Barack Obama Elected President!

[Roman]

In study, evidence of liberal-bias bias

Cable talking heads accuse broadcast networks of liberal bias -- but a think tank finds that ABC, NBC and CBS were tougher on Barack Obama than on John McCain in recent weeks.

By James Rainey, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

July 27, 2008

Haters of the mainstream media reheated a bit of conventional wisdom last week.

Barack Obama, they said, was getting a free ride from those insufferable liberals.

* Challenges await Barack Obama at home

Challenges await Barack Obama at home

*

John McCain supports expansion of Americans With Disabilities Act

*

John McCain slams Barack Obama for canceling on the troops

*

James Rainey: On the Media

Such pronouncements, sorry to say, tend to be wrong since they describe a monolithic media that no longer exists. Information today cascades from countless outlets and channels, from the Huffington Post to Politico.com to CBS News and beyond.

But now there's additional evidence that casts doubt on the bias claims aimed -- with particular venom -- at three broadcast networks.

The Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University, where researchers have tracked network news content for two decades, found that ABC, NBC and CBS were tougher on Obama than on Republican John McCain during the first six weeks of the general-election campaign.

You read it right: tougher on the Democrat.

During the evening news, the majority of statements from reporters and anchors on all three networks are neutral, the center found. And when network news people ventured opinions in recent weeks, 28% of the statements were positive for Obama and 72% negative.

Network reporting also tilted against McCain, but far less dramatically, with 43% of the statements positive and 57% negative, according to the Washington-based media center.

Conservatives have been snarling about the grotesque disparity revealed by another study, the online Tyndall Report, which showed Obama receiving more than twice as much network air time as McCain in the last month and a half. Obama got 166 minutes of coverage in the seven weeks after the end of the primary season, compared with 67 minutes for McCain, according to longtime network-news observer Andrew Tyndall.

I wrote last week that the networks should do more to better balance the air time. But I also suggested that much of the attention to Obama was far from glowing.

That earned a spasm of e-mails that described me as irrational, unpatriotic and . . . somehow . . . French.

But the center's director, RobertLichter, who has won conservative hearts with several of his previous studies, told me the facts were the facts.

"This information should blow away this silly assumption that more coverage is always better coverage," he said.

Here's a bit more on the research, so you'll understand how the communications professor and his researchers arrived at their conclusions.

The center reviews and "codes" statements on the evening news as positive or negative toward the candidates. For example, when NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell said in June that Obama "has problems" with white men and suburban women, the media center deemed that a negative.

The positive and negative remarks about each candidate are then totaled to calculate the percentages that cut for and against them.

Visual images and other more subjective cues are not assessed. But the tracking applies a measure of analytical rigor to a field rife with seat-of-the-pants fulminations.

The media center's most recent batch of data covers nightly newscasts beginning June 8, the day after Hillary Rodham Clinton conceded the Democratic nomination, ushering in the start of the general-election campaign. The data ran through Monday, as Obama began his overseas trip.

Most on-air statements during that time could not be classified as positive or negative, Lichter said. The study found, on average, less than two opinion statements per night on the candidates on all three networks combined -- not exactly embracing or pummeling Obama or McCain. But when a point of view did emerge, it tended to tilt against Obama.

That was a reversal of the trend during the primaries, when the same researchers found that 64% of statements about Obama -- new to the political spotlight -- were positive, but just 43% of statements about McCain were positive.

Such reversals are nothing new in national politics, as reporters tend to warm up to newcomers, then turn increasingly critical when such candidates emerge as front-runners.

It might be tempting to discount the latest findings by Lichter's researchers. But this guy is anything but a liberal toady.

* Challenges await Barack Obama at home

Challenges await Barack Obama at home

*

John McCain supports expansion of Americans With Disabilities Act

*

John McCain slams Barack Obama for canceling on the troops

*

James Rainey: On the Media

In 2006, conservative cable showmen Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly had Lichter, a onetime Fox News contributor, on their programs. They heralded his findings in the congressional midterm election: that the networks were giving far more positive coverage to the Democrats.

More proof of the liberal domination of the media, Beck and O'Reilly declared.

Now the same researchers have found something less palatable to those conspiracy theorists.

But don't expect cable talking heads to end their trashing of the networks.

Repeated assertions that the networks are in the tank for Democrats represent not only an article of faith on Fox, but a crucial piece of branding. On Thursday night, O'Reilly and his trusty lieutenant Bernard Goldberg worked themselves into righteous indignation -- again -- about the liberal bias they knew was lurking.

Goldberg seemed gleeful beyond measure in saying that "they're fiddling while their ratings are burning."

O'Reilly assured viewers that "the folks" -- whom he claims to treasure far more than effete network executives do -- "understand what's happening."

By the way, Lichter's group also surveys the first half-hour of "Special Report With Brit Hume," Fox News' answer to the network evening news shows.

The review found that, since the start of the general-election campaign, "Special Report" offered more opinions on the two candidates than all three networks combined.

No surprise there. Previous research has shown Fox News to be opinion-heavy.

"Special Report" was tougher than the networks on Obama -- with 79% of the statements about the Democrat negative, compared with 61% negative on McCain.

There's plenty of room for questioning the networks' performance and watching closely for symptoms of Obamamania.

But could we at least remain focused on what ABC, NBC and CBS actually put on the air, rather than illusions that their critics create to puff themselves up?

[email protected]

[ERIKC157]

Alaska is the first line of defense in our missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the unit that protects the entire nation from ballistic missile attacks. It’s on permanent active duty, unlike other Guard units.

As governor of Alaska, Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counterterrorism. Her exposure to classified material may rival even Biden's.

She's also the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF), a federally recognized militia incorporated into Homeland Security's counterterrorism plans.

Palin is privy to military and intelligence secrets that are vital to the entire country's defense. Given Alaska's proximity to Russia, she may have security clearances we don't even know about.

According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in February, but nobody ever found out. This is a woman used to keeping secrets.

She can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.

[Wales2004]

I don't buy anything because I read something to the contrary regarding what she's privy to but I am sure there will be a lot of info out there to make it seem as if she's practically the Secretary of State.

She did meet him in February according to reports and then one other time. I doubt that she was told back in February that she was his choice for VP and if so then he manipulated a lot of people to pull that off.

I'm just coming back to add that I wish I had been paying more attention to the article that I was reading where the emergency org was mentioned so that I could have a more thorough response. But beyond that if her experience was great then Cindy McCain wouldn't have said so instead of saying that she has experience because Alaska is close to Russia.

As far as being privy to documents, I'm sure there are other individuals that look at classified documents who aren't deemed experts or even knowledgeable about national security and I don't know how viewing documents equates with a person actually acting in that capacity. I should hope you're not suggesting that she's now just as well versed as Joe Biden who has actually gone overseas and met with foreign leaders. But if you are then alrighty then. And if reading is all it takes then I guess I can be a whole host of things after reading the right book.

[Southofnowhere]

We'll see how she matches up agianst a true Denfence expert Joe Biden when they debate . All this GOP spin about a small time Mayor is very laughable.

[Roman]

I'm trying my best to wrap my thinking around this statement that she is more ready to handle national security and international policy if need be. I even heard McCain said thatshe was the President of the PTA. THAT makes her ready for being POTUS?

She is not ready at all, and if Barack had made this very same pick, he would be blasted for it.

[Roman]

Palin Repeatedly Professed Desire To Renew Federal Funding For ‘Bridge To Nowhere’»

mccainpalin.jpgDuring the unveiling of his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin ®, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) tried to cast her as a “reformer” and “fiscal conservative.” She boldly claimed that with regard to Sen. Ted Stevens’s (R-AK) infamous “Bridge to Nowhere,” she told Congress, “Thanks, but no thanks“:

I championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. In fact, I told Congress — I told Congress, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ on that bridge to nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, I said we’d build it ourselves.

It appears, however, that Palin is lying. As Bradford Plumer first noted, the Anchorage Daily News interviewed Palin during her 2006 campaign for governor. At the time, federal funding for the bridge had been stripped by Congress. They asked if she was in favor of continuing state funding for the project. “Yes,” she responded, noting specifically her desire to renew Congressional support:

Yes. I would like to see Alaska’s infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now–while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.

That assistance never materialized. When she finally canceled the $400 million project, Palin lamented the fact that Congress was not more forthcoming with federal funding. She said in a statement at the time:

Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it’s clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island.

Palin’s desire to have federal funding directed toward pet projects in Alaska, however, did not diminish. As recently as March 2008 — around the time she first met McCain — her special counsel, John Katz, wrote in the Juneau Empire that despite recognizing increased scrutiny of such spending, Palin was not “not abandoning earmarks altogether.” While McCain expressed high-profile disdain for earmarks, the Palin administration held that:

[E]armarks are not bad in themselves. In fact, they represent a legitimate exercise of Congress’ constitutional power to amend the budget proposed by the president.

[Max]

I would agree that Sarah Palin does not have the experience to be president. Indeed, by choosing Palin, the Republicans now have a much tougher time with the experience argument. However, the Democrats are being foolish in their attacks on Palin's inexperience, given that the top of their ticket happens to be the most unqualified person to ever attain a major party presidential nomination. I think for most voters, the choice will come down to this: would you prefer a ticket where the inexperienced candidate happens to be the VP choice, or a ticket where the inexperienced one happens to be at the top. Without hesitation, I know which ticket I would prefer.

Somebody earlier asked me why McCain is so great. Well, here's why: McCain is exactly the bi-partisan politician that Obama himself claims to be. In fact, while Obama's votes in the Senate have always reflected the Democratic Party line, McCain has regularly sponsored major pieces of legislation with the Democrats, and attacked fellow Republicans for their corruption and irresponsible spending habits. Additionally, while Obama has zero legislative accomplishments during his time in the Senate, McCain has been one of America's most influential senators: among his achievements include (1) normalizing U.S. diplomatic relations with Vietnam via the work he did as part of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, (2) being the driving force behind campaign finance reform as the result of the McCain-Feingold Act, (3) co-writing the legislation that created the 9/11 Commission, (4) co-sponsoring a post-9/11 act that federalized airport security, and (5) working with Ted Kennedy on an immigration reform bill.

Now that I've explained why I am so solidly behind McCain, it's time for one of the many Obamaniacs to exlpain what it is that Obama has accomplished during his Seante career. Please be specific when mentioning (1) the times that Obama has taken on other powerful Democratic senators (and Hillary Clinton does not count, since those attacks were in the context of a presidential campaign), and (2) Obama's actual legislative achievements.

[Roman]

I found the BEEF - Obama's Senate Record

by Helenann

Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 02:19:52 PM PDT

It has really been bothering me - the charges that Obama is all talk and no action. Those of us who support him and have reviewed his record know there is no basis to this charge, but just to make sure, I went to the Congressional Record (www.thomas.gov) and did a search for bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Senator Obama in his three short years in the US Senate. I searched the 109th and 110th Congresses which cover the years 2005-2007.

In a nut shell I found:

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 570 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress.

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become LAW since he joined the Senate in 2005.

Senator Obama has also introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate.

His record is in fact quite impressive for a junior Senator from Illinois.

Details below the fold.

* Helenann's diary :: ::

*

Below I summarize Senator Obama's legislative record in the US Senate.

First I list the bills he sponsored that have become law.

Next I summarize the bills that he has sponsored or cosponsored since he became a US Senator in 2005.

I have only included major pieces of legislation and have not summarized continuing resolutions or naming post offices, for example.

His record suggests several priorities and the bills he supports address many of our most pressing problems.

Most of his legislative effort has been in the area of Energy Efficiency and Climate Change (25 bills), health care (21 bills) and public health (20 bills), consumer protection/labor (14 bills), the needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces (13 bills), Congressional Ethics and Accountability (12 bills), Foreign Policy (10 bills) Voting and Elections (9 bills), Education (7 bills), Hurricane Katrina Relief (6), the Environment (5 bills), Homeland Security (4 bills), and discrimination (4 bills).

Of the 15 bills Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law:

Two addressed foreign policy:

Promote relief, security and democracy in the Congo (2125)

Develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control (2370).

Three addressed public health:

Improve mine safety (2803)

Increased breast cancer funding (597)

Reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality (707).

Two addressed openness and accountability in government:

Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (2488)

Full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds (2590)

Two addressed national security

Extend Terrorist Risk Insurance (467)

Amend the Patriot Act (2167)

One addressed the needs of the Armed Forces

Wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad (1184).

Of the 570 bills Senator Obama introduced into the Senate during the 109th and 110th Congress (Senate Bill numbers are in parentheses), they can be summarized as follows:

25 addressed Energy Efficiency and Climate Change

Suspend royalty relief for oil and gas (115)

Reduce dependence on oil; use of alternative energy sources (133)

Increase fuel economy standards for cars (767, 768)

Auto industry incentives for fuel efficient vehicles (1151)

Reduce green house gas emissions (1324)

Establish at NSF a climate change education program (1389)

Increase renewable content of gasoline (2202)

Energy emergency relief for small businesses and farms (269)

Strategic gasoline and fuel reserves (1794)

Alternative diesel standards (3554)

Coal to liquid fuel promotion (3623)

Renewable diesel standards (1920)

Reducing global warming pollution from vehicles (2555)

Fuel security and consumer choice (1994, 2025)

Alternative energy refueling system (2614)

Climate change education (1389)

Low income energy assistance (2405)

Oil savings targets (339)

Fuel economy reform (3694)

Plug-in electric drive vehicles (1617)

Nuclear release notice (2348)

Passenger rail investment (294)

Energy relief for low income families (2405)

21 addressed Health Care

Drug re-importation (334)

Health information technology (1262, 1418)

Discount drug prices (2347)

Health care associated infections (2278)

Hospital quality report cards (692, 1824)

Medical error disclosure and compensation (1784)

Emergency medical care and response (1873)

Stem cell research (5)

Medical Malpractice insurance (1525)

Health centers renewal (901, 3771)

Children’s health insurance (401)

Home health care (2061)

Medicare independent living (2103)

Microbicides for HIV/AIDS (823)

Ovarian cancer biomarker research (2569)

Gynological cancers (1172)

Access to personalized medicine through use of human genome (976)

Paralysis research and care (1183)

20 addressed Public Health:

Violence against women (1197)

Biodefense and pandemic preparedness and response (1821, 1880)

Viral influenza control (969)

End homelessness (1518)

Reduce STDs/unintended pregnancy (1790)

Smoking prevention and tobacco control (625)

Minority health improvement and disparity elimination (4024)

Nutrition and physical education in schools (2066)

Health impact assessments (1067, 2506)

Healthy communities (1068)

Combat methamphetamines (2071)

Paid sick leave (910)

Prohibit mercury sales (833, 1818)

Prohibit sale of lead products (1306, 2132)

Lead exposure in children (1811, 2132)

14 address Consumer Protection/Labor

Stop unfair labor practices (842)

Fair minimum wage (2, 1062, 2725, 3829)

Internet freedom (2917)

Credit card safety (2411)

Media ownership (2332)

Protecting taxpayer privacy (2484)

Working family child assistance (218)

Habeus Corpus Restoration (185)

Bankruptcy protection for employees and retirees (2092)

FAA fair labor management dispute resolution (2201)

Working families flexibility (2419).

13 addressed the Needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces:

Improve Benefits (117)

Suicide prevention (479)

Needs of homeless veterans (1180)

Homes for veterans (1084)

GI Bill enhancement (43)

Military job protection

Dignity in care for wounded vets (713)

Housing assistance for low income veterans (1084)

Military children in public schools (2151)

Military eye injury research and care (1999)

Research physical/mental health needs from Iraq War (1271)

Proper administration of discharge for personality disorder (1817, 1885)

Security of personal data of veterans (3592)

12 addressed Congressional Ethics and Accountability

Lobbying and ethics reform (230)

Stop fraud (2280)

Legislative transparency and accountability (525)

Open government (2180, 2488)

Restoring fiscal discipline (10)

Transparency and integrity in earmarks (2261)

Accountability of conference committee deliberations and reports (2179)

Federal funding accountability and transparency (2590)

Accountability and oversight for private security functions under Federal

contract (674)

Accountability for contractors and personnel under federal contracts

(2147) Resctrictions awarding government contracts (2519)

10 addressed Foreign Policy:

Iraq war de-escalation (313)

US policy for Iraq (433),

Divestiture from Iran (1430)

Sudan divestment authorization (831)

Millennium Development Goals (2433)

Multilateral debt relief (1320)

Development bank reform (1129)

Nuclear nonproliferation (3131,977,2224).

9 address Voting/Elections

Prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections (453)

Voter access to polls and services in Federal elections (737)

Voter intimidation and deceptive practices (1975)

Senate campaign disclosure parity (185)

Require reporting for bundled campaign contributions (2030)

Election jamming prevention (4102)

Campaign disclosure parity (223)

Presidential funding (2412)

Integrity of electronic voting systems (1487)

11 addressed Education

Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education (1513)

Establish teaching residency programs (1574)

Increase early intervention services (2111)

Middle school curriculum improvements (2227)

Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid (2428)

Summer learning programs (116)

TANF financial education promotion (924)

Higher education (1642)

Build capacity at community colleges (379)

Campus law enforcement in emergencies (1228)

Support for teachers (2060).

6 addressed Hurrican Katrina

Hurricane Katrina recovery (2319)

Emergency relief (1637)

Bankruptcy relief and community protection (1647)

Working family tax relief (2257)

Fair wages for recovery workers (1749)

Gulf coast infrastructure redevelopment (1836)

5 addressed the Environment

Drinking water security (218, 1426)

Water resources development (728)

Waste water treatment (1995)

Combat illegal logging (1930)

Spent nuclear fuel tracking and Acountability (1194)

Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (Introduced in Senate)[s.726.IS ]

4 addressed Discrimination

Claims for civil class action based on discrimination (1989)

Domestic partnership benefits (2521)

Unresolved civil rights crimes (535)

Equality or two parent families (2286)

4 addressed Homeland Security

Judicial review of FISA orders (2369)

National emergency family locator (1630)

Amend US Patriot Act (2167)

Chemical security and safety (2486)

Next time someone asks you "where's the beef" in Senator Obama's Senate record, please feel free to send the link to this diary.

I found the BEEF - Obama's Senate Record

by Helenann

Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 02:19:52 PM PDT

It has really been bothering me - the charges that Obama is all talk and no action. Those of us who support him and have reviewed his record know there is no basis to this charge, but just to make sure, I went to the Congressional Record (www.thomas.gov) and did a search for bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Senator Obama in his three short years in the US Senate. I searched the 109th and 110th Congresses which cover the years 2005-2007.

In a nut shell I found:

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 570 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress.

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become LAW since he joined the Senate in 2005.

Senator Obama has also introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate.

His record is in fact quite impressive for a junior Senator from Illinois.

Details below the fold.

* Helenann's diary :: ::

*

Below I summarize Senator Obama's legislative record in the US Senate.

First I list the bills he sponsored that have become law.

Next I summarize the bills that he has sponsored or cosponsored since he became a US Senator in 2005.

I have only included major pieces of legislation and have not summarized continuing resolutions or naming post offices, for example.

His record suggests several priorities and the bills he supports address many of our most pressing problems.

Most of his legislative effort has been in the area of Energy Efficiency and Climate Change (25 bills), health care (21 bills) and public health (20 bills), consumer protection/labor (14 bills), the needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces (13 bills), Congressional Ethics and Accountability (12 bills), Foreign Policy (10 bills) Voting and Elections (9 bills), Education (7 bills), Hurricane Katrina Relief (6), the Environment (5 bills), Homeland Security (4 bills), and discrimination (4 bills).

Of the 15 bills Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law:

Two addressed foreign policy:

Promote relief, security and democracy in the Congo (2125)

Develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control (2370).

Three addressed public health:

Improve mine safety (2803)

Increased breast cancer funding (597)

Reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality (707).

Two addressed openness and accountability in government:

Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (2488)

Full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds (2590)

Two addressed national security

Extend Terrorist Risk Insurance (467)

Amend the Patriot Act (2167)

One addressed the needs of the Armed Forces

Wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad (1184).

Of the 570 bills Senator Obama introduced into the Senate during the 109th and 110th Congress (Senate Bill numbers are in parentheses), they can be summarized as follows:

25 addressed Energy Efficiency and Climate Change

Suspend royalty relief for oil and gas (115)

Reduce dependence on oil; use of alternative energy sources (133)

Increase fuel economy standards for cars (767, 768)

Auto industry incentives for fuel efficient vehicles (1151)

Reduce green house gas emissions (1324)

Establish at NSF a climate change education program (1389)

Increase renewable content of gasoline (2202)

Energy emergency relief for small businesses and farms (269)

Strategic gasoline and fuel reserves (1794)

Alternative diesel standards (3554)

Coal to liquid fuel promotion (3623)

Renewable diesel standards (1920)

Reducing global warming pollution from vehicles (2555)

Fuel security and consumer choice (1994, 2025)

Alternative energy refueling system (2614)

Climate change education (1389)

Low income energy assistance (2405)

Oil savings targets (339)

Fuel economy reform (3694)

Plug-in electric drive vehicles (1617)

Nuclear release notice (2348)

Passenger rail investment (294)

Energy relief for low income families (2405)

21 addressed Health Care

Drug re-importation (334)

Health information technology (1262, 1418)

Discount drug prices (2347)

Health care associated infections (2278)

Hospital quality report cards (692, 1824)

Medical error disclosure and compensation (1784)

Emergency medical care and response (1873)

Stem cell research (5)

Medical Malpractice insurance (1525)

Health centers renewal (901, 3771)

Children’s health insurance (401)

Home health care (2061)

Medicare independent living (2103)

Microbicides for HIV/AIDS (823)

Ovarian cancer biomarker research (2569)

Gynological cancers (1172)

Access to personalized medicine through use of human genome (976)

Paralysis research and care (1183)

20 addressed Public Health:

Violence against women (1197)

Biodefense and pandemic preparedness and response (1821, 1880)

Viral influenza control (969)

End homelessness (1518)

Reduce STDs/unintended pregnancy (1790)

Smoking prevention and tobacco control (625)

Minority health improvement and disparity elimination (4024)

Nutrition and physical education in schools (2066)

Health impact assessments (1067, 2506)

Healthy communities (1068)

Combat methamphetamines (2071)

Paid sick leave (910)

Prohibit mercury sales (833, 1818)

Prohibit sale of lead products (1306, 2132)

Lead exposure in children (1811, 2132)

14 address Consumer Protection/Labor

Stop unfair labor practices (842)

Fair minimum wage (2, 1062, 2725, 3829)

Internet freedom (2917)

Credit card safety (2411)

Media ownership (2332)

Protecting taxpayer privacy (2484)

Working family child assistance (218)

Habeus Corpus Restoration (185)

Bankruptcy protection for employees and retirees (2092)

FAA fair labor management dispute resolution (2201)

Working families flexibility (2419).

13 addressed the Needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces:

Improve Benefits (117)

Suicide prevention (479)

Needs of homeless veterans (1180)

Homes for veterans (1084)

GI Bill enhancement (43)

Military job protection

Dignity in care for wounded vets (713)

Housing assistance for low income veterans (1084)

Military children in public schools (2151)

Military eye injury research and care (1999)

Research physical/mental health needs from Iraq War (1271)

Proper administration of discharge for personality disorder (1817, 1885)

Security of personal data of veterans (3592)

12 addressed Congressional Ethics and Accountability

Lobbying and ethics reform (230)

Stop fraud (2280)

Legislative transparency and accountability (525)

Open government (2180, 2488)

Restoring fiscal discipline (10)

Transparency and integrity in earmarks (2261)

Accountability of conference committee deliberations and reports (2179)

Federal funding accountability and transparency (2590)

Accountability and oversight for private security functions under Federal

contract (674)

Accountability for contractors and personnel under federal contracts

(2147) Resctrictions awarding government contracts (2519)

10 addressed Foreign Policy:

Iraq war de-escalation (313)

US policy for Iraq (433),

Divestiture from Iran (1430)

Sudan divestment authorization (831)

Millennium Development Goals (2433)

Multilateral debt relief (1320)

Development bank reform (1129)

Nuclear nonproliferation (3131,977,2224).

9 address Voting/Elections

Prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections (453)

Voter access to polls and services in Federal elections (737)

Voter intimidation and deceptive practices (1975)

Senate campaign disclosure parity (185)

Require reporting for bundled campaign contributions (2030)

Election jamming prevention (4102)

Campaign disclosure parity (223)

Presidential funding (2412)

Integrity of electronic voting systems (1487)

11 addressed Education

Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education (1513)

Establish teaching residency programs (1574)

Increase early intervention services (2111)

Middle school curriculum improvements (2227)

Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid (2428)

Summer learning programs (116)

TANF financial education promotion (924)

Higher education (1642)

Build capacity at community colleges (379)

Campus law enforcement in emergencies (1228)

Support for teachers (2060).

6 addressed Hurrican Katrina

Hurricane Katrina recovery (2319)

Emergency relief (1637)

Bankruptcy relief and community protection (1647)

Working family tax relief (2257)

Fair wages for recovery workers (1749)

Gulf coast infrastructure redevelopment (1836)

5 addressed the Environment

Drinking water security (218, 1426)

Water resources development (728)

Waste water treatment (1995)

Combat illegal logging (1930)

Spent nuclear fuel tracking and Acountability (1194)

Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (Introduced in Senate)[s.726.IS ]

4 addressed Discrimination

Claims for civil class action based on discrimination (1989)

Domestic partnership benefits (2521)

Unresolved civil rights crimes (535)

Equality or two parent families (2286)

4 addressed Homeland Security

Judicial review of FISA orders (2369)

National emergency family locator (1630)

Amend US Patriot Act (2167)

Chemical security and safety (2486)

Next time someone asks you "where's the beef" in Senator Obama's Senate record, please feel free to send the link to this diary.

[Roman]

And my challenge:

Today on ABC This Week, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) criticized Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) for being absent for so many Senate roll call votes, saying that “Sen. Obama’s been gone more than he’s been here.” Watch it:

Of course, Graham failed to mention that his candidate, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) remains the most absent member of the Senate, beating even Obama. McCain has missed 63.8 percent of the votes in the 110th Congress; Obama has missed 45.5 percent.

For someone to explian to me how missing more votes than any other Senator in the Senate helps me and other voters (including missing every vote this year)?

[Roman]

http://cliffschecter.firedoglake.com/2008/...-stevens-video/

[David_Vickers]

This info is from MoveOn.

Yesterday was John McCain's 72nd birthday. If elected, he'd be the oldest president ever inaugurated. And after months of slamming Barack Obama for "inexperience," here's who John McCain has chosen to be one heartbeat away from the presidency: a right-wing religious conservative with no foreign policy experience, who until recently was mayor of a town of 9,000 people.

Huh?

Who is Sarah Palin? Here's some basic background:

She was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. She has no foreign policy experience.1

Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.2

She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000. 3

Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.4

She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.5

She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species—she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.6

How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.7

This is information the American people need to see. Please take a moment to forward this email to your friends and family.

We also asked Alaska MoveOn members what the rest of us should know about their governor. The response was striking. Here's a sample:

She is really just a mayor from a small town outside Anchorage who has been a governor for only 1.5 years, and has ZERO national and international experience. I shudder to think that she could be the person taking that 3AM call on the White House hotline, and the one who could potentially be charged with leading the US in the volatile international scene that exists today. —Rose M., Fairbanks, AK

She is VERY, VERY conservative, and far from perfect. She's a hunter and fisherwoman, but votes against the environment again and again. She ran on ethics reform, but is currently under investigation for several charges involving hiring and firing of state officials. She has NO experience beyond Alaska. —Christine B., Denali Park, AK

As an Alaskan and a feminist, I am beyond words at this announcement. Palin is not a feminist, and she is not the reformer she claims to be. —Karen L., Anchorage, AK

Alaskans, collectively, are just as stunned as the rest of the nation. She is doing well running our State, but is totally inexperienced on the national level, and very much unequipped to run the nation, if it came to that. She is as far right as one can get, which has already been communicated on the news. In our office of thirty employees (dems, republicans, and nonpartisans), not one person feels she is ready for the V.P. position.—Sherry C., Anchorage, AK

She's vehemently anti-choice and doesn't care about protecting our natural resources, even though she has worked as a fisherman. McCain chose her to pick up the Hillary voters, but Palin is no Hillary. —Marina L., Juneau, AK

I think she's far too inexperienced to be in this position. I'm all for a woman in the White House, but not one who hasn't done anything to deserve it. There are far many other women who have worked their way up and have much more experience that would have been better choices. This is a patronizing decision on John McCain's part- and insulting to females everywhere that he would assume he'll get our vote by putting "A Woman" in that position.—Jennifer M., Anchorage, AK

This scares the living [!@#$%^&*] out of me!

[Jess]

The only qualification she has for the job is being a woman and she is not even the most qualified woman for the job. Vice President is his most important appointment and he blew it.

I doubt the governor of Alaska has much say in regard to "to the first line of defense in our missile interceptor defense system." I did a quick google check and can not find one instance where the governor of Alaska has been quoted in regard to that mission or has been referred to as a leader in regard to that mission.

[GoldenDogs]

With all due respect, asking MoveOn members their opinion of a Republican candidate for high office is like asking the bigots of America their opinion of Barack Obama.

I love this thread and get a kick out of the rhetoric offered throughout... But if I was seriously seeking pertinent information on the candidates, I would definitely be looking elsewhere. No offense is intended to anyone posting here, btw... I respect the opinions of everyone who has added to this thread, regardless of which side of the political fence they fall. I see the partisan passion flowing. I'm just not getting much hardcore facts on Palin and, given the decided hate developing in some circles toward this woman, I'm actually beginning to feel a bit sorry for her.

Today alone around the internet, I have read the most vile comments about her and her family... and nasty stuff about her children. Yikes. I mean, really... disgusting remarks suggesting incest in the family? In one breath I hear people stating they have no idea who this woman is, while in the other they claim she is a horrible mother. What's up with all this hate?

I can't say that I have anything vile to say about ANY of the candidates. I don't personally know any of them. There are times when I have agreed and disagreed with positions taken by both Biden and McCain. I respect the work both have done in the Senate for America. I have no reason to believe Barack doesn't have the best interests of America at heart, nor do I have any reason to question the credentials of Palin at this point. I haven't served in the Senate, nor have I been the Governor of a large state. All four of these people know a hell of a lot more about managing the affairs of the people than any of us ever will.

When I see individuals of both parties attacking candidates on a personal level, it makes me think it is out of irrational fear... a fear of losing an election.

[JackPeyton]

Great post and i could not agree more.

[Wales2004]

Well I hope you feel sorry for Michelle Obama as well since she's not even running for office. It's unfortunate that there are people like that in society but I would hope that candidates for any office know beforehand that they are opening themselves up to criticism and misrepresentation.

And if it's irrational fear that's driving it then that says a lot about McCain repeatedly attacking Obama's patriotism and basically calling him a traitor in his thinly veiled attack that Obama is a politician and I guess McCain considers himself a non politician with strictly noble intentions.