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JibJab's Newest Cartoon
JibJab's first election satire since 2004, they bid farewell to Bush and give Obama and McCain a proper JibJab hazing! And, of course, who could forget about Hillary and Bill? This rip-roaring musical romp gives the election process the proper spanking it deserves! JibJab's first election satire since 2004, they bid farewell to Bush and give Obama and McCain a proper JibJab hazing! And, of course,... more
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Obama would move troops from Iraq to Afghanistan
As part of his plan to renew America's war on terrorism presidential nominee Barack Obama has repeated a call for more US troops and greater funding for Afghanistan.
"The situation is precarious and urgent here in Afghanistan, and I believe this has to be our central focus, the central front in our battle against terrorism," said Obama.
"That global network is centered in this area, and I think one of the biggest mistakes we [the United States] have made, strategically, after 9/11 was to fail to finish the job here," he said. "We got distracted by Iraq. And now we have a chance to correct some of those errors."
As part of his plan to renew America's war on terrorism presidential nominee Barack Obama has repeated a call for more US troops and g... more -
Obama Touches Down in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama met Saturday with officials of a region of Afghanistan that has been a hotbed of Taliban and al-Qaida activity, offering his support for reconstruction and security there and throughout the country, an official said.
The Illinois senator, undertaking a campaign-season tour of combat zones and foreign capitals, began his first-ever visit to Afghanistan as part of an official congressional delegation that landed in Kabul.
Obama and other members of Congress visited Bagram Air Field, the main U.S. military base in the country, to meet with top U.S. military leaders and troops, according to a U.S. military statement. KABUL, Afghanistan - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama met Saturday with officials of a region of Afghanistan that has b... more -
McCain Adviser Phil Gramm Resigns After 'Whiners' Remarks
Former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm resigned Friday from his role as GOP presidential candidate John McCain's campaign co-chairman, hoping to quiet the uproar that followed his comments that the United States had become a "nation of whiners" whose constant complaints about the U.S. economy show they are in a "mental recession."
Gramm, a past presidential candidate, made the remarks more than a week ago. McCain immediately distanced himself from the comments, but they brought a steady stream of criticism just as McCain is trying to show he can help steer the country past its current financial troubles.
Gramm said in a statement late Friday that he is stepping down to "end this distraction."
"It is clear to me that Democrats want to attack me rather than debate Senator McCain on important economic issues facing the country," Gramm said. "That kind of distraction hurts not only Senator McCain's ability to present concrete programs to deal with the country's problems, it hurts the country. To end this distraction and get on with the real debate, I hereby step down as co-chair of the McCain campaign and join the growing number of rank-and-file McCain supporters."
Gramm made the comment to The Washington Times and later explained that he was talking about the nation's leaders not the American people. Democrats claimed at the time that the Gramm comments showed that McCain is out of touch with voters' concerns over high gas prices, the struggling housing industry and the shaky economy in general.
The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Gramm's departure will make little difference to McCain's economic policies.
"The question for John McCain isn't whether Phil Gramm will continue as chairman of his campaign, but whether he will continue to keep the economic plan that Gramm authored and that represents a continuation of the polices that have failed American families for the last eight years," said Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan. Former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm resigned Friday from his role as GOP presidential candidate John McCain's campaign co-chairman, hoping to... more -
A Closer Look at McCain's "best friend in politics"
When the almost six billion of us outside the US watch the contest for The Most Powerful Man in the World, we tend to focus on the candidates' foreign policies. If I was Iranian, say, I'd be anxious that John McCain keeps joking in public about killing me.
But there's a way in which the next US president will affect you even more directly than foreign policy. By his economic decisions, the next president will help swing the price of the food you eat and the wages you earn – wherever you live on earth.
When he is forced to talk about the economy, McCain has always given the same answer: "I rely on the circle I have developed over many years – people like Phil Gramm."
Phil Gramm is an ornery old ex-Texas senator who seems to have swooped out of the most scathing H L Mencken sketch. He became McCain's "best friend in politics" – and started speaking to him every day – when they linked arms to stop Hillary Clinton's 1993 push to extend healthcare to poor Americans.
He calls for "ruthlessly" slashing government spending – but only focuses on spending on the poor. When he was told paying for healthcare plunged many 80-year-olds into poverty, he said: "Most of us don't have the luxury of living to be 80 years old, so it's hard for me to feel sorry for them."
But most relevant to those of us outside the US is that Gramm – more than any other figure in American politics – made the two great financial scandals of our time possible, and nearly brought the global economy down with him.
The billionaire Warren Buffet pointed out that Phil Gramm has twice tossed "financial weapons of mass destruction" into the US economy. Yet instead of shunning him, McCain made Gramm the co-chair of his presidential campaign, and hinted he might make him Treasury Secretary. McCain – the supposed scourge of buying influence – was even happy for Gramm to be simultaneously a paid lobbyist for the mortgage industry and helping to write his speeches about the mortgage crisis. The Gramm-grip on McCain's policies shows: incredibly, the wannabe-president responded to the credit crunch caused by deregulation by calling for even more deregulation.
So it seems for this putative president, causing two major economic crises is fine – but speaking about them crudely is a step too far. Yessir: if you liked the credit crunch, you'll love McCainomics.
[Credit: Johann Hari, The Independent] When the almost six billion of us outside the US watch the contest for The Most Powerful Man in the World, we tend to focus on the can... more -
Obama and McCain turn focus toward Afghanistan
John McCain and Barack Obama are turning their foreign policy focus toward the war in Afghanistan, as new poll results show Americans consider that battleground more critical to the overall war on terror than Iraq.
The presidential contenders gave back-to-back addresses Tuesday on national security and foreign policy. Obama restated his pledge to end the Iraq war by the summer of 2010, while McCain and his surrogates accused Obama of wanting to concede defeat.
But both candidates devoted much of their speeches to staking out their strategies for Afghanistan, where violence is on the rise.
Obama and McCain both said they would send more brigades to Afghanistan as troops are removed from Iraq — but they differed over the details and over how they would pursue terrorists operating next door in Pakistan.
Offering fresh criticism of Afghanistan, McCain told reporters Tuesday that there is serious corruption in the Afghanistan government and that President Hamid Karzai has not been the leader he would have hoped.
Obama said he, too, would send at least two more brigades to Afghanistan, but said the Iraq war, which he called a distraction, has prevented the United States from making progress in the region. He said in the 18 months since the troop surge in Iraq began, “the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated — June was our highest casualty month of the war.”
John McCain and Barack Obama are turning their foreign policy focus toward the war in Afghanistan, as new poll results show Americans ... more -
Horsey Puts McCain on the Cover of the National Review
Tit for tat:
"For all the irony-challenged literalists who were upset by the New Yorker's Obama-as-a-muslim magazine cover, here's one for you..." Tit for tat: ... more -
A Taste of Garnaut: The Climate Challenge
America should lead the world on tackling global warming and climate change. What could the Presidential candidates' cap and trade policies really mean for the US and the world?
In Australia planning for an emissions trading scheme is well underway. The Garnaut Climate Change Review's draft report has been released and makes for sobering reading. This video has highlights from a briefing by Ross Garnaut in Melbourne on 9 July 2008.
There is a lot of misinformation about both the science and the economic impact of global warming, which needs to be refuted.
It’s the sort of discussion that should be going on across the US right now. The world cannot afford another failure of leadership like the one we saw from the G8 and George W.Bush in particular last week. Big business and special interess should not be allowed to set the agenda and skuttle any meaningful rectification of rcarbon emssions like they did to Kyoto.
It must be a major part of the election debate. America should lead the world on tackling global warming and climate change. What could the Presidential candidates' cap and trade pol... more -
Britain's backing Barack: Obama beats McCain five votes to one in British poll
Barack Obama is overwhelmingly Britain's choice to be the next US president, five times more popular than his Republican rival, John McCain, a Guardian/ICM poll shows today. Carried out ahead of the Democratic candidate's visit to Britain next week, the poll reveals that 53% feel certain he would make the best president, with only 11% favouring McCain; 36% declined to express an opinion.
Obama will soon set off on a marathon trip that will take in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Jordan, Germany, France and, lastly, Britain. The exact timing of the visit to Iraq and Afghanistan is being kept under wraps for security reasons, but he is expected in Britain on July 25 or 26. It will be his first trip overseas - apart from a holiday weekend in the Caribbean - since he launched his bid for the White House in February last year. The aim is to counter accusations from McCain that he lacks foreign experience.
Obama's campaign team hopes to use the European leg of the trip to press home to the US public that replacing Bush with the Democratic candidate should see America's popularity in Europe restored. McCain is less well known than Obama, despite having visited Britain several times and attending the House of Commons and the Conservative party conference.
The survey, carried out late last week, found that Obama's support is strongest among male voters - 57% of whom want him to be president. There are small regional variations in support: 50% back him in the south-east, against 57% in the north of England. But overall enthusiasm for an Obama presidency is solid across people of all ages and backgrounds. Unlike the US, there is no evidence of young Britons being keener on Obama than older people.
(Excerpts / Julian Glover, Ewen MacAskill; The Guardian)
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Do the results of the poll surprise you? Why do we all seem to love Obama or do you disagree and would rather vote for McCain? Barack Obama is overwhelmingly Britain's choice to be the next US president, five times more popular than his Republican rival, John M... more -
McCain's Plan To Cut Taxes on Big Oil by $4 Billion
++McCain’s Tax Proposals++
Corporate tax cuts make up the largest part of the McCain tax plan. His two largest tax cuts are:
1. Cutting the corporate tax rate.
McCain says he will cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent to make U.S. corporations more competitive.
2. Allow expensing of corporate investments.
Under current law, corporations generally must deduct the cost of new investments over that investment’s useful lifetime, a tax and accounting practice known as depreciation. McCain proposes to allow corporations to immediately write off the entire cost of investments in equipment and technology.
These corporate tax cuts are extremely expensive, costing approximately $1.7 trillion over a decade. Assuming that corporate taxes are ultimately borne by investors—as the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Congressional Budget Office have traditionally assumed—then the tax cuts would be regressive as well.
Approximately 59 percent of the tax cuts would go to the top 1 percent of households. Only 11 percent would go to the bottom 80 percent of households.
++The Benefit for Large Oil Companies++
The McCain plan would deliver approximately $170 billion a year in tax cuts to corporations, including some corporations that are very large and profitable. Just one of the proposals—cutting the corporate rate from 35 percent to 25 percent—would cut taxes for five largest U.S. oil companies by $3.8 billion a year.
The five corporations analyzed—ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Valero Energy, and Marathon—are the five largest oil companies as ranked by Fortune Magazine. All are members of the Fortune 50.
Together, they earned $80 billion worldwide in 2007.
[End of excerpt]
[Credit: americanprogressaction.org; Photo: Salon.com] ++McCain’s Tax Proposals++ Corporate tax cuts make up the largest part of the McCain tax plan. His two largest tax cuts are: ... more -
McCain: Kill Irianian Civilians with Lung Cancer (Joke)
Yesterday, Senator McCain was asked about an AP story in which it was revealed that during the Bush years there has been a significant increase in American exports -- including cigarettes -- to Iran. First, Senator McExperience admitted that he hadn't heard about this news story. That's bad. But not bad enough for the corporate media to wet-nap the barbeque sauce off their fingers so as to successfully pen a news item about it. But it doesn't matter because Senator McShecky followed his ignorance with this reaction to the cigarettes exports:
"Maybe that's a way of killing them."
Then the uncomfortable, jittery, bottled-rage laughter and, "That was a joke!"
I sincerely hope so. I hope the Iranian government gets the correct tone-of-voice in the translation, especially if what Senator Jackie McJokeman and his neocon wack pack are saying about Iran's impending nuclear arsenal is true. I can only imagine how the Cheney-ish warhawks would react if Ahmedinejad cracked a similarly unfunny zinger about killing our citizens -- or the citizens of Israel.
Yesterday, Senator McCain was asked about an AP story in which it was revealed that during the Bush years there has been a significant... more -
Obama: drifting to the right?
Recently, Obama has been praising several conservative court decisions in his effort to appeal to the American center. He frequently uses the Bill of Rights as one of his crucial tools and the article goes on to explain what Obama's tactics are and why. The article suggests that because Obama is campaigning as a visionary, he should carry that over into "how he talks about the Constitution and the Supreme Court rather than falling back into careful, hyper-technical law professor mode." It concludes: "By meandering to the right on some of the most important provisions in the Bill of Rights while mumbling about appointing judges who rule based on their "own perspectives," he risks alienating both groups and weakening the Constitution right along with his political prospects." Recently, Obama has been praising several conservative court decisions in his effort to appeal to the American center. He frequently u... more
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Obama to deliver nomination speech directly to the public
This August, during the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Presidential favorite Barack Obama will symbolically leave his scheduled place at the podium, routinely used to address the party's delegates, to deliver his official acceptance speech outside, in the open air, directly to the public.
Typically, Presidential nominees formally accept the nomination in the same setting we have all seen on TV - amid a sea of balloons, posters, and cheering fans. However, these "fans" are not the general public; they are primarily the delegates, political elites chosen to represent the fifty states, handpicked for their unwavering support of the party itself. This carefully scripted event rarely has many surprises, with speeches, agendas, platforms, and nominations all worked out months before.
I found a surprise waiting in my Gmail inbox today. This form letter, sent today to every registered member of my.BarackObama.com, proclaims that the candidate will break from tradition, and address his acceptance speech directly to the American public:
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[Name] -- Join Barack at the Open Convention
I wanted you to be the first to hear the news.
At the Democratic National Convention next month, we're going to kick off the general election with an event that opens up the political process the same way we've opened it up throughout this campaign.
Barack has made it clear that this is your convention, not his.
On Thursday, August 28th, he's scheduled to formally accept the Democratic nomination in a speech at the convention hall in front of the assembled delegates.
Instead, Barack will leave the convention hall and join more than 75,000 people for a huge, free, open-air event where he will deliver his acceptance speech to the American people.
It's going to be an amazing event, and Barack would like you to join him. Free tickets will become available as the date approaches, but we've reserved a special place for a few of the people who brought us this far and who continue to drive this campaign.
If you make a donation of $5 or more between now and midnight on July 31st, you could be one of 10 supporters chosen to fly to Denver and spend two days and nights at the convention, meet Barack backstage, and watch his acceptance speech in person. Each of the ten supporters who are selected will be able to bring one guest to join them.
Make a donation now and you could have a front row seat to history:
[Donation link edited out]
We'll follow up with more details on this and other convention activities as we get closer, but please take a moment and pass this note to someone you know who might like to be there.
It will be an event you'll never forget.
Thank you,
David
David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America
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After being turned away from the doors of the Democratic National Convention in 2004, (held in my home town of Boston, MA) I became frustrated with the message these conventions send, that only those who had financially supported the party were important enough to be addressed by the candidate himself. Whereas the majority of voters, in the past, have neither the political access nor the desire to spend multiple hundreds of dollars on a ticket to the convention, Obama's decision to hold his acceptance speech outside will allow tens of thousands more to hear the candidate in person, for free. While this exciting event is primarily a symbolic gesture, it is an extension of a message central to his campaign - to change the American political process which has become so profoundly routine.
I, for one, will be there. This August, during the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Presidential favorite Barack Obama will symbolically leave hi... more -
Poll: Top 10 Words Describing Obama-McCain
The top 10 answers people volunteered when asked to describe presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama, according to an Associated Press-Yahoo! News poll released Monday. Included is the percentage of people who gave each answer. More than one response was allowed.
John McCain:
1. Old, 19 percent
2. Military service, 9 percent
3. Record, qualifications, 8 percent
4. Bush, 7 percent
5. Strength, 7 percent
6. Insider, politician, 7 percent
7. Iraq, terrorism, 6 percent
8. Honest, 5 percent
9. Republican, 5 percent
10. (tie) Moral/good and dishonest, 4 percent
Barack Obama:
1. Outsider, change, 20 percent
2. Lack of experience, 13 percent
3. Dishonest, 9 percent
4. Inspiring, 8 percent
5. Liberal, 6 percent
6, 7 (tie). Obama's race, young, 6 percent
8. Not likable, 5 percent
9. Intelligent, 4 percent
10. Muslim, 3 percent The top 10 answers people volunteered when asked to describe presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama, according to an Ass... more -
Obama, McCain On Gay Marriage
McCain and Obama both have said that they oppose granting legal recognition to same-sex marriages, but they differ slightly on what they will do for it as president.
A proposed amendment to the state constitution will be on the ballot in California on Nov. 4 that will say, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
Barack Obama is against the proposed California state constitutional amendment.
John McCain favors the proposed amendment to the California constitution.
The 1996 federal law called the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), that was signed by President Clinton, says that no state shall be required to recognize any same-sex marriage performed in another state.
Obama said in late 2003 that he was against repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. But he switched his view on that question early in 2004 and said he would work to repeal DOMA.
McCain did say in 2006 that if the Supreme Court were to strike down DOMA, “then, and only then, would the problem justify Congress making the momentous decision” to amend the Constitution to outlaw same-sex marriages.
McCain voted for DOMA in 1996. Obama was not a member of the Senate at that time.
Both men voted against the proposed amendment to the United States Constitution in 2006 that would have defined marriage as only between one man and one woman.
Both McCain and Obama have said they believe the states should decide their marriage policies. Both men say they support civil unions, rather than full-fledged legal marriages between same-sex couples.
Neither candidate wants to alienate voters who support marriage rights for same-sex couples. And gay and lesbian campaign donors can be a powerful force, particularly in the Democratic Party. McCain and Obama both have said that they oppose granting legal recognition to same-sex marriages, but they differ slightly on what th... more -
CA Republican's Don't Like The Idea Of 17-Year-Old Voters
A pair of Assembly bills designed to bring more young people into the voting booths are being fought by Republicans who worry that too many of those new voters will be liberal Democrats.
One of the measures would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to "preregister" to vote, while the other would allow 17-year-olds to vote in a primary election if they will be 18 by the date of the next general election. Both bills have prompted straight party-line votes, with no hint of GOP support.
While Democrats sponsoring the bills say they are merely good-government measures, studies show that their party would get a major election-day boost if more young voters cast ballots. A pair of Assembly bills designed to bring more young people into the voting booths are being fought by Republicans who worry that too... more -
McCain's temper strikes again and leaves him speechless (video)
John McCain has been the subject for many years of questions about his "uncontrollable" temper, with even fellow Republican Sen. Thad Cochran suggesting it makes him unfit to be president.
A touch of the McCain temper was on display Tuesday, when a reporter asked him, "In what ways did your experience in Vietnam prepare you for the presidency?" and McCain brusquely replied, "oh, please," and turned away.
In commenting on that reaction, Sen. Cochran told a Mississippi newspaper about an incident in 1987 where McCain grabbed a Nicaraguan envoy "by the shirt collar" during negotiations "and had snatched him up like he was throwing him up out of the chair" -- a story McCain said was "simply not true."
MSNBC's Dan Abrams asked his guests on Wednesday, "How big a deal is this for John McCain?"
White House correspondent April Ryan agreed that, "it's a big deal. ... America wants to know that their president can handle tough situations ... with an even hand and an even mind."
However, MSNBC's Turker Carlson found the whole topic ridiculous. "You've got to be kidding!" he laughed. "Knock it off! That's the dumbest thing I've heard in so long! ... I hope he grabbed that Sandinista official by the face and ground it into the desk. They were monsters! ... I think America wants a president with some backbone!"
"He's running for president of the United States, not Miss Manners," Huffington Post editor Roy Sekoff chimed in. "I mean, suddenly he's going to be disqualified because he gets a little hot under the collar and has a potty mouth?"
"I'm not talking about a potty mouth," retorted Ryan. "I'm talking about someone who will blow a fuse. Do you want that sucker? Hey, have it if you want it."
"I've never seen him blow any fuses," insisted Carlson.
"It's ludicrous," Sekoff agreed.
Dan Abrams then brought up Cindy McCain's lavish spending habits, with recent disclosures showing her running up hundreds of thousands of dollars on her charge cards in a month.
Ryan suggested that the story made McCain look bad at "a time when people are holding their pocketbooks and looking at the possible leader of the free world to make sure they understand their pain."
In this case, Sekoff agreed, saying, "The hypocrisy ... comes when Karl Rove tries to paint Barack Obama as a country club elitist. ... Cindy McCain is the real deal. ... This is not going to go over well with the American people."
This video is from MSNBC's Verdict, broadcast July 2, 2008.
John McCain has been the subject for many years of questions about his "uncontrollable" temper, with even fellow Republican Sen. Thad ... more -
Wes Clark ... Carry On Baby!
Wes Clark decries shenanigans! Let's get real people.
Ret. Gen. Clark: McCain lacks command experience
4 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired Gen. Wesley Clark, a former Democratic presidential candidate now supporting Barack Obama, said Sunday John McCain's military service does not automatically qualify him to be commander in chief.
Underscoring during a national television appearance a position he has been expressing for several weeks, Clark said performing heroic military service is not a substitute for gaining command experience.
"In the matters of national security policy making, it's a matter of understanding risk," he said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "It's a matter of gauging your opponents and it's a matter of being held accountable. John McCain's never done any of that in his official positions. I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces, as a prisoner of war.
"He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee and he has traveled all over the world, but he hasn't held executive responsibility," Clark said. "That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded — that wasn't a wartime squadron."
(full article: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iYBdOQK_nuxk0sWQWPLg... ) Wes Clark decries shenanigans! Let's get real people. Ret. Gen. Clark: McCain lacks command experience 4 hours ago ... more -
Q: Clinton & Obama Campaign Together in Unity, NH: Is Hillary Clinton using Ba...
It's a poll. I haven't voted. I'm not sure how I lean on the issue. Just thought I'd share.
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Viral Video Film School: 3rd Party Candidates
Little did you know how many choices you’ll have come November.
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