Posts with the tag running mate

Why not make THE most important change now?

Unknown user — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:50:20 EDT

Is there really anything wrong with admitting you made a mistake in selecting Biden as your running mate? After Palin was chosen by McCain I sense a significant shift occured in the consciousness of America. The idea of splitting the top posts by gender resonates many people, almost every woman, and this is why McCain is doing so well in the opinion polls.

Barack, if you make the change and choose Hillary as your running mate, not only will you dramatically increase your chances of winning the election but you will help establish a very strong precedent. This may well cement a transformation of the US political landscape as well as produce a step change in progess towards gender equality. I am sure Clinton will realise this and will not refuse your invitation.

Make the change that people can believe in. What is stopping you?

Sarah Palin sheds light on the painful side of the Pro Life agenda

Sahil — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:56:58 EDT

I think Sarah Palin will end up hurting the Pro life camp and also her presidential ticket.

Sarah Palin’s choice of continuing with her pregnancy even though she knew the child had Down syndrome has made me think about the abortion issue. I was surprised to realize that Sarah Palin’s choice of continuing the pregnancy symbolizes one of the most questionable and painful positions of the pro life camp. I think every body who thinks about Palin will think about her this particular choice and as a consequence think about pro life positions in a fearful way. I wonder as to why Senator McCain would try to portray pro life position in such a painful way.

Did McCain just end his bid for president?

Tyler, TX for Obama — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:30:32 EDT

His entire campaign until this point has been about his belief that Obama does not have the experience required to be the president. Now his running mate is younger and has zero foreign policy experience. McCain said he would pick someone that would be ready to be president if something happened to him. He is 72 years old and has had issues with skin cancer in the past. He has contradicted himself on his own emphasis on the importance of experience and his statement that he would pick someone ready to be president if needed. Tell me what you think.

V.P. Biden

Marv — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:48:44 EDT

What a ticket! Sen. Joe Biden is an excellent choice for Obama's running mate. I had hoped for this combination and am so happy it came to fruition. These are two men who will work tirelessly to get our county back on track and moving forward.

Analysis of Freudian Slip in Springfield, Illinois

Al Pao in San Francisco — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:24:51 EDT

The McCain camp thinks that Barack Obama deep down believes that he is not prepared to be president by inadvertently introducing Joe Biden as the next president of the United States even though he immediately corrected himself and introduced Joe Biden as the next vice-president of the United States.

I disagree.

Barack Obama’s inadvertence in introducing Joe Biden as the next president of the United States proves Barack Obama’s honesty in his intention to pick someone who is qualified to be president on day one or at the end of Obama’s eight year term, not merely his campaign "attack dog."

The Freudian slip also shows how much respect and reverence Barack Obama has for Joe Biden, not only for his work in the Senate, but also for whom Joe Biden is as a person.

The slip reinforces Barack Obama’s intent on having a vice-president who is willing, ready and able to work with Barack Obama as president on day one to repair the dilapidated job market, economy, energy policy, Mideast affairs and moral compass.

The slip also points to a successful bonding of political and personal friendship, when the president and the vice-president can think with one mind and speak with one voice, when status, labels and titles can almost be inconsequential and interchangeable.

It is around this one-voice phenomenon that Barack Obama has rallied Americans to strive for the unification of the red and blue states and inspired people across the continent with his proclamation in Berlin, that he is a citizen of the world.

Barack Obama’s Freudian slip today in Springfield, Illinois, proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Barack Obama is not a person who needs to be conscious of or insecure about his status or label or title, but one who values the right of every other to take part in this life, in which all of us are equal and responsible partners.

Obama-Biden: Progressive, Challenged, Changed

Marjani — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:01:48 EDT

Video Clip

Obama/Biden 08!

Steve4Obama! — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 12:42:26 EDT

Well after three and a half days of awaiting the text message from Barack stating who his V.P would be, the news has finally arrived. At 3am on 08/23 the text message came through stating that Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be his running mate. I must say that I am very pleased with this decision because Biden has a very long and strong political background and when teamed up with Barack Obama they do indeed make the often referred to "Dream Team". Together I am very confident that they will take on John McCain and the republicans, give it to them hard, and on November 4th Barack Obama will be elected president! YES WE CAN!

-Steven
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/Steve4Obama

OBAMA-BIDEN 08!

Josh In Michigan — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:44:48 EDT

Senator Barack Obama today announced that he has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be his running mate. He is uniquely suited to serve as Barack Obama’s partner in the urgent mission to bring about the change America needs put our country back on track.

Senator Obama let the nation know his choice through a text message, which was sent early this morning.

Obama and Biden will be holding their first appearance as a ticket together this afternoon at 3:00 PM, so make sure to watch this historic event on this website or on your television.

I am very proud to be part of a movement that has two such amazing leaders at its helm. Join me in welcoming Senator Biden to the Obama campaign by sending him a welcome note.

Joe is the one!

Dr. Owen Scott, III — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:59:38 EDT

Barack showed his wisdom and insight once more in choosing a running mate for substance over regional appeal. Joe Biden is experienced, astute, likeable, passionate, and he knows how many houses he owns. Fasten your seat belts and let the passion begin.

The Right Man for the Job: Biden Steps Forward

Jackie — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:50:25 EDT

The full article

It IS official, as of a couple minutes ago. It's an Obama/Biden ticket!!

Excerpt:

In Senator Joe Biden, Barack Obama may have found exactly what he’s looking for in a vice presidential candidate. He’s experienced, he’s a seasoned foreign affairs expert, and by some accounts, he’s at the top of Obama’s short list going into the Democratic National Convention this weekend. It’s not just the Delaware Senator’s impressive résumé that has party insiders crossing their fingers for an Obama/Biden ticket. What Democrats should really be excited about is that Joe Biden just might be the most relatable man in Washington. Voters can watch politicians on television without ever really knowing them. John Kerry was branded an elitist for what some perceived as his extreme inability to form a direct connection with his audience. Even Barack Obama, for all of his mass appeal, remains someone of an enigma. To the average American, Obama is as much an idea as he is a man. At the very least, the Obama that most Americans know is the distinguished statesman behind the podium, the inspiring orator at the pulpit. But with Biden (to use a tired, but entirely apropos expression), what you see is what you get. He balances Obama’s lofty, energizing rhetoric with a kind of no-nonsense, everyday American idiomatic style in the same way that allowed George W. Bush to form a bond with Republicans and Independents from coast to coast. The difference is that Biden accomplishes this without ever descending to the level of pandering: in the privacy of his own home, the Yale-educated Bush’s dialogue may or may not include some of the idioms he favors in public (i.e., “hunt ‘em down,” and “smoke ‘em out”). When Biden stands before a group of firefighters and offers to buy them all a round of beers to express his gratitude for the firefighters who saved the lives of his two young boys when they were nearly killed in an auto accident, there’s something decidedly more genuine to his tone. During the interminable period of Democratic debates in the run-up to the Iowa Caucus, Biden was the sole source of direct, common-sense answers to debate moderators and reporters. In the first CNN forum, Biden was asked whether- given his history of verbal gaffes- he could be trusted to represent the US in a dignified manner on the world stage. The notoriously long-winded Biden smiled and answered, “Yes,” leaving Anderson Cooper silent as he waited for an elaboration that wasn’t coming. Later, he spurred laughter when he said, “The irony is, Rudy Giuliani [is] probably the most unqualified man to seek the presidency since George W. Bush…I mean think about it! Rudy Giuliani! There’s only three things he mentions in a sentence- a noun, a verb, and 9/11. There’s nothing else. And I mean this sincerely: he’s genuinely not qualified to be president.”

The full article

The Vice Presidential Olympics: A Play By Play

Jackie — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:34:21 EDT

The full article

Excerpt:

Hello, sports fans. As we near the end of our quadrennial games, let’s take a look back at how we got to where we are now:

The Titan Who Fell - Hillary Clinton: Perhaps the victim of her own hype, the former First Lady crashed in a big way in the primary round in the most anticipated event of these games- the quest for the White House. As of late 2006, just after Team Democrat had taken gold in Senate races, House races, and gubernatorial races alike, pundits across the country were ready to place the gold medal around Clinton’s neck. But Clinton failed to achieve what had been a “sure win,” forcing her to settle for silver in the presidential event. When it came time for the vice presidential race, many of Clinton’s fans remained behind her. However, the down-and-dirty strategy that she displayed in the presidential race cost her some serious ground in the latter event, effectively ruling her out of the following qualifying rounds for the vice presidency.

Disqualified for Foul Play - John Edwards: Every four years, hearts are broken around the world when we find out that our heroes don’t pass the requisite tests prior to competition. Sometimes, it’s doping and steroids. Other times, it’s a different kind of cheating. The race for the presidency requires that candidates not only refrain from performance enhancers (i.e., illegal campaign contributions, etc), but also that they maintain a history of ethics and integrity commensurate with the prestige of these games. And if you can’t meet the requirements for the presidential event, it’s not likely that you’ll fare too well in the vice presidential race, either. Like Mom always said, cheaters never prosper…especially if it is on your wife while she’s battling cancer.

Playing for the Wrong Team - Michael Bloomberg and Chuck Hagel: For most of his life, Mike Bloomberg was on Team Democrat. But when the qualifying race (primary) for the New York Mayoral race looked a little crowded, Bloomberg switched to Team Republican, despite remaining a Democrat at heart. Now, he’s on a team of his own (Team Independent). Technically, that made him a contender for the vice presidential event. But in the long, storied history of these games, never has an Independent joined the national ticket of a Democratic presidential gold medal winner. And while Republican Chuck Hagel might similarly have seemed like a good idea, you can bet that if it’s tough for an Independent to win gold here, it’s damn near impossible for a member of Team GOP.
Click on the link to see the rest of the VP contenders... :OD

The full article

Obama's VP Should Highlight Change Over Experience

Jackie — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:19:30 EDT

The full article

Excerpt:

The past few weeks have belonged to McCain, largely because he has been on the attack. Obama has been stuck in a reactive stance. The merits of McCain's attacks are irrelevant – if he is allowed to define the terms of the election, he will win.
One subtle way that McCain is defining the election is through the chatter about Obama's VP selection. There is a large group of Dems that want Obama to select a VP that will somehow shore up his perceived deficiencies in foreign policy and governing. It doesn't seem to matter that the Democratic voting public rejected this argument in the primaries. The poster child for this line of reasoning is Joe Biden. To be fair, Sen. Biden is smart on foreign policy, speaks well, and would probably relish the role of attack dog. But he is as much Mr. Washington as John McCain is. Selecting Biden would significantly affect the “change” message.

Instead, Obama should select someone who helps reinforce his brand. That would imply Governors Tim Kaine and Kathleen Sebelius or Gen. Wesley Clark. We ran a Veepstakes contest here at Eyes On Obama, which was comfortably won by Gov. Sebelius with over 77,000 votes cast. It is clearly the estimation of the Eyes On Obama community that Sebelius is the best choice, and it is curious to us that she gets so little mention from the chattering class. The other data point that can be gleaned from the vote is that change beats out experience. Every single one of our top 5 contenders was a change candidate.

There's plenty of historical support for choosing a running mate that reinforces brand as opposed to someone with complementary traits. Dick Cheney was even further to the right than George W. Bush. Al Gore was a young southerner selected for the VP spot in another “change” year. That worked out pretty well for Bill Clinton. Complementary picks like Lieberman, Edwards, and Quayle muddied the message and ended up pleasing no one.

The full article

The Veep Files: Jimmy D. Ross

Marjani — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:55:40 EDT

BOISE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2004

Stephen Romano, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Ecology Corporation (Nasdaq:ECOL), today announced that retired Four Star General Jimmy D. Ross is standing for election to the Company's Board of Directors at its Annual Shareholders Meeting in Chicago, Illinois on May 20, 2004.

"General Ross offers an important independent perspective to our Board," Romano stated, adding "We also look forward to his advice and assistance in expanding American Ecology's business serving the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies."

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General Ross was nominated to fill a Board seat being vacated by Roger Hickey, who is not standing for re-election. Six current directors -- David Anderson, Rotchford Barker, Roy Eliff, Edward Heil, Stephen Schutt, and Romano -- join General Ross on the 2004 Board slate.

General Ross retired from the United States Army as Commander of the U.S. Army Materiel Command in Virginia. As the Four-Star General in charge of the Army's research, development, testing, acquisition and sustainment program, General Ross managed 95,000 military and civilian personnel in 40 states and six foreign countries. Among his military assignments, General Ross also served as Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and Commanding General of the Army's Depot Systems Command. General Ross has served in command assignments worldwide including two combat tours in Vietnam.

Following retirement, General Ross served as Chief Operating Officer for the American Red Cross where he managed overall business operations and a $2.5 billion budget.

Roger Hickey joined the American Ecology Board in 2002. He leaves to devote his energies to other business enterprises, including his work as President of Chicago Partners, LLC.

"American Ecology's successful turnaround plan substantially benefited from Roger's strategic guidance," Romano noted, concluding "We look forward to his continued interest in the Company as a shareholder."

American Ecology Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides radioactive, PCB, hazardous and non-hazardous waste services to commercial and government customers throughout the United States, such as nuclear power plants, steel mills, medical and academic institutions and petro-chemical facilities. Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, American Ecology is the oldest radioactive and hazardous waste services Company in the United States.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on our current expectations, beliefs, and assumptions about the industry and markets in which American Ecology Corporation and its subsidiaries operate. Actual results may differ materially from what is expressed herein and no assurance can be given that the company can successfully implement its growth strategy, generate future earnings, or expand its services to the U.S. Department of Defense. For information on factors that could cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to American Ecology Corporation's Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Anatomy of a VP Candidate

Jackie — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:15:59 EDT

The full article

Excerpt:

A few months back I wrote a post analyzing the attributes of contenders for the VP spot. The conclusion of that post was that Gen. Wesley Clark was the best pick to be Obama's VP. I mentioned at the time that I had not weighted the different metrics that were used to rank the VP contenders. Given that we know a lot more now about how the general election is going to shape up, it's time to put some weights to the different categories and see if we come up with a different result. Here is my ranking of the metrics:

Economic Issues (10 pts)

Executive Experience (9 pts)

Swing Staters (7 pts)

Brand (6 pts)

Foreign Policy (5 pts)

Women (4 pts)

Military Service (3 pts)

Hillary Supporters (2 pts)

Moderate / Conservative Values (1 pt)

The weights are listed in parentheses. Using the categorization that we did in the Veepstakes section for each candidate, here is the ranking of all the VP contenders (it may surprise you)

The full article

Kathleen Sebelius wins EOO Obama Veepstakes

Jackie — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:02:22 EDT

The full article

Excerpt:

After six rounds and more than 77,000 votes cast, Kathleen Sebelius is the winner of the Eyes On Obama Veepstakes. She received 47% (1001 votes) of the votes in the final round. Sebelius was consistently amongst the top 3 vote getters in each round, despite little media coverage. Other contenders shot up but then fizzled away just as quick.

Brian Schweitzer came in second place with 41% of the final round. He has also consistently been in the top tier of candidates despite almost no discussion of him in the media. In terms of total votes from all the rounds though, he is actually in 3rd place behind Wesley Clark.

So what does it all mean? It's hard to say who Obama will pick from the sea of contenders, but one thing is clear - his supporters on Eyes On Obama are looking for someone outside of Washington. The final round saw two governors and a mayor (Michael Bloomberg), and the round before included Gen. Clark and Sen. McCaskill, who has only been in the senate for 18 months.

In case you don't know much about Kathleen Sebelius, she is a two term governor of Kansas. She has forged productive relationships with Republicans in her state, to the point of convincing the former chair of the Republican party to run as a Democrat. She is Catholic, and her father, John Gilligan, was Governor of Ohio. Sebelius delivered this year's Democratic rebuttal to the State of the Union.

The full article

Huffington Post: "VP Bayh To Be Named On Wednesday"

Deborah Simmel — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:47:07 EDT

The Huffington Post's Bil Browning says he's comfortable "sticking his neck out" and predicting that Senator Obama will name Indiana Senator Evan Bayh as his Vice Presidential running mate on Wednesday. Browning details the reasons informing his prediction, which include both the Olympic schedule and an "off the calendar" campaign event on Wednesday to which he was invited, but given no details about, while the Senator is in Indiana.

Read the full post here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bil-browning/obama-will-name-bayh-his_b_116752.html

Obama Needs a Female VP, Should Select Hillary

Jackie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:27:38 EDT

The full article

Excerpt:

Politico.com posted an article today explaining why it is likely that McCain will let Obama make the first vp selection. The reasoning is fairly clear - if you can wait for the other guy (and thereby have more information to make your decision), why not? The Republican convention is a week after the Democratic convention, so McCain will probably make his selection either at or immediately before his acceptance.

Why does this matter? It really comes down to two issues.

First, the marriage of convenience between staunch Hillary supporters and the Obama campaign is fragile at best. If Obama were to pick Bayh or Kaine as his running mate, it would create an opening for McCain to select someone like Gov. Sarah Palin in order to peel away some of the women's vote. It's important to remember that while women are often referred to as a minority, they are actually the majority in terms of population in this country. Obama may be leading by 10-15% among women, but a 5% dip from those numbers could (and probably would) be the difference in the election between an Obama or McCain win.

Pundits make a lot of Obama's poll numbers and ask why he is only 3-5 points ahead right now. It's very early in the election cycle, and so that's not really a fair critique (but the MSM is rarely deterred by fairness). Where was Obama against Hillary at this point last year? What has been constant in the polls, and tends to be a better indicator, is that McCain has not been able to break 44%. All the variance seems to be in Obama's poll numbers. McCain basically has a ceiling to his numbers, so the only way that he can win is by pulling Obama's numbers down. This brings us to the second but equally important reason to select Hillary. We all got a preview of the fall campaign last week, and it became glaringly apparent that if Obama is to win, he's going to need a strong attack dog to push back on McCain's frivolous ads.

Who better to play the part? The phrase "now the fun begins" still haunts Obama supporters to this day. Clinton truly seems to relish a political dogfight, and actually performs better in those conditions. Having her at his side would leave Obama free to be the political rock star that he is, while Clinton and her allies can do their hatchet job on McCain. She can be his Dick Cheney.

The full article

McCain Running Mate

♫Parodee♫ — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:21:42 EDT

Obama's Running mate / VP

atomicblast2000 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:19:59 EDT

Your all about change and so is Ron Paul, why not ask him to be your VP, as he could provide a way for you to win by a landslide from the help of Ron Paul/Barry Goldwater (ie true republicans that don't heed to corporate interests, or fascist policies implemented since the Reagan years). We do need change, but who better to lent you a hand than Dr. Paul, who has years of experience in foreign and monetary policy. Would be the best team ever... Obama/Paul 2008!

NO Vice President Hillary!

Ronald from Tampa, FL — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:24:01 EDT

While I think it is Great that Hillary has requested that her supporters now back Mr. Obama for President, I don't think Mr. Obama should be concerned with money spent by Hillary in her efforts to attain the seat of power.

Nor should her support in any way effect President Obama's consideration for her as a running mate. Hillary has already spent 8 years in the White House!

During this Presidential Campaign, I once wrote to Hillary's web site concerned with the rising cost of Healthcare, specifically the fact that many pharmacies are charging high prices, yet a search reveals those who can supply the same generic drugs for much less and that I thought drug prices should be regulated. The response I received was that I should contact my own senator because Hillary was busy fulfilling the needs of her own state.

We hope President Obama will choose a running mate more in tune with his own views. Someone who will help him bring about drastically needed changes.

Sincerely,

Mr. and Mrs. Blaeske

Kansas Bar Show Says Sebelius Will Be Veep Choice

Todd Epp — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:58:49 EDT

Just got back from Topeka, Kansas, site of the annual Kansas State Bar Convention. One of the time honored traditions is a bar show put on by local lawyers and judges that includes lots of singing, dancing, acting, and satire.

The chief focus of the event was Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, governor of the great state of Kansas and sometimes mentioned as a possible running mate for Sen. Barack Obama.

If left to Kansas judges and lawyers, it seems Gov. Sebelius is the shoo-in for Barack's Veep choice. The series of skits ended with her sitting at a big desk with a huge "Vice President of the USA" and the VP seal in front of it.

Who's to doubt the wisdom of members of the Kansas Bar, I ask you?! ;)

Read more at SD Watch: http://www.southdakotawatch.net

My thoughts on the VP slot

Brian "Arkle" Webber — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:46:00 EDT

http://milfandcookies.mypodcast.com/2008/06/Episode_13_Stuntcast_T_Minus_2-116553.html

It's spread throughout the show, and much of the language is not work safe (but it's NOT porn, I swear!)

I go into more detail there, but to summarize, my Top 3 list is;

The Ultimate Revenge: The Obama/Gore Ticket

Marjani — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:41:12 EDT

LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!

ROTFLLMAO!!!!!!

The Republicans will all have heart attacks and drop dead on the spot!

Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:26:08 EDT

Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

http://www.songcastmusic.com/profiles/mypoojan

A very catchy Music Video, which makes the whole America rock. The beauty of the song is that it brings the fulfillment of every American to become Obama..............Obama's winning is also Clinton's winning...! America's winning and the World's winning...!

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:12:41 EDT

Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:09:53 EDT

Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:16:23 EDT

Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:15:03 EDT

Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:09:32 EDT

Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:55:44 EDT

Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:27:35 EDT

Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:26:00 EDT

Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

EACH OF YOU BE A PROUD OBAMA...!

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:24:00 EDT

Unite For Change - Become OBAMA - "I Wanna Be Obama" - Play this Music Everywhere....BECOME OBAMA...MAKE WORLD WAVE....!"I Wanna Be Obama" - Inspirational OBAMA 2008 MUSIC VIDEO
Watch the video on YOUTUBE - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs

DOWNLOAD THE MUSIC on iTUNES

Make this music video reach every corner of America and the world across by forwarding this youtube video. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

EACH OF YOU BE A PROUD OBAMA...!

Obama's Running Mate Considerations

Bud — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:00:48 EDT

Every presidential nominee must consider several factors when choosing a running mate:

Ability to Serve As President: This is the major role of a Vice President. In 2008, Obama should consider people that could, if needed, fill out the rest of his term. Likely candidates are governors, senators and representatives, military officers, and cabinet members (past and present). Some names that have been mentioned are Janet Napolitano, Ed Rendell, Bill Richardson, Kathleen Sebelius, Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, and Jim Webb.
Agreement on the Role of the Vice President: Reagan refused to accept Ford, who wanted to be a co-president. This situation could be a major reason to avoid asking the runner-up to be a running mate.
Beware of Skeletons in the Closet: George McGovern should have investigated Thomas Eagleton's medical history more closely before choosing him as a running mate. Walter Mondale should have investigated Geraldine Ferraro's husband's business dealings more carefully before choosing Ferraro as a running mate.
Balancing the Ticket in Order to Win the Election: This is the traditional reason for choosing a running mate. Presidential candidates often choose a running mate from a different part of the country. A running mate from one of the swing states—such as Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Florida—might help win that state. Obama has not been in Washington very long, so he might want a running mate with more Washington seniority. On one hand, Obama might want to choose a female running mate. However, since Obama would already be the first black president in history, he might want to avoid any more “firsts” by choosing a white male running mate.

No VP Clinton

Bro from Albany, GA — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 08:29:39 EDT

As much as Clinton has to offer an Obama White House, I do not support an Obama-Clinton ticket. Obama should select another Washington outsider as his running mate.

Don't Tase Me, Congressman

Bud — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:03:42 EDT

In 2007, a University of Florida student refused to give up the microphone at a question-and-answer session; so the campus security guards carried him out, kicking and screaming, “Don't tase me, bro!”

After the final primary election of 2008, Barack Obama had the support of a majority of the delegates to the national convention; but Hillary Clinton would not acknowledge his victory. She had been threatening to appeal to the Credentials Committee at the national convention in Denver.

Finally, Clinton's supporters—including Congressman Charles Rangel of New York--convinced her to accept defeat. They had to convince her to put her personal ambitions aside and accept reality!

Obama should choose a running mate that will be content with the job of Vice President.

Hillary as VP???

Dan — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:51:57 EDT

Hillary is trying to pressure Barack into selecting her as his running mate.

In my view this would be a big mistake, for a host of reasons:

- her baggage [divisiveness; her campaign attacks; her husband; an insider]

- accepting her under pressure is a perceived sign of weakness

- she, and particularly Bill, will chafe being so near to the White House, and yet so far

- Barack's "change" message and his position as anti-lobbyists will be muted by her history

- He needs somewhat more toward the center as a running mate.

- Hillary's claims to the contrary, he needs a running mate with more solid foreign policy credentials

What do others think?

Who would be his best running mate?

No to Clinton

bfree — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:29:26 EDT

Senator Clinton is to be applauded for how much she has accomplished in the primary, and for paving the way for future women candidates - and while there is much that she can continue to do for the country and her party - this Republican believes she would not be the best running mate for Senator Obama.

Despite Mr. Obama's clear victory on Tuesday in garnering sufficient delegates to win the Democratic nomination - Mrs. Clinton refused to concede the nomination to Obama. Under pressure from her key supporters and the Democratic leadership, she is now "willing" to suspend her campaign - but will be waiting until Saturday to announce her decision. Putting off the announcement until then, and only suspending her campaign, simply serves to delay the healing process for the Democratic Party - and complicates Obama's search and vetting process for VP candidates.

Clinton adds salt to the Party wound by continuing her insistance that "all votes must count" (implying that she may yet challenge the Florida/Michigan ruling), that she has won the popular vote (if you exclude caucus states and uncommitted Michigan votes), and that she is the best candidate to beat Senator McCain (indicating that Obama is not). Her supporters continue to vociferously blog that they will vote for McCain in preference to Obama; Clinton's team has done nothing to actively encourage them to switch their support to Obama.

Mentioning the "historic event" surrounding Bobby Kennedy's candidacy, and now suggesting that she could serve as Obama's VP, ready to step in if anything should "happen" - is self-serving, divisive - and to me, offensive. If this was unintentional, then it is an example of extremely poor judgement.

Finally, anyone who runs a campaign in significant debt demonstrates a lack of fiscal restraint. As shown by the Bush administration, it's easy to appear successful (or claim a strong economy) if you borrow enough money. There are many reasons why this Republican voted against candidate Bush in the past two elections - however, the GOP's Borrow and Spend policies are high among the reasons I'm voting Democratic in this election. Clearly, Senator Clinton's approach is more of the same.

That said, Senator Clinton is a fighter and a strong advocate - the Senate needs politicians like her; in the future, she could consider the New York governorship... but not, in my opinion, be Obama's running mate.

Colin Powell; Vice President to be Reckoned With

Samuel from Hilton Head Island, SC — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:02:13 EDT

To whom it may concern,

As Mr. Obama has become a more and more likely candidate for change in America, I have begun to think more and more about potential running mates for Mr. Obama. I feel compelled to share my opinion on this issue because I feel it has not been discussed enough in the media. Many people in the media have felt that Hilary Clinton is the ideal choice for a running mate for Barack Obama. I believe this to be false. I feel compelled to share my opinion that Colin Powell would be the perfect running mate for Mr. Obama. This wise choice, I believe, would dissolve any misgivings and ill-feelings towards Obama for his lack of experience. Mr. Powell would firm up his campaign by bringing his military, and foreign policy experience to the table. With the inspiring and change bringing policies of Obama, and the tough, wise, and experienced career of Powell, the Obama campaign would not only be on its way to the White House, but on its way to a better, more united America. For with Colin Powell, would come Republican votes as well, while with Hilary Clinton, votes could be lost and the party could be divided.

Vice President Hilary Clinton?

Lymeris — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:14:39 EDT

I'm concerned about something I'm hearing Barack may decide to do regarding Hilary. As much as I admire Hilary and her tenacity, I also feel it concerned about her being on the ticket with Barack for a couple of reasons.

Here's someone who said for months that she had more experience to run the country then he does and that she's the best person for the job. Can she truly step into a subordinate position?

Also, her position on Iran and the response that she will anilate Iran if it bombs Israel was rash. It was in response to a reporters hypothetical question asking "What would you do if Iran bombed Israel?"

Here our man Barack is saying we should talk to our enemies, and she's ready to push the nuclear weapon button on a hypothetical question. She should have never gone there and simply said her administration would work to circumvent such a tragic circumstance.

Even if these two could be the "dream ticket" to win over McCain, can these two work together once they're in the whitehouse? Can't Hilary be in some cabinet post or have a high position in the administrations without being the VP? Hopefully not a post in the war department either. Put her in his administration in some important capacity, but I don't think Vice President is a good spot for this person.

GE campaign advice (why not?)

David from Ridgewood, NJ — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:09:19 EDT

I'm sure Barack's waiting with bated breath for these pearls of wisdom...

1) hang out with lots of working class white people (duh!)

2) explain how helping ordinary Americans economically is consistent with fiscal responsibility

3) emphasize that the Iraqi people want us out and explain how genocide will be avoided

4) signal that health care mandate could be phased in if his current plan doesn't work as well as envisioned (too many young, healthy people opting out, relying on emergency room, and driving up costs for those paying premiums.)

5) Explain long membership at Trinity United Church of Christ as the result of a strong personal connection arising from his 'finding Jesus Christ,' which overrode a long-standing intellectual disconnect, while at the same time emphasizing the most progressive elements of the New Testament. Don't stress as a campaign theme, but every time it comes up, talk in a very personal way about the personal importance of Jesus and his progressive, inclusive, world-engaging ethics to Obama. Change the subject from Wright to Jesus, in a way that strikes the right tone for progressives.

6) Double-down on change: Pick a female governor (or other executive) as a running mate. This may p.o. Hillary (see http://www.americablog.com/2008/06/clinton-campaign-hillarys-not-gonna.html) and even, at first, many of her core supporters, but given a few months to consider someone like Sebelius on her own merits, many of Hillary's female supporters who overlooked her flaws mainly because she met the litmus test of a 'qualified woman' will have reason to reclaim their dream of a woman president in the the not so distant future. Obama has said a) he wants someone who brings expertise he doesn't have b) foreign policy savvy is not one of those personal deficits c) operational management skills may be (remember debate response about being disorganized). Interestingly, Wes Clark reportedly plugged Kathleen Sebelius for VP at a wind energy event in Texas (Reported on Politico (see http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/Wes_Clark_floats_ObamaSebelius.html).

WE GOT THE NOMINATION!!!!

Katie — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:45:51 EDT

Barak Obama just clinched the nomination for the Democratic Party!! He is such a great orator, and my only wish was that Hilary Clinton would have endorsed Barak Obama and supported him after he had clinched the nomination. I think Obama did an excellent job at recognizing Hilary Clinton and saying that she helped become a better candidate. I am very impressed and I am looking forward to seeing who he decides to name as his running mate. ((my secret hope is for John Edwards.....))

Don't pick Hillary as VP - How about Hagel?

Christina K. — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:29:05 EDT

Just my two cents, but I don't think she is a candidate that would be complimentary for Barack. I think it would really undermine the people who've chosen to vote FOR Barack and AGAINST Hillary. At the beginning of the campaign I had said, "You know, I'd really like to see Obama win, but I'd be satisfied if Clinton got the nomination." Then I saw her back pedal and flip flop on things she'd said. I feel like she's sneaky and untrustworthy and I do not want her (back) in the White House.

How 'bout a guy from my home state, Chuck Hagel? He would appeal to some of those working-class voters that the Obama campaign is trying to court. Plus, I feel that he has the drive to "reach across the aisle", as so many people say, to get things done. He offers the same balanced perspective as Obama.

Bill Richardson for VP

Mikeystyle — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:46:42 EDT

I like Bill Richardson for VP. He has experience as a congressman, energy secretary, governor and ambassador. He brings regional and demographic benefits, plus he and Obama seem to really get along.

With Richardson on the ticket, the southwest would be competitive. We would win in New Mexico for sure, would have a real chance at taking states like Colorado and perhaps even make Texas less of a sure thing for the Republicans.

Richardson’s campaign ads:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjOuL5qwNIc

Wikipedia on Richardson:

I'll do anything for Obama...without Hillary

Jeffrey from Loveland, CO — Sat, 24 May 2008 21:56:47 EDT

I'm a conservative voter that has almost always voted Republican (even though I'm independent). I have come to admire Barack Obama greatly, and I have decided I will campaign for him this fall and donate money to his campaign (something which I have never done for any other political candidate). HOWEVER, if he chooses Hillary Clinton as his running mate, I will no longer be able to vote for him. Barack Obama is asking us to believe in his ability to bring about real change in Washington. He simply cannot do that with Hillary Clinton as his VP.

My VP Pick

Matthew from Buford, GA — Sat, 24 May 2008 02:52:54 EDT

The process may not be over, but the results are decided. Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee for President. Hillary Clinton has run a very competitive race and has given her all in this nominating process, and for this she should be commended. However, Obama/Clinton is not the dream ticket we have heard it might be. So as Barack now has to make the decision on just who is the right choice for his ticket, I would like to make my suggestion.

Running on change is essential to Barack being elected president. Eighty percent of Americans feel that we are on the wrong track as a country. As we move foward, it is becoming apparent that the way we have done things has gotten us to a place where most people don't think we should be. But, we must remember that people will chose things that are familiar, even if they know that they are not better. So it is important that Barack chose someone who can put at ease, the segment of the voters who like him, but who feel that his lack of experience in some key areas could be a liability for the country. It is also important that he chose someone who can help bridge the gap between some of the key constituents that he may need to get elected, but will surely need to obtain a real mandate. This includes working people who make under $50,000 a year, especially whites in more rural areas. And finally, he needs to run with someone who will be able to deliver in states that are swing states, or that could be. For all of these reasons, I recommend Sam Nunn of Georgia.

As one of the most respected Democratic Senators of the last thirty years, no one can question his foriegn policy credentials. He would help bridge the gap between some of the "Regan Democrats" and the more liberal wing of the party. With Nunn, Georgia would be in play, as well as Louisiana and Tennesse. He can go toe-to-toe with McCain in any foreign policy debate. I have not heard many people (actually only one person) mention him as a possible running mate, but I think it is worth looking into. I would love to hear what you think. Would he be a good choice? If not, who do you think it should be?

Veep Picks

Michael Nordine — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:17:48 EDT

I find the idea that Hillary is somehow entitled to the VP slot laughable at best, despicable at worst. After the way she's run her campaign, Obama owes her nothing; rather, she owes it to him and to the party to finally bow out as gracefully as she can after the last primary, perhaps salvaging some dignity in the process (doubtful), and fully endorsing Obama's bid for the White House. This campaign has been helpful in some ways; Obama is now a better campaigner than he was, but the divisiveness this primary season has engendered among the Democrats needs to be erased as quickly as possible.

Of all the potential running mates whose names I've heard thrown around, I would say that I like Biden the best; however, Jim Webb of Virginia seems the most logical choice - strong military background; could carry a swing state; close to the center politically; more aggressive than Obama, which would allow him to take on the "attack dog" role; and, obviously, the fact that he's a former Republican would help with the bipartisan message.

We'll see, I guess. Hopefully the nomination is wrapped up soon.

For Florida and Michigan, Reballot This: Obama-Clinton v. Clinton-Obama

Ken — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:53:47 EDT

Kentucky results really tell a tale about America, one that even Oregon's numbers can't erase. To determine whether racism or patriarchy is the more powerful agent of social degeneracy, political fragmentation and division within the Democratic party and throughout our body politic at large, here's an idea:

Why not re-run the Florida and Michigan primaries with only two choices on the ballot?

1) Obama-Clinton

2) Clinton-Obama

Binding or not, the results would certainly be interesting...and helpful.

I wonder if anyone else sees the potential for tragedy this fall...

Hillary as Vice President

John from Portland, OR — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:43:10 EDT

Ok weve made it, finally its over and we have won. Barack Obama IS the democratic nominee for the white house and now its time to set our sights on November. So here is the reality, John Mccain has a tremendous amount of support, and the Obama name has been dragged through the mud since Iowa. What we have to do now as democrats, and Obama supporters is swallow our pride and do what is best for the country. And what is best at this point in time is to OFFER HILLARY THE VP SPOT

and heres why

1) because the ticket could not be beaten

however obnoxious Hillary has been she is smart and carries a tremendous amount of support

Bill Clinton is an invaluable speaker and still would carry an immense amount of votes

2) because it is what people want

It really is time to see a women at the upper echelon of government, and Hillary will energize women

The latino vote respects the Clinton family and would join us

3) Suburban and rural america will be the battlefield on which the presidential race will be won

Obama will win the cities, and Mccain will win the conservatives. The small cities, towns, and farming communities are the new swing state and that is where the Clintons can help us the most.

I have been offended and hurt by the aggressive tactics in this race as well but the race is not about me or my ego. The thing to do now is to set aside our anger and do what is best for America, and what is best for America is that Obama sends Senator Mccain back to Arizona this November

Vice Presidential Running Mates

Citizen — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:30:29 EDT

My take on Twelve potential Vice-presidential running mates that I've heard suggested for Obama:

1. Senator Chuck Hagel
Pro:
Nebraska (Heartland)
Republican
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Senate Select Intelligence Committee
Critic of Bush the Lesser's surge and critic of the war
Critic of Sen. McCan't
Regan appointee to the Veterans Administration
Same high mark by the Business and Professional Women USA that they gave to Hillary Clinton
Business management credentials
Con:
States that he is pro-choice, but voting record on abortion given 100% rating by National Right to Life Committee and Zero% by both Planned

Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America
My Best Guess:
He would pull a lot of moderate Republicans away from McCan't and make the difference in several swing states. McCan't must cater to the orthodox

fringe of the Republican party with his running mate, the result will be that moderate and centrist Republicans will be attracted to an Obama/Hagel ticket.

2. Senator Hillary Clinton
Pro:
New York
Con:
Hillary Clinton
Hillary is a package with Bill Clinton

3. Gov. Bill Richardson
Pro:
New Mexico
Hispanic - will take some of McCan'ts thunder from the Southwest
UN Ambassador
Con:
His help to the ticket will be limited to the Southwest
Has charisma of a turnip

4. Gen.Wesley Clark, Ret
Pro:
NATO Supreme Commander,
Military experience out shines McCan'ts
Diplomatic experience, liked by veterans and current troops
Southern - Arkansas
Previous campaign experience
charismatic
Con:
Appeal to centrist Republicans, but not moderate Republicans

5. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius
Pro:
Kansas (Important midwestern state)
Public like Governors for management skills
Washington outsider
Lacks a Y chromosone - will attract Republican women
Con:
Not a national household name

6. Senator John Edwards
Pro:
North Carolina
Would make great Attorney General
Con:
Would make great Attorney General
Doesn't bring anything to the lack of foreign experience argument

7. Sam Nunn
Pro:
Former Senator - Chaired Armed Services Committee
Georgia - Southern appeal
Bipartisan work on decreasing nuclear proliferation
Conservative on social issues - will attract Republicans
Con:
Conservative on social issues - will not appeal to many Obama supporters
Publicly discussed supporting a third political party
Sixty-nine years old Washington insider

8. Sen. Joe Biden
Pro:
Delaware (Okay, it's only really a fourth of a state)
Chair, Senate Foreigh Relations Committee
Lots of Washington Experience
Con:
Lots of Washington Experience, doesn't fit well with "CHANGE"
Has habit of inserting shoe into mouth, without removing foot

9. Gov. Janet Napolitano
Pro:
Arizona, can throw swing state away from McCan't
Innovative Governor
Lacks a Y chromosone
Born in New York City
Attended college in California (Key state)
Attended law school in Virginia (Key state)
Methodist
Early Obama supporter
Con:
Lacks international experience

10. Leader Tom Daschle
Pro:
South Dakota
Former Senate Majority
Con:
Washington Insider
Ties to lobbyists, including his wife Linda

11. Gov. Tim Kaine
Pro:
Virginia - Swing state
Con:
No experience outside of Virginia

12. Sen. Mark Pryor
Pro:
Arkansas Attorney General
Somewhat bipartisan in Senate
Con:
Backed and helped Joe Lieberman beat Ned Lamont, Democrats will not forgive his action

I'm from Michigan and wanted to vote for Obama

M. Hazard — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:45:42 EDT

I had to choose undecided or throw away my vote.. oh wait that was already done for me. Will it happen in November too?

I want the change Mr. Obama is offering and I want it this year! I live on SSI disibility and didn't accept the economic money throw as I owe for student loans and it just seems like a waste of paper. I can't afford food or transportation. But I can sit on a sidewalk and hold a sign.

My only request of Mr. Obama is to consider selecting Republican Ron Paul as his running mate. The only republican with enough sense to know that throwing away Americas money on other countries is ethically wrong.

Ron Paul wants what most Americans want the constitution of the United States to be acknowledged and strived for. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7d_e9lrcZ8 Our foriegn policies is why we were attacked on 9/11 and it can only get worse if there isnt a change.

Stop dwindling the dollar and paying the rich to starve the poor. Don't drill for more oil make better choices. Tax the oil companies on thier profits, instead of allowing them to manipulate the dollar. Put Congress back into the roll of government right now they are being bulldozed.

My Choice for Obama's VP Running Mate

Dion — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:09:34 EDT

I think if Obama wins the nomination, then he should strongly try to persuade Senator Jim Webb from Virginia to be his running mate.

Jim Webb's Bio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Webb

I think Jim Webb helps Senator Obama in alot of ways:
- Jim Webb has a really strong military background (i.e., he is a former Secretary of the Navy under Regan and Vietnam combat hero whose son also serves in military right now and just finished a tour of duty in Iraq)

- Jim Webb would help Obama deal with the "Commander in Chief" question and somewhat mitigate McCain's military bona fides

- Jim Webb can help put Virginia in play for Democrats in general election and several other states that Dems don't traditionally play well in

- Jim Webb would likely attract alot of the same type of voters that were attracted to John Edwards (i.e., middle class blue collar guys in Ohio and PA who are looking for a tough guy who reminds them of themselves)

- Jim Webb would help Obama to put the stupid "red phone" issue to rest

- While he's a first-term Senator, Jim Webb is very experienced

- Senator Webb is a moderate / centrist and would likely be an attractive candidate to Independents and moderate Republicans and help Obama cut into McCain's base

- Jim Webb is Scots-Irish and would likely appeal to Catholic voters that Obama hasn't performed as well with in the primaries thus far...

Food for thought.

Just Say No!

Bobby Hamilton — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:57:05 EDT

The Clinton team is currently suggesting that they would consider a "Clinton-Obama" ticket. This latest insult has gone the distance in repugnance, conceit and presumptiveness. It is clearly designed to manipulate the remaining contests by using cheap psychology on the minds of voters having a tough time trying to decide between the two in the remaining contests. The strategy says, "It's ok, vote for Hillary because she will bring Obama with her." The old "two fer". It is a double-edged sword because first of all, they aren't serious. They know that a Barack Obama IN HIS RIGHT MIND will reject the offer. That will leave them free to chose Joe Biden or somebody like that who will shore up the conservative wing and add a tone of experience to the ticket. Why would they want Barack Obama after making it known to the world that they don't feel he's "experienced" enough to be president? Why would they want him one heartbeat away from the job? This is deception reaching a point lower in decency than anything the Clinton camp has thrown at the Obama campaign to date.

Prudence, wisdom, and clear thought mandates a Barack Obama rejection of any teaming up with the Clinton Brigade, even if she DOES miraculousy or through nefarious invention, manage to win this nomination. The rank-and-file Democratic public has spoken loudly about who they want to be the nominee. Barack Obama has solicited money and support from the public, not from his pocket or powerful special interest groups. To counter the overwhelming success of this strategy, Hillary Clinton has had to reach into her own deep pockets and those of her backers to come up with the money to struggle back to a tenuous state of credibility. To win the nomination and offer the VP slot to Barack Obama would be to negate the meaning of the Obama campaign. It would be taking the money this "people's campaign" has donated from their own personal resources and using it for the opposition. I can't think that Barack Obama or any of his high level staffers would not be able to see through this transparency.

This is a campaign to change the way government works in Washington. This is a campaign to get the people who are outside of the system, a voice in the inner workings of the government. This is not a campaign to win the White House for the Democratic Party by any means necessary. This is a campaign to elect Barack Obama PRESIDENT, not vice president. I would prefer for Barack Obama to sit out the general election and take his chances with a failed McCain presidency in 2012 or even 2016. If Hillary Clinton can't win without Obama, then let her LOSE! I have suggested before that the failure to support John Kerry-John Edwards with enough enthusiam to overcome the small gap that defeated them in 2004 can be blamed in large part on the Clintons whose influence in 2004 was probably ranking if not outright dominant. The 2004 loss enabled the Clinton candidacy of 2008, and this was no accident. This did not happen overnight. The Kerry-Edwards loss was Hillary Clinton's gain. BUT!! Along came Barack Obama and his audacity to believe.

The Clintons miscalculated not only Barack Obama, but the public which has flocked to his side and filled his campaign coffers with personal donations amounting to record-breaking numbers. This effort is not to fizzle out in a vice presidential win for Obama. The eye is on the prize. There is no reason to capitualte to the misdirection of the Cinton campaign by acknowledging any interest whatsoever in the vice presidency. Considering her lackluster performance in the primaries, using all her money and power, I hardly think she can win a national campaign against John McCain. Why enable her win with the resources Barack Obama has managed from ground zero? Why direct the casg flow of ordinary individuals towards a win for the powerful and wealthy? It would be unfair. It is a double-edged trick which brilliant minds should be able to see through and reject out-of-hand, any alliance with this team, win or lose, in August. In plain language it is a deceitful work of deception designed to grab votes from the undecided as the remaing contests stand to make-or-break either candidate. Please, Barack. Just say NO!!!

Robert Hamilton

On Vice Presidents (colloquially known as "veeps")

Paul C. — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:05:52 EST

I just wrote a long post about Obama and Vice Presidents. Unfortunately, I lost it as I was posting, and I don't feel like rewriting it, so here it is in condensed form:

Q: Should Barack take Hillary as his veep?
A: No, she's awful and being veep to a successful Obama would almost guarantee a Hillary '12 or Hillary '16.

Q: If Hillary wins the nomination and offer Clinton-Obama '08, should Barack accept?
A: Even though it would give him experience, no. It would say, at some level, that her negative campaigning was okay and that Barack would rather have an Administration post than his principles. It's also fairly likely that a Clinton II administration would be rife with scandal, and it would be hard for Barack to wash himself of that stink. He could try to negate this by being a loud and criticizing voice within the Administration, but how long would Hillary really let him do that without hurting him in some major way?

Q: Who should Barack pick as his veep?
A: Beats me. Some moderate Democrat? Edwards? Bill Richardson? Colin Powell? John McCain? I'm bad at picking vice presidents. Who would you pick?

Getting ahead of myself looking at the General Election

Cody Skidmore — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:30:26 EST

I realize we need to focus on upcoming battles and win the nomination. Still, I can't help myself. What do you suppose the affect would be if Barack selected a moderate repulican as a running mate? Would you support the idea? Does the though send you screaming from the room?

I had a dream . . .

Erick — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:35:25 EST

OK, maybe it was a nightmare.

I have been hearing whispers/hearsay that this thing is going to end in a deadlock that will require some give and take. The fact is that HRC will have a large amount of delegates going into the convention, and Obama will have more . . .BUT neither will have enough. The party elders are going to explain to them that neither is bigger than the party, though as an Obama partisan I could make an argument, LOL.

Dream Ticket? More Like a Nightmare

Bobby Woodburn — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:35:36 EST

Senator Hillary Clinton said today that if she were the nominee, she'd be open to selecting Senator Barack Obama as her running mate:

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/clinton.obama.ticket.2.669799.html

Plainly and simply, if Hillary Clinton becomes the nominee of the Democratic Party, I don't care WHO her running mate might be, I will not vote Democrat in the 2008 general election.

Somehow, I'm certain I'm not alone.

Manchurian Candidate

Greg from Visalia, CA — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:05:41 EST

I just watched the remake of Manchurian Candidate... the cynic in me thinks it would be hard for Obama to get life insurance with a Clinton VP.

Who should be Barack's running mate?

Josh Weger — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:15:10 EST

I believe Barack has a great chance to win the general election, but I have no illusions about how difficult it will be for him to beat John McCain. Should Sen. Obama become the Democratic nominee, I believe 9/11 Commission Co-Chair Lee Hamilton would be an ideal running mate. I believe an Obama/Hamilton ticket would be an unstoppable force that would accomplish some very crucial balances. Sen. Obama is a brilliant young visionary that is wise beyond his years and actual experience, and Hamilton is a confidence inspiring elder statesman with impeccable credentials and integrity who has earned unmatched bipartisan respect. An Obama/Hamilton ticket would achieve significant ideological and red/blue state balances.

I have great confidence in the ability ofObama to change this nation and our world for the better. And I have been so impressed with Hamilton's long record of service and accomplishments for America. I am truly inspired by the incredible potential for meaningful change and experienced leadership that Senator Obama and Congressman Hamilton - together - could offer this nation.

Nader Chooses His Running Mate

EMK — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:45:01 EST

From MSNBC.com:

Nader chooses Gonzalez as running mateV.P. candidate former member of San Francisco Board of Supervisors

updated 12:55 p.m. ET, Thurs., Feb. 28, 2008

WASHINGTON - Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader selected Matt Gonzalez, a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, to be his running mate.

Nader, who launched his fourth White House bid last weekend, made the announcement Thursday at a news conference. The Texas-born Gonzalez ran for mayor of San Francisco as a Green Party candidate in 2003 but lost to Gavin Newsom.

When Nader announced his third-party campaign for the president last Sunday, he criticized the top contenders as being too close to big business. He also dismissed the possibility that his candidacy could tip the November election to Republicans.

The longtime consumer advocate sought the White House in each of the last three presidential elections: He ran on the Green Party ticket in 1996 and 2000, and as an independent in 2004.

Nader is still loathed by many Democrats who call him a spoiler and claim his candidacy in 2000 cost Democrats the election by siphoning votes from Al Gore in a razor-thin contest in Florida. Nader has vociferously disputed the spoiler claim, saying only Democrats are to blame for losing the race to George W. Bush.

Though he won 2.7 percent of the national vote as the Green Party candidate in 2000, Nader won just 0.3 percent as an independent in 2004, when he appeared on the ballot in only 34 states.

----

Just the info I found.

EMK

Time to Put The Nail In The Coffin--Can you say Colin Powell

Gail Minor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:03:09 EST

Senator Hillary Clinton is fighting for her life. Everyone, including her own husband knows it's over. She can stop swinging now. The damage she is doing is to the Democratic Party and to the Clinton Legacy, Not to the campaign to Elect Barack Obama. But since she still has not gotten the message, it time now that Barack Obama put the final nail in the coffin.

First he must win the Debate tonight. To do that he must keep his cool, stay on message and ignor her attempts to bait him into and ugly exchange. Barack Obama comes across very presidential when he maintains his composure and does not allow himself to get angry. That is key tonight.

Second he must do some personal calls to key people himself. He needs to start enrolling additional folks with star power that cross party lines. Which brings me to the actual nail.

Obama should be planning for the life of the campaign after Hillary. One of the biggest criticisms folks have about him concerns his lack of experience and his absence of international affairs experience. What would help him in that area and one that Americans would welcome as a member of his team is Colin Powell as his running Vice Presidential running mate.

What more needs to be said? Such a ticket would bring the conservatives to their knees. Democrats would rejoice. The country would be heading in an awesomely great direction. Talk about dream ticket...THIS IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Running Mate

Oregon Doug — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:42:50 EST

The choice of a running mate will be more crucial to Obama than many other candidates. Three names that I would put at the top of the list are Anthony Zinni, Wesley Clark and Bill Richardson. Zinni would be the top choice because of his honesty, experience, independance and view of the world. Clark would be good because of his experience and link to the Clinton wing. Richardson would be good because of his experience and also he could be a good candidate in 8 years. Whoever Barack chooses, should he get the nomination, should have strong foreign policy experience.

Am I jinxing it?

Scott in Nac — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:22:41 EST

I know it's too early to be talking about this, but the way my mind works I can't help thinking about running mates. McCain will choose a governor with a strong economic record; on Meet the Press they were mostly talking about Tim Pawlenty and Mark Sanford, but I think it would be a savvy move to pick a woman (Jodi Rell maybe? she certainly wouldn't solidify the conservative base, but who knows? Kay Bailey Hutchinson? not a governor, but a dyed-in-the-wool right-winger).

I'm convinced that, unless she was forced to promise Obama the job to secure the nomination and/or save the party, Clinton would pick Ted Strickland. Popular male governor of a hugely important swing state.

The main conventional wisdom for Obama would be "a reassuring figure," as one of the "Capitol Gang" said on Meet the Press "Take Two." I think that's code for older, anglo-white male. But perhaps more important than ethnicity would be strong national security credentials. Mark Shields floated two very intriguing names, both retired 4-star generals that have spoken out against the war: Tony Zinni and Jim Jones--white guys for sure. Also important is executive experience: a governor. Ted Strickland or Evan Bayh? Maybe. (If McCain picks a woman, Obama might be well advised to do the same: Janet Napolitano?) Someone of long, deep and wide-ranging experience would certainly seem to bring balance--Shields said the ideal choice is Al Gore, and I'm inclined to agree, but I doubt that he would take it. How about a successful, popular governor of a swing state that has previously served as Secretary of Energy and Ambassador to the U.N. after a hot decade as a young rising star in the House of Representatives? Could the best resume in the country trump the fact that Bill Richardson is Latino? Or maybe his ethnic background would be a plus--with McCain's moderate stance on immigration and a strong streak of social conservatism in the Latino community I don't think that the Democratic candidate will be able to take Latino votes for granted.

Just sayin'.

John Edwards

Khaile13 — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:59:19 EST

John Edwards has stepped down from the race. I am happy sad because of this. I am happy because now his supporters will likely move over to Barack, now he will likely endorse Barack or even become his running mate. If he does, Obama will be unbeatable. Lets go Obama and Edwards. That sounds not too bad!!

General Colin Powell for VP

Mike Swatek — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 06:35:23 EST

General Colin Powell would be the best possible running mate due to his almost universally recognized wisdom and integrity. Hopefully Obama's behavior and integrity as a candidate will convince General Powell to reconsider his position about political office. Our nation needs his expertise to recover from military debacles in Iraq (misguided)/Afghanistan (failure to fulfill a commitment) and re-establish our government’s integrity in the eyes of the world. Obama/Powell leadership would place our leadership team squarely in the middle and after a decisive victory allow healing of the political rift that has torn at our nation for so many years. Also, it would be extremely reassuring for our nation to have a VP that could have easily have won the Presidency under any party if he had chose to run.

Renewed confidence in our nation will do more than anything else to restore the world’s respect of our currency and economy. Some people think that election 2008 will shape up to be about the economy, and this will most likely be true on the surface. However, at a more fundamental level, the election will really be about re-establishing our nation’s integrity through restored confidence in our leadership. There is absolutely no better pair than Obama and Powell to fulfill this vital need from our nation’s leadership at this critical time.

General Powell, please consider this urgent call to service in this pivotal time of need for our nation.

The Vice Presidential Question

Matthew Negrete — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 22:16:57 EST

With little more than a month before the Iowa caucus, very important anticipations have been arising. Over the months, I have come across a particular anticipation among supporters, which is, "who should be the running mate for Barack Obama?" Below, I will discuss my views concerning this question.

The one I would like to see...

WNYmathGuy — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 14:53:22 EST

I would pick Colin Powell. It's not because of the Chris Rock mentality about extremists gaining something by assassinating a white president with a black vice president, (or the reverse), it IS because I believe Colin Powell has great honor and respect worldwide. I think he is a fantastic statesman, and has a brilliant mind coupled with intimate inside information about how to find a place for peace among the plethora of war. I believe the reason he is out of the loop right now is because he wouldn't sell his soul to Bush at the expense of citizens and soldiers of ours and others.

If I were to pick a second choice, I think it would be Joe Biden. I believe he would be a great asset in the White House at any capacity, and he has great track records of doing the right thing in a variety of areas of federal government.

As I understand it, the status-quo is to pick a running mate based on the votes they can add in the general election, not what they can do for the country. Thank any God you choose that Barack is not a disciple of the status-quo, and most likely he will pick the running mate based on how much good they will do for America in general.

I can't wait to see more healthy arguments about who is on the menu of V.P. possibilities.

Veepstakes -- Handicapping Barack's Running Mate Selection

Michael Hussein James — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 22:49:40 EDT

Okay, let’s have some fun and start envisioning the Barack Obama general election campaign, but only a bit, we have a lot of work to do to lock up the nomination!! Think of this as a short mental break from shooting down the Clinton fallacies and right-wing smear e-mails.

Who will Barack select as his running mate? Candidates and my initial odds estimate are below. My handicapping is based on general impressions, anecdotes and should be considered only lightly researched (if researched at all!)

Please feel free to respond and tell me if there are others to consider, give us your version of pros/cons/odds and/or if you disagree with any of the assessments.

Democrats

Russ Feingold

Pros – He’s the “Feingold” in “McCain-Feingold,” Voted against dismissing articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton, Has returned over $50,000 in pay raises from the US Treasury, voted against Iraq war

Cons –

Odds: 3 to 1

Jim Webb

Pros -- Straight-talking southerner with strong military credentials

Cons –

Odds: 3 to 1

Mark Warner

Pros – Executive experience as Governor of Virginia

Cons –

Odds: 3 to 1

Max Cleland

Pros -- Straight-talking southerner with strong military credentials

Cons – Voted for the Iraq war,

Odds: 3 to 1

Bill Richardson

Pros -- Long resume, executive experience, should help energize the Hispanic vote

Cons – Generally uninspiring speaker; not the strongest debater

Odds: 100 to 1

Joe Biden

Pros -- Strong experience, especially foreign policy; good debater if he can limit the verbosity

Cons – Lengthy Senate tenure and occasional verbal gaffes a goldmine for opposition research; GOP sure to resurrect the plagiarism issue

Odds: 10 to 1

Chris Dodd

Pros -- as an “old white guy,” helps add balance to the ticket; experience

Cons – Lengthy Senate tenure a gold mine for opposition research;

Odds: 5 to 1

Hillary Clinton

Pros -- Establishment candidate thought to have experience; her husband

Cons – Establishment candidate thought to have experience; her husband; judgment, character, fundraising and other ethics concerns, consistency and integrity not exactly a strong suit

Odds: Off the board http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/michaeljames/ChNn

Wes Clark

Pros -- Military experience

Cons – Endorsed Hillary; military experience marred by allegations of personality issues during his command

Odds: 1,000 to 1

John Edwards

Pros -- Humble upbringing and populist appeal energizes many traditional Democratic constituencies; experienced on the campaign trail

Cons – Couldn’t help deliver any Southern states with Kerry as the leading man; $400 haircut issue unfair, but out there and attacks on other candidates, flip-flop on public financing and trial lawyer history provide good openings for GOP attack machine

Odds: 15 to 1

Evan Bayh

Pros – Has executive experience as governor of conservative Indiana; young and ambitious

Cons – Endorsed Hillary; not well-known nationally; has presidential aspirations that were dashed due to Barack’s ascendance, adding youthful presence to the ticket does not help deal with the “inexperience” fallacy

Odds: 55 to 1

Al Gore

Pros -- Nobel Prize winner; enviros LOVE him; experience

Cons – After serving 8 years as VP and coming so close to the top job in 2000, does he really want to do this? Not everyone agrees on global warming/climate change, so focus on this issue might distract from everything else; if Hillary really does have dirt on him she may sabotage the campaign so that she can run again herself in 2012

Odds: 20 to 1

Dennis Kucinich

Pros – Should help solidify the liberal base

Cons – Not taken seriously by large portions of the electorate; great target for GOP attack machine

Odds: 20 to 1

Mike Gravel

Pros -- Anti-establishment cred is unmatched;

Cons – Campaign and debate antics are a distraction; not taken seriously by large portions of the electorate

Odds: 1,000,000 to 1

Republicans

Chuck Hagel

Pros -- Crossover appeal; Retiring from the Senate, so nothing to lose; Iraq war positions amenable to Obama’s; Viet Nam infantry veteran

Cons – Failure to disclose involvement with electronic voting firm; Would he abandon the GOP?

Odds: 10 to 1

Dick Lugar

Pros -- Crossover appeal; In April 2006, Lugar was selected by Time as one of "America's 10 Best Senators;” Strong on arms/nuclear weapons control

Cons – Would he leave the GOP?

Odds: 10 to 1

John McCain

Pros -- Crossover appeal; military background; straight talk express nice fit with Barack’s forthrightness and transparency themes

Cons – Big differences on Iraq & healthcare; might have moved too far to the right during primary run to appease conservative base

Odds: 25 to 1

Ron Paul

Pros -- Crossover appeal; strong grassroots/netroots support;

Cons – Libertarian views make for severe differences on policy; not taken seriously by large portions of the electorate

Odds: 3,000,000 to 1

Mike Huckabee

Pros -- Crossover appeal; helps with religious voters and the South

Cons – Selling himself as the candidate of true conservatives and the religious right makes him a tough sell to Obama’s base; Abortion issue hard to reconcile; Wayne Dumond

Odds: 100 to 1

Colin Powell

Pros – Unquestioned military credentials; gravitas; Secretary of State experience; Resigned rather than continue working for Bush

Cons – Two African-Americans does not balance the ticket; sales pitch at the UN for the Iraq war helped convince a lot of people to go the wrong way

Odds: 50 to 1

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Pros -- Star power; should make California electoral votes even safer; Strong leadership during wildfire crisis

Cons – Not born in the USA, so could he really serve as President if it came to that?

Odds: Off the board

Independents/Others

Mike Bloomberg

Pros -- Personal wealth; entrepreneurial and executive experience; better Mayor than Giuliani

Cons – Nanny state policies in NY hurt independent & Republican appeal; limited public life and unmarried status could mean skeletons in the closet; Might prefer to run as an Independent and have top billing on a ticket

Odds: 35 to 1

Michelle Obama

Pros -- Great role model for women & girls; Excellent speaker; solidifies the Chicago vote

Cons – Unprecedented for a husband and wife to run for or hold office together ;-)

Odds: Off the board

Vladimir Putin

Pros – None

Cons – Already being courted by Stephen Colbert

Odds: Off the board

Michael James

Pros –

Cons – No political experience? Also, Barack is already strong in Illinois, so adding MJ, who is also from IL, doesn't really add much

Odds: 1,000,000,000 to 1

Not Hillary! Wake up America!!!

jgervin — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:02:43 EDT

It won't be Clinton or it won't be if Obama wants to keep the middle class on his side. Sure some of the middle class do like Hillary, but not for long.

My take on it is Hillary might win this election (god I hope not), if we American's don't speak up louder and more often on the fact that we are tired of -- no not tired -- are done with the corruption. So if Hillary wins this election the 2012 election will be won by an indepedent (Obama). With the election only 12 months away I am not sure there is enough time for all American's, especially Democrats who voted in all the Democrats to end the war and stop the Republicans, to rise up and end the two party system and the hold it has on America.

Choosing a Vice President for the Obama ticket

pservelle — Mon, 21 May 2007 23:50:42 EDT

What qualities should Obama look for in his choice of Vice President

a person who is also totally commited to a grass-roots approach to the campaign.
a person who is dedicated to coming together for the common good.
a person who is, first and foremost, in favor of bringing our troops home now.
a person who is smart, decent, and promotes through example the importance of the family
a person who will be a partner for change.
a person who recognizes and admires the unique ability of Obama to reach out and touch people from all walks of life.
a person who will not hesitate to tell Obama what he needs to hear.

I can only think of one person with these qualifications.

Obama and Clinton on same ticket?

LuckyCharm — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 23:58:30 EST

Am I the only person who's troubled by the disturbing but ubiquitous blogosphere predictions of a Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket for '08? I'd love to hear from other folks just how you feel about this -- personally, I detest Clinton to the same degree that I like Obama, and if they were to run together in either combination, he would instantly lose my support. Thoughts, comments, anyone?

~~Cheryl

Draft Colin Powell for VP

Mike Swatek — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 10:09:23 EST

Now its time to make the unprecedented move of drafting Colin Powell as Obama's running mate before the primary. He could even keep his Republican party affiliation, since it's really about the best person for the job and unifying our divided nation. This would drive home the ingenuity, integrity and balance of this campaign. It would be wonderful to know that the person one heartbeat away is the same caliber of integrity and broad public appeal as the President.

Powell would be a positive example of a strong and involved VP. The challenges are immense and we need the best combined wisdom and integrity at the top to make the best possible choices for our nation. As a leadership team, Obama and Powell could return the US to a position of deserved respect in the world.