Tom's Commentary

Senator Obama – The Economy

Tom Awtry — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:04:00 +0000

Senator Obama – The Economy

Barack Obama in Greensboro, NC

Video Highlighters:

News Wires & Blogs:

Barack’s Statement on Today’s New Unemployment Figures from Obama HQ by Christopher Hass Today the Department of Labor announced that the number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose to its highest level in more than two years. In response to this troubling news, Senator Obama released the following statement
Parents struggle to finance kids’ college from UPI – Top News U.S. parents who pay for their children’s college educations are facing new challenges this year as strained lenders increase selectivity, experts say.
Obama Casts Wide Blame for Financial Crisis and Proposes Homeowner Aid from NYT > Washington Barack Obama called for tighter regulation of lenders as he spoke of pumping $30 billion into the economy to shield homeowners.
Obama Proposes Homeowner Relief from CBSNews – Politics Barack Obama said Thursday that the government must revive the troubled economy by tightening regulations and reforming its own agencies to adjust to the realities of modern finance.
In Major Speech, Obama Calls for Modernizing Our Regulation of Financial Markets
from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen NEW YORK, NY—In a major economic address at Cooper Union today, Senator Barack Obama called for immediate relief for homeowners hit by the housing crisis, modernization of our regulatory framework, and an additional $30 billion stimulus package to jumpstart the economy and help protect families from the economic slowdown.
Candidates Clash Over Economic Policy from CBSNews – Politics Democrat Barack Obama ridiculed Republican presidential rival John McCain on Wednesday for what he called a “sit back and watch” approach to the economic troubles gripping the nation.
Evening News: Barack on McCain’s Economic Speech from Obama HQ by Christopher Hass “John McCain has admitted he doesn’t understand the economy as well as he should, and yesterday he proved it in giving a speech on the housing crisis,” Obama told an auditorium of supporters.
Barack Obama on Senator McCain’s Economics from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen John McCain has said that he doesn’t understand the economy as well as he should, and yesterday he proved it in the speech he gave about the housing crisis…

Endorsements for Senator Barack Obama

Issues:

Day 205 – Sunday, 13 April 2008

Tom Awtry — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:55:32 +0000

Sunday, 13 April 2008

Senator Barack Obama

Obama Responds to McCain and Clinton attacks in Terre Haute

Featured:

Video Highlighters:

News Wires & Blogs:

Why Gov. Bill Richardson didn’t endorse Clinton from L.A. Times – Politics The New Mexico governor says he was dismayed by pressure from the Clinton camp, and impressed by Obama’s optimism. Besides, ‘you don’t transfer loyalty to a dynasty.’ Before he endorsed Barack Obama, before he drew the wrath of the Clintons and was likened to Judas, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson nearly endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for president.
Senator Obama’s comments in response to the Clinton and McCain campaign’s attacks from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen HAUTE, INDIANA – At a town hall meeting in Indiana, U.S. Senator Barack Obama made the following comments in response to the Clinton and McCain campaign’s attacks: “When I go around and I talk to people there is frustration and there is anger and there is bitterness. And what’s worse is when people are expressing their anger then politicians try to say what are you angry about? This just happened – I want to make a point here today.
Opponents Paint Obama as an Elitist from Wash Post – Politics by Perry Bacon Jr.and Shailagh Murray PHILADELPHIA, April 11 — Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain sharply criticized Sen. Barack Obama on Friday for saying at a private April 6 fundraiser in San Francisco that small-town voters in economically distressed areas of Pennsylvania are “bitter.”

Obama’s View on the Issues:

Senator Hillary Clinton

Nuestra Amiga (Our Friend)

Featured:

Video Highlighters:

News Wires & Blogs:

Hillary Clinton’s record shows trade support from L.A. Times – Politics On the trail, the candidate has made a point of critiquing free trade agreements, saying they cost U.S. jobs. Campaigning across Pennsylvania and other sections of the Rust Belt in recent months, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has stressed her determination to put a hold on trade agreements, which she says are costing American jobs.

Clinton’s View on the Issues:

Senator John McCain

Web Ad: Character Forged by Family

Featured:

Video Highlighters:

News Wires & Blogs:

Marketing McCain(TM) from Wash Post – Politics by Michael D. Shear and Juliet Eilperin Republican Sen. John McCain is a champion of an unpopular war, he is trying to succeed an unpopular GOP president, and he is a member of an increasingly unpopular party in a year when the historic race of his rivals has caused hundreds of thousands of voters to register as Democrats.

McCain’s View on the Issues:

FISA – Patriot Act

Tom Awtry — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:41:19 +0000

FISA – Patriot Act

Keith Olbermann Special comment regarding FISA

Video Highlighters:

Keith Olbermann Special comment regarding FISA

Senators Obama, Clinton, McCain – The Patriot Act

DOMESTIC SPYING: Intelligence Chief Testifies on FISA

FISA/WIRETAPPING BILL: Speaker Nancy Pelosi

DOMESTIC SPYING: Rep. Conyers’ Opening Remarks

HARRY REID: FISA Deal With Dodd, Feingold in the Works

DOMESTIC SPYING: Rep. Scott Questions Intel Chief on FISA

DOMESTIC SPYING: Rep. Lungren Questions Intel Chief on FISA

DOMESTIC SPYING: Rep. Berman Questions Intel Chief on FISA

FISA/WIRETAPPING BILL: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

FISA/WIRETAPPING: Dem Bill Falls Short – Rep. Rush Holt/D-NJ

FISA/WIRETAPPING BILL: Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)

FISA/WIRETAPPING BILL: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)

DOMESTIC SPYING: Rep. Smith’s Opening Remarks

News Wires & Blogs:

Quantico Circus from ACLU Blog – Government Spying by blog@aclu.org (Amanda Simon, ACLU) Today the Washington Post took us further into the Quantico Circuits and the problems inherent within. The circuits link together the FBI and phone companies and are used during wiretap investigations. Last month, a whistleblower named Babak Pasdar came forward to disclose the existence of the Quantico circuit. They can tell FBI investigators the length of the call, the callers’ identities and the location of the callers — a nice reminder that when you’re using your phone you’re a walking homing beacon.
Administration Set to Use New Spy Program in U.S. from Wash Post – Politics by Spencer S. Hsu The Bush administration said yesterday that it plans to start using the nation’s most advanced spy technology for domestic purposes soon, rebuffing challenges by House Democrats over the idea’s legal authority.
FBI Data Transfers Via Telecoms Questioned from Wash Post – Politics by Ellen Nakashima When FBI investigators probing New York prostitution rings, Boston organized crime or potential terrorist plots anywhere want access to a suspect’s telephone contacts, technicians at a telecommunications carrier served with a government order can, with the click of a mouse, instantly transfer key…
Chat About Bush’s Civil Liberties Transgressions from ACLU Blog – Government Spying by blog@aclu.org (Suzanne Ito, ACLU) Professor Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of UC Irvine’s law school, will be on FireDogLake this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. EDT to discuss the Bush administration’s innumerable violations of Americans’ civil liberties. Chermerinsky discusses the Yoo torture memo, FISA and the human rights violations at Guantanamo in today’s FireDogLake piece.
Illinois Eyes GPS Use in Tracking Restraining Orders from NPR Topics: Politics
The Illinois legislature is considering a law that would allow police to monitor high-risk restraining-order subjects by using GPS technology. Harvard Law School lecturer Diane Rosenfeld, who proposed a similar bill that passed in Massachusetts last year, discusses the Illinois initiative.
Secret Memo Justified Warrantless Surveillance in U.S. from FOXNews.com by oxnewsonline@foxnews.com A 2001 Justice Department memo, referenced in a footnote to another memo released Tuesday, seems to justify warrantless domestic surveillance; the Bush administration disavows that view now.
Spring and Surveillance in the Air from ACLU Blog – Government Spying by blog@aclu.org (Amanda Simon, ACLU) Congress has come back to town (and so has baseball!) and with it comes renewed debate on updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act or FISA. We left off two weeks ago with the House refusing to take up the Senate bill and passing its own version of the spy legislation. Well, that leaves the Senate in a bit of a pickle since that put the ball squarely back in its court.
Debate and Protest at Spy Program’s Inception from NYT > Washington
Concerns over the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping program are not new — it sparked heated legal concerns inside the Bush administration within hours of its adoption.
Terrorists Can be VIPs Too! from ACLU Blog – Privacy & Technology by log@aclu.org (Suzanne Ito, ACLU) The federal government has given Americans few reasons to trust it lately. From warrantless wiretapping to the surreptitious establishment of Total Information Awareness, the government is doing everything it can to keep a close eye on its citizens; it’s no coincidence that a retinal scan is part of this effort.
U.S. Now Among World’s Worst Surveillance Societies from ACLU Blog – Privacy & Technology by blog@aclu.org (Suzanne Ito, ACLU) We’ve been warning for some time that we are dangerously close to turning into a surveillance society. We are far from alone, of course — many other countries are grappling with the same issues brought about by the
Who’s Watching the Watch List? from ACLU Blog – Privacy & Technology by blog@aclu.org (Noam Biale, Technology & Liberty Program) The good folks at the FBI’s Terrorism Screening Center are doing a bang-up job: they keep identifying more and more terrorists among us. Don’t believe me?
Privacy is Leaving the Building from ACLU Blog – Privacy & Technology by blog@aclu.org (Suzanne Ito, ACLU) It’s six minutes to midnight: does the government know where you are? You can be assured that with the total surveillance society, it probably does.
NSA Data-Mining: What We Know, So Far from ACLU Blog – Privacy & Technology by blog@aclu.org (Christina Drummond, ACLU of Washington) As someone who follows the government’s ravenous appetite for data collection and mining

Inhumane Treatment – US & International

Tom Awtry — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:19:24 +0000

Inhumane Treatment – US & International

Keith Olbermann Special Comment on Waterboarding – Nov 5, 2007

Video Playlist:

News Wire & Blogs – US:

Gitmo trial lawyers in row over motions from UPI – Top News Prosecutors and defense lawyers for a Canadian terror detainee at Guantanamo clashed Friday over classified documents and an undetermined future trial date.
Why was a couple stoned to death? from UPI Asia Online – Human Rights by BASEER NAVEED While Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf was administering the oath to a newly formed Cabinet on March 31, a hair-raising message was being sent to the elected government from an area of the country that borders Afghanistan — a couple was being stoned to death by the Taliban.
Bush Aware of Advisors’ Interrogation Talks from ABC News: Politics ABC News exclusive: Bush says he knew advisors discussed interrogation methods.
Top officials knew of interrogation tactics from MSNBC.com: Politics Bush administration officials from Vice President Dick Cheney on down signed off on using harsh interrogation techniques against suspected terrorists.
Cheney Signed Off on Using Harsh Interrogation Tactics The officials also took care to insulate President Bush from a series of meetings where CIA interrogation methods, including waterboarding, which simulates drowning, were discussed and ultimately approved.FOXNews.com
No ‘Lord of the Rings’ for Man at Gitmo from ABC News: Intl US seizes ‘Lord of the Rings’ script from Canadian held at Guantanamo.
Louisiana Lawmakers Consider Castration for Sex Offenders from FOXNews.com by foxnewsonline@foxnews.com Louisiana lawmakers consider castration as a sentencing option for some sex offenders.
Chat About Bush’s Civil Liberties Transgressions from ACLU Blog – Government Spying by blog@aclu.org (Suzanne Ito, ACLU) Professor Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of UC Irvine’s law school, will be on FireDogLake this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. EDT to discuss the Bush administration’s innumerable violations of Americans’ civil liberties. Chermerinsky discusses the Yoo torture memo, FISA and the human rights violations at Guantanamo in today’s FireDogLake piece.
Memo Sheds New Light on Torture Issue from NYT > Washington A recently disclosed Justice Department memorandum could suggest that abuses in Abu Ghraib and elsewhere involved higher officials, not just low-level personnel.
Justice Department Declassifies 2003 ‘Torture Memo’ from FOXNews.com by foxnewsonline@foxnews.com The Department of Justice has declassified a long-sought “torture memo” from 2003, which provided some guidelines to the CIA and Defense Department regarding enemy interrogation.
Former Terror Detainee Recalls Captivity from CBS News.com In his first U.S. television interview, a former terror detainee tells 60 Minutes’ Scott Pelley Americans held him in Guantanamo for years despite evidence of his innocence.
Close Gitmo, five secretaries of state say from UPI – Top News Closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, would improve the United States’ reputation worldwide, five former secretaries of state said.
Tapes’ Destruction Hovers Over Detainee Cases from NYT > Washington The C.I.A.’s destruction of interrogation videotapes, a move intended to avoid legal trouble, may instead be adding to it.
Bill would pay wrongly convicted man from UPI – Top News A bill that would provide $1.25 million to a man wrongfully convicted of rape has advanced in the Florida Legislature.
National Briefing Washington: Ex-Prosecutor at Guantánamo to Leave Military
from NYT > Washington The Air Force lawyer who quit as chief prosecutor for the war court at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, five months ago because of what he called political interference has asked to leave the military, he said Tuesday. The lawyer, Col. Morris D. Davis, said he submitted retirement papers last week, partly over fallout from his public criticism of the Guantánamo court and partly because of family concerns. Colonel Davis was a fierce advocate for the court created by the Bush administration to try terror suspects, but he resigned in October, alleging Pentagon officials had exerted political influence in an effort to rush through high-profile charges and approved the use of torture-tainted evidence.
Court Hears Arguments on Americans Held in Iraq from NYT > Washington
As in the cases from Guantánamo Bay, a question of federal court jurisdiction arose: whether the courts can hear challenges brought by United States citizens detained in Iraq.
USA: Slippery slopes and the politics of torture from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports It is a disturbing spectacle to witness US officialdom tying itself in knots over torture. On the one hand the President claims that his country is leading the global struggle against torture. On the other -
USA: Supreme Court should call government to account over Guantánamo detentionsfrom Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports Tomorrow the US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in relation to the Guantánamo detentions on whether the Military Commissions Act of 2006 has unlawfully stripped the US courts of jurisdiction to consider habeas corpus petitions from alien “enemy combatants” held in US custody.
USA: Destruction of CIA interrogation tapes may conceal government crimes from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports The destruction by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of videotapes of the interrogation of two high value detainees in 2002 amounts to obstruction of justice and concealment of evidence.
USA: President Bush’s Veto of Intelligence Authorization Bill Continues from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports (Washington, DC) — Larry Cox, Amnesty International USA executive director, issued the following statement in response to President Bush’s veto of H.R. 2082, the Intelligence Authorization bill, which prevents the Central Intelligence Agency and other U.S. agents from using waterboarding, sexual humiliation, dogs and other techniques that amount to torture and ill-treatment.
United States of America: No Substitute for habeas corpus: Six years without judicial review in Guantánamo from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports We, the States Members of the United Nations, resolve…to recognize that international cooperation and any measures that we undertake to prevent and combat terrorism must comply with our obligations under international law, including
USA: Habeas corpus — protecting human rights, promoting accountable government
from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports The US Supreme Court’s upcoming review relating to the Guantánamo detention regime goes beyond crucial questions of the rights of the detainees to the very concepts of accountable government -
USA: Amnesty International Urges Congress to End Extraordinary Rendition from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports Amnesty International welcomes today’s U.S. House of Representatives Joint Oversight Hearing on Rendition to Torture: The Case of Maher Arar by the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations
USA: One year with the Military Commissions Act; four years without a lawyer; six years without justice from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports On 16 October 2007, the Pentagon announced that it was granting access for a lawyer to meet with Majid Khan, a Pakistani national held in the US Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
USA: Amnesty International Activists Nationwide to Rally on 1st Anniversary of Military Commissions Act from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports (Washington, DC)–Amnesty International activists nationwide will hold a series of events marking October 17, the first anniversary of the Military Commissions Act. The participants will raise awareness about human rights violations codified by the act and call on Congress to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center.
USA: Amnesty International Says President Bush’s Message on Human Rights Would Carry Greater Authority If “War on Terror” Violations Were Halted at Home
from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports Amnesty International issued the following statement in response to President Bush’s speech to the United Nations today on human rights around the globe.
USA: Law and executive disorder from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports Our critics sometimes paint the United States as a country willing to duck or shrug off international obligations when they prove constraining or inconvenient.
USA: Amnesty International Responds to Padilla Verdict from Amnesty International USA: War on Terror News Releases and Reports The trial, part of which an Amnesty International observer attended, failed to address a key issue which poses a great threat to all Americans — detention of a U.S. citizen without charge, as well as alleged torture and ill-treatment during detention.

News Wire & Blogs – International:

54 Myanmar Migrants Die in Thailand from ABC News: Intl 54 Myanmar Workers Suffocate in Back of Truck in Thailand
Personal tragedy ignored in Sri Lanka from UPI Asia Online – Human Rights by BASIL FERNANDO The Sinhala and Tamil New Year used to be a time of relaxation and recreation for all Sri Lankans. This year the New Year holidays from April 11 to 13 will be accompanied by sad memories for more than 1 million Sri Lankans who have faced personal tragedies including the brutal death of loved ones.
Niger government sued for allowing slavery from UPI – Top News The government of Niger is being sued by an alleged former slave on charges of failing to implement a 2003 law making slavery a criminal offense.
Condemned heroin smuggler gets reprieve from UPI – Top News A mentally ill British man condemned in Vietnam to the firing squad for smuggling heroin has had his sentence commuted to life in prison.
Torture perpetrators encouraged from UPI Asia Online – Human Rights by BASIL FERNANDO A Sri Lankan High Court judgment made on April 2, acquitting six police officers charged with torture that causing renal failure to the victim, raises several questions of law, important matters regarding security and also questions of morality.
Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court rulings ignored from UPI Asia Online – Human Rights by BASIL FERNANDO In the last few months the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has made three decisions against police officers for abusing their powers of arrest and torturing people purely to obtain bribes. But these directives have not altered the police practice of using the national security law for personal benefit.
Argentines remember ‘Dity War’ from UPI – Top News Thousands of demonstrators in Buenos Aires and throughout Argentina Monday marked the 32nd anniversary of the coup that introduced military rule.
Afghanistan: Women human rights defenders continue to struggle for women’s rights from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Women human rights defenders continue to struggle for women’s rights.
Afghanistan: Prisoner of Conscience sentenced to death for downloading and distributing materials from the internet from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Amnesty International condemns the decision to sentence to death journalist Perwiz Kambakhsh for downloading and distributing written materials that examined the role of women in the Islamic faith
India: Reports of torture and threat to fair trial of three journalists arrested for alleged links to banned Maoist organization from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Amnesty International is concerned that three journalists arrested in three Indian states and charged with working for or having links to the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) are at risk of being denied their right to a fair trial.
Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka: Amnesty International calls for urgent protection of civilians amidst return to hostilities from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases
Amnesty International is gravely concerned that the end to the Ceasefire Agreement between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) today will lead to an increase in hostilities that will result in a dramatic rise in indiscriminate attacks against the civilian population.
Myanmar: Arrests of Political Activists Increase in Myanmar from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Political activists continue to be imprisoned in Myanmar, according to new research by Amnesty International. There have been 96 arrests since 1 November 2007.
Malaysia: Government obstructing right to Freedom of Assembly from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Amnesty International condemns the arrests of human rights lawyers, activists and members of the public in the past few days as they exercised their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
Sri Lanka: Amnesty International condemns mass arrests from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Amnesty International condemns the mass arrests of more than 1000 Tamils by the Sri Lankan police, allegedly in response to the suicide bombings carried out in Colombo on 28 November 2007, for which the government has blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Cambodia: Forced evictions must end from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Two people dead, many injured and thousands homeless: two recent forced evictions demonstrate the urgent need for the Cambodian authorities to immediately end this practice.
Afganistan: NATO Countries at Risk of Complicity in Torture in Afghanistan, Warns Amnesty International from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases In a new report, Afghanistan: Detainees transferred to torture: ISAF complicity?, released today, Amnesty International charged that the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan is exposing detainees to risks of torture or other ill-treatment by Afghan authorities.
Myanmar: New evidence of mass detentions, hostage taking, deaths in custody and disappearances from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases
Amnesty International has today written to Myanmar’s authorities with a briefing paper outlining grave and ongoing human rights violations committed since the start of September’s crackdown.
Myanmar: 12 years under house arrest — Amnesty demands release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other prisoners of conscience from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases On the day the United Nations celebrates its 62nd birthday, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League of Democracy, will mark her 12th year under house arrest in Myanmar.
Myanmar: New video and audio testimony of ‘witch hunt’ and brutal repression from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Amnesty International today released new video and audio testimony of ongoing night raids, arbitrary arrests and appalling detention conditions in Myanmar as well as audio statements from two prominent activists shortly before their arrest last weekend.
China: Tibetan child detainees at risk of torture and ill-treatment from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Four Tibetan children aged 15 years, detained since 7 September in Gansu province, are at grave risk of torture and mistreatment on suspicion of writing pro-Tibetan independence slogans.
Open letter to ASEAN member states on the situation in Myanmar from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Ong Keng Yong Secretary General Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN Secretariat 70A Jalan Sisingamangaraja Jakarta 12110 Indonesia 27 September 2007 OPEN LETTER Dear Secretary General,Amnesty International urgently requests the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to call on the authorities in Myanmar to resolve the current crisis without resort to violence and address the outstanding human rights issues in the country.
Viet Nam: Silenced critics must be released from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Vietnamese lawyers, trade unionists, religious leaders and Internet dissidents have been detained or imprisoned in increasing numbers in recent months.
Laos: Destitute jungle-dwellers living on run from military from Amnesty International USA: Most Recent English News Releases Thousands of men, women and children from the Hmong ethnic minority are living on the run from the military in Laos’ mountainous jungle, according to a new report from Amnesty International.

Equal Rights – US & International

Tom Awtry — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:02:22 +0000

Equal Rights – US & International

Youth For Human Rights – We Are All Born Free & Equal

Video Highlighters:

News Wires & Blogs: (International Releases)

China Uses Heavy Hand Even With Its Gadflies from Wash Post – Asia/Pacific by Edward Cody SHANGHAI — Zheng Enchong is a self-taught lawyer and a dogged human rights activist. In many countries, he would be considered a gadfly. But in China during this Olympic year, he is treated like a threat to national security.
Niger government sued for allowing slavery from UPI – Top News The government of Niger is being sued by an alleged former slave on charges of failing to implement a 2003 law making slavery a criminal offense.
She Escaped Strife, but Embraced Those Scarred by It from Wash Post – Asia/Pacific by Nora Boustany Charm Tong was born in Burma’s conflict-lacerated countryside 26 years ago. She was 6 when her parents stuffed her into a straw basket strapped onto a donkey and sent her to join a caravan of villagers snaking its way through lush jungles to an orphanage inside the Thai border. Their desperate…
In Egypt, Upper Crust Gets the Bread from Wash Post – World News by Ellen Knickmeyer
CAIRO — The line started forming before dawn, as soon as the day’s first call to prayer had faded from the trash-strewn streets of the Egyptian capital’s Zelzal neighborhood. Men began pounding on the green metal shutters of the district’s sole bakery.
In Tibetan Monasteries, the Heavy Hand of the Party from Wash Post – World News by Jill Drew BEIJING, April BEIJING, April 5 — Arjia Rinpoche was 47 years old and a senior Tibetan abbot when he first signed a document denouncing the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhism’s spiritual leader.
At Least 8 Reported Dead as Tibetans, Police Clash in W. China from Wash Post – World News by Jill Drew BEIJING, April 4 — Hundreds of Tibetan monks and laypeople clashed with Chinese police Thursday night in a small mountain town in western China after government officials attempted to force monks to denounce their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and arrested two monks who were found with his…
During Crackdown in Tibet, Uighurs Pursued Own Protest from Wash Post – Asia/Pacific by Edward Cody BEIJING, April 2 — Protests by ethnic Uighurs broke out in a remote city of China’s far western Xinjiang region even as authorities were suppressing unrest in nearby Tibet and other Tibetan-inhabited areas, according to reports from the region Wednesday.
Chinese Rights Advocate Gets 3 1/2-Year Prison Term from Wash Post – Asia/Pacific by Edward Cody BEIJING, April 3 — Hu Jia, a persistent human rights campaigner in custody since December, was convicted Thursday of subverting the Chinese government through his online writings and sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison, his lawyer announced.

News Wires & Blogs: (US Releases)

Gitmo trial lawyers in row over motions from UPI – Top News Prosecutors and defense lawyers for a Canadian terror detainee at Guantanamo clashed Friday over classified documents and an undetermined future trial date.
Guantánamo Judge Is Urged to Get on With Proceedings from NYT > Washington The remarks from a military prosecutor were a public sign of growing frustration in the Pentagon with the pace of prosecutions in the military.
Jury rejects claims of police misconduct from UPI – Top News A jury in Boston has rejected a civil rights claims brought by a man who spent years in prison for a homicide he says he did not commit.
Official Had Controversial Photos Deleted, Report Says from NYT > Washington
The nation’s top immigration enforcement official ordered the destruction of photographs of an office Halloween party that showed a white agency employee dressed as a black detainee, a report says.
2 Groups to Help Defend Detainees at Guantánamo from NYT > Washington The American Civil Liberties Union and one of the country’s leading lawyers’ groups said that they had assembled teams of lawyers to defend some of the most notorious detainees at Guantánamo.

Day 206 – Saturday, 12 April 2008

Tom Awtry — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:47:24 +0000

Saturday, 12 April 2008

Senator Barack Obama

Michelle Obama at North Carolina State University

Featured:

Video Highlighters:

News Wires & Blogs:

1.       Obama calls for checks on executive pay from MSNBC.com: Politics The Democratic presidential candidate is prodding his populist economic message by demanding company shareholders have a say in CEO compensation packages.

2.       Obama would have fired Penn from Top Stories by media@politico.com (Ben Smith) Obama: “I know that if staff of mine were putting me in that kind of position, I would get rid of them.”

3.       Obama: Public Financing System Is “Creaky” from CBSNews – Politics The nation’s system of public financing presidential elections is “creaky” and needs to be updated, Sen. Barack Obama said, offering another possible argument for bypassing the system that has helped pay campaigns.

4.       ‘Why Obama’s message of hope resonates here’ from Obama HQ by Christopher Hass This morning Indianapolis Star reporter Matthew Tully wrote about Barack’s appearance at Tully’s childhood home of Gary Indiana, one of the most economically depressed cities in the country.

5.       Obama stumbles on small-town Pa. from Top Stories by media@politico.com (Ben Smith) Obama says some Pennsylvanians cling to guns and xenophobia. See also: Clinton, McCain respond.

6.       Obama Refuses To Dole Out Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars In “Street Money” Unlike Lieberman from PoliticalBase.com Blog Today’s Los Angeles Times has a big story on how Barack Obama (D) is refusing to dole out hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to Philadelphia “bosses” which is handed out to operatives to help turn-out the vote. It’s called “street money” and while technically legal, it’s as shady a practice as you get in campaigns:

Obama’s View on the Issues:

The War in Iraq

Foreign Policy

The Economy

Energy and the Environment

Education

Civil Rights & Universal Suffrage

Health Care

Ethics

Senator Hillary Clinton

Falling Through – Pennsylvania

Featured:

Top 10 Hillary Clinton Running Mates

Endorsements for Senator Hillary Clinton

Video Highlighters:

Clinton’s Chief Strategist Mark Penn Resigns

Disloyal Democrat: Hillary Clinton picks McCain over Obama

Hillary Clinton calls Barack Obama a Fraud 3/3/08

Clinton/Obama Ohio Debate MSNBC Huge Mistake 2/26 WOW!!!

Keith Olbermann: Special Comment on Hillary Clinton

News Wires & Blogs:

1.       Fire destroys Clinton Indiana campaign office from MSNBC.com: Politics Firefighters are investigating a blaze that destroyed the presidential campaign office of Hillary Rodham Clinton in Terre Haute.

2.       Clinton outlines $4 billion anti-crime plan from MSNBC.com: Politics Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton is proposing to spend $4 billion a year on anti-crime measures, including programs meant to reduce the number of ex-convicts who return to prison.

3.       Newsweek: Why Bill’s fighting so hard for Hillary from MSNBC.com: Politics He sincerely believes she would make a good president, but perhaps most important, he understands that if Barack Obama is elected, his presidency becomes an asterisk.

4.       Hillary Tells Bill To Back Off On Bosnia from CBSNews – Politics It’s the last topic the Clinton campaign wants to talk about – ever. But after former President Bill Clinton brought up his wife’s trip to Bosnia in 1996, Hillary gave him a talking-to, Jim Axelrod reports.

5.       Where Obama And Clinton Differ from CBSNews – Politics Here are some of the most significant points of contention that may help voters in the 10 contests choose between Clinton and Obama.

6.       Clinton proposes 100,000 new police officers on streets from L.A. Times – Politics She promotes a $4-billion-a-year anti-crime package while visiting a rough Philadelphia neighborhood with mayor. In Indiana, Obama attacks big corporate salaries. New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton , campaigning for president in a neighborhood of Philadelphia so rough the mayor said, “Osama bin Laden wouldn’t last here,” pitched a $4-billion-a-year anti-crime package today that would put 100,000 new police officers on the streets and help stem the tide of repeat offenders back into the country’s prisons.

7.       Taxpayers Fund Bill Clinton Spending from CBSNews – Politics The Clintons have made a $100-million fortune since leaving the White House, but a Politico analysis found that hasn”t kept Bill Clinton from taking full advantage of the publicly funded perks offered to ex-presidents.

8.       Poll: Clinton Ahead 50-37 In Puerto Rico from PoliticalBase.com Blog This isn’t nearly as big of a lead as I thought Clinton would have, considering how well she does with Hispanics:

Clinton’s View on the Issues:

The War in Iraq

The Economy

Foreign Ploicy

Education

Energy and the Environment

Civil Rights & Universal Suffrage

Health Care

Senator John McCain

Web Ad: Character Forged by Family

Featured:

10 things to know about McCain by MoveOn.org

Top 10 McCain Running Mates

Endorsements for John McCain

Video Highlighters:

McCain: Rice Is a Great American

Sweetheart Deal

McCain : No Change

Bush/McCain: Lockstep

Bush & McCain: Marchando Juntos

Great Moments in Presidential Speeches I

Great Moments in Presidential Speeches II

Great Moments In Presidential Speeches III

john.he.is

Olbermann: Obama Takes McCain to School

Obama Discusses Iraq and McCain in Fayetteville, NC

Raw Video: Too Old? ‘You Little Jerk,’ McCain Laughs

News Wires & Blogs:

1.       McCain Lags Behind Democrats in Fundraising from NPR Topics: Politics Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain is trailing both Democratic candidates in fundraising. Steve Inskeep speaks to NPR new analyst Juan Williams about John McCain’s money woes.

2.       McCain advisers have foreign lobby ties from UPI – Top News Two of Republican presidential contender John McCain’s top advisers and fundraisers acknowledge they have had lucrative foreign lobbying contracts.

3.       McCain has abundance of tough VP sells from MSNBC.com: Politics As Republican presidential candidate John McCain starts thinking through who he wants as a vice presidential running mate, he may find that many potential picks carry risks as well as rewards.

4.       Wash Times: McCain Advisers Tied To Foreign Lobbying from PoliticalBase.com Blog The conservative Washington Times highlights the growing realization that John McCain’s (R) railing against the influence of lobbyists doesn’t seem to apply to the most senior members of his campaign team

5.       McCain may take public funds from Top Stories by media@politico.com (Jonathan Martin) McCain manager says decision could make McCain financially competitive with Democratic candidate.

6.       GOP sees opening for McCain in Pa. from MSNBC.com: Politics Some analysts think Sen. John McCain is missing an opportunity by not campaigning in Pennsylvania now, as the entire state is focused on politics in a way that will be hard to eclipse in November.

7.       McCain: Bush Should Boycott Olympic Ceremonies from ABC News: Politics Republican nominee shifting slowly from stances of current administration.

8.       Oh, The Hypocrisy from PoliticalBase.com Blog This morning in typical knee-jerk, right-wing style, the McCain camp blasted the fact that George Soros is apparently ready to aid a $40 million independent effort against McCain in the coming months in a fundraising email:

McCain’s View on the Issues:

The War in Iraq

Foreign Policy

The Economy

Energy and the Environment

Education

Health Care

Ethics

Bush’s War in Iraq

Tom Awtry — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:33:36 +0000

CAPNEWS EXLUSIVE: Sen. Harry Reid on Iraq, Petraeus & Bush

Video Play List:

News Wire & Blogs:

Bush: Surge led to ’significant progress’ from UPI – Top News U.S. President George W. Bush Saturday said U.S. and Iraqi forces have made “significant progress” in Iraq since the 2007 troop surge.
Bush Says Iraqis Assuming More Responsibility from FOXNews.com by foxnewsonline@foxnews.com President Bush says in his weekly radio address that Iraqis are shouldering more responsibility, but that Gen. David Petraeus still needs time to “make his assessment.”
Ariz. Mountain Renamed After Slain Soldier from CBS News.com A federal panel has officially renamed a Phoenix mountain for the first American Indian woman to die in combat while serving in the U.S. military, ending one of the country’s most contentious fights over a place name.
Dems: Force Iraqis to use oil cash from MSNBC.com: Politics Democrats plan to push legislation this spring that would force the Iraqi government to spend its own surplus in oil revenues to rebuild the country, sparing U.S. dollars.
When the Data Don’t Really Measure Up from Wash Post – Politics by Post As part of his presentation to Congress yesterday, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus displayed 11 multicolored charts to demonstrate progress in Iraq. A close look at the facts indicates that the data often lacked context or were misleading. Here is a guide:
Frustrated Senators See No Exit Signs from Wash Post – Politics by Karen DeYoung and Thomas E. Ricks Asked repeatedly yesterday what “conditions” he is looking for to begin substantial U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq after this summer’s scheduled drawdown, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus said he will know them when he sees them. For frustrated lawmakers, it was not enough.
A ‘Conditions-Based’ Answer from Wash Post – Politics by Post Several senators asked Gen. David H. Petraeus when and under what conditions he would recommend further reductions of U.S. forces from Iraq, after an assessment this summer. The general’s responses, as an exchange with Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) shows, were less than specific.
A Burr in the Side of the American People from PoliticalBase.com Blog Sen. Claire McCaskill in this morning’s senate hearing emphasized the cost of the war for Americans, versus the cost for Iraqis. “It is a major burr in the side American people,” she said, “that the Iraqi government has a budget surplus and we have a massive deficit, and yet we are paying, and they are not… We’re spending about $200 million a year [to pay the Sons of Iraq] twice the average salary you’d make in Iraq, and I’m trying to figure out how you get Iraq to pay that…”
Hazy Iraq Benchmarks: Political Success Requires Implementation from Center for American Progress by Brian Katulis, Peter Juul Petraeus claims “surge” is fostering Iraqi reconciliation, yet by his own benchmarks this is fiction, write Brian Katulis and Peter Juul.
Bad Ending to a Long Day from PoliticalBase.com Blog The Senate Foreign Relations hearing ended on a somber note, with senators expressing doubt and mistrust over the Status of Forces Agreement that Ambassador Crocker is currently working on. “I’m now concerned this administration might negotiate a long term security agreement” that would constrain the Congress or next president, Senator Ben Cardin said. “If you want the cooperation of many of us, that agreement better come before us.” Senator Jim Webb expressed similar concerns.
Crocker Says Iran Needs to Initiate Diplomacy with U.S. over Iraq from PoliticalBase.com Blog Senator Chuck Hagel questioned Ambassador Crocker at this afternoon’s hearing about the claim he’s made that a “diplomatic surge” accompanied the military surge. “I don’t see Condoleezza Rice doing any Kissinger-like flying around,” he said. “Where is the diplomatic surge that in the end is going to make a difference in the outcome of Iraq, and certainly, how we come out of this?”
Petraeus: Iraq Too Fragile for Further U.S. Troop Pullouts from FOXNews.com by foxnewsonline@foxnews.com Army Gen. David Petraeus painted a picture of a nation struggling to suppress violence among its own people and to move toward the political reconciliation that Bush said a year ago was the ultimate aim of his new Iraq strategy.
Feith Regrets Not Pushing ‘Law and Order’ in Iraq from NPR Topics: Politics The U.S. government has been criticized for many aspects of its handling of the Iraq war. But Douglas Feith, an architect of the war, says one of his biggest regrets is not convincing top Pentagon officials to pay more attention to law and order immediately after the fall of Baghdad in 2003.
Basra Was the Test from Center for American Progress by Ian Moss The “surge” strategy now under review on Capitol Hill failed to meet its most important goals recently in Basra, writes Ian Moss.
General Resists Timetable for Withdrawal of Troops in Iraq from NYT > Washington
Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, warned a Senate panel against removing “too many troops too quickly.”
Neither Brief Nor A Pause from PoliticalBase.com Blog General David Petraeus recommended this morning to the Senate Armed Forces Committee that once troops in Iraq have been drawn down to “pre-surge” levels, there should be a “45 day period of consolidation and evaluation to determine when we can make recommendations for further reductions.”
Veterans’ Mental Health by the Numbers from Center for American Progress
CAP takes a by the numbers look at the mental health toll on our veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan and why improvements are needed.
Iraqi Widows, Orphans Left Stranded from ABC News: Intl Iraq’s Growing Legions of Widows Suffer Loneliness, Ostracism and Poverty
Iraq Report Details Political Hurdles and Future Options from Wash Post – World News by Robin Wright A new assessment of U.S. policy in Iraq by the same experts who advised the original Iraq Study Group concludes that political progress is “so slow, halting and superficial” and political fragmentation “so pronounced” that the United States is no closer to being able to leave Iraq than it was a y…
Bush Listens Closely To His Man in Iraq from Wash Post – World News by Michael Abramowitz – For months, a debate raged at the top levels of the Bush administration over how quickly to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq. But the discussion shut down soon after President Bush flew to Camp Arifjan, a dusty Army base near the Iraqi border in Kuwait, in January for a face-to-face meeting…
Sen. Biden: Troop buildup a failure from MSNBC.com: Politics A leading Democrat on Saturday declared last year’s troop buildup in Iraq a failure.
New Plan Will Shorten Army Combat Tours from CBS News.com The Bush administration plans to announce next week that U.S. soldiers’ combat tours will be reduced from 15 months to 12 months in Iraq and Afghanistan beginning later this summer, The Associated Press has learned.
Evidence of Executions by Iraqi Forces Surfaces from NPR Topics: World Recent fighting between Shiite militia and Iraqi troops highlighted severe, lingering problems for the U.S.-trained forces, including tactical and logistical issues and desertion. Even more grave, evidence points to executions of detained militiamen by some of the security forces.
Dem Leaders To Bush: Not Too Late On Iraq from CBSNews – Politics Democratic leaders told President Bush on Friday that it’s not too late to change course in Iraq and pleaded with him not to hand the war off to the next president.
Think Again: Getting Iraq Right from Center for American Progress by Eric Alterman, George Zornick Iraq demands a change in direction, but it’s hard for people to demand a change on policies that go unreported, writes Eric Alterman.
Iraq: Out of Our Hands and Into a Two-Star General’s? from PoliticalBase.com Blog “Out of Iraq we will come, and the jury’s out on what’s going to happen next,” Retired General Barry McCaffrey said at this morning’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the American military prospects in Iraq. The political will in the U.S. to continue the war is gone, the military is at its breaking point, and al Qaeda will not overrun Iraq if we leave, the panelists made clear.
What Could $432 Million Buy American Families? from Center for American Progress
On average, we spend $432 million a day in Iraq, while families at home feel the crunch of rising prices, declining employment, and soaring credit.
G.I. Missing Since 2004 Confirmed Dead from CBS News.com The father of a soldier listed as missing-captured in Iraq since 2004 said Sunday that the military had informed him that his son’s remains were found in Iraq.
Staff Alleges Abuses by Top Iraq Auditor from Wash Post – Politics by Robin Wright
Federal investigators called at least nine current and former employees of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction before a grand jury in Richmond on March 18, and the FBI has summoned others for questioning this week, marking a new phase in the probe of allegations ag…
Political Memo: Iraqi Offensive Revives Debate for Campaigns from NYT > Washington
The war’s return to the public consciousness poses new challenges and opportunities for the candidates, particularly Senator John McCain.
U.S. Has Little Influence, Few Options in Iraq’s Volatile South from Wash Post – World News by Karen DeYoung As U.S. warplanes attacked targets in Basra yesterday, Bush administration officials acknowledged that their hands-off strategy toward southern Iraq in recent years has left them with little knowledge of the conflicts among competing Shiite groups there and few ways of influencing them.
Despite the Fighting in Basra, Bush Emphasizes Progress from Wash Post – Politics by Peter Baker DAYTON, Ohio, March 27 — The images from Baghdad and Basra bristled with explosions, burning buildings, angry street protests, rocket smoke wafting from the Green Zone. The words from Dayton were “remarkable” and “victory” and “rebirth.”
42 Democrats Vow a Drawdown in Iraq If They Win Seats from Wash Post – Politics by Paul Kane More than three dozen Democratic congressional candidates banded together yesterday to promise that, if elected, they will push for legislation calling for an immediate drawdown of troops in Iraq that would leave only a security force in place to guard the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
The Iraq Headline We Fear from PoliticalBase.com Blog Not the headline we want to see…From today’s New York Times, “Assault by Iraq on Shiite Forces Stalls in Basra:”
In Speech, Bush Praises Iraq’s Government from NYT > Washington President Bush said the fighting in Iraq demonstrated the willingness of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki to impose order.
Iraq Explodes from PoliticalBase.com Blog An afternoon update on the out-of-control events happening right now in Iraq. Looks like the Maliki government is “all-in” with the decision to try to take down the militias
Bush: Iraq Needs Security, Not “Hectoring” from CBSNews – Politics President Bush defended the slow pace of progress in Iraq, asserting “it is not foot-dragging” as Iraqi politicians try to reach agreement on political, security and economic goals.
Bush consults advisers on Iraq from MSNBC.com: Politics Wrapping up a series of consultations on Iraq, President Bush met at the Pentagon on Wednesday with the military’s top leaders to hear their views on prospects for further troop reductions.
Vet Voice: What We’ve Learned This Week [In Iraq] from PoliticalBase.com Blog Brandon Friedman over at Vet Voice has what I think is best summary of the five things we should now have all learned about our five-year Iraq adventure.
Resurging Iraqi Violence: Shi’a Civil War Only One of Many from Center for American Progress by Brian Katulis Latest outbreak of fighting among Shi’a rivals is emblematic of multiple conflicts still raging across the country, writes Brian Katulis.
Idea of the Day: Phased Military Redeployment from Iraq in One Year from Center for American Progress The United States should immediately begin redeploying its troops from Iraq and declare it does not intend to maintain military bases permanently in Iraq. A swift strategic redeployment from Iraq, coordinated with Iraq’s government, gives the United States the best chance to revitalize its ground forces now stretched too thin to address growing threats on other fronts in the fight against global terrorist groups in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
How Could We Spend $600 Billion?: What the Education System Could Do With the Money Spent on Iraq from Center for American Progress The $600 billion given to operations in Iraq could buy thousands of schools, fund hundreds of thousands of salaries, and send millions to college.
Just to Recap: Ridiculous War, Monumental Mistake from Center for American Progress by Spencer P. Boyer Five years ago, the United States invaded Iraq and set in motion a chain of events that most Americans wish had never been unleashed. While President Bush and Vice President Cheney have been making the rounds to convince a skeptical public that the war has been critical for America’s national security interests, their words ring hollow. With 4,000 Americans killed, 30,000 wounded, and over half a trillion dollars spent so far, this unfortunate anniversary is the proper time to step back for a reality check.
Bush Given Iraq War Plan With a Steady Troop Level from NYT > Washington
Troop levels in Iraq would remain nearly the same through 2008 as at any time during five years of war, senior officials said.
What Are Our Interests in Iraq? from PoliticalBase.com Blog The United States has a chance to actually meet its ultimate goal in Iraq– establishing a peaceful, democratic ally in the Middle East– if it maintains high troop levels for at least another year, Fred Kagan argued today at the famously conservative American Enterprise Institute. Kagan was joined this afternoon by Michael O’Hanlon and Kenneth M. Pollack, both of the Brookings Institution, to discuss the findings of the newly-releaesd Phase IV Report of AEI’s Iraq Planning Group.
Bush Says War’s Outcome ‘Will Merit the Sacrifice’ from Wash Post – World News by Karen DeYoung and Michael Abramowitz As the death toll for American troops in Iraq reached 4,000, President Bush conferred yesterday with top U.S. officials in Washington and in Baghdad and vowed in a public statement that the outcome of the war “will merit the sacrifice.”
Bush Says War’s Outcome ‘Will Merit the Sacrifice’ from Wash Post – World News by Karen DeYoung and Michael Abramowitz As the death toll for American troops in Iraq reached 4,000, President Bush conferred yesterday with top U.S. officials in Washington and in Baghdad and vowed in a public statement that the outcome of the war “will merit the sacrifice.”
Cheney On Iraq War: Bush “Carries Biggest Burden” from PoliticalBase.com Blog With the sad milestone of 4,000 killed-in-action in Iraq, Vice President Cheney reminds us of who really carries the biggest burden of this preposterous war:
U.S. Death Toll In Iraq Hits 4,000 from CBS News.com A roadside bomb killed four U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on Sunday, the military said, pushing the overall American death toll in the five-year war to at least 4,000.
Book Details U.S. Pressure On Allies Before War from Wash Post – World News by Colum Lynch UNITED NATIONS — In the months leading up to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration threatened trade reprisals against friendly countries who withheld their support, spied on its allies, and pressed for the recall of U.N. envoys that resisted U.S. pressure to endorse the war, acc…
On War’s Anniversary, Bush Cites Progress from Wash Post – Politics by Dan Eggen President Bush sought yesterday to convince a skeptical public that the United States is on the cusp of winning the war in Iraq, arguing in a speech at the Pentagon that the recent buildup of U.S. forces has stabilized that country and “opened the door to a major strategic victory in the war on t…
“So?”, from PoliticalBase.com Blog When asked how that assessment comports with recent polls that show about two-thirds of Americans say the fight in Iraq is not worth it, Cheney replied, “So?”
Five Years In, How Much Do We Care?, from PoliticalBase.com Blog As Bush proclaimed today that he needn’t reduce the level of troops in Iraq, it’s hard to know whether people are listening to him and agree or simply aren’t paying attention to the war at all. Two thirds of Americans say they think the war was a bad idea. But even with five years and $600 billion come and gone– not to mention nearly 4,000 soldiers lost — people aren’t exactly taking to the streets over it. At least in Washington, D.C, they’re literally not taking to the streets. The country’s complacent attitude was clear from the paltry protests across capital today.

Cabinet Departments & Agencies:

Day 207 – Friday, 11 April 2008

Tom Awtry — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:58:15 +0000

Friday, 11 April 2008

Senator Barack Obama

Barack on American Idol

Featured:

Top 10 Barack Obama Running Mates

Endorsements for Senator Barack Obama

Video Highlighters:

News Wires & Blogs:

Obama’s billionaire backing from MSNBC.com: Politics Sen. Barack Obama credits his presidential campaign with creating a “parallel public financing system” built on a wave of modest donations. But those with wealth and power also have played a critical role in creating Obama’s record-breaking fundraising machine.
Statement of Barack Obama on President Bush’s Stay the Course Iraq Strategy from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen President Bush gave no answer to the most important question about the way forward in Iraq: how will we end this war that is not making us safer? After five years, over four thousand lives, and over half a trillion dollars, we have a blank check strategy in Iraq that is overstretching our military, distracting us from the other challenges we face, burdening our economy, and failing to pressure the Iraqi government to take responsibility for their future.
Obama Opposes “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” from CBSNews – Politics Barack Obama says if elected president he won’t require that his appointees to the Joint Chiefs of Staff support allowing gays to serve openly in the military. The senator favors repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
Colin Powell Praises Obama’s Handling Of Rev. Wright Controversy from PoliticalBase.com Blog Thought these Colin Powell comments were noteworthy: “Rev. Wright is also somebody who has made enormous contributions in his community and has turned a lot of lives around,” Powell said, “And so, I have to put that in context with these very offensive comments that he made, which I reject out of hand.”
Newsweek: Obama’s ‘Inevitability’ strategy from MSNBC.com: Politics Now it’s Barck Obama, in Pennsylvania, who’s playing the “inevitability” card.
Obama Poised To Turn Down Public Financing from CBSNews – Politics Despite his early suggestions otherwise, Barack Obama may opt out of public financing for the general election, the first time a major party candidate has done so since the system was implemented in 1974, reports Brian Montopoli.
Gallup: Highly-Educated White Voters Have Catapulted Obama In Past Month from PoliticalBase.com Blog Very interesting analysis of the Democratic presidential race by Gallup today. Turns out that Hillary Clinton (D) leads Barack Obama (D) among Democrats who have high school educations or less. In every other group, Obama leads by double-digits:
Obama radio ad lashes back at Clinton from Top Stories by media@politico.com (Ben Smith) Barack Obama releases a new radio ad in Pa. accusing Hillary Clinton of … ‘misleading, negative ads.’
Poll: Obama would beat McCain, but Clinton would lose in Wis. from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen In case you missed it, a new poll indicates that Obama would beat McCain in Wisconsin, while Clinton would lose to McCain in the Badger State. Wisconsin, which was incredibly close in 2004, will be a critical battleground in the general election.

Obama’s View on the Issues:

The War in Iraq
Foreign Policy
The Economy
Energy and the Environment
Education
Civil Rights & Universal Suffrage
Health Care
Ethics

Senator Hillary Clinton

Falling Through – Pennsylvania

Featured:

Top 10 Hillary Clinton Running Mates

Endorsements for Senator Hillary Clinton

Video Highlighters:

News Wires & Blogs:

More Evidence Of Clinton Rebound In Pennsylvania from PoliticalBase.com Blog As I suggested yesterday, I think we’re seeing a bit of a Hillary Clinton (D) comeback in Pennsylvania, with the latest polls showing her picking-up some of the support she’s lost over the past few weeks. Will it continue, or is this nothing more than a “dead cat bounce” for Clinton?
Chelsea Clinton Finds Her Voice from CBSNews – Politics Chelsea Clinton has gone from a behind-the-scenes supporter of Hillary Clinton to her mother’s most effective surrogate, the Washington Post reports.
Elton John raises $2.5 million for Clinton from MSNBC.com: Politics Wednesday night the New York senator tapped one of pop music’s most venerable rockers to help fill her presidential campaign coffers.
Clinton Says Only She Can End Iraq War from CBSNews – Politics Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday she is the only presidential candidate who will begin a prompt drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq, and rival Sen. Barack Obama cast himself as the one best able to turn the nation’s economy around.
Missteps Mar Clinton’s Competency Message from CBSNews – Politics Hillary Rodham Clinton wants voters to decide the nomination based on who can coolly and competently run the country. She had better hope they don”t study her recent campaign too closely for the answer, the Politico reports.
Has Clinton’s Bleeding In Pennsylvania Stopped? from PoliticalBase.com Blog There’s more evidence this morning that Hillary Clinton’s (D) recent hemorrhaging in Pennsylvania has finally stopped. In the past few weeks, Clinton’s 15-20 point lead has largely eroded, with most polls showing race with a Clinton mid-single-digit lead.
Taxpayers fund Bill Clinton spending from Top Stories by media@politico.com (Kenneth P. Vogel) Bill Clinton has a larger benefit package than any other retired president, despite his huge speaking fee income.
Bill Clinton defends wife’s Bosnia remarks from Top Stories by media@politico.com (Mike Allen) With the controversy over Hillary Clinton’s claim dying down, he reignites it with a detailed – and questionable – defense.

Clinton’s View on the Issues:

The War in Iraq
The Economy
Foreign Ploicy
Education
Energy and the Environment
Civil Rights & Universal Suffrage
Health Care

Senator John McCain

Web Ad: Character Forged by Family

Featured:

10 things to know about McCain by MoveOn.org

Top 10 McCain Running Mates

Endorsements for John McCain

Video Highlighters:

News Wires & Blogs:

McCain would shun Olympics without changes from MSNBC.com: Politics Republican presidential candidate John McCain said on Thursday he would not attend the Olympics’ opening in Beijing, if he were president, unless China made concessions toward Tibet and the Dalai Lama.
McCain won’t rule out pre-emptive war from MSNBC.com: Politics The presumptive Republican presidential nominee says he would consult more closely and more carefully “not with every member of Congress, but certainly the leaders of Congress.”
NYT: McCain pulled on foreign policy from MSNBC.com: Politics So-called foreign policy pragmatists in the Republican party are expressing concern that Mr. McCain might be coming under increased influence from a competing camp, the neoconservatives.
Walter: McCain’s neglected opportunity from MSNBC.com: Politics McCain wants to have a fight in November that centers around character and patriotism, but this might not be enough for voters who are looking for a break from the campaign rhetoric of the past eight years.
McCain unexpectedly moves on housing from Top Stories by media@politico.com (Jonathan Martin) Presumptive GOP nominee unveils his own housing plan. See also: McCain weighs in on the
McCain Pressures Obama on Public Financing from NPR Topics: Politics Even though John McCain declined public financing in the primaries, he says he intends to take the funds for his general election campaign. McCain is accusing Barack Obama of breaking a promise to do so. But for Obama — outraising McCain two-to-one — there’s little incentive to restrict his campaign to $84 million, should he win the Democratic nod.
McCain Revises Proposals for Families in Economic Crisis from Wash Post – Politics by Dan Balz NEW YORK, April 10 — Two weeks after drawing criticism for saying he favored only a limited federal role to help deal with the home mortgage crisis, Republican presidential candidate John McCain sought to assure Americans that he is prepared to use the government where necessary to help ease the…

McCain’s View on the Issues:

The War in Iraq
Foreign Policy
The Economy
Energy and the Environment
Education
Health Care
Ethics

Endorsements for Barack Obama

Tom Awtry — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:05:01 +0000

Kennedy Endorsements of Barack Obama

Video Highlighters:

Endorsements for Barack Obama

Utah Superdelegate Endorses Obama from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen CHICAGO, IL—Utah Democratic Party Chair and Democratic superdelegate Wayne Holland today endorsed Barack Obama, citing his ability to energize the Democratic Party and plan to strengthen the economy.
American Postal Workers Union endorses Obama from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen The American Postal Workers Union has endorsed Barack Obama for president. The APWU is the world’s largest postal union, representing over 330,000 USPS employees and retirees, as well as nearly 2,000 private-sector mail workers.
Portland Tribune endorses Barack Obama from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen The Portland Tribune has endorsed Barack Obama for president…
Charleston Gazette Endorses Barack Obama from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen The Charleston Gazette has endorsed Barack Obama for president… For the first time since the historic 1960 primary election, the Democratic presidential nomination remains hotly contested as West Virginians prepare to vote. So this state’s Democrats and independents may, once again, help decide U.S.
Mayor of Missoula Endorses Barack from Obama HQ by Christopher Hass The Mayor of Missoula, John Engen, introduced Barack at today’s Montana rally. It is, in his words, “A really good day to be the Mayor of Missoula.”
Oregon: 26 Elected Leaders Endorse Obama from Obama HQ by Christopher Hass Demonstrating how much support Sen. Obama has here in Oregon, yesterday morning on the capitol steps in Salem group of 26 elected Oregon officials enthusiastically announced their endorsement of Barack in the presidential primary.
Clinton Still Irked By Richardson’s Move from CBSNews – Politics During a private meeting with California Democrats, Bill Clinton grew red-faced as he talked about how he expected Bill Richardson – a member of Clinton’s Cabinet – to back Hillary Rodham Clinton, or at least stay neutral.
Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal Endorses Obama from Obama HQ by Christopher Hass Wyoming Governor and superdelegate Dave Freudenthal endorsed Barack Obama today — the 11th superdelegate endorsement that Barack has received since March 4th.
West Virginia’s Youngest Councilman Endorses Barack from Obama HQ by Christopher Hass On November 7th, 2006, at age 20, Matthew S. Delligatti was elected as the youngest council member in the city of Fairmont, West Virginia’s history. Recently, Delligatti announced his formal endorsement of Barack Obama:
Sen. Klobuchar: ‘The energy that Barack has unleashed is impossible to contain’ from Obama HQ by Christopher Hass This morning, Senator Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota) became the 64th superdelegate to endorse Senator Obama since February 5th.
Richardson: Voters Decide, Not Big Shots from CBSNews – Politics To the suggestion that his recent endorsement of Sen. Obama showed personal disloyalty to Sen. Hillary Clinton, Gov. Bill Richardson said that in deciding between love for country and love for the Clintons, he chose his country.
Clinton’s Lead With 10 Of Last 13 U.S. Senators Have Endorsed Obama from PoliticalBase.com Blog Noteworthy is that on the day of the New Hampshire Primary, Hillary Clinton (D) led Barack Obama (D) in endorsements among their Senate colleagues by a 10 to 2 margin. After Sen. Bob Casey’s (D-PA) endorsement of Obama yesterday, Clinton’s margin is now a scant 13 to 12
Surprise Backing From Senator Reflected Frustration and Desire for Healing from NYT > Washington Senator Bob Casey’s endorsement may carry some weight, especially with white working class voters, who are known as Casey Democrats.
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey Endorses Obama from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey plans to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president today in Pittsburgh, sending a message both to the state’s primary voters and to undecided superdelegates who might decide the close race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Indiana state legislators endorse Obama from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen A group of state legislators from every corner of Indiana today endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president. Thirteen of the 25 lawmakers backing Obama held a Statehouse news conference to urge Hoosiers to support Obama in the May 6 primary election.
Indiana House Majority Leader Russ Stilwell endorses Barack Obama for President
from Obama HQ by Sam Graham-Felsen Indiana House Majority Leader Russ Stilwell is endorsing Barack Obama for President. In a news release this morning Stilwell said Obama “has the best plan to turn the economy around and create good-paying jobs across the country –
Conservative lawyer endorse Obama from UPI – Top News Douglas Kmiec, a leading conservative Republican lawyer Sunday endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for U.S. president.
UFCW Local 1776 Endorses Obama from Obama HQ by Caitlin Harvey On Thursday, the Executive Board of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1776, which represents 23,000 members throughout southeast, northeast and central Pennsylvania, northeast Maryland and southern New York, overwhelmingly approved its support for Senator Obama’s candidacy in the Tuesday, April 22 Pennsylvania primary election.
First a Tense Talk With Clinton, Then Richardson Backs Obama from NYT Gov. Bill Richardson urged Democrats to unite behind Senator Barack Obama to move the nation beyond its racial and partisan divide.
Oregon AFSCME Endorses Obama from Obama HQ Yesterday the progressive blog Blue Oregon broke the news that the Oregon AFSCME union workers had voted to endorse Barack Obama for President. According to Blue Oregon, “Oregon AFSCME’s executive director, Ken Allen, described the vote as ‘overwhelming.’” In an official statement released last night, the Oregon AFSCME explain…
Senator Barack Obama Receives Endorsement of Flag Officers from Army, Navy and Air Force from Obama HQ CHICAGO—Citing his judgment and ability to lead, admirals and generals from the United States Army, Navy and Air Force that together have served under the last nine Commanders-in-Chief today announced their endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for president. In offering their endorsement, the generals and admirals recognized Obama’s judgment to…
Rolling Stone: ‘A New Hope’ from Obama HQ In case you missed it, here’s Rolling Stone’s endorsement of Barack…The tides of history are rising higher and faster these days. Read them right and ride them, or be crushed. And then along comes Barack Obama, with the kinds of gifts that appear in politics but once every few generations. There is a sense of dignity, even majesty, about him, and…
UPenn Dems for Obama from Obama HQ The Daily Pennsylvanian reports…For Penn Dems, it’s now all for ObamaLast night, the Penn Democrats endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president, despite debate about whether to endorse a candidate at all.The endorsement required a two-thirds majority to pass.Following the vote, College sophomore Mukul Sharma, Penn Dems vice president, said …
Ohio Superdelegate for Obama from Obama HQ WHIO reports… DAYTON, Ohio — Mirroring the unofficial results of the Democratic Presidential race in Montgomery County, Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin today announced her endorsement of Illinois Senator Barack Obama.Despite a win statewide by New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, in Montgomery County, the results told a different tale with Obama be…
Cincinnati Enquirer endorses Barack Obama from Obama HQ The Cincinnati Enquirer has endorsed Barack Obama… Enquirer endorses Obama on Democratic side Illinois senator offers energy, rich experiences, fresh ideasDespite all of the jokes and misplaced campaign rhetoric, it is the experiences of Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama that have set them apart – set them above – the crowded Democratic fiel…
Senator Jay Rockefeller Endorses Obama from Obama HQ CHICAGO, IL – Today, Senator Jay Rockefeller, the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, endorsed Barack Obama for president, citing his judgment on the Iraq war and national security issues, and calling him the right candidate to lead our country during a time of instability at home and abroad. Senator Rockefeller said, “Today, I’m proud t…
Ohio State University’s The Lantern endorses Obama from Obama HQ Ohio State University’s student newspaper, The Lantern, has endorsed Barack Obama… OSU is the largest university in the US…In a Democratic race long considered a dead-heat and only days before the Democrats of Ohio will likely decide the next president of the United States, The Lantern feels an obligation to encourage the support of Sens. Barac…
Toledo Blade endorses Obama from Obama HQ The Toledo Blade has endorsed Barack Obama for president… Obama, for changeTHE Blade has a long-established principle of seldom endorsing a candidate in any primary election. It’s easy to see, however, that this isn’t a typical year. For the first time in history, the outcome of the Ohio primary may well determine the Democratic nominee for pres…
Maine Superdelegate Backs Obama from Obama HQ CHICAGO, IL – Today, Maine Democratic Party Vice Chair, Democratic National Committee Member and Maine Superdelegate Marianne Stevens endorsed Obama, citing his ability to bring new people into the political process, his willingness to stand up to special interests, and his ability to bring change we can believe in. Marianne Stevens said, “After …
Breaking: Senator Byron Dorgan to endorse Obama… from Obama HQ The Washington Post reports… Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) told The Trail moments ago that he will be endorsing Barack Obama for president this afternoon, becoming the 10th senator to officially endorse the Illinois senator’s bid for the Democratic nomination. “I decided I wanted to determine who out there can inspire people to move in a new d…
Video: Senator Dodd endorses Obama from Obama HQ Senator Chris Dodd endorsed Barack Obama today. Watch his endorsement remarks from Cleveland, Ohio…
Two more DC superdelegates endorse Obama from Obama HQ Washington, DC – Two more superdelegates have endorsed Barack Obama today. Shadow United States Senators Paul Strauss and Michael D. Brown endorsed Obama, citing his longstanding commitment to the rights of DC residents and his ability to unite Americans to bring change. Senator Paul Strauss said, “I am excited to endorse Barack Obama today. …
Mansfield, Ohio Mayor Donald Culliver Endorses Barack Obama from Obama HQ MANSFIELD, OH – Mansfield Mayor Donald Culliver announced today his endorsement of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama for president. Culliver joins Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson in announcing their support for Obama. “If we are going to make a better future for America, we need a leader who isn’t invested in the political foo…
Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory Endorses Barack Obama from Obama HQ Breaking news from the Cincinnati Enquirer… Cincinnati’s only Democratic “super-delegate,” Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, ended months of courting by both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, by endorsing the Illinois senator just before he came on stage for a rally at the Fifth-Third Center. “I have decided to give my endorsement…
Utility Workers Back Obama from Obama HQ The Utility Workers Union of America has announced their endorsement of Barack Obama…(Washington, DC) – National President D. Michael Langford of the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) announced the union’s endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President and plans to immediately begin activating its membership for the critical primary cont…
Ohio: Dayton Daily News Endorses Barack Obama from Obama HQ With the campaign for Ohio in full swing, Barack received a strong endorsement from today’s Dayton Daily News: If you see [the presidency] as being about leadership and inspiration and the shaping of a vision for the nation’s future, then Sen. Barack Obama is the choice. The endorsement notes that: The heart of Sen. Obama’s campaign pitch has be…
ACORN Political Action Committee Endorses Obama from Obama HQ NEW ORLEANS, LA — ACORN’s Political Action Committee today announced that it has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for President. ACORN PAC’s representatives went through an extensive process of interviewing each of the major Democratic candidates. ACORN is a national anti-poverty organization which has hundreds of thousands of members in low- and modera…
Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson Endorses Barack Obama for President from Obama HQ Cleveland, OH — Today, Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson announced his endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President at a community gathering in Cleveland with Michelle Obama.”As the Mayor of Cleveland I know first hand the struggles that working families face, and how desperately we need a new direction in Washington,” said Mayor Jac…
Breaking: Change to Win Endorses Obama from Obama HQ Breaking from the Washington Post…Change To Win has officially decided to throw its endorsement behind Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), according to Anna Burger, the chair of the group.”Change to Win is excited to announce the endorsement of Barack Obama for President. We are the unions that organize and mobilize working people and believe that w…
Teamsters Endorse Barack Obama from Obama HQ Here’s the Teamsters release… (Washington, D.C.) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced today the union’s endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for president. The endorsement is the first step in mobilizing the union’s 1.4 million members and their families to elect Obama. “Senator Obama understands the challenges working people face ev…
17,000 Strong in Dallas from Obama HQ 17,000 Texans packed the Reunion Arena in Dallas today…As usual, an enormous line of people wrapped around the block… Dallas Cowboys great Emmitt Smith surpised the crowd, making his public endorsement and introducing Barack, who took the stage and fired up the crowd…Help us continue to hold rallies like this in Texas… please make a contrib…
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) Endorses Obama for President from Obama HQ U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) today endorsed Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. “When he stands up, all the world will know that America really has changed, that the disastrous policies of the last eight years have ended,” said Congressman Doggett, a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention. “That is wh…
Mexican American Democrats Endorse Obama from Obama HQ AUSTIN – Yesterday, the Mexican American Democrats endorsed Senator Barack Obama in his campaign for president, citing his longstanding relationship with Hispanic community and commitment to improving the lives of Hispanic men, women and children in Texas and across America. The Mexican American Democrats believe that Senator Obama’s experience…
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Endorses Obama from Obama HQ The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of Wisconsin has endorsed Barack Obama…read the full endorsement here:”Obama: Change for the Good”"Both candidates would serve their party well as nominee, but in the Illinois senator, there is a potential for change that can only help this country move on and progress.”There is only the tiniest …
Breaking: SEIU Endorses Obama from Obama HQ Breaking news from the AP… “SEIU Endorses Obama” WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Barack Obama won the support Friday of the 1.9-million member Service Employees International Union, his second endorsement in as many days from large labor organizations and a fresh sign of momentum in the Democratic presidential race with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clint…
Austin Mayor Endorses Obama from Obama HQ The Mayor of Austin, TX, Will Wynn, just endorsed Barack Obama:AUSTIN—Austin Mayor Will Wynn threw his support Friday to Sen. Barack Obama’s bid for the White House. Wynn, who has made energy efficiency a hallmark of his tenure, cited Obama’s commitment to an energy policy that protects the environment. “For too long, we’ve allowed…
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton endorses Barack Obama for president from Obama HQ Chicago, IL – Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton endorsed Barack Obama for president. Below is Congresswoman Norton’s statement: “I met with my good friend, Senator Barack Obama today, to say that I would be happy to endorse him. I believe that Barack will be an exceptional president and that he is the president that our country, our par…
Texas State Senator Kirk Watson: ‘I’m for Obama’ from Obama HQ Yesterday on his website, Former Austin Mayor and current State Senator Kirk Watson announced his endorsement of Senator Obama for President. This is an important endorsement, as Senator Watson’s district is sending eight delegates to the state convention, more than any other senate district in the state of Texas…I am proud to support Senato…
Wausau Daily Herald: Superdelegate Stan Gruszynski endorses Sen. Barack Obama from Obama HQ The Wausau Daily Herald reports…Former 71st District Assembly Representative and “superdelegate” Stan Gruszynski of Stevens Point announced his endorsement for Senator Barack Obama, according to a campaign news release today.In the battle for the democratic nomination, Gruszynski’s endorsement as one of Wisconsin’s 18 “superdelegates” brings the …
Texas House Democratic Leader Jim Dunnam Endorses Barack Obama from Obama HQ Waco, Texas—Texas House Democratic Leader Jim Dunnam announced today his strong endorsement of Senator Barack Obama’s candidacy for President of the United States. Dunnam released the following statement: “It gives me great pride to endorse Barack Obama for President. The constituents I serve, and all the people of Texas, are t…

Issues:

Endorsements for Hillary Clinton

Tom Awtry — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:43:45 +0000

Jack Nicholson endorses Hillary

Video Highlighters:

Endorsements for Hillary Clinton

Clinton Still Irked By Richardson’s Move from CBSNews – Politics During a private meeting with California Democrats, Bill Clinton grew red-faced as he talked about how he expected Bill Richardson – a member of Clinton’s Cabinet – to back Hillary Rodham Clinton, or at least stay neutral.
Clinton’s Lead With 10 Of Last 13 U.S. Senators Have Endorsed Obama from PoliticalBase.com Blog Noteworthy is that on the day of the New Hampshire Primary, Hillary Clinton (D) led Barack Obama (D) in endorsements among their Senate colleagues by a 10 to 2 margin. After Sen. Bob Casey’s (D-PA) endorsement of Obama yesterday, Clinton’s margin is now a scant 13 to 12
Endorsement of Obama Points Up Clinton’s Obstacles from NYT > Washington A surprise endorsement of Senator Barack Obama by a popular senator in a battleground state underlined the ferment in the Democratic race.