CNN published the short list of VP candidates:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/04/election.runningmates/index.html
Evan Bayh
Joseph Biden
Michael Bloomberg NO (I think this is a CNN/Republican Dream)
Wesley Clark
HIllary Clinton
Chris Dodd
Chuck Hagel NO (CNN/Republican Dream)
Ed Rendell
Bill Richardson
Kathleen Sebelius
Jim Webb
It seems the bitter and angry Annie Oakley aka Senator Hillary Clinton has stirred up the American people in the great state of Pennsylvania and the other primary States after that.
Hillary's antics are starting to backfire on her just like the sniper fire in Bosnia .
Her Kitchen Sink is cracking and their is nothing her campaign can do to stop it
Obama has show what being a President is all about Hillary has show what being a bitter First Lady running for President is about doing and saying anything nasty to get votes from the people of Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
A friend of mine was a big Clinton supporter but in the last few weeks has realized Hillary is showing a real ugly side of herself thats not pretty to see.
So he now decided over the past few days that he will vote for Obama.
Whats going to happen in Pennsylvania is that people who are not in a Clinton trance will move to Obama before the April 22nd Primary .
People are just plain sick of Clinton being negative all the time and want a Candidate who will uplift American not tear it down as she is doing .
She is also tearing apart the Democratic Party not bringing it together.
Anyway enjoy the latest Poll from CNN News below
April 15, 2008
Poll shows Obama gaining, holding steady in key states
Posted: 10:24 PM ET
A new poll shows good news for Obama.
(CNN) …quot; Despite a weekend of negative coverage following his controversial remarks about some small town Americans, Barack Obama appears to be holding steady or making gains in the next three primary states, according to a just released poll.
Most surprisingly, the new LA Times/Bloomberg poll shows Obama ahead of Hillary Clinton by 5 points in Indiana (40 to 35 percent), a state with demographics that favor the New York senator and one where other recent polls have shown her with a lead.
The poll also shows Clinton only holds a 5 point lead in Pennsylvania (48 to 43 percent). That margin is among the slimmest measured between to the two candidates and is significantly less than the double digit lead Clinton held there two weeks ago.
In North Carolina, the new survey shows Obama with a 13 point lead (47-34 percent), a margin that is consistent with other recent polls in that state.
Pennsylvania votes April 22 while Indiana and North Carolina vote two weeks later on May 6. Should Clinton win in Pennsylvania, some political observers have said she must score a victory in at least one of the May 6 states to make a compelling argument to continue her presidential campaign.
The poll was conducted over five days (April 10-14), the majority of which came after Obama's now famous "bitter" comments first surfaced.
From: CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Filed under: Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton
updated 4:44 p.m. EDT, Sun April 13, 2008
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/13/forum/index.html
(CNN) -- In a forum airing on CNN, Hillary Clinton again criticized recent comments made by Barack Obama, saying "the characterization of people in a way that really seemed to be elitist and out of touch is something that we have to overcome." ...
So which Democrat has been winning the battle for religious voters? God only knows.
So far this year, Clinton has maintained an edge among Roman Catholics, many of them the Hispanic and working-class white voters who have been among the most loyal members of her base.
Thanks in large part to that support, many surveys had also given her a slight edge over Barack Obama among white Democratic voters who attended church of any kind regularly.
But in exit polls, the category of regular church-goers -- those who attend services once a month or more -- were more likely to choose Obama. That category in many states was dominated by African-Americans, who have overwhelmingly backed the Illinois senator's candidacy.
For years, the evangelical community has largely supported Republican presidential candidates.
---
complete story at
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/13/forum/index.html
Go to there website or watch for a little while, "cleancoal" is a major sponsor yet close to 100 1950 style power plants are now in construction. Look it up
on cnn's glenn beck show, columnist mark steyn has some vivid interpretations of michelle obama, hillary clinton, john edwards and more. what a tool. from mediamatters, thank god:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200804110006?lid=230260&rid=6698676
I find my opinion changing about the current status of the Democratic Primary. I was like many of my fellow Obama supporters, hoping that as I got dressed for class there would be some news report that said the primary was over because a candidate (Hillary Clinton) had decided to take herself out of the race. I looked forward to hearing that news report. But alas, it never came. As time went on, I became more and more upset that this report was not being broadcast. I would say to myself, "She's behind in delegates, in votes, in states, she needs to give it up already!" Needless to say, it caused me some stress. I felt that the longer the contest went on, the more damage was done to the Democratic Party, the more time that John McCain had to plan his entire campaign and do some serious fundraising (because everyone knows he needs to get his campaign money together)....but something happened to change my mind...just a little bit.
In the democratic process, we as a populace do have the right to vote for the candidate whom we support in an election. Whether it be Barack or Hillary, John or Mike or Mitch, it is our inalienable right to vote, and vote democratically. So, reason says that with so many states left in the primary, that there should be a choice. So, I began to feel that Hillary should not be pressured to quit. Then, in my well-known fashion, I had yet another moment of clarity.
Mathematically, I don't see how Hillary could win the delegates. The only way Hillary would stop Barack's lead and gain on him is to get ALL the delegates in every single contest from now until the Denver convention. Given the history of the primaries and caucuses so far, it won't happen. While I encourage healthy competition, I am not in favor of mud-slinging, attacking one person for addressing issues that the other instigated, LYING, and just overall not making much sense....does nothing but belittle the party overall.
Regardless of my feelings, as long as the money comes in and the checks clear and the bills get paid, the campaign and their attacks will continue. I just hope the damage to the Party is not everlasting when the general vote happens in November.
As long as Bush is out of office and someone is elected who can fix the errors of his eight years as President, it doesn't matter to me. (However, I feel that Obama is the only one who can do that.)
Ashley
who needs the media to be balanced? nah!! let's ignore some real stories and instead drag out clinton/lewinsky. god knows half the people on this site drag out the same old, tired, dead issues just for their alleged "shock" value. mediamatters has some clarification, for those interested in actual news:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200804020011?lid=200743&rid=6159476
My second question is this Should Campaign Rules Prohibit contributions from Ceo's and employee's to Presidential ,Senate and or Congressial Campaigns period?
lastly will those donations decide what his energy policy will be now and when he is elected President?
He has talked during the Campaign about Renewal Energy and a Green Industrial Economy for American creating ne jobs in all area's of Alternative Energy from cars to Wind Energy Systems.
So does the current contributions the Oil Companies control his energy policy or does Senator Obama control his plans for an Independent Energy Future for America?
What do you all think?
He should talk.When Senator Liberman was a Democrat in 2006 running in a Democratic Primary against Ned Lamont he ended up losing the Democratic nomination to Ned Lamont.
The before the general election happened he started the Joe Lieberman Party a Party of one.
He did not honor the outcome of his defeat back then and decided to run as he would say an Independent.
He lost the Democratic Primay for one of many reasons his stance on the Iraq War in which he supported the Bush Policy on and still does to this day.
Many in the Connecticut Democratic Party swa this as someone who was greedy and power hungry to take the Senate Seat back.
Joe Lieberman was always close with President Bush with the famous Kiss of approval that Bush gave him .
Now Senator Lieberman his at the side of Senator McCain .
Lieberman is a Republican regardless if he say's he is Independent.
Senator Liebermans attack on the Democratic Party is worthless.
He nolonger is a Democrat but wants the Democratic Party to act like the Republican Party and that will not happen at all.
What he does not like is that real people in the Grassroots of the Democratic Party have come back in to the process to be heard.
George McGovern in 1972 and the delegates then were at that time a new generation that wanted to change our Party for the better and have it become more progressive .
Many years later The Democratic Party lost that Idealism and became controlled by Corperate greed and lobbyists.
Now that the People are taking back the Party Lieberman says its a small group of the Democratic Party Left.
He should just become a Republican because nolonger is Senator Lieberman at all a Democratic.
Senator Liberman has sold his soul to the higest bidder and nolonger can represent the Democratic Party at all.
Go Away Senator Lieberman we do not need you around any more.
Here is the written text of that Radio Interview.
Leahy says Clinton should drop out of race
Friday March 28, 2008
Bob Kinzel
Montpelier, VT
(Host) Will a protracted battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination hurt the Party's chances of winning the November election?
Senator Patrick Leahy, who supports Obama, says the answer is yes, and he thinks Clinton should drop out of the race.
But Clinton's supporters in Vermont have a very different opinion.
VPR's Bob Kinzel reports:
(Kinzel) It's a question that's being raised in political discussions on the radio, on TV, in newspapers and in the blogs.
And the results of a new poll highlight the danger for the Democrats if their presidential primary contest gets any nastier.
According to a new Gallup poll, 28% of Hillary Clinton's supporters say they'd vote for GOP candidate John McCain if Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination and 19% of Obama's supporters say they'd vote for McCain if Clinton is the Party's nominee.
Senator Patrick Leahy, who's a super delegate supporting Obama, is clearly worried about this situation:
(Leahy) "I am very concerned. John McCain, who has been making one gaffe after another, is getting a free ride on it because Senator Obama and Senator Clinton have to fight with each other. I think that her criticism is hurting him more than anything John McCain has said. I think that's unfortunate."
(Kinzel) Leahy says it's virtually impossible for Clinton to win more elected delegates than Obama, and as a result, he thinks it's time for her to accept defeat:
(Leahy) "There is no way that Senator Clinton is going to win enough delegates to get the nomination. She ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama. Now, obviously that's a decision that only she can make. Frankly I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate."
(Kinzel) Former Governor Madeleine Kunin is the co-chair of the Clinton campaign in Vermont. She thinks Leahy is dead wrong on this issue:
(Kunin) "It is premature, to tell her to drop out now is just unfair because it isn't over. Admittedly, it's tough for Senator Clinton to get a majority of the delegates but it's not over till it's over. It seems a bit patronizing to tell her 'Honey, you know you've got to drop out for the good of the Party.' Sure it's not easy, but I think the process has to go forward as it was designed to go."
(Kinzel) And Kunin thinks, in the end, the Democrats will unite behind one of these candidates:
(Kunin) "I think both Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton know that what everybody wants in the Democratic party is a winner and some of this is just inevitable. But I think they will unite and I'm confident that judging by the turnout at every democratic primary which has been unprecedented that Democrats will do very well in November."
(Kinzel) It's likely that roughly 800 super delegates will ultimately decide this race. Vermont has 7 super delegates - five are supporting Obama, one is backing Clinton and one person - former governor and now D.N.C. chairman Howard Dean is neutral.
For VPR News, I'm Bob Kinzel in Montpelier.
Again he raises a good question she is behind in both the Popular Votes and Delegates no matter what happens she cannot win .
Also realize the longer this battle goes on Sneator McCain gets a free ride to campaign without a Democrat that is able to just focus on McCain .
Senator Leahy is just speaking the truth and people should stop and listen to what he is saying.
If Obama were behind and Hillary had 30 States in the bag I would say the same thing for Senator Obama but this is not the way it is .
So lets all Unite stop fighting each other and support Senator Obama and that means you Senator Clinton for the good of the Party in November .
Democratic Presidential Nomination Gallup Tracking Obama 50, Clinton 43 Obama +7
As I have been saying as we go into each day and week the National Polls will show Senator Clinton going down .
Lets take a look at the latest Pew National Poll and what they are saying .
Released March 27, 2008
The videos of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's controversial sermons and Barack Obama's subsequent speech on race and politics have attracted more public attention than any events thus far in the 2008 presidential campaign. A majority of the public (51%) said they heard "a lot" about the videos, and an even larger percentage (54%) said they heard a lot about Obama's speech, according to the weekly News Interest Index.
Most voters aware of the sermons say they were personally offended by Wright's comments, and a sizable minority (35%) says that their opinion of Obama has grown less favorable because of Wright's statements.
However, the Wright controversy does not appear to have undermined support for Obama's candidacy. The latest nationwide survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted March 19-22 among 1,503 adults, finds that Obama maintains a 49%-to-39% advantage over Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, which is virtually unchanged from than the 49%-to-40% lead he held among Democrats in late February. Obama and Clinton continue to enjoy slight advantages over John McCain in general election matchups among all registered voters.
The new polling suggests that the Wright affair has not hurt Obama's standing, in part because his response to the controversy has been viewed positively by voters who favor him over Clinton. Obama's handling of the Wright controversy also won a favorable response from a substantial proportion of Clinton supporters and even from a third of Republican voters.
More than eight-in-ten supporters of Obama (84%) who have heard about the controversy over Wright's sermons say he has done an excellent or good job of dealing with the situation. Reactions from Clinton supporters, and Republicans, are on balance negative; however, 43% of Clinton voters and a third of Republican voters who have heard about the affair express positive opinions about Obama's handling of the situation.
The survey finds that, in general, Obama has a highly favorable image among Democratic voters, including white Democrats. But while Obama's personal image is more favorable than Clinton's, certain social beliefs and attitudes among older, white, working-class Democratic voters are associated with his lower levels of support among this group.
In particular, white Democrats who hold unfavorable views of Obama are much more likely than those who have favorable opinions of him to say that equal rights for minorities have been pushed too far; they also are more likely to disapprove of interracial dating, and are more concerned about the threat that immigrants may pose to American values. In addition, nearly a quarter of white Democrats (23%) who hold a negative view of Obama believe he is a Muslim.
Less educated and older white Democrats, who have not backed Obama in most primary elections, hold these values more commonly than do other Democrats.
These patterns suggest the potential for future reverberations from the Wright controversy if Obama wins the Democratic nomination. More conservative beliefs about equal rights and race are not only related to negative opinions of Obama among Democrats, suggesting the potential for defections among Democratic voters, but also are associated with negative views of him in the electorate at large.
An analysis of the survey finds that holding conservative positions on political and social values is associated with a greater likelihood of supporting McCain over Obama among Republicans, Democrats and independents, and all demographic groups. In contrast, however, this pattern is much less apparent in the Clinton-McCain matchup, excepting views about women in leadership roles.
One of the few negative trends for Obama following the Wright affair is that a larger number of conservative Republicans hold a very unfavorable opinion of him in the new poll than did so in February. The survey also finds that Obama no longer enjoys the favorable image rating advantage over McCain among independents that was apparent in previous polls.
White Democrats and the Candidates
Large majorities of white Democratic voters view Obama as honest, inspiring, patriotic, and down-to-earth. Obama's personal image surpasses Clinton's on almost every personal attribute tested in the survey, except patriotism.
In addition, roughly twice as many white Democrats say the word "phony" describes Clinton than say it describes Obama (30% vs. 16%). And the gap is even larger in perceptions of likability; 43% of white Democratic voters say the phrase "hard-to-like" describes Clinton, while just 13% say it describes Obama.
Gender makes a significant difference in personal perceptions of Hillary Clinton. Democratic women voters are much more likely than their male counterparts to view Clinton as honest and down-to-earth, and they more often report that Clinton makes them feel proud and hopeful. However, Democratic women voters are about as likely as Democratic men to say the descriptors hard-to-like and phony apply to Clinton.
Views of Obama More Tied to Voters' Emotions
White voters' views of Barack Obama are more influenced by how he makes them feel than by specific characteristics voters attribute to him. Saying that Obama makes them feel hopeful and proud are the strongest predictors of the ratings white Democrats give him. And of the personal traits tested, "inspiring" is more closely linked with views of the Illinois senator than any of the others.
On the other hand, views of Hillary Clinton among white Democratic voters are more influenced by perceptions that she is phony than by any other trait or emotion tested. But saying that Clinton makes them feel proud and hopeful also are significant predictors of how these voters rate her. Interestingly, while sizable minorities of white Democratic voters say Clinton is hard-to-like (43%), this opinion does not have a significant impact on her favorability ratings.
McCain Out of the Spotlight
Opinions about John McCain are mostly unchanged in the current survey. In part, this may be explained by his low level of public visibility.
In the current weekly News Interest Index survey, just 3% mentioned McCain, unprompted, as the candidate they had heard most about in the news. That compares with 71% who named Obama and 15% who named Clinton as the candidate they had heard most about.
More positive for McCain, however, is that a growing proportion of Republican voters say that the GOP will solidly unite behind the Arizona senator; 64% express that view currently, up from 58% in late February. Along with this expression of increased partisan unity, the survey finds that by a considerable margin (52%-37%), independent voters say that if McCain is elected, he will take the country in a different direction rather than continuing Bush's policies.
This comes at an opportune time for the GOP candidate. Bush's job approval rating has slipped to 28%, the lowest of his presidency. In addition, just 22% express satisfaction with the way things are going in the country. This, too, is about as negative an evaluation of the course of the nation as measured in nearly 20 years of Pew surveys.
Other important findings include:
The Wright controversy has not heightened the public's impression that Obama's race will undermine his chance in the general election if he is the nominee. Only 21% say Obama's race will hurt his chances, compared with 25% who held that view in January.
One-in-ten voters believe that Barack Obama is Muslim; 14% of Republicans, 10% of Democrats and 8% of independents think he is Muslim.
Fewer Democratic voters now think that a long primary contest is a good thing for the party. Just 44% think it is a good thing for the party that the nominating contest has not been settled. A month ago 57% expressed that view.
Most Democratic supporters of Clinton and Obama express favorable opinions of the other candidate. However, the campaign has taken a toll on positive views of both candidates among their rival's supporters. Still, majorities of Obama and Clinton supporters still believe the party will solidly unite behind the nominee even if their favored candidate does not prevail.
Nearly six-in-ten Democratic voters (57%) believe that Obama is most likely to win the party's nomination, while 28% expect Clinton to prevail. Last month, 70% said Obama was most likely to win, while 17% expected Clinton to win.
Pre-recorded campaign calls, or "robo-calls," have become the leading form of campaign communication in the 2008 primary season. Nationwide, 39% of voters say they have received a pre-recorded call about the campaign, up from 25% in November.
As again I have consistantly stated Senator Clinton will not do well and as we continue down the path of her trying to win the noination her negatives will continue to go up as the American decide enough of this lets talk about issues and beating Senator McCain.
Again I will continue to review whats happening in the Polls .
Its not looking good for Senator Clitnon.
"CNN News-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she won't let the increasingly heated Democratic presidential race harm the party's congressional candidates, in a fundraising appeal sent Friday to Democratic donor’s just days after several Hillary Clinton fundraisers demanded the California Democrat publicly change her position that the party's superdelegates support the pledged delegate leader.
"Here's what you and I can't let happen," Pelosi wrote in email to Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee supporters. "We can't allow the tension and pressures of a spirited presidential contest to spill over and harm hard-working Democratic candidates running to strengthen our Democratic majority in the House.
“I will do whatever it takes to protect our candidates and make sure their campaigns to drive change forward don't skip a beat. I need you to do the same.”
Two days earlier, 20 Clinton backers strongly criticized Pelosi for saying the Democratic superdelegates would harm the party if they overturned the pledged-delegate results. That stance benefits Barack Obama, whose current pledged delegate lead of 171 is virtually insurmountable given the Democratic Party's proportional delegation allocations, even if Clinton were to win each of the remaining 10 primary contests.
In their letter, the Clinton donors directly reminded Pelosi they have been strong supporters of the DCCC in the past " a statement many perceived as a veiled threat that they may cut off their support.
"We have been strong supporters of the DCCC. We therefore urge you to clarify your position on super-delegates and reflect in your comments a more open view to the
optional independent actions of each of the delegates at the National Convention in August," the supporters stated in the letter."
This is is not the way the Democratic Party Donors should act at all.
20 Donors do not tell the Speaker of The House what to do.
Over 30 States have voted for Obama both in Popular Votes and in Delegates.
Senator Clintons campaign says they did not know this was being done.
I find that hard to believe.
How could you Senator Clinton not know what your Donors had planned to do in regards to Nancy Pelosi?.
The Clinton Campaign is looking desperate now and when these Rich Donors 20 of them do something like this its using strong armed tactics to change the rules of this Presidential Race.
I am glad Nancy Pelosi stood her ground on this .
The Peoples votes and the money raised by small donations should be what counts not some very Rich donors trying to force a different outcome to this race.
My word to those Clinton 20 keep your money in your pocket and keep your bully tactics out of this Democratic Race .
What are the names of these 20 Donors who are they?
Lets see if we can findout and post their names here .
I will let you know what I find.
Let the remaining States Vote and continue on.
Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton greeted U.S. soldiers as they arrived at Tuzla military airport, Bosnia, March 25, 1996.She has been using the episode as an example of her foreign policy bona fides.
“I certainly do remember that trip to Bosnia,” she said last week. “There was a saying around the White House that if a place was too small, too poor, or too dangerous, the president couldn’t go, so send the First Lady.
“I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.”
But her account has been challenged, first by Sinbad, the comedian, who traveled with her, and then by news organizations, most notably the Washington Post, which awarded her four “Pinnochios” which it gives for major “whoppers.”
The key factor here that has been and will continue to be reported all this week is that Senator Hillary Clinton has lied about the gun fire when you look at the pictures they are walking like nothing is happening at all.
If anyone was being shot at you will know and remember that time period .
I remember being in a car crash many years ago almost died.You do not forget these things.
Now that this story is all over the Internet Blogs the major Cable news Channels and around the World you cannot Senator Clinton back-step and change your story to make it look like your tired and forgot what really happened ,or some other lame excuse.
Senator Clinton has since day one been telling everyone she is more experienced to become President.
She lied about Nafta recently which the Canandian press exposed just weeks ago,and now this.
She is becoming what I call a experienced liar in her Campaign.
Watch the CBS Morning news which broke the story of her lying to the Media and the American People below http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BfNqhV5hg4
I guess if you believe your own lie for solong after a while you start thinking it was the truth.
I believe the News Media needs to pay close attention and look for other lies that Clinton says is the truth.
She should now do the right thing on behalf of her lies and the Democratic Party and thats to step down now.
This is the latest of two poll that are showing Senator Obama not leading the former 1st Lady of former President Bill Clinton.The first Poll is from the well known Gallup Tracking organization and the second is from a CBS News Poll taken last week.
Democratic Presidential Nomination Gallup Tracking Obama 48, Clinton 45 Obama +3
CBS News Poll Date: 3/15-18 Added: 3/20/08 Est. MoE =3.0%
Barack Obama 46%
Hillary Clinton 43%
Unsure 8%
Other 3%
Now the CBS Poll remember was done during all the uproar over Pastor Wright and also before we foundout the Clintons knew Rev.Wright.
I believe this week the Candidates will be talking about alot of other issues directly affecting each of us in this country.
Over the weekend the War issue has been a big deal and it is.
The Economy and the Housing Market with many losing their Homes are at the top of the list for many Americans.
The Polls will reflect in the coming weeks a realization by the American People that if they want change they will have to select the Democrat who will bring that.
The Candidates will suggest to you that they both want change ,and if you support one or the other you most likely by now believe them at their word.
The Polls I believe will show in the next few primary's that are left for our party that people want change in America and in Washington.
Both Presidental Candidates the news media will say have simular platforms on many issues .
The deciding factor will be who is just speaking words to get votes, and better poll ratings, and who really wants to be President of our party and represent the people of this country and solve the problems that Bush will leave behind.
The National Polls should give us some indication of the feelings that the American People have in the next week or two.
If Senator Clinton takes Pennsylvania which is likely lets say with a 10-12 point lead she still will not get the nomination and I am watching the States Polls each day to see where the candidates are in these Pennsylvania Polls aswell as the National.
I believe That Senator Barack Obama will win North Carolina by about 3-5 % Points and could win Indiana with the Chicago Media market strong in that State both Tv and Radio along the boarder.
i will give Senator Obama a possible win of 2-5%points for that State aswell.
As far as Senator Obama needing a big State to be viable to win against McCain I do not go along with that at all but the opposite .
Those in the major media who are saying this in some discussions do not understand that in the national people will vote very differently and when it comes down not to Clinton Obama being a factor ,but Mccain and Obama they will vote for change in that voting booth.
I also feel that the other remaining States will go Senator Obama way they will not be repeats of Pennsylvania and Ohio.
At the Democratic Convention in Denver the Superdelegates will support Senator Obama based on both his Popular Votes and delegate lead .
So that where i see this going in the next few weeks and as always i will give you my insights on this.
Photograph of Bill Clinton and Rev. Wright Surfaces
By Kate Phillips.Link to Photo of Rev.Jeremiah A. Wright shaking hands of former President Bill Clinton on link below plus the story from the NYT .Here is the link with the Black and White Photo of Rev. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/photograph-of-bill-clinton-and-rev-wright-surfaces/
Wright with former President Bill Clinton. Since so many people have attacked US Senator Barack Obama even within the Democratic Party remember the Clinton have known Rev Wright even before Hillart decided to run for anything.
What this tells me is that if Bill and Hillary respected Rev. Wright then why did they allow Senator Obama to be attacked ?
Why as Democrats did they just go silent and say very little.
I will tell you why because the Clintons did not want voters to know that they know him but the President invited him to this gathering at the Whitehouse.
My conclusion is this was set up as a diversion in this primary season to take away voters concerns on the War,our Economy and other major concerns .
I would like to know how many years the Clintons knew Re. Wright?
Beyond that I feel this subject has been beat to the ground and we need to focus on whats happening to our Troops in Iraq and when are they coming home to their loved ones?
When will we focus on the Evironmental areas ,Education,and keeping Jobs in American and creating new ones,House foreclosures and yes Racism is an issue that also has been in the public arena.
So read this News Story from the NYT and you will see that Obama was not the only Democrat that has known Rev Wright.
So lets stop and move on this week coming to issues that are affecting all Americans in the pocket its time.
The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. and President Bill Clinton at a prayer breakfast at the White House in September 1998.During one of the most difficult periods in the presidency of Bill Clinton, he addressed a group of clerics at an annual prayer breakfast in September 1998 just as the Starr report outlining his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky was about to be published.
Among those in attendance, was the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., who is seen shaking hands with Mr. Clinton in a photograph provided today by the Obama campaign. Mr. Wright’s relationship with Senator Barack Obama, as his longtime pastor, has been the subject of considerable controversy in recent days because of incendiary excerpts of sermons Mr. Wright gave at their church, Trinity United Church of Christ, in Chicago.
In providing the photograph to The New York Times, the Obama campaign appeared to be trying to divert some attention to the Clintons after a week in which Mr. Obama’s relationship with Mr. Wright has left him facing one of the biggest challenges of his campaign. There is nothing in the picture or the note that addresses whether Mr. Clinton had met Mr. Wright prior to the White House meeting or whether he or Mrs. Clinton knew anything about Mr. Wright’s views.
The invitation to the breakfast.
The invitation’s envelope.Asked for a response tonight through email, Howard Wolfson, a top aide to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, wrote, “Urgent indeed …quot; a picture …quot; oooooooo!”
Senator Clinton’s spokesman, Phil Singer, sent along this reply to a request for comment:
In the course of his two terms in office, Bill Clinton met with, corresponded with and took pictures with literally tens of thousands of people.
A thank-you note from Mr. Clinton to Mr. Wright. (Click to enlarge)Mr. Wright was invited to the 1998 prayer breakfast, and in addition, he received a thank-you note from former President Clinton for his expressions of support about six weeks later.
According to an account by James Bennet, former White House correspondent who has since left The Times:
With tears in his eyes, President Clinton told a roomful of clerics this morning that he had sinned, speaking just hours before the world was presented a painstaking account by prosecutors of when, where and how.
Addressing an annual prayer breakfast at the White House, Mr. Clinton drew on the New Testament, the Yom Kippur liturgy and Ernest Hemingway as he made his most abject confession yet of personal failure, while declaring that he would defend and redeem his Presidency.
‘’I don’t think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned,'’ he admitted softly, saying that after resisting expressions of contrition he had reached ‘’the rock-bottom truth of where I am.'’
For the first time, Mr. Clinton also asked for forgiveness from Monica S. Lewinsky, on the day that the details of their intimate relationship …quot; details that he had denied and struggled to suppress …quot; poured out through the Internet, whose wonders as a tool of communication he has so often extolled.
Mr. Wright is not mentioned in the article. Also visible in the photograph is Vice President Al Gore.
And according to the newly released schedules of Mrs. Clinton by the National Archives of her years as first lady, she was in attendance, too.
Her schedule reads:
“Religion Leaders Breakfast (w/POTUS)” in the East Room from 9-10:30 a.m.
Format:
- The President and First Lady are announced into the East Room and proceed to their tables.
- The Vice President makes remarks and introduces The President.
- The President makes remarks and introduces Dr. Reverend Gerald Mann.
- Dr. Reverend Gerald Mann gives blessing.
- Breakfast is served.
- Following breakfast, The President opens discussion.
- Upon conclusion of the discussion, The President introduces Dr. Reverend James Forbes.
- Dr. Reverend James Forbes gives benediction.
- The President, First Lady, and Vice President depart.
PARTICIPANTS: Approx. 130 guests to attend.
The wording of Mr. Clinton’s thank-you note to Mr. Wright, dated Oct. 28, 1998:
Dear Pastor Wright:
Thank you so much for your kind message.
I am touched by your prayers and by the many expressions of encouragement and support I have received from friends across our country.
You have my best wishes.
Sincerely,
Bill Clinton
We would leave the Racism in all its ugly forms with the Republican Party and the Right Wingers in this Country.
Lately since we have for the first time in history an African-American and a Women running for the highest position in the land President you would think everyone would get along.
Well the opposite has happened for many reasons.
I am seeing Democrats or people that call themselves Democrats in our Party showing since at least Senator Obama is running with the Wright issue have turned nasty and hateful against the United States Senator.
The argument some Democrats now want to make is that he Senator Obama is Racist and now that we know he went to a Church for 20 years and now that we heard bits of his Pastors Speeches .
We now are experts on Racism and who is Racist.
We are not experts on this subject because if we knew what Racism was it would not exist within parts of the Democratic base meaning registered Demorcrats within our Party.
I feel Racism now in the Democratic Party base has to be addressed now .Senator Obama addressed it to the whole nation a few days ago and did it well.
When i read people not just here but elsewhere who say they are Democrats and are angry at Obama and think he should step down because you might think he's Racist when he is not .
Its a Guilt by Association.
Remember West Side Story their were two people in that movie that loved each other the gangs wanted to fight each other because they refused to get to know one another.
Thats the real problem now within our Democratic Party base and maybe with some Democrats that might be in leadership positions.
I truly believe that Democrats should judge a person by their Character not Guilt by Association which has happened in Senator Obama's case.
The Black Democrats within our Party have not called Obama a Racist or someone who hates anyone .
As a White American Democrat for the record alot of whats happening beyond the Wright video snippets on the news all week.
This is the first time in American History and within our Party that we have a front runner who happens to be African American and a Democrat who will most likely get the nomination at the Democratic Convention in Denver .
Their is some fear within the Party base mostly from supporters of the Clinton Campaign .
Back to comments I have heard on some Political chats and blogs have been filled with hate against Senator Obama.
The Democratic Party as a whole needs to realize whats happening .
We do have Racism in some sectors of our base but nobody has talked about it and we need to.
Alot of it is based on fear by those not of Color who are White Democrats.
Again i say some not all.
We still have communities that are not people of all races and creeds living together.
Same thing with the Democratic Party our Party.
To say Obama is a Racist and be angry and now hateful of Senator Obama is wrong if you call yourself a Democrat.
I again would expect that from Right Wing groups and some sectors of the Republican Party.
So to end this i will say lets talk about our own Racism within our Party for those that have issues and are in denial the sooner we address this now within the Party the better.
Its looks like Senator Hillary Clinton will have an uphill battle .
Florida also is not having a revote or new Primary now aswell.
These were the two States Senator Clinton was counting on and she tried hard to break the rules of the DNC .
It did not work Howard Deane our Chairman of the DNC stuck to the rules and thats the way it should be.
All other States followed DNC Rules by the book as should of Florida and Michigan.
If you break the rules you pay the price and thats fair.
No one was deny anyone the right to vote when they did.
Hillary wants it her way and this time Senator Clinton its not going your way .
You can yell and cry over it and keep whining over it but in the end its over with.
I do not see Hillary getting the popular votes and delegates needed in the end to win anything.
All I am sharing is the plain truth which I understand her campaign does not want see the writing on the wall.
People within the Democratic Party I believe will do the right thing and put pressure on Senator Clinton to dropout.
Their is nothing more they can create in their Campaign to change the math and the fact that people in America really want someone new.
Change as they say is in the air .
Bob Dylan in a song once wrote "The Times They Are A Changin" They sure are in 2008.
Also his endorsement I believe will be a key factor in other Democrats who are Superdelegates coming forward and ending this thing once and for all.
At this point after PA the Clinton Campaign for the Unity of the Democratic Party gracefully drop out and support Senator Barack Obama .
In so doing this the chances will be much greater for us to win in the general against Senator McCain.
I hope Hillary you will do the right thing on behalf of the Democratic Party.
Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico endorsed Barack Obama today in Portland Oregon. A globally renowned ambassador, executive, and foreign affairs expert, Governor Richardson’s trailblazing campaign for the presidency energized voters and boosted the Democratic Party’s foreign policy credentials in this critical election. Richardson also serves as a Democratic superdelegate.
“Today I am endorsing Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States because I believe he is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime leader that can bring our nation together and restore America’s moral leadership in the world,” Governor Richardson said. “As a Presidential candidate, I know full well Senator Obama's unique ability to inspire the American people to confront our urgent challenges at home and abroad in a spirit of bipartisanship and reconciliation.”
Over the course of a distinguished career as legislator, cabinet secretary, and diplomat, Richardson developed a nuanced understanding of America’s role in the world and the best uses of our power…quot;issues that led him to choose Obama as the best equipped to handle the challenges facing the next President. Richardson served seven terms in Congress before being appointed by President Clinton to serve as Ambassador to the United Nations and, later, Secretary of Energy. He was elected Governor in 2002 and reelected in 2006. Richardson has negotiated with some of the world’s most unsavory regimes to secure the release of American prisoners, and has been active in seeking to secure loose nuclear materials and end the genocide in Darfur, both priorities shared by Senator Obama.
“Whether it was as a congressman or cabinet secretary, ambassador or governor, there are few more distinguished public servants in America than Governor Richardson, and I am deeply honored to have his support,” Senator Obama said. “He knows that to secure American interests, we have to talk to our enemies, as well as our friends, which is why he stood up to North Korea and Saddam Hussein to secure the release of American hostages. And that’s the kind of tough, aggressive diplomacy we need to meet the new challenges of the 21st century.”
The State Department admitted Friday that the passport files of Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. John McCain had been accessed without authorization.
"One of the things that the American people count on in their interactions with any level of government is that if they have to disclose personal information, that it stay personal and stay private," Obama said in Portland, Oregon.
"And when you have not just one but a series of attempts to tap into people's personal records, that's a problem not just for me but for how our government is functioning," he said.
Obama said he expected "a full and thorough investigation" by the administration in conjunction with congressional oversight committees.
The State Department's inspector general has started an investigation, department officials said.
"Attorney General Michael Mukasey said the Justice Department had not launched an investigation and did not expect to do so unless it was asked by the inspector general."
Something again is not right these State Department Employees were contracted out and had Security clearance to look at all of Obama's records and the other two Candidates Clinton and McCain.
They were very interested according to the news reports in Senator Obama out of the three.
Who is behind this and why are they doing this ?
How can nobody know what was going on at that level of Government?
Senator Obama deserves honest answers to these questions now.
I am very interested in following this on the Blog it will say alot about Big Brother and who is this Big Brother ?
What is strange is that when and whomever looked at Senator Obama's Passport Files did it in Jan.,February and March 2008 all at times when his support and numbers were ahead of Clinton.
Since all three Candidates have been breached this is a wild story in itself.
I do not believe these people were just their doing their normal jobs and said oh lets have some fun and look at each Candidates Passport Files while we are working.
What was the purpose of this and did they plan are using the information in these files to bring one of the presidental Candidates down before the election in November?
These 4 people has security clearance you or I can never get and they were considered low levele employee's .
I wonder what a top level employee can look at?
Is this the end of it or is their more plans to breach information that we do not even yet know about within the Democratic Party?
So I will keep a daily or weekly update on this important news story affecting the Democratic Party and see where this takes us.
Have the American People been used by some people in high places? Have they used the Internet and Blogs to smear Obama?
I am going to wait and see what develops in this Breaking News Story I do remember Watergate.
Whats going on?
NBC News and news services
updated 39 minutes ago
Two contract employees of the State Department were fired and a third person was disciplined for inappropriately looking at Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's passport file.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the department itself detected the instances of "imprudent curiosity," which occurred separately on Jan. 9, Feb. 21 and March 14. He would not release the names of those who were fired and disciplined.
"We believe this was out of imprudent curiosity, so we are taking steps to reassure ourselves that that is, in fact, the case," McCormack said.
Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama's presidential campaign, called for a complete investigation.
"This is an outrageous breach of security and privacy, even from an administration that has shown little regard for either over the last eight years. Our government's duty is to protect the private information of the American people, not use it for political purposes," Burton said.
"This is a serious matter that merits a complete investigation, and we demand to know who looked at Senator Obama's passport file, for what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security breach," he said.
"We briefed Senator Obama's office on this issue this afternoon," McCormack said. "That was when senior management first became aware of these incidents."
McCormack said it was not immediately clear what the contract employees may have seen in the records or what they were looking for. He said he did not know the names of the companies they worked for.
The department has informed Obama's Senate office of the breach, and a personal briefing for the senator's staff was scheduled for Friday, McCormack said.
A senior official told NBC News there was "no political motivation" to the incidents, adding that the three were low-level contract employees doing administrative work when they accessed Obama's records.
This official told NBC News that he does not believe any of the accessed information was sent anywhere.
Monitoring systems are tripped when an employee accesses the records of the high-profile individual, a department official told NBC News. "When the monitoring system is tripped, we immediately seek an explanation for the records access. If the explanation is not satisfactory, the supervisor is notified."
Explaining why the contractors had access to the files, the official said: "The State Department uses cleared contractors to design, build and maintain our systems and cleared contract employees provide support to government employees and several steps of passport processing including data entry, file searches, customer service and quality control.
"Each time an employee logs on, he or she acknowledges the records are protected by the privacy act and that they are only available on a need-to-know basis," the official added.

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