Our airline and trucking industries are collapsing as a result of  skyrocketing gas prices.  Our president went to Saudi Arabia and begged them to produce more oil…Saudi’s response?  Tell you what Mr. Bush, we will THINK about producing more oil if you sell us nuclear technology and materials.  President Bush and Condoleeza Rice’s response…sounds good, lets do it.  Okay, so we are selling nuclear technology and power plants to Saudi Arabia in exchange for a mere promise from Saudi Arabia to THINK about producing more oil.  When asked if he thinks that this deal will compromise U.S. security, Bush responded that he trusts the King of Saudi Arabia.  I am by no means a foreign policy expert but that leaves this writer a little uneasy.  There is a consensus among those who are experts in this area that any domestic drilling will not produce a drop of oil for at least ten years.  However, listening to Bush, McCain, and the republican party, you would think that domestic off-shore drilling is the panacea for our energy crisis.  So their answer to our “oil addiction” is to drill more oil to feed our habit?  Hmmm………the crack addict strategy…….works for me!  Even Ruper Murdoch’s conservative Wall Street Journal agrees that if domestic drilling were to take place, the American people would not see any oil for seven to ten years. This seems to be a last minute grab from the two oil men before they leave office.  Oil companies or republicans never seem to mention that U.S. oil companies already have over 400 oil leases that allows them to drill domestically and are only drilling on 20% of those leases.  So, although 68 million acres are already leased to the oil companies for domestic drilling, they are not drilling.  Reason claims said oil companies…..a lack of the necessary equipment or not enough acres to make drilling profitable.  Yea right!  It seems that they and the republican party have decided to obtain and hoard as many leases as possible while the gettin is good, i.e., before the oil men administration leaves office.  McCain has also decided to flip-flop and jump on the bandwagon by changing his position regarding off-shore drilling.  Originally, McCain’s position was no off-shore drilling domestically.  Interesting tidbit….Wall Street values oil companies based on their reserves.  The more reserves the oil company claims that it has, the greater the value of said oil company.

Off-Shore Drilling

The moratorium on off-shore drilling was put in place two decades ago in an effort to preserve the environment (routine leaks, spills, pollution from rigs, affect on climate change when burning the end product, tar bogs on the beach) and to prevent damage to oceanlife that off-shore drilling would cause.  Further, residents of coastal communities do not want to see parts of their coastline industrialized nor do they want view eyesore oil riggs from their coastlines.  Also, business and residential communities of such coastlines do not want the on-shore development of support facilities and refineries that come along with off-shore drilling.  For these communities, the coastlines are huge economic engines that drive business to their localities.  Side point: Even if the ban is lifted, there is a shortage of ships available to oil companies to do the off-shore drilling.  Back to my main point.  The U.S. is the third largest producer of oil in the world. We cannot produce enough oil to meet our huge demand.  Better solution, drive down demand in the U.S. and become much more fuel-efficient and energy independent.  We cannot produce enough oil domestically to meet our demand.  Fuel efficiency will have a much greater effect on our dependence than any negligible effect achieved by increased domestic drilling.  Even though McCain has been quoted to say that domestic oil “resources will take years to develop,”  he is now pushing for us to become more fuel dependent by agreeing with Bush in his proposal to increase off-shore drilling.  Funny thing, Jeb Bush is Against lifting the ban. However, current Florida governor and vice presidential hopeful Charlie Crist supports lifting the ban.  Another interesting tidbit is that John McCain has received $800, 000 in campaign donations from the oil and gas industry.  Though Sen. McCain is advocating otherwise, less drilling and renewable energy such as wind and solar seems to be the quickest and more preferable methods. After all, experts confirm that it will take 20 or 30 years before consumers will actually see cheaper gas as a result of domestic off-shore drilling.  Sen. Barack Obama supports maintaining the ban.   

Will not make a difference in gas Prices 

Claiming otherwise is political pandering.  Selling more domestic drilling leases to oil companies will not make a difference in the price of gas. This is a world market and individual fields do not have a big influence on how the price of oil is set. Further, the U.S. has only 2% of the worlds proven oil reserves yet we consume 21% of global oil demand.  We import 60 percent of our oil.  We will never be able to drill enough oil to make us energy independent simply with domestic off-shore drilling.  Fuel efficiency and alternative forms of energy are our best options.  Off-shore drilling is a red herring that will not come anywhere near solving our current energy crisis

Speculators  (Enron loophole)

Speculators have also been cited as the reason for high gas prices by way of the Enron loophole.  The Enron loophole, proposed by then Sen. Phil Gramm(TX) now McCain’s Chief  Financial advisor, is a provision in the Commodities Futures Modernization Act that exempts electronic trading of energy (oil) from oversight of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission.  In 2000, Gramm and former CEO of Enron, Kenneth Lay, convinced Congress that the energy market would be much more “efficient” without federal oversight.   Actually, Gramm slipped the Enron, backed and drafted, provision into the CFM Act.  Also, at the time, Wendy Gramm, Phil Gramm’s wife, was on the board of directors of Enron.  Nothing like keeping it in the family.  The Enron provision allows for energy trading in unregulated markets, also referred to as “dark markets.” American investors and hedge funds can purchase an unlimited number of energy contracts on foreign exchanges.  This practice artificially inflates oil demand.  Because of the lack of federal oversight with respect to foreign exchanges, traders are able to avoid the ”position limits” set by the Commodities Futures Trade Commission for American markets resulting in ”price distortion and supply squeezes.”  Trading in such unregulated markets have soared in the last three years.  Speculation appears to be playing a significant role in driving up the price of oil.  Oil is being used as a hedge against the dollar.  As the dollar falls foreign investors buy oil using dollars because it is perceived as discounted.  This then increases the demand for oil in the energy market.  Further, to purchase stocks on margin in regulated markets, investors must put down at least 50 percent of their own money.  However, in the unregulated energy (oil) market, investors need only put down seven percent of their own money and hedge funds need only put down 1 percent or less. This allows speculators/investors to take huge bets with tiny amounts of money.  Raising the margins for such speculators would make this type of trading less profitable by decreasing the demand for energy contracts.  Some say that the Enron loophole can account for as much as $80 of the $140 cost of  a barrel of oil.  Such speculation has also been estimated to account for as much as 60 percent of the price for a gallon of gasoline.  Lack of policing by the government allows traders to manipulate, if not outright control, the market.  Legislators took a small step towards reform in the farm bill legislation but they need to go much further and close this loophole altogether.  McCain opposed the farm bill and defended the Enron loophole.  The Arizona senator claimed to oppose the bill because he did not want to reward lobbyists.  However, a McCain aide speaking on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged that McCain opposed the bill after being advised by Gramm to resist it because of the regulatory language affecting the energy futures market.  Speak to you congressman about closing this loophole and increasing margin requirements.

Supply and Demand 

Many claim that the increased demand for oil by developing countries China and India is the reason for the high oil prices.  “World demand for oil is projected to increase 37% over 2006 levels by 2030, according to the US-based Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) annual report.” India and China are becoming big oil consumers as a result of urbanization, development, and pursuit of higher living standards.  China’s oil consumption doubled from 1996 -2006. It also imported over 50 percent of its oil in 2005.  India’s oil imports are expected to triple by 2020.  The increase demand for cars and trucks in India and China will be the primary cause of 75 percent increase of oil consumption.  This number will only increase as more and more countries develop.  The price of oil has risen 400 percent in the last six years. Yet the demand for crude oil has has only risen a little over nine percent in the last six years.  In 2002, the price of oil per barrel was $20.  Last week a barrel of oil reached an all time high of $142 a barrel.  Though oil production has outpaced demand 9.87 to 9.38, the price of oil has increased spectacularly.  The way market forces usually work is when supply is less than demand, the price of oil increases.  When supply is greater than demand, the price of oil should go down.  Deductive reasoning dictate that because oil production exceeded oil demand and the price of oil still increased 400 percent within the last six years, China and India are probably not the reason for the meteoric rise in oil prices.

Gas Tax Holiday

A gimmick.  Nough said.

What We can Do

America needs to become more energy independent.  What can we the consumers do?  We can do our part.  We are already parking our cars, driving less, and moving more towards mass transit.  Driving 60 mph will eliminate 2 million barrels of oil a day and will significantly affect our demand thereby impacting the price of gasoline in the U.S.  We do not need politicians to tell us this.  These are things that we can do as consumers.  What can Washington, DC do with pressure from us the consumers?  Renewable energy and heightened fuel economy standards can have a substantial impact.  Fuel economy standards were only recently increased after being frozen since the Reagan era.   Congress is finally telling Detroit that its cars must be much more fuel efficient.  For goodness sake…..cars in Japan get 50 miles per gallon of gas.  Trucks in Japan get 40 mile per gallon of gas.  Ninety percent of the new cars sold in Brazil this year will be flexible-fuel vehicles operating on a mixture of sugar based ethanol and gas.  Why are we so far behind this trend?  Complacency.  America is fully capable of jumping on this bandwagon but has not had the incentive up until this point…..well circumstances have changed dramatically and the US is forced to move toward the gasoline alternative direction.  With respect to Detroit making these large fuel-inefficient vehicles, Detroit posits that its predicament of having to pay pensions and high healthcare cost necessitate that they make larger cars because the profit margin on such cars is much greater than that on small vehicles.  Now however, the demand for compact, fuel efficient cars is imperative and Detroit needs to adjust its business model.  Many suspect that we need $8 dollar a gallon gas to incentivise Americans to use less gas.  I don’t think so.  As previously mentioned, we have already begun to take big steps in this direction by driving less and moving to mass transit as our primary mode of transportation.  Mass transit ridership is up15 percent in some metropolitan cities.  The demand for hybrid cars is enormous, so much so that the length of time that a hybrid car stays on the sales lot after delivery from the manufacturer is 17 hours.  Mercedes Benz, maker of the SmartForTwo, says it will stop producing  gasoline cars altogether in 7 years.  The company is now testing their SmartForTwo as an Electric Vehicle in LA using lithium batteries.  Nissan plans to roll out its electric car in significant quantities to the American market by 2010 and mass market the electric vehicle by 2012.  The cars release zero emissions.  We sent a man to the moon for goodness sake, I do not buy the excuse that it is impossible to become less oil dependent.  Denmark and Israel have already moved in this direction.  Denmark especially are using wind energy to power their electric cars.  One mid-size two mega watt windmill can supply the energy needed for 3000 cars.  700 mid-size two mega watt windmills can power two million passenger cars.  Given that our reliance on foreign oil undermines our national security and defense capabilities, a move in this direction makes sense.   We have the science and technology to go all electric today.  We just need the car companies to begin the process.  If you think about the evolution of mail from letters (snail mail), to fax, to email; the evolution of the electric car is on the same path.  First we have the gas vehicle, then we have the hybrid, the next logical step is an all electric vehicle.  Electric cars are inevitable, call your congressman and express your backing of putting in place incentives to Detroit and other car companies to begin producing them in large quantities. 

YONGBYON, North Korea - North Korea destroyed the most visible symbol of its nuclear weapons program Friday in a sign of its commitment to stop making plutonium for atomic bombs.

An explosion at the base of the cylindrical structure sent the tower collapsing into a cloud of white and gray smoke that billowed into blue skies as international journalists and diplomats looked on, according to video footage filmed by broadcaster APTN at the site. Read story

President Bush announced this morning that the United States has moved closer to its goal of ridding the world of North Korea as a nuclear threat and dismantling the socialist state’s nuclear programs.  North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in 2006 and has the capability to produce more.  Therefore, the fact that North Korea has handed over documents regarding its nuclear activities is a big step towards the larger goal of nuclear disarmament.  The United States intends to lift sanctions and its designation of North Korea as a terrorist state in 45 days if North Korea follows through with its promises.  Bush says that if North Korea does not follow through with its promises more restrictions will be placed.  Noteworthy Comment:  It is only because Bush changed his policy about direct talks with our enemies that this development took place.  Can you say thanks Sen. Obama.  Apparently the criticism of Obama as being naive is without merit.  This is the third time Bush has changed his position to that of the Illinois senator regarding foreign policy and received successful results.  FYI:  John McCain takes an even harder line against and regarding talking to our enemies than President Bush.  Sen. MCain has called Obama’s policy in this regard inexperienced.  Obama has said that he has better judgement and that experience in Washington does not substitute for such judgement.  Todays development seem to ram forward that point.  Ding, ding, ding,…..another round for Obama.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Obama gave one of the best quotes to date from a democratic presidential hopeful concerning how he will react to the swiftboat attacks of the republican right and its 527 groups.  Per the New York Times:

It was not all about pop culture. When Mr. Wenner asked how Mr. Obama might respond to harsh attacks from Republicans, suggesting that Democrats have “cowered” in the past, Mr. Obama replied, “Yeah, I don’t do cowering.”

Yea baby…we don’t do cowering.  That is exactly the attitude that democrats need to exhibit toward the misleading, unfounded, right wing attacks of yesteryear. 

Under mounting pressure from Israel, CBS is reporting that President Bush is actually considering leaving office with a BANG!  Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen left Tuesday night on an overseas trip to Israel where Israel is expected to beg the U.S. to strike Iran before Bush leaves office.  Israel does not want Iran to be nuclearized and it is counting on President Bush to strike in the next six months because they are unsure of the foreign policy of the next administration regarding Iran.  Welcome October surprise!  CBS reports that “[t]he Israelis have been assured by the Bush administration that the Bush administration will not allow Iran to nuclearize,” [CBS also reports] “Israelis are uncertain about what would be the policies of the next administration vis-à-vis Iran.” So they are in the process of  applying immense pressure on the current administration to complete a military strike before it leaves in January 2008.  The current Secretary of Defense Robert Gates opposes such a strike because he says that “it could touch off a third war in the region.”  Question: how could a President who has judgement, a conscience, or a semblance of intellect enter us into another war when our military is already completely overstretched and our country is facing a deficit unlike any in recent history?  The Answer: we are dealing with a President that does not seem to possess any of these things.  What we seem to have is a President who is trying to get his party re-elected by way of political expediency perhaps? Who we are dealing with is a president who believes in cowboy diplomacy regardless of the consequences to the American people.  Who we are dealing with is a president who does not seem to care what happens once he leaves office and figures that the aftermath of his actions will be President Obama’s problem.  Big surprise, vice President Cheney is also for striking Iran.

Our government is using our most treasured heroes who have fought gallantly in Iraq and Afghanistan as guinea pigs.  Yes folks, our veterans are being encouraged to participate in a study involving an anti-smoking drug called Chantix.  Sounds like a good thing right, help our soldiers give up the cancer stick, not so fast; the drug lists as its side-effects, suicide and neuropsychiatric behavior.  Why are our patriots agreeing to participate in such a study you ask?  For an extra $30 a month.  Lured by the enticement of a couple of extra bucks a month our soldiers are putting their lives at risk to help pay the bills.  Such soldiers were recruited for the study after being diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.  The participants were not told about the side effects until after three months of using the drug.  James Elliott, a former US Army sniper said this about what he heard from the Veterans Administration: “[t]hey never told me that I was going to be suicidal, that I would cease sleeping. They never told me anything except this will help me quit smoking.” What the hell??  Our soldiers risk their lives for our freedoms and this is the thanks they get?  As a matter of fact, examples of such treatment is so prevalent that the soldiers have a name for it inside the military “disposable heroes.” How is this possible?  Our bravest men and women referring to themselves as “disposable.”  Men and women who have given everything for their country are now being used as lab rats by the very government that they fought so bravely to protect!  Unbelievable!  More so than ever people……elections matter.  Obama responded to this outrage by issuing the following statement almost immediately after the story was reported in the Washington Times:

“It is outrageous and unacceptable that our government would irresponsibly endanger veterans who have already sacrificed so much for our country. Our veterans — particularly those suffering from mental health injuries — should have the very best health care and support in the world, they should never be needlessly exposed to drugs without proper notification of the dangers involved or effective monitoring of the side effects.”

“I will immediately be asking for a full and thorough investigation of how our government could yet again let down our veterans and their families who have given so much to their country, and who have paid so much for the failures of civilian leadership in Washington. It is time to demand accountability and to ensure that this kind of breach of trust never takes place again.” 

McCain has not issued a statement.

Another example of neglect of our men and women in uniform is the alarming suicide rate among soldiers returning home from Iraq.  The suicide rate is so high that it is being labeled an epidemic.  We have not heard a peep about this from the Bush administration. Not to mention that it is being made very difficult to get actual numbers because soldier suicide rates is not something that the current administration wants to publicize considering how most Americans feel about the war. This is just one of many stories regarding how tormented our brave men and women are when they return home.

Twenty-three-year-old Marine Reservist Jeff Lucey hanged himself with a garden hose in the cellar of this parents’ home - where his father, Kevin, found him. There’s a crisis going on and people are just turning the other way,” Kevin Lucey said.

More so than ever….REGISTER…….VOTE!

Again, with so much at stake in this election it is really important to know the temperament of our next Chief Executive.  This will give us as voters an idea of how that person reacts in stressful situations.  See ten additional examples of McCain losing his cool in tense situations

courtesy of jwilkes.

10. Volunteer Campaign Aide

Back on November 5, 1999, the Arizona Republic ran a story about one particular example of McCain’s mistreatment of his own campaign staff, an outburst that would haunt him for years to come. Just hours after McCain was elected to the Senate for the first time, a campaign volunteer was setting up a podium, from which the newly-elected Senator was to deliver a victory speech.  When the 5′9 McCain saw that the podium was being set up to accommodate a taller man, McCain snapped, hurling expletives and epithets at the young aide as members of the press and supporters watched. 

9.  Judy Leiby, Senior Aide to Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ)

In Ron Kessler’s July 5, 2000 Newsmax piece titled, “McCain’s Out-of-Control Anger: Does He Have the Temperament to Be President?” the author recounted McCain’s encounter with Judy Leiby, a senior member of Senator Dennis DeConcini’s staff.  DeConcini, an Arizona Democrat, had announced his retirement, and McCain had stopped by to wish him well.  Seeing a large crowd, McCain shook the hand of everyone in the office - except Leiby, who had differed with him on a number of issues during her time in DeConcini’s office.  Sensing the awkwardness, one of the other staff members asked McCain if he’d been introduced to Leiby.  “Oh,” he said,  “I know her.”  McCain wheeled back to Leiby and said, “I’m so glad you’re out of a job, and I’ll see to it that you never work again.”  McCain admitted that he’d made the comment, saying that he hadn’t held Leiby in “particularly high esteem.” 

8.  Jim Abbot, Coronado National Forest Supervisor

In the same Newsmax piece mentioned above, Kessler interviewed Jim Abbot, a park ranger who oversaw operations at Coronado National Forest, a large forest located in McCain’s home state.  Abbot had become concerned that construction on a new building at the University of Arizona was threatening some of the park’s endangered wildlife, and petitioned for a temporary halt to construction.  When it was granted, McCain got in touch with him.  “If you don’t cooperate on this project,” he threatened, “you’ll be the shortest tenured supervisor in the history of the Forest Service.” 

7.  Robin Silver, Bob Witzeman - Medical Doctors

Stemming from the issue of construction and the endangered species in Coronado National Forest, McCain received a visit from two doctors who had been involved in local environmental preservation: Robin Silver, and Bob Witzeman.  At the very mention of the matter, McCain exploded, slamming his fists on his desk, scattering papers about the room, and unleashing a tirade of expletives and threats that lasted for 10 minutes.  Silver commented that McCain’s outburst was uncalled for, and McCain apologized. 

6.  Rep. John LeBoutillier (R-NY)

A New York Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. John LeBoutillier had interviewed McCain in a meeting regarding POWs.  During the meeting, LeBoutillier had placed a tape recorder on the table. Later, LeBoutillier encountered McCain in the course of House business, but McCain refused to speak to him without confirming that he wasn’t tape recording the conversation.  “Are you wired up?” McCain demanded.  Despite LeBoutilliers assertions that he was not, McCain insisted that he lower his pants and prove that he was not wearing any kind of listening device. “He’s a vicious person,” LeBoutillier said of his former colleague. 

5.  Senator Richard Shelby, (R-AL)

In a piece that ran in the January 28, 2000 edition of Investor’s Business Daily titled, “Can McCain Control His Temper?” the editorial board raised the issue of an incident between McCain and another of his Senate colleagues, Republican Richard Shelby of Alabama. Shelby had cast a vote against the nomination of Defense Secretary John Tower, and McCain became enraged, getting an inch away from Shelby’s face.  McCain screamed at him, letting expletives and names fly.  Mcain was “half boasting” when he said, “I was madder than hell when I accosted him.” 

4.  Delegation of Female Air Force Pilots

Former editor of the Arizona Republic, Pat Murphy, wrote a detailed editorial that was carried by a number of different papers in December of 1999.  Murphy pointed to an incident in which a delegation interested in expanding opportunities for female pilots visited McCain at his Senate office back in 1991.  McCain greeted them by calling them “honey,” and “sweetie,” and then proceeded to disparage them, calling them “a bunch of Pat Schroeders.”  Schroeder was a Colorado Democrat who had championed women’s rights issues while in office. 

3.  Diane Smith, a McCain Constituent

Murphy also mentions Diane Smith, a constituent of McCain, who wrote to the Senator to criticize what she perceived as unfair treatment of Anita Hill, the woman who claimed to have been sexually harassed by then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas.  McCain personally called the 60 year-old woman and berated her for “questioning [his] integrity.”

2.  Sandra Dowling, Maricopa County School Superintendent

In a 60 Minutes interview with Morley Safer, Sandra Dowling, the Maricopa County (Arizona) superintendent of schools, recounted the time she’d refused McCain’s demand that she retract her support of a political rival of one of McCain’s protégés.  McCain screamed at her, threatening to “destroy” her.  Her son soon thereafter lost his appointment to the US Naval Academy (of which McCain is an alum).  McCain denied any connection, though he sits as an ex officio member of the Board of Visitors. 

1.  NBC

The television network NBC refused to support a television rating system that McCain had proposed be introduced.  McCain wrote to the network’s president, Robert Wright, threatening to work to have the Federal Communications Commission lift NBC licenses on locally-owned stations.

Michelle Obama appeared on the View today and was asked a myriad of questions about sexism, the media, comments erroneously attributed to her, fashion, family, the presidency.  With respect to the comment about her being proud of her country…Michelle responded that she is very proud of her country.  She went further to say that in no other country is her story possible.  Considering the fact that she came from a working class background where her dad worked a shift his entire life yet managed to raise two children who not only were accepted to Princeton but graduated and one went on to Harvard Law School.  Mrs. Obama was also specifically asked what she thought about the fact that the media edited out the word “really” when reporting on the comment “for the first time in my life, I am REALLY proud of my country.”  Yes folks, she did not say “for the first time in my life I am proud of my country,” as has been widely reported by the media, she actually used the word “really” before “proud” but the main stream media edited out the word “really” in order to create a false controversy. One message to voters, pay attention, pay attention, investigate, and verify.   Michelle also agreed that there is a level of sexism in the media because people are not use to “strong women.”  She said that there are also levels of racism as well but all of it comes with the political territory.  With respect to family, she said that her entire schedule revolves around the girls Malia and Sasha and that she is at home much more than she is on the campaign trail.  She mentioned that it is the girls that really keep them grounded.  Mrs. Obama was also asked about Sen. Obama’s Father’s Day speech. Michelle responded that it was an important speech that the Senator has given before.  She also reiterated that it is important to Barack  that he be the type of father that his father was not.  Mrs. Obama said that she initially resisted the idea of her husband going into politics because it is such a mean business.  Then she began to think about the kind of leader that she would want as a mom and as a citizen and believed that Barack best fit that bill.  Lastly, and this is tomorrow’s headline, apparently the Obama family is a “bacon” family; they tend to eat bacon for breakfast.

The far right has decided to exploit Obama’s race any and every way that it can in an effort to reach out to that elusive voting block…..former supporters of David Duke.  This button was being sold at the GOP state convention in Texas.  Way to encourage and embrace minorities interested in joining the Grand Old Party.  Perhaps occurrences such as these are why black conservatives are conflicted about voting republican this fall. 

Last night in Detroit, Michigan, former Vice President and former presidential candidate Al Gore endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president.  One interesting fact is that Gore announced his presidential run on June 16, 1999, exactly nine years to the day that he endorses Barack Obama for President.  In his speech, Gore spoke specifically about how important elections are to our foreign policy, our Supreme Court,  Katrina, the Iraq War, wounded veterans, food safety, tainted products from China, and the national deficit.  The former vice president and preeminent expert on climate change reiterated that we need change with respect to our government as well as to how we solve our global warming crisis.  Alluding to John McCain, Gore also stressed that a long tenure in Washington DC does not amount to “judgement, wisdom, and vision.”  This endorsement is significant for the Obama campaign for one reason, “Florida, Florida, Florida.”  After the 2000 debacle, Al Gore is the poster child for what could have been.  Gore out on the campaign stump will remind a significant portion of  Floridian voters of what happened in the 2000 presidential campaign against George W. Bush.  Given the state of the economy and the many colossal foreign policy blunders of the Bush administration, Gore will be a vivid reminder of what many believe to be the injustice of 2000.  His presence will remind Floridians how important it is that they turn out in great numbers.  Further, considering the reaction of the Michigan crowd when Gore brought up the 2000 election, there are many still hoping to right that wrong.  It doesn’t help that McCain has a 95% pro-Bush voting record thereby making it easy for Floridians to replace the GW of 2000 with the McCain of 2008 enabling them to exact their vengeance.  So though Gore did not come out when it really could have given the Obama campaign a boost, his endorsement is still very valuable to the campaign especially if he backs it up by stumping for Obama in Florida.   Si Se Puede! 

Presumptive democratic nominee Barack Obama and his family attended the Apostolic Church of God on Chicago’s South Side on Father’s Day.  Sen. Obama had message to absentee fathers who are not engaged in their children’s lives.  Obama haven grown up without his father being present knew exactly from which he spoke.  He urged African-American fathers to take an active role in their childrens development and own up to their responsibilities as men.  The speech was stern  and hit the right notes regarding an issue that affects the African-American community.  See full text of speech below.

 Good morning. It’s good to be home on this Father’s Day with my girls, and it’s an honor to spend some time with all of you today in the house of our Lord.
At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus closes by saying, “Whoever hears these words of mine, and does them, shall be likened to a wise man who built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.” [Matthew 7: 24-25]

Here at Apostolic, you are blessed to worship in a house that has been founded on the rock of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. But it is also built on another rock, another foundation - and that rock is Bishop Arthur Brazier. In forty-eight years, he has built this congregation from just a few hundred to more than 20,000 strong - a congregation that, because of his leadership, has braved the fierce winds and heavy rains of violence and poverty; joblessness and hopelessness. Because of his work and his ministry, there are more graduates and fewer gang members in the neighborhoods surrounding this church. There are more homes and fewer homeless. There is more community and less chaos because Bishop Brazier continued the march for justice that he began by Dr. King’s side all those years ago. He is the reason this house has stood tall for half a century. And on this Father’s Day, it must make him proud to know that the man now charged with keeping its foundation strong is his son and your new pastor, Reverend Byron Brazier.

Of all the rocks upon which we build our lives, we are reminded today that family is the most important. And we are called to recognize and honor how critical every father is to that foundation. They are teachers and coaches. They are mentors and role models. They are examples of success and the men who constantly push us toward it.

But if we are honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that what too many fathers also are is missing - missing from too many lives and too many homes. They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it.

Read the rest of this entry »

I sit here shocked, saddened, and completely stunned.  I cannot believe that my Sunday morning friend will not be joining me for breakfast this Sunday or any Sunday thereafter.  Though we have never met, Tim Russert comes into my home, and the homes of 5 million others, every week as a distinguished old friend.  Telephone calls and knocks on the door are ignored.  Everything stands still for that one hour on Sunday morning.  It’s the one day of the week that I know that I will hear authentic, unbiased, clinical, no holds barred, interviews and political discussion.  It’s hard to imagine beginning my week without an injection of Russert style analysis.   It is equally difficult to imagine anyone who will be able to fill his shoes.  Meet the Press will be a different show without his smiling face, sharp wit, keen intellect, and probing commentary.  It was only when Tim Russert proclaimed Barack Obama the presumptive democratic nominee that everyone began to say that the democratic race was over.  His death has left an enormous void not only in journalism but in politics in general.  At a time when our country is in flux and there are many uncertainties as to which direction we are headed, turning to NBC for Sunday morning breakfast with Big Russ gave me calm and solace.  He was an institution and a mainstay who created within us an infectious curiosity.  His love and passion for politics came through in every interview, every comment, and every appearance.  So much so that I channel switch between two different morning shows just to hear his take on the political news of the day.  Quoting him as your source gave an argument a level of credibility that rivaled fact.  He was the standard-bearer for his profession and I cannot imagine this historic race without him.  Seeing his beaming face and witnessing his unadulterated glee at the conclusion of the democratic primary was enough to make even the worst of cynics crack a smile.  Even though you probably have a much better view of what will happen in this particular race Mr. Russert, it just does not seem fair that you were taken at this time.  The night Obama became the presumptive democratic nominee, I remember one of Tim’s last comments,  “I would love to teach an American history class in an inner-city school tomorrow.” He didn’t realize that he was teaching history to the biggest classroom in the world.  He taught us through his commitment, passion, enthusiasm, and dedication, to politics, journalism, and truth.  I for one am proud to have been his student.  He was the titan of his profession and his death has left a hole in our hearts as well as our curriculum.  You will be missed Mr. Timothy Russert, and this “wild ride” will not be the same without you.  In your resplendent memory…..go Bills.

The non-partisan group, the Tax Policy Center, studied the tax plans of both Barack Obama and John McCain.  The group concluded that Obama plan benefits low and middle income families while McCain plan benefits those making 2.5 million or more.  See an excerpt from the analysis below.

The Tax Policy Center 

The two candidates’ plans would have sharply different distributional effects. Senator McCain’s tax cuts would primarily benefit those with very high incomes, almost all of whom would receive large tax cuts that would, on average, raise their after-tax incomes by more than twice the average for all households. Many fewer households at the bottom of the income distribution would get tax cuts and those whose taxes fall would, on average, see their after-tax income rise much less. In marked contrast, Senator Obama offers much larger tax breaks to low- and middle-income taxpayers and would increase taxes on high-income taxpayers. The largest tax cuts, as a share of income, would go to those at the bottom of the income distribution, while taxpayers with the highest income would see their taxes rise.

The impact of the tax code on economic activity under each candidate’s policies would differ in several important ways. With Senator McCain’s proposed policies enacted, the top marginal rates (35 percent on individual income and 25 percent on corporate income) would be significantly lower than under Senator Obama’s plan (39.6 and 35 percent, respectively). McCain’s reduced individual and corporate rates would improve economic efficiency and increase domestic investment, but the larger deficits he would incur to do so would reduce and could completely offset any positive effect. In contrast, Senator Obama’s proposed new tax credits could encourage desirable behavior, particularly if the childless EITC and payroll tax rebate encourage additional labor supply among childless low-income individuals. However, he would also direct new subsidies at an already favored group-seniors -and an already favored activity-borrowing for housing-which could probably be better directed elsewhere.  Read analysis

I am publishing this post because after seven-and-a-half years of cowboy diplomacy, I believe it is important that we the voters know the temperament of the next person who enters the White House as the leader of the free world.  I want to know that in these turbulent times exactly how our next Commander-in-Chief will react when faced with the inconceivable pressures that such a position brings.  The instances below do not come close to what our next President will be faced with upon his entrance to the White House but it does give an indication as to how the Senator reacts in tense and demanding situations.

Courtesy of Jwilkes:

As former GOP Senator Rick Santorum put it, “Everybody has a McCain story.”  Over his tenure in Congress, McCain has had angry, expletive-laced exchanges with a number of his colleagues and peers,- both Democrat and Republican alike- many of which have been covered extensively by local Arizona and nationwide news sources.  Below are the ten most notable among them.

10.         Senator Ted Kennedy - On August 6, 1993, the Boston Globe ran a story detailing a heated verbal exchange between Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy and McCain.  Kennedy was at the lectern delivering remarks, when McCain began walking toward him from across the Senate floor, mocking the Massachusetts legislator.  McCain shouted at Kennedy to “shut up.”  A stunned Kennedy fired back at McCain, telling him, “you shut up…and act like a Senator.” 

9.         Democratic Rep. Marty Russo (D-IL) - In its December 1985 issue, Atlantic Monthly described an altercation that took place just a few years after McCain had been elected to the House for the first time.  Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) found himself in the crossfire between the two Congressman, who were angrily shouting “seven-letter and twelve-letter” epithets back and forth at one another, when the exchange became violent and they began pushing and shoving one another.  The two were separated from their tangle by a few other legislators who were nearby.

8.         Former Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson - Newsmax, the “conservative perspective” political publication run by Chris Ruddy, didn’t cut McCain any partisan slack in a July 2006 article, in which it recounted a dust-up between McCain and some local government officials in his home state.  Speaking at a luncheon at which McCain was in attendance, former Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson was among a group of local mayors fielding questions from the Arizona Congressional delegation about local land issues.  In the midst of one answer from Johnson, who helmed the city from 1990 to 1994, McCain blurted out, “Hold it a minute.  Somebody write down everything this guy has to say.  You know what, we need to record him.  It’s best to get a liar on tape.”

Taken aback, Johnson offered the Senator a chance to speak privately, saying, “Senator, if you have a problem with me, why don’t we go out in the hallway and talk about it.”

McCain fired back: “You’re God-damn right I have a problem with you!  They’ve been treating you like a princess in Phoenix while they’ve been burning me over this damn deal, and I’m sick of it!”

7.         Unidentified GOP Senator - Accounts of McCain’s outburst at a Senate GOP policy lunch has reached near-epic proportion, having been written about by just about every blog and news site from Newsmax, to DailyKos, to the Huffington Post, to Wonkette, and so on.  During a vitriolic exchange between McCain and another unnamed Senator who took a position contrary to that of his colleague from Arizona.  McCain became infuriated, jumping from his chair and calling his fellow Republican a “shithead,” prompting an immediate demand for an apology.  McCain stood up again and issued it…sort of.  “Okay, I apologize,” he said.  “But you’re still a shithead.”

6.         Senator Pete Domenici - Newsweek’s February 21, 2000 edition highlighted an exchange between McCain and Republican Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico, Chairman of the Budget Committee.  In staunch disagreement with a particular portion of a budget amendment, McCain exploded.  “Only an asshole would put together a budget like that.”  Domenici, who’d been in the Senate nearly 30 years by that point, gave a restrained reply, noting that even in the most heated debated throughout his entire career, no one had ever used that kind of language toward him.  McCain didn’t back down.  “I wouldn’t call you an asshole unless you really were an asshole.”

5.         Unidentified GOP Senator- In 2006, Ron Kessler of Newsmax wrote that much of McCain’s unpopularity in the Senate stems from his 2000 campaign, when the vast majority- in fact, all but four- of his colleagues backed George W. Bush in the GOP primary.  One of McCain’s top aides recounted a telephone conversation between McCain and another Senator, who was explaining that he’d already committed to supporting Bush.  When he finished, McCain bristled.  “Fuck you,” he said, and hung up, never to speak to him again.  

4.         Senator Strom Thurmond - In an article titled “Senator Hothead,” The Washingtonian recounted one particular encounter between McCain and then-92-year-old Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.  McCain was giving an opening statement at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing when Thurmond, the committee chairman, interrupted to inquire as to whether McCain was finished so that the proceedings could be moved along.  McCain glared at Thurmond and thanked him for his “courtesy.”  McCain later confronted Thurmond on the Senate floor, and a “scuffle” ensued.  “The two didn’t part friends.”

3.         Senator Chuck Grassley - The same Newsweekarticle that outlined McCain’s confrontation with Domenici pointed to a similar incident with Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa.  The two were debating issues related to soldiers who had been reported Missing In Action in Vietnam.  After a blistering commentary by McCain, Grassley took offense.  “Are you calling me stupid?” he asked. 

McCain didn’t miss a beat.  “No, I’m calling you a fucking jerk.”

2.         Senator John Cornyn - On May 18, 2007, The Washington Post reported that McCain had locked horns with another one of his GOP colleagues, this time Senator John Cornyn of Texas.  The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill of 2007 had caused an enormous rift among Republicans, and the two Senators found themselves on opposite sides. Cornyn objected to a provision of the bill that allowed for what he perceived as too many judicial appeals for illegal immigrants.  McCain called his objections “chicken shit” and accused Cornyn of making petty tactics to sabotage the whole bill.  Cornyn took immediate offense. 

“Wait a second here.  I’ve been sitting in here for all these negotiations and you just parachute in here on the last day.  You’re out of line.”

Then McCain, who’d been spending a lot of time away from Washington on his presidential campaign, got a little more out of line. “Fuck you!” he shouted. “I know more about this than anyone in this room!” McCain apologized shortly afterword.

1.          His Own Wife, Cindy McCain- In his new book, The Real McCain, Cliff Schecter, a journalist and frequent contributor at the Huffington Post related perhaps the most disturbing of McCain’s tirades. During his 2000 White House bid, the Senator was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, his aides, and three journalists who spoke to Schecter on condition of anonymity, but independently confirmed each other’s accounts of the incident. Cindy McCain playfully ran her fingers through the Senator’s hair and teased, “You’re getting a little thin up there.” McCain reddened and fired back, “At least I don’t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt.” After he’d cooled down, McCain apologized, saying he’d had a long day.

Sen. Barack Obama announced today that Jim Johnson has resigned from his vice president three person vetting team.  Because this has become somewhat of a distraction for the campaign, Johnson decided to step down to avoid further disruption of the process.  Jim Johnson was one of the three person vetting team that includes Caroline Kennedy and Deputy Attorney Eric Holder. 

This is probably worse news for Sen. Hillary Clinton with respect to getting a veep nod because it sets the bar really high with respect to the drama tolerance level of the Obama campaign. 

WASHINGTON — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was gracious in her full-throated endorsement of Senator Barack Obama. But that does not mean all is forgiven by others in the Clinton universe.

For proof, look no further than Doug Band, chief gatekeeper to former President Bill Clinton.

Mr. Band keeps close track of the past allies and beneficiaries of the Clintons who supported Mr. Obama’s campaign, three Clinton associates and campaign officials said. Indeed, he is widely known as a member of the Clinton inner circle whose memory is particularly acute on the matter of who has been there for the couple — and who has not.

“The Clintons get hundreds of requests for favors every week,” said Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of Mrs. Clinton’s presidential campaign. “Clearly, the people you’re going to do stuff for in the future are the people who have been there for you.”

Mr. McAuliffe, who knows of Mr. Band’s diligent scorekeeping, emphasized that “revenge is not what the Clintons are about.” The accounting is more about being practical, he said, adding, “You have to keep track of this.”  Read article for those at the top of list.

Obama veep vetters look at former Pentagon leaders

Barack Obama is considering former top Pentagon leaders among his possible running mates, which would address his lack of foreign policy experience and balance the military bonafides of a GOP ticket led by a war hero.  Two senators who consulted Tuesday with the Democratic presidential candidate’s vice presidential vetting team said retired military generals were among the names they discussed. Read article

Fixing the Vote  How to keep new voters from falling off the rolls. 

The primaries have been thrilling, marked by surging voter participation. States without Electoral College clout that have traditionally been ignored by candidates—from Indiana and Texas to North Carolina and even South Dakota—have hosted vibrant campaigns. But as the excitement and suspense of the primary season fades and the reality of a general election sets in, how can we make sure this moment of rare public engagement is not just an aberration?  Major change comes when a widely felt public need collides with dysfunctional public institutions. Today, government is broken. The answer must be more than a simple changing of the guard; we know there will be a new president, after all. But there must also be changes in the way our democracy functions. If we want to end the special-interest stasis that paralyzes Congress, for example, we should move to public financing of congressional campaigns. If we worry that Congress is endlessly partisan, we should reform redistricting rules so that lawmakers can’t simply carve themselves one-party districts. If we liked the 50-state frenzy that made every vote matter, we should end the Electoral College (which, intriguingly, could be bypassed by states even without a constitutional amendment).  Read article

Obama develops a Cyber War room to tackle Internet viral Smears

Barack Obama is recruiting senior staff to a new unit which will combat virulent rumour campaigns on the internet that threaten to cost him votes in the presidential election against John McCain.  The unit is part of a huge expansion of Obama’s campaign team as he shifts from the Democratic nomination race to the campaign for November’s election.  As well as the rumour-mongering problem, units are being set up to deal with other perceived vulnerable points, including off-the-cuff remarks by his wife Michelle. McCain’s wife, Cindy, questioned Michelle’s patriotism in February after she said: “For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.” Brooks Jackson, director of the Washington-based FactCheck.org….”With Obama, it is particularly vicious,” Jackson said. He added that one of the most persistent is that Obama, a Christian, is “some kind of Muslim Manchurian candidate, planted by Islamic fundamentalists to betray the country and it is very widespread”.  Read article

Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio introduced 35 articles of impeachment against George W. Bush on the floor of the House yesterday.  The Ohio Representative and former presidential  contender requested that the House consider impeaching President Bush for decieving the country and breached his oath of office by leading into the Iraq war.

The articles of impeachment named by Rep. Kucinich were violation of the Geneva conventions, misprison of a felony, torture, war criminal, and many more.  The Ohio representative also introduced articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney last year.  The resolution didn’t go very far even though republicans voted to debate the measure.

Scott McClellan, former White House Secretary, has accepted the invitation from the Judiciary Committe to testify before Congress on the Bush Administration’s action regarding the Valerie Plame affair.

According to the Associated Press “President Bush’s former spokesman, Scott McClellan, will testify before a House committee next week about whether Vice President Dick Cheney ordered him to make misleading public statements about the leaking of CIA agent Valerie Plame’s identity.”  “McClellan will testify publicly and under oath before the House Judiciary Committee on June 20 about the White House’s role in the leak and its response, his attorneys, Michael and Jane Tigar, said on Monday.”

Obama, in Economic Tour, Criticizes McCain Agenda 

RALEIGH, N.C. — With the Democratic stage to himself for the first time, Senator Barack Obama opened a two-week tour of battleground states on Monday, attacking Senator John McCain’s economic policies and moving to focus on the ailing economy as the central theme of the general election campaign.  Read article

As Prices Soar, McCain Returns to Gas Tax Holiday Proposal  

RICHMOND — On the day that Sen. Barack Obama launched a two-week economic tour, his Republican rival reiterated his criticism for opposing a gas tax holiday this summer to take the bite out of rising prices at the pumps.  At a fundraiser here, Sen. John McCain told donors that Obama “derided” his idea for a three-month holiday from federal gas taxes at the risk of alienating low income voters and truckers.  Read article

Laura Bush Praises Clinton, Defends Michelle Obama 

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia — First Lady Laura Bush made an unusual foray into the U.S. presidential campaign here today, praising Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) for her “grit and strength” and coming to the defense of Michelle Obama, the wife of the presumptive Democratic nominee. Read article

Were African-Americans at Iwo Jima

Sixty-three years after U.S. forces vanquished the Japanese and planted their flag on Iwo Jima’s Mount Suribachi, the remote outpost in the Volcano Islands is the focus of another pitched battle. This time, acclaimed film directors Clint Eastwood and Spike Lee are engaging in verbal warfare over the verisimilitude of Eastwood’s two films about the epic clash, Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. Lee has claimed that by soft-pedaling African-American contributions to the battle, Eastwood is misrepresenting history. Read article

The Wife U.S. Republican John McCain callously left behind  McCain likes to illustrate his moral fibre by referring to his five years as a prisoner-of-war in Vietnam. And to demonstrate his commitment to family values, the 71-year-old former US Navy pilot pays warm tribute to his beautiful blonde wife, Cindy, with whom he has four children.  But there is another Mrs McCain who casts a ghostly shadow over the Senator’s presidential campaign. She is seldom seen and rarely written about, despite being mother to McCain’s three eldest children.   And yet, had events turned out differently, it would be she, rather than Cindy, who would be vying to be First Lady. She is McCain’s first wife, Carol, who was a famous beauty and a successful swimwear model when they married in 1965.   Read Daily Mail article

Conservative columnist George Will speaks the Truth to John McCain and Clinton female Supporters who threaten to vote For McCain:  [McCain] said, “The American people didn’t get to know me yesterday, as they are just getting to know Senator Obama.” McCain, who has been running for president for 10 years, has never entertained the thought that the country might sometimes have a surfeit of him. Does some statute require that [McCain] appear on at least one of the five Sunday morning talk shows every week (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox News)? [McCain] has appeared on them 67 times since 2004. [McCain] has been such a ubiquitous figure, it will be difficult for him to seize the attention of a public that thinks it knows everything about him.  But it does not.  Because of his cultivated persona as a “maverick” Republican, many—perhaps most—voters do not know he is pro-life. When the fact that he is becomes well publicized, and Democrats will make sure it is, Clinton’s female supporters will stop sulking in their tents and will rally round Obama.  Read Newsweek article

Report: Edwards rules out VP slot  MADRID, Spain (AP) — John Edwards has ruled out being Barack Obama’s running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket, according to interviews carried by two leading Spanish newspapers on Friday.  “I already had the privilege of running for vice president in 2004, and I won’t do it again,” Edwards was quoted by El Mundo as saying. El Pais, the country’s other leading daily, carried similar comments. Read USA Today article

Campaign May Leave Blot on Clinton Legacy  WASHINGTON — Bill and Hillary Clinton have stirred virulent passions in their nearly two decades in the national spotlight. They have been known as many things, good and bad — brilliant policy analysts, manipulators of facts and friends, tireless campaigners, skillful political tacticians, monumentally self-absorbed baby boomers. But most of all they were known as winners. Until now. Read New York Times article 

Gas Hits $4 a Gallon TCHULA, Miss. — Gasoline prices reached a national average of $4 a gallon for the first time over the weekend, adding more strain to motorists across the country. Read New York Times article

Hillary Solidly Backs Obama  WASHINGTON — Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday what Barack Obama’s backers have wanted to hear for weeks: she endorses his campaign and will do everything she can to get him elected president.  It remains to be seen how the two Democratic powerhouses will meld their machines — or how long it will take for the political healing to take place — but Obama supporters said they were encouraged by how unequivocal her endorsement was.  Read LA Times article

Evangelicals wary of McCain  Lori Viars, an evangelical activist in Warren County, Ohio, essentially put her life on hold in the fall of 2004 to run a phone bank for President Bush. Her efforts helped the president’s ambitious push to turn out evangelicals and win that critical swing state in a close election. But Ms. Viars, who is among a cluster of socially conservative activists in Ohio being courted by Senator John McCain’s campaign through regular e-mail messages, is taking a wait-and-see attitude for now toward Mr. McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee.  Read New York Times article

George Bush believes that History will vindicate him  As the door begins to close on his tenure, Bush is increasingly drawing on selected events of the past to argue that history will vindicate him on Iraq, terrorism, trade and other controversial issues.  Historical analogies have become a staple of Bush speeches and interviews this year, whether he is addressing regional leaders in Egypt or talking to workers at an office park in suburban St. Louis. Bush will continue this historical focus in a visit to Europe this week, where he will commemorate the Berlin Airlift in Germany and deliver a speech in Paris marking the 60th anniversary of the Marshall Plan.  White House aides say Bush, who majored in history at Yale, likes to emphasize historical comparisons because they are easy for the public to understand and illustrate in dramatic fashion how differently future generations may come to view him.  Read Washington Post article

Huckabee heimlich Saves fellow Politician’s life   GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee did more than just give a speech at the North Carolina Republican Party convention. He also may have saved a life.  State GOP spokesman Brent Woodcox says the former Arkansas governor did the Heimlich maneuver on Robert Pittenger, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, at a lunch before Huckabee gave his speech Saturday.  Read CNN article

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton gave her final speech related to her candidacy today at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.  The New York senator endorsed her rival of sixteen months yesterday after completing a battle for the ages last Tuesday.  Clinton suspends campaign.  See transcript and Obama Response.

Barack Obama Response

At this defining moment for our nation, we should be proud that our party put forth one of the most talented, qualified field of individuals ever to run for this office.  I have not just competed with them as rivals, I have learned from them as friends, as public servants, and as patriots who love America and are willing to work tirelessly to make this country better.  They are leaders of this party, and leaders that America will turn to for years to come.

That is particularly true for the candidate who has traveled further on this journey than anyone else.  Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she’s a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she’s a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight.

We’ve certainly had our differences over the last sixteen months.  But as someone who’s shared a stage with her many times, I can tell you that what gets Hillary Clinton up in the morning – even in the face of tough odds – is exactly what sent her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago; what sent her to work at the Children’s Defense Fund and made her fight for health care as First Lady; what led her to the United States Senate and fueled her barrier-breaking campaign for the presidency – an unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, no matter how difficult the fight may be.  And you can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, she will be central to that victory.  When we transform our energy policy and lift our children out of poverty, it will be because she worked to help make it happen.  Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Sen. Hillary Clinton Concession Speech (transcript)

Thank you so much. Thank you all.

Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company.

I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you – to everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign, who drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs, who scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and made calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much in our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.”

To the young people like 13 year-old Ann Riddle from Mayfield, Ohio who had been saving for two years to go to Disney World, and decided to use her savings instead to travel to Pennsylvania with her Mom and volunteer there as well. To the veterans and the childhood friends, to New Yorkers and Arkansans who traveled across the country and telling anyone who would listen why you supported me.

To all those women in their 80s and their 90s born before women could vote who cast their votes for our campaign. I’ve told you before about Florence Steen of South Dakota, who was 88 years old, and insisted that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice bedside. Her daughter and a friend put an American flag behind her bed and helped her fill out the ballot. She passed away soon after, and under state law, her ballot didn’t count. But her daughter later told a reporter, “My dad’s an ornery old cowboy, and he didn’t like it when he heard mom’s vote wouldn’t be counted. I don’t think he had voted in 20 years. But he voted in place of my mom.”

To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding. You have inspired and touched me with the stories of the joys and sorrows that make up the fabric of our lives and you have humbled me with your commitment to our country.

18 million of you from all walks of life – women and men, young and old, Latino and Asian, African-American and Caucasian, rich, poor and middle class, gay and straight – you have stood strong with me. And I will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place, and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for.

Remember - we fought for the single mom with a young daughter, juggling work and school, who told me, “I’m doing it all to better myself for her.” We fought for the woman who grabbed my hand, and asked me, “What are you going to do to make sure I have health care?” and began to cry because even though she works three jobs, she can’t afford insurance. We fought for the young man in the Marine Corps t-shirt who waited months for medical care and said, “Take care of my buddies over there and then, will you please help take care of me?” We fought for all those who’ve lost jobs and health care, who can’t afford gas or groceries or college, who have felt invisible to their president these last seven years.

I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that public service is about helping people solve their problems and live their dreams. I’ve had every opportunity and blessing in my own life – and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will always find me on the front lines of democracy – fighting for the future.

The way to continue our fight now – to accomplish the goals for which we stand – is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next President of the United States.

Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him, and throw my full support behind him. And I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.

I have served in the Senate with him for four years. I have been in this campaign with him for 16 months. I have stood on the stage and gone toe-to-toe with him in 22 debates. I have had a front row seat to his candidacy, and I have seen his strength and determination, his grace and his grit.

In his own life, Barack Obama has lived the American Dream. As a community organizer, in the state senate, as a United States Senator - he has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realized. And in this campaign, he has inspired so many to become involved in the democratic process and invested in our common future.

Now when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House, and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the path to peace, prosperity, and progress. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.

I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight. The Democratic Party is a family, and it’s now time to restore the ties that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share, the values we cherish, and the country we love.

We may have started on separate journeys – but today, our paths have merged. And we are all heading toward the same destination, united and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our country around because so much is at stake.

We all want an economy that sustains the American Dream, the opportunity to work hard and have that work rewarded, to save for college, a home and retirement, to afford that gas and those groceries and still have a little left over at the end of the month. An economy that lifts all of our people and ensures that our prosperity is broadly distributed and shared.

We all want a health care system that is universal, high quality, and affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to keep their insurance. This isn’t just an issue for me – it is a passion and a cause – and it is a fight I will continue until every single American is insured – no exceptions, no excuses.

We all want an America defined by deep and meaningful equality – from civil rights to labor rights, from women’s rights to gay rights, from ending discrimination to promoting unionization to providing help for the most important job there is: caring for our families.

We all want to restore America’s standing in the world, to end the war in Iraq and once again lead by the power of our values, and to join with our allies to confront our shared challenges from poverty and genocide to terrorism and global warming.

You know, I’ve been involved in politics and public life in one way or another for four decades. During those forty years, our country has voted ten times for President. Democrats won only three of those times. And the man who won two of those elections is with us today.

We made tremendous progress during the 90s under a Democratic President, with a flourishing economy, and our leadership for peace and security respected around the world. Just think how much more progress we could have made over the past 40 years if we had a Democratic president. Think about the lost opportunities of these past seven years – on the environment and the economy, on health care and civil rights, on education, foreign policy and the Supreme Court. Imagine how far we could’ve come, how much we could’ve achieved if we had just had a Democrat in the White House.

We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and accomplished too much.

Now the journey ahead will not be easy. Some will say we can’t do it. That it’s too hard. That we’re just not up to the task. But for as long as America has existed, it has been the American way to reject “can’t do” claims, and to choose instead to stretch the boundaries of the possible through hard work, determination, and a pioneering spirit.

It is this belief, this optimism, that Senator Obama and I share, and that has inspired so many millions of our supporters to make their voices heard.

So today, I am standing with Senator Obama to say: Yes we can. Read the rest of this entry »

Two seconds after Obama clinched the nomination, the chattering class began punditing about who he should choose as his vice president.  Sen. Obama said as he was leaving DC that the next word that the public will hear from his campaign regarding the VP position is when he announces his vice president.  The Senator also said that his campaign will take its time deciding who will be his running mate.  Obama has also emphasized that this is one of the most important decisions that he will make and he will not be rushed in making it.  Obama confirmed that his campaign have begun the VP consideration process but such process will not be conducted in the press or through surrogates.  In addition, the Senator demonstrated just what kind of leader he intends to be yesterday.  Having just won the toughest, most protracted and contentious primary in decades, Obama did not rest on his laurels but flew to Washington DC and went to the Senate floor to introduce new legislation expanding public access to government spending.  While in DC Obama also INFORMED the party that Howard Dean would remain DNC chair.  The junior senator from Illinois and the new leader of the Democratic Party also INFORMED the Party that there will be no more lobbyist money taken by the DNC, a policy that he implemented in his campaign at its genesis.    And last but by no means least, Sen. Obama met with Sen. Clinton last night