PROGRESS

Barack Obama for President

Friday, October 17, 2008

THE NOMINATING process this year produced two unusually talented and qualified presidential candidates. There are few public figures we have respected more over the years than Sen. John McCain. Yet it is without ambivalence that we endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president.

Why Sen. Obama? 

Mr. Obama is a man of supple intelligence, with a nuanced grasp of complex issues and evident skill at conciliation and consensus-building. At home, we believe, he would respond to the economic crisis with a healthy respect for markets tempered by justified dismay over rising inequality and an understanding of the need for focused regulation. Abroad, the best evidence suggests that he would seek to maintain U.S. leadership and engagement, continue the fight against terrorists, and wage vigorous diplomacy on behalf of U.S. values and interests. Mr. Obama has the potential to become a great president. Given the enormous problems he would confront from his first day in office, and the damage wrought over the past eight years, we would settle for very good…..

……Mr. Obama’s temperament is unlike anything we’ve seen on the national stage in many years. He is deliberate but not indecisive; eloquent but a master of substance and detail; preternaturally confident but eager to hear opposing points of view. He has inspired millions of voters of diverse ages and races, no small thing in our often divided and cynical country. We think he is the right man for a perilous moment.

Why not Sen. McCain? 

But the stress of a campaign can reveal some essential truths, and the picture of Mr. McCain that emerged this year is far from reassuring. To pass his party’s tax-cut litmus test, he jettisoned his commitment to balanced budgets. He hasn’t come up with a coherent agenda, and at times he has seemed rash and impulsive. And we find no way to square his professed passion for America’s national security with his choice of a running mate who, no matter what her other strengths, is not prepared to be commander in chief.

The following are quotes from McCain’s fellow republicans with respect to the Arizona senators choosing Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. Very interesting.

Alaska’s Republican State Senate President: Palin Not Prepared, Thought Pick Was A Joke. State Senate President Lyda Green said she thought it was a joke when someone called her at 6 a.m. to give her the news.  ‘She’s not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?’ said Green, a Republican from Palin’s hometown of Wasilla. ‘Look at what she’s done to this state. What would she do to the nation?’”  [Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/08]

Alaska’s Republican House Speaker Has Nothing Positive To Say About Palin’s Qualifications.. “State House Speaker John Harris, a Republican from Valdez, was astonished at the news. He didn’t want to get into the issue of her qualifications.  ‘She’s old enough,’ Harris said. ‘She’s a U.S. citizen.’”  [Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/08]

Conservative Rick Rydell: Questionable Vetting. Conservative host Rick Rydell said there are some benefits to the state, but it’s a gamble for McCain to pick an unknown with what he considered ‘questionable vetting.’ ‘It seems almost like a Hail Mary pass at the end of a football game,’ Rydell said in an interview after his show Friday.  Rydell said McCain has destroyed his argument about Barack Obama’s lack of experience.”  [Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/08]

California Republican Delegates Worried About Palin Pick. “California Republican delegates Karen and Robert Bonadio (father and daughter) said they are worried about McCain’s pick for VP. They like her story a lot . . .  But the Bonadios heard that Palin and her family are hunters, actually going out into the countryside to shoot wild creatures that weren’t doing anything to her. That offends the L.A. delegates greatly, and they really don’t want to hear that different parts of the country may have different cultures and views of such things.  The Bonadios don’t know that they want such a smalltown person as vice president. And they intend to make that point clear this week if they get another chance to talk with the senator.”  [LA Times, 8/31/08]

St. Louis Republican Delegate Deeply Concerned With Palin Selection. “Several Republican delegates said they too were shocked by the selection of Ms. Palin and, while they wished her well, were deeply concerned that she did not have the experience in foreign policy or national security to be commander in chief. ‘We’ve been told for the last few months that experience is what matters most in the next White House,’ said John Scates, a delegate from St. Louis. ‘But McCain is picking someone whose experience is little to nothing or, at best, unknown.’” [New York Times, 8/31/08]
 

Conservative Columnist: Palin Pick Near Suicidal. “‘The Palin selection completely undercuts the argument about Obama’s inexperience and readiness to lead’ wrote syndicated conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer. ‘To gratuitously undercut the remarkably successful ‘Is he ready to lead’ line of attack seems near suicidal.’” [Ottawa Citizen, 8/31/08]

Alabama Republican Delegate: Palin Not Qualified. “As they began gathering in Minneapolis-St. Paul for the start of their convention on Monday, some Republican delegates said they were concerned that Ms. Palin did not have the experience in foreign policy or national security to be commander in chief.  ‘We’re in a global war, we’re in a global economy, so it’s less than honest if someone says that this woman is qualified to lead America right now,’ said Todd Burkhalter, a Republican delegate from Mobile, Ala.”  [New York Times, 8/30/08]

Republican Operatives Worry About Palin Pick. ““‘I want to believe this is a game-changer, but when I close my eyes I see New Orleans in 1988,’ said a dumbstruck Republican operative, recalling the convention where Vice President George H.W. Bush tapped Dan Quayle” . .  . ‘Hell, I don’t know anything about her,’ a top Republican fund-raiser sputtered. ‘She may attract some independent women, but I can’t think of a state where she can make a difference.’” [New York Daily News, 8/29/08]

Describe Palin Pick As “Desperate” And Contrary to McCain’s “Country First” Slogan. “Shannen Coffin, a former White House counsel to Dick Cheney, the vice-president, said choosing Palin seemed ‘desperate’ and that it would be difficult to attack Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, on the grounds of inexperience. ‘It is hard to imagine Palin playing the same sort of role that modern vice-presidents like Gore, Bush, Cheney or Mondale played,’ he said.  “…. [McCain] is one arrogant SOB. McCain is essentially telling the world that he doesn’t really need a Vice President…. Rather, the Office would seem poised to return to the ‘proverbial warm bucket of p***’ category.  “Anti-abortion conservative Republicans applauded the choice as daring and modern, but others criticised her lack of foreign policy expertise and inexperience in a national election.  David Frum, President George W. Bush’s former speech-writer, warned: ‘The McCain campaign’s slogan is ‘country first’. If it were your decision, and you were putting your country first, would you put an untested small-town mayor a heartbeat from the presidency?’”  [TimesOnline, 8/31/08]

Alaskan Republicans Have Reservations About Palin. “[A] growing chorus of Alaskans expressed reservations. ‘She’s not qualified, she doesn’t have the judgment, to be next in line to the president of the United States,’ Larry Persily, who until June worked in the governor’s Washington office as a congressional liaison, said in a phone interview.  A supporter of Palin’s campaign for governor, Jim Whitaker, the Republican mayor of Fairbanks, also questioned Palin’s readiness to serve as vice president.  Whitaker said that while he is ’still an avid supporter’ of Palin as governor, he will continue to back Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.”  [Bloomberg, 9/1/08]

Republican Strategist: I’m Perplexed.. “David Marin, a principal at the Podesta Group and a Republican congressional strategist said, “I’m perplexed. Maybe the choice is pure genius. Maybe McCain has energized the base, re-established his maverick credentials, re-emphasized his reform agenda, and added historic new cracks to the odious glass ceiling, all with a single decision. Maybe Palin will amaze us all and be able to stand toe-to-toe with Biden. Maybe she’ll add some much-needed sizzle.  But I thought the McCain campaign was about experience at a time of national crisis. And I thought he understood the outcome will ultimately rest with independents, with ‘post partisans.’ I guess it’s a good thing most people vote for president, not VP, because, right now at least, this has Bentsen-Quayle written all over it.”  [Politico, 9/1/08]

Former McCain Advisor: Palin Pick Suggests Lack of Confidence. “‘It was certainly a surprising pick,’ says Dan Schnur, who served as McCain’s communications director during the Arizona senator’s 2000 presidential campaign. It’s the sort of pick, he says, that you would expect when a candidate is ‘behind 10 or 15 points in the polls.’  But with McCain and Obama running neck and neck, most analysts would anticipate a safer choice. ‘So it seems the senator and his advisers aren’t as confident’ as they might be, Schnur says.”  [NPR.org, 8/29/08]

Pat Local Conservative Blogger: McCain’s Worst Mistake. “Sherry Whitstine, a local [Alaska] conservative blogger, was dumbfounded by Palin’s selection, and not in a good way. Palin is ’small potatoes,’ said Whitstine, who is still struggling to come to grips with McCain’s decision. ‘[Trying to make Palin] the VP of our country is probably the worst mistake of [McCain’s] entire life,’ Whitstine said.”  [Chicago Tribune, 9/1/08]

National Review senior editor Rick Brookhiser.“Either McCain thinks the war on terror isn’t serious, or he thinks the vice-presidency isn’t,” 

Former counsel to Dick Cheney Shannen Coffin“The choice also says a lot about McCain. First, that he is a bit desperate,” Coffin writes on the National Review site The Corner. “Second, that he is one arrogant SOB. McCain is essentially telling the world that he doesn’t really need a Vice President…. Rather, the Office would seem poised to return to the ‘proverbial warm bucket of p***’ category.”

Pat Buchanan Mocks Palin With Joe Scarborough. “On MSNBC on August 29, 2008 (before the announcement), Pat Buchanan had this to say about Sarah Palin:. “You mentioned the word commander in chief. And it is — it is hard to see Sarah Palin as commander in chief within the next year or something like that. I think that’s the real risk that just — this woman, she might be outstanding. She might get women, get conservatives, energize the base. But I think the argument made against her would be that she just is not ready to be commander in chief, and she could be eaten alive in a debate with Joe Biden.”  Buchanan went on to acknowledge that Obama has done more to validate himself, saying “No, you are right. He validated himself, Barack Obama, by beating everybody all the — over 18 months.”  [MSNBC, 8/29/08; YouTube]

Karl Rove: Palin “Risky” Pick. “Before the news of her daughter’s pregnancy broke, Karl Rove told the Maine Republican delegation that Sarah Palin is a “risky” choice for vice president.  [TheAtlantic.com, 9/1/08; PolitickerME.com, 9/1/08]

Washington Post: Republicans Nervous. “S]ome Republicans remained nervous about the party’s ticket, worrying about the potential for more surprises in the days ahead. ‘Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy is probably much ado about nothing — I think,’ one GOP strategist said. ‘If there’s more, it will raise questions about the whole vetting process because she’s such an unknown.’ Another McCain loyalist said he doubts the controversy will last. ‘It came out in the vetting, and if that’s true, then the vetting worked,’ he said. ‘If that’s not true, then I would have concerns.’” [Washington Post, 9/2/08]

Prominent Republican Writer Says Palin Pick Neither Wise Nor Responsible. “Former Bush speechwriter, David Frum, said this about Sarah Palin: “Ms. Palin’s experience in government makes Barack Obama look like George C. Marshall. She served two terms on the city council of Wasilla, Alaska, population 9,000. She served two terms as mayor. In November, 2006, she was elected governor of the state, a job she has held for a little more than 18 months. She has zero foreign policy experience, and no record on national security issues.  All this would matter less, but for this fact: The day that John McCain announced his selection of Sarah Palin was his birthday. His 72nd birthday. . . If anything were to happen to a President McCain, the destiny of the free world would be placed in the hands of a woman who until recently was a small-town mayor.”  He concluded by saying, “Ms. Palin is a bold pick, and probably a shrewd one. It’s not nearly so clear that she is a responsible pick, or a wise one.” [AEI.org, 9/2/08]

Veteran Republican: Palin Pick Reckless.  “Each new fact we learn about Sarah Palin–her reversal on the bridge to nowhere, her disagreements with McCain on issues from windfall profits to global warming, emerging facts about troopergate–contribute to the feeling that this whole Palin thing is being made up as we go along. It may be fun to read about, and it sure is fun to cover, but it also supports the judgment of the Palin pick that I first heard from a Republican veteran shortly after the announcement: ‘Reckless.’”  [Slate, 9/1/08]

Governor Sarah Palin gave a speech last night laced with sarcasm and mocking rhetoric directed at Senator Obama and his wife Michelle.  While Sen. Biden’s speech appealed to the best part of us, Gov. Palin’ speech appealed to the worst part of us.  Still keeping in mind that this race is about John McCain and his judgment because he is the person to whom the buck would stop (one 15-minute VP interview), we feel the need to devote at least one post to Gov. Palin’s speech.  Palin’s speech had the Cheney style smugness that is the hallmark of the current administration.  It wasn’t a surprise when we found out that Dubya’s speechwriter crafted the speech. One wonders how  she will do on her own without the strategists and speechwriters.  If she is the new light of the right…..then put her out there.  There are questionable reports that the teleprompter may have broken during Palin’s speech last night….okay, so Palin can actually memorize a speech after practicing for several days.  What skill!  Anyone who thinks that any part of that speech last night was not scripted is either smoking something or thinks the rest of us are smoking something.  During the day yesterday the McCain campaign portrayed Palin as a victim of sexism, yet as the camera panned the auditorium last night  we saw buttons like ” we have the hottest VP”  and “hot chick.”  The hypocrisy is palatable.  Also, Palin did a good job of not mentioning her extremist views regarding abortion (no abortions even in cases of rape or incest), global warming ( not man made), etc..  The Alaskan governor failed to mention that after being in office for less than 20 months she is already the subject of an ethics investigation.  In addition, she failed to mention that she raised taxes as governor, she coveted pork-barrel projects as mayor, she attempted to ban books at the local library, and she believes the war in Iraq is “a task from God.  Palin also told a number of lies in her speech last night but because she gave a good delivery to the GOP audience the media is spinning it as brilliant. Now it’s time to look at her speech without the beer goggles.  There were gross mischaracterizations of her own history as well as that of Sen. Obama’s.  She said that she told Congress “thanks but no thanks” to the “bridge to nowhere” when she lobbied for and received millions in earmarks ($223 million “bridge to nowhere” funds to be exact).  Also, the “bridge” led to a town of about 50 residents…….that works out to be about 4.5 million per resident…..very fiscally responsible with our tax dollars.  Not to mention that she was for the “bridge to nowhere” before it became politically unpopular in Alaska and then she was against it.  So tell me, how much do you trust someone who in their first national speech to a national audience looks straight into the camera and tells easily refutable lies.  Brazingly, unapolagetically lied in an effort to dupe the public.  That takes balls.  Do you trust that this person will do anything that she promises?  Isn’t that exactly what George Bush and Bill Cheney did when selling the war in Iraq, etc..  Palin described how she had actual responsibilities as mayor and mocked Sen. Obama’s experience as a community organizer even though as a community organizer Sen. Obama was able to get laid off steel workers jobs that had been shipped overseas among his many other accomplishments during that time.  Palin exact quote was the following:  

Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities.

Yes Gov. Palin, as a “small-town” mayor you did have responsibilities.  You had the responsibility not to leave your town that boasted a surplus as you entered office but a $20 million deficit as you left.  This is a town with a $6 million dollar budget and 53 employees.  I guess Palin’s motto is spend, spend, spend.  Like the current Bush, Palin’s overconfidence overshadows her incompetence.

Palin also asserted:

“There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform _ not even in the state senate.”

Well Gov. Palin, Sen. Obama worked with Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana ”to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year.”  Sen. Obama also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.  I will not even go into Sen. Biden’s record.   Exactly what legislation have you written……you didn’t mention that last night.

Further, is the McCain/Palin ticket really taunting itself as change when it is the party currently in office and is responsible for the majority of the problems that our country is mired in. Why are you telling us how bad the opponent is without telling us what your plan is?  There was nothing about how you will be able to improve the lives of the average American.

Sarcasm is not an effective negotiating tool when you’re facing a crisis in Georgia or the Middle East.  Sarcasm is not an effective tool in a sinking economy.  In other words, lots of zingers mixed with sarcasm does not a competent leader make.  Oh…by the way….Sen. Palin….you received 1500 votes to become mayor of Wasilla, Sen Biden received almost 80,000 votes during the primary.

To be clear, this is less about Sarah Palin and all about the judgment of Sen. John McCain.  If McCain had exercised the kind of judgment and conducted the type of thorough investigation befitting a choice of individual for the second most powerful position in the free world, perhaps we would not be having this discussion.   The media has uncovered quite a bit of troubling information about Gov. Palin in the last couple of days simply by conducting a google search.  Judging from the McCain campaign responses, they did not bother to conduct such a search.  When requesting a response from the McCain campaign about the various facts below, McCain surrogates appear befuddled and confused.   As a matter of fact, the McCain campaign is currently engaged in a post-selection vetting process.  Though we are sure that Gov. Palin is a good person, Sen. McCain has demonstrated the kind of rash, reckless, shoot first ask questions last, shoot…ready…aim, invade Iraq then find non-existent WMAs, rush to judgment that is the hallmark of the current Bush administration.  This is the first and most important presidential decision that McCain will make as a candidate for the top spot.  The decision of who will serve in the second most powerful position in the world. How such a decision is made is indicative of a candidate’s style of governing.  After the revelation of the following facts, McCain may have failed his first presidential task.  It appears as if gambler McCain picked up the dice, blew on them, and rolled.  Unfortunately for him, it appears that he may have rolled craps.  The following is information McCain could have easily learned had he bothered to properly vet Gov. Palin.

1. Palin is linked to the Alaskan Secessionist party.   Sarah Palin is linked to and her husband was a member of the Alaska Independence Party.  Palin reportedly attended the AIP convention in 1994.  AIP’s motto is “Alaska First.”  Also, Gov. Palin sent a video message to the 2008 AIP convention telling the group “to keep up the good work.”  The group’s goal is to have a vote on Alaska’s state status on the question of whether the state should secede from the United States.
2. Palin was mayor of the town of Wasilla, population at the time, around 5000, less than the population of most high schools in the U.S.
3. Palin was almost recalled as mayor because of an alleged abuse of power scandal
4. Palin reportedly, as mayor, left the small town of Wasilla $22 million dollars in debt
5. Palin directed fundraising for indicted Ted Stevens 527 group (”bridge to nowhere” Senator)
6. Palin was for the “bridge to nowhere” before she was against it
7. Palin currently being investigated in another abuse of power scandal involving a state trooper
8. Palin called Iraq a war for oil (opposite of McCain’s position)
9. Palin admits that she has “not really focused on Iraq”…huh?
10. Palin admits on Larry King that she is not sure what a Vice President does
11. According to Alaskan National Guard General:  Palin played no role in national defense….as governor of Alaska, she is not even consulted.
12. McCain only recently  sent a dozen communications operatives and lawyers to Alaska to further investigate Palin
13. Even though the McCain campaign is attempting to position Palin as anti-earmark, Palin has lobied for and received millions in earmarks as governor and mayor.
14. The state of Alaska has requested 31 earmarks totaling 197.8 million from next year’s federal budget….this is pivotal considering McCain’s promise to make all politicians who request earmarks famous by vetoing all earmarks that cross his desk if he were to become president.  The reformer label the McCain campaign is pushing Palin as doesn’t fit.
15. Palin’s mother-in-law may vote for Sen. Barack Obama and is not sure what Palin brings to the ticket other than she is a woman and a conservative.
16. That Palins approval rating is not the touted 80% but 67% and sinking.
17. “[A] number of leading [Alaskan] Republican officeholders in the state who mocked Palin’s qualifications. “She’s not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?” said Lyda Green, the president of the State Senate, a Republican from Palin’s hometown of Wasilla. “Look at what she’s done to this state. What would she do to the nation?”
18. Alaska top Republican, John Harris, the speaker of the House, when asked about her qualifications for Veep, replied with this: “She’s old enough. She’s a U.S. citizen.”
19. Daily News-Minerin Fairbanks Alaska:   Most people would acknowledge that, regardless of her charm and good intentions, Palin is not ready for the top job. McCain seems to have put his political interests ahead of the nation’s when he created the possibility that she might fill it.
20. Editorial in the Anchorage Daily News:  Palin joins the ticket with one huge weakness: She’s a total beginner on national and international issues.
21. Palin only obtained a passport one year ago.
22. Palin has never traveled to Russia despite its proximity to Alaska
23. Regarding the “bridge to nowhere” and earmarks, in June Palin gave a speech to the Wasilla Assembly of God, Ms. Palin proclaimed that it is ”God’s will” that the federal government contribute to a $30 billion gas pipeline she wants built in Alaska.

Judgment

Senator John McCain has chosen and unknown, untested, trophy candidate as his vice presidential nominee.  Does anyone really think that Gov. Sarah Palin really is prepared to lead this county in the event of of a national security emergency.  One out of three vice presidents has had to act as president during their tenure.  For those who think that this will not happen in light of McCain’s status as a 72 year-old, four-time cancer survivor, they are deluding themselves. 

For those of you who are comparing Obama to Palin, Sen. Obama has a track record of being right on several of the most important foreign policy decision of this decade.  The Illinois senator has proven that he has the judgment and temperament to be president.  First, Sen. Obama spoke out against the Iraq War, Sen. Obama pushed for a timetable for Iraq (we now have a timetable), Sen. Obama pushed to keep Pakistan in the dark as to our strategy for taking out key members of Al Queda on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border (after doing which we took out a key member of Al Qaeda), Sen. Obama said we should talk to our enemies.  President Bush spoke with North Korea, after Obama had been saying to do so for a year, afterwards North Korea agrees to begin dismanteling its nukes. The Bush administration is now talking to Iran. Not to mention that Sen. Obama has run a 50-state campaign against a formidable candidate and won.  Lastly, Sen. Obama proved himself to the American people, and as a result, the AMERICAN people in their vote of confidence, voted him into his current position as the democratic nominee.  Sen. McCain  put Palin in her position and he hasn’t proven to the American people that we can trust his judgment on anything, let alone choosing a neophyte to become a heartbeat away from the presidency.  This is a irrational and desperate decision that was made by McCain after meeting with the Alaskan governor once….ONCE, before making her the offer to become his running mate.  

Scary Fact: Governor Palin was asked the following question in 2006 about the Pledge of Allegiance:

Q: Are you offended by the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?

PALIN: Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance

Slight problem, the Pledge of Allegience was not written until 1892, 56 years after the death of the last founding father.  Thus the founding fathers never knew of or said the Pledge of Allegiance.  The Pledge of Allegiance was not made the official Pledge until 1942, six years after Sen. John McCain was born.  Further, Palin was a member of the Alaskan Independence Party.  The AIP has since the 1970s been pushing for a legal vote for Alaskans to decide whether or not residents of the 49th state can SECEDE from the United States.  Are you kidding me?  The motto of AIP is instead of “Country First,” is “Alaskans First, Alaskans Always.”  So she does not know the history of the U.S. and was a member of a group that does not want Alaska to be part of the United States.  Do you think that the McCain campaign could have found out this information if they had bothered to properly vet Palin before choosing her as the VP candidate?  Judgment.  This is the person to whom Sen. McCain would like to entrust the safety and security of the American people. 

Apparently, McCain also does not have confidence in the abilities of his running mate because the campaign has relegated her to fund raising for down ticket candidates.  The McCain campaign said that 80% of Palin’s time will be spent fundraising for donations that the McCain campaign cannot spend after today because the Arizona senator opted for $87 million in public financing.  If Palin is such a great choice and has energized the republican base, why not put her out on the trail as much as possible in order to secure votes?  Why…because Palin is a trophy candidate.

The McCain campaign sites as Palin’s foreign policy experience, the fact that she has a son going to Iraq and the fact that Alaska is close to Russia!  Are you kidding me!!!  McCain’s veep choice decision comes off as rash and erratic.  How else do you explain risking the security of the country in the hands of a governor of a state that boast a population of 685,000?  San Jose, California has a larger population than the whole state of Alaska.  Does that mean that the mayor of San Jose is ready to be president?  Just the city of Chicago is four times the size of the state of Alaska. As for her mayoral experience of presiding over Wasilla, population at the time, about 5000, there are high schools that have more students than Wasilla has residents.  There are a significant number of republican female governors and senators who are at least qualified and many significantly more qualified than Palin.  There are republican female political figures who would have been much more sensible and practical choices for McCain if the Arizona senator had put country first as he claims he will always do.  This is not a “maverick” decision, it is an arbitrary and erratic one, made for obvious political reasons. 

Choosing their running mate is the first presidential decision that each of these candidates had to make. We the voters were able to witness the decision making process of the candidates.  Do they take the time to think through the implications of the decision to the country?  Do they think that if something happens to me, I trust this person to lead the country? Or, do they think, I want to win regardless?  Or, I choose this person because she looks good on the ticket (shock value), regardless of whether she is capable of leading the country?  Is the vice president decision a reasoned decision or a reckless and impulsive one solely for political gains?  You decide.  Another interesting tidbit,  the McCain campain has only as recent as this week sent attorneys to Alaska to more deeply vet Governor Palin.  Shouldn’t this have been done before choosing Gov. Palin for the second most powerful job in the free world.  Judgment.   Sen. Obama took the time and effort to put all of the potential veeps through a vigorous vetting process.  Sen. McCain met with Palin once…..once for 15 minutes, and is only now, after announcing his choice, is deeply vetting the Alaskan governor.  There is a difference between maverick and reckless.  Choosing a neophyte running mate based on one 15 minute meeting leans more towards reckless than maverick. 

This is characteristic of McCain’s methodology when it comes to making decisions. In the Naval Academy, McCain has said that he came very close to flunking out and ended up barely graduating fifth from the bottom of his class, 894 out of 899.   Many of McCain’s long time friends have said of the Arizona senator “if you didn’t want to live on the edge, then don’t hang around with John McCain.”  Living on the edge is one of McCain’s trademarks, boasting actors such as Marlon Brando and James Dean as his heroes.  It’s very interesting how reminiscent his current attitude is in comparison to his attitude as a young adult.  Sen. McCain has himself revealed that during his aviator training that he chose recreational reading “at the expense of learning my flight procedures which I probably should have given a higher priority to” and could not remember how to eject after his plane crashed.  Such antics resulted in a couple of near death experiences for McCain.  Okay, so instead of learning the rules and mechanics of flying a plane in flight school he decided to get in the plane and wing it?   Is this really the safe choice for America in terms of its Commander-in-Chief?  Are Americans actually comfortable with someone who is so easily willing to play chicken when it comes to life and death.  Some may define this as a maverick quality…..this writer defines it as unnecessary risk taking and reckless behavior.  So for those of you who are conned into buying the maverick meme being pandered by the McCain campaign and the main stream media,  I say that this is an erratic, impulsive, and irresponsible decision by someone who proclaims to put country first.

Whose judgment do you trust? 

The McCain campaign excluded several names this morning sending the pundits speculative minds in a tizzy.  Alaskan governor Sarah Palin is a staunch conservative.  It appears as if the McCain decided to roll the dice on this pick. Sarah Palin is a 44 year old first term governor from Alaska and a rookie on the national stage.   She is pro-life and catholic.  The question is can this woman be president of the United States.   Sen. McCain is 72 years old today. 

A couple of unnamed sources close to Sen. John McCain say that he has settled for Mitt Romney as his VP according to Mark Halperin at Time.  

My guess is that the McCain campaign is releasing this information now because it is trying to change the subject from the fact that the Arizona senator is out of touch.   So out of touch that he can’t keep track of the number of houses that he owns and so out of touch that a $3 million dollar income equals middle class. McCains world…party time…Excellent!

Gen. Wesley Clark is the name being chatted about by a few members of the chattering class as Obama’s veep choice.  Apparently, the theme for Wednesday, Aug. 27, the night the vice presidential choice will speak, is being promoted as “Securing America’s Future.”  The coincidence is that it also happens to be the name of Gen. Wesley Clark’s political action committee.  Though the website for Clark’s PAC is www.securingamerica.com, the FEC filing list the the full name which just happens to be the exact same name as Wednesday night’s theme.  Hmmm…curiouser and curiouser

When asked about the coinkydink, a Clark campaign official started laughing hysterically saying that “it’s just because his PAC was named so well!”  Hmmm….a bit of an overreaction considering. Perhaps politicians should leave all the over acting to the waiters and waitresses in Hollywood.

FYI:  The theme for Thursday night, Aug. 28th, and the night that Sen. Obama is speaking is “Change You Can Believe In.”  Hmmm

UPDATE:  Looks like Gen. Clark has decided to raise his media profile a bit more all of a sudden.  See this letter posted today on his SecureAmerica website.

Not Going Away 

A little over a month ago, following my appearance on Face the Nation, the right wing freak machine took me out of context, attacked me, and just wanted me to “hit the road.”

Well, I’m here to tell you: I’m not going away.

We simply have too much to do in these final three months. We have to elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States. And we have to give him a working majority in Congress. So let’s give the right wing what they asked for. I’m ready to “hit the road” and help Democrats across the country!

Contribute to WesPAC’s “Hit The Road Fund!” Help us raise $25,000 by this Friday.

http://securingamerica.com/HitTheRoad

I’m committed to doing everything I can to help Democrats win this November. I’ve opened up my schedule and am ready to hit the campaign trail across the country. That’s why I’m traveling across the country over the coming weeks.

I can only do this if WesPAC has the financial resources to keep me on the road these final three months. That’s why we started the “Hit The Road Fund.” I need your help to make sure I can stay on the campaign trail to help folks like Charlie Brown (CA-4), Eric Massa (NY-29), and Bob Tuke (TN-Sen).

I’ve set a goal of raising $25,000 by this Friday. Make a contribution to our “Hit The Road Fund” today!

http://securingamerica.com/HitTheRoad

When people hit you, you have to hit back. I won’t back away from a fight, and over the years we’ve gotten to know each other, I know you won’t either. Please contribute to our “Hit The Road Fund” today!

http://securingamerica.com/HitTheRoad

Electing the right people this November will be critical to securing America’s future. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

Observation:  The perfect person to call McCain on his “I know how to win wars” bull crap, and who has the military gravitas and background to pull it off.  Not to mention that he was an avid Clinton supporter and Pres. Clinton just happens to be speaking on the same night as the vice presidential candidate (perhaps introducing Gen. Clark). Further, why would you have a veteran theme on the vice president’s night, if the veep choice is not a veteran? If he isn’t a veteran, wouldn’t he/she lack credibility?  Because John Kerry and Republican Chuck Hagel are the only other veterans in contention and they are both out of the question (for obvious reasons), the only realistic and obvious choice would be Clark.

Again……hmmm…and…hmmm

The campaigns released the presidential and vice presidential debates schedule today and guess which network was noticeably absent….sucks for you ABC.  PBS will host the vice presidential and a single presidential debate.  NBC and CBS will moderate the last two presidential debates.

ABC’s absence may be a result of its democratic primary debate hosting gig that many perceived as a “gotcha” style debate  sans substantive issues.  That ABC primary debate was hosted by Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos.

Schedule:

Presidential Debates

Jim Lehrer, Sept. 26, at the University of Mississippi @9pm EST  (foreign policy debate)
Tom Brokaw, Oct. 7, in Nashville at Belmont University @9pm EST   (townhall meeting, questions from the audience)
Bob Schieffer, Oct. 15, at Hofstra University @9pm EST  (domestic policy debate)

Vice Presidential Debate
Gwen Ifill, Oct. 2, at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri @9pm  (domestic and foreign policy)

Don’t ask us how we know but ProgressPolitics has a strong suspicion that Sen. Obama will be announcing his Veep selection on Wednesday.  There are quite a few coinkydinks occuring that gives this site pause.   Now lets get to the who, drumroll please………..and the winner of the Veepstakes is……………..Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana.  There are too many coincidences with respect to this particular senator which we will not go into now.  But he is a great choice given his status as a non Washington insider and his close association with the now dismantled Clinton campaign.  This is merely a suspicion, but it’s based on facts that will be revealed if the announcement takes place tomorrow.  We could be completely off track but we may not be. If we are right….nice choice.

Update:  We may have been incorrect about the announcement date but stand by the veep choice.  Looks like the decison will not be announced until after Sen: Obama returns from vacation.

Soon after Sen. Brack Obama’s sit-down with Tom Brokaw on Meet the Press last Sunday, speculation about potential veep’s has been running rampant throughout the punditry class.  Sen. Obama said that the characteristics that he is looking for in a vice president is someone who will work hard and will be a change agent ready to shake-up Washington.  The senator went on to say, “I’m going to want somebody with independence — who’s willing to tell me where he thinks, or she thinks, I’m wrong,” he said. “And I’m going to want somebody who shares a vision of the country: where we need to go — that we’ve got to fundamentally change not only our policies, but how politics work, how business is done in Washington.”

Tim Kaine seems to fit the bill.  Politico reports:

As Senator Barack Obama turns to the choice of his running mate, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine has emerged as one of the campaign’s potential finalists, sources familiar with conversations in Richmond and in Chicago said.

Kaine, an early Obama supporter whose biography nicely dovetails with the Illinois senator’s, “ranks very, very high on the short list,” said a source who has spoken recently to senior Obama aides about Kaine.

Kaine “is getting a critical examination,” the source said.

The 50-year-old Virginia governor is among a handful of logical, and much-discussed, choices to join Obama on the campaign trail. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn and Delaware Senator Joe Biden are among others frequently mentioned.

This writer thinks that Kaine would be a great pick!

Jim Webb allegedly took himself out of consideration for the vice presidential spot of Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy.  In this writer’s opinion, which is total speculation, I don’t think that Webb was seriously being considered because of the series of hot buttons that plagued his senate run in 2006.  If it had not been for George Allen’s “mucaca” moment and youtube I am not sure the Jim Webb would be senator today.  There is the women in the military comment, the affirmative action and confederate flag comments and situation.  These are deal breakers for some folks.  Hillary’s women would not have been happy with a Jim Webb in Obama’s veep slot.  And if the slogan “stop the drama, vote for Obama” holds true, Jim Webb brings way too much unnecessary drama.  The GOP attack machine would have a field day.  This move seems to be a face-saving move by Webb because the main stream media has been talking him up so much.  Good move.  Okay, so the veepstakes is narrowed a little further, Wesley Clark is out, Sam Nunn is out , and now Jim Webb is out……Al Gore anyone?

Senator Jim Webb’s Official Comment 

Last week I communicated to Senator Obama and his presidential campaign my firm intention to remain in the United States Senate, where I believe I am best equipped to serve the people of Virginia and this country. Under no circumstances will I be a candidate for Vice President.”A year and a half ago, the people of Virginia honored me with election to the U.S. Senate. I entered elective politics because of my commitment to strengthen America’s national security posture, to promote economic fairness, and to increase government accountability. I have worked hard to deliver upon that commitment, and I am convinced that my efforts and talents toward those ends are best served in the Senate.

“In this regard, the bipartisan legislative template we were able to put into effect through 18 months of work in order to enact the new, landmark GI Bill will serve as a prototype for my future endeavors in government. This process, wherein we brought 58 Senators from both parties to the table as co-sponsors, along with more than 300 members of the House, gives me renewed confidence that the Congress can indeed work effectively across party lines and address the concerns of our citizens.

“At this time I am also renewing my commitment to work hard to make sure that Senator Obama wins both Virginia and the presidency this November. He is a man who speaks eloquently about our national goals and calls for the practical solutions that must be put into place to obtain them. I will proudly campaign for him.”

Mississippi Republican Senator Thad Cochran recounts a frightening story about John McCain’s negotiation skills.

One of John McCain’s Republican colleagues says he saw the presumed GOP presidential nominee roughly grab an associate of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and lift him out of his chair during a diplomatic mission to the Central American nation in 1987.

Are you kidding me???

Cochran said he saw McCain, who has a reputation for being hot tempered, rough up an Ortega associate during a trip to Nicaragua led by former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan………

“McCain was down at the end of the table and we were talking to the head of the guerrilla group here at this end of the table and I don’t know what attracted my attention,” Cochran said in an interview with the Sun Herald in Biloxi, Miss. “But I saw some kind of quick movement at the bottom of the table and I looked down there and John had reached over and grabbed this guy by the shirt collar and had snatched him up like he was throwing him up out of the chair to tell him what he thought about him or whatever.  I don’t know what he was telling him but I thought, good grief, everybody around here has got guns and we were there on a diplomatic mission. I don’t know what had happened to provoke John but he obviously got mad at the guy and he just reached over there and snatched him.”

Cochran stands by his story.  When asked about it, the Mississippi senator’s spokesperson responded to the Associated Press: “I think his quotes in the Sun Herald speak on that issue.” This explains Sen. Cochran comment to the Sun Herald.

McCain sought to smooth things over with Cochran this year after the Mississippi senator said the idea of McCain as the GOP presidential nominee sent a “chill down his spine.”

We looked up the exact quote, what Cochran said was, “[t]he thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine.”  Though Sen. Cochran may now claim that the incident occurred a while ago and McCain has changed,  Cochran made the statement in 2006! 

I guess my post earlier today was pretty much spot on.  Unbelievable!

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.

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! 

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 regarding beginning the process of uniting the party.  Both campaigns released the following statement,

Joint Statement from Obama and Clinton Campaign

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama met tonight and had a productive discussion about the important work that needs to be done to succeed in November.”

According the New York Times, Sen. Hillary Clinton will suspend her campaign and endorse Sen. Barack Obama at an event on Friday Saturday in Washington DC.  Update:  Clinton will be holding events on both days in Washington, DC.  One private event on Friday, at her home, for staff and long time supporters; and one on Saturday, where Clinton will hold a public event with Sen. Obama.  Clinton’s decision comes after intense pressure from her supporters and a signaling from the Obama campaign that her being VP is highly unlikely.  The reason given by the Obama campaign is that Bill Clinton may balk at the the notion of submitting to the vetting process.  The vetting process would require that Bill Clinton disclose all of his business dealings and a complete list of donors to his presidential library.  Jim Johnson, a member of Obama’s vice presidential vetting committe, established the rule after working on the vice presidential vetting committee for the Mondale-Ferraro campaign.  Because Johnson did not vet Geraldine Ferraro’s husband’s finances, a New York real estate businessman, the campaign suffered tremendously when he was rumoured to be linked to organized crime.  There were also questions raised as to Ferraro’s husband’s tax returns.  Regardless of whether there was any truth to the rumours, the damage was done.  So Bill Clinton would have to submit to the vetting process just like the spouses of all the other VP prospects.

There has been significant punditry and widespread rumouring that Sen. Jim Webb would be a great VP for Barack Obama.  I disagree.  Sen. Webb has not endorsed Obama or any democratic candidate for that matter.  Webb continues to say that he has not felt the urge to endorse any of the candidates.  Webb also said that he would strongly discourage either of the democratic candidates from asking him to be their VP.  Okay, in my opinion this gives Obama an easy out.  Webb has quite a bit of baggage with respect to women’s issues and  political decisions.  Webb’s track record would definitely take away from Obama’s message.  When I hear Webb speak I sense an awkward uneasiness with respect to the democratic platform. Perhaps because he is only newly democrat. Also, While Web may be a good politician, word on the street is that he is not very good at the campaigning/running aspect of the the political game.  Rumors are also circulating regarding former Virginia governor Mark Warner.

John McCain was all for talking with Hamas two years ago before he started running for president.  Now the Arizona senator has flip flopped on the double-talk express.  A pattern is developing here.  This was written in response to McCain’s outrageous statement yesterday in support of President Bush’s outrageous and unprecedented comments regarding “appeasement” that Bush made about Sen. Obama on the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence.  Bush also violated 60 years of uninterrupted american foreign policy in that you do not criticize american foreign policy on foreign soil.  See interview with James Rubin:

RUBIN: “Do you think that American diplomats should be operating the way they have in the past, working with the Palestinian government if Hamas is now in charge?”

McCAIN: “They’re the government; sooner or later we are going to have to deal with them, one way or another, and I understand why this administration and previous administrations had such antipathy towards Hamas because of their dedication to violence and the things that they not only espouse but practice, so . . . but it’s a new reality in the Middle East. I think the lesson is people want security and a decent life and decent future, that they want democracy. Fatah was not giving them that.”

Joe Andrew, who Bill Clinton appointed Chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 1999, has just switched his support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama.   Andrew has been a supporter of Sen. Clinton since she first announced her bid for the presidency.  Andrew made is announcement at a press conference in his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana Thursday morning.   During the press conference Andrew encouraged his fellow Democrats and Hoosiers to end this madness and unite behind Barack Obama for Tuesdays primary.  In his telephone interview with the Associated Press Andrew said “I am convinced that the primary process has devolved to the point that it’s now bad for the Democratic Party.”  Andrew also cited additional reasons for his switch in a letter to superdelegates.  In the letter the former DNC Chairman says ”a vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue this process, and a vote to continue this process is a vote that assists (Republican) John McCain.”  Andrew went on to say  “[w]hile I was hopeful that a long, contested primary season would invigorate our party, the polls show that the tone and temperature of the race is now hurting us,” Andrew continued. “John McCain, without doing much of anything, is now competitive against both of our remaining candidates. We are doing his work for him and distracting Americans from the issues that really affect all of our lives.”  Andrew said that teh Obama campaign never asked him to switch his support but he did so after witnessing the principled way that Obama has handled two recent issues that have challenged his campaign.  The Wright controversy and the gas tax holiday qestion.  Andrew praised the fact that Obama stuck to his guns with respect to the gas tax holiday even though the politically expedient thing to do would have been to go along with Clinton and McCain on this issue.  And, he also praised Obama’s handling of the Jeremiah Wright controversy saying that Obama “has shown such mettle under fire.”  Andrew’s decision also increases Obama’s superdelegate count thereby clossing in on Clinton’s current lead.  The current count for superdelegates 247-263 Clinton.  However, Obama leads in the delegate count overall 1735.5 to 1597.5 for Clinton.  Last count, 230 superdelegates remain undecided, and about 60 more will be selected at state party conventions and meetings throughout the spring

President George W. Bush approval rating has dropped to a historical low of 28%.  During the course of the Bush administration the President’s approval ratings has averaged at about 52%.  These numbers reflect a very low approval rating from most democrats and independents and a mere 66% approval rating from his republican base.  According to the Gallup poll, the average approval rating for all prior presidents is 55%.  George Bush Sr.’s approval ratings during his last year in office also fell to a historical low of 29%.  Like father, like son.  It is widely reported that the economy, the unpopular war in Iraq, and gas prices, are reasons why a mere 85% of Americans are unhappy with the way things are going in the United States.

There is a battle of leverage going on in politics between the House and the Bush White House.  Pelosi said in a press conference yesterday that the House plans to change it’s rules in order to not vote on the Colombian Free Trade Agreement this year.  The Bush administration unilaterally sent the Agreement to the House without following proper rules set in place by the TPA.  Pelosi accused the Bush administration of attempting to force the bill instead of letting Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) fully do its job.  Pelosi insists that the Bush Administration is not considering the state of our economy.  The democrats also say that many American workers are losing their jobs and homes and the government is not doing enough to return American’s workers to their original position.  Pelosi insists that we need to address the economic insecurities of America’s working families who have been displaced by free trade.  Ways Pelosi believes that the Bush Administration can do so is with a good faith effort toward the passage of a Healthcare bill and a Housing bill that addresses the home mortgage crisis.   Pelosi says that she warned the President against this unilateral action, now the House will take it’s action today by changing House rules that will avoid a vote on the Colombian Trade Agreement this year.  I guess you have to play the hand you’re dealt.  This is the same Colombian Bilateral Trade Agreement that Bill Clinton and Mark Penn of the Clinton campaign were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote and help get passed.  So much for  Sen. Clinton being the ”fighter” for the working class.

Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver of Missouri, Clinton supporter, made several statements about his candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton’s chances of winning the democratic nomination.  In a very candid interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Congressman Cleaver said bluntly “if I had to make a prediction right now, I’d say that Barack Obama is going to be the next President.”  Uhhh…aren’t you a superdelegate for the opposing candidate?  Cleaver explains, “[e]ven though I don’t expect the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Indianapolis Colts, I cheer for the Kansas City Chiefs[.]”  Cleaver clarifies further his support for Clinton using words like loyalty and friendship.  When asked about taking this nomination fight to the convention, Cleaver aswered  “I’m suppose to say that taking the fight to the convention is good for America”…..the truth is that it would be a “tragedy of tragedies.”  This is in direct opposition to Sen. Clinton’s vow to take this all the way to the convention if necessary.  Wow!!