Oklahoma delegates may cling to Clinton
By Chris Casteel
Washington Bureau, Daily Oklahoman
Sun August 17, 2008
http://newsok.com/article/3284529

WASHINGTON — Many Oklahoma Democrats pledged to support Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton at the national convention still strongly back the former first lady and want to see her chosen as the vice-presidential nominee, even though that seems unlikely.

Several of Clinton's delegates from Oklahoma said they wanted her name placed in nomination at the convention, which begins Aug. 25 in Denver, before it was announced Thursday that she would be part of the traditional roll call of the states.

"I was elected to vote for Hillary, and there is not any reason at all that her name should not be put in nomination,” said Jacque Tomsovic, a delegate from Tulsa.

Ron Dye, a Clinton delegate from Midwest City, said, "Senator Clinton must be included in the roll call vote. Why would you not? She has more popular votes nationwide. Why would you exclude her?”

But Stuart Price, a Clinton delegate from Tulsa, said he didn't think a roll call vote was necessary at a convention that will nominate Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois to be the presidential nominee.

- complete copyrighted story at link above

Senate's 'Dr. No' Spurs Showdown Over Spending
By Paul Kane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, July 28, 2008; Page A01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/27/AR2008072701441.html

Instead of a keepsake photo of a political hero or his family, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has a large framed picture next to his desk that serves as a constant reminder of his political ideology. Inside the black frame and matting is a single word, in large white letters: "No."

Coburn has become best known as the lawmaker who says no -- no to increased funding for unsolved civil rights crimes, no to creation of a national registry for victims of the disease ALS, no to more money for child pornography prosecutions.

Using every parliamentary tactic at his disposal, Coburn has tied the Senate in so many knots that Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) has decided on an extraordinary tactic: He will devote most of the Senate's time this week to breaking the one-man stranglehold.

Rolling 35 bills into one omnibus package, Reid will try to leap all of Coburn's parliamentary hurdles at once and win approval for dozens of programs worth more than $10 billion.

"For those of you who may not know this," Reid told reporters recently, "you cannot negotiate with Coburn. It's just something that you learn over the years... is a waste of time."

Most of the bills, including a child pornography law that passed the House 409 to 0 in November, are so noncontroversial that they would normally sail through on voice votes, with no roll call taken.

But not while "Dr. No" is in the Senate.

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complete copyrighted story at link above

Update for SMU Petition Signers, 7-14-08
Monday, July 14, 2008

I am Andrew J. Weaver, organizer of the petition at http://www.protectSMU.org and an ordained United Methodist clergyman and research psychologist. I am a graduate of Southern Methodist University (SMU) and live in New York City. There are over 12,500 petition signers including thousands of SMU alumni who are deeply concerned about the future of the university. I am very grateful for your faithfulness regarding this issue.

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Breaking Story About Bush Complex and Bribery
July 13, 2008
London Times
Stephen Payne: a hotshot lobbyist who can get you into White House

A lobbyist offered access to Dick Cheney and other US leaders in return for a donation to the Bush library

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article4322719.ece

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Our Educational Effort Began

In June an intensive educational effort began regarding the Bush project at SMU. It includes a website with interactive capability. You can find the website at http://www.whatwouldjwdo.net

Our goal is to persuade South Central Jurisdiction delegates to reject the SMU/Bush Foundation lease proposal when they meet in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, July 15-19. We are seeking to convince the "court of public opinion" through the media that the SMU-Bush linkage is injurious to both SMU and the United Methodist Church (UMC) that owns the university. Please keep this issue in your prayers over the next several days.

Growing the Petition

Finally, please continue to encourage your friends and colleagues to sign the petition. Each name is important. We need to tell officials of the UMC at every level that we find that a partisan institute honoring George W. Bush at SMU to be "utterly unacceptable."
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/protectsmu


With best regards,

Rev. Andrew J. Weaver, Ph.D.

Governor appoints new state auditor
By BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau
7/11/2008
Last Modified: 7/11/2008  2:41 AM
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080711_16_A9_spancl707066

OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Brad Henry appointed Antlers banker Steve Burrage on Thursday to fill the unexpired term of former state Auditor Jeff McMahan, who resigned after being convicted of federal fraud counts.

"Steve Burrage has impeccable credentials and a reputation above reproach," Henry said.

"He is without question the best person to serve as auditor and restore public trust in that important position."

McMahan resigned June 16 after he and his wife, Lori McMahan, were convicted of one count of conspiracy and two counts of bribery. They await sentencing.

Burrage, 56, will serve the rest of McMahan's term, which ends in January 2011.

Burrage was sworn in Thursday morning by Supreme Court Justice Steven W. Taylor and began his duties immediately.

Burrage, a Democrat, said that if he is successful in restoring trust, confidence and integrity to the office, he will run for the post in 2010.

He has run successfully in the past for the City Council and school board in Antlers.

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complete copyrighted story at link above

Chatting with Oklahoma State Senator Andrew Rice
Judd Morse Staff Writer
Published: July 09, 2008
Ada Evening News
http://www.adaeveningnews.com/local/local_story_191162037.html

Below is an interview with Oklahoma State Senator Andrew Rice, transcripted in its entirety. Rice was in the Ada area earlier this year, and agreed to stop by for an interview in the AEN newsroom.  Staff Writer Judd Morse was on hand for the interview.

Judd Morse: First off, you've been on the campaign trail for some months now. So far, how does the experience of running for US Senate compare to that of running for State Senate? What have been some of the challenges you've faced thus far?

Andrew Rice: You know, it's different. ...

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complete copyrighted story at
http://www.adaeveningnews.com/local/local_story_191162037.html

What Would John Wesley Do?
United Methodists and the Bush Think Tank at SMU
An Urgent Appeal to Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience
http://www.whatwouldjwdo.net

The Web site you are viewing has been created to provide information critical for understanding the year-long controversy surrounding the proposed location of the George W. Bush Presidential Library complex on the campus of Southern Methodist University.

Of particular concern is the linkage of the complex – and, by extension, Southern Methodist University and The United Methodist Church – to a proposed institute (“think tank”) dedicated to promulgating the failed policies and ideology of the Bush Administration.   http://www.whatwouldjwdo.net/library.php

The "anchor" for this site is an analytical letter written to delegates to the South Central Jurisdictional Conference by prominent United Methodist theologian, the Rev. Dr. Tex Sample. Dr. Sample is a retired clergy member of the Missouri Area of The United Methodist Church. A link to his letter appears elsewhere on this page. You are invited to respond to Dr. Sample’s letter and to enter into discussion with others about it.
http://www.whatwouldjwdo.net/blog

Of particular interest, too, is the extensive library of articles
http://www.whatwouldjwdo.net/library.php
that have been written about the Library complex and the proposed research institute. I also hope you will view the link to the "Protect SMU Petition" campaign; if you’ve not already done so, you are invited to join the 12,000 concerned people who have already signed the petition.
http://www.protectsmu.org