jawbonin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:53:55 EDT

If you need a General, it needs to be Retired General Honore.

Yes, I'm serious.

Military experience. He's got it.

Foreign Policy experience. (Darfur & Georgia- it's a wrap). He's got it.

Disaster Strikes. He's all on it.

Dumb questions from reporters. He is your man!

http://www.jawbonin.com/play.php?vid=189

What's not to love?

But whomever you choose, I'm sure he or she will be the right choice as long as you remember your ABCs (Anybody But Clinton) Be Bless Senator Obama!

If Edwards Had Withdrawn Before Iowa

Bud — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:38:12 EDT

Howard Wolfson of the Clinton campaign claimed that—if John Edwards had realized that he could not win, and withdrew from the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign before the Iowa caucus—then Hillary Clinton would have won the Iowa caucus and steamrolled from there to the Democratic nomination.

This is outrageous fiction! Early in the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign, supporters chose one of two groups: Clinton and ABC (Anyone But Clinton).

Actually, Clinton was aided by the large field of Democratic candidates, because they split the ABC votes into 7 parts--thus making it easier for Clinton to win.

Wolfson fantasizes that the Edwards supporters' second choice would have been Clinton; but, among the Edwards supporters that I have met, Obama was the second choice.

Publicly, Hillary Clinton is supporting Obama; but, at the national convention in Denver, she still wants to have a roll call vote of the states. As an old song lyric said, “There is 'No, no' on your lips, but there is 'Yes, yes' in your eyes.” The Democratic Party needs unity in order to win the November election, but the Clinton campaign is continuing the primary struggle into the convention.

Morons At ABC's "The View" Screw Up Obama Prayer Story

KravitzKravitz — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:43:06 EDT

Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sherri Shepherd, Barbara Walters and Bill Geddes just got a story wrong on live TV. Whoopi said she didn't know all the facts. And she trashed the show in one five minute segment.

Whoopi Goldberg, if you don't know what you're talking about, don't bring it up. Especially if you ADMIT you don't know all the facts. It's very reckless. I expect a major apology from all of you tomorrow. (Friday is on tape.)

It happened about 11:15-11:18 am, EST July 30, 2008. They still have time to get the egg off their stupid faces.

Michelle Obama on ABC's "The View" - June 18th 2008

Alvin & Nita for Obama — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:29:50 EDT

My wife and I just watched ABC's The View with special guest co-host Michelle Obama.... Michelle was GREAT...!!! I called my mother who lives in the Carolina's and is in her seventies, and we discussed how proud we were to listen to someone who could be the next First Lady of our great country...! Michelle even provided proper context as to why she IS Proud of Her Country...!!!

Way to go Michelle...!!!

Signing off for now,

Alvin & Nita

Who Ya Gonna Trust?

ZapDuff — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:45:11 EDT

My wife was out of town for a series of business meetings this past week. Although we only got a few minutes to talk a couple times a day, she accurately sensed I was getting pretty distraught over how various media stars were trying to steer public opinion, instead of delivering the news.

Until about a decade or two ago, working journalists honored a creed to never show personal bias, for fear of it tainting the facts they delivered. Credibility depended on it. Back then, there was a fear - without credibility a journalist would be unemployable. My, how times have changed! Credibility no longer seems important, as facts and reality have lost their relevance when so laden with personal opinions.

So where can we turn when we want the real story? Who ya gonna trust?

ABC Reporting Obama Lead in Superdelegates

Deborah Simmel — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:15:15 EDT

Just in:

Click here: Political Radar: Obama Now Takes The Lead in Superdelegates Too

This Wright Week

Obamanizer — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:55:10 EDT

And there it was at "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos. A republican registered young woman that supports Senator Obama is allowed to ask if the discussion about Senator Wright is not a distruction. And Senator Clinton is allowed to answer that, of course, it is and we have to move on.

George Stephanopoulos cannot agree more: the last two commentaries by him on the "This Week" website:

Wright posed mortal threat
Bottom Line: Obama cuts ties with Wright

An Umbrella that is an old hat

Obamanizer — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:44:46 EDT

Not surprisingly, Hillary Clinton is dogging the follow-up question of George Stephanopoulos about who would qualify to be under Senator Clinton's umbrella protection she had first mentioned in the most recent ABC debate (without any follow-up by the moderators there...).

ABC Clinton Lovefest on "This Week"

ObamaMama Kris — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:01:28 EDT

Well, this is just too, too dandy. Stephanopoulos moderating (not interviewing) a 1-hour lovefest for Hillary.

Why doesn't ABC just give her a 1-hour Hillary for President infomercial instead?

The "questions" from audience supporters are simply intros for her to launch into her campaign talking points. And those camera cuts to the bobble-head audience members -- "Oh, Hillary, yes, yes, yes!!! You are so wonderful and so brilliant!!!"

I think I'm going to puke!

New Gallup Polls For Today & Turn Off CNN "ClintonNewsNetwork"

Phoenix Rising 4 Obama — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:08:14 EDT

http://www.gallup.com/poll/106981/Gallup-Daily-Obama-49-Clinton-45.aspx

David Sirota: A new NAFTA-Clinton-Indiana-China issue

SPENCER ADAMS — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:31:21 EDT

This post by Sirota in the Huff blog illustrates a new issue that I haven't heard in the MSM; please read this and spread the word:

ABC Digs Into Clinton Trade Hypocrisy - Clinton Campaign Responds With More Deception

Posted April 30, 2008 | 03:42 PM (EST)

On Monday, I wrote about Hillary Clinton airing an ad decrying the closure of a defense manufacturing factory that her husband, Bill Clinton, helped close by approving the sale of the company to a Chinese state-owned firm. Now, ABC News is running with the story, and uncovers some more ugly details. The Clinton campaign has responded not by fessing up, but by putting out more dishonest deceptions.

From Jake Tapper:

"A memo prepared for [Indiana Senator Evan] Bayh by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service earlier this year stated that the Clinton administration could have objected to the sale under CFIUS, but it did not...In 2000, also during Bill Clinton's presidency, Magnequench purchased from UGIMAG the factory in Valparaiso that manufactured the Neo magnets. President Clinton's administration took no steps to stop the purchases in 2000, either."

The sale was a pretty serious national security issue, not so much because the technology was sensitive, but because the sale means our military has to rely on foreign companies for critical weaponry. Here's Tapper:

The two Chinese companies were headed by the husbands of the first and second daughters of then-Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. One of those daughters was at that time "vice minister of China's State Science and Technology Commission, whose responsibilities included acquiring military technologies by whatever means necessary," according to David Cay Johnston in Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Corporations Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (And Stick You With the Bill).

"Complaints about the sale of Magnequench were made to the U.S. government because of the military applications for the magnets," Johnston reports. "Still, the Clinton administration, an ardent proponent of globalization, approved the sale."

Around that time, Shingleton says, "there was talk about the national security issue and the loss of jobs because they were leaving. Some of the higher-wage jobs left immediately [in 2000]. I knew personally some people who were managers and who lost their jobs."

Not surprisingly, the Clinton campaign is compounding its deception with more deception as it tries to explain away this latest controversy. McClatchy today quotes Clinton spokesman Jonathan Swain claiming that "In 1995, when this group bought Magnequench, there were assurances made that production would stay in the United States." But as ABC recounts, the Congressional Research Service reports that the state-owned Chinese company that Clinton allowed to purchase Magnequench "promised to keep those Anderson, Ind., jobs in the U.S. only until 2005."

This is about as pristine an example of Clintonian deception and parsing as you are going to find. First comes the pander - an ad that conveys that signature Clinton bite-the-bottom-lip, feel-your-pain message of empathy and outrage. Then comes the revelation that the whole thing Clinton supposedly feels bad about was originally brought about by the Clinton administration, which she endlessly touts. And finally there is the lying - pretending that there were "assurances" that what happened wouldn't happen, when in fact those assurances were not what's being claimed.

With both Indiana and North Carolina being among the two worst-hit states by the Clinton-backed NAFTA/PNTR policies that this Magnequench controversy epitomizes, you would think this would make a perfect issue for Barack Obama to start talking about.

God will see us through

Soldierette!! (CENSORED) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:28:42 EDT

That sermon tonight was absolutely soul-stirring. I had to jump up! I had to scream! I laughed out loud and I slammed my hands on the table, yelling, "Tell it! Truth! Truth!"

Everybody won't get it tonight or tomorrow, and everybody won't get it in the end either. There is the Republican Party filled with all of the worst kind of racists, and then there's those undercover racists posing as Democrats; even former Presidents. Some aren't that obvious, and then some are. Only the truly enlightened can recognize the difference. The good people count on each other to recognize the difference.

You'll read some good reviews, then some hate-filled reviews, and you'll wonder... "What sermond did THEY hear?" That's how you can recognize both the racists and those that are undercover. I wouldn't be surprised if Hillary's campaign weren't adding comments everywhere. I definitely know Republican Party members are for sure.

Please move the conversation away from Rev. Wright and over to the ISSUES that Sen. Obama supports. We can't allow the focus to be on something that's NOT about the politics in this country! There's a war going on and people are dying. Have we actually forgotten about our boys and girls?

GO READ MY BLOG ABOUT MY FRIEND IN IRAQ!

Please, let's not lose our focus! This is what the Republicans want us to do! They stand the MOST to lose in this election and they don't care how much it tears this country apart and they definitely don't care about our kids dying in Iraq! WAKE UP PEOPLE AND STOP LISTENING TO FAUX NEWS, ABC, CBS, CNN! They are ALL corporate-owned media and they will lose all of their tax breaks given to them by the Bush administration! They don't want this to change so RECOGNIZE who you're being fed by and turn them OFF!

Try Air America http://airamerica.com

Try http://www.am1090seattle.com/

They are both on 24 hours a day and both support Sen. Obama's message and policies without twisting the truth. Try it for a refreshing change!

The Obamathon Rolls Inevitably On

Matthew Yrigoyen — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:11:54 EDT

Well, friends, you didn't hear it here first. Obamathon, that is. But, it seems to me that the "Obamathon" will undoubtedly pick up speed and an inevitable momentum as it sweeps into Indiana and North Carolina. My wish is for Senator Obama to resist the temptation to indulge in the tawdry negative campaign style so favored by the Clintons. (You don't really think old, mad-for-power Bill is really just sitting on the sidelines during strategy sessions, do you?) Hopefully, Barack Obama can temper the firm approach he must now embark upon and not be forced by over eager handlers and advisers to besmirch himself with the nasty tactics of the "politics as usual" he has so carefully avoided thus far.

If I were asked about how to structure and characterize the response to the Clinton barrage of proto-slander, I would advise extreme caution in the use of the aggressive, brutal, dishonest, sledgehammer of spin and smear. Instead, the wiser path would require one to hold true to the posture of a Judo master. Never attack, per se. Rather, when the opponent pulls — push; when the opponent pushes — pull. Take their energy, no matter whether it is negative or positive, and redirect it in a new channel. Thus, they can be defeated without ever striking a lethal blow.

Modern politics relies on the slugfest, and its practitioners should find it perplexing, indeed, when encountering a verbal martial arts master who knows “The Gentle Way”. Eventually, the Clinton’s will be suffocated by the ample baggage they have so artlessly collected over the years, which Senator Clinton rather carelessly referred to in last week’s ABC mock debate. It is clear to me that the hope of the world lies light years beyond their comprehension and their grasp. Barack Obama marches to a distinctly different drummer, whose rhythms and cadences they seem preternaturally unable to hear. We must unflinchingly join his parade. So very much is at stake.

McCain Uses Earmark-Funded Ferry on Campaign Trail

Soldierette!! (CENSORED) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:32:34 EDT

Despite Promise To Abolish Earmarks, McCain Uses Earmark-Funded Ferry As Campaign Trail Backdrop

This week, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is embarking on what he calls the “It’s Time for Action Tour,” which he says will spotlight “forgotten Americans.” “We will travel to areas of this country that in many ways have been forgotten and left behind,” McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt told USA Today.

As part of the tour, McCain will visit “the remote town of Gee’s Bend” in Alabama in order “to ride a ferry across the Alabama River from Camden“:

“The ferry he will be riding is very important to that community. It’s both a good and terrible symbol. It’s good that it now exists, but it’s terrible it took so long to build it,” said Katie Wright, regional spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee.

But McCain’s appearance at the ferry conflicts with his contention that he will abolish earmarks from the federal budget, considering that the Gee’s Bend ferry was funded by a federal earmark in the 2005 Transportation/Treasury Appropriations Act.

The ferry that McCain will ride today was only able to be re-opened after 44 years because of the earmark:

A federal grant allowed the ferry to reopen in 2006 — 44 years after county leaders closed it to keep the black residents of Gee’s Bend from crossing the river to the county seat to push for civil rights. Without the ferry, Camden was an 80-mile round trip.

On ABC’s This Week yesterday, McCain said he would “do away” with the “pork-barrel-laden bills” from the past few years, which would presumably include the bill that funded the Gee’s Bend ferry. Watch it here:

This is not the first time McCain has created cognitive dissonance by speaking in a pork-produced setting while making anti-earmark campaign promises. Earlier this month, on the same day that he called earmarks “an egregious process,” McCain made a speech at an air field in Florida that had “received almost $10M in earmarked funds” between 2001 and 2005.

UPDATE: Fox News aired a segment on McCain’s trip to Gee’s Bend today, but made no mention of the earmark. Watch McCain do a little dance: here

Update: Like Fox, NBC News reported on McCain's visit to the ferry without mentioning the earmark:

After speaking in front of the famed Edmund Pettus Bridge, he traveled to Gee's Bend, a brutally poor community long scarred by racial tensions. The Bend, isolated for decades by the spidery twists of the Alabama River, finally became more accessible with the institution of a reliable ferry -- which the senator rode today in recognition of its significance in healing the area's strife.

ABC debate fiasco

jp — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:20:48 EDT

This editorial in the NY Times by Frank Rich pretty much summarizes my sentiments about the ABC debate debacle:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/opinion/20rich.html?th&emc=th

A Defense of George Stephanopolous

Cindy — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:57:02 EDT

Ok, so FOX was incredibly biased in puttinga former Clinton official on the panel as one of the two questioner/moderators of the last presidential debate. BUT, let's not forget it was George Stephanopolous who pressed Sen. Clinton to answer directly whether she thought Obama was qualified to be president.

And her now famous answer, "YES, YES, YES", was courtesy of George's tenaciousness.

So give the guy a break. He got the goods from her.

STEPHANOPOULOS:You have a very cool style. And I wonder, how much of that is tied to your race?

KravitzKravitz — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:57:20 EDT

Yes folks. Stephanopoulos actually asked if being cool is an inherently black trait. In May 2007.

But make sure you also see the second article in this post, "The Conciliator." And remember it too is from May 2007.

     SENATOR BARACK OBAMA ON “THIS WEEK WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS” from ABC News... MAY 13, 2007

    ...

    STEPHANOPOULOS: When we sat down in Des Moines, I asked Obama where he got that confidence.

    ...

    OBAMA: Well, you know, I think it comes from the set of experiences that I brought with me to this race.

    As somebody who worked as a community organizer in Chicago, not knowing anybody when I arrived and being able to pull people together around the issues that folks were facing after they'd gotten laid off of work; the work that I've done as a civil rights lawyer and a constitutional law professor.

    And then in the state senate, being able to get Democrats and Republicans together around tough issues like reforming the death penalty or expanding health insurance for kids -- those skills seem to have translated in Washington.

    ...Did Someone Say 3AM?...

    STEPHANOPOULOS: What's the most difficult crisis you've had to manage in your public life?

    OBAMA: Well, you know, the truth is, in my public life as a legislator, most of the difficult tasks have been to build consensus around hard problems.

    And what I think the country needs more than anything right now is somebody who has the capacity to identify areas of common interest, common good, build a consensus around it and get things done.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: That is part of the job. There's no question about it.

    OBAMA: Yes.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: But you know a big part of the job of a president is what you do in a crisis...

    OBAMA: Right.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: ... the crisis you didn't expect.

    OBAMA: Right.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: And you never really ever had to deal with something like that, right?

    OBAMA: Well, what I think is absolutely legitimate is that my political career has been on the legislative side and not in the executive branch.

    Now, that's true for a lot of my colleagues, you know, who aren't governors.

    And one of the things that I hope over the course of this campaign I show, is the capacity to manage this pretty unwieldy process of a political race. And one of the great things about the press is that they're going to be watching very carefully...

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Every move you make.

    OBAMA: ... every move you make, and to make sure that people have a sense of how I deal with adversity, how I deal with mistakes, who do I have around me to make sure that we're executing on the things that need to get done.

    ....

    STEPHANOPOULOS: One of your heroes is Abe Lincoln. He was ruthless when he had to be. Can you be ruthless?

    OBAMA: You know, I think that somebody who has arrived where I am out of Chicago politics has to have a little bit of steel in him.

    I have not made a promise -- and I won't make a promise -- that I'm going to be able to perfectly balance the budget immediately.

    What I can say is that we're going to pay as you go; that if I start a new program, I'll find a way to pay for it; if I want tax cuts, then I'm going to find a way to pay for them; and that, over the long term, we get a stable budget that is not simply running up the credit card on our children.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: You've also said that with Social Security, everything should be on the table.

    OBAMA: Yes.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Raising the retirement age?

    OBAMA: Everything should be on the table.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Raising payroll taxes?

    OBAMA: Everything should be on the table. I think we should approach it the same way Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan did back in 1983. They came together. I don't want to lay out my preferences beforehand, but what I know is that Social Security is solvable. It is not as difficult a problem as we're going to have with Medicaid and Medicare.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Partial privatization?

    OBAMA: Privatization is not something that I would consider, and the reason is this: Social Security, I think, is -- that's the floor. That's the baseline. Social Security is that safety net that can't be frayed, and we shouldn't put at risk.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Your candidacy brings the issue of race right to the top...

    OBAMA: Right.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: ... of the national conversation. You've been a strong supporter of affirmative action...

    OBAMA: Yes.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: ... and you're a constitutional law professor, so let's go back in the classroom. I'm your student, I say, "Professor, you and your wife went to Harvard Law School. You've got plenty of money. You're running for president. Why should your daughters, when they go to college, get affirmative action?"

    OBAMA: Well, first of all, I think that my daughters should probably be treated by any admissions officer as folks who are pretty advantaged, and I think that there's nothing wrong with us taking that into account as we consider admissions policies at universities.

    I think that we should take into account white kids who have been disadvantaged and have grown up in poverty and shown themselves to have what it takes to succeed.

    So I don't think those concepts are mutually exclusive. I think what we can say is that in our society, race and class still intersect, that there are a lot of African-American kids who are still struggling, that even those who are in the middle class may be first generation as opposed to fifth or sixth generation college attendees, and that we all have an interest in bringing as many people together to help build this country.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Sandra Day O'Connor wrote that in 25 years, affirmative action may no longer be necessary. Is she right?

    OBAMA: I would like to think that if we make good decisions and we invest in early childhood education, improve K-12, if we have done what needs to be done to ensure that kids who are qualified to go to college can afford it, that affirmative action becomes a diminishing tool for us to achieve racial equality in this society.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: You have a very cool style when you're doing those town meetings, when you're out on the campaign trail. And I wonder, how much of that is tied to your race?

    OBAMA: That's interesting.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: One of your friends told the New Yorker Magazine that "the mainstream is just not ready for a fire-breathing black man." Did you turn down the temperature on purpose?

    OBAMA: You know, I don't think it has to do with race. I think it has to do with when I'm campaigning, I'm in a conversation. And what I don't do when I'm campaigning is to try to press a lot of hot buttons and use a lot of cheap applause lines, because I want people to get a sense of how I think about this process.

    OBAMA: I want them to have some ability to walk through with me the difficult choices that we face.

    (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

    OBAMA: We're spending $275 million a day, a day, in Iraq.

    (END VIDEO CLIP)

    OBAMA: And I think that one of the problems with political speeches is that we all know what folks want to hear. We know who the conventional, stereotypical enemies are on any given issue, and we have a tendency, I think, to play up to that. And I actually think that we're in this moment in history right now where honesty, admitting complexity is a good thing.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: How about passion? How about anger? I mean, you've written about how you dealt with issues of anger. Don't you think sometimes voters need to see that too?

    OBAMA: Oh, absolutely, and I think they do see it. Listen, the one thing that I don't think people are going to be able to accuse me of is not being able to give a fiery speech. I came onto the national scene after getting folks fired up pretty good.

    (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

    OBAMA: There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America. There's the United States of America.

    (END VIDEO CLIP)

    OBAMA: But keep in mind, I'm not interested in bringing people together just for the sake of bringing people together. I'm not naive enough to think that if we all hold hands and sing "Kumbaya" that somehow health care gets solved or, you know, education gets solved. Right now, what we need to make significant progress on these problems is to be able to build enough bridges to get things done.

    So, I'm furious about the young men that I see standing on corners on the South Side of Chicago without hope, without opportunity, without prospects for the future. I am furious about the mothers I meet here in Iowa who are giving me hugs and telling me about their son who died in a war and asking, did their son die for a mistake? It breaks my heart. But what I know is that the only way we're going to solve the problem is not to assign blame. It's to say, "Here's a vision for the future that we can do something about."

    STEPHANOPOULOS: You've had to ask for Secret Service protection awful early in this campaign. Were you reluctant?

    OBAMA: Yes.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Why?

    OBAMA: I'm not an entourage guy. You know, up until recently, I was still, you know, taking my wife Michelle's grocery list and going
    to the grocery store once in awhile. And so obviously it's constrained, but I'm obviously appreciate of their efforts. They're extraordinarily professional.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Durbin, your friend, who talked to the review board, said a lot of the threats that were coming in are racially motivated. How serious are they? How much are you told? How much do you worry about it?

    OBAMA: You know, I don't spend a lot of time thinking about it or considering the details of this. But just to broaden the issue, are there people who would be troubled with an African-American president? Yes. Are there folks who might not vote for me because I'm African-American? No doubt.

    What I'm confident about, though, as I travel around the country, is that people are decent at their core in America. The vast majority of folks want to do the right thing.

    If I don't win, it's not going to be because of my race. It's going to be because I didn't project a vision of leadership that gave people confidence. It's going to be because of something I didn't do as opposed to because I'm African-American.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: You've been thinking about running for president a long time. Your brother-in-law says he talked to you about it in the early '90s.

    OBAMA: He might have brought it up. I'm not sure.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: So you dispute that?

    (LAUGHTER)

    OBAMA: You know, what's wonderful about this whole process is that everybody has -- everybody looks at me now through the lens of where I am now. You know, I had my high school teacher saying what a wonderful, studious guy he was. And I was goofing off the whole time, and they were calling up the principal. I think there's a lot of self-correction that takes place (inaudible).

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, but there's one more. Valerie Jarrett, a good friend of the family says, you told her in your Senate race, "I just think I have some special qualities, and wouldn't it be a shame to waste them."

    OBAMA: That, I think I probably did say.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: What are they?

    OBAMA: I think that I have the capacity to get people to recognize themselves in each other. I think that I have the ability to make people get beyond some of the divisions that plague our society and to focus on common sense and reason.

    OBAMA: And that's been in short supply over the last several years.

    You know, I'm not an ideologue. Never have been. Even during my younger days when I was tempted by sort of more radical or left-wing politics, there was a part of me that always was a little bit conservative in that sense, that believes that you make progress by sitting down, listening to people, recognizing everybody's concerns, seeing other people's points of views, and them making decisions.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: One final question. Everyone is going to be watching this on Mother's Day, and a lot of America is going to get to know a lot about you over the next year, but they're never going to know your mom. She passed away a little more than 10 years ago. What's the most important lesson she taught you?

    OBAMA: She was the sweetest soul I've ever known, and I think that quality that I just talked about, the capacity to see the world through somebody else's eyes or to stand in their shoes, is what she gave to me in great abundance. And I think that capacity is what's needed right now in this moment.

    There have been other moments in history where maybe some other skills were needed, but I think bringing the country together -- and, by the way, bringing the world together -- so that there's that sense of mutual recognition is something that I get directly from my mother. And I think her spirit acts powerfully on me throughout the course of this campaign.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator, thanks very much.

    OBAMA: Thank you so much, George. I appreciate it.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: The roundtable is next with George Will, Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson. And later, Brooke Shields.

Transcript exerpts from - Lynn Sweet, Chicago Sun-Times. The scoop from Washington May 31, 2007

Steph also refers to this article, from The New Yorker.

The Conciliator
Where is Barack Obama coming from?
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/05/07/070507fa_fact_macfarquhar?printable=true

He's talking to farmers about ethanol.

Interesting point about when he gets into detail as opposed to rousing rhetoric.

"This mode of his is often called professorial, and Obama himself likens these forums to the constitutional-law classes that he taught at the University of Chicago. But “professorial” implies that he seems cerebral or didactic, and he doesn’t. Despite the criticism he has received for being all inspiration and no policy, Obama has so far stuck to what appears to be an instinct that white papers belong on Web sites, not in speeches."

"Obama’s calm is also a matter of temperament. The first thing almost everybody who knows Obama says about him is how extremely comfortable he is with himself. “He was almost freakishly self-possessed and centered,” Christopher Edley, Jr., one of Obama’s professors at Harvard Law School, who is now a dean at Berkeley, says. There is something freakish about Obama’s self-possession—it’s conspicuous, it draws attention to itself, like the unnatural stillness of someone able to lower his blood pressure at will. He doesn’t strive for an Everyman quality: he is relaxed but never chummy, gracious rather than familiar. His surface is so smooth, his movements so easy and fluid, his voice so consistent and well-pitched that he can seem like an actor playing a politician, too implausibly effortless to be doing it for real. "

"“When I read the book,(Dreams Of My Father) I was surprised—the confusion and the anger that he described, maybe they were there below the surface, but they were not manifest at all.” Asked about this, Obama says, “You know, what puzzles me is why people are puzzled by that. That angry character lasts from the time I was fifteen to the time I was twenty-one or so. I guess my explanation is I was an adolescent male with a lot of hormones and an admittedly complicated upbringing. But that wasn’t my natural temperament. And the book doesn’t describe my entire life. I could have written an entirely different book, about the joys of basketball and what it’s like to bodysurf as the sun’s going down on a sandy beach.”

“Barack used to say that one of his favorite sayings of the civil-rights movement was ‘If you cannot bear the cross, you can’t wear the crown.’ ”

He married Michelle Robinson, a woman who already owned the memories and the roots, who was by birth the person he was trying to become: the child of an intact, religious black family from the South Side. He took a job organizing a South Side community that was disintegrating but that he hoped, through work and inspiration, to revive. Later, rejecting the agnosticism of his parents and his own skeptical instincts, he became a Christian and joined a church. “I came to realize,” he wrote in his second book, “The Audacity of Hope,” that “without an unequivocal commitment to a particular community of faith, I would be consigned at some level to always remain apart, free in the way that my mother was free, but also alone in the same ways that she was ultimately alone.”

(a/k/a in difficult times, one clings to...see where that comes from?)

"Obama’s voting record is one of the most liberal in the Senate, but he has always appealed to Republicans, perhaps because he speaks about liberal goals in conservative language. When he talks about poverty, he tends not to talk about gorging plutocrats and unjust tax breaks; he says that we are our brother’s keeper, that caring for the poor is one of our traditions. Asked whether he has changed his mind about anything in the past twenty years, he says, “I’m probably more humble now about the speed with which government programs can solve every problem. For example, I think the impact of parents and communities is at least as significant as the amount of money that’s put into education.”

"After Obama’s Convention speech, Republican bloggers rushed to claim him, under headings such as “Right Speech, Wrong Convention” and “Barack Obama: A Republican Soul Trapped Inside a Democrat’s Body.” The Convention speech was uncharacteristically Reaganesque for Obama, being almost uniformly sunny about America, which he called a “magical place”; these days, he tends to be more sombre. Even so, Republicans continue to find him congenial, especially those who opposed the war on much the same conservative grounds that he did."

“The issue of the Second Amendment came up and Fried is pretty much a Second Amendment absolutist. One of our classmates was in favor of gun control—he’d come from an urban environment where guns were a big issue. And, while Barack agreed with our classmate, he was much more willing to hear Fried out—he was very moved by the fact that Fried grew up in the Soviet bloc, where they didn’t have those freedoms. After the class, our classmate was still challenging Fried and Barack was just not as passionate and I didn’t understand that.”

Obama is, in fact, committed to respecting the opinions or cultures of others even when religious beliefs aren’t involved. “There are universal values that I will fight for,” he says.

When I saw you at the Convention what really struck me was that you told a story from the beginning to the end of that speech—a story about your life, about how it fit in with the larger American story—and it built to a point where people wanted to applaud, rather than using forced applause lines. Democrats just haven’t done that. And Barack said, That’s exactly what I try to do.” That is Obama’s theory of speeches, and it seems, also, to be his theory of campaigning: don’t try to score huge points at every moment, don’t kill yourself for every vote—a campaign is a long, slow story, and you don’t want to exhaust your audience or yourself. “One weekend I was with him they were making a big deal about his school in Indonesia being a madrassa,” Valerie Jarrett says. “I said, ‘How could they have even run with this story? It’s so completely inaccurate!’ He said, ‘You know, we’ve contacted the school and the principal’s gonna explain what kind of a school it is and we’re gonna refute it all. You need to just calm down. This is gonna be fun! Valerie, you’re not a guy but let me explain it to you in sport terms. It’s like we’re in a basketball game, and I’m gonna fumble the ball, and someone’s gonna steal the ball, and I’m gonna miss a free throw, but we’re gonna win the game. You can’t get yourself worked up over every little thing that somebody says about me or you’re gonna go crazy.’ ”

Washington “held out an offer of collective redemption.”

But redemption is brittle. ... charisma is misleading, that revolutions are illusory, that real change is slow...

Why Nash McCabe Makes Barack Obama's Point

""""Jeff C."""" — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:24:27 EDT

Instead of posting the entire blog, I'm leaving a link to Talking Points Memo where the story is currently #2 on the reccommended reader list.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/04/why-nash-mccabe-makes-barack-o.php

Hope everyone has an opportunity to read it. Keep up the good work and, as always, take care.

Jeff Cronin

HILLARY CLINTON NEEDS TO TAKE THE PAMPER'S OFF AND WEAR BIG GIRL PANTS!

Mary — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:28:14 EDT

While Hillary Waste's American's Time With Flaps and Finger Pointing!

Hillary Wastes American's Time While Gasoline Boxes in An Alabama Community!

Hillary Wastes America's Time While 4,600 People Lose Their Jobs With AT&T Inc.

Hillary Waste's America's Time Parsing Over Words While Citigroup to cut 9,000 jobs

(Ms. Clinton, I can assure you that Barack Obama and his supporters can stand the heat just like most American's can. We just get tired of you wasting precious debate time scrappling over words and making drama just to try to get more people to vote for you. You are so concerned with getting more votes that you don't even talk about the important issues! What Barack Obama is frustrated about is the fact that you are a time waster, you blatantly spend time engrandizing yourself, you don't spend time addressing the Economy and the bad job market. Instead you play mad little school girl and throw sand! Believe me when I say that American's are just a little more than tired of your whining and complaining, and finger wagging and smear campaigning when we could be hearing about HOW you are going to solve problems instead of who said what BS childish games!)

The Power of ObamaNation!

done for — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:28:37 EDT

this is from msnbc political analysts:

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** ObamaNation's power: Curious of what the bitterness and anger could look like if Obama is somehow denied the Democratic nomination? Check out the reaction from the ObamaNation over Wednesday's debate. To put it simply, ABC was under siege yesterday. This may only be a taste of how the ObamaNation would react to a Clinton nomination. If MoveOn is motivated to do a petition campaign against the media over a debate, imagine what Clinton delegates and undecided superdelegates would face this summer if there is doubt. And as the Politico's Ben Smith pointed out yesterday, it's also what the GOP would face in the general election, especially if Obama is nominee. The level of devotion among Obama's supporters rivals what Bush had with his flock in 2004. The left-wing blogosphere is MUCH more powerful than what you see on the right this cycle and it reminds us of the advantage Bush had in '04. While we all know about that so-called right-wing voice machine, don't forget that there is now a left-wing noise machine (on the internet) as well. And it has found its voice.

dailykos wrote a diary about it..........check it out here> http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4/18/104647/909/62/498286

YES WE CAN!! OBAMA '08!

letter to ABC

Julio from Los Angeles, CA — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:53:12 EDT

Joining the general indignation about what happened in last Tuesday debate, i decided to send a letter to ABC. I used the email addresses that somebody else posted in the BA site. Thank you for that! This is the full text of my letter:

Employees of ABC:

I am, as I speak this, fighting with the temptation to insult you all and vent intense ire for the events of Tuesday evening in Pennsylvania. I will not do that. Gandhi once said: we need to hold on to our anger because, like vapor at high pressure, it can be a great source of energy to put at the service of just causes.

I noticed most of the established, big capital-controlled press is, after a brief honey moon period of surprise and wonder about the strength of the candidacy of senator Barack Obama, start to align itself against his campaign. The New York Times uses subtle but nevertheless despicable distortions to report every single fact about his campaign, same with CNN, Politico, MSNBC, etc. And ABC is not exception as the other day debate showed to all of us.

I understand you already received many thousands of email messages complaining about the conduct of the interviewers the other night (don’t want to muddle these lines mentioning their names) so my message will be probably redundant. I just would like to notice –and try to make you see- the underlying cause of this attitude of the press: Fear. What is the press afraid of? They are afraid not of Obama; after all he is just a guy and can be taken down any time the powers that be decide it is convenient for their interests to do so, but of the enormous tidal wave of social and political energy that seems to be coalescing and finally encountering its center, these days. It should be obvious that this huge historical phenomenon is not pyramidal but rhizomatic in its structure, so almost invulnerable to attempts of beheading it, as it happened in the past with other social movements in this country. It is also conjuncture-free, not linked to a –rather selfish- fight against the draft like in the times of the Viet Nam war. It does not feed itself either from a flimsy counter-culture of drugs and music that can be outlawed or commercially perverted. In other words, this movement doesn’t seem to have an Achilles heel. And that is very scary for the powers that be and its public representatives, among them you, on salary from the ABC master. The mere existence of this movement, with its own multiple, flexible, horizontal channels of communication renders ABC and all traditional press obsolete or, at least, pitifully impotent to shape and control public opinion as usual. Therefore, the candidate son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas, who has not the disabling trauma of his ancestor’s slavery in the head, is just an easy surrogate target for something that –frighteningly- cannot be easily targeted and taken down.

Of course, there is and always will be people –even at this moment, in which the neo-liberal cycle seems to be finally reaching its end, at least in this country- willing to let themselves be co-opted for a steady check at the end of the month and certain professional prestige. In return they travail their journeys, day after day, on Prozac or Zoloft for a better emotional detachment, at the service of systematic mendacity, and the perpetuation of the privileges of the rich and powerful.

Can you see yourselves in that mirror? If you do, switch to another variety of soma pill, for a better reality-distortion effect, or quit your job. I guarantee you: you would feel happier.

Sincerely,

Julio E. Llosa

BARACK IN ONE WORD?

Madama Ambi — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:25:01 EDT

How to communicate to someone supporting Hillary (passively supporting her) the difference between a president who is a "fighter" and one who is a "leader"...???...and last night, speaking with LisaC from It's the Arts Stupid, she said if she had one word to describe Barack she would call him a "healer"...

If you've got a clear vision of "Barack in One Word" I would like to record it and podcast it. You can call one of my voicemails and leave your statement. Don't just call and leave one word, but give your One Word and then please explain.

Call 415-723-3339 to leave a 1-2 minute statement. Call 206-666-5910 if the other line is busy or if you need to talk a bit more. The 206 voicemail has a welcome message for another project, but it's me and I will get your voicemail.

LES MIZ: Chasing Obama through ABC's Sewer

Virginia Elliott — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:59:26 EDT

They were at it again last night, chasing Jean ValJean through the same stinking sewer with their same phoney patriotism.This time they planted a lapel pin,a whisper of Hamas, and an old land mine Sean Hannity wired up.

Charlie Gibbons and George Stephanopolus, sharing the role of Javert, the obsessive police inspector, stirred the waters to roiling. But last night, Senator Obama was sick of running through their muck. He was tired of playing Frederick March to their Charles Laughton.

As for HRC, she dove to the usual depths. She’s no Annie Oakley, but she knows how to swim with the sharks. She knows it’s better to hunt than be hunted. She’s been there, done that.

As she put it, “everyone has rummaged in it [her baggage] for years.” She made out that she’s cleared customs, but Obama needs a body cavity search.

Protest ABC News, Burbank, Friday, 4/18

Kiko — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:20:17 EDT

Want to protest the debacle known as last night's debate? Join protesters on Friday, April 18, between 4-7pm in front of ABC Studios in Burbank. We'll be passing out flag pins....

A “Gotcha” Debate/Honk for Obama

Gail Brown — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:20:33 EDT

I woke up this morning still angry about last night’s ABC presidential debate, which featured almost 50 minutes of stupid, inane, misleading and sensationalistic questions that had little or nothing substantive to offer voters in their voting decisions. I was so angry last night that I tried to post feedback on the ABC news web site, which crashed repeatedly and was unable to accept further comments once I did get on. After giving up on the public board, I was finally able to leave a complaint with a private official ABC complaint form. Then I left the ABC web site and took a look at barackobama.com. There was an open thread last night, and the posts were full of anger and talks of boycotts, as well as email addresses and telephone numbers for ABC and Disney, its parent company. And I had started writing a blog post with a summary of all the ways in which we Obama supporters could express our disappointment in the substance and format of last night’s debate, including references and links to all the people responsible for last night’s fiasco. But many things which happened today made me think better of it.

First, there was a blog entry on the AOL political page (please don’t laugh at me - Tommy Christopher and David Knowles are very good and Denise Williams is growing on me), from blogger Knowles that predicts that Obama will benefit from taking such a beating without loosing his composure, entitled “Obama may win by loosing.” (For the record, I don’t think he lost and I don’t think Knowles does either.) I felt a little better and better still after I read Josh Marshall on Talking Points Memo and various posts on Huffingtonpost.com. Then, on Time.com, Joe Klein, who is a conservative, reiterated that the debate was tabloid and offensive. It dawned on me that endless complaining about the debate by Obama supporters might harm this wave of support and outrage in the blogosphere.

But the moment I decided that the debate was more advantage than liability occurred today in, of all things, traffic. I noticed this afternoon while driving that people were honking at me, so much that I pulled over, thinking that I had left something on the roof of the car or that I had a flat tire. But there was nothing - my car was fine. In the parking lot at Linens and Things, a woman walked past me and yelled “Obama..all right.” At Costco, another woman gave me the “thumbs up” while pulling out. It dawned on me that the honks in traffic were directed at my “Obama” bumper sticker, which has been on my car for a year and has never produced this type of thing before (the occasional honk, yeah, but not several in one afternoon). Now, I know this is not scientific, but is it possible that that the “gotcha” debate got these folks fired up to support Obama and maybe even got a few off the fence and into the Obama camp? Its one thing to talk about how broken DC is….its another to see it close up through the eyes of two previously refutable journalists who can’t tell the difference between nonsense and policy. So let’s get those bumper stickers on our cars, and the next time your co-worker or relative says “how about that stupid debate,” you can respond that a vote for Obama can end this inane stupidity in Washington.

Senator Obama should set the Debate Agenda

Tennyson — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:18:38 EDT

These so called debates are more like press conferences where reporters try to ask embarrasing questions. After last night's fiasco, I think the candidate should demand a list of questions the moderators would like to ask and obtain a commitment that these will be the only questions.

The senator should only accept the invitation if the list of questions is acceptible to him. He could base his refusal on the grounds that the questions do not relate to the issues of the campaign or relate to matters he has already addressed. He thinks the public deserve a considered answer to important questions, not off the cuff glib responses.

Otherwise he runs the risk of having his dignity compromised by always having to be on the defensive. The networks have a financial interest in dragging out the primary season.

the "pseudo" debate

Molly LaCombe — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:04:49 EDT

I honestly can't believe that the folks at ABC thought that was going to be a REAL debate with the things they focused on. The flag, who one has talked with, what 527s are going to do...come on!!

It is insulting to me as an American to see that go by as a real debate. That they would think that such topics are more important to discuss than the following topics:

Americans living and dying in foreign wars, risking death by sniper fire, and not having seen their families in God knows how long, and not knowing the end game;
The mother with breast cancer, kids, and no insurance;
The family that is now declaring bankruptcy following a home foreclosure;
The person who has come home maimed and mentally injured from a war that most of the country opposes (and half opposed to begin with), and who now comes home to hear his Vice President say "SO?" to this;
Iraqis caught up in civil war and now living in the middle of terrorism, and an emboldened Iran;
An economy on the brink of depression;
A group of terrorists that grows larger as I write this;
Gas at $4.00 a gallon, or close to it.

I just can't believe that ABC thought that was an appropriate debate. Nor can I believe that Hillary Clinton seemed all but overjoyed to engage in that sort of discussion.

It was nothing less than shameful.

Subject: Enough is enough

Erica — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:44:41 EDT

Hi,

If you missed the Democratic presidential debate on ABC Wednesday night, Editor & Publisher called it "perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years."

Moderators George Stephanopolous and Charlie Gibson spent the first 50 minutes obsessed with distractions that only political insiders care about--gaffes, polling numbers, the stale Rev. Wright story, and the old-news Bosnia story. And, channelling Karl Rove, they directed a video question to Barack Obama asking if he loves the American flag or not. Seriously!

I just signed a petition to ABC and other media that says: "Debate moderators abuse the public trust every time they ask trivial questions about gaffes and 'gotchas' that only political insiders care about. Enough with the distractions--ABC and other networks must focus on issues that affect people's daily lives."

Want to sign it to? We need a bunch of signers for ABC to take this concern seriously.
Click here to sign:

http://pol.moveon.org/enoughdistractions/?r_by=12458-4820672-pKucnd&rc=paste

BLOGGING FOR OBAMA: My e-mail to ABC

Danny — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:01:23 EDT

My e-mail to ABC News chief. if you enjoy it, tip the blogger by donating to the campaign via my donation page on my barackobama.com profile.

ABC Debate

Citizen — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:09:58 EDT

The inane debate questions and interruptions by questioners (who viewed themselves as the "stars” and debaters) was an existence proof for the malignancy spreading through our national media: we can no longer discuss real issues in-depth in an honest and open forum.

Some Articles from MSNBC 4/17 with commentary.

EMK — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:02:49 EDT

The debate: I wasn't going to post this MSNBC article, but with this petition that Edward has found (and I signed--throwing in Ammendment IX), I recommend using the article to help motivate you to sign the petition!

Carter: Carter and Hamas politician meet, embrace.

DNA: U.S. seeks to widely expand DNA database. Read the article and take the poll.

Gaza: Gaza doctors: Israeli shell killed cameraman.

There are more important stuff than the debates going on, and there are more than I can post! Just read the articles, feel free to debate, and do the polls and petitions that I got out ther.

Here's a quote from Obama that is relevant now (also cited in my blog If you get bitter...):

From the post: Obama: Voters can be both angry and hopeful.
"Just because you're mad, just because it seems like nobody is listening to ordinary Americans, that's not a reason to give up hope," Obama told the Building Trades National Legislative Conference. "You get mad and then you decide you're going to change it. If you're not angry about something you're going to sit back and let it happen to you. If you're only angry, you don't feel hopeful, and you won't get the energy to change it. I'm mad, but I'm also hopeful."
--Barack Obama

And once again, thanks to Edward for the petition link!

"The society's depravation relies/ not on our differences/ but the separation within."
--Linkin Park, "Frgt/10."

EMK

Thanks for nothing.

Sue — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:56:51 EDT

Gibson and Stephanopoulos should both be fired, and held responsible for the mis-information about Ayer's statements, and for the obvious Clinton-sided bogus debate. Another case of "It's the media STUPID."
What the media doesn't seem to get, is that Americans are not STUPID, and YES WE CAN AND YES WE WILL. It is the urgency of now, and your hold on the electorate is OVER. I didn't learn anything from this event; all it did was reinforce what I already know. Thanks for nothing.

ABC and Hillary Lose Debate

Dena, St. Thomas — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:39:33 EDT

Biased "journalists" from ABC wasted our time and insulted our intelligence last night. Obama kept his cool, his professionalism, and stayed on message.

If you want to weigh in, here are contacts:

ABC Email Contacts:
Charles Gibson: worldnewstonight@abc.com
George Stephanopoulos thisweek@abcnews.com
Gibson's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/CharlesGibson
Peter Salinger (THE MAN IN CHARGE OF ELECTION COVERAGE) Director, Special Events & Sports 212.456.5105 peter.salinger@abc.comABC NEW YORK NEWSROOM: newsradio@abc.com Cristi Landes, Manager, Programming: cristi.d.landes@abc.comWayne Fisk Director, Programming wayne.fisk@abc.com Jeff Fitzgerald, Executive Director, Operations: jeffrey.t.fitzgerald@abc.comHeidi Oringer, Executive Director, Entertainment: heidi.b.oringer@abc.comJon Newman, News Coverage: jonathan.m.newman@abc.comJoyce Alcantara, Assignment Manager: joyce.a.alcantara@abc.comJim Kane, Deputy D.C. Bureau Chief: james.f.kane@abc.comAndrew Kalb, Executive Director, Programming: andrew.l.kalb@abc.comRobert Garcia, Executive Director, News & Sports: robert.garcia@abc.comSteve Jones Vice President ABC NEWS RADIO: 01steve.jones@abc.comABC email: Memberservices@ABC.go.com also: http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html?lid=ABCCOMGlobalFooter&lpos=CONTACTLeave a comment on the ABC News Feedback page: http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3271346&cat=ABC%20News%20SpecialsABC Contribute Page (up to 2,000 characters): "If you have facts or information to add to the story, fill out the form below and we'll get in touch with you." http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3072379
ABC Fax NumbersDavid Weston- President of ABC News- His personal & private fax number: 212-456-4292ABC Newsroom Fax Machine 212.456.5150

The following letter from one journalist to the ones on ABC says it all:

"Thursday, April 17, 2008

The Philadelphia Daily NewsAn open letter to Charlie Gibson and George Stephanapoulos Will BunchDear Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos,

It's hard to know where to begin with this, less than an hour after you signed off from your Democratic presidential debate here in my hometown of Philadelphia, a televised train wreck that my friend and colleague Greg Mitchell has already called, quite accurately, "a shameful night for the U.S. media." It's hard because -- like many other Americans -- I am still angry at what I just witnesses, so angry that it's hard to even type accurately because my hands are shaking. Look, I know that "media criticism" -- especially when it's one journalist speaking to another -- tends to be a genteel, colleagial thing, but there's no genteel way to say this.

With your performance tonight -- your focus on issues that were at best trivial wastes of valuable airtime and at worst restatements of right-wing falsehoods, punctuated by inane "issue" questions that in no way resembled the real world concerns of American voters -- you disgraced my profession of journalism, and, by association, me and a lot of hard-working colleagues who do still try to ferret out the truth, rather than worry about who can give us the best deal on our capital gains taxes. But it's even worse than that. By so badly botching arguably the most critical debate of such an important election, in a time of both war and economic misery, you disgraced the American voters, and in fact even disgraced democracy itself. Indeed, if I were a citizen of one of those nations where America is seeking to "export democracy," and I had watched the debate, I probably would have said, "no thank you." Because that was no way to promote democracy.

You implied throughout the broadcast that you wanted to reflect the concerns of voters in Pennsylvania. Well, I'm a Pennsylvanian voter, and so are my neighbors and most of my friends and co-workers. You asked virtually nothing that reflected our everyday issues -- trying to fill our gas tanks and save for college at the same time, our crumbling bridges and inadequate mass transit, or the root causes of crime here in Philadelphia. In fact, there almost isn't enough space -- and this is cyberspace, where room is unlimited -- to list all the things you could have asked about but did not, from health care to climate change to alternative energy to our policy toward China to the deterioration of Afghanistan to veterans' benefits to improving education. You ignored virtually everything that just happened in what most historians agree is one of the worst presidencies in American history, including the condoning of torture and the trashing of the Constitution, although to be fair you also ignored the policy concerns of people on the right, like immigration issues.

You asked about gun control -- phrased to try for a "gotcha" in a state where that's such a divisive issue -- but not about what we really care about, which is how to reduce crime. You pressed and pressed on those capital gains taxes, but Senators Clinton and Obama were forced to bring up the housing crisis on their own initiative.

Instead, you wasted more than half of the debate -- a full hour -- on tabloid trivia that for the most part wasn't even that interesting, because most of it was infertile ground that has already been covered again and again and again. I'm not saying that Rev. Wright and Bosnia sniper fire and "bitter" were never newsworthy -- I myself wrote about all of these for the Philadelphia Daily News or my Attytood blog, back when they were more relevant -- but the questions were stale yet clearly intended to gin up controversy (they didn't, by the way, other than the controversy over you.) The final questions of that section, asking Obama whether he thought Rev. Wright "loved America" and then suggesting that Obama himself is somehow a hater of the American flag, or worse, were flat-out repulsive.

Are you even thinking when simply echo some of the vilest talking points from far-right talk radio? What are actually getting at -- do you honestly believe that someone with a solid track record as a lawmaker in a Heartland state which elected him to the U.S. Senate, who is now seeking to make some positive American history as our first black president, is somehow un-American, or unpatriotic? Does that even make any sense? Question his policies, or question his leadership. because that is your job as a journalist. But don't insult our intelligence by questioning his patriotism.

Here's a question for you, George. Is it true that yesterday you appeared on the radio with conservative talk radio host Sean Hannity, and that you said you were "taking notes" when he urged you to ask a question about Obama's supposed ties to a former member of the Weather Underground -- which in fact you did. With all the fabulous resources of ABC News at your disposal, is that an appropriate way for a supposed journalist to come up with debate questions, by pandering to divisive radio shows?

And Charlie...could you be any more out of touch with your viewers? Most people aren't millionaires like you, and if Pennsylvanians are losing sleep over economic matters, it is not over whether the capital gains tax will go back up again. I was a little shocked when you pressed and pressed on that back-burner issue and left almost no time for high gas prices, but then I learned tonight that you did the same thing in the last debate, that you fretted over that middle-class family that made $200,000 a year. Charlie, the nicest way that I can put this is that you need to get out more.

But I'm not ready to make nice. What I just watched was an outrage. As a journalist, you appeared to confirm all of the worst qualities that cause people to hold our profession in such low esteem, especially your obsession with cornering the candidates with lame "trick" questions and your complete lack of interest or concern about substance -- or about the American people, or the state of our nation. You embarassed some good people who work at ABC News -- for example, the journalists who worked hard to break this story just last week -- and you embarassed yourselves. The millions of people who watched the debate were embarassed, too -- at the state of our political discourse, and what it has finally become, at long last.

Quickly, a word to any and all of my fellow journalists who happen to read this open letter. This. Must . Stop. Tonight, if possible. I thought that we had hit rock bottom in March 2003, when we failed to ask the tough questions in the run-up to the Iraq war. But this feels even lower. We need to pick ourselves up, right now, and start doing our job -- to take a deep breath and remind ourselves of what voters really need to know, and how we get there, that's it's not all horserace and "gotcha." Although, to be blunt, I would also urge the major candidates in 2012 to agree only to debates that are organized by the League of Women Voters, with citizen moderators and questioners. Because we have proven without a doubt in 2008 that working journalists don't deserve to be the debate "deciders."

Charlie, I'm going to sign off this letter the way that you always sign off the news, that "I hope you had a great day."

Because America just had a horrible night."

Write to ABC Executives!!!

John — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:10:58 EDT

I sent the following letter to each ABC executive today. The following letter was sent to Peter Salinger, head of ABC Election Coverage, peter.salinger@abc.com.

Subject: Who Lost the Debate? ABC

Dear Peter,

Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos showed their contempt for ABC viewers last night when they forced the candidates into an Enquirer-style spectacle. The debate taught Americans close to nothing about the candidates' plans to improve health care, education, or national security.

At least we learned, however, that Obama does not always wear a flag pin and that his neighbor is a former violent radical. We also learned -- for the umpteenth time -- that Clinton inaccurately described her arrival in Bosnia many years ago. Such facts will do wonders for improving the future of our country!

Thank you, ABC, for your compelling essay on everything that is wrong with our media today.

Sincerely,

[my signature and address]

BOYCOTT the MSM especially ABC and FOX

berkelbees feels the winds of change — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:49:07 EDT

Last night's debate was a farce. We can change things at the grassroots level. Write a letter, email, call ABC protesting the debate and the non-issue questioning.

We ARE the BLUEPRINT for change. WE are the MILLIONS of VOICES CALLING for it.

BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT!!!! NOTHING and NO program that you watch on TV is as important as taking back our country.

This is the movement Obama talks about when he says WE are the change. Let's use our anger and bitterness to make things better.

Here is a contact list. Please feel free to cut and paste this blog! Make this VIRAL!

Peter Salinger (THE MAN IN CHARGE OF ELECTION COVERAGE) Director, Special Events & Sports 212.456.5105 peter.salinger@abc.com

Cristi LandesManager, Programming 212.456.5107 cristi.d.landes@abc.com

Wayne Fisk Director, Programming 212.456.5327 wayne.fisk@abc.com

Jeff Fitzgerald Executive Director, Operations 212.456.5554 jeffrey.t.fitzgerald@abc.com

Heidi Oringer Executive Director, Entertainment 212.456.5541 heidi.b.oringer@abc.com

Jon Newman News Coverage 212.456.5100 jonathan.m.newman@abc.com

Joyce Alcantara Assignment Manager 212.456.5106 joyce.a.alcantara@abc.com

Jim Kane Deputy D.C. Bureau Chief 212.222. 6604 james.f.kane@abc.com

Andrew Kalb Executive Director, Programming 05.567.2269 andrew.l.kalb@abc.com

Robert Garcia Executive Director, News & Sports 212.456.5103 robert.garcia@abc.com

Write ABC's Executives to tell them what you think of the Debate:

COPY and paste these addresses to your email:

cristi.d.landes@abc.com, peter.salinger@abc.com, wayne.fisk@abc.com, jeffrey.t.fitzgerald@abc.com, heidi.b.oringer@abc.com, jonathan.m.newman@abc.com, joyce.a.alcantara@abc.com, james.f.kane@abc.com, andrew.l.kalb@abc.com, robert.garcia@abc.com

It's the 2nd, 3rd, 4th day heat that really gets felt..

Lynn Schumacher

someone bitter who is doing something for change

BOYCOTT the MSM especially ABC and FOX

berkelbees feels the winds of change — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:44:34 EDT

Last night's debate was a farce. We can change things at the grassroots level. Write a letter, email, call ABC protesting the debate and the non-issue questioning.

We ARE the BLUEPRINT for change. WE are the MILLIONS of VOICES CALLING for it.

BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT!!!! NOTHING and NO program that you watch on TV is as important as taking back our country.

This is the movement Obama talks about when he says WE are the change. Let's use our anger and bitterness to make things better.

Here is a contact list. Please feel free to cut and paste this blog! Make this VIRAL!

someone bitter who is doing something for change

Boycott the MSM, especially ABC and FOX

berkelbees feels the winds of change — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:40:21 EDT

Last night's debate was a farce. We can change things at the grassroots level. Write a letter, email, call ABC protesting the debate and the non-issue questioning.

We ARE the BLUEPRINT for change. WE are the MILLIONS of VOICES CALLING for it.

BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT!!!! NOTHING and NO program that you watch on TV is as important as taking back our country.

This is the movement Obama talks about when he says WE are the change. Let's use our anger and bitterness to make things better.

Here is a contact list. Please feel free to cut and paste this blog! Make this VIRAL!

Are you going to take it ?

ObamaBob NSB — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:51:22 EDT

Enough's enough!!

I became so angry as the 1st 45 minutes dragged on that nothing, and I mean nothing but tabloid questions and jabs from those two ABC 'news' people teamed up with Hillary to allow NO substantive discussion of issues from these candidates.

It's the classic distraction politics of separation, polarization and tabloid one-liner's to 'lift' the election from issues of merit and the hope for a better future. It is, and was, the classic politics of the Republican guru, Carl Rove. He was a master of this tactic and now I’m ashamed to say it's our own Hillary Clinton, a democrat, who is using it to divide and conquer the nomination and separate the electorate from the fundamental issues.

As was so well stated in an earlier blog, if you're tired of a slash and burn politics that trades distraction for real debate, you don't have to sit idly and watch anymore. You can speak out, you can organize, make calls, knock doors, donate, and vote. Together, we can change politics in America.

Speak out! Here's our group blog (this was from our local group but all are welcome): http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/group/newsmyrnaforobama/

Organize! Here's our group, please join (or search out the Obama group in your area): http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/newsmyrnaforobama

Make calls! Here's where you can make calls from your home: http://my.barackobama.com/page/contact/splash/callpennsylvania

Knock doors! Here's the trip to NC: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/cometonc As with our Trip to PA, I'll be glad to help with arrangements and sometimes donated plane tickets.

DONATE! DONATE! DONATE! This is our best way to respond to the tabloid attacks last night! Please help our group fundraiser for Barack here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/maingroup/newsmyrnaforobama

Let's make a difference and stop this divisive attack politics that leave people's needs behind!

YES WE CAN!!

The ABC Debacle

Alamantra — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:58:41 EDT

The ABC debate, last night, was some of the worst garbage I've seen in several campaign cycles. It was obvious that the whole thing was slanted to favor Hillary Clinton's scorched earth policy. This included the constant camera pans to Chelsea Clinton and Clinton supporter/insider, Pennsylvania Governer Rendell.
1. One of the moderators used to be her husband's press secretary. (a Clinton insider).2. That Clinton insider used the question of Bill Ayers, which was given to him from right-wingers.3. Hillary's comment to the Bill Ayers question was obviously pre-pared with the obvious intention of opening this non-issue up.4. Obama was only given time to answer for people he has been associated with ...for what it comes down to... merely being a resident of Chicago and thus having to interact with the established institutions in Chicago. (i.e. a. Rev. Wright's church is one of the largest and most influential in the city. It only makes sense that a black politician who was looking to work with faith-based outreach would attend, regardless of what the pastor may have said. Eight thousand other people go to that church. b. Bill Ayers is an established resident in Chicago who is involved in his community. c.Rezko is a power-broker in Chicago, and rubs shoulders with everyone with access to power. Avoiding him in the political scene would be about as easy as working in the dog-house and never being bitten by a flea.)5. Hillary got thrown soft-balls. The only difficult thing she had was the "Bosnia" issue and the moderators did not follow it up. (By the same rules of association that have been used on Obama, Hillary could be tied to The Black Panthers. She SHOULD be tied to the convicted criminal Peter Paul who financed the biggest fundraising gala of her 2000 Senate campaign in Hollywood. This has been amazingly covered up by the corporate media. Hillary could have and should have been asked about her 1995 comment inregards to white southern blue-collar workers in which she said, "Screw em." ...She really cares about the voters. 6. Obama was not allowed by the moderators to really discuss any actual policy issues. They said he already used his time defending himself during their smear campaign. So Hillary got to dominate the substantive part of the hazing. Re: the issue of Obama and the flag pin: I have a flag pin, Sen. Obama can HAVE it if he really needs one. It's still in the package. I bought it right after 9/11. The reason its still in the package is because the package is clearly marked with the words: MADE IN CHINA ...How appropriate. Showing your patriotic pride by buying these stupid things is just another small thing you can do to enable China in its quest to ascend to America's former place on the global stage. Good work, "patriots"!7. Hillary did get the policy questions. ...And what did she do with that opportunity? She showed that she really doesn't have the understanding that the executive branch is limited by the constitution in the scope of its powers. She announced that she would create an umbrella of American protectionism over the Middle East ...something like NATO? Never mind that the conditions of society in that part of the world are nothing like the social conditions of Europe and that the whole idea reeks of madness. For a person running for president to say something like this is an open sign of raw meglomania. She stated that if Iran attacked Israel, American response would be swift and severe. This is all fine and good except that the president cannot "respond" without due authorization of congress. Obama's response was far more sensible ...'We would respond appropriately.'
This so-called debate was, in reality, a classic hoodwinking. Obama handled it far better than I would have. Twenty minutes into it, I said out loud: "He should walk off the stage and tell them when they're ready to have a real debate to call him." ...But he stood there and dealt with it; and because of this I feel perfectly vindicated in the confidence I have placed with him as MY PRESIDENT. I already voted for him, during the primary here in Alabama ...and he won our state. He will win it again in November and Alabama, which is traditionally a red state, will go blue. Hillary doesn't have a prayer in this state ..."Screw her."As soon as the "debate" was over, I flipped it over to MSNBC to see how General Electric was playing it. In all fairness they brought on Sen. Casey who was eloquent enough, and then they rolled out that scum-bag, Howard Wolfson. He really needs to take some of the money he's getting via his role in the Columbian trade deal and go and see a dentist to get his teeth cleaned. ...This is national television for cryin' out loud. Wolfson basically said that every piece of slime hurled at Sen. Obama was 'justified' ...and any questions about Hillary Clinton should be dismissed as insignificant or off-topic. ...Typical. Fortunately, he was fairly brief as he had to make his rounds to all the network to spew his filth on as many Americans as he could in an hour.This morning, on MSNBC with Joe Scarborough, the tone was that, generally speaking, Sen Obama had "lost" last night's debate and handled it pporly. I couldn't disagree with you more, Joe. There was no debate to lose. Fortunately you and Pat have made it clear where General Electric stands on this. I take it is a positive sign that the corporate establishment ...the status quo... is against Barack Obama. It speaks well for his integrity. It is a good thing, also, that scum-bags like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have it out for him, too. These rat's days are numbered and they will soon drown in their own filth. ...And this is a very good thing for the rest of us.The thing I've learned from this experience is that I'm done with ABC and Disney. They are irresponsible and simply cannot handle that task that their use of the public airwaves mandates. And from reading a fair sampling across the internet, I'm not the only one who has reached that decision. Sponsors, take note.Taken from: http://www.alamantra.blogspot.com

Worst. Debate. Ever. - Huffpo

Mary from Vermont — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:26:14 EDT

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/16/worst-debate-ieveri_n_97125.html

POOH ON ABC & HILLARY TOO

BRGHTSD1 HOPE & COURAGE — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:24:56 EDT

PACK UP THE TIGGERS
THE EYORES
AND ROO'S
PACK UP THE MICKEY'S
THE MINNIE'S
THE POOH'S
PACK UP THE BOOKS, THE PLUSH AND CD'S
TELL ABC THAT YOU'RE NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST BIT PLEASED.

TELL THEM THAT YOU THINK THAT NEWS SHOULD MEAN FACTS...NOT PANDERING, WANDERING, SLANDEROUS CRAP.
TELL EM' THE INFOMERCIAL, THE PREVIEW MCCAIN WAS NOT VERY NICE, IN FACT WAS INSANE.

YES, GIVE DISNEY (ABC) THEIR STUFF BACK...SEND A MESSAGE "I'M BITTER & MAD"...THIS WASN'T A DEBATE IT WAS JUST PLAIN SAD"..."I'D RATHER BE POOH-LESS THAN GIVE YOU A DIME"..."I'M NOT GONNA' TAKE IT, OH NO, NOT THIS TIME".

OKAY...SO THIS IS MY POEM...I KNOW IT'S NOT GREAT...BUT I KNOW IT'S NOT HILLARY'S TURN IN 08.

List of ABC Sponsors

Soldierette!! (CENSORED) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:00:33 EDT

I found this list of sponsors for ABC with a quick google search. I did not write this or research this stuff. I got the list from THIS WEBSITE. Please CONTACT THEM to let them know your displeasure with the way they handled the debate tonight!!!

PLEASE PASS IT AROUND!!

---------

This is an advertiser list. For an extensive list of companies involved with the film and Disney's major shareholders, see highacidity's diary.

My list is undoubtedly partial, but this is the best I could do. Not everyone will contact every advertiser here, so if you have to pick and choose, I suggest you use the following criteria:

1. Call the ones you do business with first.
2. Call companies that you have considered doing business with.
3. If you find a hometown company, call them.

Some pointers on the calls:

1. Be polite.
2. No need to threaten them. Just politely but strongly register your objection and your demand that they pull their support of ABC.

Ok, that's it. Now here is the list. Have at it.

Aloha Airlines
http://www.alohaairlines.com/
Mailing Address:
Aloha Airlines Customer Relations
P.O. Box 30028
Honolulu, Hawaii 96820
Telephone support: 888-771-2855 (or) 808-539-5994
Fax support: 808-539-5999

Sears
http://www.sears.com
Mailing:
Sears National Customer Relations
3333 Beverly Road
Hoffman Estates, IL 60179
Customer Service #: 1-800-349-4358
Mr. Clean and Swiffer
Divisions of Home Made Simple
Email Form
Charles Schwab
http://www.schwab.com/
866-855-9102
Charles Schwab Bank, N.A.
5190 Neil Road, Suite 100
Reno, NV 89502-8532
Kellogg's
Email Page
Consumer Affairs Number: 800-962-1413
Chase Rewards Card
Email Page
Phone: 1-800-432-3117
AAA
Go to http://www.aaa.com and enter your zipcode to find your state/local numbers
Bounty
A division of Proctor & Gamble
Email page
Symantec
World HQ (Cupertino, CA) #: 1-408-517-8000
Subway
http://www.subway.com
Subway Franchise Headquarters
325 Bic Drive
Milford, CT 06460 USA
Tel.(203) 877-4281 / (800) 888-4848
Customer Service Form
Mitshubishi
http://www.mitsubishicars.com/...
1-888-MITSU2005
1-866-876-3018
T-Mobile
http://www.t-mobile.com/
1-800-937-8997
Mazda
http://www.mazdausa.com/
1-800-222-5500
CitiGroup
http://www.citigroup.com/
399 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10043
U.S.A.
800-285-3000
Claritin
http://www.claritin.com
1-800-CLARITIN
Email Form
Jell-O
Product of Kraft Foods
Email form
Choose your age and "General Comment about Kraft" as the "subject"
Home Depot
http://www.homedepot.com
1-800-553-3199
Red Lobster
http://www.redlobster.com
Corporate HQ:
5900 Lake Ellenor Drive
Orlando, FL 32809
(407) 245-4000
Hyundai Motor America
http://www.hyundaiusa.com
800-633-5151
HQ: 714-965-3000
CashCall
A Division of First Bank & Trust
1-877-289-0685
Customer Service: 1-877-525-2274
Comcast
http://www.comcast.com
1-800-COMCAST
Email form
Aflac
http://www.aflac.com/...
Media Relations: 1-706-243-8004
Customer Service: 1-800-992-3522
Admin Service: 1-877-353-9487
Nissan
http://www.nissanusa.com
(800) NISSAN-1 (or 800-647-7261)
Email form - http://www.nissanusa.com/... (start with the topic "general question")
Carl's Junior
(877) 799-7827
Email form

ABC GETS HAMMERED!!!

Nickie — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:31:23 EDT

I just returned from ABC's site and left my Im not happy with you comment about the sham of a debate. And there are over 10 thousand comments on that site.. Almost 99 percent by people pissed off at ABC and the moderators about it being the worse debate in history. Legend!

POOH ON HILLARY AND ABC TOO

BRGHTSD1 HOPE & COURAGE — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:51:20 EDT

ABC NEWS POLL

BRGHTSD1 HOPE & COURAGE — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:17:29 EDT

Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama squared off ahead of next week's crucial Pennsylvania primary.

Who won the Democratic debate?

Sen. Barack Obama
7,892Sen. Hillary Clinton 3,072It was a tie 829

Total Vote: 11,793

Feel free to go on their site and place your vote...then TURN THEM OFF...SHAME ON ABC...falling into Springerization of news at a time when our country and the world need truth more than ever.

Charles Gibson: Abusing the Consitution.

EMK — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:59:43 EDT

Notice how the commentators were citing articles and ammendments of the Consitution, just before they started blasting questions?

Well, I'd like to throw it back at them:

Ammendment IX:

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Mr. Gibson, you're lucky you're MSM and not gov't, but you should have paid attention to this ammendment anyway!

EMK

"I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" AMERICA IS BITTER AND FRUSTRATED

supportobama2008 — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:11:45 EDT

To: RESIDENTS OF AMERICA:

Here's how it is: in a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania and all through out our United States, people have been beaten down so long. They feel so betrayed by government that when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn't buy it. But the truth is, is that, our challenge is to get people persuaded that we can make progress when there's not evidence of that in their daily lives. You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter. Barack Obama, 4/11/2008 "The underlying truth of what I said remains, which is simply that people who have seen their way of life upended because of economic distress are frustrated and rightfully so," Barack Obama, 4/12/2008 "I want to campaign the same way I govern, which is to respond directly and forcefully with the truth," Barack Obama, 11/08/07 Qoute From the movie "Network" 1976 Howard Beale: I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's work, banks are going bust, shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TV's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, 'Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.' Well, I'm not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you've got to get mad. Howard Beale: [shouting] You've got to say, 'I'm a HUMAN BEING, Goddamnit! My life has VALUE!' So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, [shouting] Howard Beale: 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!' I want you to get up right now, sit up, go to your windows, open them and stick your head out and yell - 'I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad!... You've got to say, 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: Howard Beale: [screaming at the top of his lungs] "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" Howard Beale: All I know is, you've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm a human being, goddamn it. My life has value." Howard Beale: We'll tell you anything you want to hear, we lie like hell. Howard Beale: You're beginning to believe the illusions we're spinning here, you're beginning to believe that the tube is reality and your own lives are unreal. You do. Why, whatever the tube tells you: you dress like the tube, you eat like the tube, you raise your children like the tube, you even think like the tube. This is mass madness, you maniacs. In God's name, you people are the real thing, WE are the illusion. If You Feel As An American That Because Of The Previuos Administrations of the last 20 Years, Actions or Inactions, Have Left You Bitter Or Frustrated and Angry. I Write This To Poll America Since The Media Can Poll Everything Else Except This. If You Can Identify With This Petition? Please Sign This Petition Sincerely, The Undersigned

VIDEO PREVIEWS: Obama will be on "The View" Friday 3/28

Sis O — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:56:47 EDT

This is a Must See on Friday. Especially how these women have been so anti-Obama and I actually never watch this show. A video preview shows them almost flirting with Obama. Don't forget to see or set your machines. Help spread the word!

http://abc.go.com/daytime/theview/index

Sis

Confront the Spin Machine - Write the MainStream Media NOW!

Soldierette!! (CENSORED) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:20:05 EDT

Obama Supporters,

The time is past due for us to take back these elections. The mainstream media is distorting the truth and insisting that we don't need to hear about the issues that confront our nation. They SHOULD be allowing each candidate to get their message out, but instead, insist on spinning the LIE about Rev. Wright, the "typical white woman" slant, and Obama being unpatriotic, but refuse to cover the LIE (LIE, LIE!) from Hillary Clinton's trip to Bosnia and her follow-up LIE (LIE, LIE!) about Clinton's "mis-spoke on Bosnia".

HOLD THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA TO THE TRUTH AND ONLY THE TRUTH!

Write, and continue to write, with each story you see on tv or the internet that is blatantly false or spun out of control, such as they did with the Rev. Wright story.

If WE do not DEMAND that the media stop with the SPIN and LIES and allow the issues to be heard, then WE do not truly own this campaign!

Tell them - NOT THIS TIME! NOT THIS ELECTION! IT'S TOO IMPORTANT TO ALLOW THIS TO GO ON!

There is also a list of FOX NEWS SPONSORS IN THIS BLOG - WRITE THEM ALL AND TELL THEM THAT YOU WILL NOT SUPPORT THEM AS LONG AS FOX NEWS REMAINS THE REPORTING FUNCTION OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY. THEN STOP USING THEIR PRODUCTS! WE CONTROL THIS CAMPAIGN, NOT THE MEDIA! TAKE CHARGE AND START WRITING!

--------------------

ABC:

General e-mail: netaudr@abc.com
Nightline: nightline@abcnews.com
20/20: 2020@abc.com

CBS:

CBS Evening News: evening@cbsnews.com
The Early Show: earlyshow@cbs.com
60 Minutes II: 60II@cbsnews.com
48 Hours: 48hours@cbsnews.com
Face The Nation: ftn@cbsnews.com

CNN:http://www.cnn.com/feedback/cnntv/

Faux:

General: comments@foxnews.com
Special Report with Brit Hume: Special@foxnews.com
FOX Report with Shepard Smith: Foxreport@foxnews.com
The O'Reilly Factor: Oreilly@foxnews.com
Hannity & Colmes: Hannity@foxnews.com, Colmes@foxnews.com
On the Record with Greta: Ontherecord@foxnews.com

NBC:

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams: nightly@nbc.com
NBC News Today: today@nbc.com
Dateline NBC: dateline@nbc.com
Meet the Press

MSNBC:

Hardball with Chris Matthews: hardball@msnbc.com
MSNBC Reports with Joe Scarborough: msnbcreports@msnbc.com

PBS:

newshour@pbs.org

NPR:

All Things Considered: atc@npr.org
Morning Edition: morning@npr.org
Talk Of The Nation: totn@npr.org

****WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR****

The Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: letters@latimes.com
Readers' Representative: readers.rep@latimes.com

The New York Times
Letters to the Editor (for publication): letters@nytimes.com
Write to the news editors: nytnews@nytimes.com

USA Today
Letters to the Editor: editor@usatoday.com

The Wall Street Journal
Letters to the Editor: wsj.ltrs@wsj.com
Comment on News Articles: wsjcontact@dowjones.com

The Washington Post
Letters to the Editor: letters@washpost.com
Ombudsman: ombudsman@washpost.com

Newsweek
Letters to the Editor: letters@newsweek.com

Time
Letters to the Editor: letters@time.com

U.S. News & World Report
Letters to the Editor: letters@usnews.com

AND DON'T FORGET TO SEND A COPY OF YOUR LETTER TO:
fair@fair.org

Defining how the game is played and won

Chip Roberson in Sonoma, CA — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:58:57 EDT

There were some developments over the past couple of days that I believe deserve closer scrutiny. Most notably there were comments from President Bill Clinton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that reflect significantly on the struggle to define winning - most delegates or popular vote. Additionally, I took a peak inside at the composition and alignment of the Superdelegates and saw something that should not be ignored.

FAIR's Media Contact List

Mary from Vermont — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:15:20 EDT

FAIR's Media Contact ListLet your voice be heard! Talk back to the media.Network/Cable Television

ABC News
77 W. 66 St., New York, NY 10023
Phone: 212-456-7777
General e-mail: netaudr@abc.com
Nightline: nightline@abcnews.com
20/20: 2020@abc.com

CBS News
524 W. 57 St., New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-975-4321
Fax: 212-975-1893
Email forms for all CBS news programs
CBS Evening News: evening@cbsnews.com
The Early Show: earlyshow@cbs.com
60 Minutes II: 60II@cbsnews.com
48 Hours: 48hours@cbsnews.com
Face The Nation: ftn@cbsnews.com

CNN
One CNN Center, Box 105366, Atlanta, GA 30303-5366
Phone: 404-827-1500
Fax: 404-827-1906
Email forms for all CNN news programs

Fox News Channel
1211 Ave. of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 301-3000
Fax: (212) 301-4229
comments@foxnews.com
List of Email addresses for all Fox News Channel programs
Special Report with Brit Hume: Special@foxnews.com
FOX Report with Shepard Smith: Foxreport@foxnews.com
The O'Reilly Factor: Oreilly@foxnews.com
Hannity & Colmes: Hannity@foxnews.com, Colmes@foxnews.com
On the Record with Greta: Ontherecord@foxnews.com

NBC
30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112
Phone: 212-664-4444
Fax: 212-664-4426

List of Email addresses for all NBC news programs
NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams: nightly@msnbc.com
NBC News Today: today@nbc.com
Dateline NBC: dateline@nbc.com

MSNBC
One MSNBC Plaza
Secaucus, NJ 07094
Phone: (201) 583-5000
Fax: (201) 583-5453
CNBC
2200 Fletcher Ave.
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Phone: (201) 585-2622
Fax: (201) 583-5453

List of Email addresses for all MSNBC news programs

Hardball with Chris Matthews: hardball@msnbc.com
MSNBC Reports with Joe Scarborough: msnbcreports@msnbc.com

PBS
1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-739-5000
Fax: 703-739-8458
The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer: newshour@pbs.org

National Radio Programs

National Public Radio
635 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001-3753
Phone: 202-513-2000
Fax: 202-513-3329
E-mail: Chantal de la Rionda, assistant to the Ombudsman ombudsman@npr.org
All Things Considered: atc@npr.org
Morning Edition: morning@npr.org
Talk Of The Nation: totn@npr.org
List of Email addresses for all NPR news programs

The Rush Limbaugh Show
1270 Avenue of the Americas, NY 10020
Phone: 800-282-2882
Fax: 212-563-9166
E-mail: rush@eibnet.com

Sean Hannity Show
E-mail: Phil Boyce, Program Director phil.boyce@abc.com

National Newspapers

The Los Angeles Times
202 West First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 800-528-4637 or 213-237-5000
Fax: 213-237-4712
Letters to the Editor: letters@latimes.com
Readers' Representative: readers.rep@latimes.com
L.A. Times Contact Information by Department

The New York Times
229 W. 43rd St., New York, NY 10036
Phone: 212-556-1234
Fax: 212-556-3690
D.C. Bureau phone: 202-862-0300
Letters to the Editor (for publication): letters@nytimes.com
Write to the news editors: nytnews@nytimes.com
New York Times Contact Information by Department
How to Contact New York Times Reporters and Editors
USA Today
7950 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, VA 22108
Phone: 800-872-0001 or 703-854-3400
Fax: 703-854-2165

Letters to the Editor: editor@usatoday.com
Give feedback to USA Today

The Wall Street Journal
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The Media's Barack Attacks & time to Fight

CorpusMama — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:25:04 EST

Thanks for reading my blog. I think our comments should all be shown to Barack's campaign team. But in replying to how we are getting this Media Blitz from ABC (All Bout Clinton), CNN(Clinton News Network) and NBC (Nothing but Clinton) I am not even going to watch TV tonight because if I hear one more comment from her same old,old surrogates(Leon Pinheadnetta, Susan Ostrich ,Terry Thegallof, Paul Bulllottof, etc.) I think I might vomit. They were soooooo smug yesterday. And today....yuk!

Isn't it disgusting?

If Hillary had won 12 straight states in a row the media would have thrown Barack out of the race long ago. They would have put the political nails on his coffin with glee.

Hillary scolds the media and they respond like obediant scared little puppies.

The season premiere of SNL even had Brian Williams admit the media had pre-determined her as the winner.

We didn't hear Barack whining about that.

He has too much class. But as far as I'm concerned enough is enough Barack. Fight back.
Unlike Hillary, we know you'll be fighting for us.

Former Bush Chief Strategist: Obama will Win Nomination

Grand Moff Joseph — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:57:22 EST

Short editorial by Matt Dowd, wwho has served in the political arena for a long time, most recently as Dubya's Chief Strategist for the 2004 elections. In this piece, he states his case for why Obama will win the Dem party nomination.

Obama- Clinton are even in ABC-Washinngton Post national Poll

Obama for President — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:54:29 EST

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/02/03/ST2008020300009.html?hpid=topnews

Obama Talks Back: the Clintons

Connie — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:45:19 EST

Here is Obama talks back on GMA/ABC:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4164644&affil=wmtw

Are the Clintons painting themselves into a negative corner?

Get ready to fight back

jbr — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:11:06 EST

Are you democrats starting to realize what ole Bill and Hill are really like that they will do or say anything to win... Don't let them run over you. Start calling their offices and asking who is running for prez Bill or Hill? Ask them not to distort what Obama says. When Obama talked about Reagan last week he was talking about the HOPE Reagan made people feel. Barrack does the same thing, but to hear Hillary, she is trying to get dems to associate Barrack with Reagans policies, which dems certainly won't go far. You need to call her campaign offices (they are listed on her website.. look for them) and tell them to tell her QUIT Lying. Get off your butts and start calling in talk shows and telling the world you are sick of the lies Bill and Hill are putting out and America needs to be brought together NOT be futher torn apart. People are looking for unity not division. Most republicans could and in their hearts feel like change is a coming... BUT most republicans don't want 4 mores years of Clinton shenanigans. And Bill won't be able to last four years without some... if you know what I mean. Please dems...get off your BUTTS and get involved ... let's get fired up!!!!!!

News Channels providing free air to Hilary

haydenlh — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:43:57 EST

I noticed in the New Hampshire primary...days leading up to the election and days after Hilary Clinton is getting a lot of free air time from the news media! Including one attack on Barack in the hour before the polls opened on Good Morning America. This attack came by two from Hilary and one from Bill. Hilary alleged that because a lobbiest was working in Barack's New Hampshire campiagn that Barack was curpt, the second one was on the voting of the Patriot Act, and then Bill Cliton twisted, parsed and paraphased Baracks quotes to make him seem dirty.

From the research that I have gathered states former South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges is a lobbist for who now runs a lobbying firm, the Hodges Consulting Group, and is registered himself as a federal lobbyist for Hillenbrand Partners, a Chicago-based company that does business with the Federal Home Loan Bank, according to U.S. Senate lobbying disclosure records.

My note here is that he is mostly a state lobbiest and it is not like the Hodges Consulting Group is pouring millions of dollars into the Obama campaign. The main argument is that Jim Hodges will not be put in charge of pharmaceutical legislation. That by itself is a hugh change in politics.

On the issue of the Patriot Act was that Barack didn't vote for the bill he was talking about it to the reporter. This was an altered version of the bill.

Bill is just selling ocean front property in Arizonia trying to get Hilary the nomination. It is pretty sad a former president would sell out his county!

I think the major issue I have seen in the last week is all the news channels are giving Hilary a massive amount of free air time. The worst thing is that any statment is not being vetted. I mean how as a responsible news source could you allow this much political bais and think that you are fair and balanced. I think it is irresponsible to use the media network to influience a primary election in the way ABC's Good Morning America has.

Live Blogging During the Debate

Kevin — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 20:49:35 EST

I will be live blogging during the debate and posting at my personal Blog The Command T.O.C. It should be a good one. Barack should come in very confident and will act and BE the leader of this group.

ABC/Washington Post Poll Puts Obama within 6 points!

Alan from Washington, DC — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:58:57 EST

Sen. Obama is RAPIDLY closing the gap and nipping at Sen. Clinton's heels (no pun) in New Hampshire. The latest ABC/Washington Post puts Sen. Obama just six points behind, almost within the margin of error! New Hampshire volunteers and visiting canvassers, keep pushing! We're on the road to glory!

Senator Obama on The View Thursday!

vette58 — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:44:31 EDT

Senator Barack Obama will be on The View tomorrow, Thursday, Sept 27th on ABC. In Las Vegas that time is 10:00 a.m. on Channel 13.

Senator Barack Obama on The View Thursday!

vette58 — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:43:19 EDT

Senator Barack Obama will be on The View tomorrow, Thursday, Sept 27th on ABC. In Las Vegas that time is 10:00 a.m. on Channel 13.

Barck Obama on the View Thursday!

vette58 — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:40:53 EDT

Senator Barack Obama will be on The View tomorrow, Thursday, Sept 27th on ABC. In Las Vegas that time is 10:00 a.m. on Channel 13.

Greenspan Memoir Democratic Gift, Republican Grenade

Lisa Beyer — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:18:04 EDT

Greenspan Memoir Democratic Gift, Republican Grenade, September 17, 2007

_________________________________________________________________________

Lisa Beyer

Precinct Deputy Captain in Las Vegas Precinct 6475

Why I Support Barack Obama for President
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Southern Nevada for Obama Testimonial
Southern Nevada for Obama - A Grassroots Campaign Effort

Did you know...

On January 19, 2008, Nevada will be the 2nd state in the nation to caucus for a presidential nominee!

Democrats will meet at their designated sites at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2008
NV Democratic Caucus FAQs
Clark County, NV Residents: Find Your Precinct Here

DailyKos posts favorable blog!

WillowGr — Sun, 13 May 2007 23:39:57 EDT

Surprise! Someone over at DailyKos has actually written a post supporting Obama. This must be a first. I'm so happy to see it.

Link the Forest and the Trees: Barack Obama 2008by Jennifer ClareSun May 13, 2007 at 12:24:57 PM PDT

On today's This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Senator Barack Obama sat down with Stephanopoulos in an interview that illuminated his political philosophy and thought processes in a very interesting way.

What is most compelling to me about Senator Obama, and the chief reason that I support his candidacy over the many other quality candidates we have in our field this cycle, is his understanding of both an overall vision of what America fundamentally is, as well as the nuts and bolts of how to get things done.

Barack Obama is not an either/or thinker; he is wholistic in his approach, a quality that could serve us well in a President.

Jennifer Clare's diary :: ::

Stephanopoulos' questions addressed a number of issues, including Obama's "experience" to handle the job; his war funding votes; taxes; social security; affirmative action and larger questions regarding race in America. Obama's responses revealed a depth of intellect and wisdom that we rarely witness in politicians. I believe the discussion also gave us a glimpse of what someone who is primarily dedicated to public service, and at the same time wise to the way politics are played, really looks like.

In response to the interviewer's claim that getting 16 GOP Senators to vote in favor of a funding bill that puts limits on the President is something "that is not gonna happen, Obama discussed why continuing to "ratchet up the pressure" on Bush loyalists to end this war is a smart part of the overall strategy to bring the occupation to an end. Asked whether he would be willing to give Bush a "blank check" on funding, the answer was a firm "No".

The host also tried to box Obama in on taxes, social security and affirmative action. Stephanopoulos asked about why Obama's daughters should get preferential treatment when applying to college, to which Obama responded that they should actually be treated as advantaged in the application process. His approach would be to also look at the disadvantaged white student who qualifies but may not be able to afford higher education.

Take a look at the whole interview; I think you'll see a candidate who can see both the forest and the trees. And in my opinion, that ability is precisely what we need in our chief executive at this juncture.

ACTION ITEM: ABC NEWS POLL

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 12:02:34 EST

This in from Scott Wolverine (Ypsilani, MI)

Hey Everybody,

Tell people to go to abcnews.go(.com) and under "Be Seen, Be Heard", they have a link to vote for who you want to become the next President. We need a bunch of people to go out there and vote for Barack Obama, as he is currently in 2nd place among all the presidential candidates, both Democratic and Republican, and is very close to overtaking Senator Clinton for 1st place overall. It would be nice to see that line graph next to Obama's name shoot right off their page!

We have by everyone's measure the best, the most organized, and the most energetic presidential campaign in America today. Let's swing into action and put Obama ahead on ABC right now!

FORWARD THIS ON TO EVERYONE IN THE CAMPAIGN AND LET'S ROCK!!!!