2008 Presidential Election // Current

First Family

In January, the Obama family will move into the White House, and there has been a tremendous amount of attention paid to the new... more

RebeccaTraister
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Make Way for Millions of New Community Organizers

Bob Giloth: "I hope that Obama puts together a Green Corp that works as a kind of energy independence and sustainable economy... more

nelsonjs
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The U.S. is an Urban Nation, not a Center-Right Nation

Obama’s victory was many things, but among them it was a rebuke of Sarah Palin’s much-vaunted “small town... more

nelsonjs
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Obama is the Candidate to Address Poverty in America

President Obama will be first President to genuinely address poverty in over 40 years. On behalf of the 35+ million Americans... more

nelsonjs
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It is time to create the America we deserve

America has shown that we deserve a politician with the vast potential for change that Barack Obama embodies. The question is, do... more

nelsonjs
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If the election were two years ago...

Exactly two years ago, SurveyUSA completed interviews with 600 voters in every state (30,000 total interviews), asking them how... more

Brendan_M
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Obama takes Dixville Notch away from the GOP

First Results: Obama Takes Dixville Notch Away From The GOP By Eric Kleefeld - November 4, 2008, 12:23AM The first results are... more

Brendan_M
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44% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck

Our next government is facing a poverty crisis. It is an issue critical to the well-being of not only millions of individual... more

nelsonjs
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This week in politics

By the time I talk to you next week, we will have elected a new President. I'm ready for a new President, but I will miss... more

JoanWalsh
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If Obama is a Socialist, So Are These Former Presidents

Any form of progressive taxation is wealth redistribution.

nelsonjs
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UN: Major inequality in US cities

Levels of economic disparity in major US cities, including New York and Washington DC, are comparable to those of African cities,... more

wlwatkins
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Afghan mayor turns Taliban leader

The former mayor of Afghanistan's Herat province is now the most powerful local Taliban commander. Ghullam Yahya Akbari... more

wlwatkins
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Greenspan admits 'flaw' in ideology

Alan Greenspan, the former US Federal Reserve chairman, has publicly admitted that the US free-market ideology that he and others... more

wlwatkins
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Desperation Makes for Dangerous Politics

Saturday 25 October 2008

by: Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Ph.D., t r u t h o u t | Perspective

John McCain at a campaign rally in Westerville, Ohio, October 19. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images North America)

As America moves into the final days of the 2008 presidential campaign Senator McCain and his surrogates are desperately seeking any message that will resonate with the American people. The problem is that their desperate actions are resulting in dangerous and ugly politics.

Senator McCain hails himself as a maverick - a visionary and independent man who breaks from the politics of the past. Actually, McCain and his supporters are simply pandering to the conservative right and the fringe elements of America. They are not "reaching across the aisle" or "seeking consensus." His campaign is not building bridges to move the country forward; it's building bridges to nowhere. McCain and his surrogates have turned to fear mongering through racist innuendo as Senator McCain attempts to become America's 44th president.

Is George Will suggesting that Barak Obama has an inherent advantage in this election because he is African-American? I've always admired George Will's intellect even though I've disagreed with his politics. This statement makes me wonder; what America is he living in? What poll data is he not looking at? That's an utterly stupid assessment.

In California, a Republican group in San Bernardino County distributed a newsletter that depicted Senator Obama on a fake $10 food stamp along with images of a watermelon, ribs and a bucket of fried chicken. On an official state Republican Party web site in Sacramento County, Republicans posted a series of violent anti-Obama images and statements. Senator Obama was depicted in a turban and paired with images of Osama bin Laden, with a caption that read: "The only difference between Obama and Osama is BS." Below that were the words "Waterboard Barack Obama!" This goes right to General Powell's issues with the false intimations that Obama is Muslim.

Senator McCain has stated that Hamas endorses Senator Obama, "I think it is very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president of the United States ... I think that the people should understand that I will be Hamas' worst nightmare!"

This libelous, slanderous and inflammatory rhetoric has turned dangerous. At a recent McCain campaign rally, when McCain asked, "Who is Barack Obama?" a supporter screamed "terrorist"! In Pennsylvania during a speech by Sarah Palin, one supporter screamed "kill him" in reference to Obama.

While it is clearly understood that Senator McCain is not responsible for the actions of his supporters and those who endorse him, we do expect a man claims to break from the politics of the past to soundly and clearly disassociate himself from these tactics. Senator McCain should repudiate and disavow those engaged in this behavior in the same manner Senator Obama was forced to repudiate and disavow Reverend Wright. Instead, McCain uses Sarah Palin to spread the most vicious of the attacks. At a rally in Denver, Palin said, "This is not a man who sees America as you see it and as I see America - our opponent, though, is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country." All may be fair in love, war and politics, but the rhetoric of desperation should at least be based in fact and not place the well-being of your opponent in peril.

Saturday 25 October 2008 by: Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Ph.D., t r u t h o u t | Perspective John McCain at a campaign rally... more

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24 days ago

Prominent republicans cross the aisle to endorse Obama

...................They are jumping the Ship".............................................................................. ... more

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25 days ago

McCain's as Pow Remembered in Vietnam Book

Simple humanity converts a foe 13:24' 15/08/2007 (GMT+7) VietNamNet Bridge – Human kindness can be found wherever... more

wlwatkins
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2 responses

25 days ago

Powell Lies about Iraq while he was endorsing Barack Obama

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 By Matthew Rothschild | Save your praise of Colin Powell. Because while he was endorsing... more

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25 days ago

Leading to WAR: Film of the Cronicle to the Path to War in Iraq

This website, in conjunction with the 72-minute documentary film LEADING TO WAR, details how the Bush administration made its case... more

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1 response

25 days ago

Sing along with "Hey Palin"

Sing along with "Hey Palin" by progress Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 10:30:55 PM PDT We all need a laugh once in awhile.

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25 days ago

Palin testifies to investigator in ethics dispute

ST. LOUIS – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin testified for two hours Friday in an abuse-of-power investigation that has been a distraction to her Republican vice presidential campaign. Palin's leadership was questioned this month in a stinging but largely toothless legislative report that found she violated state ethics laws by letting a family dispute influence her decision-making.

Palin is hoping the Alaska Personnel Board, which is running a parallel investigation, will clear her of wrongdoing. It's unclear, however, whether any conclusion will be reached before Election Day.

"I am so pleased to finally have gotten the chance to tell what really happened and get the truth out," Palin said in a statement released by her attorney. "It was the right thing to do to bring this before the Personnel Board and have a true arms length unbiased and apolitical investigator look into this."

The board is investigating the firing of her public safety commissioner, Walter Monegan. Monegan claims he was dismissed because he refused to fire Palin's former brother-in-law, a state trooper involved in a messy divorce from Palin's sister. The controversy, known as "Troopergate," took on national significance after John McCain selected Palin as his running mate.

selected Palin as his running mate.

The legislative inquiry found that Monegan's firing was proper but the pressure to fire the trooper, Mike Wooten, was not. Griffin says Palin stands by her decision to fire Monegan and her concerns about Wooten.

Palin and her husband, Todd, say Wooten was unstable and had made threats against their family. Wooten had also used an electric stun gun on his stepson.

"I make no apologies for wanting to protect my family and wanting to publicize the injustice of a violent trooper keeping his badge," Todd Palin said in an affidavit submitted to legislative investigators.

Sarah Palin was not subpoenaed in that investigation. Friday's testimony before independent investigator Timothy Petumenos was the first time she spoke at length or under oath about the controversy. Palin began testifying around 4 p.m., McCain campaign spokesman Taylor Griffin said. Palin's husband, Todd, was scheduled to testify before she did.

Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, characterized Palin's testimony as "thorough, candid and detailed." Van Flein said Petumenos assured him he was working quickly but made no promise the case would be closed before Election Day.

"I just hope the truth comes out," Van Flein said. "If it's after the election, it's after the election."ST. LOUIS – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin testified for two hours Friday in an abuse-of-power investigation that has been a... more