Barack Obama Elected President!

[Wales2004]

I was going to post about the gun topic and then I saw this and well here I am commenting.....

But let me start by addiing on to another comment of yours about not gay people and the Republican party.....at this precise moment I don't understand why any non-white person at all is a Republican unless it's for tax breaks, political control over moral issues, to be seen in what is known as the party of the rich (as in the new rich who aren't politically savvy), for special favors, or to attempt to break through. I understand that the core issues that matter to them most may not be addressed by the Democrats and I know that you really have to work within this two-party system to gain clout....but I think they really shoud look towards building up a third party that gives them the core issues and has an open door for everyone.

.....which brings me to what you've stated above.....it may seem like a bad way to go but unfortunately people do tend to lock in to whatever their particular issue(s) to the point of exclusion of what might be an even bigger picture with more potential problems. That's the downside of the microwave mentality where you want what you want in an instant....being right now....and you can't look down the road since it's not now and takes too much energy and thought to sort out.

[Roman]

Palin: Troopergate not going away

Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 9:19 AM by Mark Murray

Filed Under: 2008, Palin

Per NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, at Palin’s joint event tonight with McCain in Michigan, Palin will take her first questions from town hall participants -- the first time she has done this since being selected as McCain’s running mate. As for Palin taking questions from the traveling press corps, well, that still hasn’t happened yet. In fact, the DNC has unveiled a new clock counting the days, hours, and minutes since McCain’s last press conference (34 days) and the time between Palin was picked and her first press conference (18 days and counting).

The Palin-appointed Alaska attorney general said "state employees would refuse to honor subpoenas in the case." "In a letter to state Sen. Hollis French, the Democrat overseeing the investigation, Republican Attorney General Talis Colberg asked that the subpoenas be withdrawn. He also said the employees would refuse to appear unless either the full state Senate or the entire Legislature votes to compel their testimony."

Moreover, some GOP allies of Palin in Alaska are trying to help suspend or shut down the legislative role in the trooper investigation. “Five Republican state lawmakers on Tuesday filed a lawsuit seeking to halt an inquiry into Gov. Sarah Palin’s dismissal of her public safety commissioner, arguing that the Legislature has exceeded its authority by conducting a ‘McCarthyistic investigation.’”

Newsweek's Isikoff, reporting from Alaska, notes how seriously the McCain folks are taking the trooper investigation. "A former top Justice Department prosecutor now working for John McCain's presidential campaign has been helping to direct an aggressive legal strategy aimed at shutting down a pre-election ethics investigation into Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. The growing role of Edward O'Callaghan, who until six weeks ago served as co-chief of the terrorism and national security unit of the U.S. attorney's office in New York, illustrates just how seriously the McCain campaign is taking the so-called ‘troopergate’ inquiry into Palin's firing last summer of Walt Monegan, Alaska's Public Safety Commissioner.”

“O'Callaghan emerged publicly for the first time this week when he told reporters at a McCain campaign press conference, in Anchorage, that Palin is ‘unlikely to cooperate’ with an Alaskan legislative inquiry into Monegan's firing because it had been ‘tainted’ by politics. That new stand appeared to directly contradict a previous vow, expressed by her official gubernatorial spokesman on July 28, that Palin ‘will fully cooperate’ with an investigation into the matter."

Back to the facts... "McCain and running mate Sarah Palin, Alaska's governor, say her state's production of one-fifth of the country's domestic energy supply is an important credential to put them in the White House. Their figure is inflated," the AP reports. "The most recent figures show Alaska produced 3.4 percent of the nation's total energy output in 2005. The state's largest contribution to that figure was its oil production, which runs about 14 percent of the U.S. total. Alaska contributes about 2 percent of the nation's natural gas production. It produces negligible amounts of coal and renewable energy, and has no nuclear energy. The only way to get close to the 20 percent figure is to look at Alaska's proven oil reserves, the amount they have determined to be underground and available under current conditions, which amount to 18 percent of the U.S. total."

Page Six: "Hockey mom Sarah Palin not only wore lipstick to the Republican National Convention, the vice-presidential candidate wore a shantung silk Valentino jacket worth $2,500. Insiders tell Page Six Palin has a secretive circle of stylists who dress her for events. For her big speech in St. Paul, where she accepted the GOP's vice-presidential nod, this fashion-conscious team encouraged the Alaska governor to splurge on a $2,500 jacket from Saks Fifth Avenue designed by Valentino Garavani. ... Presidential nominee John McCain's wife, Cindy, recently took some heat after Vanity Fair itemized the cost of her wardrobe during her RNC speech with Laura Bush to a whopping $300,000 worth of designer wear and diamonds."

[Greg's GL]

ICAM, Wales. Great post. I believe that, for the most part, the Democratic party today is the best option for minorities. That being said, have they taken for granted at times their alliance? Probably. When was the last time an issue that was important to our largest minority group - African Americans - was addressed on the national stage? The Civil Rights movement. I would argue that movement is still going on today as there is still a lot of inequity in all aspects of life for them. But you don't hear about it.

Locally, the Cuban Americans have a lot of pull in elections and they generally vote Republican because they have done a good job of telling them what they want to hear. And they are very vocal, so it's a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease.

I would like to hear Obama address race relations more as well. It's still a big problem in this country and something more has to be done about it. But he does address the issue of Civil Rights and quite well I might add.

Some of the most important of these IMO are racial profiling and sentencing disparities. I'm glad that someone is finally addressing these issues.

[Jess]

I think Palin handled the trooper mess better before she became a part of the McCain ticket. There is no way to prove whether she fired hthe public safety guy because of her former brother-in-law or not. There would be some embarrassing things come out, but those things are going to come out anwya.

The best thing for her to do is just take the hit and get it out of the way. Instead of throwing up roadblocks, her best approach would have been to ask that the investigation be expedited. The current tactics do nothing but drag it out. Nobody buys that the Obama campaign is firing this up in light of the fact it has been around before McCain realized he needed a stunt, and she initially was supportive of the probe. Now rolling out her hack of an AG makes it appear she did something wrong and is desperate. Tsk Tsk.

In regard to Republicans, I don't understand either why anyone but rich white people would side with the party. There was a time when the GOP stood for less government and economic conservatism. Now it seems to stand for some self-defined moral crusade. In McCain's defense, he did oppose and vote against the marriage acts. Palin fully supports them. I am a straight woman, but to me the entire tactic of using gay marriage as a campaign issue is about as offensive as it gets. I can not imagine being expected to hide what I am and to me that is what moral conservatives expect of gay men and lesbians.

If a political party would so overtly deny a segment of its population basic human dignity and respect, then there is very little it would not do. JMO.

On abortion, I am catholic, I think it is morally wrong. I do not think it should be illegal because that makes the problem worse. I really don't think women make the decision easily and I think the current divisions on abortion make it difficult for women who are faced with the decision to seek advice and counsel partlcularly from the clergy. I truly believe if Americans had exerted as much effort is taking a compassionate approach to unwanted pregnancy rather than trying to bully women the issue would have self-corrected years ago. I think capital punishment is morally wrong. Killing is killing. Like everyone else, there are instances of crimes so brutal that it makes me shudder, but I think capital punishment is wrong. Right now, it's become routine.

So that is my foray into the moral arena. I doubt very seriously opinions based on my Catholic faith would set too well with much of the public. The Christian conservative moral views don't sit too well with me.

[George008]

Thank you...My point exactly

[Wales2004]

ITA on this. All this does is put the focus on the fact that McCain is trying to stall and hinder this investigation instead of it being on the real issue. Blaming it on partisan politics doesn't take the light off the game they're playing since it's basically telling the public that they will cry partisanship at every turn.

I heard on the newsradio this morning and read an article online earlier pointing out that McCain and the Republicans are freezing out Brian Williams and NBC because of Keith Olbermann's support for Obama....they pointed to Katie Couric's two day road trip with Palin as evidence of this. I don't know if they recognize how silly it is to say you're not going to interact with a whole network of people because one doesn't support you and why was McCain on Morning Joe yesterday, if that's the case? MSNBC is where Keith Olbermann's show airs not NBC and while they're protesting NBC, I take it that they're not watching anything else on NBC but especially football since Olbermann does appear on NBC's Football Night in America. But back to Morning Joe.....I read that McCain got into it with Mika B. because she asked him a question he didn't like and he accused her of supporting Obama and she mentioned one of her brothers who works on McCain's campaign (another works on Obama's), and McCain called that a low blow or something.....and me well..... to the 72 year old baby.

Thanks for the list Greg's GL.

[Greg's GL]

Jess, you have said that perfectly. That's what I was attempting to say above, but you said it so much better. And ICAM.

Again, very well said. The abortion issue is something so personal and I believe, must be a very difficult time for someone in that position. Of course, I will never be in a situation wherein I would have to make that choice. Although I disagree morally, I don't feel that that belief should be forced upon others.

[George008]

No I dont think it's a stretch. Anything can be used as a weapon in the place of a gun. Box cutters, a plane, and as jack said, a car. What will liberals want to ban once guns are out of the picture?

In the beginning. Most now support the Brady Bill, but are against any further regulation.

That's usually how it works..

Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

You must be 21 years of age or older.

You must be able to demonstrate competency with a firearm.

Unless you are serving overseas in the United States Armed Forces, you must currently reside in the United States (US) AND be a US citizen or deemed a lawful permanent resident alien by Department of Homeland Security, US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). If you are serving overseas in the US Armed Forces, submit a copy of your deployment documentation with your application. If you are not a US citizen, submit documentation issued by the USCIS proving you are a permanent legal resident alien with proof you have resided in the state of residence (as shown on your application) for at least 90 consecutive days prior to the date the application is submitted.

Proof of residence includes, but is not limited to:

Monthly utility, telephone, power, or cable bills, which show your name and address.

Monthly pay stubs or other documentation from your employer, which show your name and address.

Monthly credit card statements, which show your name and address.

Possible Reasons for Ineligibility:

The physical inability to handle a firearm safely.

A felony conviction (unless civil and firearm rights have been restored by the convicting authority).

Having adjudication withheld or sentence suspended on a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence unless three years have elapsed since probation or other conditions set by the court have been fulfilled.

A conviction for a misdemeanor crime of violence in the last three years.

A conviction for violation of controlled substance laws or multiple arrests for such offenses.

A record of drug or alcohol abuse.

Two or more DUI convictions within the previous three years.

Being committed to a mental institution or adjudged incompetent or mentally defective.

Failing to provide proof of proficiency with a firearm.

Having been issued a domestic violence injunction or an injunction against repeat violence that is currently in force.

Renouncement of U.S. citizenship.

A dishonorable discharge from the armed forces.

Being a fugitive from justice.

Detailed explanations of these various disqualifying conditions are provided in the Application for the Concealed Weapon/Firearm License.

Seems pretty complex to me....what were you referring when you said "it doesn't seem that hard"?

Do you think taxing the rich is a self-centered view? It wont impact you...so it's ok. How is my stance any different? You seem to have no problem with Obama's tax plan.

[George008]

Have you paid attention to any of McCain's stances on these issues? He is a proponent of returning these values back to the party?

What are some examples of this? I've heard several similar accusations from you and Wales that are similar to this.

Where have you seen an example of all Republicans being on a moral crusade??

So, I guess the last Presidential election showed the majority of Americans supporting this moral crusade? If you can make broad general statements, I will start to as well.

Thank you. This thread, as of late, has been better at pointing out the "wrong-doing" of Republicans. Not so much John McCain.

Simple fact on Gay marriage, although I dont fall into this category...most Americans are against gay marraige.

[Jess]

I think this is a terrible strategy. I'm glad they are doing it because it will backfire. But, it just makes McCain appear a brat. I believe the straight talk express is stuck in a ditch. The media will rally around one another. He'll find himself being left out of the limb. It kind give Brian Williams a bit of clout in my opinion. I've always thought of him as a pretty boy light weight. This makes him appear tough and unflinching in the face of Republican opposition. As far as Katie Couric, oh how the wheel has turned. The GOP turned to her after years of saying CBS was the evil empire. If there is one network that will not be painted the patsy, it's CBS.

[George008]

That's exactly what Sarah Palin said in her interview with Charlie Gibson..

[Roman]

]

First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political ResearcherFirst thoughts: Has the worm turned?

Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 9:30 AM by Mark Murray

Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carrie Dann

*** Has the worm turned? After the news of the crisis on Wall Street, McCain’s “the fundamentals of our economy are strong” stumble on Monday, the slip-ups yesterday by McCain’s two biggest economic surrogates (see below for more on that), and four days of sustained TV ad and email blasts by the Obama campaign and the DNC, the political worm seems to have turned a tad since the Palin bounce. Indeed, while we’re not crazy about focusing too much on those daily tracking polls, their needles have moved in Obama’s direction the past couple of days (and we bet that continues today). And guess what -- we’re not talking as much about Palin as we were last week, except for the latest developments in the Troopergate scandal in Alaska. The race has turned back into McCain vs. Obama, and it currently is sitting on turf (the economy) that should favor Democrats. In fact, even the McCain campaign tacitly acknowledges Palin's off the front pages with a new TV ad today that doesn't mention Palin at all -- not even a "McCain-Palin" Administration. It’s simply McCain. By the way, a car-bomb attack today on the US embassy in Yemen (which killed 16 people, including six security forces, six terrorists, and four civilians) reminds us that the focus of the presidential race -- as well as that political worm -- can turn at a moment’s notice.

*** McCain targeting Gordon Gekko: But even with the attack in Yemen, today’s focus will probably remain on the economy. Both candidates have new TV ads in which they speak to the camera about the current troubles on Wall Street. Here’s McCain’s, which his campaign says will be televised nationally: “You, the American workers, are the best in the world. But your economic security has been put at risk by the greed of Wall Street. That's unacceptable. My opponent's only solutions are talk and taxes. I'll reform Wall Street and fix Washington. I've taken on tougher guys than this before.”

VIDEO: Obama raises millions at a Hollywood fundraiser, while McCain mocks him for attending such an event during tough economic times. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.

*** Gone in 120 seconds: Meanwhile, Obama’s out with a two-minute TV ad on the economy -- a sort of a mini-address to show he's taking the current Wall Street crisis seriously. "Here’s what I believe we need to do,” he says in the ad. “Reform our tax system to give a $1,000 tax break to the middle class instead of showerin more on oil companies and corporations that outsource our jobs. End the ‘anything goes’ culture on Wall Street with real regulation that protects your investments and pensions. Fast track a plan for energy ‘made-in-America’ that will free us from our dependence on mid-east oil in 10 years and put millions of Americans to work. Crack down on lobbyists… And yes, bring a responsible end to this war in Iraq so we stop spending billions each month rebuilding their country when we should be rebuilding ours. Doing these things won’t be easy. But we’re Americans. We’ve met tough challenges before. And we can again." This ad isn't just a contrast with McCain; it's actually a contrast with President Bush. In the last six months since the country's economic problems have been front-page news, Bush hasn't done a major address to the nation like he has when there has been international news. By the way, neither this Obama ad nor McCain’s emphasizes jobs. They both talk about them (or imply them), but they aren’t the lead.

*** When surrogates screw up: McCain’s top two economic surrogates had a tough day yesterday. First, Douglas Holtz-Eakin -- in a response to reporters’ questions about what McCain did at the Senate Commerce Committee to understand how markets work -- whipped out his BlackBerry. "He did this," he replied. “Telecommunications of the United States is a premier innovation in the past 15 years, comes right through the Commerce committee so you're looking at the miracle John McCain helped create and that's what he did." That produced a slew of McCain-invented-the-BlackBerry jokes. Next, Carly Fiorina answered “no” to a question in a radio interview whether Palin has the experience to run a corporation like Hewlett-Packard. In a later interview with Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC, Fiorina said that none of the candidates was qualifed. "Well, I don't think John McCain could run a major corporation; I don't think Barack Obama could run a major corporation; I don't think Joe Biden could run a major corporation.” The Obama camp immediately pounced. “If John McCain’s top economic advisor doesn’t think he can run a corporation, how on Earth can he run the largest economy in the world in the midst of a financial crisis?" Ouch.

VIDEO: NBC's Chuck Todd gives his first read on McCain's difficulty addressing economic concerns over the past couple days and discusses the lack of emphasis on job creation from either candidate.

*** A stroll through memory lane: Remember when two of the leading voices against Wall Street in the Dem Party were John Edwards and Eliot Spitzer? The Edwards and Spitzer rhetoric, even if from flawed characters, is being borrowed from heavily by both campaigns right now.

*** The Beltway buzzer: The buzzy piece of the day comes courtesy of the Politico’s Roger Simon, who has some former Dem bigwigs wringing their hands slightly at the position Obama finds himself in. The most interesting criticism comes from Donna Brazile, who believes Obama’s media strategists “need to sharpen their ads so they are more memorable and have a shelf life of more than 24 hours.” This gets at a whisper campaign that we've been privvy to for some time about Obama's media team. A lot of smart political types have been surprised by the lack of "stickiness" of Obama's TV ads. McCain's ads might be getting killed by the truth-squadders, but they are being talked about and voters seem to remember them. There's not a memorable Obama TV ad that anyone can point to and say, "Wow, that's an interesting ad," even as they seem well produced and well focus-grouped. The most memorable Dem ad we can think of is one that has to do with a 3:00 am phone call. By the way, speaking of "sticky," there's a new MoveOn ad that uses McCain's "my friends" catch phrase very cleverly. Yet another ad from the Dem side that's catchy but not from Team Obama.

*** Republican Jews swift-boating Obama? Don’t miss the Politico story about the Republican Jewish Coalition commissioning a negative poll about Obama in some battleground states. “The poll asked voters their response to negative statements about Obama, including reported praise for him from a leader of the Palestinian terror group Hamas and a friendship early in his career with a pro-Palestinian university professor. Some Jewish Democrats who received the poll – including a New Republic writer who lives in Michigan – were outraged by the poll, describing it in interviews as ‘ugly’ and disturbing. A group that supports Obama, the Jewish Council for Education and Research even staged a protest outside the Manhattan call center from which the calls originated Tuesday.” It appears to truly be a message-testing poll -- and not a so-called "push poll" -- which goes to tens of thousands of voters. This was an actual survey testing the most effective attack against Obama.

*** Clinton's no second fiddle: In the span of about four hours yesterday, Hillary Clinton committed then decommitted to a planned Monday protest of Ahmadienjad in New York. For the opening of the UN General Assembly, a coalition of Jewish groups hoped to flex its political muscle by convincing both Clinton and Palin to participate in an anti-Iran protest. Well, no one told Clinton's folks Palin would also be there. When they found out, they felt blindsided and backed out. Palin isn't 100% yet on the protest -- but her attendance is very likely, particularly since her first meeting with some key Jewish leaders in the US didn't go so well. She needs to show some Israeli solidarity. Palin's appearance at the UN is a tricky decision by the McCain campaign because there's a fine line between introducing a future VP to the world and looking like someone participating in their first model UN.

*** On the trail: McCain and Palin hold an evening rally in Grand Rapids, MI. Obama is in Nevada, stumping in Elko and attending a rally in North Las Vegas. Biden, in Ohio, campaigns in Maumee and Wooster. And Michelle Obama visits Virginia, attending a women’s economic roundtable in Richmond and then a voter-registration rally in Charlottesville.

*** Elsewhere: On Capitol Hill today, at the DNC headquarters, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Reps. Jan Schakowsky, Rosa DeLauro, Donna Edwards, Linda Sanchez, and Diana DeGette hold a press conference contrasting the Obama and McCain records on women’s issues. Meanwhile, Clinton supporter and DNC Platform Committee member Lynn Forester de Rothschild (wife of international banker Sir Evelyn de Rothschild) holds a presser announcing her support for McCain.

Countdown to the first presidential debate: 9 days

Countdown to the vice presidential debate: 17 days

Countdown to the second presidential debate 20 days

Countdown to the third presidential debate: 28 days

Countdown to Election Day 2008: 48 days

Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 125 days

[Roman]

I think it's hilarious. Certain members of the MSM have spent their time kissing JM's ass, and now that he is showing the same arrogance for them that the current admin. shows, they take their ball and go home.

As bad of a job as they have done......they don't want to take on the media.

[Roman]

I am for people peacefully having the right to live their lives. What Gay Americans do is their business, and for those who spend their time telling themwhat to do......I wonder what would hapen in the majority of Americans suddenly decided you couldn't carry a gun?

People need to live and let live.

BTW, I thought the Republicans already had fiscal responsibility and values in the Party. If they already have these things......why is JM working to return them to the Party?

[Wales2004]

I've had four friends tell me that they had abortions (one of them had two and opted to have her baby when she got pregnant a third time....I know she was leading a wild life and I didn't ask about birth control). Three of them expressed remorse and some sort of guilt and the most practial minded of them all said she did what she had to do...went on her own and handled it. Even though I am personally against abortion, I learned to stop being too judgmental.

There are some morally based principles that do require laws such as murder and thievery. Essentially you can have laws against those things and punishment for those things...you still can't always stop a person from doing them since it amounts to what is in that individual's mind and heart but it is necessary to try to protect society from those situations.

I believe in the separation of church and state. I feel religious groups shouldn't try to use political clout to push some of the moral issues on which they tend to focus. You can stand before a congregation of people and preach Bilblical principles and it is up to each of those individuals to either heed or ignore. You're telling them their souls are at stake.....they get to decide what to do.

The most essential quality any Christian is supposed to have is Love. Love does not mean that you understand what a person does or that you accept what a person does. It means that you love the person despite what you don't grasp or may never believe in.

I think one of the conflicts the religious right may be experiencing on the issue of homosexuality is the idea that if you embrace a homosexual then you embrace his/her lifestyle which is not so. It's a matter of being able to see that a person is a human being even if you never understand or accept homosexuality. At least that's how I see it. And I know someone can come along and say doesn't this apply to pedophiles, etc. Well yes.....the sight of one is going to disgust me because I despise what that person does....am I obligated to love that person anyway?......yes.....do I?.....I can't answer that one.....but even though this is a total cop out.....that's why I'm not Jesus......I'm working on being a better person.