Monday, March 05, 2007
Hil's Hometown Paper Calls It: Barack Wins Selma Showdown
In the battle for Selma — and the black vote across the U.S. — yesterday's round went to the senator from Illinois. Both were greeted enthusiastically at historic black churches, where they pumped up the congregations with fiery speeches. Both were cheered as they marched to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, walking in the steps of civil rights pioneers beaten bloody 42 years ago. But on a day when two presidential heavyweight contenders came to town, it was Obama's intensely personal and provocative remarks at Brown Chapel AME Church - and the rock-star treatment he received along the route of the march - that gave him an edge."
The New York Daily News says the junior senator from Illinois bested the junior senator from New York as both gave pulpit speeches on civil rights sacred ground.
Both campaigns spent a carefully choreographed Sunday in Selma, Alabama site of "Bloody Sunday" - the 1965 beatdown Black protesters got while demanded their right to vote.
From the Post:
"Hillary Clinton was very good, Barack Obama was a little better.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Guess Who ELSE Is Coming to Selma...
That's right none other that the "First Black President" himself, husband of Hillary, Big Willie, William Jefferson Clinton.
From CBS News:
In competition for a key Democratic voting bloc, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is enlisting the help of her husband, former President Clinton, at a weekend civil rights commemoration headlined by a formidable black rival, Sen. Barack Obama.
From CNN:
"As they battle for support in the black community in their quest for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will attend Sunday's commemoration of the historic 1965 Selma voting rights march.
However, Clinton will bring along a not-so-secret weapon -- her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
"There is no white politician in America who is more popular in the African-American community than Bill Clinton," said Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist. "So she has a very strong card to play."
The results of one recent poll suggest that card is one she may need.
An ABC News-Washington Post survey, taken late last week, found that Obama, from Illinois, was the choice of 44 percent of black Democrats, compared to 33 percent for Hillary Clinton, with a sampling error of plus or minus 8 percentage points. That was a marked shift from the beginning of the year, when she led Obama 60 percent to 20 percent.
However, the poll found that the New York senator's favorable rating among black voters was 85 percent, compared to 70 percent for Obama, although his favorability has climbed 16 points since the beginning of the year.
Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, one of the leaders of the Selma march 42 years ago, said the competition for black voters between the senators is "a very difficult position to be in, but it's a good position to be in."
"We have choices," he said.
Simmons said that while black voters have a great deal of loyalty for Bill Clinton, "the question is whether that loyalty transfers to Hillary Clinton, and that's really the test she'll have to meet."
On Sunday in Selma, the former president will be inducted into the Voting Rights Hall of Fame. It will be the first major public appearance the Clintons have made together since Hillary Clinton announced in January that she would seek the Democratic nomination, and political observers will be looking keenly at how well she fares alongside her husband.
"There is, of course, something of a risk that when the Clintons appear next to one another, sometimes Bill can outshine her, and his connection to the community," said political analyst Stu Rothenberg of The Rothenberg Political Report."
'No Nukes for Iran' says Obama
From AP via ABC News
"Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday blamed Bush administration failings in Iraq for strengthening the strategic position of Iran, which he says must be stopped from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The Illinois senator said that means "direct engagement" with Iran similar to the meetings with the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War."
more
Obama on Gore
Senator Obama talks to CBS News about the prospect of former veep Al Gore squeezing into an already crowded race.
"Barack Obama concedes that Al Gore entering the presidential race would seriously alter the political landscape.
The Illinois senator told The Early Show national correspondent Tracy Smith that the former vice president would be an "extraordinarily formidable" candidate if he were to join the Democratic fray, adding, "He would have as good a resume as anyone in the field, better — uh — than anybody in the field."
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Campaign Finance Victory for Obama
- Obama Ruling Could Prove Moot, Backfire (The Politico)
- Obama, McCain Say They Would Agree to Public Campaign Financing (Bloomberg)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Obama Hasn't Quit His Day Job
From AP via abcnews.com
"Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama wants to change the government's formula for giving states money for homeland security, with the early voting states getting a little extra.
Obama wants states that have a bigger risk from the terrorist threat to get more of federal homeland security dollars also a recommendation from the commission that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks. That's an unpopular idea among lawmakers from smaller states who would lose funding on the switch."
Guess Who's Coming to Selma: Barack and Hillary
A new poll shows Obama gaining in popularity among black voters - and this trip to the site of the Civil Rights Movement's "Bloody Sunday" is sure to give him an even stronger foothold in the demographic. Listen to Senator BO's interview on NPR.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Limbaugh on Barack Sr.'s Bigamy
From rushlimbaugh.com
Rush says he magnanimous ignored this detail about the Obama family until the attack on Mormon Mitt Romney's mulit-wived father.
It's Monday...must be Ohio
Senator BO continues his little money followed by BIG MONEY tour across America. But as this AP photo at CantonRep.com shows not evvverrrryyybody was happy about Obama's visit.
Not to worry - the female Barack supporter in the pic poked the protesters eyes out with the pin of a "Barack in the Day" campaign button.
Move Over Brownback, Here Comes Obama
The junior senator from Illinois scooted on down to neighboring Kentucky over the weekend...even though Brownback had Jesus send a snowstorm to Chicago to try to keep Obama out.
"Obama apologized for the delay, saying snow in Chicago kept him from arriving sooner.
"There was no way I was not going to make 3,000 people coming out," he said to audience members who paid $25 a ticket for the event. A higher dollar fundraising event was scheduled later at a nearby hotel."
Obama v. Clinton. And the Winner Is...
The Chicago Tribune's Clarence Page opines about Clinton and Obama's Oscar Winning Perofrmance
Quickly on the heels of the big crowds and big-money fundraisers came a titanic war of words between the Illinois senator's supporters and those of the presidential frontrunner, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Oh, pass the popcorn!
In this corner, we have movie mogul David Geffen, whom you may recall from earlier episodes of Washington life as a big booster and running buddy of President Bill Clinton. That was so last century.
Last week, Geffen co-hosted a $1.3 million star-studded Beverly Hills fund-raiser for Obama, followed by dinner for a few VIP donors with the senator and his wife, Michelle, at Geffen's palatial home. Geffen also slung a few barbs at Sen. Clinton. In an interview with New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, he called her unelectable and raised questions about both Clintons' ethics and trustworthiness. "Everyone in politics lies, but they do it with such ease, it's troubling," Geffen told Dowd. Ouch.
Round Two: Clinton's chief spokesman, Howard Wolfson, responded with a demand that Obama disavow attacks from Geffen, whom Wolfson incorrectly called Obama's "finance chair," and return Geffen's money - "If Senator Obama is indeed sincere about his repeated claims to change the tone of our politics," Wolfson said.
In fact, Geffen is only a fundraiser, not a member of Obama's campaign. Obama's chief spokesman, Robert Gibbs, dismissed Wolfson's demands.
"We aren't going to get in the middle of a disagreement between the Clintons and someone who was once one of their biggest supporters," Gibbs said. "It is ironic that the Clintons had no problem with David Geffen when he was raising them $18 million and sleeping at their invitation in the Lincoln bedroom." Ouch again.
With that double-barrelled counterpunch, Gibbs reminded everyone of the mid-1990s Lincoln bedroom campaign finance scandals that the Clintons would rather we forgot.
Page (sorta) says the winner is...
"With misgivings about Mrs. Clinton's viability already worrying many in her base, despite her frontrunner status in the polls, I don't see how reminders of the grim side of the Clinton years hurts Obama in any way.
And Wolfson's reaction revealed a curious touchiness for a frontrunner's spokesman. I imagine it must be quite painful for Team Clinton to watch what they see as another free pass for Obama in his mostly favorable media coverage. But, if anyone should know better than to try holding candidates accountable for what each and every one of their supporters say, it is the Clintons.
Meanwhile, Obama was wise to lay low and emerge later at a Houston fundraiser with his halo intact as Senator Peacemaker. He called for an end to the "tit-for-tat" that dominates politics. That was a good move to make before another "tat" could come flying his way from the Clinton camp.
Since the country is waiting with either hope or dread for Obama to stumble in his rapid ascendancy, it says a lot about his instincts and the reflexes of his campaign team that they responded rapidly and passionately to the Hillary aide's jabs. Obama and his people appear to have learned from the mistakes of earlier candidates who let accusations fester for too long in the media boilers until they took on an undeserved appearance of truth.
I often hear from people who complain about news coverage that "focuses on the candidates instead of the issues." But that ignores, in my view, how much the candidates themselves are the issue."
Friday, February 23, 2007
Fidelity Fracas, Leaving Hillary for Barack
From the San Francisco Chronicle:
Arianna Huffington says..."It's like being married, and suddenly you fall in love. You're a good person, and a loyal person ... you have a history with the Clintons,'' she said. "And you feel like you're cheating.''
If some Democrats have cheating on their minds, it coincides with the rise of Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, who has attracted big crowds and evidenced that elusive quality of political charisma, "something you cannot manufacture,'' Huffington said. "It is priceless -- and we haven't seen it for a long time.''
And that has posed trouble for the old love: Hillary Rodham Clinton, the New York senator, front-runner for the Democratic nomination in 2008 and the wife of former President Bill Clinton.
Tom Vilsack's Withdrawal Could Be Boon to Obama
Senator BO is already angling for Vilsackers left without jobs since the Iowa Governor is bowing out of the race.
From the San Jose Mercury News/AP:
"Other campaigns immediately began to seek out Vilsack's well-respected staff, hoping to pick up talented political operatives with experience in the first nominating state, and his political backers.
Gary Hirshberg, CEO and founder of Stonyfield Farm yogurt, was one of Vilsack's earliest and most prominent New Hampshire supporters. He said two minutes after Vilsack's announcement, Obama called seeking his support. Hirshberg told Obama he wasn't ready to commit to another candidate yet.
"Although we're absolutely undecided, I was very impressed," Hirshberg said. "Though we can wring our hands now about the role of money in these campaigns, it's still really vindicating to me to see, particularly here in New Hampshire, that grass-roots, house-to-house, person-to-person politics is still the order of the day. I think Senator Obama just proved that."
Obama Zero's-In on Cheney
Obama Riciducles Cheney's Iraq Comments (San Francisco Chronicle/AP) Obama, speaking at a massive outdoor rally in Austin, Texas, said British Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision this week to withdraw 1,600 troops is a recognition that Iraq's problems can't be solved militarily. "Now if Tony Blair can understand that, then why can't George Bush and Dick Cheney understand that?" Obama asked thousands of supporters who gathered in the rain to hear him. "In fact, Dick Cheney said this is all part of the plan (and) it was a good thing that Tony Blair was withdrawing, even as the administration is preparing to put 20,000 more of our young men and women in. "Now, keep in mind, this is the same guy that said we'd be greeted as liberators, the same guy that said that we're in the last throes. I'm sure he forecast sun today," Obama said to laughter from supporters holding campaign signs over their heads to keep dry. "When Dick Cheney says it's a good thing, you know that you've probably got some big problems."
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Maureen Dowd: "Baddest One Hit My Hand"
Professional pot-stirrer, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, adds fuel to the Barack Obama - Hillary Clinton fire-fight.
She starts her Wednesday column with a few words from movie-mogul-money-bags and Barack supporter David Geffen...
“Whoever is the nominee is going to win, so the stakes are very high,” says Mr. Geffen, the Hollywood mogul and sultan of “Dreamgirls,” as he sits by a crackling fire beneath a Jasper Johns flag and a matched pair of de Koonings in the house that Jack Warner built (which old-time Hollywood stars joked was the house that God would have built). “Not since the Vietnam War has there been this level of disappointment in the behavior of America throughout the world, and I don’t think that another incredibly polarizing figure, no matter how smart she is and no matter how ambitious she is — and God knows, is there anybody more ambitious than Hillary Clinton? — can bring the country together.
“Obama is inspirational, and he’s not from the Bush royal family or the Clinton royal family. Americans are dying every day in Iraq. And I’m tired of hearing James Carville on television.”
You gotta love it.
Call Don King, Barack and Hillary Stick and Move
Yes the Obama-Clinton jab-a-thon that's been going on for the past few days is fun times. But, the really interesting thing about this ABC News article is the part about John Edwards' appearance on Today.
"This morning, for example, former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., said on NBC's "Today" show: "I think it's awfully early for that sort of sniping back and forth."
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!?!?!?
Just the night before Edwards was doing pah-lenty of sniping himself at a democratic candidate's forum in Nevada.
In fact it was New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, not Edwards, who took the high road at that event.
"I think if we're going to win we have to be positive," Richardson said. "I think these name-callings are not good."
John, make up your mind. You can't be attack dog AND diplomat at the same time.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Obama Apologizes for Saying U.S. Troops' Lives Wasted in Iraq.
From abcnews.com
"Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., entered the race for the White House over the weekend and is immediately feeling the hot spotlight of scrutiny that accompanies a presidential campaign.
Obama has twice apologized since implying that U.S. troops had died in vain, telling a rally crowd in Ames, Iowa, on Sunday, "We ended up launching a war that should have never been authorized, and should never been waged, and on which we have now spent $400 billion, and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted."
Barack on 60 Minutes
A clearly enamored Steve Kroft interviews Senator Barack Obama on the Big Sixty.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Obama Winning Myspace Race
From SFGate.com
In case you're counting, a new group blog called techPresident tracks, among other things, how many "friends" the leading presidential candidates have on MySpace.
Sen. Barack Obama is leading all Democrats with more than 38,000 friends. Sen. Hillary Clinton is in second place with about 12,000 even after a sudden plunge in the number of friends professing support. (That's John Edwards in third place on the techPresident graph, followed by other Democratic candidates.)
The Clinton MySpace page, which isn't an official campaign site, is back up and has posted the following message:
"For some reason MySpace deleted us recently. We are working to get back to 24,000 friends. Please re-add us send out a bulletin letting your friends know to support Hillary on MySpace."
Obama's Rapid Response to Aussie PM's Attack
Yes.
Team Obama has learned a lesson from the Madrassa Mess. Instead of letting negative comments from Australian Prime Minister John Howard marinate and generate more bad headlines than necessary - the Senator came out swinging immediately.
Sunday morning, Bush buddy Howard was bashing Barack's plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. But by early afternoon the Senator's staff had issued a very well crafted response. Then, by mid-afternoon...networks like CNN were airing comments from Obama himself, as he fired back from Iowa.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Barack Obama Snubs "Covenant With Black America"?
Hey David Axelrod.
Come here for a second.
Lookit.
Are there any Black people at AKP? If there are, do you listen to any of them? Because I'm sure they could have told you quick, fast, and in a hurry that the annual "Covenant With Black America" was today...and it is a HUGE deal. Not among Black people in general - because there are millions who don't care about Tavis Smiley's forum on all things Black - but among Black people who VOTE...it's big.
The Black peop...um person in your office would have told you that his aunts and uncles and cousins would not be standing out in the cold watching Barack Obama talk about Lincoln on Saturday. They would be bundled up in front of the TV watching Tavis...that is until PBS interrupted the proceedings to show the junior senator from Illinois.
No matter what you've told yourselves about not having Barack align himself with the steeped-in-the-civil-rights-movement-Black-power-vanguard...these folks matter.
Don't get me wrong. We get it...Obama has to be the candidate of inclusion, and he's got corporate money so he doesn't need little Black man money, etc. etc. But scheduling Obama's coming out party on the exact same day as the CWBA meeting was a slap in a collective and frowning Black face. See?
Even Obama supporter Charles Ogletree (Harvard Law Professor) says Barack made a mistake.
Fine Team Obama. Push ahead with your strategy and minimize the Jackson and Sharpton photo-ops. But don't do stuff to openly antagonize. Announcing on Presidents Day? Better. Sure, it is not a slow-news-day Saturday...but it is a holiday so none of the bigwigs would be in the offices at the newtorks - ensuring some fluffy coverage.
Believe me.
Or don't.
But just remember. Next year when you're trying to think of somewhere else to be, Hillary will be more than happy to take your seat at the "Covenant" table - or worse...she'll send the man who has already been dubbed America's First Black President to take her place.
Esteemed Black Historian Deems Obama's Lincoln-Heavy Speech Ironic
Senator Barack Obama made his announcement at the Old State Capitol in Springfield Illinois...where Abraham Lincoln gave his "House Divided " speech in 1858.
Obama said:
"And that is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a divided house to stand together, where common hopes and common dreams still, I stand before you today to announce my candidacy for President of the United States..."
"As Lincoln organized the forces arrayed against slavery, he was heard to say: "Of strange, discordant, and even hostile elements, we gathered from the four winds, and formed and fought to battle through."
That is our purpose here today.
That's why I'm in this race."
But at the annual Covenant With Black America gathering in Virginia, historian Lerone Bennett called Obama's constant evocation of Lincoln ironic. Watch.
It's Officially Official. Obama Officializes White House Run.
from CBS 2 Chicago
Guess What? Barack Obama is running for President of the United States.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Barack Hussein Obama Washington
From AP via the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
"The company (Family Forest) searched the ancestors of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, dating back many centuries.
He said the Family Forest shows Dunham having a number of her ancestral pathways leading back to early colonial Virginia and New England, and some extend back for many centuries into Europe.
One of her ancestral pathways leads to one of Obama's 12th great-grandfathers, the Hon. Laurence Washington, who built Sulgrave Manor in Northamptonshire, England.
Over the course of five centuries, according to recorded history, he became the ancestor of Washington, Carter, Gen. George S. Patton, Gov. Adlai Stevenson and Quincy Jones, Harrison said."
The article sent Slate into a tizzy and it added it to its Obama Messiah Watch, a cache of "gratuitously adoring biographical details from newspaper, television, and magazine profiles". But in 2004, 'Family Forest' also traced the Bush and Kerry families and found out those two were distant relatives and for some reason Slate didn't find stories on that offensively fawning.
Go figure.
Gays Attack Christians for Attacking Obama
From PinkNews:
"His popularity has prompted radical pro-life group Christians for Social Justice to launch ObamaNation.Com, a website "exposing" Obama's positions on abortion and same-sex unions.
In a sign of the moral battles ahead, Pastor Clenard H. Childress, Jr. director of the group, said:
"60 percent of all new AIDS cases in America will be the result of the violation of Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:27 (men having sex with men).
"If he were to become President of the United States Sen. Obama's support of homosexual unions would pose a real health threat to African Americans."
Senator Obama Jumps On Gravy Train
Barack Obama follows the lead of his main rivals and says goodbye to the chump change of public campaign financing and helloooooo to the big bucks of private donations...or does he? From NewsMax.com "Following the lead of his chief rivals, Sen. Barack Obama will not accept public campaign financing for either the Democratic presidential primaries or the general election if he's the nominee. The Illinois senator has decided to forego the public funds, said an official close to the Obama campaign, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The move allows him to raise and spend unlimited private money.
"Democratic Sen. Barack Obama is asking whether he can take money from donors who want him to be president, then give it back later.
The Federal Election Commission said Wednesday that it will look into the novel question.
Obama is indicating that he wants to at least keep the option of using the public financing system for his presidential campaign if he becomes the Democratic nominee. To do so, the Illinois senator could not spend any money from contributors for political purposes, but instead use federal funding that is expected to total about $85 million for next year's general election.
"Senator Obama has long been a proponent of public financing of campaigns, and we are asking the FEC to take a step that could preserve the public financing option for the party's nominees," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said."
Obama Express...Next Stop Iowa
Hey. What are YOU doing this weekend.
Senator Barack Obama's Post-Presidential Annoucement Trip to Iowa
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2007
- SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
Obama to make announcement concerning presidential campaign
Location: Historic Old State Capitol , outdoors
South 6th and East Adams
Springfield, IL 62701
Doors open to Public: 9:00AM
Event start: 10:00 AM
Tickets: The event is free and open to the public.
Tickets are not required.
- CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
Iowa Town Hall Meeting
Location: Kennedy High School
4545 Wenig Road, NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Doors open to Public: 3:00 PM
Event start: 4:00 PM
Tickets: The public is invited to pick up free tickets at the
following distribution centers:
Jane Boyd Center
943 14th Avenue SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
319-366-0431
8:00AM-6:00PM Monday-Friday
African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa
55 12th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
319-862-2101
10:00AM-4:00PM Monday-Saturday
IBEW 405/Hawkeye Labor Council
1211 Wiley Boulevard SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
319-396-8461
Kennedy High School
4545 Wenig Rd NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
319-558-2251
10:00AM-5:00PM Monday-Friday
- WATERLOO, IOWA
Waterloo community meet-and-greet with Senator Obama
Location: Central Middle School Gymnasium
1350 Katoski Drive
Waterloo, IA 50701
Doors open to Public: 6:30 PM
Event start: 7:30 PM
Tickets: The public is invited to pick up free tickets at the
following distribution centers:
Central Middle School
1350 Katoski Drive
Waterloo, IA
8 AM to 2 PM daily
Black Hawk Labor Temple
1695 Burton Avenue
Waterloo, IA
8 AM to 5 PM daily
UNI Center for Multicultural Education
2401 College Street
Cedar Falls, IA
8 AM to 9 PM daily
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11
- AMES, IOWA
Obama Rally with Students and Community
Location: Beyer Gymnasium at Beyer Hall
Union Drive
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
Doors open to Public: 11:00 AM
Event start: 12:00 PM
Tickets: The public is invited to pick up free tickets at the
following distribution centers:
Campustown-
Gateway Real Estate
119 Stanton Ave, 2nd Floor, Ames
Hours TBD
Campus-
Iowa State Memorial Union
Iowa State University
2229 Lincoln Way, Ames
10AM-2PM Wednesday Thursday and Friday
Downtown-
American Country
327 Main Street, Ames
515-232-7813
9:30AM-5:30PM Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
9:30AM-7:00PM Thursday
Smoke ‘N Antlers Bar-B-Q
4518 Mortenson Rd, Suite 104, Ames
515-232-1799
Wednesday and Thursday 11:00AM-2:00PM and 4:00-9:00PM
Friday 11:00AM-2:00PM and 4:00-11:00PM
Saturday 11:00AM-11:00PM
- CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Obama Rally in Chicago
Location: University of Illinois - Chicago
Pavilion
525 South Racine Avenue
Chicago, IL 60607
Doors open to Public: 3:30 PM
Event start: 5:30 PM
Tickets: The public is invited to pick up free tickets at the
following distribution centers beginning Wednesday:
Public hotline number: 773-235-1773
E-mail Address: chicagorally@gmail.com
UNITE HERE
333 S Ashland, 60607
Wednesday - Friday 9am - 5pm
49th Ward Democratic Headquarters
1774 W Greenleaf, 60626
Wednesday - Thursday 9am - 9pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 12pm - 2pm
Kane County Democratic Headquarters
700 E Main St, St Charles, 60174
Wednesday - Friday 5pm - 8pm
29th Ward Democratic Headquarters
5037 W Madison
Wednesday - Friday 9am- 5 pm
Saturday 10am - 1pm
4th Ward Democratic HQ
4659 Cottage Grove, Chicago
Wednesday - Friday 9a-8a
Saturday 1-5p
Oak Park Democratic Party
1243 Woodvine, Oak Park
Wednesday and Friday and Saturday 9am-12p
Wednesday, Thursday 6-9pm
Lake County Democratic Headquarters
709 N Ave., Waukegan
847 623 4656
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday 9am - 5pm
House of Hope Box Office
752 E 114th St, Chicago
Wednesday 2pm - 8pm
Thursday and Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 7pm
Obama, Snow...'Something Doesn't Add Up'
From AP via WREX-TV
| "Critics charge the military is obscuring the actual number of troops wounded in both Iraq and Afghanistan by leaving out soldiers and Marines who suffer non-combat injuries. The most frequently circulated number of those who've been wounded is about 23,000. But when troops hurt in other ways, including accidents, is added in, the number more than doubles to about 53,000. Senators Barack Obama and Olympia Snowe are introducing legislation to require what they call "honest numbers" about the wars' toll. Presidential hopeful Obama says the effects on soldiers and their families is the same whether the soldier is hit by enemy fire, injured in a crash or made sick by service in a war zone." |
Now if they could also get pictures to the public of all those flag-draped coffins that are coming back...
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Where There's Smoke...
Barack Obama's incentive to try to quit smoking?
From the Chicago Tribune:
"Americans haven't elected an open and unabashed cigarette smoking president since Franklin D. Roosevelt, though others such as Lyndon Johnson smoked on occasion. The rules seem also to extend to political spouses such as First Lady Laura Bush, who found it necessary to quash her habit, or at least take it underground.
In Obama's case, the pressure isn't just political. His wife has always been concerned about his smoking and, over the holidays, according to family friend Valerie Jarrett, the two of them agreed that he "should stop now."
Friday, February 02, 2007
Obama Addresses Students
From AP:
"It was a student rally typical for a winning basketball team. This time, though, they came to see Democratic Sen. Barack Obama.
Hundreds of students filled a building atrium at George Mason University Friday at a "Yes We Can!" rally, turning out to hear from the man many want to be their next president.
"I'm fired up! This is unbelievable," the Illinois Democrat said, gazing at students who even lined the railings in the upper floors.
Some were exuberant, squealing and shouting, "I love you."
"Settle down, you all. Settle down, Settle down," Obama said. "You're too fired up."
During his speech, the freshman senator introduced himself as a politician who never planned to be one and a man born in Hawaii and raised by a single mom.
The only black in the Senate, Obama recalled how his father was a native of Kenya, how he himself had been active in the U.S. in opposing apartheid in South Africa and how he was a $13,000-a-year community organizer in Chicago.
He might have found some recruits to work on his campaign.
"This crowd is not about me. it's about you," he said. "I've been a receptacle for your hopes and dreams."
Some of the students said Obama set the right tone.
Law student Ryan Woodberry, who described himself as an undecided Democrat, said he found Obama's talk uplifting.
"I think it'll probably move a lot of people to act," he predicted.
Obama Stands Out With Most Somber Tone at DNC
From the National Journal's Hotline.
** Every candidate sans one peppered the crowd with buttons and bumper stickers. But Sen. Barack Obama, befitting his sober speech, had none of that. His display table outside the main ballroom was spare, expcept for a few sign up sheets and photocopied black and white signs. All the candidates sans one entered to music. But Obama had none. Every candidate packed the hall with supporters. Obama didn't do anything in advance.
** Slogans: HRC: "I'm in it to win." Vilsack: Courage to create change." Kucinich: "Strong leadership for America's future." Edwards: "Tomorrow begins today." Clark: "Securing America's future." Dodd: :"Proven Leadership. A record of results." Gravel: "Let the people decide." Biden: no slogans.
Iraq the Central Theme for Obama, Others at DNC
Here's CNN's Queen of the campaign trail Candy Crowley on the winter meeting of the Democratic National Convention. "_John Edwards: "This Is Our Country" by John Mellencamp. _Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut: "Get Ready (Cause Here I Come)" by the Temptations and "Reach Out," also by the Temptations. _Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York: "Right Here, Right Now," by Jesus Jones and "Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive. _Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio: "America the Beautiful" Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois decided against using any music in keeping with the somber tone he sought to convey. Wesley Clark, who hasn't indicated whether he will run, entered to Johnny Cash's "I Won't Back Down."
They all talked Iraq - but there was one noticeable difference. The theme music. From AP via (FOX News):
Soros, Susman, and Smoot...Seen This?
Obama's finance team has it's work cut out for it.
AP (via MSNBC) reveals what some of the Democrats eying the White House in '08 had on hand in their Senate accounts. (No word yet on what's in their 'I'm running for president" accounts.)
On top...Hillary Clinton with 11 million dollars.
"The $11 million in her Senate account gives her a clear advantage over her Democratic rivals. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama had about $500,000 in his account, Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut had some $5 million that he could transfer and Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware had about $3 million."
Obama Best at Juggling Duties
...which include running for president (o.k., o.k. exploring a run for president) and keeping his day job.
According to the Associated Press (via the San Ho Mercury News) Barack Obama has not missed a single vote in the Senate this year. On the other hand -
"Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., have missed two votes each. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., has missed nine votes, and Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., has skipped six."
And the dubious award for most votes missed? (drumroll please...)
Kansas Senator Sam Browback, who has -
"missed more than half the votes taken in the Senate last month as he ramped up his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
Brownback skipped 20 of the 39 roll call votes in January, or 51 percent, according to Senate voting records. That's a higher absence rate than any other member of the Senate except Democrat Tim Johnson of South Dakota, who is recovering from a brain hemorrhage he suffered before the new session of Congress began."
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Democratic Pols in Hill's Back Yard Side w/Obama
Bronx politicians line up for Barack Obama
Published: February 1, 2007 - 3:00 pm
"Bronx Assemblyman Jose Rivera and Borough President Adolfo Carrion are planning an event for presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., a direct slap at Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
A source close to Mr. Carrion says Ms. Clinton always calls to march with him in the Puerto Rican Day parade but has never sat down to hear his thoughts on policy, urban issues, Latino affairs and working together. By contrast, Mr. Obama met with Mr. Carrion last February to discuss his concerns."
full story at newyorkbusiness.com
The Nation: Obama's Strong Iraq Stance...
positions him as major anti-war candidate instead of John Edwards.
From (The Nation) :
"Obama's move could be devastating to John Edwards. Edwards has enjoyed greater netroots and (arguably) overall grassroots left support than Obama due to his economic populism and call for 40,000 to 50,000 troops to come home. But now Obama has become the first top-tier candidate to set a definite timeline for the withdrawal of the troops. And let's not forget this not-so-small fact-- he's also the only major candidate who opposed the war from the get-go.
Kos is impressed:
This isn't a wussy "stop the escalation" measure, nor some half-measure like "withdraw some troops but not all" (which appears to be the Edwards position).
Even Sirota is pleased, and that's saying something:
The fact that he's doing this is a big deal, and he should be congratulated.
Some pundits will call Obama's move a "gamble," but it seems like common sense to me. After all, American voters made it clear in 2006 that they wanted a real change in Iraq, not Stay-the-Course Lite and certainly not Stay-the-Course On Steroids."
Wisconsinites Want to Draft Obama Too
From the Fond du Lac Reporter:
MILWAUKEE — "A group of Wisconsin residents announced today the official launch of the Wisconsin DraftObama.org chapter.
The group’s goal is to send a message that a grassroots army of Wisconsinites exists to encourage and help Illinois Sen. Barack Obama run for and become the next president.
Wisconsin is the latest state to officially join the national DraftObama.org movement by formally organizing a state group. Wisconsin organizers have kicked off an all-volunteer effort to gather thousands of signatures from like-minded citizens urging Senator Obama to run."
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Who's Winning the Web War?
"Obama's clicking - but not on the web"(MSNBC)
"Obama had better get a move on. When Hillary announced the other week, her campaign went live with a website they’d been working on for quite some time. It had been kept under wraps, with key players having secure access to tweak it into a state-of-the-art enterprise - which it is. Edwards’ site, with its video-based approach, is also first rate"
The Anatomy of Biden's Blunder
"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy..."
Senator Joseph Biden (D) Delaware.
- Biden enters race deals with controversial comments about rivals (AP/Intl. Herald Tribune)
- Biden Blasts, Clinton, Obama, Edwards (Newsmax)
- The Biden Tapes (New York Observer)
- Biden Unwraps His Bid for '08 With an Ooops! (New York Times)
- Biden starts White House run with controversy (Reuters/ABCnews.com)
INSULT TO INJURY
- Bush says Obama has a long way to go (but at least he's articulate!) (New York Times)
- Bush says rising star Obama still far from White House (AFP)
- Biden says comments taken out of context (CNN)
THE REACTION
- Obama not offended by comments but called them "historically inacurate" (CNN)
- Fox hyperbole over Biden blunder (News Hounds)
- Defending Biden's blooper, Matthews ignores "clean" crack (News Busters)
THE APOLOGY
"I deeply regret any offense my remark in the New York Observer might have caused anyone. That was not my intent and I expressed that to Senator Obama." Senator Joseph Biden (D) Delaware.
- Articulate Obama forgives Biden (Chicago Sun Times)
- Biden Apoligizes to Obama for Remarks (AP/Christian Broadcasting Network)
THE SPIN (from The Daily Show)
Presidential Aspirations Even for Baby Barack
The Voice of America says :
"...he declared his goal of becoming president when he was in grade school in Indonesia more than 35 years ago.
In an interview with VOA's Indonesian Service, Obama's third-grade teacher said he wrote in a class assignment that he wanted to be president. The assignment was called, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
White Man at the New Republic Explains...
(via CBS)
Peter Beinart begins the breakdown with analysis of the black man who got the most pre-Barack White love.
"No one was blunter about this than (Colin) Powell himself. Asked in 1995 to explain his appeal to whites, he volunteered that "I speak reasonably well, like a white person," and, visually, "I ain't that black."
Barack Obama would never put it that way. But he surely understands the uncomfortable subtext behind the adoration being showered upon him by white America. Obama, too, succeeded at a prestigious white institution: Harvard Law School. He, too, is a child of immigration, able to declare in his 2004 Democratic convention speech — in words that could have come from Michael Dukakis or Joe Lieberman (but not from a descendant of slaves, without heavy irony) — that "in no other country on Earth is my story even possible." And he, too, doesn't sound or look too black. Fifteen years ago, a State University of New York political scientist named Nayda Terkildsen doctored photos of a fictitious gubernatorial candidate to make him lighter- or darker-skinned and then showed them to Kentucky focus groups. "The dark-skinned black candidate," she noted, "was evaluated much more harshly than his lighter skinned peer." Powell knew what he was talking about."
Obama To Call on Ghost of Lincoln Past for Official Announcemnt
From the Springfield Journal Register via The Chicago Sun-Times:
"Obama poised to announce at Old State Capitol in Springfield.
"Hat tip to Bernard Schoenburg of the Springfield Journal Register who reported today that Barack Obama will make his 2008 presidential bid "official" at the Old State Capitol on the morning of Feb. 10 with the Prairie Capital Convention Center backup in case of bad weather. My Sun-Times colleague Scott Fornek earlier wrote a story suggesting the Old State Capitol would be a logical place for the launch.
That will unleash the Barack Obama as Abe Lincoln narrative. Lincoln delivered his "House divided" speech at that historic spot and the announcement is on Lincoln's birthday weekend. Obama is expected to vault over to Iowa, home to the first-in-the-nation 2008 caucus, after the announcement. "
"Obama reserves Old State Capitol for day of announcement." (Bellville News Democrat)
Monday, January 29, 2007
Made-up Madrassa Story a Wake-up Call
"Sen. Barack Obama Bracing for Greater Media Scrutiny" (Newsmax.com) "NEW YORK -- U.S. Sen. Barack Obama hardly could have anticipated that the first minor media crisis of his presidential bid would involve where he went to school at age 7. The Illinois Democrat's welcome into the world of modern campaign coverage last week offers lessons for both candidates and reporters on the marathon run until November 2008. And it's undoubtedly a sign of things to come. Chances are "about 100 percent" that a candidate will be ruined by a story that he or she hasn't anticipated, said ABC News political reporter Jake Tapper."
Race Race Race
- "Barack Obama: Not Black Enough" (Front Page Magazine/Los Angeles)
- "Barack Obama May Be Too White for Blacks" (AP/ St. Petersburg Times)
- "Why Black leaders are not embracing Barack Obama" (Armstrong Williams/The Hill's Pundits)
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Congressman Backs Obama Instead of Friend Clinton
The Chicago Sun-Times says Illinois democrat Bobby Rush is backing Barack, despite the fact that the Clintons help get him where he is today.
Whew.
"Calling it "one of the most difficult decisions that I've had to make in politics," Rep. Bobby Rush said Friday he is backing Barack Obama for president -- despite Rush's long friendship with rival White House hopeful Hillary Clinton and her husband.
"Barack is a favorite son, and I'm going to be with Barack," Rush said of his fellow South Side Democrat. "I intend to work very hard with him and for him. And this challenge is going to be enormous, but I'm going to be with him. ... We come from the same neighborhood and represent the same constituency, and I'm going to be with my constituency and Sen. Obama."
Wait there's more.
"Rush said it was Clinton who called him on the night of the Illinois primary that year with the news that Rush had won the Democratic nomination for the South Side's 1st Congressional District.
"I was trying to ... get the results and everything, and he called me and congratulated me and informed me that I had won," Rush said. "It's one of the most difficult decisions that I've had to make in politics. Bill Clinton and the Clinton family are very close."
SMH.
"Rush's relationship with Obama has been more rocky. It soured when Obama waged a failed bid to oust Rush from his congressional seat in 2000. Clinton helped Rush in that race, giving a rare primary endorsement and cutting 30-second radio spots singing Rush's praises. The incumbent congressman won with 61 percent to Obama's 30 percent..."Crouch: Obama Really Positioning for 2012
The columnist who says Obama is not black like him, also says Obama is not really planning to win the White House in 2008.
"... above all else, I think that Obama is actually positioning himself for the race in 2012, which may be an open sky of possibility if the Democrats lose in 2008. That is a defeat he would share because there is little doubt that Obama will be the second half of the ticket in 2008 if someone else becomes the presidential candidate.
By 2012, however, he should have gained experience in Washington, be an even bigger fundraiser and be perfectly ready to take down whomever the elephants have to offer."
Saturday, January 27, 2007
100,000 Facebookers for Obama - and Counting
The Goal: to be "1 million storng for Barack" by February 5th. (Media 50 Group)
"Here is their milestones on the way to that goal:
100 - Same day (January 16th) Reached
1000 - (Jan 19th) Reached
10000 - (Jan 26th) Reached
100000 - (Feb 1st)
1000000 - (Feb 5th)
And here is their progress so far:
Its official…
100 in less than 1 hour…
1000 in just over 24 hours
10000 reached 6 days ahead of schedule
And as of this posting, they have 101,140 members."
Obama's Intellect
From the Washington Post:
"Obama analyzed and integrated Einstein's theory of relativity, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, as well as the concept of curved space as an alternative to gravity, for a Law Review article that Tribe wrote titled, "The Curvature of Constitutional Space."
Full article here.Thursday, January 25, 2007
Ford Won't Endorse Obama
Soooooooo Mr. EX-congressman Ford. It was fine for you to drag Senator Obama all the way down to Tennessee to help you try to wash some of the mud off you during your reaaallllyyy nasty senate campaign last fall. Fine to use the guy with the wholesome, scholarly image, and the wife, and the daughters to lift you up after the Republicans white-womaned your a#!. Fine to try to coat your doomed efforts with a little "Barack-star-dust". Remember? The Washington Post does.
Fast forward a few months, and nooooowwww you say you have to remain neutral in the 2008 presidential race because of your consolation prize position as chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council? Dude. Come ON.
Fast forward again to election day 2008 -
Ford: "Hey Barack man, just a quick call to check in before the polls close. Need anything?"
Obama: "Texas and Florida would be nice."
Ford: "Well I don't know how they'll go but I know there are at least three votes you can count on come hell or high water...your wife's, your grandmother's and mine. Heh heh heh."
(2 minutes later)
Ford: "Hey Hillary, just a quick call to check in before the polls close. Need anything?"
Clinton: "Who is this?"
Ford: "It's Harold - hey I just wanted to say even though I had to remain neutral in public - off the record you know I voted for you right?"
Clinton: "Ickes are you on crack? Of course I know you voted for me you're my lawyer, now find out what's going on in Ohio and call me back." (Click)
Dr. Barack Wants to Do What Hillary Couldn't
At a Families U.S.A conference in Washington Senator O said:
"I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president (ME ME ME) we should have universal health care in this country"
Obama snags healthcare as main plank in platform (AP/Washington Post)
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
What Took You So Long?
ABC says Team Obama is now aggressively smacking down the fake Madrassa story. Too bad it took them a good five days to launch a serious counter-attack.
Wake up guys. This is the big time. Take a page from the Clinton play book.
When John Edwards was giving a speech on Jan. 15th at Riverside Church in New York
he said:
"Silence is betrayal. And I believe it is a betrayal not to speak out against the escalation of the war in Iraq. If you are in Congress and you know that this war is going in the wrong direction...it is no longer O.K. to study your options and keep your own private counsel."
He didn't even mention Hillary by name and still her camp was allllllll over it. Before Johnny could say 'Happy King Day' - Hill had Howard Wolfson accusing Edwards of being a hypocrite by talking about running "positive" campaigns and then launching "political attacks on Democrats who are fighting the Bush administration's Iraq policy."
It's called "rapid" response guys. Not we'll wait until this gets unnecessarily big response.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
State of the Union: Where's Obama?
McCain? Yes.
Clinton? Kinda.
Lieberman? Rangel? Grassley? Yes. Yes. Yes.
All of the above got some solo face-time in prime-time during Bush's State of the Union address. A political head-shot worth millions.
But the director gave the junior senator from Illinois no close-up love. All shots of Barack Obama included senators Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy and a bunch of other folks.
I'm not saying anything. I'm just saying.
CNN on the Madrassa Madness
Complete with photos of a little boy Barack - CNN does some reporting to file this report in response to a report that Obama reportedly attended a Muslim religious school.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Allegations that Sen. Barack Obama was educated in a radical Muslim school known as a "madrassa" are not accurate, according to CNN reporting.
Insight Magazine, which is owned by the same company as The Washington Times, reported on its Web site last week that associates of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-New York, had unearthed information the Illinois Democrat and likely presidential candidate attended a Muslim religious school known for teaching the most fundamentalist form of Islam.
So CNN checked with the Clinton camp:
A spokesman for Clinton, who is also weighing a White House bid, denied that the campaign was the source of the Obama claim.
(more)
Monday, January 22, 2007
Media Matters Probes Obama-Madrassa Issue
from mediamatters.org
"On The Big Story, Gibson read a statement from Obama's office, which said: "The idea that Senator Barack Obama attended some radical Islamic school is completely ludicrous. Senator Obama is a committed Christian and attends the United Church of Christ in Chicago."
- "Hillary Drops Madrassa Bomb on Obama" (FOX News)
Brownback, Richardson Also Giving Obama a Run for His Money
- "Richardson Touts Experience as Cure for Underdog Status" (New York Times)
- "Democrat Richarson seeks office" (BBC News)
- "Bill Richardson Joins 2008 Race" (CBS News)
- "Kansas senator announces presidential bid" (Concord Monitor NH)
- "Bio Box Brownback" (Fox News)
- "Brownback in Long-Shot White House Bid" (ABC News)
The Clinton Cometh
...reaction to political powerhouse's decision to run (AP/New York Newsday)
Obama: "Senator Clinton is a good friend and a colleague whom I greatly respect. I welcome her and all the candidates, not as competitors, but as allies in the work of getting our country back on track." _ Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who also is running for president."
Candidates In, Potential First Ladies Out (America's Next First Lady)
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