Clinton Obama Weblog

Analysis: GOP, Dems using wars to define Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:02:00 +0000

Democrat Barack Obama wants to prove he's ready
to be a wartime commander in chief. Republican John McCain hopes to
sell the idea that his rival is not.

The return of Iraq and Afghanistan to the forefront of the
presidential campaign illustrates how both sides increasingly seem
to view the race as largely a referendum on Obama, a first-term
Illinois senator trying to become the first black president.

"I will end this war as president," Obama said of Iraq and
promised anew that he would redirect U.S. efforts to Afghanistan.
The likely Democratic nominee struck a stately pose Tuesday as he
delivered a lengthy foreign policy address ahead of an upcoming
overseas trip. He spoke from a podium that said "Judgment to
Lead" set up before an array of American flags.

Was Jimmy Carter an energy prophet?

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:55:00 +0000

As I listen to President Bush suggesting that Americans turn down their thermostat and use less gasoline I have to ask myself, Was Jimmy Carter a prophet??

Most people don't know it but Jimmy Carter wanted to set a goal of obtaining 20 percent of our energy from solar power by the year 2000.

clipped from www.ajc.com

Can we now acknowledge that Jimmy Carter was right all those years ago?

Americans, who hate to be told they must change, roundly condemned Carter's memorable "Crisis of Confidence" speech of July 15, 1979. In it, Carter outlined a program for achieving energy independence: "On the battlefield of energy we can win for our nation a new confidence, and we can seize control again of our common destiny."

He was right in seeking to raise the fleet auto mileage standard to 48 miles per gallon by 1995. (Even U.S. automakers admitted at the time that they could easily achieve 30 mpg by 1985.)

Carter was right in exhorting Americans to turn down their thermostats, even if he did look nerdy in a cardigan while urging us to do so.

In his July 1979 speech, he was right when he said, "I am tonight setting a clear goal for the energy policy of the United States. Beginning this moment, this nation will never use more foreign oil than we did in 1977 —- never." That worthy goal quickly went by the board.

Obama Wants Tax Credit for Small Firms Offering Coverage

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:37:00 +0000

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

Barack Obama shed some new light on his health-care proposals this weekend, suggesting a $6 billion-a-year plan to offer tax credits to small businesses offering health insurance to employees.

Our Washington Wire blog notes that Hillary Clinton had made a similar proposal for small businesses, whose problems providing health insurance are among the biggest hurdles to universal coverage. The big annual Kaiser Family Foundation survey on employee health benefits found that 59% of firms with 3-199 workers offered health benefits in 2007, compared with 99% of firms with 200 or more workers. The issue was more dire for firms with 3-9 employees, where 45% offered coverage.

National Policy Discussion on Diagnosing Early-Stage Alzheimer's

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:32:00 +0000

clipped from abcnews.go.com

WATCH: The Bottom Line on the '08 Race

Obama on Clark: This is more like it.

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:54:00 +0000

A good concise post from the Daily Kos.

clipped from www.dailykos.com

Via Ben Smith at Politico:

"I guess my question is why, given all the vast numbers of things that we’ve got to work on, that that would be a top priority of mine?" Obama said, responding to a reporter who asked the candidate why he hadn’t called on Wesley Clark to apologize for his remarks yesterday. "I’m happy to have all sorts of conversations about how we deal with Iraq and what happens with Iran, but the fact that somebody on a cable show or on a news show like Gen. Clark said something that was inartful about Sen. McCain I don’t think is probably the thing that is keeping Ohioans up at night."

Deal lets U.S. drones strike bin Laden

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:50:00 +0000

clipped from www.washingtontimes.com

The United States has a standing agreement with Pakistan that CIA-operated Predator drones may strike Osama bin Laden's hide-out without prior permission from Islamabad, according to people familiar with the arrangement.

Measuring McCain And Obama's Bipartisan Efforts

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:46:00 +0000

clipped from www.npr.org

If there's one thing the two presidential candidates have in common, it's that they claim to be leaders in creating a new kind of politics.

Listen Now [7 min 35 sec] add to playlist

Election 2008 Theme Song

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:41:00 +0000

great car.

clipped from news.aol.com

So if any of you Democratic or Republican convention planners need a good theme song this year, I've got one for you: "It's Your Life" by 23-year-old Francesca Battistelli.

Wonkopshere

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:37:00 +0000

clipped from wonkosphere.com

McCain down 2% ,Obama up 2% on Jul 02 03:00 MST

Current metrics for all candidates. Change between Jul 01 23:00 MST and Jul 02 03:00 MST, if any, shown in parentheses.

Candidate Buzz Share Liberal Tone Conservative Tone
Obama 58 (+2%) average (-) high
McCain 38 (-2%) average low
Clinton 4 high average (+)
Paul 1 average average

The Death of Equities and the Housing Abyss

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:27:00 +0000

clipped from efhutton.blogspot.com

File this under food for thought.

This Business Week cover entitled the Death of Equities appeared August 13, 1979. It took about 3 years and then the market bottomed and started its big bull run.

Here is the July 7, 2008 cover of Business Week.

To you read about The Housing Abyss following the link.

Daily Kos: The Chameleon

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:01:00 +0000

The Daily Kos can be very entertaining. If you haven't been there, take a look.

clipped from www.dailykos.com

With the Republican brand in tatters, the President's approval ratings below freezing, and an angry electorate demanding change, the toxicity of the current political environment for Republicans is one not seen since the days of Tricky Dick:

Just 29 percent of voters say they have a positive view of the [Republican] party, compared with 51 percent who say the same about the Democrats; just 24 percent of voters say they have a positive feeling about Bush.

These are poll numbers that make the GOP's blood boil: 66% of Americans support health coverage for all, even if it means raising taxes; 76% of Americans think global warming in "a proven fact"; only 16% of Americans think abortion should be completely outlawed; 77%of Americans believe we should meet with leaders who are hostile to the United States; 57% of Americans support either gay marriage or civil unions; and 85% of Americans say a candidate's position on Iraq is "extremely important" or "important" to their vote.

AFL-CIO endorses Obama for president

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:57:00 +0000

clipped from news.aol.com

The AFL-CIO has endorsed Barack Obama for
president, uniting the nation's 15 million union workers behind the
presumed Democratic candidate.

The AFL-CIO already has been campaigning against Republican
nominee-in-waiting John McCain. The federation will now use its
$200 million in campaign money to also promote Obama's candidacy to
its 10.5 million members.

Standing United Against the Politics of the Past

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:57:00 +0000

clipped from my.barackobama.com

Once a former Sen. Clinton supporter herself before she met Sen. Obama in April 2007, Arna of Rockledge, Florida, thought it was important to welcome former Hillary supporters just joining our team.

Also listed in:
National Women for Obama

Video: Barack on the Economy and Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:54:00 +0000

clipped from my.barackobama.com

Clinton says her husband determined to help Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:51:00 +0000

clipped from news.aol.com

Hillary Clinton brushed off
suggestions on Wednesday that her husband, former President
Bill Clinton, does not seem to share her enthusiasm for
campaigning for Democratic White House candidate Barack Obama.

"He has said he will do whatever he can and whatever he is
asked to do," Clinton said, a day after her husband's spokesman
issued a one-sentence statement of support for Obama, who will
face Republican John McCain in the November election.

Fifth, Sixth, orSeventh Tour of Duty

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:46:00 +0000

If you are in the military you better get ready for your Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh Tour of Duty if MCCain becomes president

clipped from www.msnbc.msn.com

McCain: Only World War III would justify draft

Only World War III would prompt Republican presidential candidate John McCain to bring back the military draft, McCain said on Tuesday.

Many Americans are fearful the U.S. government will be forced to reinstitute the draft given the prolonged Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Asked about that possibility by a potential voter in Florida during a telephone "town hall meeting," McCain said: "I don't know what would make a draft happen unless we were in an all-out World War III."

The Political Junkie Raps on Race vs. Age, Campaign Finance

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:41:00 +0000

clipped from www.npr.org

Talk of the Nation, June 25, 2008 · Two polls on the upcoming presidential election are out this week, both showing Sen. Barack Obama with a lead over Sen. John McCain, but by different margins. One of the polls also broached the issue of race. While a vast majority of white voters said they'd be comfortable with a black president, the number of overall voters comfortable with a 72-year-old president entering office was far less.

Meanwhile, how big of an issue will money be in this campaign? The Political Junkie — NPR's Political Editor Ken Rudin — talks about campaign finance, the poll numbers and whether race or age are an issue to voters. Fred Wertheimer, president of the nonprofit group Democracy 21, and Republican strategist Tony Fabrizio join the discussion.

Listen Now [29 min 50 sec] add to playlist

Lucas: Obama is a Jedi

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:35:00 +0000

clipped from www.examiner.com

“Star Wars” creator George Lucas used his expert opinion to compare some of his famous characters to famous politicians Tuesday morning.

Lucas, who was on Capitol Hill to testify at the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Telecommunications and the Internet subcommittee hearing on universal service, was totally nonpartisan when it came to President Bush, declining to weigh in on our question: “Who is President Bush more like: Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader?”

“It’s up to the viewer,” he responded.

Lucas did, however, have one definitive answer: Barack Obama would most certainly be a Jedi. “I would say that’s reasonably obvious,” he said.

Unite for Change: Your Comments

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:17:00 +0000

clipped from my.barackobama.com

As the Unite for Change events get closer, supporters are sharing their comments about their excitement for this Saturday. Here are some of your comments...

Saturday is only four days away, but there is still time to sign up to attend a Unite for Change event in your city. After signing up, invite your friends and neighbors to join you.

A Serious Energy Policy for Our Future

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:15:00 +0000

clipped from my.barackobama.com

What we are seeing here – from the solar panels that power this facility to the Bombard workers who built it – is that a green, renewable energy economy isn't some pie-in-the-sky, far-off future, it is now. It is creating jobs, now. It is providing cheap alternatives to $140-a-barrel oil, now. And it can create millions of additional jobs and entire new industries if we act now.

Read the full text of Barack's opening remarks, as prepared for delivery . . .

Over 100,000 Citizens Have Declared Their Independence

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:00:00 +0000

clipped from my.barackobama.com

This is your chance to join them.

Panel seeks testimony from Rumsfeld aide

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:53:00 +0000

clipped from www.msnbc.msn.com

A congressional subcommittee voted Tuesday to subpoena an adviser to former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about the Bush administration's harsh interrogation policies toward terror detainees.

Douglas Feith, former undersecretary of defense for policy, had agreed to testify but changed his mind hours before he was to appear last week at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing.

Feith is believed to have been instrumental in drafting government interrogation policies in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, policies that critics say led to torture.

Obama Youth Vote

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:51:00 +0000

clipped from www.npr.org

Obama dismisses Dobson criticism about Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:45:00 +0000

clipped from news.aol.com

Barack Obama said Tuesday evangelical leader
James Dobson was "making stuff up" when he accused the presumed
Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible.

Obama added, "I think you'll see that he was just making stuff
up, maybe for his own purposes."

Rove: Obama's the Guy at the Country Club Holding a Martini Making Snide Comments About Everyone Else

noreply@blogger.com (Alzheimer's Reading Room) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:10:00 +0000

clipped from blogs.abcnews.com

ABC News' Christianne Klein reports that at a breakfast with Republican insiders at the Capitol Hill Club this morning, former White House senior aide Karl Rove referred to Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, as "coolly arrogant."

"Even if you never met him, you know this guy," Rove said, per Christianne Klein. "He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by."