Sunday, October 7, 2007

This Week With Barack Obama, September 30-October 6, 2007

cross-posted @ daily kos


obama @ depaul university, chicago, il


Debate Schedule

October 30, 2007 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 15, 2007 - Las Vegas, Nevada
December 10, 2007 - Los Angeles, California
January 6, 2008 - Johnson County, Iowa
January 15, 2008 - Las Vegas, Nevada
January 31, 2008 - California

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Obama Apperances\Campaign Events

October 9, 2007 - Meet Michelle Obama, Iowa Falls, IA
October 9, 2007 - Town Hall with Barack, Londonderry,NH
October 9, 2007 - Barack at Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH
October 10, 2007 - Countdown to Change, Prince Georges County, MD
October 15, 2007 - Countdown to Change, Madison, WI
October 15, 2007 - Michelle Obama, London, England
October 29, 2007 - Michelle Obama with Congressman Patrick Murphy, Philadelphia, PA
October 29, 2007 - Countdown to Change, Charlottesville, VA

Obama Raises Over 20M Quarter Three
19M of the Obama haul is strictly primary money, only. Which brings his three quarter tabulation to 75M for the primary competition. Senator Clinton raised 27M, with 22M slated for primary money only, bringing her haul to 62M for primary money only.


luther college, oct 4

Obama's Riveting Speech about Iraq
Senator Barack Obama spoke on October 2, 2007 at DePaul University, in Chicago, IL. It marked his 5th Anniversary Opposition to the Iraq War.

Much can be said about his speech, which is one of his best, in my opinion. But a few things caught my eye and ear (video of speech available in video section).
Some seek to rewrite history. They argue that they weren’t really voting for war, they were voting for inspectors, or for diplomacy. But the Congress, the Administration, the media, and the American people all understood what we were debating in the fall of 2002. This was a vote about whether or not to go to war. That’s the truth as we all understood it then, and as we need to understand it now.

This is a direct hit to those who tried to say "they did not know that Bush is taking us to war". Only, one word comes to my mind, "PLEASE". If the American public knew this was a vote to authorize President Bush to go to war with Iraq, how could any politician try to use this excuse?
With all that we know about what’s gone wrong in Iraq, even today’s debate is divorced from reality. We’ve got a surge that is somehow declared a success even though it has failed to enable the political reconciliation that was its stated purpose. The fact that violence today is only as horrific as in 2006 is held up as progress. Washington politicians and pundits trip over each other to debate a newspaper advertisement while our troops fight and die in Iraq.

Can we all say, "Moveon.org"? To this day, I do not understand The Senate. For the senate to allow the GOP on the floor to grandstand instead of face the public and debate Iraq was ghastly. While we argue over a newspaper ad in which many Americans knew nothing about, nor care about, is truly unforgivable. Harry Reid. What were you thinking?
Well I’m not running for President to conform to Washington’s conventional thinking – I’m running to challenge it. I’m not running to join the kind of Washington groupthink that led us to war in Iraq – I’m running to change our politics and our policy so we can leave the world a better place than our generation has found it.

This is about challenging the establishment. What is the establishment? The ones who hold the power and have a "lock" on this country. The ones who do not want things to change, no matter what party affiliation is in charge. The ones who will not change anything concerning big business, lobbyists, and will keep the check flowing to the special interests. This is the challenge of the people for change. And the people must demand this by voting for change.
In 2009, we will have a window of opportunity to renew our global leadership and bring our nation together. If we don’t seize that moment, we may not get another. This election is a turning point. The American people get to decide: are we going to turn back the clock, or turn the page?

Text of Obama Speech; Geekesque; NY Times, Politico

This emphasizes what this campaign is about. Change. We either make it happen or endure with business as usual for decades to come.

Michelle Obama Puts Experience to Rest
Obama Gains a Convert in Independence
General Stumps for Obama


5th Anniversary of Barack Obama's Anti-War Speech
Audio/Video

Conversation with Barack Obama, NH, part one and part two; October 2nd Iraq Speech at DePaul University, Chicago, IL; Hardball, Iowa and New Hampshire Analysis; Speech in Des Moines, IA, October 2nd; Joe Scarborough Show part one and part two

Do Polls Miss Views of the Young and Mobile?
New Yorkers Must Register to Vote by October 12th, Download Form, Here


new iowa ad with general mcpeak

How Iowa Caucuses Work by demoinesdem
Presidential Public Financing by Adam B
The Joshua Generation: A Call to Obama Supporters
Hidden Vote

Early State Webpages
appearances and events are changing continuously, click on the state below for updated information

Iowa Homepage
Nevada Homepage
New Hampshire Homepage
South Carolina Homepage
Illinois Headquarters Homepage

Americans Abroad for Obama
As we see Michelle will be hopping the Atlantic to meet and greet many Americans for Obama Abroad, there are many groups who are doing their part in supporting Barack Obama. The Asia for Obama will host a fundraiser on October 19th. This includes a vast area of South Asia. If you want more information about Americans Abroad, click here.


waterloo, ia

New Des Moines Register Poll: Clinton 29, Edwards 23, Obama 22
This is a fluid poll with the MOE at 4.9%. Meaning? A tight race. Which explains Terry McAuliffe's visit recently and Clinton coming to Iowa from Sunday through Tuesday. The bottom line, she must win Iowa. Why? Secure the Democratic Nomination, period. If she does not win and Obama does, all the momentum shift his way and the "inevitable, strongest candidate" meme embracing Clinton crashes.

There are many Democrats not sure about Hillary Clinton, which you see a lot of "wait and see" action in the polling. Jonathan Singer indicated this for the recent South Carolina Poll. And many Iowans are finding her problematic as in this Washington Post article:
Long before the 2008 campaign began, Liz Belden thought she would support Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). As a feminist, she believed it would be good for the country to finally elect a woman as president.

Today, she supports Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), impressed by his intellect and what she believes is his capacity to unite the country. "I want a woman president who is the right person. I'm not convinced this one is," Belden said. "My problem with her is, too many times I feel she says things for political expediency."

As Belden spoke, others around the table in a coffee shop here nodded in agreement. Their reactions to the candidate who leads the race for the Democratic presidential nomination nationally offered some insight into why Clinton is in a competitive race in Iowa, whose first-in-the-nation caucuses will begin the nominating contest next year.

This brings us to the hesitancy and the double digit of undecideds in recent polling. Even the polling in which Clinton is winning, it is still that "but" factor out there concerning her. Another issue is that Iowans do want to feel that their responsibility in setting the "tone" in the primary is valid, important. That was vehemently expressed by David Yepsen of the Des Moines Register on Hardball earlier this week. (video of this in the video section) So, again, we have national polls which many are not relying on and many Democrats watching, waiting, for Iowa.

Obama Goes After Blackwater
Obama Talks About Growing Up Without a Father


new hampton, ia


shoutouts: war with iran, we can't afford it!; clammyc; 22,000 u.s. soilders denied healthcare; The Clintons and The Gores, a must read; psericks, mydd, front page blogger for obama; schip cost too much!!, bonddad; time for larry craig to resign, for good; sheddhead, is the coolest; tradgedy of marion jones; most democrats still undecided, by chris bowers; tmac goes to iowa, by brooklynbadboy; nyceve; c-span presidential library series, video; courage against conviction, then and now by samgrahamfelsen; anita hill

Troops Should Not Get Unexpected Tour Extensions
Q&A on Barack Obama
Youth and Politics


rock hill, sc

REGISTER TO VOTE HERE, DON'T WAIT, OR IT WILL BE TOO LATE!!
Winning the African American Vote

Obama: Torture is part of the problem, not the solution
Obama responded to a report in The New York Times that said the administration, while publicly denouncing torture, secretly allowed the most aggressive interrogation techniques ever used by the CIA, including “water-boarding,” sleep deprivation and slaps to the head, as well as keeping suspects in frigid temperatures for extended periods of time.

“We must do whatever it takes to track down and capture or kill terrorists, but torture is not a part of the answer — it is a fundamental part of the problem with this administration's approach,” Obama said.

He added that it is “time to stop telling the American people one thing in public while doing something else in the shadows.” more


With Iowa Polling Comes Other Things
For Clinton, the frontrunner status is only going to make her a bigger target for her rivals. Clinton is a big leader in national polls of Democrats. The only hope Barack Obama, John Edwards and Bill Richardson have of getting the nomination is to somehow trip her up or slow her down and Iowa represented their best opportunity to do that. If they could beat Clinton, or somehow upend her in Iowa, they might have a chance in other contests down the road.

Clinton is well aware of that and has been ramping up her efforts in the state to counter it. She knows her life will be a whole lot easier in later contests if she’s won Iowa first. She also knows the Obama and Edwards organizations are probably better than hers.

The bad news for Clinton - or maybe it’s good news in the perverse world of beating expectations - is that two-thirds of likely Democratic caucus-goers want someone else or haven’t decided on a candidate. That’s a lot of Democrats who are taking a pass on her. David Yepsen

Obama A Courageous Leader?
Michelle Obama

Obama: Support Unions, End War in Iraq
Speaking before a gathering of about 600 United Auto Workers Union members outside the UAW Hall, the Democratic presidential candidate hopeful made several references to his pre-campaign ties to organized labor, including his work as a community organizer in Chicago helping set up afterschool and job-training programs for steelworkers who were laid off after their plant closed.

"If the Democratic Party means anything, then it has to mean we value labor," Obama said. "If the Democratic Party stands for anything, then it has to stand up for your rights and your future."

Hundreds of union workers from Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota filled the front lawn of the UAW Hall as part of the union's regional conference. Obama arrived at 10 a.m. and began speaking 20 minutes later after being greeted by a standing ovation and a boisterous round of applause as Aretha Franklin's "Think" played over the sound system. more

Obama and the Pin Flap
Obama Wins Farm Bureau Poll in Nebraska
Hope to Surprise Clinton in Iowa
Obama, Harkin Write Bush About USDA Stance on Black Farmers
Obama Answers Questions on Debt and Abortion

Announcements

Building Up in Minnesota; New York Headquarters; DC for Democracy


Obama maneuver boosts civil rights cred
Barack Obama’s move to block a controversial nominee to the Federal Election Commission could help the presidential candidate burnish his civil rights bona fides and woo black voters away from Hillary Clinton.

Obama and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) this week put a hold on Senate confirmation proceedings for FEC nominee Hans von Spakovsky, who has been accused of diluting minority voting power during his time as a Justice Department lawyer.

Though the Senate is expected to revisit the nominations when it returns from a one-week recess, the hold was an astute political play by Obama. more


icebergslim’s last word: candidates and the nastiness that follows

I was sent a link of a diary written on mydd. The diarist was not only pleading for this nastiness to stop, but was trying to understand what do you get by being like this.

After reading this diary, I just had to shake my head.

This is partisan time. I have no doubt about it. Right now Democrats, the ones on the blogs, are partisan to their candidate, their choice. It is understandable. But the comments I read were not only over the top, but vicious to the extent that you actually end up looking at the poster’s candidate in a very different light. Thus made me find the diary by DHinMI and reminded me of this particular passage, so eloquently stated:
Not every partisan for one of the "big three" Democratic nominees is being a jerk. Many aren't. Some are just annoying. But every candidate has a cadre of profoundly obnoxious assholes whose behavior does NOTHING to help their candidate, but instead turns people off from supporting him or her.


The comments in the diary was about Elizabeth Edwards. I am not going to repost the remarks, you can click on the link, above, and make your own decision. But when have we sunk so low, that we now target a woman who has terminal cancer for political points?

All campaigns have ardent and hardcore supporters. Some are actually rationale in thinking, but others are, well, you know, too hot to touch. But we must all remember, when this campaign is over we must come together and rally behind the candidate.

I hope I do not have to read any more remarks so vicious about our candidates’ families, or themselves. There is nothing wrong with going after any candidate, but do it with fact, not viciousness. This brings nothing to the table to advance conversation, but only make many who come to these sites to learn and get informed, just want to go away.

Truly, olive branch time, for all of us.



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as in all mixed marriages, you learn to keep the peace. hobbes, edwards. snoop, obama. nuff said.

contact me @ icebergslim1047@hotmail.com