Archive for August, 2008

Non-Partisan Group Critics McCain VP Choice:

Friday, August 29th, 2008

The non-partisan group Campaign Money Watch responded that the pick underscores McCain’s loss of maverick reformer credentials:

“In choosing Governor Palin, Senator McCain is clearly trying to shore up his past maverick reformer image – an image that is now in tatters due to the type of campaign he’s run and the big money lobbyists he depends on every day of the week,” Donnelly said.

“This selection raises plenty of questions,” Donnelly continued. “She bills herself as a reformer, but has been silent on whether she supports public financing of elections in her own state. As governor of an oil-producing state, she’s been a friend to Big Oil. Given John McCain’s extensive fundraising from Big Oil, her selection raises concerns of whether the McCain-Palin ticket will promise the same access for oil companies and their lobbyists that we’ve seen for nearly eight years from the Bush-Cheney administration.”

Full Article Here

McCain Attacks Obama’s Response:

Friday, August 29th, 2008

McCain aide Jill Hazelbaker:

It is pretty audacious for the Obama campaign to say that Governor Palin is not qualified to be Vice President. She has a record of accomplishment that Senator Obama simply cannot match. Governor Palin has spent her time in office shaking up government in Alaska and actually achieving results — whether it’s taking on corruption, passing ethics reform or stopping wasteful spending and the ‘bridge to nowhere.’ Senator Obama has spent his time in office running for President.

Obama Response to Palin VP Choice

Friday, August 29th, 2008

Obama spokesman Bill Burton:

Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain’s commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush’s failed economic policies — that’s not the change we need, it’s just more of the same.

UPDATE: Schumer piles on:

After the great success of the Democratic convention, the choice of Sarah Palin is surely a Hail Mary pass. It is a real roll of the dice and shows how John McCain, Karl Rove et al realize what a strong position the Obama-Biden team and Democrats in general are in in this election. Certainly the choice of Palin puts to rest any argument about inexperience on the Democratic team and while Palin is a fine person, her lack of experience makes the thought of her assuming the presidency troubling. I particularly look forward to the Biden-Palin debate in Missouri.

Rahm Emanuel piles on:

After trying to make experience the issue of this campaign, John McCain celebrated his 72nd birthday by appointing a former small town mayor and brand new Governor as his Vice Presidential nominee. Is this really who the Republican Party wants to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency? Given Sarah Palin’s lack of experience on every front and on nearly every issue, this Vice Presidential pick doesn’t show judgement: it shows political panic.

McCain Selects Sarah Palin as VP

Friday, August 29th, 2008

Newspaper Headlines On the American Promise

Friday, August 29th, 2008

McCain’s Response to Obama’s Convention Speech

Thursday, August 28th, 2008

From spokesman Brian Rogers, so much for the the truce of McCain’s television ad:

“Tonight, Americans witnessed a misleading speech that was so fundamentally at odds with the meager record of Barack Obama. When the temple comes down, the fireworks end, and the words are over, the facts remain: Senator Obama still has no record of bipartisanship, still opposes offshore drilling, still voted to raise taxes on those making just $42,000 per year, and still voted against funds for American troops in harm’s way. The fact remains: Barack Obama is still not ready to be president.”

Barack Obama’s Democratic Convention Speech

Thursday, August 28th, 2008

Excerpts from Barack Obama’s Democratic Convention Speech:

I’ll End The War In Iraq Responsibly… Finish The Fight Against Al Qaeda And The Taliban In Afghanistan… Provide Affordable Health Care for Every American… Cut Taxes For 95% Of All Working Families… End Dependence On Oil From Middle East In Ten Years… Invest $150B In Renewable Sources Of Energy Over The Next Decade… Rebuild Our Military To Meet Future Conflicts…
“John McCain Has Voted With George Bush 90% Of The Time… I’m Not Ready To Take A Ten Percent Chance On Change”… “Bush-McCain Foreign Policy Has Squandered The Legacy That Generations Of Americans — Democrats And Republicans – Have Built”… “If John McCain Wants To Follow George Bush With More Tough Talk And Bad Strategy, That Is His Choice – But It Is Not The Change We Need”… “It’s Not Because John McCain Doesn’t Care. It’s Because John McCain Doesn’t Get It.”

Read Barack Obama’s Full Democratic Convention Speech Here.

U.S. Troops Abroad Prefer Obama

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008

“According to an analysis of campaign contributions by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, Democrat Barack Obama has received nearly six times as much money from troops deployed overseas at the time of their contributions than has Republican John McCain.”

Full Article Here