Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader was on ABC’s This Week program today. In a wide ranging interview he talked about his disagreements with Barack Obama, John McCain morphing into a Bush clone, and the need for more third parties.
While speaking before the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO), Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called out John McCain for walking away from his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform.
Here is a list of the top five John McCain flip-flops of the 2008 election so far. McCain has shown that his strongest trait as a candidate is his ability to change his position and contradict himself at any time. What is most amazing is McCain’s flip-flopping knows no limits.
The Obama campaign announced today that Barack Obama will be making his first international trip as the Democratic nominee to the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Jordan, and Israel.
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama came together for a rally in Unity, NH this afternoon where the theme was global monetary policy. (Just kidding, of course the theme was Democratic unity). Clinton delivered an outstanding performance in front of the crowd of 6,000 which made me wonder, where was this Hillary Clinton during most of the primary campaign?
According to a memo released by the Obama campaign this morning, today’s event in Unity, NH is designed to bring together a very unique coalition in American politics, young people, women, African-Americans, and Latinos. The message this rally wants to send is uniting to break barriers.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama gave what could best be described as a middle of the road reaction to today’s Supreme Court ruling in the D.C. gun ban case.
A newly released AP/Yahoo!
A new Quinnipiac University poll of battleground states Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Minnesota released today shows Barack Obama leading John McCain in all four. Obama leads in Colorado 49%-44%, in Michigan 48%-42%, in Minnesota 54%-37%, and in Wisconsin 52%-39%.
According to a Powerpoint presentation that Barack Obama’s campaign manager David Plouffe gave on Wednesday, it seems that the campaign is targeting six red states to flip into Barack Obama’s column. Each state is listed below along with a reason why it could support Obama in November.
At a meeting with reporters in Chicago, IL late this afternoon Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama responded to comments made by Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader who claimed that Obama was trying to talk white, and exploit white guilt to get elected.
Ralph Nader made some controversial comments regarding Barack Obama to the Rocky Mountain News. Nader alleged that only Obama’s race makes him different from any of the recent Democratic presidential candidates.
A recent Survey USA poll of New Mexico finds a tight race in the state. Obama has a three point lead 49%-46%, but that is within the margin of error, so the race is a virtual tie. There is a big gender divide in the state, where McCain leads among men 60%-36%, and Obama leads with women, 62%-32%.
A just released LA Times/Bloomberg poll has Barack Obama leading John McCain by twelve points, 49%-37%. On a four man ballot that includes Ralph Nader and Bob Barr, Obama leads 48%-33%, with Nader and Barr splitting 7%.
Energy has been the topic on the campaign trail this week, and today Barack Obama called McCain’s $300 million Clean Car Challenge a bounty that will increase our addiction to oil.
The Obama campaign put out a memo about John McCain’s appearance with California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pressing him to ask John McCain about his support of offshore drilling, which he opposes.
The White man in Africa was once seen as the quintessential symbol of tyranny and oppression. Having swarmed the once-named “Dark Continent” over a century ago, plundering its riches and destroying its people along the way, Africa underwent tremendous suffering at the hands of various European taskmasters.
After John McCain’s speech on energy at Fresno State University today, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) released a statement in which she accused John McCain of flip-flopping on energy.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is campaigning in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he hosted a discussion with working women. Much of Obama’s remarks were devoted to going after John McCain for not supporting equal pay for women.
At a speech at Fresno State University today, Republican presidential candidate John McCain will propose a $5,000 tax credit for every customer who buys a zero emissions car, and he wants to hold a contest to give away $300 million to whoever can develop a better electric or hybrid battery.
Today Barack Obama announced a four part plan designed to crackdown on speculation in the oil futures market. The centerpiece of his plan is the closing of the Enron loophole.
Today on Meet The Press Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) said that he would run with Obama if he was asked, but also said that he doesn’t want the Obama campaign to ask. “Unlike most other people, I’m being straight with you. If asked, I will do it. I’ve made it clear I do not want to be asked,” Biden said.
On Friday, June 20, the House of Representatives voted 239-129 in favor of HR 6304, more commonly known as the “telecom immunity bill.” The passage in the House is a victory for President Bush and right wingers everywhere.
While speaking to the U.S. Conference of Mayors today in Miami, FL, Barack Obama hammered John McCain for going to inspect the flood damage in Iowa, but voting against levee and flood control programs for Iowa that he considered pork.
President Bush used his radio address today to blame Democrats for the current energy crisis. Bush’s logic is that since Democrats won’t allow offshore drilling, they are responsible for the high price of gas. Bush wants to drill the Outer Continental Shelf, ANWR, increase oil refining capacity, and extract shale oil from federal lands.
A new Newsweek poll has election followers a buzz because it shows Barack Obama with a 51%-36% lead, but the question is what is powering the Barack bounce? We’ll break down the numbers to show you how and why Obama is gaining momentum.
Support by Gender and Age
The monthly FEC fundraising filings are in for May, and the numbers reveal that despite having his best month yet, John McCain was still narrowly outraised by Barack Obama. For the month, McCain raised $20.9 million and Obama $22 million. Obama has $33.3 million in cash on hand, while McCain has $31.6 million.
The Democratic National Committee has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request with the State Department today related to a fundraiser that John McCain held in Ottawa. At issue is whether U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins and the McCain campaign violated the Hatch Act by having the Ambassador help to organize a $100 a plate luncheon for McCain.
By a vote of 293-129, Democrats in the House today sold out the civil liberties of all Americans when they gave in to the Republicans and the telecom industry, by including blanket immunity for all the telecoms who participated in President Bush’s illegal warrantless wiretapping program.
The Obama campaign announced today that Hillary Clinton will be campaigning with Obama next Friday. I am a little surprised to see Clinton out on the trail already, but here are three ways that Clinton will impact the campaign.
By a vote of 268-155 the House of Representatives has passed a $162 billion war spending bill that will carry funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan beyond the end of George W. Bush’s term.
In some recent developments, it has been announced that the Obama campaign is considering both former Senators Sam Nunn (Georgia) and John Edwards (North Carolina) as viable vice presidential running mates. The leader of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep.
Today Fox News and Opinion Dynamics released a new national poll that finds at tight race nationally between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. The poll finds that Obama leads McCain 42%-39%. Ralph Nader gets 4%, and Bob Barr is at 2%. If the names of the candidates are removed and voters are asked if they will vote Democratic or Republican, Democrats lead 42%-35%.
A new Survey USA poll of the critical swing state of Wisconsin reveals that Barack Obama leads John McCain 52%-43%. A growing trend that we have seen in all of the recent state polls is the movement of women towards Obama. In Wisconsin, Obama leads McCain among women 58%-35%. Among men, McCain leads 51%-45%.
Barack Obama announced today that he is not accepting public financing for the general election, “It’s not an easy decision, and especially because I support a robust system of public financing of elections. But the public financing of presidential elections as it exists today is broken, and we face opponents who’ve become masters at gaming this broken system.”
During an interview with reporters today Barack Obama was asked about Republican claims that he is too naïve on foreign policy. “I think it’s my impression that John McCain has adopted not only George Bush’s policies but George Bush’s playbook. This is what was done in 2000; this is what was done in 2004,” Obama
said.
Today in Missouri, John McCain said that all of Obama’s solutions to energy problems involve raising taxes. “For his part, Senator Obama has a different outlook on all of this. Instead of new energy production, he wants new energy taxes,” McCain said.
Everyone is talking about the new Quinnipiac University poll that shows Obama leading McCain in swing states Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania. While his leads in Ohio and Florida are close to the poll’s margin of error, his 12 point lead in the Keystone State leaves little doubt that this former Clinton state is moving towards Obama.
In what has become an annual rite of the past few summer’s President Bush blamed the Democratic Congress for the energy crisis for not allowing offshore oil drilling.
It appears that John McCain’s “maverick” energy policy is nothing more than, not drilling in ANWR, keeping 90% of George W. Bush’s ideas, and comparing Obama to Jimmy Carter, which unless you are over 50 years old, might not be seen as a bad thing.
God Bless Joe Biden, he is one the last remaining straight shooters in politics. Today he expressed his enthusiasm for being in a potential Obama administration, “I’d make a great president. I’d make a great Secretary of State. I’d make a great vice president,” said Biden.
Because Barack Obama supports the recent Supreme Court ruling that suspected terrorism detainees have a right to challenge their detention, McCain campaign advisor Randy Scheunemann accused him of possessing, “the prefect September 10 mindset.” For all of you, who had June 17 in the pool as the date when McCain would invoke 9/11 consider yourself a winner.
Today before John McCain could announce his energy plan that would lift the moratorium on offshore oil drilling, Barack Obama put out a statement hammering him for the idea. Obama correctly pointed out that McCain has changed his position on the issue since he ran for president in 2000.
During his speech on economic competitiveness today, in Flint MI, Barack Obama proposed that every American should have access to high speed broadband Internet service.
Barack Obama told reporters in Flint, MI today that he will be visiting Iraq and Afghanistan before the election. This is critical not only because John McCain’s campaign has been making a daily point to hammer Obama on not visiting Iraq, but also because as the Democratic Party’s nominee, he has to go to Iraq.
With the news that Colin Powell has left the door open to supporting Barack Obama this fall, this edition of Pros and Cons comes straight out of the what if category. Although it is doubtful, we’ll evaluate the potential of an Obama/Powell ticket.
Today at the Apostolic Church of God, Barack Obama spoke about fatherhood. “But if we are honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that what too many fathers also are is missing – missing from too many lives and too many homes. They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men.
At Virginia’s State Democratic Convention Saturday night, former VA Governor and current Senate candidate put an end to chatter about a third political position he may hold–Vice President on Barack Obama’s ticket.
A new report by Amnesty International found that contrary to the Bush/McCain rhetoric, the situation in Iraq remains too dire for the 4.7 million Iraqis who fled to return home.
At a fundraiser in Philadelphia where he was flanked by PA governor Ed Rendell, Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter, and Sen. Bob Casey, Barack Obama said, “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun. Because from what I understand folks in Philly like a good brawl. I’ve seen Eagles fans.”
At a town hall meeting in Wayne, PA today, Barack Obama took aim at John McCain’s gas tax holiday proposal. “Well it is time for a President who will take on the big oil and gas companies so we can finally meet our energy challenge; a President who will help Americans pay their rising gas bills during these difficult economic times,” Obama said.
A stunning loss not only for NBC News, but for the millions of weekly Meet the Press views around the nation and world. Very few details are available at this time only that Russert collapsed at the NBC News Studios in Washington D.C.
Since Barack Obama clinched the Democratic nomination two weeks ago, the national media has been working overtime speculating on Obama’s possible number two. The Obama campaign even made a big deal out of announcing their VP selection committee.
At a news conference before a speech in Vancouver, BC, Colin Powell said that he would not rule out supporting Barack Obama. He said that his support of John McCain is not a foregone conclusion. He also said that although he and Obama are both black, he won’t be voting based on race.
Today in Columbus, OH Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will talk about protecting Social Security, and John McCain’s flip-flop on the issue.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain held a town hall meeting in New York City that was carried live on Fox News tonight that was billed as town hall with Democrats and Independents. The problem is that this wasn’t really true. The McCain campaign pre-screened the audience, and invited only supporters to attend.
Barack Obama said of today’s Supreme Court ruling that the detainees at GITMO have the right to challenge their detention in civilian court, “The Court’s decision is a rejection of the Bush Administration’s attempt to create a legal black hole at Guantanamo – yet another failed policy supported by John McCain.”
Barack Obama was in Kaukauna, Wisconsin today talking about tax cuts. Surprisingly Obama used much of his speech to talk about John McCain’s tax cut plan which he described as a tax code that rewards wealth instead of work.
Earlier this morning, the United States Supreme Court gave the Constitution, which had become much attacked under the Bush Administration, a boost of high octane gas (at $5.65 a gallon…ok, kidding).
While appearing on CNN’s The Situation Room, James Carville, not only suggested, but made the case for Al Gore as Barack Obama’s running mate. “If I were him, I would ask Al Gore to serve as his vice president, his energy czar, in his administration to reduce our consumption and reliance on foreign energy sources,” Carville said.
Jim Johnson, the manager of Barack Obama’s VP search committee resigned today amid controversy over the details of his personal mortgage loans from Countrywide.
The latest Survey USA state poll of Washington finds Barack Obama with a commanding lead over John McCain 56%-39%. Obama leads McCain among all age groups and races. He leads McCain 59%-36% among 18-34 year olds and 56%-40% with those 50-64 years old. Not surprisingly, McCain runs best with older voters. Among voters over age 65, Obama leads McCain 49%-46%.
It is being reported that retired military leaders is one of the categories being looked at by the Obama campaign’s vetting team, so with this in mind, I have compiled a list of five retired military leaders that Obama might consider.
If Obama is looking to add experience to his ticket than he might not do any better than to look in the direction of the subject of this edition of Pros and Cons, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT).
By a vote of 51-43 Senate Republicans were able to block a bill that would have rolled back $17 billion dollars in tax breaks and placed a windfall profits tax on the largest oil companies. The bill would have used the money from the tax to develop alternative energy.
The McCain campaign is doing their best to turn the story about the leader of Obama’s VP search committee, Jim Johnson receiving a mortgage loan from Countrywide into a major scandal. The Obama campaign called McCain’s huffing and puffing, “an overblown story about what appear to be completely above-board transactions.”
Barack Obama launched his two week tour of swing states in Raleigh, NC today where he talked about talked about his own short term economic proposals and John McCain.
The Republican National Committee released a statement today that claimed because of Jim Johnson’s loans from Countywide, the Obama campaign is full lobbyists and corporate insiders. “Barack Obama routinely rails against lobbyists and corporate insiders, yet his campaign is stocked with both.”
Virginia has supplied more presidents to the U.S. than any other state. In 2008, could the state provide the running mate that propels Barack Obama to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? The Old Dominion has seen a shift in demographics that has it trending Democratic, and it features no less than three intriguing running mate possibilities.
After appearing at an event with Barack Obama last week, current Senate candidate, and former Virginia Governor Mark Warner has picked up a lot of buzz as a potential running mate for Obama. In this edition of Pros and Cons, we’ll take a look at a potential Obama/ Warner ticket.
After her endorsement of him today, Barack Obama put out a glowing statement about Hillary Clinton. He mentioned her as a groundbreaker, “Obviously, I am thrilled and honored to have Senator Clinton’s support. But more than that, I honor her today for the valiant and historic campaign she has run.
It is one thing to concede and endorse a victorious opponent as Hillary Clinton did today, but she took the extra step of using her speech to make the case as to why her supporters should vote for Barack Obama.
Today, by a vote of 48-36, Senate Republicans successfully blocked a climate change bill that would have put a cap on carbon dioxide emissions across the economy.
Former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn might be an unfamiliar name to many of the younger supporters of Barack Obama, but for long time Democrats, Nunn is not only a well known name and face, but also might provide the perfect counterbalance to Barack Obama’s youth and inexperience on foreign policy and military issues.
While speaking in Bristol, VA today, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama discussed his healthcare proposal, and how it contrasts with that of his Republican opponent John McCain.
The Barack Obama campaign wasted no time starting to put their stamp on the Democratic National Committee, as the DNC announced this morning that they will no longer accept contributions from lobbyists. This is a move that is more symbolic than anything else, as the DNC had only raised $3 million from lobbyists since 2007.
Hillary Clinton will suspend her campaign on Saturday, and once she endorses Barack Obama this weekend, the Democratic Party will be able to fully move on towards November.
While all of the media focus is on Hillary Clinton’s desire to be vice president, in this edition of Pros and Cons we’ll take a look at a different woman, Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius. Could Sebelius be the non-Clinton ticket option for Obama?
A lot has happened since the first time I compiled the top 5 running mate choices for Barack Obama, so it is time to update the list. (Click here to read the first Top 5) I have eliminated people like Jim Webb who don’t support Obama and have said that they aren’t interested in the job.
Hillary Clinton used her final speech in the 2008 Democratic primary to congratulate Barack Obama for running, but she raised more questions than she answered about her future and what she wants to do next.
Obama Defines Matchup with McCain as Domestic versus Foreign Policy
After fifty four contests, Barack Obama was finally able to say in St. Paul, MN, “Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States,” Obama said. He also used much of his speech to paint a sharp contrast between himself and John McCain.
If a report by the AP and confirmed by MSNBC is correct that Hillary Clinton told a group of New York lawmakers that she is open to being Barack Obama’ s running mate is correct, then I think that we just found out what Hillary Clinton wants.
As the superdelegates continue to pour in for Obama, with dozens more officially undeclared, but making their intentions known, Barack Obama has essentially wrapped up the Democratic nomination before the polls close in South Dakota and Montana tonight.
The Clinton campaign is disputing a story put out by the Associated Press this morning that she will acknowledge that Obama has the Democratic nomination tonight. They have said that once Obama reaches 2118 delegates then they will call him the nominee.
Washington Superdelegate and DNC member David McDonald became the sixth superdelegate of the day to endorse Barack Obama. In an email statement to the Associated Press McDonald said, “This was not an easy choice.
Barack Obama has now picked up five superdelegate endorsements today after adding Michigan superdelegates Brenda Lawrence and Lu Battaglieri along with Florida superdelegate Janee Murphy to a total that already included superdelegates from Virginia and Connecticut. Obama is now 42.5 delegates short of becoming the Democratic nominee.
Barack Obama picked up two more superdelegates this morning as Connecticut Democratic State Party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo and Democratic National Committee Member Jerome Wiley Segovia both endorsed him for president. It seems that no matter how Clinton figures the math, Obama’s march to the nomination continues.
In her victory speech after the Puerto Rico primary, Hillary Clinton gave no indication that she is willing to concede the nomination to Barack Obama. In fact, Clinton returned to the familiar and deeply flawed theme of the popular vote.
It is no surprise that CNN has already declared Hillary Clinton the victor of the Democratic primary in Puerto Rico. Now, if turnout is high enough the Clinton campaign can argue that she should be the nominee because she will win the popular vote. The problem is that delegates not the popular vote determine the nominee.
Yvonne Gates a member of the DNC Rules Committee, and Nevada superdelegate, has announced today that she is endorsing Barack Obama. Since she is a member of the Rules Committee Gates said that she intended to remain neutral until the Party had decided what to do about seating the delegates from Michigan and Florida.
The Clintons blustered and bellowed, moaned and groaned, and cried all sorts of foul, but at the end of the day the DNC Rules Committee did not give them what they wanted. Their votes on Michigan and Florida showed that there is a new leader of the party, and his name is Barack Obama.
The Chicago Tribune website is reporting that Obama spokesperson Ben LaBolt confirmed that Obama is in essence resigning from the church after the latest controversy surrounding a video of Rev. Michael Pfleger mocking Hillary Clinton while he was speaking at Trinity United. The spokesman said that Obama has not attended the church since the Wright controversy erupted in mid-March.
Even though both Michigan and Florida screwed themselves, they are both appealing to the DNC Rules Committee to get their full delegations seated. There are three different questions being decided at today’s meeting.1). Should the delegates be seated? 2). How should the delegates be awarded to the candidates? 3). Will the popular vote count?
Both the Obama and McCain camps are involved in heated exchange over whether or not John McCain intentionally distorted, or just didn’t know the troop levels in Iraq. The McCain camp’s defense seems to be to blame Obama, and say that he knew what McCain meant.
Here is the video of what McCain originally said:
In this edition of Pros and Cons we take a look at Wesley Clark whose name often gets mentioned when the subject of Clinton supporters who could be Barack Obama’s running mate is discussed. We’ll take a look at who Wesley Clark is and what he might bring to the ticket.
This morning Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie and DNC member Betty Richie announced that they are endorsing Barack Obama for President. “Too many Texas families find themselves unable to make ends meet, much less save and invest in the future, due to Republican policies that burden the middle class and divide Americans,” Boyd Richie said.
After the US Army announced today that the soldier suicide rate had reached an all time high in 2007, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said, “Today’s news is a tragic reminder of the staggering and ongoing costs of the Iraq war, particularly on our troops and their families.
Barack Obama has a wide range of Democrats to choose his running mate from. In recent years the Democratic Party has been able to elect 28 of the nation’s 50 governors. These state executives represent some of the party’s best talent. If Obama decides to add a governor to his ticket, here are five excellent choices.
A new Survey USA poll of the state of Kansas found that John McCain leads Obama 49%-39% in the state, and even if Obama chose Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as his running mate, John McCain would still be leading the state.
