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Keating Five: McCain Lawyers Push Back on Obama Keating Five Charges
The McCain campaign pushed back hard against the new Obama attack over the Keating Five, arguing that the Arizona senator was treated unfairly by the Senate ethics investigation and asserting that John McCain had been much more open about his relationship with disgraced thrift executive Charles Keating than Obama has been about his connection with one-time radical William Ayers. The McCain campaign pushed back hard against the new Obama attack over the Keating Five, arguing that the Arizona senator was treated ... more
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Obama's Unbelievable Generosity
Mary was a newlywed and ready to move to Norway, but was stopped at the airport because she didn’t have enough money for the trip. Then a stranger turned up and paid for her.
Mary Menth Andersen was 31 years old at the time and had just married Norwegian Dag Andersen. She was looking forward to starting a new life in Åsgårdstrand in Vestfold with him. But first she had to get all of her belongings across to Norway. The date was November 2nd, 1988.
At the airport in Miami things were hectic as usual, with long lines at the check-in counters. When it was finally Mary’s turn and she had placed her luggage on the baggage line, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness.
-You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said.
Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.
-I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.
Although she explained the situation to the man behind the counter, he showed no signs of mercy.
-I started to cry, tears were pouring down my face and I had no idea what to do. Then I heard a gentle and friendly voice behind me saying, That’s OK, I’ll pay for her.
Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before.
-He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?
Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man.
-He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary.
She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.
The piece of paper said ‘Barack Obama’ and his address in Kansas, which is the state where his mother comes from. Mary carried the slip of paper around in her wallet for years, before it was thrown out.
-He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling.
She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.
In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.
In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped ‘United States Senate, Washington DC’, Barack Obama writes**:
‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States senator’.
The parents sent the letter on to Mary. Mary was a newlywed and ready to move to Norway, but was stopped at the airport because she didn’t have enough money for the trip. The... more -
Biden's Mother-in-law Dies
Joe Biden's spokesman said the Delaware senator would be canceling campaign events Monday and Tuesday in the wake of his mother-in-law's death Sunday.
"Other details will follow, but we appreciate everyone's respect for the family's privacy during this difficult time," wrote Biden spokesman David Wade.
Bonnie Jacobs, Jill Biden's mother, had been sick for a long time and was living in a hospice.
Wade announced Saturday that Sunday and Monday's events were canceled after doctors told the family to stay close by. He said the family is now together at home in Wilmington.
The death comes the same day Biden's son Beau deploys with his National Guard unit to a mobilization station in Texas before a tour in Iraq. Joe Biden's spokesman said the Delaware senator would be canceling campaign events Monday and Tuesday in the wake of his mother-i... more -
Sen. Ted Kennedy taken to Cape Cod hospital
Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy has been transported to a Cape Cod Hospital, FOX News has learned.
His condition was not immediately known.
The ailing Democratic senator has been undergoing treatment for a malignant brain tumor, after he was hospitalized for a seizure in May.
A captain in the Hyannais Port Fire Department confirmed that Kennedy was taken to the hospital Friday evening. Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy has been transported to a Cape Cod Hospital, FOX News has learned. ... more -
Point/Counterpoint: Gov. Palin Has No Experience
There may be no better word to describe John McCain's vice presidential pick than "ridiculous."
After months of criticizing Sen. Obama for his inexperience with foreign policy, McCain has chosen quite possibly the least experienced woman in politics to serve as his second-in-command. How little experience does Palin have, you ask? She was a part-time mayor of a tiny Alaska town and then governor of one of the least populous states in the union for less than two years. Palin has never met with any foreign leaders of any kind—in fact, she only applied for a U.S. passport last year!
In this time of international turmoil, how could McCain, a man who would become the oldest candidate ever elected, select a novice like Palin knowing she would be one heartbeat away from having to step into the presidency and protect our nation? The mere notion that Palin is even remotely equipped to manage the ongoing war on terror is an out-and-out fantasy dreamt up by the Republican party to disguise why they really selected her: to attract female and evangelical voters in a desperate attempt to win the election at any cost—even if it means sacrificing our nation's security.
McCain has chosen for his running mate a woman who is so set in the past that she supports abstinence-only education despite its failure among her own children; a woman who claims she is not convinced that global warming is a serious issue. Palin has time and again supported needless and ecologically destructive drilling in Alaska's wildlife reserves—drilling that McCain himself is ardently opposed to—yet offers no plan for the very real and proven threat of climate change, despite the danger it poses to her home state.
Perhaps the most frightening prospect of putting Palin in the White House is her continued support of the failing war in Iraq—a war she called "a task that is from God." Electing Sarah Palin and John McCain in November will no doubt prolong this costly and unwinnable conflict, which every day claims the lives of more American troops and sinks our country further into debt.
Palin is not a bold new choice for America. I have no doubt she will provide the same type of irresponsible and flat-out dangerous leadership we've seen from President Bush for the past eight years. That is, if she provides any leadership at all.
Counter point by Sarah Palin:
Shhhh!
Could you please stop tearing apart my record so loudly? I just put my special needs child down for a nap. You remember my poor, Down syndrome baby, don't you? The developmentally disabled child I carried to term despite knowing that he had special needs? The child who would be helpless without my constant care and attention? Well, he's just nodded off, and if you continue to provide such damning evidence of my inexperience in both foreign and domestic policy, you'll wake him.
You wouldn't want him to start crying, would you?
It's very rude of you to keep pointing out the myriad reasons I am unfit to be the governor of Alaska, much less vice president of the United States of America, when you know my Down syndrome–afflicted son is trying to get some much-needed rest. If you wanted to question my qualifications as a leader, you should have thought of that sooner, like, say, before I gave birth to a retarded child who would probably starve to death if I weren't so selflessly and courageously dedicated to him.
Actually, he'll probably be sleeping for a while, so maybe it would be best if you came back later. Perhaps this afternoon, or in a couple of months. It's just that he gets so tired having to struggle with even the simplest tasks that you and I take for granted. Because my special needs son has Down syndrome, you see. My child has Down syndrome. And, as the mother of a baby with Down syndrome, I would appreciate it if you stopped bringing up my nonexistent energy plan while he sleeps there, like an angel.
My beautiful, special needs angel.
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Click the link for more. There may be no better word to describe John McCain's vice presidential pick than "ridiculous." ... more -
Spezza finds new home
The Senators star is reportedly engaged to be married.
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Alaska Republican Ted Stevens indicted on seven criminal counts
Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator in US history, was indicted today on seven counts of criminal charges related to business deals in his home state of Alaska.
The indictment of Stevens sent shock waves through Washington, where the 84-year old remains a legendary figure and the Congress's strongest advocate for oil drilling in protected wilderness areas.
Stevens has been under investigation by the FBI for more than a year for his ties to Veco, an Alaskan oil company, and his delivery of $50m in US federal money to a non-profit group run by his former aide.
The Alaskan was charged with making false statements on government disclosures to hide lucrative gifts he received from Veco, including furniture, vehicles, and an expensive barbecue grill.
Republicans were already facing an uphill battle in the November election, poised to lose as many as 40 seats in Congress as John McCain struggles to gain traction against Barack Obama.
Stevens's indictment makes matters worse for his party, as he is facing re-election and already trailing in the polls to Democratic opponent Mark Begich, the popular mayor of Anchorage, Alaska.
Political analysts were beginning to acknowledge this summer that Stevens, a fixture in Congress for 40 years, could lose to Begich. After federal prosecutors announced the indictment, some prognosticators questioned whether the man Alaskans still call Uncle Ted could lose to a little-known Republican foe in the party primary on August 26.
Seven Alaska state legislators – who dubbed themselves the Corrupt Bastards Club for their cosy relations with Veco – have already been indicted in the government's probe of public corruption in Alaska.
The former chief executive of Veco, Bill Allen, also has pleaded guilty to bribery. Allen admitted to paying for a lavish remodelling of Stevens's house and giving the senator's son more than $240,000 in sham "consulting fees" to help secure favourable treatment.
Stevens is famous through the US for his quest to unlock Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. He fought for decades to lift government protections on the refuge, estimated to hold more than 6bn barrels of oil, but never surmounted Democratic opposition.
Stevens is also renowned for his temper, often delivering tirades against his critics while wearing a tie printed with the comic-book character known as Incredible Hulk.
The senator's office in Washington was not responding to calls on the indictment today. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator in US history, was indicted today on seven counts of criminal charges related to b... more -
Obama got discount on home loan
Shortly after joining the U.S. Senate and while enjoying a surge in income, Barack Obama bought a $1.65 million restored Georgian mansion in an upscale Chicago neighborhood. To finance the purchase, he secured a $1.32 million loan from Northern Trust in Illinois.
The freshman Democratic senator received a discount. He locked in an interest rate of 5.625 percent on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, below the average for such loans at the time in Chicago. The loan was unusually large, known in banker lingo as a "super super jumbo." Obama paid no origination fee or discount points, as some consumers do to reduce their interest rates.
Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said the rate was adjusted to account for a competing offer from another lender and other factors. "The Obamas have since had as much as $3 million invested through Northern Trust," he said in a statement. Shortly after joining the U.S. Senate and while enjoying a surge in income, Barack Obama bought a $1.65 million restored Georgian mans... more -
US Senator James Marzilli arrested on assault charges
Massachusetts Democratic Senator James Marzilli was arrested Tuesday afternoon for allegedly assaulting a woman. He was charged with attempting to commit a crime, simple assault and battery, and resisting arrest.
The 50-year-old allegedly approached a woman who was sitting on a park bench. He made an “inappropriate comment” before allegedly attempting to touch her in a sexual way. The woman resisted Marzilli and called police.
When police approached the senator, he reportedly gave them a false name and ran from officers. He was arrested and taken to jail. Marzilli was released on $1,500 bail.
Marzilli’s lawyer, Terrence Kennedy, says his client “completely and totally denies” the “ridiculous” allegations.
This is not the first time that Marzilli has been accused to assaulting a woman. Last April, a woman accused him of indecent assault. Marzilli was never charged in the case because of insufficient evidence. Massachusetts Democratic Senator James Marzilli was arrested Tuesday afternoon for allegedly assaulting a woman. He was charged with a... more -
Ted Kennedy rushed to hospital
# Massachusetts senator reportedly has 'symptoms of a stroke'
# Kennedy reportedly transferred from Cape Cod to Boston hospital
# 76-year-old liberal stalwart has served in Senate since 1962 # Massachusetts senator reportedly has 'symptoms of a stroke' ... more -
John McCain’s real record on MLK
(Video courtesy of the DNC)
John McCain continued his campaign tour by visiting Arkansas on Friday. In front of a predominantly African-American audience, McCain again misrepresented his record opposing the Martin Luther King holiday.
McCain claimed to have voted against a federal holiday before changing his mind a “very short time after that.” But McCain voted against the federal holiday in 1983, opposed a state holiday in 1987 (four years later), opposed a new federal holiday in 1989 (six years later) and voted against funding for the commission established to encourage all states to recognize the King holiday in 1994—11 years after his vote. Although, when you’ve been around the block for as long as McCain has, maybe 11 years feels like a short time. (Video courtesy of the DNC) ... more -
Crooks and Liars » The Fabulous Life Of John McCain
As John McCain lives in the lap of luxury, the aging Senator and GOP presidential hopeful tells the American people that the problems with our economy are psychological and that all we, the unwashed masses, need to do is skip a vacation and maybe take on second job and our economy will get back on the right track. As the narrator of the video says; if John McCain can’t understand our problems, how will he solve them?
For more videos like this from Double Talk Express at YouTube click here.
http://www.youtube.com/user/DoubleTalkExpress As John McCain lives in the lap of luxury, the aging Senator and GOP presidential hopeful tells the American people that the problems ... more -
Mike Gravel goes Libertarian
The former Democratic party candidate says he will campaign strongly against Obama, Clinton and McCain. Finally a breath of fresh air in this election! The former Democratic party candidate says he will campaign strongly against Obama, Clinton and McCain. Finally a breath of fresh air... more
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