WASHINGTON — With six months left in office, the Bush administration moved Tuesday to accelerate oil-shale development across the Rocky Mountain West.

Shale deposits in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming could provide 800 billion barrels of oil, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said, enough to meet U.S. demand at current levels "for 110 years."

"We need to be doing more to develop our own energy here at home," Kempthorne said. "Public lands have a significant role to play in meeting our domestic energy needs."

Tuesday's release of draft rules for shale exploration by the Bureau of Land Management was the latest shot in the growing battle of politicians pointing fingers over $4-per-gallon gas and oil as high as $147 per barrel.

Oil shale, along with drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, is part of the solution, Republicans say.

Democrats counter that none of those actions would lower energy costs in the short term and that more must be done to develop alternative energy. In the case of shale, some argue, too many uncertainties exist to move forward aggressively.

"The administration is trying to set the stage for a last-minute fire sale of commercial oil-shale leases in western Colorado, despite the fact that we are still years away from knowing if the technologies for developing oil shale on a commercial scale are even viable," said Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar.

In a conference call with reporters, Kempthorne said it would be 2015 before shale development produced oil. Even so, he said, that could affect gas prices by signaling to the futures market that the U.S. is ramping up domestic production.

For now, the Interior Department is limited in what it can do. Language inserted in a spending bill by Salazar bars the department from issuing final rules on oil-shale development. That moratorium expires Oct. 1. Kempthorne and Republicans want to prevent Salazar from extending that through 2009.

Kempthorne said he plans to move swiftly if given an opening.

Issuing the preliminary regulations started the clock on the final regulations, which could be published in about two months if the moratorium dies.

Environmental groups that oppose oil-shale development said the 235- page BLM document with preliminary rules is unnecessary. In it, the BLM states that "currently, there is no oil-shale industry and the oil-shale extractive technology is still in its rudimentary stages."

Clinton Distances Herself From Anti-Obama Hillraiser

 July 16, 2008

Some former top Hillary Clinton fundraisers have received attention in recent days for thus far declining to help bundle donations for Barack Obama. But none of those figures was actively working against Obama's candidacy. Ricki Lieberman is another matter.

Also a former Clinton "Hillraiser" (meaning she raised more than $100,000 for the campaign), Lieberman is keeping her own private hope alive with a daily email blast to supporters, entitled "Electability Watch," which features a cascade of negative articles and other items about Obama as a means to argue that superdelegates should change their minds in Denver and crown Clinton the nominee instead. A tipster who described them as "disgusting" sent a batch of recent "Electability Watch" emails to the Huffington Post. Their authenticity was confirmed in a phone conversation with Ms. Lieberman, who said her only desire is to "see a Democratic president in the White House" next year.

Any Democrat, perhaps, except Barack Obama -- or "BO aka Bush 3," as Lieberman repeatedly refers to him. The emails sometimes go out of their way to parrot some of the most hardcore attacks on Obama, including comments comparing Obama's planned nomination speech to Nazi-era rallies in Germany. In one email, she quotes messages from apparent Holocaust survivors:

I have heard from many Survivors and their children about the symbolism and implications of use of rules to undermine our core democratic values. Ellen Mendel wrote that "I was born under Hitler in Germany, and reading about the plans for the Obama throng in the stadium in Denver and the implications which have been spelled out, gives me the chills...the DNC will deliver the country to Obama on a platter. I wonder when it will hit them what pawns they have been in this Faustian tragedy.

Another, "As someone who escaped from France during WW ll, I hope that I'm not being over dramatic when I'm more than uneasy with stuff like Obama's possible Denver stadium theatrics and the calibrated negotiations going on about the convention."

Other emails from Lieberman cite Obama's "alliances with a cast of characters include Louis Farrahkan," and urge people to contact the German embassy to protest "Obama's grandiose, inappropriate hope" to speak at the Brandenburg Gate.

In an interview, Lieberman said it is incumbent upon the party's superdelegates to take another cold, hard look at which candidate will be more electable in the fall. Given that neither Obama nor Clinton managed to win enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination, a switch from Obama to Clinton is a technical possibility that nevertheless seems highly improbable.

A spokesperson for Sen. Clinton implicitly distanced the candidate from Lieberman's effort, telling the Huffington Post: "Senator Clinton fully supports Senator Obama. She continues to urge all of her supporters to get behind him. ... She continues to do everything she can to rally folks behind him. We don't support any effort that doesn't."

Here's a follow up on the Colorado Black Arts Festival I had posted about back on July 5th. The parade was a huge success. Click on the title, that will take you to the video.

Dancing for Change  

By Jenn Prosser - Jul 14th, 2008 at 10:50 pm EDT 

Each year the Black Arts Festival draws hundreds of people to City Park to experience a wealth of artistic performances and crafts.

This year the Obama campaign was at the festival in full force registering voters, getting people involved in the campaign and maybe doing a little dancing.

As the Black Arts parade wound through the park, Obama staff, Fellows and volunteers energized the onlookers, shouting "Fired up! Ready to go!" and occasionally breaking in to their well practiced routine.

Support for the campaign was huge -- about half the crowd was wearing Obama shirts and nearly everyone there had stickers showing their enthusiasm for the candidate. Among the array of booths selling jewelry and t-shirts were stands with information about the election. Volunteers dispersed throughout the crowd carrying clipboards and helping people register to vote.

Kati, one of the Obama Organizing Fellows, talked to us about the festival:

It was an amazing day -- my only voter registration activity where I got to dance. Plus we were able to reach out to dozens of people who are interested in volunteering and we registered well over a hundred voters, all of whom were really excited about Senator Obama.

One of four to open doors along Front Range

By Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact) Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Top Democratic leaders and hundreds of Barack Obama's perspiring supporters crowded into their new seventh-floor office in southeast Denver on Tuesday.

The air-conditioning provided no relief for those who ventured in and out of the 6,500-square foot office in the central building of the Empire Park complex in the 1300 block of South Colorado Boulevard.

Their discomfort was offset by some free pizza, appetizers, and refreshments, and their enthusiasm for the Democratic presidential candidate as they picked up chants during a speech by Mayor John Hickenlooper of "Yes we can!"

"Let's erect," Hickenlooper said as the audience burst into laughter at his gaffe.

". . . Where's my water?" the embarrassed mayor responded. "Let's elect Barack Obama our next president of the United States." The crowd then burst into cheers.

The Denver office for the Obama campaign was one of four that were officially opened Tuesday in Colorado. The Obama campaign temporarily operated out of the Democratic Party offices on Santa Fe Drive near downtown.

The other three office openings were in Pueblo, Boulder, and the Republican heartland of Colorado Springs.

Republican John McCain's campaign so far has one office in Centennial and operates with the state Republican Party in five others.

Denver Councilman Michael Hancock told the Obama backers to brace for a tough campaign.

"Mr. Obama can't do it himself," Hancock said. "This campaign we haven't seen nasty or the nasty of it, yet."

Cheryl Fleetwood, 43, of Denver, said she attended the opening with her three children, ages 9 to 5, because she needed a boost after the long lull since the caucuses ended.

"One reason I wanted to come out is I wanted to get energized again," Fleetwood said.

Michael Velez, 60, a Vietnam War veteran, said he plans to volunteer at the new office because he's done voter registration drives in the past.

"I do not support or agree with the present Republican (administration), their platform, or their ideology," said Velez, who sported his black USS Oriskany cap, which he was stationed on. The Oriskany is the ship that McCain flew from during the Vietnam War.

"I honor his service, but I don't support him," Velez said of the Arizona senator.

Talk about timing Arte, I just finished reading the article about that cover. The folloiwing is from Huffington....

Huffington Post   |  Rachel Sklar   |   July 13, 2008 06:20 PM

The illustration, by Barry Blitt,is called "The Politics of Fear" and, according to the NYer press release, "satirizes the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the Presidential election to derail Barack Obama's campaign." Uh-huh. What's that they say about repeating a rumor?

Presumably the New Yorker readership is sophisticated enough to get the joke, but still: this is going to upset a lot of people, probably for the same reason it's going to delight a lot of other people, namely those on the right: Because it's got all the scare tactics and misinformation that has so far been used to derail Barack Obama's campaign — all in one handy illustration. Anyone who's tried to paint Obama as a Muslim, anyone who's tried to portray Michelle as angry or a secret revolutionary out to get Whitey, anyone who has questioned their patriotism— well, here's your image.

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton called it "tasteless and offensive" and, according to Jake Tapper at ABC, another high-profile Obama supporter called it "as offensive a caricature as any magazine could publish."

The companion article by Ryan Lizza, who has written extensively about the campaign, traces Obama's early career and rise through Chicago politics. It's very long (18 pages!) and probably won't thrill a lot of Democratic party faithful, either, since it advances the image of Obama as a skilled and calculating politician who rose by becoming a master of the game:

"[P]erhaps the greatest misconception about Barack Obama is that he is some sort of anti-establishment revolutionary. Rather, every stage of his political career has been marked by an eagerness to accommodate himself to existing institutions rather than tear them down or replace them....he has always played politics by the rules as they exist, not as he would like them to exist. He runs as an outsider, but he has succeeded by mastering the inside game."

Is it the New Yorker's job to write uniformly flattering profiles of Obama? Do they have a duty to avoid controversial imagery that plays off the most dogged and damaging campaign smears? Of course not. Still, as Tapper says, there are probably "some angry, angry people in Chicago right now." Not to mention Washington, New York, and maybe even Dubuque.

Update: Artist Barry Blitt defends the cover, saying that "It seemed to me that depicting the concept would show it as the fear-mongering ridiculousness that it is." See his full statement (and previous covers) here.

See the full cover below on Artemis's blog.

Posted July 11, 2008 | 08:57 PM (EST)

Greetings from the little old librarian.

It's been quite a week for me, McCain, the police and the Secret Service. While I may write more later, there are a couple issues I would like to address now -- but first, an excerpt from today's Denver Post story by Felisa Cardona:

A video of the incident circulating widely on the Internet shows a DCPA security guard saying that he was told by the Secret Service to remove Kreck, who was holding a paper sign that said "McCain = Bush."

But Thursday, after two days of being vilified by bloggers, letter writers and others, the Secret Service emphatically denied involvement. [...]

"A representative of Senator John McCain's staff respectfully asked that the venue for its July 7 Town Hall Meeting, The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, not allow persons to display signage within the Arts Complex," DCPA officials said in a statement.

DCPA spokeswoman Suzanne Blandon said the guard who told Kreck to leave was "simply mistaken" in identifying the Secret Service as the agency that wanted her to leave. Blandon said the guard did not intend to use the Secret Service as leverage and did not mean to mislead anyone.

"He is not a trained speaker in any way," she said. "It was the height of the moment, a situation not typical of that complex. He was simply trying to uphold the policy as he understood it to be."

Because it is without attribution, the lede in Cardona's story reads like she took the word of the DCPA and the Secret Service for gospel, which might not have been such a good idea.

Where is the statement from McCain's staff in this story? And why did it take the Secret Service two days to claim they had nothing to do with my ouster?

Also, the part about the security guard had me smiling. The DCPA's Suzanne Blandon seems to be saying that because he is not "a trained speaker," and because it was "the height of the moment," the words "Secret Service" just popped out of his mouth. Huh.

The Secret Service claims what happened in the courtyard would be "inconsistent with our established policies and procedures." But the Secret Service has been hit several times with lawsuits alleging violations of First Amendment rights when citizens expressed opposition to administration policies. Locally, Denver attorney David Lane is suing them for a violation of Steven Howards' First and Fourth Amendment rights. Howards approached Dick Cheney in a Beaver Creek mall and told the vice president his policies in the Middle East were reprehensible. He was arrested; charges were dropped.

(As the New York Times reported, that issue devolved into "Secret Service agents -- under oath in court depositions -- accusing one another of unethical and perhaps even illegal conduct in the handling of Mr. Howards's arrest and the official accounting of it.")

Many of you have been inquiring about the status of legal proceedings. Colorado ACLU has deputized two attorneys to handle my case: criminal defense lawyer Pete Hedeen will take care of the trespassing charge. I will not pay a fine, I will not accept diversion. That leaves two options: dropped charges, or going to trial. After that is resolved, David Lane will proceed civilly.

Carol Kreck is a librarian and former Denver Post reporter who lives in Colorado.

Bob Schaffer is the Republican opponent to Democrat Mark Udall in Colorado's political race for Wayne Allard's U.S. Senate Seat. Today, Huffington Post published some fact finding by Sam Stein that indicates Bob Schaffer's oil interests in Iraq may not have served U.S. interests in Iraq.

This story is a good indication that if elected Bob Schaffer wouldn't serve the interests of people in Colorado and the United States either. 

Colorado Pols :: Local Vets Rip McCain Call for McCain to Answer Questions He Dodged Monday

Veterans for Progress Call on Senator to Follow Through on Promise

For immediate release
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Contact: Jim Hudson
720-296-1936

DENVER- Frustrated by Senator John McCain's voting record on veterans' issues and his distortion of that record at a Town Hall meeting in Denver on Monday, members of Veterans for Progress today called on McCain to explain his record as the Senator promised.

A story covered by the national press, McCain promised Jim Hudson, a Vietnam veteran who questioned McCain on his record, that he would be glad to examine Hudson's "version" of McCain's record. And today Hudson is following up on that offer.

Watch the MSNBC report: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

"I value and respect Senator McCain's service in Vietnam," Jim Hudson said. "But as a Senator, he has repeatedly voted against health care spending for veterans. In Monday's Town Hall meeting, I asked him to explain those votes and he ducked the question."

"Today, I'm giving him another chance to explain by inviting him onto a conference call with me and other veterans," Hudson noted.

In the Town Hall meeting, Hudson was recognized by McCain as a Vietnam Veteran. Hudson then asked McCain to explain why he voted against his colleagues'proposals to increase health care spending in 2004, '05, '06 and '07 when troops were coming back from two wars.

McCain dodged Hudson's question and gave a list of veterans' organization he claims supported him. "The reason I have a perfect voting record from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and all the other veterans service organizations is because of my support of them," McCain said.

The Senator was wrong and Hudson corrected him.

"You do not have a perfect voting record by the DAV and the VFW. That's where these votes are recorded," Hudson said, referring to McCain's votes against veterans' funding over the past four years. "And I can give the specific votes, the numbers of those Senate votes right now."

Hudson said the conference call would give McCain an opportunity to either dispute the record or explain it.

"I hope Sen. McCain will honor a fellow Vietnam Veteran-and all American veterans-by agreeing to this call," stated Leon Rodriguez, a Vietnam Veteran and a member of Veterans for Progress who lives in Littleton, Colorado.

###

Veterans Issues  (from www.ProjectVoteSmart.org):

2006  Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 20 percent in 2006.

2006  In 2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator McCain a grade of D.

2006  Senator McCain sponsored or co-sponsored 18 percent of the legislation favored by the The Retired Enlisted Association in 2006.

2005  Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 25 percent in 2005.

2004  Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 50 percent in 2004.

2004  Senator McCain supported the interests of the The Retired Enlisted Association 0 percent in 2004.

From the Congressional Record:

   * McCain Voted Against A $20 Million Increase In Healthcare For Veterans. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment that would add $20 million for veterans' health care facilities. It would offset the additional spending by striking $20 million in the underlying bill for AmeriCorps. Amendment failed 39-59. [HR 4939, Vote #111, 5/4/06]

RHETORIC: "The freshman Democratic senator received a discount. He locked in an interest rate of 5.625 percent on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, below the average for such loans at the time in Chicago. The loan was unusually large, known in banker lingo as a 'super super jumbo.' Obama paid no origination fee or discount points, as some consumers do to reduce their interest rates. Compared with the average terms offered at the time in Chicago, Obama's rate could have saved him more than $300 per month." [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

Unlike Countrywide Northern Trust Did Not Have A Program To Provide Discounts To Public Officials. "Unlike Countrywide, where leaked internal e-mails documented a special discount program for friends of chief executive Angelo Mozilo, Northern Trust says it has no formal program to provide discounts to public officials." [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

Northern Trust: Any Person's Occupation And Salary Would Be Taken Into Consideration For A Mortgage. "'A person's occupation and salary are two factors; I would expect those are two things we would take into consideration,' said Northern Trust Vice President John O'Connell. 'That would apply to anyone seeking to get a mortgage at Northern Trust.'" [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

The Rate Obama Received Was Consistent With Internal Northern Trust Rates At The Time. "He added that the rates offered to Obama were 'consistent with internal Northern Trust rates at that time.' 'The bottom line is, this was a business proposition for us,' he said. 'Our business model is to service and pursue successful individuals, families and institutions.'" [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

The Loan Rate, Consistent With Northern Trust Policies, Was Adjusted To Account For A Competing Offer From Another Lender. "Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said the rate was adjusted to account for a competing offer from another lender and other factors. 'The Obamas have since had as much as $3 million invested through Northern Trust,' he said in a statement…The Obama campaign called the rate 'consistent with Northern Trust policies, and it reflected the base rate set for that period discounted to address the competition for the account and other opportunities, such as personal financial services, that the relationship would bring to Northern Trust.'" [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

RHETORIC: The Obamas bought the house for $300,000 less than the asking price of $1.95 million, while Rezko's wife, Rita, bought the neighboring lot for the full asking price of $625,000. Rita Rezko later sold a portion of the undeveloped lot to the Obamas, enlarging the senator's yard. [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

Brown: "I See No Proof" That Obama Did Something Improper In The Purchase Of His House. Mark Brown wrote, "On the central question: Did Obama do something improper in the purchase of the house? I see no proof he did, other than that he had no business at all getting involved with Rezko in any personal financial transaction." [Chicago Sun-Times, 3/15/08]

Zorn: There Was No "Special Discount" And The Price Of The Lot Was Not Inflated. Eric Zorn wrote, "The Obamas did not get a special discount on the house" and "The sellers rejected two lower bids from the Obamas" and "The Rezkos did not pay an inflated price for the vacant lot."
[Chicago Tribune, 6/10/08]

AP: Obama "Has A Spotless Reputation" And "Has Been Accused Of No Wrongdoing Involving Rezko Or Anything Else." The AP reported, "Obama, who has a spotless reputation after 11 years in public offices, has been accused of no wrongdoing involving Rezko or anyone else." [AP, 1/22/08]

But I know what she is saying...

"Now I've had countless conversations since the end of my campaign," she began. "And I know how difficult it is for people who have invested their time, energy and emotion -- just their entire being -- into any campaign or cause. ... When it is over, I know how difficult that is ... how challenging it is to turn on a dime. It is a process. It does take time for people to take a deep breath, to go forward. ... But anyone who voted for me has so much in common with those who voted for Barack. ... It is critical that we join forces. The Democratic Party is a family -- sometimes a dysfunctional family -- but it is a family. We care about what is going to happen to health care [and education], and in Afghanistan in Iraq. ... That work cannot be done if we do not have a Democratic president in the White House!"

As she wrapped up her remarks and began to introduce Obama, Clinton said, "this is the man -- this is the one -- we should be voting for. ... Do it for your children. Do it for your jobs. Do it for the education of future generations."

 A Rested Clinton Tells NYC Women Obama "Is The One"

Have any of you who bitch about being censored ever stopped and just lurked in here for a few days or a week or two? It is a joke! Moreover, it is sickening!

All the current die-hard Hillary people who refuse to do what their candidate has asked them to do along with all the puma crap bitch the most about our constitutional right of Freedom of Speech and being Censored, yet they are the first ones to start bitching and crying when anyone else voices something that they don’t like.

You bitch when any one says anything about either Bill or Hillary Clinton, even when it is TRUTH with sources. Do any of you stop and think how much actual dirt there is on the two of them that people could actually start blogging in here about? I know many who bitch the most are old enough to remember. Yet how many people do you see doing that in here? Yes, it did happen yesterday but there was nothing said that was not backed by many vetted sources and it was done to prove a point.

You bitch when people bring up religion and post their beliefs.

You sit back and cheer on your little groupies as they continue to bring up lies and twist words to fit what they want people to believe. When asked for sources and links they tell people to check the internet or listen to the news because it was just on. Why? Why do you all continue to support this crap?

If you don’t want to support Obama that’s your right. If you want to disagree with Obama that too is your right. If you want to spread lies and half-truths and not back up your words with actual sources that people can read for themselves then you have no right at all to bitch and cry. The fact is Senator Barack Obama is our Presumptive Nominee and will be our Democratic Nominee.

This is supposed to be a Democratic blog site; instead, what it has become is a bash the Democratic Presumptive Nominee site by people who continually say they have been lifelong Democrats. Some of you claim to be working locally for various candidates but do none of it in here. The people that do try to build our party are lost as soon as they appear. The people that want to work on unity have to continue to fight the lies and half-truths. When are you all going to wake up, stop your bitching and do something constructive in here for OUR Democratic Party?

(Cross-Posted to DemNotes at www.DemNotes.com)

One of the main purposes of my writing DemNotes has been to open the curtains of the Democratic Party at all levels: local, state, and national. I’ve wanted to bring people in Colorado a little closer to the way things work within the DNC and CDP, as well as to share how things are working in counties all across Colorado. This concept of opening this Party up and breaking down fictitious walls has been very important to me.

That’s why I’m so excited at a couple of new developments over the past two days that have really shown that the leadership of this Party — and of our presumptive nominee — are in tune to the same kind of thinking.

When Governor Dean announced that the national convention would be coming to Denver, he also made it clear that he wanted this convention to be rather un-conventional. The DNC’s announcement yesterday that the final night of the Convention would be at Invesco Field at Mile High certainly fits that mold. As opposed to another night in the Pepsi Center — which would have been a fantastic night itself — Senator Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination for President in front of a crowd of over 75,000 just across I-25. What is even more fantastic is that that acceptance will come in front of thousands upon thousands from the Colorado community.

We’ve spent the last year trying to tamp down expectations of the ability to access the national convention. Even most volunteers, we said, wouldn’t see the inside of the Pepsi Center. The average Democratic activist in Colorado would have to be satisfied with watching from one of the community watch parties that are being set up around Denver.

This changes everything. This allows the average Democratic activist — whether in Durango or Sterling; whether veteran or getting involved for the first time — this allows the average activist to watch history live and in person. Here’s some of the DNCC’s press release from yesterday:

“The Democratic Party is nominating a true change candidate this August, and it is only fitting that we make some big changes in how we put on the Convention,” said Governor Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). “Senator Obama’s candidacy has generated an enormous amount of excitement and interest, not only in the Democratic Party but also in the 2008 Convention. By bringing the last night of the Convention out to the people, we will be able to showcase Barack Obama’s positive, people-centered vision for our country in a big way.”

“Barack Obama’s campaign for change has inspired millions of Americans and brought people into the political process who might never have been involved,” said Convention Co-Chair Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. “This change in the Convention program will allow thousands of first-time participants a chance to take part. I can’t think of a better Convention finale for our nominee who has made reaching out to voters a hallmark of his campaign.”

“When we said we wanted to ‘bring down the walls,’ open up this Convention like never before and truly speak to the American people, we meant it,” said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. “On August 28, we will offer grassroots Democrats, who have turned out in record numbers this year, the opportunity to witness history shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Americans standing up for the change our country desperately needs.”

“Senator Obama and the DNCC have truly brought the community into the Convention,” said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. “This decision will enable thousands of residents from Colorado, the Rocky Mountain West and across the nation to witness history first hand. What a way to fire up our grassroots activists as we head into the fall campaign.”

Wow. What a night that will be. We still don’t know all the details on how you will be able to get credentials — that will come soon enough. Just with the other nights, though, it will continue to be a credentialed event — with credentials available to the public called “Community Credentials”. The Colorado Democratic Party has already put a page on our website for those interested in credentials for this historic evening — fill out the form and you will get information when it becomes available:
http://coloradodems.org/content/view/725

I have one last point on this topic: with this new opportunity for Colorado Democrats also comes great responsibility. People will be coming to Denver from all across the nation to attend the Convention, and this announcement means even more people are coming. We must be good hosts to our Democratic friends from across the country. We must also expect a pretty significant spike in visitors that week — even more than previously thought. As an example, in 1992, several dozen friends of mine at the University of Oklahoma scooted off to New York City for convention week, even though none of them had any hope of credentials to Madison Square Garden when they left Norman. Now multiply that by some unknown variable to account for the real possibility that they might get in on Thursday night!

It is going to be one heck of a time to be a Colorado Democrat!

Opening up the Convention on Thursday night is not the only wall being broken down by the DNC this week. This morning, the DNC announced that they were opening up the Platform process, as well. The announcement this morning encourages folks to host their own Platform Meeting in their community. You read that right: you can host your own Platform meeting right here in Colorado. The DNC will try to send as many of its Platform people as possible to these meetings, and the reports from these meetings will go straight to the Platform Drafting Committee.

Here’s some of the DNC’s release on this ground-breaking moment:

Members of the public will be invited to host and attend Platform Meetings in their communities as an opportunity to exchange ideas and share perspectives on the challenges we face. To facilitate the process, the Obama campaign and the DNC will send policy experts and DNC Platform Committee members to as many meetings as possible to serve as facilitators. Each Platform Meeting will produce a written summary that will be reviewed and considered by the Platform Committee.

“From the beginning, we said we were going bring down the traditional walls of the Democratic Convention and make this event more accessible and include as many people as possible,” said Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean. “This process will empower Americans in all 50 states to make their voices heard as they help write the document that embodies our Party’s values and vision for the future. Barack Obama will bring real change to Washington, and as we write the Democratic Platform, there will be a clear choice between more of the same failed policies of the Bush Administration with John McCain or real change with Barack Obama who will make the American people, not the special interests, the priority again.”

“Barack Obama believes that every American should be able to contribute to the Democratic Platform, just as record numbers have participated in this campaign,” said Steve Hildebrand of Obama for America. “It’s not the lawmakers in Washington who live the day-to-day reality of our policies–it’s workers, teachers, parents and first responders–everyday Americans who just want to the best for their families. What better way than to incorporate their voices into the process than to have them help shape the Democratic Platform, the statement of our ideals, values, and proposal for change.”

Registration is available at http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/listening/ , starting today through July 15th. The Platform Meetings will occur across the country from July 19th through July 27th.

Sign up soon! Never before has your voice as an individual activist meant so much to the Democratic Party as it does today!

 Register to vote, and send Voltage to play at the Democratic National Convention.  We have songs that are perfect for the event already written, and I am already the number one democrat at the DNC.

For those that may not have heard there is a new partybuilder blog site at http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/PartyBuilderBloggers.

The purpose of this Party Builder Group is to “Build” our party and get as many Democrats elected as we can this year. Yes, the group is moderated and yes, each person has control over their own blog in that you have the option to delete offensive replies.  In addition, you can find a group from your town or city to hook up with to work on your State and Local races.

If you would like to help promote your Democratic Candidates then come on over and really, help to “Build” the Democratic Party. Many have already joined and there's room for many more.

2008 Denver Black Arts Festival - “A Vivid View”

July 11-13, 2008 Denver City Park

Parade: starts at 11am.Assembly: at 23rd and York, City Park, at 10 AM.

EVENT DESCRIPTION: The Denver Black Arts Festival 22nd Annual Celebration Parade.  

Dance for Barack Obama at "VIBE" THE BLACK ARTS FESTIVAL PARADE

Do the Cupid Shuffle with Campaign Staff and Volunteers,Learn the shuffle on July 7 or 8 at 999 Bannock St. office, Denver, at 6PM or March alongside the dancers with the Obama Banner

A community awaits our support and celebration as we gather together with harmonies of sound, color, and a living history to proclaim the power and joy of our movement for change. Let's assemble as many volunteers as possible to walk our walk with the promise of Barack, blending our heritages and our hopes with the floats and bands, drum and drill teams, students and leaders, assembled to honor African contributions and traditions. Let's show all that we can boogaloo too, and march with Obama gear and Obama che ers! .... Yes We Can! .... Obama '08!  

More info at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/44hlf

SGT Jennifer M. Hartman, 21, of New Ringgold, Pa., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Sept. 14, 2006 of injuries suffered when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated in the vicinity of a West Baghdad Substation where she was located. Hartman was assigned to the 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

SGT Jeremy E. DePottey, 26, of Ironwood, Mich., died on Sept. 11, 2006 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered in a single vehicle accident. DePottey was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

SPC Matthew E. Schneider, 23, of Gorham, N.H., died on Aug. 28, 2006 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, from a non-combat related cause. Schneider was assigned to the 141st Signal Battalion, 1st Armored Division, Wiesbaden, Germany.

CPT Jason M. West, 28, of Pittsburg, Pa., died on July 24, 2006 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when he encountered enemy forces using small arms fire. West was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany.

SGT Roger Pena, 29, of San Antonio died in Musa Qulah, Afghanistan, on June 14, 2006 when his convoy came under enemy small arms fire during combat operations. Pena was assigned to the 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

PFC Stephen Snowberger, 18, of Lopez, Pa., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 11, 2006 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat patrol operations. Snowberger was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

SPC Ronald W. Gebur, 23, of Delavan, Ill., died of injuries sustained in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 13, 2006 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Gebur was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

  Sgt. Aron C. Blum, 22, of Tucson, Ariz., died Dec. 28 at Naval Medical Center, San Diego, Calif., of a non-hostile cause after being evacuated from Al Anbar province, Iraq, on Dec. 8. Blum was assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.

CPT Shawn L. English, 35, of Westerville, Ohio, died Dec. 3, 2006 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations.He was assigned to the 577th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

LCpl Mike Scholl, 21, of Lincoln, Neb., died Nov. 14, 2006 from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

LCpl Nicholas J. Manoukian, 22, of Lathrup Village, Mich., died Oct. 21, 2006 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Menoukian was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Cpl David M. Unger, 21, of Leavenworth, Kan., died Oct. 18, 2006 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Unger was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Staff Sgt. Ryan E. Haupt, 24, of Phoenix, Ariz., died Oct. 17, 2006 in Baqubah, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Haupt was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

MSG Robb G. Needham, 51, of Vancouver, Wash., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Sept.20, 2006 of injuries suffered when his patrol came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. Needham was assigned to the Army Reserve's 1st Battalion, 356th Regiment (Logistical Support), 4th Brigade, 91st Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.