UNITED FOR OBAMA

HISTORY LESSON: LONGTIME WHITE HOUSE BUTLER'S CAREER OF SERVICE A TESTAMENT TO MAGNITUDE OF OBAMA'S VICTORY

2008-11-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

The marvelous feature written by Washington Post reporter Wil Haygood (top) about Eugene Allen (bottom), an 89-year-old Washingtonian may just be the best feature story about the true impact on race relations and progress Barack Obama's victory has had. This story is deeply profound. Click the first link for the reprinted version in Los Angeles Times and the second link for an audiovisual slideshow featuring Mr. Allen's voice and accompanying photos.
latimes.com
washingtonpost.com

MAKING MORE HISTORY: BARACK CAPTURES SINGLE NEBRASKA ELECTORAL VOTE TO PAD LANDSLIDE TOTAL TO 365; MISSOURI STILL COUNTING PROVISIONAL BALLOTS

2008-11-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

Many months ago, recognizing a chance to grab a lone electoral vote in the event of an unlikely tie, Barack Obama's camapign opened an office in Omaha, Nebraska and aggressively campaigned to win. That effort has now borne fruit. Like Maine, Nebraska actually splits its electoral votes and Obama has NOW officially captured the single vote assigned to the Cornhusker State's 2nd Congressional District, which inlcudes the state's largest city, Omaha. The win, as the accompanying story in the Grand Island (Neb.) Independent says, brings President-elect Obama's winning electoral vote total to 365 and makes him the first Democratic presidential candidate in 44 years to capture any of Nebraska's electoral votes.
In Missouri, where 11 electoral votes are at stake, Obama trails John McCain by 5,868votes, with 7,085 provisional ballots have yet to be counted. Obama would need to win 82 percent of the provisional ballots to draw even with McCain. It won't be until two weeks from now that state election officials conclude their review of how many of those ballots will be accepted and counted.
Oh, the picture that accompanies this entry? It's the mascot of the Omaha Royals, the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals.

theindependent.com
stlouispostdispatch.com

THE WHOLE WORLD WATCHED: CLICK, VIEW AND READ MORE THAN 700 DIFFERENT NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS, FROM NEARLY 70 COUNTRIES, OF OBAMA'S HISTORIC VICTORY

2008-11-05T04:57:00.000-08:00

Everybody, let's savor the moment. Let's preserve the history. Read below, the news stroies from around the world. From the Asian subcontinent and the grasslands of Kenya to cosmopolitan Argentina to Sydney Harbor and more, these pieces tell the whole story.
sydneymorningherald.com
kenyadailynation.com
dailytelegraph.co.uk
philippinedailyinquirer.com
newzealandherald.com
jerusalempost.com
torontostar.com
oglobobrazil.com
lanacionargentina.com
timesofindia.com
johannesburgmailandguardian.com
jakartapost.com

For a look newspaper front pages in the United Kingdom, check out this link to a blog called the Wardman Wire. Scroll down the page, then roll your cursor over the front page gallery, then click on the image to expand it.
wardmanwire.com

From the website of the Newseum in Rosslyn, Va., here's a link to a gallery of front pages of American and world newspapers...
newseum.org

There's more: Click this link for a slideshow of newspaper front pages and web sites commemorating the historic night.
politico.com

'YES WE CAN': WATCH OBAMA'S VICTORY SPEECH HERE

2008-11-05T04:50:00.000-08:00

At midnight this morning, before hundreds of thousands in Chicago's Grant Park, president-elect Barack Obama ushered in the new dawn in American history with his victory speech. Watch CNN's coverage of it by clicking the first link and read the trabscript the network provides below.

cnn.com

"Hello, Chicago.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain. Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."

11 p.m. ET YES WE DID! OBAMA ELECTED AMERICA'S 44TH PRESIDENT!

2008-11-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

With the polls closed in California and with exit polls showing that he will win that state's 55 electoral votes to push him across the clinching threshhold of 270, CNN and other news organizations have officially projected that Barack Hussein Obama has been elected president of the United States.

10:58 p.m. ET CNN CALLS VIRGINIA FOR BARACK, LEAD EXPANDS TO 220-135

2008-11-04T19:36:00.000-08:00

Wow! Red turns blue south of the Mason-Dixon line. Virginia goes for Barack Obama. the magic number is now just 47.

10:24 p.m. ET CNN CALLS MISSISSIPPI FOR MCCAIN; OBAMA LEAD 207-135

2008-11-04T19:23:00.001-08:00

Cotton is king there and now so is John McCain. Mississippi has gone his way, narrowing Obama's lead to 207-135.

10:21 p.m. ET CNN CNN PROJECTS TEXAS FOR MCCAIN; OBAMA LEAD NOW 207-129

2008-11-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

Sen. John McCain has just scored his biggest electoral win of this contest, picking up 34 electoral votes by winning in Texas. McCain still trails Obama, 207-129.

10:11 p.m. ET CNN CALLS ARKANSAS FOR MCCAIN; OBAMA LEADS, 207-95

2008-11-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

Bill Clinton may have come from there, but Arkansas stays blood red this time, giving John McCain a win, with Obama still comfortably leading.

10 p.m. CNN CALLS IOWA FOR OBAMA; UT, KAN. FOR MCCAIN; OBAMA LEAD NOW 206-89

2008-11-04T18:50:00.000-08:00

The Hawkeye state is in Barack's corner now, while red states Utah and Kansas stay red and go to McCain. The magic number for clinching is now 64.

9:48 p.m. ET CNN CALLS N.M. FOR BARACK, LOUISIANA FOR MCCAIN; BARACK'S LEAD NOW 199-78

2008-11-04T18:37:00.000-08:00

The land of enchantment is the latest state to officially come through for Barack Obama. In restaurants in that state, servers ask "red or green?" to patrons, asking them what kind of chile they want on their food. Well tonight, the color is blue. It defies all reason why Louisiana would pick a Republican candidate after the way Dubya treated its residents after Hurricane Katrina, but it did.

9:35 p.m. ET CNN CALLS OHIO FOR BARACK; LEAD EXPANDS TO194-69

2008-11-04T18:25:00.000-08:00

The Buckeyes have backed Barack. Time is running out for John McCain, as Obama takes away a key battleground state, in Ohio. The magic number to clinch is now 76.

9:23 p.m. ET CNN CALLS W.VA. FOR MCCAIN; BARACK'S LEAD NOW 174-69

2008-11-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

West Virginia, according to CNN, will remain red, as John McCain has been projected to win that state.

9:12 p.m. ET CNN CALLS GEORGIA FOR MCCAIN; BARACK'S LEAD NOW 174-64

2008-11-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

Things don't turn out peachy in Georgia for Team Obama, as McCain takes the state, drawing to within 110 points, 174-64.

9 p.m. ET CNN CALLS MICH., N.Y., R.I., MINN., WIS. FOR BARACK; ALA., WYO., N.D. FOR MCCAIN; OBAMA LEADS 174-49

2008-11-04T17:59:00.002-08:00

As states' polls close, the electoral points are now pouring in for Barack Obama. He now leads John McCain, 174-49, reducing the magic 270 number to 96.

8:55 p.m. ET IN SENATE RACE, CNN CALLS N.C. SEAT FOR KAY HAGAN OVER ELIZABETH DOLE

2008-11-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

Dole, in a recent ad called Hagan "godless." Instead, it was a Hindu element that did Dole in -- karma -- in her race against Kay Hagan. CNN projects a big win for Hagan, the Democratic challenger.

8:40 p.m. ET CNN CALLS PENNSYLVANIA FOR BARACK; INCREASING ELECTORAL LEAD TO 102-34

2008-11-04T17:35:00.000-08:00

In one of the most anticipated results of the evening, CNN has projected Pennsylvania going in Barack Obama's column, giving him a 102-34 electoral lead, crushing the hopes of John McCain to win that state, despite his massive campaigning efforts there. the magic number to 270 is now 168.

8:30 p.m. ET CNN CALLS NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR BARACK; INCREASES LEAD TO 81-34

2008-11-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

Put New Hampshire in Obama's column, says CNN. The magic number is now 189. MSNBC is projecting a Pennsylvania win for Obama, but no other news organization has yet to concur. Stay tuned.

8:05 p.m. ET CNN CALLS MA, NJ, IL, ME, DE, CT, MD, DC FOR BARACK; TN, OK FOR MCCAIN; OBAMA TAKES 77-34 ELECTORAL LEAD

2008-11-04T16:57:00.000-08:00

CNN reports that Barack Obama has taken an electoral lead over John McCain, by a count of 77-34, by winning Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey, Maine, Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS NOW 193 FOR CLINCHING THE PRESIDENCY.

8 p.m. ET CNN CALLS SOUTH CAROLINA FOR MCCAIN

2008-11-04T16:53:00.000-08:00

CNN has just projected another safe red state, South Carolina, for John McCain, giving him a 16-3 electoral point lead

7 p.m. ET CNN CALLS VERMONT FOR BARACK; KENTUCKY FOR MCCAIN

2008-11-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

CNN announced it can't yet make projections for the other four states -- Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Virginia. Vermont is now etched in history as the first state ever won by an African-American presidential candidate.
McCain currently leads the electoral count, 8-3.

6:30PM ET: OBAMA AHEAD BY 11 IN INDIANA WITH 1 PERCENT OF PRECINCTS COUNTED

2008-11-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama is about 2,000 votes ahead in Indiana, with 1 percent of precincts counted.

6:20 PM ET FIRST RESULTS: MCCAIN LEADS OBAMA 59-40 PERCENT IN KY.

2008-11-04T15:20:00.000-08:00

First results on CNN shows McCain ahead of Obama by 440 votes with less than 1 percent of precincts reporting and leading 59 to 40 percent. Kentucky is a "safe McCain" state.

5:05 p.m. ET EXIT POLLS: ECONOMY DRIVING VOTE

2008-11-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

According to CNN exit polling, done in the form of a questionnaire among voters who have just voted, 62 percent of voters say their votes are being driven by the economy. The next closest subject which voters said determined their votes was the Iraq War, at 10 percent.

WATCHING THE POLLS TOMORROW NIGHT: YOUR GUIDE TO STATE POLL CLOSING TIMES

2008-11-03T05:11:00.000-08:00

So tomorrow night, when should you start tuning in to CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, etc.? The answer is 6 p.m. All the networks begin their coverage then. At 7 p.m., polls in six states close and votes are counted. The following information details, by time, when state polls close and how many electoral votes are at stake, in Barack Obama's quest for the 270 he needs, to clinch the presidency.

Closing Times for Polls on Nov. 4, 2008
KEY
*solid Obama
+leaning Obama
@toss-up
$splits its electoral votes by Congressional District
(ELECTORAL VOTES IN PARENTHESES FOLLOWING STATE NAMES)

6 p.m. ET/3 P.M. PT
@Indiana (11)
Kentucky (8)

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
*Vermont (3)
@Florida (27)
+Virginia (13)
Georgia (15)
South Carolina (8)

7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT
@North Carolina (15)
West Virginia (5)
@Ohio (20)

8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
Mississippi (6)
*Connecticut (7)
*DC (3)
*Delaware (3)
$*Maine (4)
*Maryland (10)
*Massachusetts (12)
*Michigan (17)
*New Hampshire (4)
*New Jersey (15)
*Pensylvania (21)
Tennessee (11)
Alabama (9)
*Illinois (21)
@Missouri (11)
Oklahoma (7)
South Dakota (3)
Texas (34)

8:30 p.m./5:30 p.m. PT
Arkansas (6)

9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
*Iowa (7)
*New York (31)
*Wisconsin (10)
*Colorado (9)
*Minnesota (10)
$Nebraska (5)
Louisiana (9)
Kansas (6)
Arizona (10)
*New Mexico (5)
Wyoming (3)
*Rhode Island (4)

10 pm ET/ 7 p.m. PT
North Dakota (3)
*Oregon (7)
Utah (5)
@Nevada (5)
Montana (3)
Idaho (4)

11 pm/8 p.m. PT
*California (54)
*Washington (11)
*Hawaii (4)

1 a.m./10 p.m. PT
Alaska (3)

LAST GALLUP POLL BEFORE ELECTION DAY PROJECTS 11-POINT WIN FOR BARACK

2008-11-02T22:03:00.000-08:00

OK, OK, we know. The polls aren't always right, right? But you can't sleep on Gallup, the most respected polling organization out there. And it gives Barack Obama a big advantage. But as you read the story, don't take anything for granted. VOTE. When you're waiting in a long line, think about the people in some foreign countries who aren't allowed to exercise the basic human right many of us take for granted. And keep standing. Or if you have to, bring a folding chair. Better yet, if you've already voted, volunteer to drive the transportationally-challenged (wow! Is that a new term?)to the polls. Or be a poll monitor and nmake sure no potential Obama voters are being harassed or intimidated and then direct them to voting rights attorneys. In another words, do whatever you can. Can we make history on Tuesday?
YES WE CAN!
gallup.com

SPRINGSTEEN KEEPS OHIO ROCKIN' FOR BARACK BEFORE 80,000 IN CLEVELAND

2008-11-02T18:36:00.000-08:00

Cleveland is the home to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame and one if its esteemed members, the Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, was in Cleveland today, performing a set on the grounds of Mall B and urging the crowd to get behind Barack Obama. Just check him out greeting Michelle, Malia and Sasha along with Barack. Earlier, Obama drew 60,000 in Columbus. At 9:45 p.m. EST, he addressed an estimated 35,000 in Cincinnati. The Columbus Disptach's final poll has him leading John McCain 52 to 46 percent. Here's the account og the Cleveland appearance in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

cleveland.com

WITH DEMOCRATIC SECRETARIES OF STATE IN PLACE, FUNNY BUSINESS AT POLLING PLACES MAY NOT REPEAT ON TUESDAY

2008-11-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

You know the names. Katherine L. Harris of Florida. Kenneth Blackwell of Ohio. These two people had a couple of things in common. Harris, you may remember, was Florida's secretary of state in 2000, a Republican who just so happened to be the state's chairperson of George W. Bush's presidential campaign. Blackwell, also a Republican, chaired Bush's 2004 campaign in the Buckeye state. Think it was any coincidence that in their respective election years, those states' vote counts were embroiled in controversy and thousands of votes placed by African-Americans weren't counted, polling places in lower income areas lacked adequate numbers of machines, causing hours-long lines, discouraging people from casting votes? Well, that nightmare may not happen this year. Harris and Blackwell are long gone and as this Politico piece spells out, many Democrats occupy the secretary of state positions in key states.

politico.com

TIME MAGAZINE ASKS, WHAT'S WRONG WITH 'SPREADING THE WEALTH'?

2008-10-31T15:43:00.001-07:00

To many of us who need some economic assistance in these hard times, the notion of spreading the wealth -- which instant mix celebrity Joe the Unlicensed Plumber turn into a catch phrase for the McCain campaign to use against Barack Obama -- actually sounds like a pretty good idea. Time magazine's Michael Kinsley explains why it's not the repugnant affront to capitalism the Republicans are swearing it is.
time.com

BEATING THE RUSH IN FLORIDA MAY HELP TURN RED SUNSHINE STATE BLUE

2008-10-31T15:34:00.000-07:00

It's a great place to visit, but it's proven to be a nightmare to anyone who values free and fair elections. But this time, Florida is actually allowing early voting and Republican governor Charlie Crist - who was once on John McCain's vice-presidential short list -- surprised nearly everyone by mandating that during weekdays the polls would be open for 12 hours each day, a sizeable increase. An unnamed Republican source was recently quoted as saying, of Crist's move: "He just blew the state of Florida for McCain." But will Crist's gesture help Barack Obama's cause? Read the Time story below.

time.com

POWERHOUSE ENDORSEMENT: THE ECONOMIST SAYS 'IT'S TIME' TO ELECT OBAMA

2008-10-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

If you're still keeping track of press endorsements, Barack Obama has scored the support of 240 daily American newspapers, which reach a combined 21 million people, to John McCain's 113, reaching 7 million. Now comes an endorsement from the Economist. Read it here.

economist.com

OLD BROOKLYN SUGAR PLANT LIGHTS UP TO URGE VOTERS TO BACK BARACK

2008-10-31T15:23:00.000-07:00

This brings new meaning to "sweet." Check out how a Democratic activist group secured the old, abandoned Domino sugar processing plant in Brooklyn and converted it into a beacon for any undecided voters.

RECORDS SHOW MCCAIN FINANCIALLY BACKED MAN HE ACCUSES OF BEING 'FORMER PLO SPOKESMAN'

2008-10-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

Not so fast, Senator MCcain. You accuse Barack Obama of cavorting with a man you accuse of being a terrorist sympathizer and being a former Palestine Liberation Organization spokesman. But it turns out, according to records obtained by the Washington Post that McCain chaired an organization which donated nearly $500,000 to a group headed by Columbia University Professor of Arab Studies, Rashid Khalidi, the man the Arizona senator brands as a terrorist sympathizer.
This blog is about Barack Obama and next week's presidential election, so it won't render an opinion about Khalidi (whose name McCain's running mate Sarah Palin today mistakenly pronounced as "ka-LAH-dee," while attacking Obama) his beliefs or the PLO. But McCain's hypocrisy is striking. Here are the facts, as rendered by the Washington Post's Michael Dobbs:

"McCain is treading on tricky ground when he cites the Khalidi case as an example of Obama consorting with terrorist sympathizers. The Obama campaign was quick to point out that an organization co-founded by Khalidi has received large sums of grant money from the International Republican Institute, chaired by McCain since 1993. One such grant was for $448,873 in 1998 to assist the Center for Palestine Research and Studies in its work in the West Bank.

This is a case of guilt by association gone haywire. Both President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice have had extensive dealings with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who is much more closely identified with the PLO than Rashidi ever was. Verdict: the McCain camp has wildly exaggerated the significance of the Obama-Ayers-Khalidi triangle."

For more of the story, click the link below.

washingtonpost.com

CAUGHT ON TAPE: MCCAIN STOOGE CAN'T DEFEND OBAMA'S ALLEGED ANTI-SEMITIC ASSOCIATIONS

2008-10-30T17:38:00.000-07:00

If the following video can't establish that the McCain campaign relies (note the very important last four letters of the word "relies") on unfounded smear tactics it can barely defend, take a look at this YouTube clip captured today on CNN. It has McCain mouthpiece Andrew Goldfarb failing to back up the smack he talks to show host Rick Sanchez, about Barack Obama's alleged "palling around" with anti-Semites. This one is not to be missed...

msnbc.com

MORE THAN 26 MILLION WATCH OBAMA INFOMERCIAL

2008-10-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

Nice to see your campaign contributions pay off, huh? The Obama camp used the money wisely, spending between $3 million and $5 million on a 30-minute infomercial that aired simulataneously on NBC, MSNBC, CBS, Fox, BET, Univision and TV One, culminating with a live event and then followed only two hours later by a live event with former president Bill Clinton.
The result? Over 26 million viewers tuned in. How many voters may that sway? Too early to tell, but we'll know for sure on Tuesday. Meanwhile, here's the story, an excerpt from the infomercial and analysis on MSNBC.

msnbc.com

TAKE IT TO THE BRIDGE: USA TODAY COLUMNIST SAYS BARACK'S APPEAL CAN CLOSE AMERICA'S RACIAL DIVIDE

2008-10-28T05:24:00.000-07:00

Will wee really see the country's first true unity candidate be elected? USA Today columnist DeWayne Wickham comments.

usatoday.com

FIGHTING VOTE SUPPRESSION: BRAZILE WEIGHS IN, BARACK HIRES LAWYERS

2008-10-27T19:09:00.001-07:00

She shouts it f4rom the mountaintop and to Obama supporters, she's preaching to the choir. Yet Donna Brazile's piece for CNN is a compelling read. So is a New York Times story about how Barack Obama and the Democrats have an army of lawyers in place at polling stations across the country to prevent another GOP presidential election hijacking...
cnn.com
nytimes.com

BARACK SEES RED: CANDIDATE TOURING GOP STATES, DRAWING HUGE CROWDS

2008-10-27T05:01:00.000-07:00

When Obama hits the campaign trail, he hits it hard. he drew another 100,000 in Denver, 45,000 in tiny Fort Collins, Colo. and another 35,000 in Albuquerque. Crowds were smaller in Las Vegas and Reno, but the mission was completed. This week, it's off to battle in the battleground states. Check it out...

politico.com

ANSWERING ASHLEY TODD: OBAMA VOL SCARRED BY PHANTOM 'J' BANDIT

2008-10-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

This is hilarious. Just hilarious!
Check it out!
youtube.com

YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN: BARACK VISITS 'TOOT' IN HONOLULU 'HOOD

2008-10-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a little insight into Barack Obama's world -- specifically into the Honolulu neighborhood where he spent his teenage years. If you haven't yet read it, his "Dreams From My Father" goes into full details about his Hawaiian upbringing and his "tutu," Madelyn Dunham, whose ailing condition inspired Obama's return. The Honolulu Advertiser has the details.

honoluluadvertiser.com

LIAR, LIAR: MCCAIN VOLUNTEER TELLS PITTSBURGH COPS SHE FAKED RACE-MOTIVATED ATTACK BY PHANTOM OBAMA SUPPORTER

2008-10-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

By now, you've no doubt heard about how Ashley Todd, a 20-year-old Texas A&M student working on John McCain's campaign in Pittsburgh, took a page from Tawana Brawley's playbook, claiming she was the victim of a phantom assailant's racially-motivated assault. Only Todd added that the nonextistent "6-foot-4 black man" was also an Obama supporter and grew enraged while robbing her because he spotted a "McCain/Palin" bumper sticker on her car.
Fox News -- surprise -- was the first TV network to jump on the story. Only its anchor, Bill O'Reilly, much to his great credit, remained skeptical in reporting it. But the network's executive news director, Tom Moody, fired off an editorial, suggesting that the alleged attack might steer white voters away from voting for Barack Obama, as if there was some connection between an African-American candidate for the presidency and a phantom criminal. It speaks volumes for Moody's character, worldview and indeed the orientation of that network's news coverage.
The real question is not why Todd perpetrated this crime -- Pittsburgh police say she'll be charged with making a false police report -- but if higher-ups in the McCain campaign encouraged her to go through with it.
From the time the story first aired last night, Todd's claim reeked of fishiness, considering the timing. Just last week, a Democratic Congressman from wetsern Pennsylvnia warned that Obama would have trouble winning in that area because citizens were inherently racist and the McCain campaign's stated goal is trying to win the state from Obama's grasp.
Check out the coverage, from CNN, Pittsburgh TV stations KDKA, WTAE and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Finally, there's the knee-jerk letter from the Fox network executive.
cnn.com
kdka.com
postgazette.com
thepittsburghchannel.com
foxnews.com

MCCAIN TORCHES OWN PARTY IN FIERY TIRADE TO WASHINGTON TIMES

2008-10-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

Their ship is sinking. Big time. And a frustrated John McCain is lashing out at President George W. Bush, his fellow Republicans in Congress and just about everyone else. First, here's some video analysis by Keith Olbermann of MSNBC and Margaret Carlson of Bloomberg News, then the actual story that appeared in the Washington Times.
msnbc.com
washingtontimes.com

HURTS SO GOOD: FOLK-ROCK LEGEND JOHN MELLENCAMP LATEST ARTIST TO BACK BARACK IN CAMPAIGN AD

2008-10-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

He was born in a small town. He sang the little ditty 'bout Jack and Diane back in the day, telling us oh yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of livin' is gone. And he pleaded for a love interest to make it hurt so good. The one, the only John Mellencamp -- formerly John Cougar Mellencamp and also, Johnny Cougar -- the pride of Bloomington, Indiana, who is to the small town midwest what Bruce Springsteen is to industrial south Jersey and KRS-ONE is to the South Bronx, is officially backing Barack Obama, through a radio spot airing in the Hoosier State. Mellencamp, you may also remember, delivered the anthemic, "Our Country" a couple of years ago, celebrating America's diversity and ideals. Check it out the radio spot in the first link and the video to "Our Country" in the second.
youtube.com
youtube.com

HIP-HOPE: MC YOGI FLOWS STRONG FOR BARACK IN SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS RHYME

2008-10-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Props out to MC Yogi, who blesses the mic and shows mad skills in "Vote For Hope," and appeal for Barack Obama on election day. The jam is not part of his downloadable album, "Elephant Power" (above right), but is downloadable now on iTunes. Click on the link below and enjoy the video!

youtube.com

POLITICO: GOP ENGAGING IN A 'CIRCULAR FIRING SQUAD' OVER MCCAIN CAMPAIGN'S SUPERSONIC DOWNWARD SPIRAL

2008-10-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

The bloodletting within the GOP ranks has us recalling the chorus of the back-in-the-day appeal by the lineup of east coast rappers led by KRS-ONE, appealing for the cessation of black-on-black violence..."Self-destruction/You're headed for self-destruction..."
politico.com

SIMPLY PUT, TIME TELLS 'WHY BARACK OBAMA IS WINNING'

2008-10-22T17:27:00.001-07:00

Time magazine profiles Barack Obama and checks in on voting trends to illustrate why Obama is currently enjoying a 10-point lead in the polls, according to Gallup, leading in to the presidential election 13 days from now.

time.com

KEEP IT UP, Y'ALL! EARLY VOTING IS WORKING DOWN SOUTH FOR BARACK

2008-10-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

Think we still can't make a difference in this election? YES WE CAN! Read this USA Today story showing that early voters -- especially African-Americans showing up early to the polls -- are putting a serious dent in the John McCain program to win the 2008 presidential election. No matter what your ethnicity, the message is clear: get out and vote early. Will we deliver a victory for Obama? YES WE WILL!
usatoday.com

HUH? MCCAIN STUMBLES BADLY ON STUMP TRYING TO ATTACK PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN

2008-10-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

Talk about tripping over your tongue. Just what was John McCain trying to say the other day on the stump? Sounded more like he'd put a stump in his mouth. Check out this video and watch for the confused facial expression shown by the guy behind McCain and to the left. It's priceless. So's the clip.
youtube.com

COUNTRY FIRST? UH, WHICH ONE JOHN? MCCAIN HITS UP RUSSIAN U.N. ENVOY FOR LOOT FOR FALTERING CAMPAIGN

2008-10-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

Now here's a head-scratcher for you: John McCain talked much smack about Russia when it invaded Georgia a few months ago. He even went so far as to declare that American citizens "were all Georgians." So what's he doing now? Why courting prominent Russian diplomats for money, of course. What is with this guy? Erratic hardly begins to describe his behavior. Here's the story, from Reuters.
reuters.com

SEVEN SUSPECTS QUESTIONED IN NORTH CAROLINA SLAYING OF BEAR, DRAPING OF OBAMA/BIDEN SIGN ON ITS BODY

2008-10-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

There's hate, racism and sickness and this despicable deed speaks to all three. In an absolutely sick act of animal cruelty, hatred and racism, someone shot a 75-pund bear cub, deposited the animal at a gathering spot at Western Carolina University and posted an Obama/Biden sign on it. Please watch this video from CNN to see more.
cnn.com
Now the story on the arrests, in the Asheville Citizen-Times
ashevilletimes-citizen.com

BUSTED! REPUBLICAN REGISTRAR ARRESTED IN CALIFORNIA ON VOTER FRAUD CHARGES

2008-10-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

Republicans wanna talk voter fraud? Maybe the GOP should look in its own house instead of howling in the wind making trumped up allegations of ACORN. Click the link to read the Ventura County Star's account of Mark Anthony Jacoby, who is accused of disenfranchising voters in several different states. Check it out.

venturacountystar.com

NBC: WITH TWO WEEKS TO GO, BARACK JUMPS TO BIGGEST LEAD IN NATIONAL POLLS

2008-10-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

Nope, it's no time to get complacent. No time to take anything for granted. But you can't help but be heartened by the latest poll news that now shows Barack Obama up by 10 points, 52 to 42 percent -- a 3 point increase since two weeks ago. A key group, white seniors, have seemed to migrate to Obama. With voter turnout and no dirty tricks, all signs are pointing to victory. Here's the story...

msnbc.com

BARACK'S STRONG-WILLED 'TOOT' HANGING ON IN HAWAI'I AFTER SUFFERING BROKEN HIP

2008-10-21T15:27:00.001-07:00

For anyone who has read his "Dreams from My Father," they know what a rock Madelyn Dunham has been to her grandson, Barack Obama. And now that she's ailing, Obama is heading across the Pacific to be with her in her time of need. Learn more about the woman Obama affectionately calls "Toot" (short for "tutu," the Hawaiian word for "grandparent"), through this story in today's Honolulu Advertiser.

honoluluadvertiser.com

CAUGHT UP IN THE DRAMA: AFRICAN-AMERICANS FEEL GAMUT OF EMOTIONS IN FOLLOWING HISTORIC PRESIDENTIAL RACE

2008-10-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

To many observers, being an African-American voter in 2008 must be a pretty empowering feeling. They're right, but do they know the accompanying mix of dread and anxiety that accompanies the euphoria of the prospect of electing the country's first African-American president who shares many of their values and ideas? Richard Fausset, the Los Angeles Times's Atlanta bureau chief, has the story.

latimes.com

ALERT: OBAMA CANCELS CAMPAIGN EVENTS LATER THIS WEEK TO BE AT AILING GRANDMOTHER'S BEDSIDE IN HAWAI'I

2008-10-20T17:54:00.001-07:00

MSNBC anchor Keith Olrberman of MSNBC tonight announced on his cable TV program that the Barack Obama campaign has announced that the Democratic Party presidential nominee has canceled his Thursday and Friday campaign activities so that he may return to Honolulu to be at the bedside of his ailing grandmother, who is scheduled to be released from the hospital and whose health "has taken a turn for the worse." More details to follow.

POWER COUPLE: HILLARY AND BARACK UNITE TO FIGHT FOR FLORIDA AT ORLANDO RALLY

2008-10-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

Once divided, now united. Sen. Hillary Clinton tonight joined Barack Obama at the Amway Arena in Orlando, before nearly 40,000 people. Read more through the Orlando Sentinel link below.
orlandosentinel.com

A CENTURY IN THE MAKING: ATLANTA CENTEGENARIAN CASTS VOTE FOR OBAMA

2008-10-20T16:30:00.001-07:00

Blessed be Ann Nixon Cooper. Even the most fervent haters (extremist John McCain and Sarah Palin rallygoers) would have to take it down a notch -- well, they probably wouldn't -- after reading this heartwarming story about Ann Cooper Nixon, a 106-year-old Atlanta woman who this morning cast her vote for Barack Obama. There are cool pictures, a nice story, video and a slideshow about her and her voting, by clicking this link below.

cnn.com

THEY SHALT NOT STEAL: OBAMA BRINGS OUT BIG GUN LAWYERS TO STAFF POLLING PLACES TO HEAD OFF POTENTIAL GOP ROBBERIES IN SEVERAL STATES

2008-10-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness this year a Democratic presidential candidate won't give up the fight as Al Gore did in 2000, or not press the case in 2004 as Barbara Boxer now says she regrets. Barack Obama ain't goin' out like that. Read the New York Daily News piece below and learn what the campaign is doing to avoid a repeat of Florida in 2000, where thousands of voters were disenfranchised and a recount was called off, and Ohio in 2004, where the secreraty of state there (not coincidentally, the state's chairman of the George W. Bush reelection camapign) allowed an election day climate in which mostly ethnic minority and low income communities were deprived of needed voting machines and mostly white affluent ones to have a surplus of machines that weren't even used, causing thousands of voters to wait for hours and their time to expire to vote. Oh HELL no! Not this year. Read on.

nydailynews.com

NEWSPAPER ENDORSEMENT SCOREBOARD: OBAMA 112, MCCAIN 39

2008-10-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

Wow. If this were an NBA game, the mercy rule might be applied. With each passing day and as more and more states open up their polls to early voting, newspaper endorsements continue to roll in for Barack Obama, to the tune of a 3-to-1 margin. Here's a complete list, from Editor and Publisher, of which newspapers are backing Obama and which ones are backing McCain.

editorandpublisher.com

TOP NYC SPORTSWRITER COMMENDS POWELL FOR SWITCHING POLITICAL TEAMS

2008-10-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

The legendary Mike Lupica, one of America's most prolific, insightful and well-respected sports columnists makes a departure today in the New York Daily News, writing a heartfelt piece about Barack Obama's most powerful new ally, retired Gen. Colin Powell. Please take a read.

nydailynews.com

NEWLY-CROWNED AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPION RAYS SHOW LOVE FOR BARACK AT TAMPA RALLY

2008-10-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Fresh from his relief outing in which he saved the Tampa Bay Rays' 3-1 American League Championship Series victory, pitcher David Price joined teammates Cliff Floyd, Fernando Perez, B.J. Upton and Jonny Gomes in introducing and joining Barack Obama at a massive rally in Tampa on his barnstorming tour through the state.

FOUR-STAR SEAL OF APPROVAL: POWELL OFFICIALLY ENDORSES OBAMA

2008-10-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

"Senator Obama brings a fresh set of eyes, fresh set of ideas to the table. Senator McCain, as gifted as he is, is essentially going to execute the Republican agenda, the orthodoxy of the Republican agenda with a new face and a maverick approach to it, and he’d be quite good at it, but I think we need more than that." -Retired Gen. Colin L. Powell

Barack Obama this morning scored his weightiest individual endorsement, as retired four-star general, former national security adviser, former United States Secretary of State and arguably the world's leading soldier-statesman Colin L. Powell enthusiastically endorsed Barack Obama for president on NBC's "Meet the Press." Powell, who served in the cabinet of two Republican presidents, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, cited Obama's "intellectual vigor," "steadiness" and his "ability to bridge racial, generational and econmic lines" for why he will vote for him on election day.
"Because of (Obama's) ability to inspire, the inclusive nature of his camapaign...and because of his style and substance, he is in a position to be a good president...an exceptional president," Powell said. "We need a transformational figure and Obama is a transformational figure."
Powell, citing his 25-year friensdhip with Republican nominee John McCain, said McCain constantly wavered on his economic policies, that his vice presidential pick, Sarah Palin is not ready to assume the presidency in the event of McCain's untimely incapacitation or death. Powell, a Republican, said the party his moved too far to the right and called the McCain campaign's frequent and continued mention of Obama's limited association with William Ayers and the robocalls "damagoguery."
Powell acknowledged differences of opinion with Obama on the handling of the Iraq War, but Powell said he agrees with the current negotiations between the Bush administration and the current Iraqi government on American troop withdrawal.
For more on Powell's life and career history, follow the link below.
achievement.org
For the video of Powell endorsing Obama, click the link below.
nytimes.com

TALES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: OBAMA'S RECENT FORAY INTO MCCAIN'S 'REAL' VIRGINIA MAY TURN RED STATE BLUE

2008-10-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

Before you take a long, leisurely read of a New York Times Magazine story in today's issue by Matt Bai (left), about Barack Obama stumping in rural Virginia, here's an excerpt of an on-air exchange yesterday about Virginia between John McCain adviser, Nancy Pfotenauer and MSNBC anchor Kevin Corke, according to politico.com.

"On the same day that John McCain appeared in Woodbridge, Va. -- in the heart of of the state's fast-growing Washington exurbs -- one of his advisers appeared on TV to say that the region was not 'real Virginia.'"
Corke gave her a chance to immediately walk back her statement, but Pfotenauer declined. Corke replied: "All right. I’m just going to let you -- you’re aware of that one. I’m just saying." Northern VIrginia is home to a third of the state's voters.

Now, the fascinating Times piece.

nytimes.com

NEWSPAPER BACKING: OBAMA TRIPLES MCCAIN'S TOTAL

2008-10-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

Your eyes are not deceiving you. The source for this latest tabulation is...Fox News. Let me repeat: Your eyes are not deceiving you. The link we've posted to this news story is from Fox News. Yes, the same one that's the sanctuary of the right wing. And that's almost as surprising is the endorsement Barack Obama got from the Salt Lake Tribune, where current polls show him garnering less than 30 percent of eligible voters. So, even while Fox News likely bashes Obama for being the darling of the "liberal" media, even it must admit to Obama's having a commanding lead among newspapers.
foxnews.com

BARACK ROCKS 75,000 AT KANSAS CITY RALLY, PICKS UP STAR'S ENDORSEMENT

2008-10-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

Shortly after addressing a record crowd of more than 100,000 in St. Louis, Barack Obama went west to the other side of Missouri, pumping up another huge outdoor rally in Kansas City. Coincidentally, the Kansas City Star today endorsed Obama for president. If you're scoring at home, that would now be nearly 25 major daily newspapers which have endorsed Obama, compared to two major dailies (The Dallas Morning News and Tampa Tribune) which have officially backed John McCain. Read the Kansas City Star's endorsement (first link) and rally coverage (second link) here.

kansascity.com
kansascity.com

LEADING GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG GROUP CALLS GOP'S ACCUSING ACORN OF VOTER FRAUD 'A HEAD-FAKE'

2008-10-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

"This is all just one big head-fake. What silliness this is, at this point. It's all about creating this perception that there is a tremendous problem with voter fraud in this country, and it's not true." --Tova Wang, Common Cause.
No clearer words sum up the latest smokescreen John McCain and Sarah Palin are unleashing against Barack Obama and their continued insistence that somehow Obama is affiliated with the nonprofit group Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which registers mostly ethnic minority and low-income people of voting age.
Here's the full Associated Press story below.

yahoo.com

MAINE GOP SENATOR CALLS ON MCCAIN TO STOP BILL AYERS-THEMED 'ROBOCALLS' TO REGISTERED VOTER HOUSEHOLDS

2008-10-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

Tired of hearing about William Ayers, who even John McCain called a "washed up terrorist" in the third presidential debate earlier this week? Well McCain isn't, and even though he's distorting the past, he's using the scare tactic of having automated phone calls placed to homes where people are registered to vote, trying to convince anyone who's gullible enough to buy it, that Barack Obama is a "pal" of Ayers. Knowing it may cost her a reelction bid in Maine, Republican Senator Susan Collins is urging McCain to stop, as are Democratic lawmakers.

yahoo.com

MIAMI HERALD, DENVER POST OFFICIALLY BACK BARACK

2008-10-18T12:23:00.001-07:00

Another day, two more big city daily newspapers of record are on board with Barack Obama. Read these newspapers' enthusiastic endorsements of the next president of the United States. The second Denver Post link is to a story in which the editorial board describes the process by which it arrived at endorsing Obama.

miamiherald.com
denverpost.com
denverpost.com

NO SURPRISE: MCCAIN CAMP LIES ABOUT BARACK'S 'SPREAD THE WEALTH' COMMENT TO JOE THE (NON) PLUMBER

2008-10-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

Gotta love when the GOP takes opponents' remarks out of context and then uses it on the campaign trail. The latest is that now John McCain and Sarah Palin are excerpting the phrase "spread the wealth" and saying that the comment is evidence that Barack Obama is a raging socialist. The smell of desperation reeks from the McCain campaign. Get the facts in this CNN story.
cnn.com

100 GRAND: HUGE ST. LOUIS THRONG GREETS OBAMA TODAY IN LARGEST POLITICAL RALLY IN STATE'S HISTORY

2008-10-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

All he could say was, "wow." And like Barack Obama, that's all we can say now, about 100,000 people -- 20,000 more than the crowd at Denver's Invesco Field where Obama made his party nomination acceptance speech in August and 30,000 more than the sellout crowd expected tomorrow inside the city's Edward Jones Dome where the NFL's Rams take on the Dallas Cowboys. Barack moves west across Missouri later, to Kansas City and Bill Clinton is expected to stump Monday for Obama in St. Louis. Check out the stories from CNN, MSNBC, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which last week endorsed Obama, and politico.com.
cnn.com
msnbc.com
politico.com
stltoday.com

REPUBLICAN RACISM: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GROUP CIRCULATES DISGRACEFUL 'BARACK BUCKS' TO FELLOW HATERS

2008-10-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

Hateful and threatening words are shouted out against Barack Obama at John McCain and Sarah Palin's rallies. A couple of Southern GOP lawmakers have even publicly said Obama is "uppity" in running for the presidency. And now this, to complete the hating from sea to shining sea--a Republican group in Southern California's Inland Empire, east of Los Angeles issues as mock currency, a racist caricature of Obama, indulging in many African-American stereotypes. You stay classy, Republicans. Stay classy. Here are the details, from the Riverside Press-Enterprise and a video report on CNN:

pe.com
cnn.com

SUPREME COURT NIXES OHIO GOP DEMAND TO DOUBLECHECK NEW REGISTRANTS

2008-10-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

Another day, another loss for the GOP. The Supreme Court handed down a ruling today, essentially negating Republicans from their ability to snatch Ohio, as they allegedly did in the 2004 presidential election. Here's the story...

msnbc.com

THUMBS UP: WASHINGTON POST, LA TIMES, LA PRENSA, CHICAGO TRIBUNE ADD TO GROWING LIST OF MEDIA ENDORSEMENTS FOR BARACK

2008-10-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

Stop the presses. No, actually start them and keep them rolling. The powerhouse dailies officially back Obama today as does America's largest Latino-owned, Spanish-language newspaper chain. Check out the props in the stories below.

latimes.com
laopinion.com
washingtonpost.com
chicagotribune.com

BRAZILE: USA READY TO WRITE NEW CHAPTER BY ELECTING OBAMA

2008-10-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

This goes out to everyone who thought it could never happen in their lifetime -- that the very idea that an African-American could be chosen to lead the country's highest office. As CNN's Donna Brazile writes, not only is it about to happen, but will come true not because of Barack Obama's ethnicity, but, as Dr. King long ago dreamed, for the content of his character and the strength of his ideas.

cnn.com

FIRMLY ON OFFENSE, BARACK EMBARKS ON ROAD TRIP THROUGH RED STATES

2008-10-16T04:54:00.000-07:00

He may still hold a commanding lead in the national polls, but Barack Obama and his campagin appear to be taking absolutely nothing for granted. That's why, as this politico piece explains, he's spending the rest of the weekend and early next week barnstorming through states that have voted red in the last two elections, in the hopes of turning them blue come Nov. 4.

politico.com

POLITICO COLUMNIST: 'ANGRY' MCCAIN FAILED TO MAKE BARACK TAKE BAIT

2008-10-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Stats don't lie. Not when CNN viewers voted by an 80 to 7 percent margin that John McCain was more on the attack than Barack Obama. Pictures don't lie, either. All the scowls, twithces, sneers, eye rolls and sarcastic glances did McCain in. And all the while, according to politico.com columnist Roger Simon, Obama counldn't get rattled -- much to McCain's chagrin.
politico.com

CLEAN SWEEP: POLLS SAY OBAMA SOUNDLY BEATS MCCAIN IN THIRD STRAIGHT HEAD-TO-HEAD DEBATE

2008-10-15T21:28:00.000-07:00

You know you're in trouble if you're Republican and even a Fox News poll shows you lost a debate to a Democratic candidate. You read that sentence right. By the count of 67 to 33 percent, a Fox News poll scored the debate for Obama. A CBS poll scored the debate 58 to 31 percent for Obama. CNN analyst David Gergen, who has been an adviser to several previous presidents had the line of the night. Anchor Anderson Cooper asked Gergen what he would strategy he would use the morning after if he were John McCain's campaign manager to help him win. "Hell if I know," Gergen said.
Yes, McCain went on the offensive and in the process, based on the polls and focus groups, offended most viewers--especially when he brought up Bill Ayers and ACORN. Obama, meanwhile, was again the pitcture of calm and clearly articulated his vision on the economy, taxes, health care and abortion.
And does ANYONE really give a (tastefully fill in the blank) about Joe the Plumber?
The following is CNN's rundown, with even more promising numbers for Obama.

cnn.com

COOL HAND BARACK MUST CHILL IN DEBATE, NOT TAKE MCCAIN'S BAIT

2008-10-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

The accompanying image to the near left is a great model of cool. Anyone who hasn't had the privilege of watching the Sergio Leone classic Western, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," see it. Because Clint Eastwood's "Man With No Name" is arguably the most confident, unruffled character ever to grace the big screen. Nothing could phase him. Not bandits, not freelance gunslingers, not sheriffs, not the Confederate Army, not anyone, not any situation.
To borrow from the words of a close friend and great writer: "He could look hell in the face and ask for a glass of ice water." That's how Barack must be tonight, as John McCain flails at him like a panicky fish out of water. Let him bring up Barack's "association" with Bill Ayers. Hell, let McCain bring up R&B legend Roy Ayers. Let McCain talk smack about the Weather Underground or the R&B group the Weather Girls, Jeremiah Wright or Orville Wright.
Channel the Man With No Name. When he had guns pointed in the face, he just calmly lit a cigar and let the offending parties fly with a dis or two before he took them out. And after he calmly conquered his assailants and twirled his pistol back in his holster, he'd just calmly light up another stogie and be on his way.
The image on the far left was also a cool customer. Who could forget Samuel L. Jackson's "Jules Winfield" character in "Pulp Fiction," whose cool -- and .357 magnum struck fear into the hearts of anyone who tried to punk his boss, Marcellus Wallace. Who else would passionately invoke Biblical scripture before unleashing a hailstorm of bullets. Yes, Jules had style while performing his hits. And nothing bothered him, either -- not a wannabe armed robber in a diner, not a dorky guy who insulted him, not even his gangster boss.
So Barack, keep being you, baby -- cool.
Show the world you got skills, but you're too strong to gat caught up. Show the world you're above the drama.
Stay cool, baby. Stay cool.
And if McCain wants to talk smack, let him talk.
Then calmly, verbally get Medieval on him.

BARACK CLEARS AIR ON ACORN CONTROVERSY

2008-10-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

Does anyone honestly think someone showing up to the polls in, say, Colorado could attempt to vote with a name like Mickey Mouse? How about a gentleman by the name of Jive Turkey rolling up to a Pennsylvania poll station to cast his vote? Ridiculous, right? Well, the GOP says the unethical conduct by some shady, paid registrants working for the nonprofit group Association for Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is going to cost them votes on election day? The GOP alleging vote fraud? Hmmm...Anyone remember Palm Beach County, Florida back in the 2000 presidntial showown? Does the Ohio controversy in the 2004 contest ring a bell? Let's not even go there in this post. Let's leave it to Obama to answer the ACORN charges. Oh yeah, and someone please tell the Hockey Mom that it's not Obama's responsibility to "rein in" ACORN. Last time I checked, he wasn't its CEO or a member of its board.
politico.com
For more perspective, here's attorney Adam Bonin, of Netroots Nation, a national progressive nonprofit group, on the ACORN flap:
"When George Bush won in 2000 because thousands of Palm Beach County voters couldn't understand the confusing butterfly ballot and because the Supreme Court stayed the recount and then issued an unprecedented ruling 'limited to present circumstances,' he still governed as though he had a 50-state blowout mandate. By that standard, yes, Barack Obama is assuredly headed for a blowout victory. Reduce...And that's why the GOP is working so hard to undermine perceptions of this inevitable result through its attacks on ACORN and so-called 'voter fraud.' Look: you can submit a hundred 'Mickey Mouse' voter registration forms, but if a giant mouse with big ears and white gloves doesn't show up at the polling place it's not going to affect the outcome of the election. From everything I've read, ACORN has been absolutely diligent in flagging these problematic registrations for elections officials, and the current allegations are a tendentious mix of malarkey and balderdash. But still, McCain and the GOP are sowing the field to undermine the legitimacy of the results, and in a fairly vile way -- it's a pretty straight line from 'welfare queens are stealing your money' to 'an unqualified black man took your job' to 'Obama's inner city ACORN friends are stealing your vote.'"

IF ANY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WERE MUSLIM, SO WHAT?

2008-10-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

Props to CNN's Campbell Brown, who writes a moving and meaningful column addressing unprecedented anti-Muslim bigotry in America in the last seven years following the 9/11 terorist attacks and how the demonization of Muslims has contributed to today's political campaign. How did the words "Muslim" and "terrorist" become interchangeable in today's flawed lexicon? And why have certain people associated with the McCain-Palin campaign gone after Barack Obama for having a Muslim parent, an Arabic middle name and spending a childhood living in Indonesia, the world's largest predominantly Muslim country. Imagine if America were mostly Muslim and the fringe terrorist Christian group, the Ku Klux Klan ran amok. Would certain candidates be singled out for having Christian middle names, Christian parents, Christian allies and support of Christian issues? It's a compelling read.

cnn.com

LATEST POLL NEWS: BARACK EXPANDS LEADS IN BATTLEGROUBD STATES, HOLDS DOUBLE DIGIT NATIONAL LEAD IN POLLS

2008-10-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

OK, folks. Here's your daily update on the state-by-state and national poll numbers and by all accounts, things are looking very good. Just click on each of the links to read each news organization's account. One story, the Washington Post's, is a fascinating David Broder story in which he interviewed many residents of rural Pennsylvania.

politico.com
wallstreetjournal.com
washingtonpost.com

L'CHAIM! JEWISH VOTERS 'SCHLEPPING' FOR BARACK THROUGH WEBSITE AND ACTIVISM

2008-10-14T15:04:00.000-07:00

To illustrate how diverse Barack Obama's supporters have become, check out this story on CNN's web site of how Jewish Americans are mobilizing votes for Obama. Mazel Tov, Schlpesters! Mazel Tov! Check the link...

cnn.com

FUN OBAMA STUFF: TRACE HIS LIFE'S JOURNEY ON GOOGLE MAPS!

2008-10-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

Something new and cool is available on Google Maps -- trace the next American president's life's journey from his Hawaiian birth until his date with destiny in Washington on Jan. 20, 2009, by following the link below and then clicking on "Barack Obama's Journey" on the left side of the page...

google.com

NO KIDDING: OBAMA SURGES AHEAD IN NORTH DAKOTA POLLS

2008-10-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

Believe it! The Fargo File, the newspaper of record in North Dakota's biggest city, puts Barack Obama ahead by 2 percentage points over John McCain. OK, so yes, it's a longshot, but EVERY little potential electoral vote counts. Check it out, in these two stories.

in-forum.com
in-forum.com

STEWART'S, BONO'S 'AMERICAN PRAYER' A STAR-STUDDED MUSIC VIDEO UNITING AMERICANS FOR OBAMA

2008-10-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

Need some inspiration? Wanna feel a little teary at the same time? Check out this outstanding video of a song penned by former Eurythmics' guitarist and U2 lead singer Bono, featuring some familiar faces and voices. And if you like the song, remember you can download it and others part of Voices For Change, the Barack Obama campaign soundtrack, downloadable at www.barackobama.com. All proceeds from the sales benefit the campaign. Here's the link to the video:

myamericanprayer.com

OBAMA LAYS DOWN 'MIDDLE CLASS RESCUE PLAN' IN TOLEDO

2008-10-13T16:48:00.001-07:00

He was passionate. He was energized. And, unlike his opponent, Barack Obama offered some ideas on how to deal with the current economic crisis. But I won't tell you what they were. Read them in this link, supplied by the New York Times.

nytimes.com

THE BRADLEY EFFECT: REAL OR MYTH?

2008-10-13T16:34:00.001-07:00

Some of you may be too young to remember, but back in the day Tom Bradley (the since-deceased, former longtime Los Angeles mayor whose airport's international terminal bears his name) was running for governor of California and up until the actual day of the election was so substantially ahead, according to polling data that newspapers called the election for him on election day morning--until he lost that night to George Deukmejian. That was 1982. And four years later, Bradley was again defeated in his gubernatorial bid. Still, some folks have expressed legitimate fears that perhaps 26 years later Barack Obama will suffer the same fate. Back then, race was thought to have been the factor in Bradley's sudden reversal of fortune -- that non-blacks told pollsters they intended to vote Bradley, but when it came time to cast actual votes, they went with Deukmejian. Will the effect named for Tom Bradley impact election day 22 days from now? Read what V. Lance Tarrance Jr., who was a pollster in Deukmejian's 1982 campaign, writes for the web site RealClearPolitics.

realclearpolitics.com

SCOREBOARD! OBAMA 17, MCCAIN 2--BARACK RACKS UP NEWSPAPER ENDORSEMENTS FROM COAST TO COAST

2008-10-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

Extra! Extra! Read all about it. This week's Editor and Publisher, print journalism's weekly journal, has actual excerpts in the link below from American newspapers endorsing Obama for the presidency.

editorandpublisher.com

BEHIND THE LIES: REPORT EXPOSES MAN CREATING AND SPREADING FALSEHOODS ABOUT OBAMA

2008-10-13T05:39:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to know where those tall tales about Barack Obama being a terrorist sympathizer came from? Curious about who's responsible for saying that Obama attended a madrassa as a child. Well, it's the same liar who also is known for spreading anti-Jewish hate -- Andy Martin. Read this new York Times piece which chronicles his history of misdeeds and hatred.

msnbc.com

THE TERROR MCCAIN AND PALIN UNLEASH AT THEIR RALLIES

2008-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

On the heels of John McCain's angry -- is there any other word to describe him these days? -- admonishment of Congressman and Civil Rights icon John Lewis's statement that the temperament at the latest McCain-Palin rallies is reminding him of the ones former presidential candidate and segregationist George Wallace once held, here is New York Times columnist Frank Rich weighing in on how the GOP candidates are doing nothing to stop the terrorist atmosphere.

nytimes.com

"Obama can hardly be held accountable for Ayers’s behavior 40 years ago, but at least McCain and Palin can try to take some responsibility for the behavior of their own supporters in 2008. What’s troubling here is not only the candidates’ loose inflammatory talk but also their refusal to step in promptly and strongly when someone responds to it with bloodthirsty threats in a crowded arena." --Frank Rich, New York Times, Sun. Oct. 12, 2008

BLACK BRITON SHOT BY LONDON SKINHEAD FOR WEARING OBAMA T-SHIRT

2008-10-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

Racial hatred, it appears, knows no boundaries. The UK newspaper the Daily Mail, has the story.

dailymail.com

60 MINUTES HATE: RABID MCCAIN CROWD IN WISCONSIN TAKES RIOTOUS TONE AGAINST OBAMA

2008-10-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

Remember that recurring scene in George Orwell's 1984 when Party members would gather for their mandatory morning "Five Minutes Hate," when Big Borher would summon them to direct their collective anger at a scapegoat named Goldstein? Seems like life is imitating art at every John McCain campaign rally, with Barack Obama playing the role of a modern-day Goldstein. Middle fingrs are being raised at reporters and intermittent yells of "socialist!" and "terrorist!" are being yelled when Obama's name is being mentioned. It's one thing for Big Brother McCain to be one angry dude, acting like a petulant 2-year-old whose mommy and daddy told him he can't have what he wants, but it's another thing entirely when his followers carry on the same way. And just as this Washington Post story tells it, what do Republican crowds do when whipped into a frenzy? Repeatedly chant "USA!" of course. How dare they use the name of the country we're part of an love and use it for their hateful rage?

washingtonpost.com

DARE WE SAY IT? SOME PUNDITS FORECAST AN OBAMA LANDSLIDE

2008-10-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

Not trying to get carried away and not quite popping the champagne cork yet, but more than a few commentators are eyeing an electoral tsunami carrying Barack Obama to victory. Granted, this one comes from Obama's home team, Democratic planners, but nonetheless, this story from politico.com is an interesting, insightful read...

politico.com

DONNA BRAZILE ON 'NOT SITTING AT THE BACK OF THE BUS'

2008-10-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

CNN commentator, former Al Gore campaign director and Barack Obama has a stirring and inspirational video of her participation on a panel in which she talks about Obama's candidacy and race and ethnicity. Check it out!

jezebel.com

2000 REDUX? STATE GOVERNMENTS' ERRORS MAY COST TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS THEIR RIGHTS TO CAST BALLOTS

2008-10-08T21:22:00.000-07:00

Just when we all thought it couldn't happen again, incompetence, negligence or malice could once again play a role in this year's election. Here's a New York Times investigative story.

nytimes.com

GAME (ALMOST) OVER: CANTANKEROUS MCCAIN BOMBS IN SECOND DEBATE WITH 'THAT ONE'

2008-10-08T05:02:00.000-07:00

EDITORIAL

Three things became readily apparent in last night's presidential debate in Nashville, TN and the polls which followed it:
1. Someone -- perhaps one of his campaign aides -- needs to enlighten John McCain about the identity of his rival for the presidency. It is Barack Obama, not "That One." Another appropriate way of adresing him would be: "My colleague in the United States Senate" or "My opponent."
2. McCain should immediately begin preparing for something he'll likely find distatsteful and after another surly outing, something we all should wonder if he'll actually be able to bring himself to do: drafting the concession speech he'll need to make on election night to congratulate (however insincerely) Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama.
3. Obama better get used to people around him addressing him as "Mr. President-Elect" and eventually "Mr. President," because that's going to become his necessary honorific beginning the morning of Wed. Nov. 5.
Obama blew McCain away on the economy after McCain apparently launched an impromptu and costly mortgage bailout plan which had to make every dyed in the wool fiscal conservative run to the nearest toilet to vomit. Obama more than held his own again on foreign policy and launched an equally eloquent and blistering indictment of McCain's judgment on the Iraq War and Afghanistan. And, as just about every poll shows, Obama appeared more knowledgeable, more in touch with everyday people, more likable and most importantly, more presidential.
In the CNN studios, Republican strategist Alex Castellanos gave Obama the highest marks of anyone else on the panel and even his GOP colleague Leslie Sanchez said McCain's chances of wining the election are now slim.
Or, to put it as CNN commentator, John King said, responding to data showing that independent voters thought Obama won the debate by a nealy 2-to-1 margin, "if those numbers continue to hold, game over."
But Obama showed he's not content to rest on his laurels. For at least an hour after the debate, he and Michelle, his wife, continued to work the room, chatting up the audience on issues, shaking hands and posing for photographs. McCain left the building, presumably to retire for the evening. Today, Obama heads for Indianapolis to make a strong play for a key battleground state.
McCain? Maybe he ought to take a day to reflect on his failed attempts at standup comedy. What was that "Not you, Tom" comment about, when he awkwardly told debate moderator Tom Brokaw that he wouldn't be his choice as the new treasury secretary? And with all due respect to seniors -- and especially septugenarians -- why would McCain, whose creaky physicality was more exposed in the town hall format which was supposed to favor him, joke about his need to get a hair transplant? Maybe he should've followed those remaks with the old standard line, "thanks, I'll be here all week." McCain already failed in explaining that "Bomb Iran," his cover of the Beach Boys' classic, "Barbara Ann," was a joke. But McCain indeed satisfied his burning desire to bomb, by doing that on stage.
And while McCain couldn't get out of his own way with those missteps and his futile attacks on Obama's character and misstatements on his record -- which tracking data showed most people didn't care about -- Obama played it the way he always has: cool, dignified and most importantly, presidential.
In attcaking Obama, McCain has often remarked that the presidency is not appropriate for on-the-job training. He is exactly right. And it's McCain who needs the training. He may have logged nearly 30 years in the Senate, but McCain, with his constant cantankerous ways, lack of economic vision, bad judgment on Iraq and Afghanistan, is clearly the candidate not ready to be president.

NEWSWEEK: MCCAIN'S ANTI-OBAMA STRATEGY WON'T WORK

2008-10-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

Is it me, or is John McCain is starting to remind you all a lot of the Professor on the old "Felix the Cat" cartoons? You know, the ever-scowling evil schemer who was obsessed with stopping the wonderful cat with his magic bag of tricks? As with the cartoon character, McCain will do anything. But as Newsweek's Andrew Romano says, just as with the devious professor, it won't be successful.
newsweek.com

MCCAIN AND THE KEATING FIVE DOCUMENTARY: WATCH IT HERE, IN ITS ENTIRETY

2008-10-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

It sounds like a bad children's story: John McCain and the Keating Five. Only it's true. And it's a nightmare. Watch by clicking the link below...

mybarackobama.com

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE REPUBLICANS GET DESPERATE -- MCCAIN AND PALIN THROWING THE KITCHEN SINK AT OBAMA TO CHANGE ECONOMIC CONVERSATION

2008-10-06T19:38:00.001-07:00

It was only a matter of time. If it wasn't Willie Horton in 1988, it was Whitewater in 1992, the Swift Boat campaign in 2004, or the Rev. Jeremiah Wright this spring, during primary season. Year in and year out, the Republican Party will stop at saying nothing -- no matter how distorted, exaggerated, sensationalistic, or just plain false, to try to stop a Democratic presidential nominee from winning the White House. Only this year, it won't work. Not when fact-checking groups are squashing the lies. Not when the winking, forced folksy talking GOP vice-presidential nominee -- who herself is being investigated for abuse of power -- dares to accuse Obama of "palling round with terrorists." Then McCain accuses Obama of not supporting the troops in Afghanistan. Read these stories and don't be fooled.
Here's the score, according to factcheck.org, an independent organization.
*Obama's claim that McCain's proposed health care plan, workers who lose employer-sponsored health insurance would need to spend "more than twice" the amount of McCain's tax credit in order to maintain the same plan they have today? True.
*Palin's claim that Obama pals around with a terrorist? False.
*McCain's claim that Obama voted against funding for U.S. troops in Afghanistan? False.
In spite of the lies, you've gotta love what Obama forebodingly told radio host Roland Martin this morning: "We have a rule in this campaign," Obama said. "We never throw the first punch. But we will throw the last."

time.com
cnn.com
time.com
time.com
cnn.com
cnn.com

2008-10-05T17:10:00.001-07:00

Please, if you have just seven minutes, watch this video of a speech given by union leader, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka endorsing Barack Obama. Let's hope he wins even more hearts and minds than in the audience he spoke to.

huffingtonpost.com