Barack Obama!

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

This was an interview on 31 August but look into those eyes and see they have it!
Biden will 'catch any blind spots' he has...

I noticed on Letterman last week that Barack's fast going grey at the temples.

Barack on Biden and Palin:

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Received this morning:

While Barack offered solutions, John McCain went before the nation to continue lying about Barack and to offer more of the same disastrous George Bush policies that got us here.

The Washington Post even said, "On Economy, Obama Offers Ideas, McCain Blames Rival."


Here are some key elements of Barack's plan:

• A $1,000 emergency energy rebate to help families with high fuel costs right now while putting $50 billion into job creation to get our economy back on track.

• Families making less than $250,000 a year will get a tax cut three times larger than under John McCain's plan and will face absolutely no tax increases.

• While John McCain has voted against raising the minimum wage 19 times, Barack would raise the minimum wage and set it to rise automatically with inflation.

• Invest $15 billion a year in green energy research to reduce our economy's dependence on foreign oil and create 5 million American jobs a year.


There's a big difference between the change we need and the Bush-McCain politics we need to leave behind.

Watch the video for more details and share it with your friends now:

http://my.barackobama.com/economyblueprint

How can McPalin keep insisting - out of context - that Obama will "increase taxes"?

Do GOP supporters all earn over $250k thus will be included in the tax increases?

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

OBAMA: NO 'BLANK CHECK' FOR WALL STREET

It's a busy week for both candidates in campaigning and preparing for their first debate on Saturday our time.
Both may be diverted to Washington to vote on the rescue package - and analyse and dissect it before a vote.
Luckily Barack only needs about five hours sleep a night!

Barack Obama said Sunday that the government’s $700 billion proposal to help stem the crisis on Wall Street should not be a “blank check” and should include help for ordinary Americans.

While saying that circumstances required decisive action and a bipartisan solution, because "your jobs, your savings, your economic security, your house" are at risk, the senator did not offer his explicit support for a plan that his campaign says he is still reviewing closely.

"As of now, the Bush Administration has only offered a concept with a staggering price tag, not a plan," he told a crowd estimated at more than 25,000 people. "Even if the U.S. Treasury recovers some or most of its investment over time, this initial outlay of up to $700 billion is sobering. And in return for their support, the American people must be assured that the deal reflects the basic principles of transparency and fairness and reform."

Repeating his sentiments from earlier in the week, Obama said the plan should not reward Wall Street CEOs responsible for the crisis, and should focus on helping homeowners stay in their homes. The recovery effort must include help from other nations in securing the financial markets, he said.

Stressing the need to begin putting in place regulations to avoid a repeat of the turmoil that led to a near market collapse, the Democratic nominee also plugged the economic stimulus package that he has advocated since before last week's meltdown.

"We have to come together, as Democrats and Republicans, to pass a stimulus plan that will put money in the pockets of working families, save jobs, and prevent painful budget cuts and tax hikes in our states," he said.

What was unclear was whether the senator would withhold his support for the government's proposal if the principles he laid out were not included.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/21/1430369.aspx

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Obama blasts McCain on economy (2:59)

Barack Obama says John McCain fought against common sense rules on economy.

Good common sense assessment!

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/22/cnn.poll/#cnnSTCVideo

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Obama vows deep cuts in spending

This will have a lot of folk watching their backs!

McCain has been using Obama's slogan of change. Will he now adopt his White House Monitoring Team idea?

Urging members of his own party to be just as fiscally tough as the most conservative Republicans, Obama said the $700 billion economic bailout plan proposed by the Bush administration and congressional leaders is forcing a renewed look at federal spending.

As president, Obama said he would create a White House team headed by a chief performance officer to monitor the efficiency of government spending.

"I am not a Democrat who believes that we can or should defend every government program just because it's there," Obama said at a rally. "We will fire government managers who aren't getting results, we will cut funding for programs that are wasting your money and we will use technology and lessons from the private sector to improve efficiency across every level of government."

"The only way we can do all this without leaving our children with an even larger debt is if Washington starts taking responsibility for every dime that it spends," he said.

"We are here because an ethic of irresponsibility has swept through our government, leaving politicians with the belief they can waste billions and billions of your money on no-bid contracts for friends and contributors, slip pork projects into bills during the dead of night and spend billions on corporate tax breaks we can't afford and old programs we don't need," said Obama.

"We cannot give a blank check to Washington with no oversight and no accountability when no oversight and no accountability is exactly what got us into this mess in the first place."

Obama warned that the election is hard fought because special interests are fighting hard to keep their place at the table.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5isOFwdbq0tsqatW6vJpkDRTI1gMgD93C58C80

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

There'd be a lot of baby boomers approving this ad: (30 seconds)

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Did anyone see Bill Clinton on Letterman tonight?

IMO he did a brilliant job in clearly and succinctly explaining why the economy was in its current state - with the IT bubble burst in 2002 and money injected by the government as well as low interest rates, to offset a recession, used by the wealthy by investing in property (instead of green-energy-creating jobs) and the role of derivatives and subsequently the sub-prime financing.
(He didn't mention household mortgages being re-financed for holidays)

He promoted Hillary twice as he mentioned her ideas over the past year for regulatory bodies, including one similar to one appointed in the 30's.

When Letterman suggested no-one would want to be president now, he insisted this was the perfect time:
'But low - sell high'. lol. It can't get much worse so whoever wins should look at it with great relish.

"Anyone who has bet against the US in the past 200 years has lost."

His advice was financial regulation cleanup, re-mortgages and investment to create jobs.
- Invest money to make jobs not more money... (with derivatives).

He praised Biden's history and value as VP and close friend of theirs.

He predicted that Obama would bounce after the debates and win in November by a larger margin than would be expected now. He did well.

 

[noirua]

Re: Barack 2008!

Did anyone see Bill Clinton on Letterman tonight?

IMO he did a brilliant job in clearly and succinctly explaining why the economy was in its current state - with the IT bubble burst in 2002 and money injected by the government as well as low interest rates, to offset a recession, used by the wealthy by investing in property (instead of green-energy-creating jobs) and the role of derivatives and subsequently the sub-prime financing.
(He didn't mention household mortgages being re-financed for holidays)

He promoted Hillary twice as he mentioned her ideas over the past year for regulatory bodies, including one similar to one appointed in the 30's.

When Letterman suggested no-one would want to be president now, he insisted this was the perfect time:
'But low - sell high'. lol. It can't get much worse so whoever wins should look at it with great relish.

"Anyone who has bet against the US in the past 200 years has lost."

His advice was financial regulation cleanup, re-mortgages and investment to create jobs.
- Invest money to make jobs not more money... (with derivatives).

He praised Biden's history and value as VP and close friend of theirs.

He predicted that Obama would bounce after the debates and win in November by a larger margin than would be expected now. He did well.

I think a main reason for the US problems was the sudden growth of China and Asia, that produced cheap goods for export. Following this there was a great demand for commodities and prices rocketed.
Demand from Asian countries grew and grew and this eventually caused a rapid rise in oil prices.
The US dollar was sold down big time and the US cash headed out of the States for the middle-east.
War costs had to be met and this impacted further on America.

There is no way out of the war in Afghanistan and it will become as large as the budget expenditure in Afghanistan and Iraq before.

Who ever was President would have been stuck with the same problems, and they will travel on into the next President's domain and he will not be able to avoid them.

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

How many Aussies will hold Debate Watch parties this Friday night?

... should be fun to watch the debate at 5am Saturday morning... for those still standing... or sitting!

From: Michelle Obama [mailto:info@barackobama.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 24 September 2008 4:48 AM
To: Doris *******
Subject: The first debate

Doris --

This Friday, we'll reach another milestone in this campaign -- the first debate of the general election, on September 26th at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Millions of Americans will tune in to watch Barack debate John McCain about America's foreign policy and our role in the world.

Barack will share his plan to bring the change we need -- to restore our place in the world, ensure security at home and abroad, and reestablish the United States as the world's economic leader.

Many Americans are still learning about Barack and this movement for change.

They don't know about his plans to restore the middle class, cut taxes for 95 percent of American families, provide health care for every American, achieve energy independence, improve our schools, and responsibly end the war in Iraq.

Many people also don't know that John McCain has voted with George Bush more than 90 percent of the time -- including to continue Bush's failed Iraq policies, not investigating the government response to Katrina, not supporting children's health care, not supporting college benefits for returning veterans, and passing tax cuts for the rich at the expense of the middle class.

This debate is a chance for Americans to hear directly from Barack. And with just a few weeks left before Election Day, it's more important than ever that we bring people together and talk about the issues that matter in our communities.

I hope you'll watch my short message and share it with your friends:

http://my.barackobama.com/debate

Thank you for all that you're doing,

Michelle

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Barack's strategy of having folk feel they are part of his campaign and have hope continues:

From: Barack Obama [mailto:info@barackobama.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 24 September 2008 12:51 PM
To: Doris *******
Subject: Greed and irresponsibility

Doris --

The era of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and in Washington has created a financial crisis as profound as any we have faced since the Great Depression.

Congress and the President are debating a bailout of our financial institutions with a price tag of $700 billion or more in taxpayer dollars. We cannot underestimate our responsibility in taking such an enormous step.

Whatever shape our recovery plan takes, it must be guided by core principles of fairness, balance, and responsibility to one another.


Please sign on to show your support for an economic recovery plan based on the following:

• No Golden Parachutes -- Taxpayer dollars should not be used to reward the irresponsible Wall Street executives who helmed this disaster.

• Main Street, Not Just Wall Street -- Any bailout plan must include a payback strategy for taxpayers who are footing the bill and aid to innocent homeowners who are facing foreclosure.

• Bipartisan Oversight -- The staggering amount of taxpayer money involved demands a bipartisan board to ensure accountability and oversight.


Show your support and encourage your friends and family to join you:

http://my.barackobama.com/ourplan


The failed economic policies and the same corrupt culture that led us into this mess will not help get us out of it. We need to get to work immediately on reforming the broken government -- and the broken politics -- that allowed this crisis to happen in the first place.

And we have to understand that a recovery package is just the beginning. We have a plan that will guarantee our long-term prosperity -- including tax cuts for 95 percent of families, an economic stimulus package that creates millions of new jobs and leads us towards energy independence, and health care that is affordable to every American.

It won't be easy. The kind of change we're looking for never is.

But if we work together and stand by these principles, we can get through this crisis and emerge a stronger nation.

Thank you,

Barack

 

[ZzzzDad]

Re: Barack 2008!

The gaffemaster (Joe Biden) strikes again:



Can you imagine if Sarah Palin (or McCain) had made this gaffe? The media would feature it all day long. But, not a peep from our Obamania media.

(Did you catch the gaffe?)



FDR was not elected until 1932 - the stock market crash was in 1929.

Oh, here is another point about that gaffe:

If Hoover or FDR appeared on television in 1929 or even 1933, only a few hundred people would have seen it. Television was still an experimental medium and wouldn’t be introduced to the public for at least another decade.

That Joe Biden - he sure is a treasure (for the Republicans).

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Barack leads in four battleground states.

The only poll that counts is on 4 November but like grains of sand on a beach, each one has potential.

This reminds me of a 100 metre sprint.
- The second runner has to hold their breath and focus on that extra burst to pass the other guy.
- The leader has to not look around but focus on that finish line.

The big question is, what will they look like this time next week?

 

[ZzzzDad]

Re: Barack 2008!

Biden puts his foot in it again - will this potent issue kill Obama in Pennsylvania, southeastern Ohio, and the coal region of Virginia and West Virginia?

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/Biden_No_coal_plants_here_in_America.html?showall

Biden: 'No coal plants here in America'

Some great rope line video from Joe Biden's recent Ohio swing, where he was asked by an anti-pollution campaigner about clean coal -- a controversial approach in Democratic circles for which Obama has voiced support, particularly during the Kentucky primary.

Biden's apparent answer: He supports clean coal for China, but not for the United States.

"No coal plants here in America," he said. "Build them, if they're going to build them, over there. Make them clean."

"We’re not supporting clean coal," he said of himself and Obama. They do, on paper, support clean coal.

The answer seems to play into John McCain's case that Obama has been saying "no" to new sources of energy.

In the primary, Biden opposed Obama's push for clean coal, which is seen as a way of maintaining or expanding America's coal-burning power plants -- many of which are in rust belt swing states.

Barack's head must be exploding in anger with this one! Biden wrote McCain's next commercial for the battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. This is America's coal belt, that just happen to be battleground states. Those coalminers are swing voters!!

Thanks Barack, the gift of Biden just keeps on giving!!!

 

[ZzzzDad]

Re: Barack 2008!

Wow, didn't even realize that Colorado and New Mexico (two more swing states) are also leading coal producing states:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/coal/statepro/imagemap/usaimagemap.htm

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Guess who said this today:

"All of you know the history lesson that the last person who succeeded in becoming president of the United States without winning the state of Ohio was Jack Kennedy. And that's been a long time."

"Look, have no doubt about it, the capabilities of Senator Obama to a debate -- I mean, he's very, very good.
He was able to beat Senator Hillary Clinton, who, as we all know, is very accomplished, very accomplished."

"Obama was able to, I think, with his eloquence inspire a great number of Americans.
So these are going to be tough debates."

Jewish organizers of an anti-Iran rally next week have dropped Sarah Palin from the event, days after Hillary Clinton pulled out.

Clinton aides fumed over what they saw as a slight by organizers, because they had no idea until told by reporters that Palin was supposed to attend too.

Hillary had agreed weeks ago to attend the rally, but abruptly backed out late Tuesday after learning of the pairing.

"Governor Palin was pleased to accept an invitation to address this rally and show her resolve on this grave national security issue."

He blamed "Democratic partisans" and Barack Obama's campaign for pressing organizers to dump Palin.

McCain's campaign did not explain why it thinks Democrats and the Obama camp were behind the rescinded invitation.


Guess who said this today:

"The American people need to know that we feel as great a sense of urgency about the emergency on Main Street as we do about the emergency on Wall Street."

"We are all in this together, and we must come together as Democrats and Republicans, on Wall Street and on Main Street to solve it."

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Re: Barack 2008!

There may be hope for the Democrats yet.

The latest poll looks as if Obama is ahead.

Its from the Washington Post.

Although McCain/Palin seem to have more mongrel in them and you need mongrel to win an election.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092303667_pf.html

gg


Economic Fears Give Obama Clear Lead Over McCain in Poll

By Dan Balz and Jon Cohen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 24, 2008; A01

Turmoil in the financial industry and growing pessimism about the economy have altered the shape of the presidential race, giving Democratic nominee Barack Obama the first clear lead of the general-election campaign over Republican John McCain, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News national poll.

Just 9 percent of those surveyed rated the economy as good or excellent, the first time that number has been in single digits since the days just before the 1992 election. Just 14 percent said the country is heading in the right direction, equaling the record low on that question in polls dating back to 1973.

More voters trust Obama to deal with the economy, and he currently has a big edge as the candidate who is more in tune with the economic problems Americans now face. He also has a double-digit advantage on handling the current problems on Wall Street, and as a result, there has been a rise in his overall support. The poll found that, among likely voters, Obama now leads McCain by 52 percent to 43 percent. Two weeks ago, in the days immediately following the Republican National Convention, the race was essentially even, with McCain at 49 percent and Obama at 47 percent.

gg

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

On Boston Legal this week, David E Kelly created a scenario for the Democratic Candidacy election.
He must have thought Obama needed help to win the nomination when he wrote this! (We view 6 months behind)

Now, a delegate in Massachusetts intended to vote for Obama even though Hillary had won the popular vote.
His character was 22 and achieved this position from volunteering for the party. Cute.

He was taken to court but his argument was upheld, that, as a delegate, he had a conscience vote.

As he thought Obama would make the better candidate he was casting his vote for him, not Hillary.
He gave good reasons.
Great show!


On to the presidential election: - It takes 270 of 538 electoral votes to win.

Currently predicted:
Obama: 202
McCain: 163
Undecided: 173

Since electoral votes are generally allocated on an "all or none" basis by state, the election of a U.S President is about winning the popular vote in enough states to achieve 270 electoral votes, a majority of the 538 that are available.

It is not about getting the most overall popular votes, as we saw in the 2000 election, when the electoral vote winner (Bush) and the popular vote winner (Gore) were different.

http://www.270towin.com/


HOW TO VOTE - For those who may not know:

Rather than directly voting for the President and Vice President, United States citizens cast votes for electors.

Electors are technically free to vote for anyone eligible to be President, but in practice pledge to vote for specific candidates and voters cast ballots for favored Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates by voting for correspondingly pledged electors.


Most states allow voters to choose between statewide slates of electors pledged to vote for the Presidential and Vice Presidential tickets of various parties; the ticket that receives the most votes statewide 'wins' all of the votes cast by electors from that state.

U.S. Presidential campaigns concentrate on winning the popular vote in a combination of states that choose a majority of the electors, rather than campaigning to win the most votes nationally.

My friends in Orange County are not usually interested in the election as the 270 electoral votes are usually reached by the time California gets to vote... so they don't need to, as the president is already decided.
Their voting starts hours later due to the time differential. This year they're hopeful they'll get to vote as it's so close.


If there is a tie in electoral votes:

Under the constitution, the election for president is thrown into the House of Representatives.

* The House must vote by states, with each state delegation having a single vote, and a majority of the states (at least 26 of 50) required to agree on the winner.


The Senate picks the next vice-president (the Senate's presiding officer).

* The Senate simply requires a majority of its 100 members to select the vice- president.


Hmm... So theoretically you could have Obama for president and Palin as VP?

Hmm... Perhaps they will get their first female president if Nancy Pelosi has to care-take while they decide!

 

[Julia]

Re: Barack 2008!

Doris, you'd have to say that in view of the current financial meltdown under the Republican watch, this election has to be pretty much unloseable for Obama.

 

[2020hindsight]

Re: Barack 2008!

Concerning the USD700Gigadollars bailout bill -

a) Whoever stops it will be blamed if there is an immediate recession/ depression. (no win for the Democrats) , and
b) Whoever inherits the fallout (assuming it is passed - and assuming it is the Democrats), could well find themselves up against a worse recession down the track.

Gotta be a no-brainer for Bush to help pass this bill (and retire claiming "all's well - so far at least" ) .

and gotta be a poisoned chalice for the Dems

The timing is atrocious (to my simplistic eye)

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Doris, you'd have to say that in view of the current financial meltdown under the Republican watch, this election has to be pretty much unloseable for Obama.

You'd have to think so Julia.

But too many people seem to believe McCain is a maverick and do not see him as being responsible for GWB's mess.

Not enough look behind the slurs he's made against Obama... They relish every chance to be aggressive.

Lots of young people (18 to 25) have enrolled but will they get out to vote? It's a work/school day!

But then the women who supported Hillary are now returning from McCain/Palin's camp.

This Saturday 5:00 - 6:30 am will turn the tide... you'd think. But McCain has set 'the orator' slur too.