Time and again in America, people of all races and backgrounds have overcome division and fear, and come together to uplift the country and create a more equal and just society. It’s part of what makes this country great.

With an African-American nominee running on a major party ticket and a woman on the Republican ticket for the first time in history, this campaign has seen Americans–men and women of all races–inspired to continue that great tradition, coming together to bridge the gaps that history has set between us in service of our national progress.

But let us be clear: while we have made great strides in this country when it comes to racial equality, we are not finished. Now, more than ever, we need leadership that understands that we live in complex times where too many are quick to judge another by the complexion of their skin or the sound of their name.

In the last few weeks, Senator McCain and Governor Palin, rhetoric at your campaign events has taken an increasingly dangerous tone that seems to ignore the precarious state of our progress when it comes to race and ethnicity.

Supporters at your rallies and other events have used hateful language and called for violence against Sen. Obama yelling “kill him!” “off with his head!” and “bomb Obama.”

For the most part, you have stood by in silence. In addition, you have also repeatedly made statements that somehow connect Senator Obama with terrorism. Your surrogates have emphasized his middle name. This is problematic and dangerous, and we believe helps create the conditions that have given rise to these incidents of violent rhetoric from some of your supporters.

Today, we’re standing together as Americans of all political persuasions to express our deep concern that the decisions of your campaign are contributing to a dangerous atmosphere of paranoia, division, and hate that, as we have already seen, has the potential to seriously harm our country and its progress.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

In these trying times, candidates seeking the highest offices in the land must call on the best in each of us, and call off the worst.

We urge you to join people of conscience from all races and backgrounds to reject the politics of division and fear, and come together to uplift the country and create a more equal and just society.

To read the Full letter and add your name to the 31,000+ other concerned Americans of conscience, visit: www.therealmccain.com

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In the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, they want to change the subject from the central question of this election. Perhaps because the policies McCain supported these past eight years and wants to continue are pretty hard to defend.

But it’s not just McCain’s role in the current crisis that they’re avoiding. The backward economic philosophy and culture of corruption that helped create the current crisis are looking more and more like the other major financial crisis of our time.

During the savings and loan crisis of the late ’80s and early ’90s, McCain’s political favors and aggressive support for deregulation put him at the center of the fall of Lincoln Savings and Loan, one of the largest in the country. More than 23,000 investors lost their savings. Overall, the savings and loan crisis required the federal government to bail out the savings of hundreds of thousands of families and ultimately cost American taxpayers $124 billion.

Sound familiar?

In that crisis, John McCain and his political patron, Charles Keating, played central roles that ultimately landed Keating in jail for fraud and McCain in front of the Senate Ethics Committee. The McCain campaign has tried to avoid talking about the scandal, but with so many parallels to the current crisis, McCain’s Keating history is relevant and voters deserve to know the facts — and see for themselves the pattern of poor judgment by John McCain.

So at noon Eastern on Monday, October 6th, we’re releasing a 13-minute documentary about the scandal called “Keating Economics: John McCain and the Making of a Financial Crisis” — it will be available at KeatingEconomics.com, along with background information that every voter should know.

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Now it’s time to strike back—to refocus voters on what we’ll get if we elect McCain president. So today, we’re launching a new ad that uses the facts to hit John McCain hard—reminding voters of his numerous ties to big oil companies and their lobbyists.

This is one of the top issues for swing voters—and the ad makes McCain’s record clear. But we can only get it on the air if enough of us chip in. Can you check it out, and chip in if you can?

Obama is going after McCain’s lobbyists, too. Yesterday he said, “If you think those lobbyists are working day and night for John McCain just to put themselves out of business, well I’ve got a bridge to sell you up in Alaska.”2

McCain’s ties to oil lobbyists are a real liability—voters are furious at oil companies for high gas prices.3 And McCain is showing how out of touch he is on economic issues: Yesterday, as the stock market plummeted, McCain said he still thinks “the fundamentals of our economy are strong.”4

Today, we can put McCain back on the defensive, just as Congress pushes to invest in clean energy by ending tax breaks for oil companies.

Watch our new ad:

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/myfriends2.html?id=13871-10464855-CeidVyx&t=3

Thanks for all you do.

–Noah, Joan, Marika, Ilyse and the rest of the team

Sources:
1. “Rove: McCain went ‘too far’ in ads,” CNN, September 14, 2008
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/14/campaign.wrap/

2. “Obama: Believe McCain? I’ve got a bridge to sell you in Alaska,” CNN, September 15, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=28512&id=13871-10464855-CeidVyx&t=4

3. “McCain and Obama: Neck and Neck in the Presidential Horserace,” George Washington University, August 20, 2008
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/543620/

4. “McCain: ‘fundamentals of our economy are strong,’” Associated Press, September 15, 2008
http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/14393

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Debbie Fischer, Colorado Women for Obama Volunteer Coordinator

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10. Nearly half of women voting in the Democratic primaries already support Sen. Obama’s candidacy. CNN compiled exit polling data from all the states that held primaries before West Virginia. Averaging the percentage that each candidate received from women voters in these states, the two Democratic candidates were only three points apart (46.6% for Obama, 49.6% for Clinton). Sen. Obama won the women’s vote in 13 states, compared to 16 for Clinton - and that’s not counting the caucuses where he won decisively, including among women.

9. Support for Sen. Obama among women is not surprising. His stands on issues important to women, from fair pay to reproductive justice to support for paid sick days and paid family leave, are strikingly similar to Sen. Clinton’s. He’ll be not just on the right side but a champion for gender justice. Above all, he has shown his commitment and ability to galvanize grassroots movements – the key to moving our agenda.

8. He has attributed his understanding of gender to the strong women in his life, including his mother, grandmother and wife Michelle. Having been raised by a single mother, he has insights into the lives of those who need food stamps to feed their families or have to choose between seeking health care or paying the rent. As an engaged father he understands the reality of work-life conflicts, but he also sees how these fall disproportionately on women, and how much more difficult they are for women without resources.

7. Our anger at the sexism that emerged in this campaign, from low-life hecklers to high-profile pundits, should stoke our determination but not determine our vote. At the same time, we must all oppose the racism that emerged in both blatant and coded ways and recognize that breaking that glass ceiling is also a blow to the Big Boys, one that weakens them and strengthens us.

6. Women can set an example of unity to build a stronger party that draws on the unprecedented turnout in the primaries among African-Americans, women of all races, young people and others who have too long been left out of political decision-making. Such a coming together will not only power an election victory, but lay the groundwork for significant social change in the coming years.

5. John McCain on the war: Sen. Obama’s early judgment opposing the war in Iraq puts him in an excellent position to take on John McCain, who has not only supported the war from its onset but professed to having no problem should troops remain in Iraq for 100 years. Women can’t afford a president who thinks “Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” is a stance to brag about.

4. John McCain on the right to abortion: not only does he oppose it, he’s pledged to fill any Supreme Court vacancies with justices who will overturn Roe v. Wade.

3. John McCain on health care: McCain voted against reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program for five years. His health plan provides $2 billion in tax cuts to the top ten health insurance companies, while allowing those companies to exclude people with pre-existing conditions.

2. John McCain on valuing families: When Congress was considering the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993, McCain voted to suspend it unless the federal government certified that compliance wouldn’t increase business expenses or gave employers financial assistance to cover any costs. He supports a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and campaigned for an Arizona constitutional amendment banning any legal recognition to gay couples.

1. John McCain on fair pay: He opposes the Fair Pay Restoration Act on the grounds that it will create too many lawsuits (this is like opposing OSHA inspections on the grounds that too many violations will be found). He also opposed raising the minimum wage and safeguarding overtime rights.

And did I mention John McCain?

Those of us who have been supporting Obama welcome the passionate, hard-working supporters of Sen. Clinton – as we will support her should the campaign turn out differently than expected. Every woman angry at the way in which gender discrimination has robbed our pay, crimped our opportunities, devalued our work in the labor force and in the home, minimized our pain and trivialized the barriers we face, now has a great opportunity to determine the outcome of this election. We also have a great responsibility, to ourselves and the women who follow.

ref:original source: Writes Like She Talks

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Looking at Obama’s record on trade issues and issues dear to working families—such as his commitment to passing the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)—the choice was clear for the Teamsters Union.

I’ve had several candid conversations with Obama. There’s no doubt in my mind that he has a genuine concern about not only our country’s trade policies, but about the hardworking men and women whose livelihoods and families are affected by them.

Every bit of the Democratic primary fight between Obama and Hillary Clinton, and every bit of the general election, will be an uphill battle to show people how important it is for the United States to have trade policies that take American workers into account.

Anyone who thinks our country’s trade policies do not have an impact on Michigan is mistaken. We’ve got the highest unemployment in the nation, and there’s a direct correlation between those numbers and bad trade policies like the North American Free Trade Agreement. Jobs have been lost. Factories have closed.

Obama has long said NAFTA was oversold since its inception, and will work with Canadian and Mexican leaders to fix it so it’s fair for American workers. Michigan cannot continue losing jobs, factories and other facilities as a result of NAFTA.

Obama understands that America needs fair trade policies that will create a level playing field with our trading partners. He understands that the corporate race to the bottom has had a devastating impact on our economy and our communities. Obama also understands that the trade policies of the Bush administration have done nothing to raise the standards of workers globally.

Labor will work closely with Obama to achieve a better balance — to keep good jobs in America and raise wages, establish benefits and improve working conditions abroad. He has consistently stood firm against agreements that would undermine our nation’s economic security.

But Obama realizes that the misguided trade policies of the Bush administration are not the only problems. As president, Obama will pressure the World Trade organization to stop countries from continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and nontariff barriers on U.S. exports.

Take the South Korea Free Trade Agreement, which Obama opposes (and Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, supports). While the agreement would be great for banks and telecommunications firms, it fails to ensure that American-made cars and trucks receive fair treatment in the Korean market.

America has an $11 billion deficit in automotive trade with Korea. Last year, Korea sold 700,000 vehicles in the United States, and the United States sold only 4,556 in Korea. This is largely due to the centralized regulatory and tax structure in South Korea that discriminates against our cars. The proposed agreement does not do nearly enough to change these discriminatory practices or enforce commitments by Korea to open its market.

Trade, of course, is not the only reason why the Teamsters Union endorsed Obama. He understands what working people are going through. He will fight for an improved health care system, retirement security and good jobs. He will join us in our commitment to rebuild our nation’s transportation infrastructure and will make appointments that make sense—people who will protect workers. A President Obama will ensure our toys and food are safe, the Environmental Protection Agency actually protects the environment and the Department of Labor enforces worker safety laws and wage and hour laws.

I am proud of our union’s support of Obama and will continue to stand with him in his commitment to a trade policy that benefits American workers.

Mr. Hoffa’s commentary originally appeared in The Detroit News on March 14, 2008.

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Historical analysis shows that the swing state map tends to change dramatically in cycles of about every three presidential elections. Also, in election cycles in which there is a general “kick the bums out” mentality among the electorate, it is doubly hard to predict swing states.

This is a time when the out of favor party can often lose even in traditional strongholds. It is a very good opportunity to make inroads, in this case, for the Democratic Party to make inroads in states that have been voting Republican.

Most of the analysis that I’ve seen tends to discount the importance of the African American and Latino vote and concentrate mostly on “white working class” voters. I think this is a big mistake. African American turnout has historically been important for Democratic success in presidential elections for some time now. States like Florida and Michigan often hinge on the turnout out of African Americans.

Two states not often mentioned as swing state possibilities are Louisiana and North Carolina, both potential Democratic wins depending on African American voter registration and mobilization. We also cannot forget the anti-war crowd when studying voter demographics. This group could also benefit Democrats in states like Oregon, Virginia and North Carolina.

Remember Jim Webb won in Virgina on a platform that opposed the Iraq War. Then there are those states are traditionally Republican but have Democratic governors and/or senators. Many of these are totally ignored in swing state discussions. They include Kansas, Nebraska and even John McCain’s home state of Arizona.

Obviously there are burgeoning Democratic or Democratic-Independent movements in these states or no Democrat could win in a statewide election. Even if the nominee can not win in these states, I think it is necessary to campaign hard in them.By fighting in these states, not only do you grow the movement, but you keep the Republicans on the defensive. The latter will definitely recognize the potential dangers of losing old strongholds. In the end, also there are always a certain percentage of people who only get motivated when they see things getting done on a local level. They will not buy into the idea that they’re states do not count and that they should contribute money only to help in the national effort.

This is no problem with the Obama campaign as Barack Obama has roots in community organizing. In the end, this development at the local level ends up netting more also at the national level as I think is demonstrated by Barack’s record-smashing fundraising efforts mostly collected from small and first-time donors.

Paul Kekai Manansala

http://www.myspace.com/paulkekaimanansala

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Forty-seven years ago, my grandfather Dwight D. Eisenhower bid farewell to a nation he had served for more than five decades. In his televised address, Ike famously coined the term “military-industrial complex,” and he offered advice that is still relevant today.

“As we peer into society’s future,” he said, we “must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow.”

Today we are engaged in a debate about these very issues. Deep in America’s heart, I believe, is the nagging fear that our best years as a nation may be over. We are disliked overseas and feel insecure at home. We watch as our federal budget hemorrhages red ink and our civil liberties are eroded. Crises in energy, health care and education threaten our way of life and our ability to compete internationally. There are also the issues of a costly, unpopular war; a long-neglected infrastructure; and an aging and increasingly needy population.

I am not alone in worrying that my generation will fail to do what my grandfather’s did so well: Leave America a better, stronger place than the one it found. Given the magnitude of these issues and the cost of addressing them, our next president must be able to bring about a sense of national unity and change. As we no longer have the financial resources to address all these problems comprehensively and simultaneously, setting priorities will be essential. With hard work, much can be done. The biggest barrier to rolling up our sleeves and preparing for a better future is our own apathy, fear or immobility. We have been living in a zero-sum political environment where all heads have been lowered to avert being lopped off by angry, noisy extremists.

I am convinced that Barack Obama is the one presidential candidate today who can encourage ordinary Americans to stand straight again; he is a man who can salve our national wounds and both inspire and pursue genuine bipartisan cooperation. Just as important, Obama can assure the world and Americans that this great nation’s impulses are still free, open, fair and broad-minded. No measures to avert the serious, looming consequences can be taken without this sense of renewal. Uncommon political courage will be required. Yet this courage can be summoned only if something profoundly different transpires. Putting America first — ahead of our own selfish interests — must be our national priority if we are to retain our capacity to lead.

The last time the United States had an open election was 1952. My grandfather was pursued by both political parties and eventually became the Republican nominee. Despite being a charismatic war hero, he did not have an easy ride to the nomination. He went on to win the presidency — with the indispensable help of a “Democrats for Eisenhower” movement. These crossover voters were attracted by his pledge to bring change to Washington and by the prospect that he would unify the nation. It is in this great tradition of crossover voters that I support Barack Obama’s candidacy for president. If the Democratic Party chooses Obama as its candidate, this lifelong Republican will work to get him elected and encourage him to seek strategic solutions to meet America’s greatest challenges. To be successful, our president will need bipartisan help.

Given Obama’s support among young people, I believe that he will be most invested in defending the interests of these rising generations and, therefore, the long-term interests of this nation as a whole. Without his leadership, our children and grandchildren are at risk of growing older in a marginalized country that is left to its anger and divisions. Such an outcome would be an unacceptable legacy for any great nation.

Susan Eisenhower, a business consultant, is the author of four books, most recently “Partners in Space: US-Russian Cooperation After the Cold War.”

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Watch and listen to the video:-> Yes we can

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