Thursday, November 6, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Getting Reeeeaaaadddyyyy To Rummmbbbble!!! (Presidential Debate-Live Blog)..going on line @ 8:45pm
I want to hear your thoughts about tonight's debate and Remember to Do what B.O. Does...(see below)
Your thoughts and opinions will be respected (no matter whom you affiliate with)..I am opening up this forum to both Dems, Repubs, Independents, Evangelicals, etc....So, please respect the forum and keep the foul language to a minimum (and let your knowledge flow)
So, click "Post A Comment" below the Post, and Let's Do This!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Barack Obama Speech @ Invesco Field (Denver, CO) -August 28, 2008
On Thursday, more than 84,000 people jammed into Invesco Field at Mile High stadium to hear Sen. Barack Obama accept his historic nomination.
Obama explained to a roaring crowd that we must decide between four more of the last eight years or a new direction aimed at ending the conflict in Iraq and easing economic insecurities of working families. “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. . . . I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land: Enough!”
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Obama accepts Democratic presidential nomination
Sen. Barack Obama accepted his party's nomination for presidential candidate Thursday night.
Sen. Barack Obama accepted his party's nomination for presidential candidate Thursday night.
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"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," Obama will say, according to a copy of his speech released Thursday evening.
"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," he will say.
Obama received a standing ovation from tens of thousands of cheering supporters chanting "yes we can."
He brushed aside critiques from his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, that he lacked the experience and wisdom to become president of the United States.
"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," he will say. Watch the speech live on CNN.com
"But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you," he will say.
Point by point, he compared McCain's policies on the Iraq war, the economy, offshore drilling and health care, accusing him of pursuing the same policies as the Bush administration.
"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," Obama will say. "On November 4, we must stand up and say, 'eight is enough.' "
Obama, who is the first African-American to lead a major party ticket, is accepting his party's nomination on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech.
Earlier in the evening, other Democrats attacked McCain's policies. iReport.com: Watch and share your thoughts on the speeches
Former Vice President Al Gore urged Americans to "seize the opportunity" to change course by voting for Barack Obama as president.
He reminded the audience at the Democratic National Convention of his failed bid to become president in 2000 when, he said, some believed there was so little difference between Republicans and Democrats that it did not matter who won the White House.
"Today, we face essentially the same choice we faced in 2000, though it may be even more obvious now because John McCain, a man who has earned our respect on many levels, is now openly endorsing the policies of the Bush-Cheney White House and promising to actually continue them," Gore said.
"Hey, I believe in recycling, but that's ridiculous," he joked.
Gore suggested the election was close because people feared the change the Obama represents, and compared him and his promise to fellow Illinoisan Abraham Lincoln.
Don't Miss
* Obama reaches milestone on symbolic anniversary
* Obama makes history as Democratic nominee
* Tears of joy accompany Obama nomination
* iReport.com: Watch and share your thoughts on speeches
"In 2008, once again, we find ourselves at the end of an era with a mandate from history to launch another new beginning. And once again, we have a candidate whose experience perfectly matches an extraordinary moment of transition," Gore said.
Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico greeted the crowd in English and Spanish before criticizing McCain for changing his views.
"Let's be honest America, McCain may pay hundreds of dollars for his shoes but we are the ones who will pay for his flip-flops," Richardson the crowd at Invesco Field in Denver, Colorado.
He outlined differences between economic and foreign policies of the two candidates, saying Obama had the better ideas.
"That's the change America needs," he said.
Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a veteran of the civil rights movement, called Obama's nomination "a testament" to King's vision.
"We are making a down payment on the fulfillment of that dream," said Lewis. "We proved that a dream still burns in the heart of every American." Video Watch Rep. Lewis discuss King's speech »
King's son, Martin Luther King III, described "the majesty" of his father's dream.
"On this day, exactly 45 years ago, my father stood on the National Mall in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln and proclaimed, 'I have a dream that one day, this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal,' " the younger King said.
"Let us give our nation a leader who has heard this clarion call and will help us achieve the change," he urged the crowd. Video Watch Candy Crowley interview King »
Democratic Party chair Howard Dean compared the candidates' plans for Iraq.
"Like George Bush, John McCain suggests spending $10 million in Iraq. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe we ought to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end," Dean said. Video Watch Dean's speech »
"Barack Obama and Joe Biden know that this is not just about turning red states blue, it's about turning our country around," he said.
Tens of thousands of people, including celebrities Oprah Winfrey and Farrah Fawcett, packed into the football field Thursday night, with millions more expected to watch on television as Obama delivers what could be the biggest speech of his presidential campaign. Video Watch supporters line up for the big address »
The campaign said it planned to put the attendees to work -- encouraging them sign up to volunteer and get involved in Obama's campaign.
In between the speeches, performers including Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow and will.i.am performed songs and declared their support for Obama.
To prepare for his big night, the Democratic candidate studied previous acceptance speeches from John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, campaign officials said. See what's on tap for Thursday night »
Thursday marks the end of the four-day Democratic convention in Denver, which included rousing speeches by Democratic heavyweights Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Hillary Clinton.
The theme for Thursday is "Change You Can Believe In," a slogan borrowed from Obama's successful quest for the Democratic nomination.
On Wednesday night, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware formally accepted the vice presidential nomination and praised Obama as a leader who had been right on a wide range of issues, including Afghanistan.
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Also on Wednesday, former President Bill Clinton declared Obama "ready to be president of the United States" after months of attacks from his wife's supporters on the Democratic nominee's lack of experience.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Last Night @ the DNC...Mrs. Michelle Obama & Ted Kenneday steal the show!
Last night was one of those remarkable evenings where the stars aligned and everything spoken by either Mrs. Obama and/or Ted Kennedy, and everyone LISTENED.
First, a Surprise Appearance, by Ted Kennedy to help in uniting the party..He came in with the same Kennedy attitude and spirit...that fighting spirit...against Doctors wishes, he showed up in Denver to support "OUR" candidate, Mr. Barack Obama! He got the night rolling and when a little after 10:15pm rolled around..the "Rock" for Barack Obama took the stage...
Michelle Obama took the stage to "chanting and supporting" crowd of Democrats to support their candidate's "ROCK" and "Future First Lady", speech to discuss the values of Barack Obama and her family, and make them understand that the "Obamas are just like them"..They are not elitist..they are just like every other American, but just have a different look...I sat there watching last night, and I saw things in Michelle I haven't seen before....She let her self open up to the crowd and show her true spirit, grit and support for her husband...
Honestly, I saw a few flashes of my mother last night....the determination but serious tone when talking the truth,I love you mom! (Only her commentary about Mrs. Obama's dress, was the funny moment of the night)...Its incredible to watch and witness the changes going on in this country at my age, as years have went by with not enough changes to make this country a better place, but I truly believe and trust we can make a dent in our history and see the fruition of labor made by MLK JR, Malcolm X, Gandhi, JFK Jr, RFK, John Lewis, and some of there other leaders that went through the 60s..
Well, this is OUR time and this is OUR moment...
Don't let it slip away....Get out and Vote!!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Voters Registration/Block Party for Barack Obama on Saturday, August 30th, 2008
Come out and Support!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
What Happens When The Kool Aid Wears Off (Is the Kool Aid Wearing Off?)
Hello Folks,
I would like to begin a new discussion and I want your thoughts on what's going on right now...Its been a while since we had a "forum" discussion and I think would be a perfect time....Some feel this is considered "flip-flopping", some consider that Barack Obama has a more clear understanding of the issue...Well, I want your thoughts... Read the article below and please chime in!
Article by By Biko Baker (http://sohhdotcom.typepad.com/sohhcom/2008/07/what-happens-wh.html#more)
In ten years historians will look back on this week and will declare that it is was a ground breaking week for Barack Obama. And nope, it won't be because the junior senator from Illinois picked a running mate or because "Young Berry" delivered another one of his trademark speeches.
This week was important because for the first time it became clear to many of his die hard supporters that Barack Obama might not be all that progressive.
From the FISA Bill to his support of Bush's faith based initiatives to his willingness to throw Wesley Clark under the bus, this week Obama has proven that we won't be right (no pun intended) on every issue. In fact after this week it's becoming clear that he is going to be wrong a lot more than we would like him to be.
Of course the truth is that we really don't need Obama to be on the right side of the issue all of the time. Nor should we really expect him to be. After all skeptics in the blogosphere have been hacking away at him for months, claiming that his voting record has been spotty at best.
At the end of the day, as young progressives we really just need Obama to be accountable to us most of the time and the rest of time it's going to be up to us to push back and fight with the him. After all it's going to be our vote that gets him in the office. We shouldn't be afraid to roll up or sleeves.
But I have to be honest, I am starting to wonder if our generation has "the sand" to consistently stand up to Obama when strays from the progressive path. After all, so many of my friends, family and former coworkers have drunk so much of the Obama Kool Aid that I some times wonder if they can still see straight. I mean, it's all right to love your candidate but young activists shouldn't be naïve. Obama is going to continue to be tempted to move toward the center, especially if he wins on November 4th. We just can't follow him there.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Barack Obama- (The Country I Love) 1st National Ad for the General Election
According to the campaign, the ad will air Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Virginia. That marks the official Obama battleground. Worth noting is that four of these states--North Dakota, Montana, Alaska, Indiana--are new to the Illinois senator's list, while three other states--New Jersey, Oregon, Washington--have mysteriously disappeared. What gives? Well, as everyone knows, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington are coastal, expensive and not particularly American; thus, Obama is already well ahead of John McCain in the polls. In contrast, North Dakota, Montana, Alaska and Indiana represent the rugged, God-fearing, Republican heartland--albeit the parts where polls show that a little reassurance (as in, $1.5 to $3 million per week) could go a long way.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Obama’s Moment
Courtesy of the Associated Press:
The principle that all men are created equal has never been more than a remote eventuality in the quest for the presidency. But with the Democratic nomination finally in Barack Obama's grasp, that ideal is no longer relegated to someday.
Someday is now.
It is a history-making moment — though Obama is not necessarily the candidate many might have expected to make that history. He is the son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas. He's too young to remember the civil rights struggle, let alone to have been a soldier in the fight.
"He was impossible to anticipate," says Shola Lynch, director of a documentary about the 1972 campaign waged by Rep. Shirley Chisholm, the New Yorker who was the first black woman to vie for the presidency.In a country whose self-identity has been warped by racial prejudice since the beginning, this moment has taken an eternity to arrive. Or, viewed over the spectrum of a long, painful history, relatively little time at all.
After MLK
After all, it has been just 45 years since Martin Luther King Jr. declared his dream for a colorblind America, just over 30 years since Mississippi disbanded the sovereignty commission that fought to maintain segregation and deny blacks their rights.
Other notable black candidates have run for the highest office. Some waged serious campaigns that, at least when it came to the prospect of winning the nomination, were never taken seriously.
"I grew up and matured in the height of the civil rights movement and there was no thought then of a black man being president of the United States. We had barely begun to vote then," says Ronald Walters, who served as deputy director of the Rev. Jesse Jackson's run for the presidency in 1984.
"It was hard for us, even in the Jackson campaign, to get our arms around this, the fact that there would be a black president of the United States — even though we were running," says Walters, now a professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland.
Nomination milestone
But even as they marvel at Obama's rise, Walters and others say it will take time to appraise what it says about the nation's political and cultural state of mind. Can he be elected? How long will it take before other viable black candidates — not to mention women — compete for the presidency?
Obama's likely nomination is a milestone, but it is not at all clear where that marker is posted. His ascendance could prove to be a fairly isolated event, the creation of extraordinary coincidences, or something more.
"The nation has come a long way," when a major party demonstrates its support for a presidential nominee who is not a white male, says Thomas J. Davis, author of the book "Race Relations in America" and a professor of history at Arizona State University.
But "what does it tell us aside from that fact, which we can see right before our eyes?"
Nation readies itself
Some may see Obama's success as marking a revolution in the politics of race. In fact, it's the latest incremental step — albeit the most noticeable one — in a gradual evolution.
By the early 1960s, pressure was building. Activists clashed with police in Selma, Ala., in a history-making demand for the right to vote. Congress passed the National Voting Rights Act to eliminate the literacy tests many Southern States used to keep black voters from the polls. That led to much greater black voter participation and the first significant entry of black candidates and office holders.
Change came, but slowly. In 1965, Massachusetts voters chose Edward Brooke for a Senate seat, but it wasn't until 1993 that another black candidate was elected to the chamber.
In 1972, Chisholm, a New York congresswoman, became the first black woman to pursue the presidency, waging a campaign to end the Vietnam War and give voice to the silent in the nation's policy-making. Jesse Jackson followed in 1984 and 1988, paving the way for the candidacies of Alan Keyes, Al Sharpton and Carol Moseley Braun.
Still, it wasn't until 1989 that Virginia made L. Douglas Wilder the nation's first black elected governor.
A majority of Americans said the country was ready for a black president, but that was far from making it reality.
"The fact is that there were no African-Americans who were in a position to run for president at that time so what people would say was really pretty irrelevant," said David Bositis of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a think tank focused on issues important to black Americans.
Voters did not really begin to contemplate the idea of a black president as anything beyond an abstract until the 1990s when Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff during the Gulf War, gained wide admiration.
Now, the irony of Obama's achievement is that much of what it represents is not about the color of his skin.
Obama, at 46 too young to remember the civil rights era, has run a race that, at least when possible, has been deliberately not about race.
He steered clear of a campaign like Jesse Jackson's, which shaped itself as a fight for the rights of minorities and the poor. Instead, he promised an era of change, an idea that found broad support among different groups of voters. He excluded many of the civil rights leaders and others — from Jackson to Al Sharpton — who would have defined him as a black candidate.
He spoke about himself not primarily as a black man, but as a man whose story was uniquely American.
"Was it about race? No, it was about electability," Walters said. "The racial aspect of his agenda is missing, the racial politics are missing. So really all you have left is the symbol of the person."
Of cultural significance
The result is a prospective nominee whose candidacy is weighted with the possibility of cultural significance, but maybe not in the way that might have been imagined. It is less a testament to rising black political fortunes than to the power of a fast-changing social dynamic.
In the ranks of black politics, the baton is being passed from leaders rooted in the fight for civil rights and social activism to a new group of young, educated and energized politicians with their own point of view.
At the same time, the nation's electorate is less strictly defined by black and white. That is partly the result of immigration and the growth of other groups of voters. But it is also a sign of assimilation, intermarriage and the arrival of younger voters with different sensibilities.
"America is in the midst of a significant demographic shift and Barack Obama in his person represents a significant element of that shift," Davis says.
Speaking to a new generation
Today's teens have much more experience with people of other races or mixed races than did their parents. While Obama's story doesn't reflect the typical African-American experience, it does speak to this new generation that is less polarized by race — tomorrow's voters, Bositis says.
His candidacy should act as a signal to these voters, whether they're young black men or young white women, that people like them can dream, realistically, about being president, observers say.
Politics is a lagging indicator of that shift. But Obama's message of change taps into it.
"People are thirsting for a new face, a new voice and he's set to go," Walters says.
The Obama candidacy reflects a country that is at, or at least near, the point where a generation that has long held on to power must cede the spotlight.
But the general election campaign to come is likely to remind us that the nation, despite its maturation, remains conflicted about race.
"Race is so tender and temperamental an issue in U.S. society and politics," Davis said. "It won't be a major issue overtly, but under the covers it's going to be an issue, absolutely."
Putting it to the test
In recent polls, about three of every four voters said the country is ready for a black president. Obama's nomination offers the first chance to put that assertion to the test.
Many black voters remain skeptical. Significantly fewer of them say they believe the country is ready. Their doubts are a reminder that Obama's claim to the nomination, while a milestone, does not resolve the country's long entanglement with racialized politics.
It reminds Walters of a day, 50 years ago, when he led the nation's first sit-in demonstration at the whites-only Dockum Drugstore lunch counter in his hometown of Wichita, Kan. Back then, the prospect of a black president was unimaginable.
Now, with Obama one step away, "it's tremendous pride in the fact that this is occurring," he says. But that pride is tempered by "a sense of realism and caution about what can be achieved."
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Obama Has Made History tonight (June 3rd, 2008).
In what he called a "defining moment for our nation," Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday became the first African-American to head the ticket of a major political party.
Obama's steady stream of superdelegate endorsements, combined with the delegates he received from Tuesday's primaries, put him past the 2,118 threshold
"Tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another -- a journey that will bring a new and better day to America," he said.
"Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States."Countdown to the Nomination..*UPDATE** 6-3-2008
I left this morning with Barack Obama needing 46.5 delegates to clinch the Democratic Nomination..Well its been a busy day for "Superdelegates"...
Sen. Barack Obama inched closer to the Democratic nomination Tuesday as endorsements from superdelegates trickled in...
According to MSNBC...
Obama has delegates to clinch nomination
Barack Obama clinched the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday, becoming the first black candidate to lead a major party into a campaign for the White HouseCountdown to the Nomination..*UPDATE** 6-3-2008
The last day of the Democratic Primary Election is today..The last 2 states (Montana and South Dakota) will come out in numbers to vote for their candidate...Some news to report to you all:
The House majority whip, the top ranking African-American in Congress, said Tuesday he will support Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential race.
Sources say Rep. James Clyburn will announce Tuesday that he is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president.
Rep. James Clyburn had been neutral in the race between the front-running Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton, the former first lady.
"I believe the nomination of Senator Obama is our Party's best chance for victory in November, and our nation's best hope for much needed change," Clyburn said in a statement. "Senator Obama brings a new vision for our future and new voters to our cause. He has created levels of energy and excitement that I have not witnessed since the 1960's."
Monday, June 2, 2008
Countdown to the Nomination..*UPDATE** 6-2-2008
Barack Obama crept close to victory in the marathon Democratic presidential race Monday on the eve of a final pair of primaries amid signs that Hillary Rodham Clinton was preparing to acknowledge defeat.
Obama, bidding to become the first black major party nominee in history, was 41.5 delegates shy of the 2,118, needed to clinch the nomination at the party's convention in Denver, according to The Associated Press count. He gained 5.5 delegates during the day Monday, including Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, a member of the House leadership who scheduled a formal announcement for Tuesday.
*******************************Update*****Update*************************************
Sources: Senate superdelegates will throw support to Obama
* Story Highlights
* Group of superdelegates to back Obama after Tuesday's contests, sources say
* Obama needs 41.5 delegates to get nomination; Clinton needs 202
* 31 delegates at stake Tuesday; 202 superdelegates remain uncommitted
* Clinton argues that superdelegates are free to "change their minds"
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Countdown to the Nomination..*UPDATE** 5-29-2008
Good afternoon Folks,
I'm going to provide a daily/weekly status update on the "Countdown" to the Nomination for Barack Obama...So, enough talking..let me blog!
Oregon Superdelegate for Obama; Delegate Countdown - 44 To Go
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Gail Rasmussen has become Oregon's third Democratic superdelegate in two days to come out in support of Barack Obama.
Obama beat Hillary Rodham Clinton by 18 percentage points in last week's Oregon primary, and the Democratic National Committee member cited that win in explaining why she will vote for the Illinois senator at the party's national convention in Denver this summer.
The decision announced early Thursday gives Obama a 7-2 edge over Clinton among Oregon superdelegates, with three yet to declare. A day before Rasmussen threw her support to Obama, state party Chairwoman Meredith Wood Smith and Democratic National Committeeman Wayne Kinney said they would back him.
Nationally, Obama is fewer than 45 delegates away from the 2,026 needed to capture the party's nomination. With only three primaries left, it looks like the superdelegates — elected and party officials whose picks are not bound by what voters in their home states decided — might push Obama over the threshold.
Others Oregon superdelegates who plan to vote for Obama include U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, David Wu and Peter DeFazio, along with Democratic National Committeewoman Jenny Greenleaf.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Keith Olbermann is GANGSTA! Spoke the Truth!! Finally, SOME JUSTICE ON TV!!
The special comment was intense, and the video can be viewed below
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Obama Outlines Plan to Address Housing Crisis in North Las Vegas
As President, Obama will:
* Support the Dodd/Frank proposal to create a new FHA Housing Security Program to provide incentives for lenders to buy or refinance existing mortgages and make them stable 30-year fixed mortgages;
* Make an additional $10 billion in bonds available to help middle class families buy their first home or avoid foreclosure;
* Give a tax credit to middle class homeowners that would cover 10 percent of the interest on their mortgages every year;
* Mandate accurate loan disclosure to ensure consumers fully understand their loan agreements;
* Penalize predatory lenders and use those fines to help families stay in their homes;
* Eliminate income tax for seniors making less than $50,000 per year;
* And implement a “Making Work Pay” tax credit of $1,000 per family or $500 per worker.
Monday, May 26, 2008
"There's Hope" by Roger B. Pictures
Friday, May 23, 2008
Pic of Manoucheka Jerome with Barack Obama @ the Bath Club in Miami, Florida
I have to share this pic with all of you...Great Pic!!
Pics from Barack Obama Rally in Sunrise, FL (5-23-2008)
Enjoy the Pics from today's Sunrise, FL Rally...More pics of Obama speaking to the people to come... This is pre-rally pics...♦
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
You are invited...Barack Obama in Sunrise, Florida
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"Most important part of our journey still lies ahead"
Barack Obama
Obama wins Oregon and also captures majority of pledged delegates
"From the very beginning, you knew that this journey wasn’t about me or any of the other candidates in this race. It’s about whether this country – at this defining moment – will continue down the same road that has failed us for so long, or whether we will seize this opportunity to take a different path – to forge a different future for the country we love.
That is the question that sent thousands upon thousands of you to high school gyms and VFW halls; to backyards and front porches; to steak fries and JJ dinners, where you spoke about what that future would look like.
You spoke of an America where working families don’t have to file for bankruptcy just because a child gets sick; where they don’t lose their home because some predatory lender tricks them out of it; where they don’t have to sit on the sidelines of the global economy because they couldn’t afford the cost of a college education. You spoke of an America where our parents and grandparents don’t spend their retirement in poverty because some CEO dumped their pension – an America where we don’t just value wealth, but the work and the workers who create it.
You spoke of an America where we don’t send our sons and daughters on tour after tour of duty to a war that has cost us thousands of lives and billions of dollars but has not made us safer. You spoke of an America where we match the might of our military with the strength of our diplomacy and the power of our ideals – a nation that is still the beacon of all that is good and all that is possible for humankind.
You spoke of a future where the politics we have in Washington finally reflect the values we hold as Americans – the values you live by here in Iowa: common sense and honesty; generosity and compassion; decency and responsibility. These values don’t belong to one class or one region or even one party – they are the values that bind us together as one country. "
Mr. Barack Obama
Monday, May 19, 2008
The image says a lot, but the number speaks for itself
Barack Obama spoke to 75,000 people on Sunday in Portland, Ore. He called it “the most spectacular setting for the most spectacular crowd” of the campaign.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Did anyone catch the "Conversation About Race (Meeting David Wilson) Special on MSNBC last night?
Did anyone catch the "Conversation About Race (Meeting David Wilson) Special on MSNBC last night? It was a live telecast at Howard University. It was a great discussion and great forum for students, faculty and other residents of the Washington DC area to chime in on about "RACE RELATIONS". This "Conversation" has become of hot topic every day as Mr. Barack Obama inches closer to the Democratic Nomination, as well, as the Presidential Nomination.
“Meeting David Wilson” tracks Wilson’s journey to North Carolina to meet David B. Wilson, a descendant of the white Southern family that owned his ancestors during the slavery era. David's journey was eye-opening. Working with Nancy Carter Moore, a genealogical researcher, he learned that his family had been enslaved for three generations on vast plantations across North Carolina and Virginia belonging to the wealthy Wilson family.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23760280/
On the panel last night was:
-Tom Joyner (The Tom Joyner Show)
-Michael Eric Dyson (author and Georgetown University professor
-Malaak Compton-Rock (an entrepreneur and wife of comedian Chris Rock)
-Rev. DeForest Soaries (a prominent Republican activist)
and many more, such as Washington DC's police chief, Kevin Powell (activist, 1st Real World),etc..
One of the questions posed was "Does America owe all black people an apology for slavery"?
So, my question to all of you... Do we? Who would make the apology to make it feel better? Are Reparations in order? What are you thoughts?
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Moment of Silence for MLK Jr. (Excerpt of Barack Obama's speech)
You know, Dr. King once said that the arc of the moral universe is long, but that it bends toward justice. But what he also knew was that it doesn't bend on its own. It bends because each of us puts our hands on that arc and bends it in the direction of justice.
So on this day – of all days – let's each do our part to bend that arc.
Let's bend that arc toward justice.
Let's bend that arc toward opportunity.
Let's bend that arc toward prosperity for all.
And if we can do that and march together – as one nation, and one people – then we won't just be keeping faith with what Dr. King lived and died for, we'll be making real the words of Amos that he invoked so often, and "let justice roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream."
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Transcending Race
I'm so proud and impressed to have witnessed OUR " I HAVE A DREAM" speech. Barack addressed the issue of "RACE IN AMERICA" with GRACE AND COURAGE. He stood up in front of the cameras and put everyone in line with his "message" and "goal" of his campaign, to help us "UNITE" and "MAKE THIS COUNTRY BETTER". There will be critics who dislike this speech (i.e Rush Limbaugh said "Barack Obama has now become the candidate of race")....First of All, who gives a damn about Rush Limbaugh...(HYPOCRITE!) Ok, I've said my piece about him...
I think we all "identify" something different and special within Barack Obama and what he brings to the table for all of us...For me, I see myself and my family's history, in front of the mirror. He is a man of a mixed heritage ( My Grandfathers were Black (DAD) and White (Mom) and Grandmothers Black (DAD) and White (MOM)...I see my family's history...I'm very proud of my family's history and have been blessed to have a diverse life with my family and with the many people that have stepped in my life that have come from very diverse backgrounds...Again , I Thank You...
"Our" Country has 'a choice'
My family and friends, It is time to make a "CHOICE"...and its up to US to MAKE IT! Its time for a new forum for this this very "HOT" and "CLOSE" topic...How do you feel? Do you think Barack's message was on point? Do you have any objections?
Time to Chime in! ( Click the Comments link below this message and then chime in!!)
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Barack Obama "We Need Change" Shirts...AVAILABLE NOW!
Good Afternoon Folks,
I hope everyone is having a great weekend (minus the B.S. & propaganda that's being talked about on the news by every media station) Everyone Stay Strong and Positive...."WE WILL OVERCOME ALL ADVERSITY"
Get your "Barack Obama-"WE NEED CHANGE" tee shirt..Shirts will be Available in April 2008, however, So-Me Designs is currently taking orders. Please contact Somy Ali @ the # seen below or via email: SomyInc@aol.com. If you interested in purchasing a shirt, please mention my name and you will be taking care of....The Shirts are available in White, Black, Pink....and possibly more color based upon requests...
Somy Ali, President
www.so-medesigns.com
1691 Michigan Avenue Suite 330
MIAMI BEACH, FL 33139
PH: 305 439-4685
Friday, March 14, 2008
What's Your Opinion of Rev. Jeremiah Wright comments? Will this damage Obama's chances? ( I BELIEVE NO!)
Its been a few days since I posted a new blog post, but this post is needed. How do you feel about the comments made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright. **BREAKING NEWS** As I type, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, has stepped down as a member of Barack Obama's Campaign spiritual advisory committee. Is this another "ploy" by Hillary Clinton or a "ploy" by the Republicans. As you can tell, media jumped on this like wildfire....
I truly believe the quick movement of the decision to have Rev. Wright step down was truly the best decision to make. Mr. Obama compares Rev.Wright like a family member who said something out of line (I think we all have a member of our family like this).
Barack Obama vehemently denied the comments made by Rev. Wright and its unfortunate, as going into the next few states for caucuses and primaries, this could make the race turn into a "RACE" related campaign...Mr. Obama already is preparing for the the upcoming attacks that could result from the videos playing on TV and You Tube. Race is going to to be the forefront, and will have to bring his message to his supporters and borderline supporters, in a more focused manner. I believe he will succeed in this challenge...This is yet another challenge for Mr. Barack Obama. Who said this nomination was going to be easy... If it was, it would be FAKE.
My friends and family, WE MUST STAND TOGETHER, STAY POSITIVE and FOCUS on HOW THIS COUNTRY WILL CHANGE IN A FEW MONTHS... We Will See History....
Just Do your Part...Donate to the campaign, talk to you friends, start a voter registration, work at the polls..We all must do "OUR" Part.
****************Courtesy of NPR.Com**************************************************
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday denounced inflammatory remarks from his pastor, who has railed against the United States and accused its leaders of bringing on the Sept. 11 attacks by spreading terrorism.
As video of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright has widely aired on television and the Internet, Obama responded by posting a blog about his relationship with Wright and his church, Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ, on the Huffington Post.
Obama wrote that he's looked to Wright for spiritual advice, not political guidance, and he's been pained and angered to learn of some of his pastor's comments for which he had not been present. Obama's statement did not say whether Wright would remain on his African American Religious Leadership Committee, and campaign officials wouldn't say either.
"I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies," Obama said. "I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Reverend Wright that are at issue."
In a sermon on the Sunday after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Wright suggested the United States brought on the attacks.
"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Wright said. "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost."
In a 2003 sermon, he said blacks should condemn the United States.
"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."
He also gave a sermon in December comparing Obama to Jesus, promoting his candidacy and playing down Clinton.
Questions about Obama's religious beliefs have dogged him throughout his candidacy. He's had to fight against false Internet rumors suggesting he's really a Muslim intent on destroying the United States, and now his pastor's words uttered nearly seven years ago have become an issue.
Obama wrote on the Huffington Post that he never heard Wright say any of the statements that are "so contrary to my own life and beliefs," but they have raised legitimate questions about the nature of his relationship with the pastor and the church.
He explained that he joined Wright's church, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, nearly 20 years ago. He said he knew Wright as a former Marine and respected biblical scholar who lectured at seminaries across the country.
"Reverend Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life," he wrote. "... And the sermons I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek justice at every turn."
He said Wright's controversial statements first came to his attention at the beginning of his presidential campaign last year, and he condemned them. Because of his ties to the 6,000-member congregation church — he and his wife were married there and their daughters baptized — Obama decided not to leave the church.
Obama also has credited Wright with delivering a sermon that he adopted as the title of his book, "The Audacity of Hope."
"With Reverend Wright's retirement and the ascension of my new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, III, Michelle and I look forward to continuing a relationship with a church that has done so much good," he wrote.
Also Friday, the United Church of Christ issued a 1,400-word statement defending Wright and his "flagship" congregation. John H. Thomas, United Church of Christ's president, lauded Wright's church for its community service and work to nurture youth. Other church leaders praised Wright for speaking out against homophobia and sexism in the black community.
"It's time for all of us to say no to these attacks and to declare that we will not allow anyone to undermine or destroy the ministries of any of our congregations in order to serve their own narrow political or ideological ends," Thomas said in the statement.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Obama’s Hip-Hop Admirers
If Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee, it’s a pretty safe assumption that he’s going to have overwhelming support from the hip-hop community.
Vibe magazine crystallized his status as an icon in the rap community, remixing his first name into the hipper “B-Rock,” and shortly before the crucial primary and caucus in Ohio on March 4, Jay-Z recorded a robo-call saying that “it’s time for Barack Obama.” The Chicago-based rapper Common told CNN that there’s simply “a love for Obama” among fans and practitioners of the genre.
The question is, will Barack Obama return the embrace if and when he becomes the nominee?
Yes, the tidal wave of hip-hop support feeds into the notion that the Obama campaign really is a new and unprecedented movement. Previously unengaged surrogates rousing the young people surely must be a good thing. And it’s hard to resist the help of megastars who come attached to legions of fans and free media.
On the other hand, the Obama campaign would probably not be in terribly great danger, in a general election, of losing the hip-hop vote to John McCain. In fact, the temptation will doubtless be there at some point for them to appeal to socially-conservative-leaning white voters by visibly distancing the candidate from some of his less politically correct admirers.
Take Mos Def.
The critically acclaimed rapper and actor told an audience at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan last week that he supports Mr. Obama for president, explaining, “You have this extraordinarily engaging, charming, very well-spoken, passionate yet somehow very subdued, above-the-fray type of character politics hasn’t really seen.” He added, “The best-looking guy for the job, at this point, is a black guy. I’m cool with that.”
Mos Def (born Dante Terrell Smith) is also a 9/11 conspiracy theorist. A song that has popularized the notion that America was behind the attacks features a chorus in which he says, “Bin Laden didn’t blow up the projects,” and another rapper, Jadakiss, says, “Bush knocked down the towers.”
During his appearance at the 92nd Street Y, at which he spoke with Rolling Stone contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis, the rapper said in response to an audience question about 9/11, “I live in a different America. I’m from a different America, where conspiracy is real. Where people have conspired to murder good people.”
And here’s how he explained his doubts about the official explanation of who was behind the attacks: “I’m highly skeptical. Especially given the fact that there was a whole dialogue going on between Afghanistan and the states during that time when the government was calling for ‘you got to give us Osama,’ and Afghanistan was saying, ‘O.K., but we’re not just going to give him to your government. There has to be a mediating country. There has to be a government to mediate this.’ From my recollection, Osama was saying ‘Fine. If you’re saying I did this, I’ll come and defend myself against these charges. But I’m not just going to surrender myself to your government.’ And these different diplomatic measures that were taken around this issue were rejected by the U.S. It was like, ‘Either you’re going to do exactly what we say, or game is off.’”
While the conspiracy explanation drew sustained applause that night, it’s hardly the kind of thing a candidate—especially one whose national security credentials have been challenged—is likely to get too close to.
Of course, Mr. Obama’s hip-hop support is broad and diverse, and much of it has already been an unqualified boon.
Rapper-producer Will.I.am extolled the virtues of Mr. Obama on not one but two videos that instantly became viral on YouTube. Less notable rappers, like underground sensation Nocando, lent his support to Mr. Obama, saying in a pro-Obama video, “So, you heard about the man with the 16-month plan/pull everybody out of Iraq and not war with Iran.” Queens-based rapper Jin released a song titled “Open Letter 2 Obama,” which was catchy enough that the campaign now features it as a ring tone on its official Web site.
This week, Mr. Obama was endorsed by Russell Simmons, the hip-hop mogul and entrepreneur. Mr. Simmons has long ago crossed over into politics—endorsing Andrew Cuomo for office in 2002 and 2006, plus making trips to Albany during the George Pataki years to reform the Rockefeller drug sentencing laws.Mr. Simmons, who brought rap music from the predominantly black audience into middle-class consciousness with groups like Run D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys and solo artists like L.L. Cool J, explained his choice by saying that Mr. Obama “has and will continue to transcend race in America.”
Mr. Simmons has also been a staunch opponent of calls for more oversight of rap lyrics, instead calling for the industry to regulate itself.
This should be no more controversial, on its face, than any white Hollywood executive setting up in opposition to censorship of movies. But given the unprecedented nature of the Obama candidacy—potentially the first black major-party nominee in American history—it’s not hard to imagine conservative critics (if not others) trying to make something of it.
So far, Mr. Obama has stuck to the rhetorical middle ground on the subject, criticizing the cultural prevalence of the sort of violence and profanity in rap music without criticizing rap itself.
(His campaign did not respond to requests for comment on this article.)
During an appearance last year in Manhattan at a conference hosted by Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, he said, “I know there has been a little contest between the rappers and Reverend Sharpton about what’s appropriate and what’s not. Let me say this. I haven’t just singled out the rappers, I’ve said I’ve heard those words around the kitchen table in some homes. I hear them in the barbershop. I hear them on the basketball court. We all know all of us have been complicit in diminishing ourselves, and engaging in the kind of self-hatred that keeps our young women and our young men down.”
At one point, Mr. Obama raised his voice above the crowd that was at times cheering his name to say, “We’re not going to be able to change politics unless we do a little bit to change ourselves.”Roller coaster rolls on......
Last night was one of the most "nail-biting" nights in the Democratic race. With a landslide victory by Obama in Vermont, 3 Loses followed in Rhode Island, Ohio and slim victory by Clinton in Texas. We still must band together "strong" and "push this change" Change is not going to happen easy, but we must do our parts. There is a possible chance that Florida Governor Charlie Crist, may enact another primary for the voters of Florida to have their votes counted, tallied and utilized by the Democratic Party. If this occurs,we must do our "PART!"
Hillary Clinton is on the news saying, "No Democrat won the Democratic Bid" without a victory in Ohio...she's going to use this against Barack to show her experience and leadership abilities...Well, how about for a new change, where if a candidate doesn't win Wyoming, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and all the remaining state, they don't get the bid. Clinton has a new wind under her sail, and we must stand fast and "address" issues swiftly and still get our message out...I really think the last 3 days, really hindered Mr. Obama in getting his message out.
I suggest you all (if you haven't already), sign up on BarackObama.com and begin receiving email notifications to assist in making phone calls (via their interface) to voters in Wyoming, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania in the next few weeks.
Statistically, Hillary Clinton cannot overtake Barack Obama's "pledged" delegate lead with close victories...As you all know, the Democratic delegate process is "proportional" based on different criteria in each state. So, don't get down, discouraged or confused..."This is Not Over"...and we all are ready to "Write a New Chapter in American History"!
The Democrats are in a "sticky" position as Sen. John McCain (damn! Can he please raise his arms above his head, once!) that he will pick his spots on when to attack either one of our candidates. This race needs to end quickly so we can "UNIFY" the group, and begin speaking our "MESSAGE" to combat the next election.
When all the dust settles in the next few weeks, it will be up to the Superdelegates (unfortunately) to decide who they support and want as the Democratic nominee.
So, Get Ready, Because "WHAT TIME IS IT??!?!"
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMEEEEEE TIMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
JWFIII
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Great Ad! Check out Barack Obama's new TV Ad
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Saturdays for Barack...
As you can see from my recent photos on the blog, I finally got my Barack Obama T-Shirt. I went around Fort Lauderdale today wearing my shirt and enough people were looking and I loved every minute of it. People began to converse with me involving Obama's campaign and from what I saw-everyone is "Fired Up and Ready to Go"! and then you had some look at the shirt and become pissed...I heard someone say under their breath, "This is only going to last for 1 more year...So, Is that what people think? Oh really, well, let's not take the "shine" off Obama's movement. Barack is not going the fix everything immediately, he's going to have alot cleaning up to do...As he said, its starts from the "BOTTOM TO THE TOP"! That's how Change occurs......So, Let's do our part...
So, with that my friends, I would like to institute the "T-Shirt Saturdays for Barack" movement. Let's get the support going "visually" to the masses.
Provided below are a few links to different vendors selling Barack Obama T-Shirts...
1) http://store.barackobama.com/Shirts_s/110.htm
2) http://store.barackobama.com/Shirts_s/111.htm
3) http://www.cafepress.com/buy/barack+the+vote
4) http://www.cafepress.com/jdpdesigns.113190299
5) http://www.obamashirts.com/
6)http://www.depresident.com/shop/cpshop.pl/liberal_shop.liberal_shop.1139001+barack-obama-for-president-t-shirts-and-stickers.html 7)http://www.democraticstuff.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1030&Click=135&gclid=CMWZ2PK87ZECFQWnlgodPS5MyA
8) http://www.obamaofdreams.com/noname.html
9) http://www.flippinsweetgear.com/shirt/obama_tshirts
Please help me start "our" movement until Barack is in the White House on January 20, 2009 (Yes folks, that's MLK Jr's "observed" Birthday) to represent Barack to the thousands!! I know we can do it!! So, Get your shirt!!
So, Who's with me??
Friday, February 29, 2008
Great Article From Politico.com
AUSTIN, Texas —They are so sorry.
In the course of the primary campaign, and perhaps in a preview of the fall election drama, Sen. Barack Obama has accepted the apologies of three United States senators, a former senator, CNN and various lower-level supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Most of them have apologized for saying something insensitive about Obama’s race, his name or his heritage. And the dynamic of outrage and offense this campaign has proved race to be a much touchier subject than gender. At times, Obama’s campaign has sought to downplay burgeoning outrage. At others, the candidate has stoked it for political advantage.
But most of the flaps ended the same way: with Obama forgiving the alleged offender. Sometimes he’s accepted the apologies graciously, sometimes sternly, but always in line with his message. And that message of reconciliation — often explicitly racial reconciliation — is a central part of his campaign’s appeal. With a general election that appears likely to open him to more Republican attacks, and more line-crossing, the campaign ritual of offense and forgiveness appears likely to be repeated often this year.
The first apology of the cycle set the tone. On Jan. 2, 2007, before Obama’s campaign formally began, CNN aired a story about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden that ran under the headline, “Where’s Obama?”
"We also want to apologize personally to Sen. Barack Obama,” CNN’s Wolf Blitzer said on air. “I'm going to be making a call to him later this morning to offer my personal apology."
The first Obama rival to stumble was Sen. Joe Biden, who called Obama “clean” and “articulate” in an interview with a New York weekly days before he launched his campaign. The words struck some as racially charged, and Biden spent the first day of his campaign apologizing.
"I deeply regret any offense my remark in The New York Observer might have caused anyone,” Biden said.
"I didn't take Sen. Biden's comments personally, but obviously they were historically inaccurate,” Obama responded.
Later that month, the Clinton campaign staged its first official apology, from South Carolina State Sen. Robert Ford, who said Obama wouldn’t be able to win the White House because he is black.
Then, for months, the offenses and the apologies faded.
But the apology and forgiveness cycle began again as the race heated up in Iowa and New Hampshire in December, and the seminal day for apologies was Dec. 13.
The previous day, Bill Shaheen, a New Hamphire grandee and Clinton’s co-chairman there, had told The Washington Post that Republicans would ask Obama, “Did you sell [drugs] to anyone?'"
On the 13th, Clinton was forced to apologize to Obama on the tarmac at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
“I accepted her apology,” Obama said, adding that he’d told her “that it's important for those of us who are the candidates to send a clear signal down to all of our surrogates that we're going to do things differently."
The two had met on their way to the high-stakes Des Moines Register debate in Iowa, where apology and forgiveness would be, unexpectedly, a theme when Biden’s old remarks resurfaced.
Biden was challenged on a series of statements that had been taken as insensitive, and Obama, unprompted, rushed to his side.
“I’ve worked with Joe Biden, I’ve seen his leadership, I have absolutely no doubt about what is in his heart and the commitment that he's made with respect to racial equality in this country,” Obama said. “So I will provide some testimony, as they say in church.”
It was a moment that seemed to capture the observation of the conservative writer Shelby Steele, who has spoken of a school of black figures whose crossover appeal came in part “by saying to whites in effect, in some code form, 'I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt. I'm not going to rub the shame of American history in your face if you will not hold my race against me.' Whites then respond with enormous gratitude. ... And so they tend to be very successful, very popular.”
When the Register debate ended, a spokesman for Clinton e-mailed supporters a statement from Shaheen, who resigned from Clinton's campaign, with a statement that he “deeply regret[ted]” the comments he’d made.
But the apologies continued. A little more than a week later, another top Clinton supporter, former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey, made an apparently positive reference to Obama’s time as a child in a “secular madrasa.”
Still, he apologized.
“I want to sincerely apologize for the remarks,” wrote Kerrey in an open letter to Obama. He went on, in the letter, to lavish praise on Obama, calling him “among the two or three most talented people I have ever met in politics.”
“Of course Obama accepts his apology,” an Obama spokesman said.
The edgy comments and swift apologies paused for Obama’s surge through Iowa and Clinton’s New Hampshire comeback before restarting in South Carolina, where BET founder Robert Johnson, a Clinton backer, compared Obama’s past drug use to the Clintons’ service to African-Americans.
"I'm writing to apologize to you and your family personally for the uncalled-for comments I made at a recent Clinton event," Johnson said in a statement a few days later.
Later, Clinton herself would apologize for comments made by her husband, including the equation of Obama’s South Carolina victory with that of Jesse Jackson, which gave some offense.
“If anyone was offended by anything that was said, whether it was meant or not, or misinterpreted or not, then obviously, I regret that,” Clinton said in a question and answer session at the State of the Black Union in New Orleans on Feb. 23.
(The one person who has issued no apologies is Bill Clinton himself, whether out of stubbornness or the understanding of what a gift each apology is to his wife’s rival.)
And as the campaign came down to its home stretch in Ohio and Texas, she was still on the defensive on yet another racially charged subject, this time for the allegation floated by the Drudge Report, and adopted by Obama’s aides, that Clinton’s staff had circulated a photograph of Obama in traditional Somali dress.
“That's not the kind of behavior that I condone or expect from the people working in my campaign. But we have no evidence where it came from,” Clinton said.
Obama responded with studied graciousness, just a day after his campaign manager, David Plouffe, had stoked the flames by accusing her campaign of "shameful, offensive fear-mongering.”
“I take Sen. Clinton at her word that she knew nothing about the photo. So I think that's something that we can set aside,” he said
The many instances of accepted apologies have been some of Obama’s best moments and his rivals’ worst. He’s been able to rise not just above the fray but above Clinton and Biden.
“It's simple. He's Teflon,” said Jim Jordan, a Democratic consultant who worked for the campaign of Sen. Chris Dodd. “It goes to his core integrity, the way he projects it, to his political and rhetorical skills, and that’s a quality that’s enormously important.”
For Obama, the general election is still obscured by a hard-fought primary, and he is racing around Ohio and Texas, delivering a message that highlights his rivals’ errors.
“If we would just come together, all of us, across the divisions that have plagued us for so long — black, white, Hispanic and Native Americans, young and old, rich and poor, ... then there would be no problem that we could not solve,” he said in the Dallas suburbs.
The presumptive Republican nominee has already had a taste of a dynamic in which any off-kilter attack on his likely rival could have him begging forgiveness.
On Tuesday, a talk radio host, Bill Cunningham, introduced McCain to an Ohio crowd by attacking Obama and dwelling on his little-used middle name, Hussein.
McCain swiftly responded. “I regret any comments that may be made about” Clinton and Obama, he said. “I will take responsibility in any offense that was inflicted.”
The next day, there was a different culprit, but the same offense: The Tennessee Republican Party sent out a press release dwelling on Obama’s middle name.
And again the spotlight turned to McCain, who was asked about it at a San Antonio press conference.
“All I can say is that I have made my position very clear, and I have made it time after time and I made it yesterday,” he said.
Tonight in Fort Worth, Texas
Hello Folks,
I'm signing in after a few days of "inactivity". I was lucky enough this evening to be part of the Barack Obama "Texas" Rally in Fort Worth, Texas. I saw Obama's message first hand, and I must say I'm more impressed with seeing him speak with my own eyes "Up close". His message and his appeal I noticed in the state of Texas (which has seen its tragic moments, JFK's assassination to Emmitt Teele's murder). The crowd was so diverse (Black, White, Asian, Latino, Pakistani,etc). It was an amazing sight...Once Obama entered the room, the crowd went crazy (from doing the wave, to Latino's chanting "Si, Se Puede" (or Yes, We Can"). Mr. Obama transcends his message so calmly and with confidence only seen by some of our greatest leaders. HE truly embodies what we need in this country, RIGHT NOW. It was an honor to be in his presence and I look forward to the next few months (in doing what I can to help bring this campaign home!)
