Why Edwards can't endorse Clinton

Please support Rep. Baron Hill of Indiana

Rep. Hill has been receiving a lot of the same negative feedback as Rep. Chandler. Please call to thank him for his endorsement of Sen. Obama!

Washington Office: 202-225-5315
Jeffersonville Office: 812-288-3999
Bloomington Office: 812-336-3000

The fallout from the Rev. Wright kerfuffle

In case anyone was wondering what would happen in the wake of Obama's clear repudiation of Rev. Wright's viewpoints, here are three endorsements which have been made within the past 24 hours:

U.S. Rep. Baron Hill endorses Obama - TODAY

Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley to endorse Obama - TODAY

Representative Lois Capps (D-CA) (pictured) has endorsed Barack Obama for President - TODAY

Please support Rep. Chandler of Kentucky

Flak for endorsing Obama

A little preview of what rough states Kentucky and West Virginia -- the working-class white Appalachian heartland -- are going to be for Obama comes in reports of friction two of his major endorsers are getting.

Rep. Ben Chandler endorsed Obama yesterday , which got the phones ringing. Denis Fleming, Chandler's chief of staff, said that the congress man's offices in Lexington and Washington had received about 300 phone calls opposing his decision -- and only five in favor -- by about 2:30 p.m. yesterday.

Some of the calls, he said, were "racially insensitive," while other callers simply said that Chandler should have waited until after Kentucky's May 20 primary or should have endorsed Clinton. West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller's (extremely longshot) challenger is also taking shots at him over the endorsement, in an AP piece:

Fletcher says the clearest illustration of this disconnect is Rockefeller's decision to endorse Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential primary. ''It offended people,'' she said, and Rockefeller has drawn some criticism over the endorsement, although much of it from supporters of Obama's rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton.

These states were always going to be a low spot on the calendar for Obama; if Clinton's still alive next week, though, they'll constitute a particularly rough patch for him.

Please call Re. Chandler's office to thank him for his endorsement. Make sure to be upfront about not being one of his constituents if that's the case!

Contact info:
Chandler contact:

Washington, D.C. office

Phone: (202)-225-4706
Fax: (202)-225-2122

District Office for casework:

Phone: (859) 219-1366
Fax: (859) 219-3437

contrasting the support of two great writers

Maya Angelou for Sen. Clinton:



Lovely...and nice flute music! But full of generalizations. Soft focus best suits Sen. Clinton's campaign, particularly now.


And Toni Morrison for Obama.

More pearls of wisdom...

...from "The Decider".

W declares that Sen. Clinton will have the Democratic nomination!

The Obamas on the Rachel Ray show

Barack finds a VP!

Breaking news!

North Carolina petition

This online petition asks Senators McCain and Clinton to denounce the North Carolina GOP ad using Jeremiah Wright to attack Senator Obama and his two endorsers, gubernatorial candidates Beth Perdue and Richard Moore. It is especially timely as Obama has decisively distanced himself from Wright.

In addition, the petition asks that McCain stop his surrogates and donors from aiding Floyd Brown to televise his "Willie Horton"-style, misleading ad currently available on YouTube.

Please sign!

And now...

The moment (well, one of the moments) we've been waiting for...

SENATOR CLINTON's EARMARKS!

Yes, we all know she's "Queen of Pork", so there's probably not much that will be surprising here...other than "WOW, her EARMARKS ARE THREE TIMES MORE THAN ANY OTHER SENATOR'S" (yes, I'm shouting. Sorry.) The important thing is that she's finally done what Sen. Obama did months ago, and made her earmarks public.

Now...how about

The 2007 Clinton taxes?

The Clinton Library/Foundation donor list (the latter should be most interesting in these days of $3.50+/galon gasoline...plenty of Saudi money there)?

Returning the $800K in lobbying fees from the Colombians?

etc.

Fun facts for letters to the editor. The mainstream media is falling down on the job on covering these questions. Keep them on the front burner!

CNN quick vote

"Has the Wright controversy hurt Obama?"

Please vote!

Make it work

Please consider a donation (or more likely, another donation) to the campaign today. I gave as many substantial donations as I could back during the winter, but even I can afford another $25 today. Please donate at least $5 to the Obama campaign today (a matching donation will be made!) to help keep the April financials looking good and keep this citizen-powered campaign going strong.

New IN poll

Please vote: Who will win in Indiana?

Please DIGG: Sen. Clinton required to testify in November

Sen. Clinton will have to testify in the Peter Paul (pictured) trial this fall involving possible fraud charges. Please Digg! This little item should break wide open!

MSNBC quick vote

...on Rev. Wright. Please vote!

Barack tours the Basketball Hall of Fame

Obama also seemed to stir the pot with some on the right when he said he might re-model the White House bowling alley and turn it into a b-ball court. (Seems that getting upset about the "arrogance" of such a statement is a hella lot easier than debating Obama on actual policy).

Here's an official campaign blog entry on Barack playing ball with the North Carolina Tarheels. Great pictures!

Olbermann's debrief on PA

And remember...it's not 10%...it's 9.3%!

Wondering why the MSM is so unaccountable?

The mainstream media...grows less diverse every day. Less competition x less support for real journalism in the face of pressures for profits = today's infotainment journalism.

Check this handy-dandy chart!

Major media outlets in IN and NC

Indiana Major Media Outlets:
http://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/14/majormedia

Indiana Newspapers:
http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/newspapers.html?state=14

Indiana TV:
http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/tv.html?state=14

~~~~~

North Carolina Major Media Outlets
http://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/33/majormedia

North Carolina Newspapers:
http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/newspapers.html?state=33

North Carolina TV:
http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/tv.html?state=33

"My Winning Strategy", by Sen. Clinton

From the LA Times comes this great Op/Ed on Sen. Clinton's recent strategy. Excerpt:

Thank you, Pennsylvania! What an incredible margin of victory you gave me! Ten percentage points over Barack Obama. Count 'em! Ten!

All right, 9.2 points if you insist on actually counting. But they said I had to win by double digits to keep my campaign alive, and I think 9.2 points counts as double digits. And I am alive! And kicking! And punching and biting and kneeing my opponent in the groin!

AOL poll

Ah, AOL...The little Clinton Fiefdom that Time Forgot(TM), apparently.

Obama's trailing badly, folks...but that's an AOL tradition. Nonetheless...please vote!

The shrinking superdelegate gap

From The Washington Post.

audio interview of Barack from 1995

This interview was made in the wake of the publication of Barack's book Dreams From My Father. Fascinating!

IN phonebankers/canvassers, take note!

The Indy Star had a live streaming video feed of its editorial board's meeting with Obama. Check it out!

Blue NC

Blue NC is a North Carolina-based political blog. Please send positive comments!

Hillary hopes...

...that we've forgotten (from an email I recently received from an old friend and mentor of mine):

~~~~~

Hillary Clinton has been telling America that she is the most qualified candidate for President based on her "record," which she says includes her eight years in the White House as First Lady or "Co-President ?" and her seven years in the Senate.

Here is a reminder of what that "record" includes:

As First Lady:

Hillary assumed authority over Health Care Reform, a process that cost the taxpayers over $13 million. She told both Bill Bradley and Patrick Moynihan, key votes needed to pass her legislation, that she would "demonize "anyone who opposed it. But it was opposed; she couldn't get her incomplete, poorly written Health Care Reform Bill to the house floor of the House for a vote by a Congress which, at the time, was controlled by her own party. And in the next election, her party lost control of both the House and Senate.

Hillary assumed authority over selecting an Attorney General. Her first two recommendations, Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood, were forced to withdraw their names from consideration; then she chose Janet Reno. Janet Reno was later described by Bill Clinton himself as "My Worst Mistake."

Hillary recommended Lani Guinier for head of the Civil Rights Commission. When Guinier's radical views became known, her name had to be withdrawn.

Hillary recommended her former law partners, Web Hubbell, Vince Foster, and William Kennedy, for positions in the Justice Department, White House staff, and the Treasury, respectively. Hubbell was later imprisoned, Foster committed suicide, and Kennedy was forced to resign.

Hillary also recommended a close friend of the Clintons, former bartender Craig Livingstone, for the position of director of White House security. When Livingstone was investigated for the improper access of up to 900 FBI files of Clinton enemies, called "Filegate", and the widespread use of drugs by White House staff, both Hillary and her husband denied knowing him. FBI Agent Dennis Sculimbrene confirmed in a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting in 1996 both the drug use and Hillary's involvement in hiring Livingstone. After that, the FBI closed its White House Liaison Office, after having served seven Presidents for over three decades.

In order to open "slots" in the White House for her friends "The Harry Thomasons", to whom millions of dollars in travel contracts would later be awarded, Hillary had the entire staff of the White House Travel Office....Fired. She then reported them to the FBI for "gross mismanagement", and their reputations ruined. Following a thirty-month F.B.I. investigation, only one, Billy Dale, was charged with a crime, allegedly mixing personal money with White House funds (not theft) when he cashed personal checks and drew White House funds for his checks. The jury took less than two hours to acquit him.

Another of Hillary's assumed duties was directing the "Bimbo Eruption Squad" and Scandal Defense: She urged her husband not to settle the Paula Jones lawsuit. This was a monumental strategic error. She then refused to release the Whitewater documents, which led to the appointment of Ken Starr as Special Prosecutor. After $80 million of taxpayer money was spent, Starr's investigation led to Monica Lewinsky, which led to Bill lying about it and later admitting his affairs. Then they had to settle with Paula Jones after all; Bill lost his law license for lying to the grand jury....and Bill was impeached by the House. Hillary almost got herself indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice . She avoided it mostly because she repeated, "I do not recall," "I have no recollection," and "I don't know" 56 times under oath.

During Vince Foster's "suicide" aftermath, investigators were not provided requested records.

During their final months in the Whitehouse, Hillary decided to seek election to the Senate in a state in which she had never resided: New York.

Hillary had Bill pardon her brother's clients, for a small fee, to get financial support.

In the campaign for the Senate, Hillary played the "Woman Card" often, portraying her opponent Mr. Lazio as a bully picking on her.

Hillary's husband further protected her by asking the National Archives to withhold from the public, until 2012, many records of their time in the White House, including much of Hillary's correspondence and her calendars. There are ongoing lawsuits to force the release of those records.

As the Junior Senator from New York, Hillary has passed no major legislation. She has deferred to the Senior Senator (Schumer) to tend to the needs of New Yorkers, even on the hot issue of medical problems of workers involved in the cleanup
of Ground Zero after 9/11.

Hillary's one notable vote, supporting the plan to invade Iraq, is one she has since disavowed.

Quite a resume, isn't it? No wonder she likes to keep her opponents on the defensive.

Help America Remember Sen. Clinton's real record.

South Dakota political blog

Badlands Blue is a SD-based political blog. Check it out, and make positive comments!

Limbaugh's at it again...

File an FCC complaint about Limbaugh.

Why?

USC Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 113B Section 2331:

…activities that involve violent… or life-threatening acts… that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State and… appear to be intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and… (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States… [or]… (C) occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States…"

UPDATE, 4/28/08:

Colorado Senator Ken Salazar has called for an official reprimand of Limbaugh.

West Virginia Blue: Why Barack is the best choice

A great article from a WV-based blog.

Indiana newspapers

Keep those Letters to the Editor coming! Keep 'em short, positive, to the point, and plentiful!

~~~~~

Anderson Herald Bulletin (Anderson, Indiana)
http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/contactus/local_story_347101743.html

Bloomington Herald-Times (Bloomington, Indiana)
http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/htoletters/index_s.php

Bedford Times-Mail (Bedford, Indiana)
http://64.151.143.34/tmnews/forms/news/letter_ed.php

Brazil Times (Brazil, Indiana)
http://www.thebraziltimes.com/opinion/letters/submit/

Brookville American-Democrat (Brookville, Indiana)
http://www.thebrookvillenews.com/democrat/letters/

Jackson County Banner (Brownstown, Indiana)
http://www.thebanner.com/opinion/letters/

Chesterton Tribune (Chesterton, Indiana)
http://chestertontribune.com/about%20this%20site.htm

The Post & Mail (Columbia City, Indiana)
http://www.thepostandmail.com/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,42/

The Republic (Columbus, Indiana)
http://www.therepublic.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=65

News Examiner (Connersville, Indiana)
http://www.newsexaminer.com/main.asp?Top=1&SectionID=6

Journal Review (Crawfordsville, Indiana)
http://www.journalreview.com/submit/

Decatur Daily Democrat (Decatur, Indiana)
http://www.decaturdailydemocrat.com/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,42/

Carroll County Comet (Flora, Indiana)
http://www.carrollcountycomet.com/news/2008/0423/Opinion/023.html

Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=EDIT09

Ink Newspaper (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
http://www.inknewsonline.com/contact.html

The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=EDITORIAL

The Times (Frankfort, Indiana)
http://www.ftimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=51&TM=34235.6

Banner-Graphic (Greencastle, Indiana)
http://www.bannergraphic.com/opinion/letters/submit/

Greensburg Daily News (Greensburg, Indiana)
http://www.greensburgdailynews.com/contactus/local_story_266140410.html

The News-Times (Hartford City, Indiana)
https://secure.townnews.com/hartfordcitynewstimes.com/forms/letters/index.php

Herald Press (Huntington, Indiana)
http://h-ponline.com/contact_us/

Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, Indiana)
http://www2.indystar.com/help/letters.html

Indianapolis Business Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana)
http://www.ibj.com/html/letters_to_the_editor.html

Indianapolis Recorder (Indianapolis, Indiana)
http://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/contact_us/

The Southside Times (Indianapolis, Indiana)
http://www.ss-times.com/new/contact-us/

Evening News and Tribune (Jeffersonville, Indiana)
http://www.news-tribune.net/letters/local_story_159165300.html

Kokomo Perspective (Kokomo, Indiana)
http://www.kokomoperspective.com/FormLayout.asp?formcall=1

Kokomo Tribune (Kokomo, Indiana)
http://www.kokomotribune.com/contactus

The Herald-Argus (La Porte, Indiana)
http://www.heraldargus.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=3

Lafayette Journal & Courier (Lafayette, Indiana)
http://www.jconline.com/nie

Lebanon Reporter (Lebanon, Indiana)
http://www.reporter.net/contactus/local_story_327132352.html

Madison Courier (Madison, Indiana)
http://www.madisoncourier.com/FormLayout.asp?formcall=1&TM=37584.88

Chronicle Tribune (Marion, Indiana)
http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/our_newspaper/contact_us/#TALK_TO_US

Reporter-Times (Martinsville, Indiana)
http://www.reporter-times.com/?module=displaysection§ion_id=136&format=html

Post-Tribune (Gary/ Merrillville, Indiana)
http://www.post-trib.com/aboutus/contact/index.html

The News-Dispatch (Michigan City, Indiana)
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=32&TM=58762.88

Herald Journal (Monticello, Indiana)
http://www.thehj.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=17

Mooresville Times (Mooresville, Indiana)
http://www.reporter-times.com/?module=displaysectionmdt§ion_id=141&format=html

The Star Press (Muncie, Indiana)
http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080425/OPINION/804250345/1014

The Times (Munster, Indiana)
http://nwi.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/

Brown County Democrat (Nashville, Indiana)
http://www.browncountyindiana.com/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=9&ArticleID=11123

Posey County News (New Harmony, Indiana)
http://www.poseycountynews.com/opinion.htm

Newburgh Chandler Register (Newburgh, Indiana)
https://secure.townnews.com/tristate-media.com/forms/letters.php

Noblesville Daily Times (Noblesville, Indiana)
http://www.county29.net/cms2/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=194

Plain Dealer Sun (North Vernon, Indiana)
http://plaindealer-sun.com/main.asp?SectionID=12&TM=43386.32

Peru Tribune (Peru, Indiana)
http://www.miamicountylife.com/about_us/

Hendricks County Flyer (Plainfield/ Avon, Indiana)
http://www.flyergroup.com/contactus

The Pilot News (Plymouth, Indiana)
http://www.thepilotnews.com/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,42/

Rensselaer Republican (Rensselaer, Indiana)
http://www.rensselaerrepublican.com/opinion/

Palladium-Item (Richmond, Indiana)
http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=CUSTOMERSERVICE03

Rochester Sentinel (Rochester, Indiana)
http://www.rochsent.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=15

Rushville Republican (Rushville, Indiana)
http://www.rushvillerepublican.com/contactus/local_story_277155432.html

Seymour News (Seymour, Indiana)
http://www.tribtown.com/sections/readerservices/feedback/

Shelbyville News (Shelbyville, Indiana)
http://www.shelbynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=41&SubSectionID=81&ArticleID=6849&TM=44553.5

South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Indiana)
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?CATEGORY=CONTACT

Tribune Star (Terre Haute, Indiana)
http://www.tribstar.com/contactus/local_story_353113033.html

Osgood Journal (Versailles, Indiana)
http://www.ripleynews.com/contact.html

Vincennes Sun-Commercial (Vincennes, Indiana)
http://www.suncommercial.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=7&ArticleID=1905

Wabash Plain Dealer (Wabash, Indiana)
http://www.wabashplaindealer.com/contact_us/

Times-Union (Warsaw, Indiana)
http://www.timesuniononline.com/main.asp?Top=1&SectionID=18

Zionsville Times Sentinel (Zionsville, Indiana)
http://www.timessentinel.com/contactus/local_story_320105633.html

Gaffe-o-rama

Sen. Clinton tends to speak up impulsively, often in an apparent attempt to be funny, with sometimes less-than-positive results.

Here's a collection of some of her gaffes!

The Oregonian re-endorses Obama

They first endorsed Obama in February. Guess they thought they should do it again for good measure.

Bill C. urges *more* negativity!

Wow, Bill!

We hadn't realized it was possible! More?

Excerpt from the Talking Points Memo article:

Mr. Clinton has placed several of his own aides at headquarters, including his former lawyer and a bevy of strategists. Known as a bad loser, Mr. Clinton privately buttresses his wife's drive to push on, telling her, according to aides: "We're not quitters."
On his own daily message calls, advisers say, he implores: "We've got to take him on every time." At the Clintons' Washington, D.C., home recently, these people say, he reviewed possible TV spots and told ad makers to be more hard-hitting, faster and harsher.

Indiana political blog

Please direct positive Obama comments here!

Quick AOL poll

AOL poll: Whom would you like to see drop out?

hint: VOTE FOR HRC this time!

Obama now leads in endorsements from US Senators

This Washington Post.com article has the details.

What a milestone!

NC poll

Please vote! Barack is ahead by a nose...

UPDATE, 4/28/08: Barack's doing MUCH better in this poll...but please keep voting!

PA asterisks

From Newsweek.com:

*Double-digits: Earlier this month, omnipotent CW-arbiter Mark Halperin wrote that the number one thing Hillary Clinton had to do in Pennsylvania was "win the popular vote by more than 10.5%." If not, he added, "the media will say she didn’t beat expectations (and her Ohio margin)." Pretty soon, every Beltway blogger and bloviator was echoing his prediction: she needs to win by 10 points, they said; anything short of double-digits = disappointment.

The only problem: now that 100 percent of precincts have reported, it appears Clinton won Pennsylvania by 9.3 percent. In other words, no double-digits. She performed exactly as everyone expected--not better (and perhaps slightly worse, especially when compared to Ohio). The difference between 10 percent and 9.3 percent is marginal, of course, and hardly earth-shattering in any actual electoral sense.

P.S. Also important to note: in Pennsylvania, Clinton's impressive 33 percent margin among blue-collar whites was actually smaller than her margin among the same voters in Ohio (41 percent). It's hardly Obama's best demographic--but despite the sudden flood of "arugula gap" coverage, there's nothing in the Keystone State returns to suggest that Archie Bunker types like him any less than they did eight weeks ago. Quite the contrary, in fact.

*Closed primary: Lost amid all the furrowed-brow coverage of Obama's good-ol' boy deficit--and speculation about what it might mean come November--is the fact that Pennsylvania was a closed primary. In other words, only Democrats could vote. That's not to discount Clinton's victory; her strength relative to Obama among core Democrats is nothing to scoff at. But in terms of a) media coverage and b) the electability question, it's useful to dig a little deeper here. Based on my calculations--which I've extrapolated from Pennsylvania's 2004 election returns--about 375,000 Independents and crossover Republicans would've voted in the Keystone State primary had they been allowed. And if Obama matched his typical margin among these voters (about 25 percent), he would've emerged with nearly 100,000 additional votes, slashing Clinton's victory from nine percent to five--and generating a flurry of "Clinton fails to meet expectations" stories in the process.

CNN quick vote

Is Rev. Wright descriptive or devisive?

Please vote! (scroll down...on the right hand side)

This video is a hot potato...

Viacom actually pulled it off of the Comedy Central site for awhile...but it's back!

B-Ball with Barack

Hoosiers should appreciate this performance!

Gas prices and Barack

Rev. Wright's appearance on the Bill Moyers show

Follow this link to watch the video.

Also, please Digg this story on the show.

MSNBC...covering the NEWS!

Maureen Dowd channels Dr. Seuss

“The time has come. The time has come. The time is now. Just go. ... I don’t care how. You can go by foot. You can go by cow. Hillary R. Clinton, will you please go now! You can go on skates. You can go on skis. ... You can go in an old blue shoe.

Just go, go, GO!”

Read the rest of the article here...

Indiana LTTEs

the Fort Wayne, Indiana newspaper, The Journal Gazette, is putting out a DEADLINE for receiving letters concerning the primary! Here's their notice:

Election letters
The deadline for letters about the May 6 primary will be at 5 p.m. Monday.

Please write!

new mantra...

"HILLARY can't close the deal"

Pennsylvania is Sen. Clinton's kind of state...and she won there by only 9.2%.

She can't close the deal. Pass the word!

Media contact links for upcoming races

Indiana, North Carolina, etc.

AOL poll: Obama/Clinton ticket

VOTE NO! Please, what a nightmare!

Lou has a new poll up:

Do you believe the Democratic Presidential candidates are spending too much time talking about race and gender, and not enough time talking about the real issues that matter to Americans?

Please vote!

Wall Street Journal: "It's Over"

The Democrats have a nominee.

Could somebody break the news to Sen. Clinton?

SEIU Union endorses Obama

Here's a video they produced to help in the effort:

quick poll

Do you think that Rush Limbaugh overstepped when he wished for riots at the Democratic Convention in Summer '08?

(Gee...ya think?)

John Mellencamp

As even the casual rock and pop music listener over the past 25 years will know, John Mellencamp is a fixture on the Indiana scene. Ask him to endorse Barack!

29 NC politicians endorse Obama

Just for good measure...

Can a major newspaper "un-endorse" a candidate?

If so, the New York Times seems to be doing just that.

Obama on last night's "Daily Show"

Fun fact: Jon and Barack appear to be wearing the SAME TIE!

The Fox is Wrong (game show!)

Electability

Read theYahoo article article here!

Who won the 4/16 debate?

Quick vote at ABC.com...



They might have no idea of what journalistic integrity is (Stephanopoulos as moderator? Bill Clinton made George Stephanopoulos's career fercryinoutloud!), but at least Barack's winning this poll!

Not happy with the journalistic quality of this debate (probably the last of this nomination contest...what a shame that so much heat and so little light was shed on the issues)?

David Weston, President of ABC "News", has a personal FAX machine. The number is:

212-456-4292.

Please write Mr. Weston and tell him that the American people are tired of news outfits like ABC making such a travesty of journalism on OUR PUBLIC AIRWAVES. The network should be ashamed of itself.

Here's more ABC contacts:

ABC NEW YORK NEWSROOM:
(212) 456-5100
newsradio@abc.com
Newsroom Fax Machine 212.456.5150

Cristi Landes
Manager, Programming
212.456.5107
cristi.d.landes@abc.com

Wayne Fisk
Director, Programming
212.456.5327
wayne.fisk@abc.com

Jeff Fitzgerald
Executive Director, Operations
212.456.5554
jeffrey.t.fitzgerald@abc.com

Heidi Oringer
Executive Director, Entertainment
212.456.5541
heidi.b.oringer@abc.com

Jon Newman
News Coverage
212.456.5100
jonathan.m.newman@abc.com

Joyce Alcantara
Assignment Manager
212.456.5106
joyce.a.alcantara@abc.com

Jim Kane Deputy
D.C. Bureau Chief
212.222.6604
james.f.kane@abc.com

Andrew Kalb
Executive Director, Programming
305.567.2269
andrew.l.kalb@abc.com

Robert Garcia Executive
Director, News & Sports
212.456.5103
robert.garcia@abc.com

Peter Salinger (THE MAN IN CHARGE OF ELECTION COVERAGE)
Director, Special Events & Sports
212.456.5105
peter.salinger@abc.com

Steve Jones
Vice President ABC NEWS RADIO
212-456-5101
steve.jones@abc.com

If you're REALLY steamed, please contact the top brass at the Federal Communications Commission (let ABC know you're doing so):

Chairman Kevin J. Martin:
KJMWEB@fcc.gov

Commissioner Michael J. Copps:
Michael.Copps@fcc.gov

Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein:
Jonathan.Adelstein@fcc.gov

Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate:
dtaylortateweb@fcc.gov

Commissioner Robert McDowell:
Robert.McDowell@fcc.gov

UPDATE, 4/17/08:

Barack's take on the debate:



Read more reaction to the "debate" here on Calitics.com.

UPDATE, 4/20/08:

...the moment when it started to dawn on Charlie Gibson that the crowd was not terribly appreciative of his work:

The lapel pin thing...

PA folks with guns and Harleys...largely for Obama

PA sing-off!

newsflash from my pal Zennie

My fellow Obama Rapid Response team member, Zennie, has this report on some online Clinton campaign shenanigans.

Of course, Sen. Clinton refusing to fight fair is nothing new...

If anyone is an "elitist", it must be Hillary

This Indiana columnist calls it as he sees it.

Excerpt:

I hope a beer at Bronko's doesn't fool anyone.

When Hillary Clinton stopped for a shot and a beer Saturday night, she was doing little more than pandering to the working class. Anyone wearing a blue collar should have been offended.

Hillary was trying to lay it on thick, just a few hours after calling Barack Obama "an elitist."

Hillary hasn't wanted for anything in her life. She went to Wellesley College, a private school in Massachusetts. From there it was on to Yale Law School and then into big-money law firms. She spent a stint as first lady of Arkansas and then first lady of the United States.

When Obama graduated from law school, he moved to the south side of Chicago to become a community organizer to help those who had lost jobs in steel and other manufacturing industries.

He saw first-hand what it was like to lose a job and a home and one's pride. He tried to get people trained for other jobs. And he did it all making peanuts -- not the kind of money he could have made as a Harvard law grad.

So last week when Obama said people were "bitter" about being out of work after watching their manufacturing jobs shipped abroad, he knew what he was talking about.

Plus: fun video!

how Hillary can still win!

the brand called Obama

This article from FastCompany has some great points about how Obama has changed the game not only in politics, but also in marketing.

Excerpt:

The fact that Obama has taken what we thought we knew about politics and turned it into a different game for a different generation is no longer news. What has hardly been examined is the degree to which his success indicates a seismic shift on the business horizon as well. Politics, after all, is about marketing -- about projecting and selling an image, stoking aspirations, moving people to identify, evangelize, and consume. The promotion of the brand called Obama is a case study of where the American marketplace -- and, potentially, the global one -- is moving. His openness to the way consumers today communicate with one another, his recognition of their desire for authentic "products," and his understanding of the need for a new global image -- all are valuable signals for marketers everywhere.

Rev. Wright speaks for himself...

Rev. Wright will appear on PBS's Bill Moyers Journal on 4/25/08: a chance for him to speak for himself without being interrupted and sound-bitten...

Here's the Bill Moyers show schedule, where you can find out when the show airs locally.

~35,000 rally for Barack in Philly

The largest Obama rally ever?

After the rally, there was an impromptu march of at least 5,000 supporters!

new Yahoo poll

Please check this out! It's pretty detailed but it will take under 5 minutes.

Endorsements are piling up

Obama has won the vast majority of PA newspaper endorsements...

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Citizen's Voice

The Scranton Times-Tribune

The Allentown Morning Call

The Patriot News

Bucks County Courier

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Philadelphia Daily News

Time Magazine's Most Influential list

Please vote for Barack!

While you're at it, John Stewart and Stephen Colbert deserve some love, too.

You can give each candidate for the top 100 a vote of between 1 and 100 percent.

Barack puts distractions "ON NOTICE!"

a fellow clergy member on Rev. Wright

Looks like Fox News picked on the wrong Reverend:

Colbert sings to Michelle!

Obama's national lead expands

CNN reports an expansion in Obama's lead.

NWI poll: Is Obama elitist?

Please vote NO!!!

Seems Barack's doing pretty well on this one.

FOX news question of the day

Who won the Philadelphia debate?

PLEASE vote!

Scroll way down...close to the center of the page.

White-haired women for Obama

Daily Show: Gaffe-In!!!

Bosnia and Back Again

The Jed Report strikes again...

Beyond the "bitter" soundbites...

This is a video which includes some soundbites which have been ruffling feathers in the heartland.

Here's the full speech.



Here's a poll from CNN's Lou Dobbs, asking a rather leading question about whether Barack is "elitist" because he's calling it as he sees it re: the poor economy in Pennsylvania. Please vote! Scroll down a bit, on the right.

Here is more CNN coverage of the Clinton and McCain campaigns, attempting to make all of this spin-worthy. Gotta love the pandering tone Sen. Clinton takes towards Pennsylvanians. She said it herself: "Pennsylvanians don't need a president who looks down on them". She should check the mirror!



UPDATE, 4/12/08:

Unfortunately, other than the video above, CNN's coverage has been disappointing. A fellow member of the Obama Rapid Response group writes the following:

CNN really blew it on this one. If they get enough calls...

CNN has finally driven me over the edge. Their biased coverage tonight included an all-night Headline : "OBAMA SLAMS SMALL TOWN AMERICA" and they did not even play his response in Terre Haute, IN explaining what he actually said. They only showed a brief clip of him attacking Clinton & McCain. I saw him on YouTube long before they played anything, so it's not because they didn't have the video. Candy Crowley was at his event and she actually lied about it.

They were reporting all kinds of wild stories that "Obama is out of the race" and "It's over" all while taking one little tiny snippet of what he said and spinning it. Is that what a news organization is supposed to do?

Call their viewer comment line and leave a message about their disgraceful "yellow" journalism of misleading viewers and distorting the facts.

CNN Viewer Comment Line 404-827-1500 -24 HOURS. Voicemail.

UPDATE, 4/13/08:

Please sign this petition from the Obama Campaign: you agree with Barack's statement about blue collar Pennsylvania!

UPDATE, 4/14/08: New video of Barack from Steelton, PA:



UPDATE, 4/15/08: Video of Barack saying all the same things he said about Pennsylvania, but saying it much better and in a much more relaxed context on PBS's Charlie Rose show:

PA blogs

Please comment on these PA blogs for Barack!

www.keystonepolitics.com


and

www.grassrootspa.com

Please post a comment: don't click on the article headline, but instead click on the comment link at the bottom right of the intro on the homepage. Be sure to vote for or against the other comments too!

527 ad slams McCain

DIGG!

Please go to DIGG and join up, if you haven't yet; it takes only a moment! It's a great way to win a broader audience for good articles.


Faith Forum

Carl Bernstein's View: a Hillary Clinton Presidency

This is a hysterical reality check, and something that we should really try to emphasise in PA. Locally, this story is just plain stupid. It's the mainstream cable new networks who are tyring to make it something it's not. And as long as we continue at the local level to push the positives about Barack's vision while at the national level continue to place as much pressure on the MSM as we can, we will ultimately succeed.

See....they guys with guns don't have any problem with what he said!

Have you seen the clips of Obama calling Hillary "Annie Oakley" and wondered why? She just told the world she's a gun nut and has been all her life! Let the shot of truth ring out:

Obama Interview on "Charlie Rose" in 2004 talking about guns & religion and how the Democrats need to address this to win elections! The exact same point HRC is calling him "elitist" for..

See....the newspaper endorsements just keep rolling in" "Small town" Allentown paper endorses Obama:

Scranton Times Tribune Endorses Obama while HRC was in her "home town" today slamming him. Ouch!:

Obama elitist? The comparative figures don't support THAT one. The majority of his money came from the proceeds from his books. How about the rest of them?

Oh, okay....I think I understand now where the money comes from:

Women are turning away from HRC:

Pittsburgh Post/Gazette poll

Please vote!

The question:

Of the presidential candidates, who is out of touch with the voters of Pennsylvania?

(Be careful!!! DON'T vote for Barack on this one!)

Obama's 10-point national lead is holding strong

...according to this new Gallup poll.

PA bus trip!

Footage from Barack's recent bus trip across Pennsylvania:

The Final Countdown

Counting the days to the end of the Bush administration! Thanks, Daily Show!

Now if only Fox News would decide to get real...



and part II:

wrapping it up...

...here's a great overview of the entire "First Lady in Bosnia" thing...

Yes, he means it...

...Barack Obama will not take money from lobbyists!

Check the update at the bottom of the article about the Clinton campaign, in contrast...

Politico.com quick vote

This poll is on their main page: will McCain win more independent votes than Obama? (The answer, of course, is NO!) Please scroll down a bit, and look on the right.

The Bullet Points

Baracky

Another voter jumps camps...to Obama

A Philly-area psychology professor explains how Sen. Clinton lost her vote. An excerpt:

To a great extent, I have to vote for the person of greater integrity, who will try to do the right thing most of the time - and I've lost faith in you. You finally lost me at Bosnia. Your claim to have been there during active hostilities has been roundly disproved, and your explanation that you misspoke or were too tired is, at best, lame.

And I'm sad. I wanted you to be what I think is the best part of you.

But, perhaps even more than that, I don't want John McCain. Don't get me wrong, I wish he (or anyone) had beaten Bush in 2000.

But after eight years of ineptitude, lack of moral rectitude and incompetence, I can't think of any reason that a Republican who has cuddled often enough with the Bush administration should be allowed to continue its missteps.

I will cast my vote in the primary for Obama, and hope that, while not perfect, he can unite the red and the blue into a purple nation.

I tried, Hillary. I just wish you had fulfilled your incredible potential.

Pro-Obama leanings...on Morning Joe!

Who'dathunkit?



Here's the Washington Post article they're referencing...

Larry King quick vote

"Who has the best Iraq plan?"

Please vote! Scroll down a bit...in the center of the page.

Obama a la Apple Computer

New campaign video featuring some of the women in Barack's life

Barack's sister Maya, his wife Michelle, and one of his grandmothers, Madelyn Dunham! This is a new ad currently playing in Pennsylvania.

WELCOME, CLINTON SUPPORTERS!

It seems we've garnered the interest of folks at the Clinton campaign, who seem to like the way we've compiled information to make it easy and quick to write letters to the editor, etc. In fact, this post on a Clinton forum suggests that The Obama Minute is put out by the campaign itself! What a riot!

If you like this kind of organization and empowerment coming from a mere citizen, you'll love the Obama Administration, folks...

I'm not the Obama campaign...I'm just one New Hampshire woman for Obama, that's all.

New AOL poll

Scroll down on this page and you'll find two polls. Please vote!

Is it any wonder...

...that so much of the USA is misinformed?

People actually absorb "information" on politics from The View.

Other than Elizabeth, the sole Republican (the blonde woman sitting on the right), all three of the women you see "debating" here are Clinton supporters. Looks like they've picked up her tactics and logic abilities along the way, as well.

Making a difference...

This video is 12 minutes long, but well worth the time!

Hillary's lies...in convenient list form

Real Clear Politics has done the heavy lifting and compiled a convenient list...

Pittsburgh Post/Gazette's column

The Pittsburgh Post/Gazette has a column called "Picking Sides" where letters from Clinton supporters are published alongside letters from Obama supporters (on the same issue). Please write!

pickingsides@post-gazette.com

New "yes we can" video

Lansing State Journal

Obama vs. McCain poll. Please vote! Scroll way down and the poll is on the right.

Richardson fights back against Mr. Carville

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has this to say about his endorsement of Obama (and lack of an endorsement for Sen. Clinton):

Led by political commentator James Carville, who makes a living by being confrontational and provocative, Clinton supporters have speculated about events surrounding this endorsement and engaged in personal attacks and insults.

While I certainly will not stoop to the low level of Mr. Carville, I feel compelled to defend myself against character assassination and baseless allegations.

Carville has made it very clear that this is a personal attack -- driven by his own sense of what constitutes loyalty. It is this kind of political venom that I anticipated from certain Clinton supporters and I campaigned against in my own run for president.

Read more here and make sure to DIGG it by clicking on "save/share".

John McSame

Please DIGG this video!