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Sunday, August 31, 2008

Cogratulations To The University Of Kentucky Wildcats For Feasting On (University Of Louisville) Cardinals.


Is this a sign of things to come for both teams?

By the way, my Nebraska Cornhuskers won. I hope it is a sign of things to come for the team.

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After Katrina, Gustave Is Poised To Nag (Mayor Nagin) And New Orleans.

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Watch Barack Obama Discuss Why He Chose Joe Biden As Running Mate And What He Thinks About John McCain's Choice Of Sarah Palin For Running Mate.

Watch Sarah Palin On Glen Beck, And Pay Attention To The Dates.





You can watch more here.

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Meet The Republican (GOP) Presidential Family.



Watch McCain and Palin campaign together:



But she has to explain this to sho sho it away:

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You Thought Cindy McCain Is The Only One With Family (Sister) Problem, Right? Think Again. Sarah Palin May Have One, Too.



Read this.

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Maybe It's More Than You Care To Know, But Life Imates Art As “Californication" Drives David Duchovny Into Rehab.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

On U Of L's "Bride" And "Corpse" Robert Felner, The Concern For U Of L Was Not "Letting The Indians Get Back In Control Of The Reservation."



Yep, you read it right.

Check C-J here, or below is the story:

Ramsey: U of L took steps to fix Felner problems
But recent e-mails show praise of ex-dean by school leaders


By Nancy C. Rodriguez

University of Louisville administrators knew that problems existed with former education dean Robert Felner's leadership and tried "to improve the situation," President James Ramsey said in a recent letter to board members, donors and alumni.
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Felner is now the focus of a federal investigation into alleged misappropriation of grant money at U of L. No charges have been filed.

In his Aug. 22 letter, Ramsey said: "While we can't talk about personnel actions, we did take steps to improve the situation. Rightfully so, we have faculty who are hurt and disappointed by events of the recent years."

But e-mails that Ramsey and U of L Provost Shirley Willihnganz sent as recently as June to Felner praise him for his work, according to records obtained from the school by The Courier-Journal.

"You have done an incredible job here, and I am deeply indebted," Ramsey wrote in an e-mail to Felner in early June. "I do want to get together to chat and get some of your ideas on things still to be done with the College … cannot run the risk of letting the Indians get back in control of the reservation."

Ramsey was not on campus yesterday, and was unavailable for comment.

"It is important to note that the complimentary e-mails to Felner from university administrators were not about his management style, but rather his ability to achieve goals and objectives during his tenure at U of L," university spokeswoman Cindy Hess said yesterday.

Felner resigned June 30 to take a chancellor position at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. He backed out of that job in late June, after the federal investigation became public.

U.S. Attorney David Huber indicated this week the investigation may continue into October.

The investigation, which became public June 20, brought to light issues surrounding Felner's leadership at U of L's College of Education and Human Development and at other institutions he worked at before coming to Louisville in 2003.

Former faculty, staff, students and alumni have complained that Felner harassed, intimidated and retaliated against those who did not agree with him.
'Turn things around'

In his Aug. 22 letter, Ramsey discusses how the education college had changed since he became president in 2002.

Ramsey does not say what prompted him to send the letter, and university officials did not know yesterday. He does ask those who received the letter for their "support for the College and for the University as we continue to give our energy to meeting the mandates given to us by the people or our community and state."

In the letter, Ramsey said he was concerned with the findings of a 2001 report that raised concerns about "the college's effectiveness, its interaction with public and parochial school teachers and its indifference to its alumni's employment issues." Ramsey said his conversations with area school superintendents confirmed the report's findings.

Felner's "references were very good," Ramsey wrote, adding that when Felner was hired in 2003, "Our mandate to him was to turn things around and do it quickly. He became a change agent -- a role all of our new Deans have played."

Ramsey notes several gains made under Felner's leadership, including a 51 percent increase in grants brought into the college, from $17.9 million to $27 million, and a 27 percent increase in degrees awarded by the college, from 611 to 778.

He said Jefferson County Public Schools "now prefers to recruit U of L graduates over other colleges in the area."

As a result, Ramsey said, the administration "believed early concerns about the Dean's leadership style stemmed from the rapid change and heavy demands he had placed on his faculty."

Ramsey's comments echoed statements Willihnganz made last week, when she told The Courier-Journal that U of L initially dismissed early complaints from staff about Felner, but eventually found there were too many to ignore.

She declined to say whether Felner was asked to leave but noted that he took a large pay cut in accepting the Wisconsin job.
Focus of complaints

During Felner's tenure at U of L, more than 30 grievances and complaints were made against him by faculty, staff, students and alumni, many of which were anonymous or not considered formal. The allegations include a sexual harassment complaint, which the university said was unsubstantiated, as well as complaints of harassment, intimidation and retaliation by Felner.

In a July interview, Ramsey categorized most of those complaints as "anonymous crap," which angered a number of current and former faculty at the college and around campus.

In his letter, Ramsey notes twice that although four formal grievances were made against Felner, "none of those grievances moved forward as negative toward the Dean," meaning the process did not result in Felner being sanctioned.

He also downplays a no-confidence vote by education faculty against Felner in 2006, noting that only half of the college's 100 faculty members were present.

"Many of the members of the faculty did not vote, and a large number visited the Provost afterward to say that they supported the Dean," Ramsey said.
Concerns and praise

Several e-mails obtained by The Courier-Journal between Ramsey and Willihnganz include references to concerns over Felner's leadership at the college during the past year.

In an Aug. 21, 2007, e-mail to Ramsey, Willihnganz wrote that "Robert is still a handful."

Yet as recently as May and June, Ramsey and Willihnganz were sending Felner e-mails praising him for his work.

In May, Willihnganz e-mailed Felner as he was preparing to leave, saying: "I want you to know how proud we are of all that has been accomplished here. … I will miss you."

That same month, Ramsey sent a letter to David Britt, chairman of the department of health and sports sciences at the education college, in which he says: "Robert has done a great job making change in an environment where many of the faculty did not want change."
Calling for reviews

Ramsey stresses in his Aug. 22 letter to university boards, alumni and donors that at no time did the university "have any reason to believe that the Dean might have been involved with anything illegal."

When the university suspected that was the case, Ramsey said, it was brought to the attention of law enforcement authorities. Huber has confirmed U of L alerted his office to possible illegal activity.

Ramsey said the university continues to cooperate with federal investigators, and notes that it has taken other steps, including asking the Faculty Senate to review the faculty grievance process.

The university has directed its Audit Services Office to begin an audit of the education college's finances. An independent firm also has been brought in to conduct an audit of the university's business practices related to research.

In his letter, Ramsey gives his "absolute commitment" that the findings of all three reviews will be shared with the university's trustees. He also expresses strong support in the letter to Blake Haselton, the former Oldham County school superintendent now serving as the education college's interim dean.

"Healing must take place, and Blake is working with all of us to rebuild relationships and trust in the college," Ramsey said. "This will take time. Blake has found that almost all the faculty and staff are ready to move forward."

Editor's comment: Yes, indeed, "U of L took steps to fix Felner problems", as stated in this story.

You can read James Ramsey's letter here (HT to Jake).

So how did they do that?

By running a "reservation" style academic program where those who stood to benefit from Mr. Felner's corrupt actions "cannot run the risk of letting the Indians [the good guys here] get back in control ...".

If Felner's Foibles were not so sad, pathetic and SHAMEFUL, the attempt at denying blameworthiness/cover up might be funny.

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Dick Morris: SWEET PICK! KUDOS TO MCCAIN FOR CHOOSING SARAH PALIN FOR HIS VP.

Read excerpt below:

John McCain has reached for the stars and grabbed one. On a recent cruise to Alaska, I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Sarah Palin. She is brilliant and articulate and, in Alaska politics, is a breath of fresh air as an alternative to their corruption epitomized by Alaska Republican Senator Ted Stevens.

Now Obama, who has spent two years preventing a woman from being president, will spend two months preventing one from becoming vice president – and hopes to do so with women votes. The entire premise of the Democratic convention was the fungibility of Bush and McCain. Now McCain has vividly demonstrated the difference.

Sarah Palin is no Dick Cheney!

Editor's comment: we thank God for that last comment highlighted in red.

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Robert Novak: The Conservative Base Is Revitalized, And The Race Is Wide Open.

Read more (mostly about the Democratic convention), but below is a short excerpt on Governor Sarah Palin:

Following the Democrats' superb convention, Sen. John McCain gave his candidacy a needed shot in the arm with his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Palin is a pro-life, conservative reformer. But just as important, she is a woman and young. The conservative base is revitalized, and the race is wide open.

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John McCain's Running Mate And Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin's Husband And Son Are Registered Independents.


Read more here.

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Governor Sarah Palin And The GOP Want Hillary Clinton.

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Gallup Daily Poll From Yesterday Has Obama's Bounce At Eight Points Over McCain.


This week will tell us if it's gonna last, and what difference Sarah Palin has made.

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Barack Obama And Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Shoes.

The Democratic National Convention Is Over!

Friday, August 29, 2008

Person For The Week: Hillary Clinton.


The task of choosing a person for the week was a HUGE one this week.

It could have easily been Joe Biden, but he has so far been less than news worthy, in a commanding sort of way.

It could have been Michelle Obama, but no matter how good her performance was in giving her speech, she did not merit the accolade.

Barack Obama?

Well, he was supposed to be the week's subject but he was upstaged in that regard (other than for his news worthy text message that had EVERYONE on "pins and needles" waiting for that familiar ring tone that announced the arrival of a text message. Moreover, I found his speech less than inspiring, unlike his speech about Rev. Wright, which I felt was near MLK, Jr.'s "I have a dream speech".

So who is it?

When you think about it, Hillary Clinton managed to upstage Barack Obama, and her CLASSY act -- I know, I know, many of you do not think those words should be used in the sentence with the Clintons, but bear with me -- of moving for Obama to be nominated by acclamation, together with the press wondering if her presence at the convention was an impending train wreck qualifies her as our person for the week.

John McCain qualifies for honorable mention for his SURPRISE pick of Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, as VP candidate, and only missed the person for the week honor because he has not generated enough news for the week.

I'll let you guess who might be shaping up to be next week's person for week.

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Vladmir Putin Of Russia Wags Finger, Blames President Bush For Georgia Conflict.


Read more.

You can tell that Putin is STILL the boss, can't you tell?

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Dick Morris: A STRATEGIC OPENING FOR MCCAIN.

A STRATEGIC OPENING FOR MCCAIN
By DICK MORRIS

Many political campaigns run against the wrong candidate. The opportunity to pick on a vulnerable target is so tempting that they are lured into attacking someone who isn’t running. In 1992, the Republicans unleashed their convention barrage at Hillary and left Bill unscathed. In 1996, Dole still ran against Clinton the liberal and ignored the changes in his political positioning. Campaigns go after the flaming red cape, so glittering a target, and leave the matador alone.

That’s what the Democratic convention has been doing in Denver. They are so anxious to run against Bush, their animosity is so pent up, that they persist in running against a man who is not seeking a third term. In speech after speech, the Democrats knock the Bush record and then add, lamely, that McCain is the same as Bush. Or they call the McCain candidacy Bush’s third term. It was no accident — or Freudian slip — when Joe Biden spoke of John Bush instead of George in his litany of attacks.

This pattern of shooting at the decoy, not the duck, gives McCain a bold strategic opportunity. He can nullify the impact of the entire Democratic convention simply by distancing himself from Bush.

The truth is, of course, that McCain is the most unlike Bush of any of the Republican senator. (When Obama’s people claim that Bush and McCain voted the same 94 percent of the time, they forget that most of the votes in the Senate are unanimous.) The fact that McCain backs commending a basketball team on its victory doesn’t mean that he is in lockstep ideologically with the president.

The issues on which McCain and Bush differ are legion:

* McCain fought for campaign finance reform — McCain-Feingold — that Bush resisted and ultimately signed because he had no choice.

* McCain led the battle to restrict interrogation techniques of terror suspects and to ban torture.

* McCain went with Joe Lieberman on a tough measure to curb climate change, something Bush denies is going on.

* McCain opposed the Bush tax cuts when they passed.

* McCain urged the Iraq surge, a posture Bush rejected for years before conceding its wisdom.

* McCain favors FDA regulation of tobacco and sponsored legislation to that effect, a position all but a handful of Republican senators oppose.

* McCain’s energy bill, also with Lieberman, is a virtual blueprint for energy independence and development of alternate sources.

* After the Enron scandal, McCain introduced sweeping reforms in corporate governance and legislation to guarantee pensions and prohibit golden parachutes for executives. Bush opposed McCain’s changes and the watered-down Sarbanes-Oxley bill eventuated.

* McCain has been harshly critical of congressional overspending, particularly of budgetary earmarks, a position Bush only lately adopted (after the Democrats took over Congress).

Remember that McCain ran against Bush in 2000.

McCain’s Republican advisers need to realize that they won the primary and that they do not need to cotton to the delegates at their convention or to appease the Bush White House. The more they respond to Obama’s and Biden’s attacks on Bush by saying, “It ain’t me, babe,” the more he will moot the entire purpose of the Democratic convention.

It is a rare opportunity to nullify the entire Democratic line of attack, and McCain should seize on it.

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Ok, Ok, Hold Your Horses, Here's Barack Obama.






Below is the text:

Text of Barack Obama's speech

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama
"The American Promise"
Democratic Convention
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
Denver, Colorado
As Prepared for Delivery


To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation;

With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.

Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest — a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours — Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.

To the love of my life, our next First Lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia — I love you so much, and I'm so proud of all of you.

Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story — of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.

It is that promise that has always set this country apart — that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.

That's why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women — students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors — found the courage to keep it alive.

We meet at one of those defining moments — a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.

Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can't afford to drive, credit card bills you can't afford to pay, and tuition that's beyond your reach.

These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.

America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.

This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.

This country is more generous than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he's worked on for twenty years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.

We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.

Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land — enough! This moment — this election — is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."

Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we'll also hear about those occasions when he's broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.

But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change.

The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives — on health care and education and the economy — Senator McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made "great progress" under this President. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisors — the man who wrote his economic plan — was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a "mental recession," and that we've become, and I quote, "a nation of whiners."

A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud auto workers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know.

Now, I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than one hundred million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people's benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?

It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.

For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy — give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is — you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps — even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.

Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America.

You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.

We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was President — when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.

We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job — an economy that honors the dignity of work.

The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great — a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.

Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton's Army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.

In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.

When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago who I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.

And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She's the one who taught me about hard work. She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.

I don't know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as President of the United States.

What is that promise?

It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.

It's a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.

Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves — protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.

Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.

That's the promise of America — the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.

That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am President.

Change means a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.

Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.

I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.

I will cut taxes — cut taxes — for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.

And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Washington's been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he's said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.

Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.

As President, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I'll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I'll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I'll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy — wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced.

America, now is not the time for small plans.

Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American — if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.

Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.

Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.

Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.

And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day's work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons.

Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I've laid out how I'll pay for every dime — by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less — because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy.

And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America’s promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength." Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can't replace parents; that government can't turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need.

Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility — that's the essence of America's promise.

And just as we keep our keep our promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America's promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have.

For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell — but he won't even go to the cave where he lives.

And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush Administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we're wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.

That's not the judgment we need. That won't keep America safe. We need a President who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.

You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in eighty countries by occupying Iraq. You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice — but it is not the change we need.

We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans — Democrats and Republicans — have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.

As Commander-in-Chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.

I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.

These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.

But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.

The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America — they have served the United States of America.

So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.

America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose — our sense of higher purpose. And that's what we have to restore.

We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise — the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.

You make a big election about small things.

And you know what — it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.

I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don’t understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.

For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us — that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it — because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.

America, this is one of those moments.

I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it. I've seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I've seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands.

And I've seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they'd pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.

This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit — that American promise — that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours — a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.

And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.

The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead — people of every creed and color, from every walk of life — is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.

"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."

America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise — that American promise — and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.

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Here's A Preview.

And Then There's Michelle Obama.


Read her message below:

Osi --

The first time I ever heard Barack speak was at a community meeting on the South Side of Chicago.

He won me over with the same message that inspired millions last night.

He told people who'd been knocked down that, despite everything, we need to set our sights on a better place around the bend -- and that it's up to each one of us to fight for it.

That's where you come in.

More than two million supporters already own a piece of this extraordinary campaign. Will you join them by making your first donation right now?

Make a donation of $5 or more today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/lastnight

Now that the convention is over, time will fly between now and Election Day.

And the next two days are especially important.

The August fundraising deadline is this Sunday at midnight, and we can prove that a campaign funded by grassroots supporters can compete with John McCain and the Republicans.

The past four days in Denver -- and the amazing event last night -- showed the country that Americans are ready for change.

Now it's up to each of us to make it happen.

Thanks for everything you're doing,

Michelle

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I Know, I Know. You Are Waiting To Hear From Barack Obama, Right? Well, Start With This First.

"I Was Once A Republican".

Now Here's The DNC's Howard Dean And Former Vice President, Al Gore.

A King And Another Join The Democrats And Remembers His Dad.

Cindy McCain's Sister Will Vote For Barack Obama. How Embarrassing.


Read the embarrassing story, but will the pick of Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as John McCain's VP pick help change her mind?.

I guess we'll see.

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Do You Want To Know More About Alaska Governor Sarah Palin? Check Out These Videos.

Follow this link.

Enjoy.

Below are some teasers (ht to TO):

John McCain's running mate was a political unknown before making history in 2006 by becoming both the first female governor of Alaska and the youngest at the age of 42.

So what does Sarah Palin stand for? Here we take a brief look at her positions - in her own words.

On drilling in ANWR (the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve): "It will work. Senator McCain's wrong on that issue ... I think he's going to evolve into eventually supporting ANWR opening. Obama is way off base on all that. I think those politicians who don't understand that we need more domestic supplies of energy thrown into our hungry markets are living in La-La land." (Watch video)

On being vice-president: "What is it exactly that the VP does every day? I'm used to being very productive and working real hard and being in administration." (Watch video)

On the Wooten scandal (allegations that she fired a cabinet official over his reluctance to fire her brother-in-law as a state trooper during a custody battle with her sister): "A couple of lawmakers who were unhappy with that decision are looking at me as a target right now and wanting to probe and find out why I replace this cabinet member. And it's cool, I want them to ask me these questions, I don't have anything to hide and didn't do anything wrong there, it is a governor's prerogative. ... I never tried to fire my former brother-in-law." (Watch video)

On capital punishment: "If the (Alaskan state) legislature passed a death penalty law, I would sign it. We have a right to know that someone who rapes and murders a child or kills an innocent person in a drive by shooting will never be able to do that again."

On listing the polar bear as an endangered species: "We are suing the federal government, recognising that the Endangered Species Act is not a place to kind of mess around with listing as threatened a species that right now is very very healthy ... Our fear being that extreme environmentalists will use this tool to eventually curtail or halt North Slope production of very rich resources that America needs." (Watch video)

On smoking marijuana in her youth: "I can't claim a Bill Clinton and say that I never inhaled."

On abortion: "(I am as) pro-life as any candidate can be. ... (I have) adamantly supported our cause since I first understood, as a child, the atrocity of it."

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Gallup Poll: Barack Obama Gets Six Percentage Points Convention Bump.


Read more here.
But will it last?

Let's see what the Republicans can do next week.

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Ok, It's NOW Official. It's John McCain/Sarah Palin GOP Ticket, And I ABSOLUTELY Loved EVERYTHING She Had To Say.


I'll update this post later with an embed.

Did I say I am VERY happy with John McCain's pick.

OK, while you wait, here's a tidbit: When Sarah was in high school, her last name was Barracuda.

Is that a hint, you ask?

Maybe.

Stay tuned.

Below is a statement from John McCain:


My Friends,

I am honored to announce that I have chosen Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as my choice for the Republican nominee for Vice President. As a father with three daughters, I can't express how proud I am to choose the first female Republican Vice-Presidential nominee.

Sarah Palin is a trailblazer and a reformer. As the first female governor of Alaska, she challenged a corrupt system and has been a tireless advocate for reform - passing a landmark bill on ethics reform. She has taken on the old politics in Alaska and reformed the state's energy industry. She rejects wasteful pork barrel spending. She's fearless - exactly the type of leader I want at my side and the type of leadership we will bring to Washington.

My friends, together Sarah Palin and I make the strongest presidential ticket and I know that she joins me in asking for your support as we head into our Convention week in Minnesota. We're shaking things up in this campaign - and Governor Palin and I are ready to bring real reform to Washington.

The polls indicate this will be a tight race as we head into the fall campaign against Senators Obama and Biden. I expect the polls to remain close all the way up to Election Day and that is why any help you can give today will go a long way to make history on November 4th.

You may already know that I have decided to accept federal matching funds for the final months of this campaign- keeping a campaign promise I made. But that means that August 31st marks the last day I can accept your primary contribution. Will you make an immediate donation of whatever you can give- whether it's $50 or $500 to ensure Governor Palin and I win in November?

You can be assured that as President and Vice President, Governor Palin and I will always put country before all else. We are ready to lead and I ask that you join our campaign today. Your support is deeply appreciated.
Sincerely,

John McCain

P.S. I have chosen Governor Sarah Palin as my running mate and today we will hold a joint campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio. Please tune in to any of the cable news stations to watch this rally at noon eastern time. After watching the rally, I hope you'll visit my website to financially support our ticket as we head into next week's Republican Convention. Thank you.

Update: Here's the embed I promised:

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BREAKING NEWS: It's Unofficially Official; John McCain Chooses Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, As VP Running Mate. She Appears As An EXCELLENT Choice.


The following is from the New York Times:

Ms. Palin ran as a change agent when she was elected as governor of Alaska in 2006, and in a move that might have appealed to Mr. McCain, she took political heat from members of her own party for turning the spotlight on the failures of Alaska Republicans, some of whom had been beset by corruption scandals.

She opposes abortion rights, which could help pacify social conservatives who were wary as rumors swirled that Mr. McCain might pick a running mate who supports them. But she differs with Mr. McCain on a controversial environment issue that centers on her home state: she supports drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve. Mr. McCain’s opposition to drilling — even after he changed positions and began advocating for off-shore oil drilling — has upset many Republicans.

Check out more here.

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Joel Pett REVEALS John McCain's Running Mate.

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NOT Romney (Thank God); Not LIEberman; Not Ridge; And NOT Pawlenty, But Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin?


That's the latest scutterbug.

Folks, no matter what you may think, picking a woman makes ABSOLUTE sense, and it would be the fake out I predicted here on the previous post.

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John McCain Is Expected To Have Pawlenty To Say Today.


Yes, he is, but he could also fake us out!

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Thursday, August 28, 2008

Mitch McConnell's Campaign Weekly Update.

August 12, 2008
To: Friends and Allies of Team Mitch
Fr: Justin Brasell & Scott Jennings, Campaign Advisors
Re: Weekly Campaign Update
________________________________________
Another week, another round of ads in the campaign
Some things never change: Bruce Lunsford keeps hurling hypocritical, baseless accusations at Senator McConnell while our campaign continues to talk about a solution to high gas prices.
• Senator McConnell’s new ad, pointing out the differences between the candidates on expanded oil drilling, can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkbxIX3UHoM
• And our response ad rebutting the false and outrageous charges in Lunsford’s ad can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yLOSIkQppk

While Bruce Lunsford went up on the air last week attacking Senator McConnell yet again with outlandish accusations, another player entered the ring: the AFL-CIO. We knew they were coming. After all, they know Sen. McConnell is the firewall in the U.S. Senate against their legislation that would take away the secret ballot in labor union elections (would you want a big labor boss looking over your shoulder while you voted?).
The AFL-CIO started running a radio ad this week regurgitating the same tired rhetoric we’ve seen them use in campaigns past. They’ve hauled out the class warfare playbook, saying that if you got a tax cut from Republicans you must be “wealthy.”
Here are the facts: Sen. McConnell has supported tax cuts for people who pay taxes, and he believes lower taxes stimulate the economy and help create jobs. In fact the tax cuts that Senator McConnell supported made is so any Kentuckian paying federal income tax now owes less money, and took thousands Kentuckians off of the federal income tax rolls completely.
Bruce Lunsford and Barack Obama have already stated their intentions to roll back tax cuts passed in the last 7 years. Their plan is to raise taxes on every household making over $42,000 a year (apparently the threshold of what they consider wealthy).
If you hear people talking about tax cuts or these radio ads, don’t be afraid to remind them of the clear choice in this political campaign: Mitch McConnell is a solid vote and voice for lower taxes; Bruce Lunsford has a proven record of raising taxes (including gasoline taxes) and will follow the Obama line on rolling back tax cuts.
Kentucky Farm Bureau Debate
Senator McConnell and Bruce Lunsford met last week for the first debate of the campaign in front of the leadership of the Kentucky Farm Bureau. Senator McConnell made his argument for reelection: he has the clout to get more done for Kentucky, especially our farming community. It would be foolish to trade in someone in Sen. McConnell’s position for a rookie who, just a few years younger than McConnell, will never achieve the level of seniority McConnell has used to deliver for the Commonwealth. Watch the debate here.
Throughout the forum, McConnell returned over and over to three themes -- energy, clout and what he said was Lunsford's allegiance to the AFL-CIO. He said the labor organization is diametrically opposed to the interests of the farm bureau.
McConnell said that Republicans have the best solutions for high gas prices and that as Senate minority leader he can get more done than a freshman Democrat.
And he said that the labor unions supporting Lunsford would control him in Washington.
"I'm not there to do the bidding of organized labor like my opponent," McConnell said. "If they deliver for him, believe me, he'll deliver for them."
He also said that Lunsford's farm upbringing "isn't relevant" to how he would perform in the Senate and questioned Lunsford's resolve to lower capital gains taxes, which are not indexed for inflation.
He said Democratic leaders in the Senate would never allow a budget bill with such a tax cut, and "the chances of a freshman legislator voting against a budget resolution is nil."
Courier-Journal, August 21, 2008
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/NEWS0106/808210468
By the way, did you catch liberal Herald-Leader columnist Larry Dale Keeling’s thoughts on Lunsford’s stump speaking? From August 24’s edition…
When he’s winging it, Lunsford also can go overboard trying to establish his ”folksy“ street cred with anecdotes about his childhood on a farm and his father’s work as a ”pinhooker.“ In the first place, you have to be a certified old fogy like me to have even the most remote idea what a pinhooker is without typing it into Google.
Second, no matter how humble his beginnings, ”folksy“ is a hard act for a Thoroughbred-owning, movie-producing businessman who has blown upwards of $15 million of his considerable personal wealth on three, as yet unsuccessful, runs at public office.
Besides, as Senate Minority Leader McConnell noted when the two debated before the Kentucky Farm Bureau Thursday, Lunsford’s farm upbringing is irrelevant.
In some campaigns, touting such roots as a means of connecting with the public has value. But this isn’t one of those campaigns.
Senator McConnell, Cong. Chandler Show Bipartisan Progress in Richmond
Last week, Senator McConnell and Congressman Ben Chandler showed how well they are working together to help cleanup chemical weapons at the Bluegrass Army Depot in Richmond. The Herald-Leader picks up the coverage on August 25:
The destruction of the chemical weapons at the Blue Grass Army Depot has loomed over the heads of Sen. Mitch McConnell and Congressman Ben Chandler since both men entered office.
Now well into their political careers, the Kentucky lawmakers said Thursday they are pleased with the progress of the construction of a facility that will destroy the chemical weapons.
McConnell, R-Ky., and Chandler, D-Ky., who last year successfully pushed for a 2017 deadline of the weapons disposal, addressed the public after a tour of the depot’s Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant.
“This is an issue that transcends any kind of politics,” Chandler said. “This is an issue about our people.”
During their brief addresses in Richmond City Hall, McConnell and Chandler said they thought the 2017 deadline for the disposal of the weapons can be met, despite a July report from the Department of Defense that says the deadline won’t be met unless officials consider other options.
The lawmakers said it will take more money and cooperation with the Pentagon to finish the project on time.
-http://www.kentucky.com/211/story/497763.html

More August Travel Across the Commonwealth: McConnell Stops in Murray
Senator McConnell kept up his hectic August schedule this week, visiting Murray, Kentucky, for several events. The Murray Ledger & Times has coverage of Senator McConnell’s speech:
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., addressed the high costs of gasoline during the Murray-Calloway County Economic Development Corporation's annual awards luncheon Friday.
While some herald the high costs as a way to get people out of their vehicles and utilizing public transportation, McConnell said the fact is that for most Americans “the automobile is indispensable.”
The law of supply and demand is one reason, McConnell said that gas prices have sky rocketed. With countries like India and China making modern day progress, the demand for fuel has increased.
In 2007, 87 million barrels of oil were used daily across the world; 21 billion were used in the United States with 12 being imported and nine produced.
McConnell's proposed solution is to find more and use less.

“We need to do absolutely everything,” he said. “There is a realistic way to cut oil imports in half.”
Finding one-third more U.S. oil is on McConnell's agenda.
“We are the only country in the world that locks up so much potential supply,” he told the gathering at Murray Country Club. McConnell added that there is enough oil shale in three western states to triple the oil reserves in Saudi Arabia.
The second component of McConnell's proposal was to use one-third less imports. “We are not too far away from the time all of us will be plugging in our cars and trucks at night,” he said. “Battery driven cars are not that far away.”
One of the reasons why McConnell believes battery powered cars are in the near future is because “the delivery system of plug-in cars is already there.”

Thanks for all you are doing on the campaign trail. Let us know if you have any questions, comments, or ideas for carrying our campaign’s message.
Days Until Election Victory: 69

Paid for by McConnell Senate Committee 2008
www.TeamMitch.com

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The BAD Economy Is Still All In Our Heads Right?

Expect Cold Chill, As Russia Makes It Clear It's Not Afraid Of Renewed "Cold War" With The West.

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And The Red Necks Are For Obama, Too?


Well, I'll be ... !

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And While We Wait For Barack Obama's Speech, We Need NOT Be Reminded That We Got Had.

Osi --

When Barack takes the stage tonight, he'll look out at delegates from every corner of the country and tens of thousands of ordinary people who are here to be part of this historic moment.

But in the very first row he'll see a group of people who are here because they took ownership of the political process just like you. Some gave just five dollars.

They represent you and more than two million Americans who own this campaign. You have been at the core of this movement and our success would not have been possible without you.

On this final day before Barack formally accepts the Democratic nomination, please celebrate the moment and lay the foundation for our victory in November by making a donation of $25 or more now:

https://donate.barackobama.com/frontrow

Barack is ready. The crowd filling this stadium at this very moment is ready. And America is ready for the change we need.

It's within your grasp to make that happen.

Thank you,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

P.S. -- Be sure to tune in to watch Barack accept the Democratic nomination tonight.

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While We Wait For Barack Obama To Speak, Celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's, "I Have A Dream Speech".




Nothing more needs to be said.

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And The Surprise Is ... .

And Here's Joe Biden.

And Here's John Kerry, As He Declares "The Stakes Could Not Be Higher".



Any thoughts?

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Ok, You've Waited Long Enough For Bill "BUBBA" Clinton. Here He Is!



What say ye about his speech?

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Quick Kentucky Update: Steve Beshear's Approval Rating Is At 44%; Pineville Mayor And Son Indicted For Vote Buying.

Read about Beshear's SurveyUSA poll, and read about Pineville Mayor and son's vote buying indictments.

Like I said before, it MUST be something in the water in them Eastern Kentucky hills!

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Is Apple's Steve Jobs Dead? Bloomberg Thought So!

And Since We Are Talking About Campaign Ads, John McCain Releases A "Tiny" One, But The Ad's Claim Is A BIG LIE.


Check it out here, and discover why the ad is FALSE.

To check out more like this, visit the "Polifact" meter to your right!

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Since We Are Talking About Barack Obama's Convention (It Is So, Right?), Let's Start With His New "I Don't Know Much ..." Campaign Ad.

Laugh Some More, Too.

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Laugh A While.



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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

John McCain Says: Last Chance To Get Tickets To The Rally On Friday In Dayton, OH.

Below is the campaign email:

Join John McCain and Cindy McCain for a Road to the Convention Rally! Tickets are going fast for the rally so please pick them up at a location listed below as soon as possible.

Please join John McCain and Cindy McCain at a Road to the Convention Rally on August 29th in Dayton, OH or August 30th in Washington, PA. As the Senator and Mrs. McCain make their way across the country, they would be delighted to have you join them at the rallies leading up to accepting the Republican Nomination in Minnesota on September 4th.

Please come and show your support for John McCain. Please pick up a free ticket to join us. You can reserve a ticket to pick up at one of our ticket distribution centers by following this link or email us at ohio@johnmccain.com
Also, don't forget to hold a convention watching party to see John McCain accept the nomination. Follow this link to register your party with the campaign so you can receive an official Convention Party Packet.

TO any OF YOU WHO IS INTERESTED, CLICK HERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION.

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The BEAST Strikes ... Again..


Read more.

Update: View police report.

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BREAKING NEWS: John McCain Has Selected VP Running Mate; Will Announce Pick On Friday.


Stay tuned.

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BREAKING NEWS: Hillary Clinton Moves, And Convetion AYES, To Nominate Barack Obama By Acclamation As Democratic Party Presidential Candidate.


What a class act by Hillary Clinton

What a class act.

Watch the HISTORIC event below:

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More On The "CESSPOOL": Zero Tolerance At Transportation Or Just An "ATTEMPT"?

Zero tolerance at Transportation

One line in Gilbert Newman's resignation letter gives insight into why he lost his job last week.

Newman, the state's chief highway engineer, and Bill Gulick, executive adviser to the Transportation Cabinet's Office of Project Development, resigned after questions arose about conflicts of interest on a road widening next to property that Newman owns in Franklin County.

"I regret any embarrassment this may cause to an administration that is attempting to make the Transportation Cabinet transparent and forthright," Newman wrote.

Attempting.

Newman, a 20-year veteran of the road business in Kentucky, knows that cleaning up the cabinet requires more than waving a wand. It's an attempt, perhaps a valiant one and hopefully one that succeeds, but there's a lot of tradition and culture and money arguing against it.

And that's why he had to leave his job.

It was what Secretary Joe Prather had to do to convince the cabinet's 4,500 employees that he's serious. People will lose their jobs when they do cut ethical corners even if — as Newman and Gulick assert in this case and Prather said he thinks likely — their transgressions were the result of carelessness rather than greed.

"Even the perception of a potential conflict must be avoided, if we are to maintain the trust of the people we serve," Prather said in a statement.

Decades of looking the other way, of slaps on the wrist in the face of sloppy ethics or outright corruption don't go away because a governor or a transportation secretary wishes them gone.

The attempt to clean up this sprawling, money-laden, politically powerful cabinet will only succeed if Prather and his boss, Gov. Steve Beshear, prove they mean business on every project, every day, for everyone.

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BREAKING News: "Schizophrenic" Kentucky Casts 24 Votes For Clinton And 36 Votes For Obama.

Yea, you heard it right. I just watched it on CNN.

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On University Of Louisville's "Bride" And "Corpse" Robert Felner, And Why We Need David Hawpe, And Mark Hebert.


No need to re-write the mess, just check out Page One.

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Ok, You Have Been Waiting For BILLARY Clinton So Here We Go.

First read her email blast:

Dear Osi,

Standing on that stage tonight in front of 20,000 Democrats unified behind Senator Obama, I saw a bright future for America. I saw millions of people across the country working as one to elect the next Democratic President. I saw a new President and a new Congress giving a voice to the voiceless. I saw America, the land of endless potential, regaining its role as a leader in the world.

I couldn't be prouder of our party, of our nominee, and of all the work you and I have done together over the course of this campaign on behalf of the American people.

I knew that as I stood in front of that podium, I wasn't alone. I had you, and everyone who has supported me, standing right up there with me. And that means the world to me.

Thank you again for everything you've done. Now let's get to work helping elect Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and all of our great Democratic candidates!

Sincerely,

Hillary



Then watch the video of her convention speech below:



Did BILLARY say ANYTHING that convinced you that she's all for Democratic unity?

Before you answer, read this, this, this, or wtch this video:



And remember to watch the other half of BILLARY. BUBBA is scheduled to speak tonight.

Can you wait?

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This IS The BEST Medical News I have Read About In Ages.

Read more at WAPO, and rejoice with me.

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And More On The Democratic Convention, Soon To Be U. S. Senator Mark Warner.

Quick Post On Your FREEBIE Redbox Code.

Your code is:

DB96TH

Remember, the code is ONLY good today.

Enjoy, especially if you do NOT want to watch Bill "BUBBA" Clinton live.

Don't worry, I'll post it here for you tomorrow.

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More On The Democratic Convention: Forget Joe Francis; This Time It's Lobbyists Gone Wild With Democrats.

Watch Brian Ross try to keep them honest.

Follow also C-J.

Can ANYONE, in good conscience, convince me that we Americans are NOT getting EXACTLY what a MAJORITY of our voters WANT or DESERVE?!

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Mitt Romney Is At Democratic National Convention. No Surprise There. He's A Liberal In Conservative Clothing And So He's EXACTLY Where He Belongs.


So John McCain: Don't wear that "Mitt"!

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Before We Go Visit The Democratic Convention, Check Out A Poster Boy For Why We Need Term Limits.


Read more, and join me, will ya?

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Let's Start The Blogging Day With A Laugh.


Ok?

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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

FYI To Candidates For Office: I will NO Longer Post Campaign Ads About Oil. When You Decide To Discuss REAL Issues Affecting The Voters, I'll Post.

Yes, and thanks for understanding.

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Son Of Hip Hop Mogul, Dr 'Dre, Is Found Dead At Home.


If you do NOT know who Dr. Dre is, well I do NOT know where you have been hiding all these years nevertheless, you can watch some of his music on YouTube), but we wish his family God's speed in their loss.

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But This Is No Laughing Matter, As Rania Did NOT Want To Die.


Watch the video here (I may embed the video later) and read the story (get something to hold your jaw from dropping!).

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Aiming To Steal Lime Light From The Democrats, John McCain Hints At Running Mate Choice On Jay Leno Show.

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This Very EFFECTIVE Ad From John McCain Aims To Spoil The Democratic Convention, Too. Laugh, If You Find It Funny Also.

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Bill "BUBBA" Clinton Forgot About "UNITY", As He Explains Candidate "X" And Candidate "Y".

Read more about "BUBBA" and candidate "X" and Candidate "Y".

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Paducah Sun Newspaper Aims To Help Spoil Democratic Convention, Poo-Poo's Obama's Selection Of Biden As VP Running Mate.

CHANGE?
Veep choice sends mixed message

The Candidate of Change has made his first official appointment — placing a 35-year Washington insider on the ticket.
Barack Obama was in sixth grade in Hawaii when Joe Biden entered the United States Senate. The Delaware senator, among the chamber’s senior members, is the ultimate Beltway insider, neck deep in the machinations of power.
Biden might be known for many things — judicial activism as a former chairman of the Senate Judicial Committee, foreign policy expertise as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee — but he certainly doesn’t represent change. The ticket now has not one, but two, U.S. senators, hardly the right formula for “changing the culture” in Washington.

Biden is widely praised for his extensive experience, especially in foreign policy. He has few peers in that department. But saying too much on the subject puts Democrats in an uncomfortable situation. If experience is essential to the largely ceremonial position of vice president, how much more essential should it be for his boss, the one actually calling the shots? Obama had been in the Senate all of two years, one-third of his first term, when he threw his hat into the ring for president. Will he be forced to rely on his veep to walk him through the intricacies of his decisions?
The GOP, naturally, is letting Biden himself make the case about Obama’s inexperience, quoting Biden’s words from just a few months ago. Biden said of Obama, “The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.” The old senator could not have been more prescient then, regardless of what he says about Obama’s experience now.

In addition to their shared far-left views (Biden has a lifetime ACLU score of 86 percent and an American Conservative Union score of 13 percent), Obama and Biden have this in common: they have both been called walking gaffe machines. The national press raked Biden over the coals for his remark about Obama last year: “I mean, you got the first mainstream African American, who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy, I mean, that’s a storybook, man,” a statement that earned Biden second place in Time magazine’s Top 10 Campaign Gaffes for 2007.
Can anyone imagine Biden calling it “storybook” to find a white candidate he could describe as “articulate and bright and clean”? Did he really say “clean”?
From Obama’s standpoint, the choice makes sense. He showed, for instance, that he has broad shoulders, that he’s willing to look past an off-hand comment. He showed strength by selecting a candidate whose resume overshadows his own. And he shrewdly picked a candidate who has already been through the meat grinder of a national campaign.

Obama’s youthful supporters might not remember Biden’s first bid for the presidency, back in 1987. That’s when Biden was caught plagiarizing the speeches of British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock. The publicity surrounding the incident led to the revelation that Biden had plagiarized a law review article at Syracuse Law School and had exaggerated his academic record. Ironically, he attributed the “exaggerated shadow” of his youthful mistakes for his withdrawal from the race.
Republicans who are licking their chops at Biden’s selection risk underestimating this ticket. With both candidates on the Democratic ticket already so completely vetted, the GOP is left picking through an exhausted mine hoping to stumble across an undiscovered nugget. The only alternative is waiting for the next big gaffe.

That’s hardly a winning strategy.
If Obama’s liberalism — confirmed by his selection of Biden — is not sufficient to repel voters, a few unguarded comments won’t either.

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I've Got To Hand It To Joel Pett, He Wants Us To Keep Laughing!


Yep, he does.

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Democrats Want Us To See "Unity" Both Nationally ... And Here In Kentucky, Where Ben Chandler Has Endorsed Bruce Lunsford For U. S. Senate.

Watch BILLARY Clinton below (and tonight at the Democratic convention):



But watch this version of the same video. Do you notice the guys with the Hillary signs?:



Below is the new very effective John McCain ad that BILLARY Clinton is referring to:



And read about Ben Chandler's endorsement of Bruce Lunsford.

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