McCain's Record

John McCain accused Barack Obama of refusing to visit the troops. However, Sen. Obama visited and talked with troops in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In a recent ad, McCain's campaign blurs the picture so that the viewer is unable to see Obama playing basketball with the troops.

What is McCain's record?
Here is a partial list of McCain votes that call into question his support for troops (Washington Post):

9/21/07--McCain Voted NO---Vote 346: H R 1585: Levin Amdt. No. 2898; To provide for a reduction and transition of United States forces in Iraq.

9/20/07--McCain Voted NO--Vote 345: H R 1585: Feingold Amdt. No. 2924; To safely redeploy United States troops from Iraq.

9/19/07--McCain Voted NO--Vote 341: H R 1585: Webb Amdt. No. 2909; To specify minimum periods between deployment of units and members of the Armed Forces deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

7/11/07--McCain Voted NO--Vote 243: H R 1585: Hagel Amdt. No. 2032; To limit the length of deployment of members of the Armed Forced for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

7/11/07--McCain Voted NO-Vote 241: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Webb Amdt. No. 2012; To specify minimum periods between deployment of units and members of the Armed Forces for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

3/29/07--McCain Voted NO-Vote 126: H R 1591: H.R. 1591, As Amended; U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, 2007

5/4/06--McCain Voted NO--Vote 112: H R 4939: H.R. 4939, As Amended; Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006

4/26/06--McCain Voted NO--Vote 98: H R 4939: Akaka Amdt. No. 3642 as Amended; To provide an additional $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.

3/16/06--McCain Voted NO--Vote 67: S CON RES 83: Kerry Amdt No. 3143; To prevent the imposition of excessive TRICARE fees and co-pays on military retirees.

3/16/06--McCain Voted NO--Vote 63: S CON RES 83: Stabenow Amdt No. 3141; To provide an assured stream of funding for veteran's health care that will take into account the annual changes in the veteran's population and inflation to be paid for by restoring the pre-2001 top rate for income over $1 million, closing corporate tax loopholes and delaying tax cuts for the wealthy.

This is by no means a complete list of McCain's votes. With close examination, it is obvious that McCain doesn't support the troops.

New Polls

Taegan Goddard's Political Wire is reporting on a new poll:

A new Research 2000 national poll finds Sen. Barack Obama leading Sen. John McCain, 51% to 39%, with Bob Barr getting 3% and Ralph Nader getting 2%.

Real Clear Politics has this---
National - Gallup Tracking - July 27= Obama 49%, McCain 40%

We'll see what develops.....

***UPDATE: According to Reuters, John McCain has had another "spot" removed from his face. McCain has had several episodes of skin cancer on his face and, according to the NY Daily News (5/24/08), he had cancer on his lower right leg. In that NY Daily News article, other McCain health problems were detailed:
vertigo, invasive melanoma removed from left temple in 2000, cataract surgery, arthritis in both shoulders, melanoma removed from upper left shoulder in 1993, melanoma removed upper left arm in 2000, melanoma removed from his nose in 2002, kidney stones, polyps removed from colon earlier this year, surgery to reduce enlarged prostate, arthritis in right knee, squamous cell carcinoma removed from right shin earlier this year.

He doesn't sound very healthy to me.

Angry Old Man

Do you want an angry old man answering the red phone?

John McCain's bad temper is well-known. Is this hot-head too dangerous to put in the White House?

The Nation: (excerpt)
If you've followed Senator John McCain at all, you've heard about his tendency to, well, explode. He's erupted at numerous Senate colleagues, including many Republicans, at the slightest provocation. "The thought of his being President sends a cold chill down my spine. He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper, and he worries me," wrote Republican Senator Thad Cochran, shortly before endorsing McCain....

And you've heard, no doubt, about McCain's stubbornness. "No dissent, no opinion to the contrary, however reasonable, will be entertained," says Larry Wilkerson, a retired army colonel who was former Secretary of State Colin Powell's top aide. "Hardheaded is another way to say it. Arrogant is another way to say it. Hubristic is another way to say it. Too proud for his own good is another way to say it. It's a quality about him that disturbs me...."

Doesn't McCain sound like an angry old man? I think that what with we've had in the White House the last 8 years, McCain won't win us any friends with his bad temper. Here is more on the famous McCain temper from You Tube:

Did you know that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that there were 125 oil spills from offshore drilling rigs? (see Think Progress)

Questions for Republicans

***Why is John McCain running pictures of himself that are thirty years old? We honor his service to our country, but he needs to focus on the future, not the past.

***Why is did Tom Brinkman, a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, call Republican U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt a "lying b----"? TPMelectioncentral has even more about the battle between the two GOPers. Here is an excerpt from the posting:

....Schmidt is now enmeshed in a bitter feud with another Ohio Republican, who's so furious with her that he called her a "lying b----" and a "despicable person" who would "sell her mother" -- and expressly told us we could print that!

The issue? GOP State Rep. Tom Brinkman, who founded an anti-tax government watchdog group, is charging that Schmidt's House staffers frequently work on her campaign for re-election.

"You can quote me anywhere you like. Jean Schmidt is a lying b----," said Brinkman, who lost his primary challenge to her this year by a 58%-40% margin, in an interview with Election Central. "She would sell her mother to promote herself. She is a despicable person. She will go any length possible to win, to get what she wants."

Oh, how nice.

***Why does John McCain want to ration veterans' benefits? The Army Times is reporting this:

Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s call to “concentrate” veterans’ health care on those with combat injuries is raising questions about the Arizona senator’s commitment to funding the ailing VA system.

....Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, said McCain “appears to want to significantly narrow the number of veterans who can use VA, and that would alarm many veterans.”

Sullivan said veterans “should be very concerned by any effort to restrict access to VA health care and benefits by excluding other veterans with medical conditions clearly linked with their military service, such as illnesses related to Agent Orange poisoning, injures incurred in the combat zone, injuries due to training, and the adverse side effects of vaccines and experimental drugs....

McCain was able to use all his medical benefits as a vet. Now he wants to restrict which vets get medical help??? This is unbelievable!

**According to Votesmart, Republican candidate for Congress, Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, has a rating of "0" for Environmental Issues.

McCain Can Only Talk About the Surge

Banks are going bust.
McCain can only talk about "the surge."

There have been record home foreclosures.
McCain can only talk about "the surge."

The FDA seems unable to keep our food safe.
McCain can only talk about "the surge."

Children are starving around the world.
McCain can only talk about "the surge."

American soldiers and Marines have been sent to Iraq on 4 and 5 tours of duty, while other American soldiers and Marines are being attacked and killed in Afghanistan.
McCain can only talk about "the surge." McCain wants to remain in Iraq for 100 years.

Families, the elderly, and college students are turning to food banks for food.
McCain can only talk about "the surge."

Men and women all over this country are dealing with the rising costs of living and raising their families.
McCain can only talk about "the surge."

The more McCain talks, the more he seems like an angry, old man, who is looking back, not forward.

Obama in Germany - McCain in German Restaurant in Ohio

At this very moment, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, is addressing a crowd of 200,000 people in Berlin, Germany. Republican Sen. John McCain is visiting Schmidt's Sausage Haus in the German Village neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio (restaurant capacity:100). Wow.

McCain's Campaign Appears Tired

With weeks to go before the big political conventions, the McCain campaign appears tired, bitter, and like a bunch of whiners. They are running on the same, old, Bush ideas and they appear to be stuck in the mud.

*Sen. John McCain kept saying that Sen. Barack Obama should go to Iraq and Afghanistan.
*Sen. Obama went to Iraq and Afghanistan and was cheered by our military and welcomed by leaders.

*McCain said that Obama should go and talk to the generals.
*Obama went, asked the right questions, and confirmed his original statement that our troops need to be in Afghanistan, not Iraq.

McCain is a 71 year old man who has ideas that are older than he is. He is not willing to listen and learn. As a result, he is repeating his same tired message, over, and over again. McCain says he cares about our military. However, he has voted against veterans' issues and vets' medical benefits many, many times. He wants to continue to send our military into a war in Iraq, even though McCain can't/won't put a time line on our presence there. We can honor his service to our country, but his plans for our country appear old, and uninspiring.

There is much more to being President than solving Bush's war in Iraq. The Bush administration has ignored many parts of the world while they've poured our tax dollars and efforts into a war of their own making. Our country has a lot of diplomacy to catch up on in the years to come. McCain's bullying tactics and bad temper will not provide the remedy we need to fix problems around the world.

Americans are out of work, and trying to cope with high food/gas prices. I don't think McCain is capable of putting in the effort to solve the myriad of problems we face. McCain, who has claimed he knows nothing about economics, would probably named his BFF, Phil "a nation of whiners" Gramm, as a member of his cabinet.

Frank Rich is on the Stephanie Miller Show right now. He just said that McCain is "like a cranky old guy..." I couldn't have said it better myself!

>>>> In case you're interested, Vetvoice has comments from vets about McCain's recent attacks on Obama. Here is a sampling:

...Senator McCain's comments represent the radical anti-troop, anti-veteran rhetoric his campaign has become known for. I went to combat, and I saw first-hand the damage the failed policies of George W. Bush and John McCain have caused to our American troops. I wonder if this eye-witness knowledge means that I want to lose as well....

....To say that Barack Obama wants to "lose" in Iraq is completely beyond acceptable standards of political discourse. For Senator McCain to impugn the loyalty and patriotism of a sitting United States Senator while he is overseas to gain some short-term political leverage is beneath the dignity of the office which he holds. This is an act of political desperation and moral cowardice. John McCain should be ashamed of himself and immediately apologize....

....To say that Senator Obama wants to lose in Iraq is, in fact, saying that the majority of this country wants to lose. To suggest that every person who has been critical of the Bush-McCain policy favors losing the war is beyond reprehensible and absurd....

Check out more at Vetvoice.

McCain's Latest

Washington Independent:

Marc Ambinder brings us John McCain's interview with Katie Couric, in which he re-writes history about Iraq and claims Obama is the revisionist.

Kate Couric: Senator McCain, Senator Obama says, while the increased number of US troops contributed to increased security in Iraq, he also credits the Sunni awakening and the Shiite government going after militias. And says that there might have been improved security even without the surge. What's your response to that?

McCain: I don't know how you respond to something that is as-- such a false depiction of what actually happened. Colonel McFarlane [phonetic] was contacted by one of the major Sunni sheiks. Because of the surge we were able to go out and protect that sheik and others. And it began the Anbar awakening. I mean, that's just a matter of history. Thanks to General Petraeus, our leadership, and the sacrifice of brave young Americans. I mean, to deny that their sacrifice didn't make possible the success of the surge in Iraq, I think, does a great disservice to young men and women who are serving and have sacrificed...

The reporter goes on and writes this----

..For McCain to say that the Anbar Awakening is the product of the surge is either a lie or professional malpractice for a presidential candidate who is staking his election on his allegedly superior Iraq judgment.

Ouch!

Things I Know

> Even though President Bush said that our forces will leave Iraq when they ask us to leave, Bush, McCain, Lieberman, and the Republican front group, Vets for Freedom, want to stay in Iraq f-o-r-e-v-e-r. I guess that as long as Iraq has oil, Bush & Co. want to stay.

I watched news stories on Sen. Obama's current trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. I think that he showed great courage and leadership in his talks with the generals and Maliki. Americans are seeing evidence that Obama has the ability to solve Iraq.

> Republican Sen. John McCain will NOT be teaching history or geography. McCain doesn't know
1) the differences between Sunni and Shia.
2) the country Czechoslovakia doesn't exist.
3) that Iraq and Pakistan do not share a border.
4) that the $1,259,645 that he (McCain) has received in career contributions from oil/gas PACs caused oil prices to go up. (see Open Secrets)

What does this indicate?

I saw this picture at Politico and just had to post it:



Do you think they are going for the "early bird special" at the local buffet restaurant or to play shuffle board?

McCain Has Problems

Republican John McCain has some problems that voters are noticing:

1) McCain doesn't look healthy.

2) McCain's supporters don't seem very enthusiastic about his candidacy. It might have something to do with the fact that McCain is repeating the same messages that these Republicans heard from George W. Bush. During news reports that show McCain with at his "town hall" meetings, his audiences look like they are bored to tears.

3) McCain "Straight Talk Express" doesn't seem to have any real straight talk. Do you remember the question he was asked about birth control and Viagara? We're still waiting for a straight answer.

These are just some of my small observations. In our household, when McCain appears on TV, as he did this morning on the Today Show, we just change the channel. We are just not interested in his tired, old message.


On the other hand.............

I was really impressed with the enthusiasm displayed by our troops when they greeted Sen. Obama on his trip to Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq. They know that Sen. Obama has a way to end the war, and get them back home. These same troops will e-mail and phone their family and friends to share their great impressions of Obama. The only problem that might arise will be how the Pentagon manages to lose the ballots of the service members this election. If it appears that overseas military members are moving toward Obama, some of those ballots may get "lost" in the mail.

Right Wing to the Extreme

If you haven't seen Steve Stivers, former bank lobbyist and current GOP candidate in Ohio's 15th district, it is because he has been in Washington, DC, hanging out with the Republican elite. Here are some tidbits about Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, from Politicker:

"Steve Stivers is the total package. He accurately reflects the interests and values of the district he seeks to represent, has a compelling biography, and he continues to outperform his out of touch opponent on every level," said National Republican Congressional Campaign spokesman Ken Spain....

Oh, come on. Are you serious? Stivers "...reflects the interests and values of the district..."? Do they know that Stivers is a former bank lobbyist who continues to side with banks, insurance companies, and even payday lenders over the needs of human beings in his district?????

....On Thursday, Stivers also briefly met with Grover Norquist, the influential president of the conservative Americans for Tax Reform.....

Stivers met with right winger, Grover Norquist? Grover Norquist??????? That definitely should send up the red flags. Grover Norquist was called the "Field Marshall" of the Bush plan by The Nation magazine. (We know how well the "Bush plan" has worked!) Norquist is also the person who said, "My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years," he says, "to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub." (see The Nation) Scary right wing stuff!!!!!

It does my heart good to know that Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, has completely gone over to the extreme right wing of the Republican Party. By taking PAC money from all those oil companies and banks, he easily fits in with those extremists like Norquist.

Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th district, Mary Jo Kilroy, has aligned herself with real people during her campaign. We can safely put our trust in Kilroy because she represents us.

By the way, one of the Republicans called Stivers "...a rock star...." Mary Jo Kilroy was called a "rock star" in 2006 and she hasn't surrendered that title (see Hotline 3/30/06).

Look What Has Been Found

John McCain, and his faithful sidekick, Joe Lieberman, were against a war in Iraq before they were for it.

Kpete over at Democratic Underground has found some key information about McCain's Iraq war stance. Here is the link (Washington Post) provided by Kpete. Here is the Washington Post article which contains the text from McCain and BFF, Lieberman, from their appearance on Meet The Press (October 21, 2001):

....RUSSERT: Would you have any problem expanding President Bush's orders to the CIA to go after Osama bin Laden to include Saddam Hussein?

LIEBERMAN: Well, I leave that to the president. But as a matter of principle and morality, of course not.

RUSSERT: Senator McCain?

MCCAIN: I think Joe's right.

And I would just like to add one additional point. I believe that we will succeed. We will endure in Afghanistan. We will take out bin Laden, and we will take out the Taliban. And then we've got a major challenge of a stable government, but...

Looks like we have another McCain flip flop. He has had so many of them, McCain is doing cartwheels!

Teachers Are Cringing

Americablog has posted a video from JedReport. I'm sure it will make you wonder why they are bragging about the poor academic performance.

Boccieri For Congress

John Boccieri, Democratic candidate for Ohio's 16th congressional district, is getting noticed by many people. Here are a few comments about John Boccieri:

Committee for a Livable Future:

John Boccieri - 16th Congressional District in Ohio
Ohio State Senator John Boccieri is running against Republican State Senator Kirk Schuring to replace Rep. Ralph Regula. The district includes Canton and Youngstown. Boccieri served in the Iraq War as a pilot in the Air Force Reserve. He considers energy independence a priority, and favors incentives for new energy technology over tax breaks for big oil companies.
http://johnforcongress.com/

Progressive Patriots Fund:
(This is an excerpt about Ohio Senator John Boccieri from the Progressive Patriots Fund.)

....Boccieri chose to broaden his service to our country by enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. Boccieri became an Air Force officer and was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base. In his role as staff officer, he supported Presidential visits to Arkansas and also worked on base-wide support of three treaties- Open Skies, Chemical Weapons Compliance, and START II Treaties. As a commissioned Lieutenant in the military, he worked with base-wide support for the Department of Defense, Department of the Air Force, the State Department, the White House Communications Staff, the Secret Service, and Air Force and Marine Advance Agents. While on active duty, Boccieri continued to pursue his interest in government by earning masters degrees in public administration and business from Webster University, St. Louis Missouri.

State Senator Boccieri is an Air Force Reserve Major and aircraft commander aboard the C-130 aircraft, and was stationed at Youngstown Joint Air Reserve Station. He recently deployed in 4 rotations to support our troops in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Boccieri has served our nation in over 40 countries and has eleven years of service in the U.S. Military.

Boccieri holds membership in the National Guard Association for Ohio, the Air Force Reserve Officers Association, Mahoning Valley Veterans Memorial Association, American Legion Post 737, AMVETS, White Tails Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, and is a member of the Knights of Columbus and attends St. Paul’s Church in New Middletown.....

Very impressive!

> DailyKos has more about Boccieri, including...

- Kirk Schuring is afraid to debate Democrat Boccieri. (Schuring is the extreme right wing Republican also running for Ohio's 16th.)

- and this from DailyKos.....

He (Schuring) voted to INCREASE the gas tax while Boccieri voted against it.

Middle class families in our area continue to struggle and Schuring chooses to side with big oil(raised more than 20k from oil and gas executives).....

Call Kirk Schuring and ask him why he voted to raise your gas taxes: 330-455-9199....

>>>>John Boccieri has been endorsed by the VoteVets organization.

> I think Boccieri is a fantastic candidate for Ohio's 16th district. However, if the people of Ohio's 16th district like the slow economy, job losses, high gas prices, they might want to vote for the Republican candidate Schuring who seems to be liked by oil companies. (See Open Secrets: Schuring has, as of 3/31/08, received $20,900 in contributions from oil & gas PACs/people associated with oil & gas.)

Republican Vets For Freedom Promote Bush's Wars

Ohio TV viewers are being hit with the ads by right wing, pro-Republican, pro-Bush, 527 group, Vets for Freedom. Source Watch has tons of information on Vets for Freedom including this.....

.....While the organization claims to be nonpartisan, the privacy notice on its website suggested otherwise, reading (on May 30, 2006): "Use of information: If you choose to provide any personal information, such as your mailing address or phone number, we may use that information to contact you. We may from time to time share the information our visitors provide with other Republican candidates and other like-minded organizations. " (Emphasis added.).....

Open Secrets has some financial info on Vets for Freedom including the fact that it has a "...Conservative..." viewpoint.

In the past, Vets for Freedom had ties to the Swift Boaters of the 2004 campaign (see this Source Watch article).

I guess you could say that if you liked Bush's invasion of Iraq and this administration's war policies, you'll agree with the Vets for Freedom.

Looking For That Special Item?

Are you looking for that special item for your car or your wardrobe? Do you want to make a political statement?

Progress Now Action:
An exact reproduction of the original "McCain=Bush" placard seen around the world this week--get yours now in T-shirt, sticker, and other hard-to-remove forms. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the fund to defend Carol Kreck, the 60-year-old librarian who carried the original sign into history--now awaiting her court date for "trespassing."

Visit the Progress Now Action store at Cafe Press and order your shirts/bumper stickers/mugs that say--

McCain= Bush

(Note: Carol Kreck was the 60 year old librarian who got into trouble with her "McCain=Bush" sign outside a McCain appearance. Read her blog at Huffington Post.)

Phil Gramm: McCain's Chief Economic Adviser

You really have to wonder if Phil Gramm, John McCain's chief economic adviser, has a heart. Gramm just seems like a guy who is not in touch with real life. Today's NY Times has an Op-Ed piece by Bob Herbert with some quotes by Gramm:

“We’re the only nation in the world,” Mr. Gramm once said, “where all our poor people are fat.”

During one of the many Republican assaults on Social Security, the issue of cutting back benefits for the elderly came up in the Senate. “They are 80-year-olds,” howled Mr. Gramm. “Most people don’t have the luxury of living to be 80 years old, so it’s hard for me to feel sorry for them.”

Herbert goes on to write....

....What does it say about John McCain’s judgment that this guy was one of his top — and possibly his pre-eminent — economic adviser? What does it say about Mr. McCain’s judgment that in 1996, he believed Phil Gramm was the best choice to be president?

McCain's response to Gramm's remarks were sarcastic jokes. However, McCain did not fire Gramm.

Jonathan Alter was on MSNBC and he said that McCain and Gramm had a "passion gap" because they don't care about anyone else.

It is apparent that McCain and Gramm are two old rich white guys who don't give a damn about the rest of us.

Phil Gramm Thinks You Whine Too Much

I saw this over at the Huffington Post and I just had to print the headline:

Phil Gramm: Recession is "Mental," America is "Nation of Whiners"

Millionaire Phil Gramm, John McCain's economic adviser, wants you to know this--He doesn't feel your pain!

Here is even more on Gramm from the Washington Post:
Former senator Phil Gramm, a top policy adviser of Sen. John McCain's, said the nation is in a "mental recession," not an actual one, and suggested the United States has "become a nation of whiners."
"...You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," Gramm said, noting that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices. "We may have a recession; we haven't had one yet."

"We have sort of become a nation of whiners," Gramm said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline" despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy....

Have you lost your job? Lost your house? Can't feed your kids? Don't have money to buy gas for your car?

Would Phil Gramm say, "Stop whining!"???????

McCain and Gramm apparently are out of touch with what families have to deal with in the real world. McCain and Gramm are two old wealthy white guys that have multiple homes, lots of money, and house staff to get gasoline, groceries, and the mail. They are completely clueless about what it takes to survive in the country today.

> Old man McCain also got a little uncomfortable when asked a question about birth control pills and Viagara. Huffington Post has the video.

Nothing But the Truth

> It appears that John McCain has forgotten that he voted against veterans' issues time and time again. He must also be confused because he hasn't received that many awards from veterans' groups. Think Progress has the video exchange between a vet and McCain here. Progress Ohio has even more info on McCain's pathetic voting record on veterans.

The IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) gave McCain a "D" on his record.

>>> The Chinese will have a 10 second delay in the broadcast of the Olympics, according to Chosunilbo, "....to avoid “undesirable” incidents being seen by the masses, Hong Kong’s Ming Pao Daily News reported Tuesday...."

Why am I not surprised?

Why does Jon Husted hate veterans?

Jon Husted, Republican Speaker of the Ohio House, apparently hates military veterans. Husted did not want to have a vote to give bonuses to the Ohioans who are Iraq and Afghanistan vets or their surviving families. Husted blocked a vote on the bonuses. According to the Dispatch, Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray originally proposed the bonuses and Gov. Ted Strickland was in support of the special payment to the vets. However, Husted would not schedule a vote for the Ohio House. (The measure had passed in the Ohio Senate.)
Here is a little more from the Dispatch:

....Cordray complained that legislators "were able to find over a billion dollars in bonded debt for projects in their districts" but were unwilling to approve bonuses for veterans. He referred to the recently approved capital-improvements bill....

Jon Husted, who often pads projects for his own district, should be told that his refusal to help our veterans is not appreciated. You can contact Husted at
Telephone: (614) 644-6008
Fax : (614) 719-3591
Email Address: district37@ohr.state.oh.us
http://jonhusted.wordpress.com/

People Will Be Talking

Under ex-Gov. Bob Taft's Republican administration, there were several scandals. Here are a few--- "Golf-gate", Coingate, and the millions of dollars that were lost through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). Just when the Ohio GOP thought they could have a week in which no one was reminded of these scandals, another news item is reported.
Dispatch:
Mark D. Lay was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison today and ordered to repay nearly $213 million to the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation for his role in the loss from a hedge-fund investment as part of a series of scandals that rocked state government.....

Here is a little more from the Business Courier of Cincinnati:
...Sentencing for Mark Lay, chief executive of MDL Capital Management Inc., comes about eight months after his conviction on charges of investment advisory fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud. Sentences on three of four counts against him totaled 12 years each, but will run concurrently.....
....Lay was charged with several others in connection with an investigation into BWC investments sparked by political fundraiser Tom Noe's theft from a $50 million rare-coin fund that he handled for the agency....

> In today's news, the Iraqi government asked for a timetable to remove American troops from Iraq. However, President Bush and Sen. John McCain are against any timetable. I guess they just want endless war.
NY Times:
Iraq will not accept any security agreement with the United States unless it includes dates for the withdrawal of foreign forces, the government's national security adviser said on Tuesday.

The comments by Mowaffaq al-Rubaie underscore the U.S.-backed government's hardening stance toward a deal with Washington that will provide a legal basis for U.S. troops to operate when a U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year.....

Wow. I thought freedom was on the march. Iraq doesn't want us there but Bush=McCain want us to stay.

>>>>> If you are on Medicare, you may have something to worry about in the near future. Because of a screw up by the Republican Senators, doctors in the U.S. may stop treating Medicare patients.

Chicago Tribune:

...Upset that some Republican senators failed to vote to prevent a 10 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors last week, the AMA has begun airing TV and radio ads in more than a half-dozen states, particularly those where GOP senators are in fierce re-election campaigns....

....In the AMA ads, consumers are told this July 4 weekend that there will be "no celebrating for the millions of Medicare patients" who may lose access to their doctors thanks to the cut. The ad then names the respective state's senator as protecting "the powerful insurance companies' huge profits at the expense of Medicare patients' access to doctors and their services."
Among those Republican senators targeted are three in tough re-election battles: John Cornyn of Texas; John Sununu of New Hampshire and Roger Wicker of Mississippi. A spokesman for Cornyn's office had no comment about the AMA ad campaign, and Wicker's office could not be reached for comment....

61 Year Old Librarian Thrown Out of McCain Rally

I saw this first at Raw Story and I could not believe it. Apparently, the McCain staff is against free speech especially if it involves a petite 61 year old librarian. You can see it at You Tube .

No Matter What Anyone Says....

.....John McCain is computer illiterate. Witness this video from You Tube:






LA Times:
...although McCain admitted to TechCrunch's Michael Arrington that he was computer illiterate, the Arizona senator has a big name making the case that he's the right choice for the high-tech industry: former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Carly Fiorina.
McCain knows the importance of technology to the economy and has an economic plan to encourage the type of innovation the industry thrives on, Fiorina said this morning in Washington, D.C......

My interpretation of this baloney--- John McCain can't turn on a computer, but he has been told about what computers do. Wow! Doesn't this just make you feel that McCain is unable to adapt to modern technology and that he is stuck in the past?

I hope that you've had the chance to read the latest Rolling Stone Magazine (the issue with Obama on the cover). The article is very informative about the Obama campaign. It also lets us in on the songs Obama has on his iPod. Does McCain know about iPods???? Check out the great picture from Rolling Stone taken by Peter Yang (notice the computers?).


Don't you think our country needs someone who is thinking forward? Wouldn't we feel more confident with a President who knows and understands modern technology? Is McCain's lack of computer knowledge because he has refused to learn? Does this show more about his mindset?

> Here are some tidbits from the Carpetbagger Report:

* As had been rumored, the DNC announced this morning that Barack Obama will accept the party’s presidential nomination at Denver’s Invesco Field at Mile High. The stadium, home to the Denver Broncos, can accommodate more than 75,000 people. It will be the first convention acceptance speech in a stadium since JFK in 1960.

* In the latest Gallup Daily Tracking poll, Obama has extended his national lead over John McCain to six points, 48% to 42%. The poll’s three-day rolling average was collected on July 2, 3, and 5.

Awesome!

Taking A Look

> Did you notice that Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his wife went to church this weekend? The Washington Post noticed. Apparently, the McCains are not regular church-goers.

> The next time you see a picture of John and Cindy McCain together, look at Mrs. McCain's face. She appears nervous and very guarded with her emotions. Is she afraid to say/do something that will irritate her husband? McCain seems very tense with his wife. What's with that? Is this part of his "anger management" issues???

> The Republicans say McCain is pro-environment. However, according Project Vote Smart, McCain's environmental record is awful. Check it out here.

John McCain Did Not Support the New G.I. Bill

The other day I saw President Bush thank John McCain and others for the passage of the New G.I. Bill. I almost fell off my chair. Bush and McCain had both been against the bill and had worked vigorously to stop the bill from passage. Bush had also threatened to veto the bill. McCain had offered an alternative but it was weak and not much different from what was already in force. Then, McCain did not even show up to vote in favor of the bill!

The real person to thank is Democratic Sen. Jim Webb. Sen. Webb started to lay the groundwork for the New G.I. Bill even before he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Bush and McCain did nothing to help.

Isn't just like Bush to give credit to someone who doesn't even deserve it? Remember--- 'Heck of a job, Brownie'???? While President Bush and Sen. John McCain promote endless war, they've done little to help the new vets of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

>Votevets.org has started a petition to Ret. Gen. Wesley Clark. Here is what Vote Vets says:
On Sunday, June 29, General Wesley Clark put into perspective what it takes to lead our nation’s military and veterans – the right judgment. In doing so, he pointed out, quite correctly, that Senator John McCain’s honorable and heroic experience does not necessarily qualify him to be commander in chief, if he does not show the right judgment on the major issues of our time. Sign our petition to General Clark, below, thanking him for speaking honestly and bluntly at this most important time....

(Note: There is another organization that claims to speak for vets (Vets for Freedom), but it is a pro-Bush, pro-endless war, pro-McCain group that was set up by Republicans.)

It is all about judgment. Why does McCain support the failed policies of the Bush administration? Do we want four more years of the Bush administration? I don't think so.

Special Tribute

Last night, I attended the retirement party of Dr. Ralph Roach. Dr. Roach is leaving the Zangmeister Center (Mid-Ohio Oncology-Hematology) to work closer to home in Chillicothe, Ohio. Many friends and family attended the special tribute for Dr. Roach, including Jorma Kaukonen.

Jorma Kaukonen is an original member of Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the the special concert presented by Jorma, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jorma resides in Pomeroy, Ohio, at the Fur Peace Ranch, where he offers concerts and guitar fantasy camps. (Jorma and his staff are doing some special programs to help returning Iraq/Afghanistan vets.)

Dr. Roach has touched so many lives and it was only fitting that his colleagues and staff honor him with an unforgettable party and concert.

The McCain Home Tour

There is a video posted at the Huffington Post which provides a Google Earth tour of some of John and Cindy McCain's homes. The Jed Report put together the video. Check it out:

McCain is "aware of the internet"

The video below really makes me wonder about Republican John McCain. McCain, according to one of his staffers, is "aware of the internet." Wow! He is "aware of the internet." Senator McCain has been in the U.S. Senate for years. U.S. Senators carry a Blackberry, use computers, send/receive e-mails, send/receive faxes, use voice mail, etc., etc. Is McCain "aware" of this technology? Can he use them? Does he open his own e-mail? Seriously, how can person be a "maverick" if they can't even use the internet? There are many people in their 80's and 90's that are using computers and surfing the internet. Has McCain refused to accept training to use a computer? Does this reluctance to embrace technology show us a stubborn-headed old man who is unwilling to learn and explore modern innovations? I think so.

Taxes? The McCains Owe Back Taxes on One of their Homes????

I saw this story posted at HuffingtonPost. The story originated at Newsweek:

When you're poor, it can be hard to pay the bills. When you're rich, it's hard to keep track of all the bills that need paying. It's a lesson Cindy McCain learned the hard way when NEWSWEEK raised questions about an overdue property-tax bill on a La Jolla, Calif., property owned by a trust that she oversees. Mrs. McCain is a beer heiress with an estimated $100 million fortune and, along with her husband, she owns at least seven properties, including condos in California and Arizona.

San Diego County officials, it turns out, have been sending out tax notices on the La Jolla property, an oceanfront condo, for four years without receiving a response. County records show the bills, which were mailed to a Phoenix address associated with Mrs. McCain's trust, were returned by the post office. According to a McCain campaign aide, who requested anonymity when discussing a private matter, an elderly aunt of Mrs. McCain's lives in the condo, and the bank that manages the trust has not been receiving tax bills on the property. Shortly after NEWSWEEK inquired about the matter, the McCain aide e-mailed a receipt dated Friday, June 27, confirming payment by the trust to San Diego County in the amount of $6,744.42. County officials say the trust still owes an additional $1,742 for this year, an amount that is overdue and will go into default July 1......

How embarrassing! With all the homes going into foreclosure, John and Cindy McCain have gotten by with not paying their taxes for years. I also like that line------"...owns at least seven properties, including condos in California and Arizona...." You really have to feel bad for them. They have so much money and property that they can't keep track of them.

Code Words and Hypocrites

The Republicans have tried and will continue to try to destroy Sen. Barack Obama, Democratic presidential candidate. The failures of the current Republican administration and the elected Republican lapdogs who obeyed the party line and agenda, have put our country at risk. The GOP can't come up with any new plans or ideas because the old, rich, white men that run the party still think they are living in the 1800's. The Republicans won't actually use racist words, but we all know what they mean.

Here are some examples of the "code words" and hypocrites of the Gas and Oil Party (GOP):

* Grover Norquist said that Barack Obama is "...John Kerry with a tan...." (UPI)

* Karl Rove calls Sen. Obama "arrogant". (Huffington Post)

* Republican Senators Larry Craig and David Vitter are co-sponsors of a marriage amendment. (Pageoneq)

Let me just explain if you haven't figured it out. Norquist and Rove want to remind you that Obama is African-American. Norquist and Rove will repeat it again and again. However, what Norquist and Rove don't understand is that this country was built on the hopes and dreams of people of many races and families, not just rich white people like them. If Norquist and Rove want to discuss policy, they should do it. Otherwise, Americans will not stand for their dirty, racist attacks.

Update: McCain in Cincinnati

According to the Zanesvilletimesrecorder, John McCain spoke to a "....about 160 undecided Hamilton County voters and a handful of Xavier students...." The reality is that although the Cincinnati area has been a strong Republican stronghold in the past, it seems that only "....only 160 undecided..." could be found and were willing to sit and listen to a "....72 minute forum....." Oh, my. I can imagine how exciting that ".....72 minute forum...." was for the participants. Yawn...... What about that ".....handful of Xavier students..." that attended? This was McCain's attempt to go after the youth vote and his staff could only muster up that ".....handful of Xavier students...."

Desperate for Support?

The McCain campaign found 200 undecided young voters at Xavier University and forced them to listen to John McCain, according to WCPO. Do you realize how hard up McCain must be for support if he has to spend money and effort to speak to only 200 people? Are they that desperate?

Tell Me, Please!

> Why does Minnesota have 3 weird Republicans (Coleman, Brod, Bachman) that are sooooooo in love with right wing policies and the current Bush administration?

> Haven't the people in Minnesota noticed that Norm Coleman has received over $1,000,000 from lobbyists (see Open Secrets)?

> Why does John McCain address people as "my friends" when he gives a speech? I'm not his friend.

> Why is John McCain against equal pay for women?

> Why do the people of South Korea want restrictions on American beef imports? Why have there been massive protests in So. Korea against American beef? (See KBS.) Is there something we aren't being told here?

Polls Show Some Surprises

I saw this polling information posted at 411mania.com and thought it was very interesting. Here are some excerpts:

-In Indiana, SurveyUSA has Obama BEATING McCain 48% to 47%! This is a state that Bush won by 21% in 2004 and was considered one of the safest Republican states in the country not too long ago....

- In New Mexico, SurveyUSA has Obama ahead of McCain 49% to 46%. Just about every poll of New Mexico done in the past few months has shown Obama leading and the state looks pretty safe for Obama right now.....

-- And in Michigan, PPP has Obama leading McCain comfortably, 48% to 39%. As expected, Obama is starting to solidfy himself in Michigan as he spends more time there.....

Have solidly Republican states like Indiana given up on McCain?

In a fresh new poll by Bloomberg/LA Times, Obama has a good lead over McCain. Bloomberg:
Democrat Barack Obama has opened a 15-point lead in the presidential race, and most of the political trends -- voter enthusiasm, views of President George W. Bush, the Republicans, the economy and the direction of the country -- point to even greater trouble for rival John McCain.

Illinois Senator Obama, winning support from once skeptical women and Democrats, beats McCain 48 percent to 33 percent in a four-way race, a Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll shows. Independent candidates Bob Barr and Ralph Nader get 7 percent combined, with the remainder undecided.....

I'm glad that women are solidly supporting Obama. McCain, who does not support equal pay for women, wants to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

Bill Press Gets It Right

I don't know if you've had the opportunity to listen to the Bill Press Show on the radio. Here in Columbus, Ohio, the Bill Press Show is carried 6am-9am on WVKO 1580 (just before the very popular Stephanie Miller Show). Bill Press has a list of 101 Reasons to Vote Against John McCain. Here was today's reason, #77:

#77: John McCain is more of a game show host than a candidate, offering up gimmick after gimmick. First it was the gas tax holiday, but now - he wants taxpayers to give $300 million to whoever develops the next new electric battery. Too bad the Japanese are already five years ahead of the US in developing the next generation battery.

Is John McCain just a little behind the times in knowing what is out there in automobile technology? Besides, where would we get the money to give $300 million away to someone? Would it come out of McCain's pocket?

Trouble?

>>It appears that lobbyist and McCain adviser, Charlie Black, has some explaining to do. ABC News has this:

ABC News' Bret Hovell, Teddy Davis, and James Gerber Report: McCain adviser Charlie Black expressed regret Monday for telling Fortune Magazine that a terrorist attack on U.S. soil would be "a big advantage" for the presumptive Republican nominee.

"Certainly it would be a big advantage to him," Black told Fortune Magazine....

Hmmmm. Is Charlie Black hoping and praying for a terrorist attack on U.S. soil? Is the McCain campaign hoping that Americans get killed to increase the chances of McCain's election? This is so sad and outrageous.

> There are some interesting prices at the supermarket. I saw ice cream at my nearby store listed at a little more that $13 for a half gallon. You must really need ice cream to pay that amount. That particular brand of ice cream was about half that price several months ago.

> Yesterday after church I saw two other Smart Cars just like mine along Olentangy River Road. Looks like more and more drivers are getting their cars delivered.

> With high prices in the grocery store, more people are shopping for food at the 99 cent stores. There is a blog devoted to cooking food found at the 99 cent stores. Check it out: http://the99centchef.blogspot.com/ and enjoy!

>>> Rest in peace, George Carlin. Thanks for the laughs.

War for Oil

Did the U.S. go to war in Iraq for oil?

NY Times:
.....Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total and BP — the original partners in the Iraq Petroleum Company — along with Chevron and a number of smaller oil companies, are in talks with Iraq’s Oil Ministry for no-bid contracts to service Iraq’s largest fields, according to ministry officials, oil company officials and an American diplomat.....

.....The no-bid contracts are unusual for the industry, and the offers prevailed over others by more than 40 companies, including companies in Russia, China and India. The contracts, which would run for one to two years and are relatively small by industry standards, would nonetheless give the companies an advantage in bidding on future contracts in a country that many experts consider to be the best hope for a large-scale increase in oil production.

There was suspicion among many in the Arab world and among parts of the American public that the United States had gone to war in Iraq precisely to secure the oil wealth these contracts seek to extract. The Bush administration has said that the war was necessary to combat terrorism. It is not clear what role the United States played in awarding the contracts; there are still American advisers to Iraq’s Oil Ministry.....

As this was being announced, the Republicans, including old man John McCain, decided to push for off shore oil drilling. Was the GOP's big support of off shore oil drilling used to distract the public from the big oil contracts in Iraq? Were the Republicans trying to cover up the shenanigans of their best friends (and major contributors) the oil companies? Has this all been orchestrated by the White House and the Republicans to have McCain win the presidency and boost the campaigns of the GOPers?

No matter what we've been told, many Americans believe that the invasion of Iraq by the Bush administration had to do with oil, oil, oil.

Ohio GOP Having Difficulty

The Republicans seem unable to get a candidate to run against the Democratic candidate for Ohio Attorney General, Richard Cordray.
The Western Star:
First the big names dropped out, now even the unknowns are shying away from being the Republican nominee for attorney general.

Ohio GOP Chairman Bob Bennett said Thursday, June 19, that the party may scrap plans to nominate a candidate at the state meeting this weekend and will likely take more time to line up someone to run against Democrat Richard Cordray.

The Ohio Republican Party lost two more potential candidates this week when Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost and former state solicitor Doug Cole took their names out of contention. Well known Republicans Mike DeWine, Rob Portman and Betty Montgomery have taken their names out of consideration....

Cordray is very popular, efficient, and known for his honesty and integrity. Why are Republicans unable to get a candidate? Do Republicans only want to run for office if they are guaranteed a win? Have recent changes by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner make it harder for Ohio Republicans to control the election process? Just asking.

Buzz Off, Cindy McCain

Cindy McCain is attacking Michelle Obama??? Mrs. Cindy McCain should not start a war of words against Mrs. Michelle Obama.

Cindy McCain gave 2 recipes as her own, but they had been published by someone else. Just do a Google search using the terms "Cindy McCain drugs" and you'll find hundreds of thousands of references about Mrs. McCain's rumored drug problems.

I watched Cindy McCain when she appeared on The View. She almost appeared life-like. Michelle Obama was on The View yesterday and she was engaging, intelligent, and very warm.

I sincerely hope that Cindy McCain's attack on Michelle Obama is not indicative of the way the McCain machine proposes to run their campaign.

Off Shore Drilling?

The McClatchy Washington Bureau has this:

President Bush proposed Wednesday to allow drilling off U.S. coastlines as part of a plan to boost oil supplies, but his plan is likely to go nowhere because of a reluctant Democratic-majority Congress, which fears environmental costs.

Even if U.S. coastal waters were opened to exploration, experts agree that it would take at least seven and probably 10 years before any benefits were apparent....

....Bush could have taken a bolder step by overturning a 10-year-old executive order that bans drilling off most U.S. shores. But he said he wouldn't do that because he wanted Congress to act first....

Have you noticed that the Republicans, now called the Gas and Oil Party (GOP), are willing to ruin our sea shores, our waterways, and our forests but they won't do anything to penalize their buddies in the gas and oil industry?

Even Gov. Charlie Crist, the Republican governor of Florida, has flip-flopped on drilling off the coast of Florida. Herald-Tribune:

Gov. Charlie Crist welcomed a new era of possible oil and gas drilling off Florida's coast in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, marking a significant reversal from his own position amid rising gas prices....

....Crist made his comments after Republican presidential candidate John McCain said he supported lifting the federal moratorium on offshore drilling and allow each state to make that decision. Crist has campaigned heavily with McCain amid rumors that the Florida governor could be a vice presidential candidate.

As recently as last week, Crist said he opposed drilling near Florida's coast. And his opposition was clear in a 2006 letter to the U.S. Interior Department while he was attorney general.....

Even though the Republicans are willing to drill anywhere and everywhere, they have not mentioned conservation or trying new technology to use less oil/gas. The Republicans just want to make sure that their buddies in oil and gas make even more money. While those oil/gas billionaires are enjoying their money and the protection of the entire Republican Party, the Republicans wait for the oil/gas gravy train of political contributions to fall into their campaign war chests.

There has to be a better way. Americans have always created new ways to do things. Our scientific discoveries have enriched the lives of people all over the world. The Republicans only know the same old tune and it is getting old. It is time to ask Americans to drive slower and a little less. Although our country's population makes up only 3% of the world's population, we consume over 25% of the world's energy. Rewarding offshore oil and gas contracts to those billionaires won't help us, it will only make them wealthier.

McCain

OMG!!! John McCain now cares about the environment!!!! Even though McCain has either skipped votes or voted against issues to protect the environment, McCain says he supports clean air and water. Here is what American Progress Action has about McCain's support of environmental issues:

McCain Receives "0" on League of Conservation Voters 2007 Scorecard. The League of Conservation Voters rates senators and representatives on the most critical environmental votes, with scores ranging from 100 – voting with the environment every time – to 0 for voting against the environment on every vote. Absences count as a vote against the environment since the legislator did not cast a vote for the environment. In 2007, Sen. McCain missed all 15 critical environmental votes in the Senate, so he received a "0." [LCV, 2/08]

McCain Opposes Three Fourths of Environmental Votes. Sen. McCain has a lifetime LCV score of 24 percent. Even if one excludes his 2007 missed votes, his lifetime score only rises to 26 percent. [LCV Scorecard, 2007, LCV Scorecard 2006]

McCain Accepted $291,658 from Big Oil in 2007. On average, senators voting for big oil tax breaks and against incentives for renewable energy and efficiency in 2007 received $195,973 in campaign donations from the oil industry during this decade....

Did you get that? McCain got $291,658 just in 2007 from Big Oil. Wow!

>>> Have you noticed that the McCain campaign is using some of the same words that the Bush-Cheney campaign used to attack Kerry in 2004? So not only has McCain aligned himself with Bush-Cheney policies, he is using the same attack words.

Fox News (June 17, 2008):

John McCain’s advisers accused Barack Obama Tuesday of suffering a ‘September 10th mindset’ for suggesting that the prosecutions of the 1993 World Trade Center bombers were the best approach for dealing with terror suspects....

NY Times (9/8/2004):

"It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice," Mr. Cheney told a crowd of 350 people in Des Moines, "because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States."

He also said if Mr. Kerry was elected the nation risked lapsing to a "pre-9/11 mind-set'' where attacks are viewed as criminal acts, not part of a war against terrorism....

Can the McCain campaign come up with an original idea or do they just have to rely on the same Bush-Cheney policies and campaign rhetoric? Somewhere inside the McCain campaign, the Bush-Cheney campaign speeches and policy statements are being dusted off for use by McCain. How can McCain say he is an agent of change when he uses the same old Bush-Cheney vocabulary list?

Tuesday's Notes

If you are looking for something completely silly, you must watch an ad for Republican Sen. John Cornyn called "Big John" at http://senjohncornyn.blip.tv/#997209. Even though the Cornyn ad said he supported the troops, Cornyn voted against the new G.I. Bill. The Cornyn ad could be called a bunch of hooey.

>Raw Story has information about another John McCain "anger management" moment. I suggest that the press start doing their job and begin asking more tough questions of McCain.

>>> Looks like another Army official got the boot because he refused to give KBR a pass. NY Times:

The Army official who managed the Pentagon’s largest contract in Iraq says he was ousted from his job when he refused to approve paying more than $1 billion in questionable charges to KBR, the Houston-based company that has provided food, housing and other services to American troops.

The official, Charles M. Smith, was the senior civilian overseeing the multibillion-dollar contract with KBR during the first two years of the war. Speaking out for the first time, Mr. Smith said that he was forced from his job in 2004 after informing KBR officials that the Army would impose escalating financial penalties if they failed to improve their chaotic Iraqi operations.

Army auditors had determined that KBR lacked credible data or records for more than $1 billion in spending, so Mr. Smith refused to sign off on the payments to the company. “They had a gigantic amount of costs they couldn’t justify,” he said in an interview. “Ultimately, the money that was going to KBR was money being taken away from the troops, and I wasn’t going to do that.”

Why am I not surprised?

Keeping Tabs

It appears that many Greek Americans are not very happy with Republican presidential candidate, John McCain.
Greek News:

Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain failed the expectations of the Greek Orthodox faithful in the United after declining to answer a question on his refusal to cosign a letter to President Bush, on the religious freedom in Turkey and the protection of the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.....

While McCain was posing with Archbishop Demetrios, a reporter with a Greek-language media outlet fired a question at the senator, asking why he did not sign a letter a year and a half ago in which 73 other senators -- including Obama -- urged President George W. Bush to publicly support religious freedom for a Greek Orthodox minority living in Istanbul, Turkey.

McCain declined to answer directly, saying the matter was under discussion. "Obviously we are in favor of religious freedom all over the world, especially those places where it seems to be about to disappear," he said, before declining further questions....

McCain will get the photo op, but the real meat of the matter is that McCain has not supported an issue that is important to Greek Americans.

> Republicans Jean Schmidt (OH-2) and Steve Chabot (OH-1) are begging for campaign contributions and making up tall tales. Cincinnati Enquirer:

As political candidates often do, U.S. Reps. Jean Schmidt and Steve Chabot sent out fundraising letters recently, urging supporters to send them donations.

But these letters also attack their Democratic opponents in ways that seem to stretch the truth - with Schmidt accusing her opponent of participating in "grotesque medical experiments" and Chabot suggesting his opponent supports abortion, though he is anti-abortion.

Both Republicans said they stand by the letters, but political analysts say the harsh tone is a sign that Schmidt and Chabot know they are vulnerable....

According to Open Secrets, Schmidt has only $176,670 on hand. Ouch! For an incumbent, that is just plain poor. With the Republicans unable to fund their congressional candidates, will Schmidt even be able to fund a full campaign?

Chabot has just slightly over one million dollars in his campaign fund (see Open Secrets). However, Chabot's strong support of George W. Bush's policies may have made him unpopular among voters.

>Democratic Underground found a video of Sen. Obama helping out in Iowa. Sen. Obama helped fill some sandbags in flood ravaged Iowa. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARt-OJKKfQY

The View from North Carolina

We are spending a few days in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Although there are high gasoline prices, lots of people seem to remain in love with their large SUV’s and mammoth pick up trucks. There are quite a number of Buckeye fans here enjoying the heat.

While in North Carolina, I’ve seen several political campaign ads for Elizabeth Dole. Despite the fact that she has been ranked as one of the least effective U.S. Senators, you’d never know it by her commercials. Also, the camera never really shows a close up of Libby Dole. Is the candidate trying to hide her age?

Yesterday on CNN, Dick Armey, former Republican office holder, said that Sen. Obama was just giving speeches and “bs-ing” his way around the country. (Yes, Dick Armey said "bs-ing.") Shame on Armey and the Republicans. The GOP cannot and will not offer real answers/solutions, so they just attack Sen. Obama.

Meanwhile, old man McCain is giving “press announcements” about various topics and the press is giving him free publicity. McCain doesn’t have enough money to launch a full campaign and so he has to depend on the press to do his ads.

I finally saw one McCain bumper sticker. However, I have seen plenty of Obama stickers. In a state where so many citizens have ties to the military, you'd think that there would be many more McCain stickers. Perhaps even here, people are looking for new solutions and fresh perspectives.

Pay For Your Own Poll

A recent poll conducted on behalf of Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic candidate for Ohio's 15th congressional district, indicated that Kilroy had a substantial lead over Republican, Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist. However, according to PolitickerOH, Stivers' campaign manager wants Kilroy to release the entire poll.

Polls and surveys cost big, big money. The Stivers camp should pay for their own poll. Why should Kilroy give free information to her opponent???? That is ridiculous!

One thing I did hear about the poll was that when it was mentioned that Stivers was a former bank lobbyist, his approval rating went way down. I can understand that. In these difficult economic times, we don't need someone in Washington who feels sympathy for banks and bankers.

***** I saw this over at Democratic Underground and thought you'd appreciate it. It appears that Sen. John McCain wants ".....to deliver bottled hot water to dehydrated babies...."
See it on You Tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DqR7zis99I

The Power to Lead

Last night I watched two speeches. One speech was given by Republican candidate for president, Sen. John McCain. The second speech was given by Sen. Barack Obama, Democratic candidate for president.

First, McCain was introduced by Gov. Bobby Jindal. (Jindal is the Louisiana governor who favors teaching "intelligent design" in public schools. Seriously, he does.) McCain's speech was given in Louisiana, which is the site of the second biggest failure of the Bush administration. In my opinion, the Iraq War is the number one failure. While watching McCain speak, I recalled how he was sharing a birthday cake with President Bush at the same time that people were floating in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

McCain's speech was as about as exciting at staring at linoleum. He thought he was cool and making some points, but he only looked wooden, old, and dull. I bet there were at least a couple hundred of people in that auditorium to hear McCain repeat his version of the Bush agenda. According to what I heard on TV this morning, McCain used the word "change" 33 times. What delusional person thinks that John McCain represents change?

In contrast, the speech given by Sen. Barack Obama, was inspiring. You could see the emotions in the faces of the 17,000+ people in his enthusiastic audience. Obama's speech will be one that will be quoted and repeated for many years to come. Obama has the power to lead. His speech, which he wrote, let all Americans see that we have the ability to embrace a better America like the one our founding fathers (and mothers!) designed for us.

I'd give McCain a "C-" for his speech. Obama would definitely receive an "A+" for his.

What I've Learned

I've learned so much recently:

* People who own large SUVs are sad that the value of their vehicles have decreased by 10% and more. All I can say is, "I told you so."

* Dick Cheney disrespects people from West Virginia (even though he later apologized for his comment).

* Some people are ashamed that they've contributed money to the Bush-Cheney campaign. (We'll forgive you if you vote for Democrats.)

* Republican candidate for Ohio's 15th congressional district, Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, has not voiced his views on any issues. His website is so bland that a visitor cannot tell where he stands on any issues. (It was probably designed that way on purpose.) Is he for continuing the war in Iraq? Does he support privatizing social security like McCain? How does he plan to change our energy dependence on foreign oil? Does he favor a national health care plan? Does he support McCain's health insurance plan that would exclude people with pre-existing conditions? How has being a lobbyist helped him? If you compare Stivers' website with Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy's, you'll notice that Kilroy has published her views on important issues. Why won't Stivers state his views?

* Some Democrats who once supported Sen. Hillary Clinton have said they'd never vote for Sen. Obama for president. If Clinton supporters did vote for McCain, some predict that a woman's right to choose would be eliminated within one year by McCain stacking the Supreme Court. It is time for all Democrats to unite behind our candidate. Our nation needs all of us to make things better for ourselves and future generations. McCain would be just like having a third term for Bush-Cheney.

Real Dedication

This man had real dedication to his job and his invention (Enquirer):
Dr. Fredric J. Baur was so proud of having designed the container for Pringles potato crisps that he asked his family to bury him in one.

His children honored his request. Part of his remains was buried in a Pringles can - along with a regular urn containing the rest - in his grave at Arlington Memorial Gardens in Springfield Township.

Dr. Baur, a retired organic chemist and food storage technician who specialized in research and development and quality control for Procter & Gamble, died May 4 at Vitas Hospice. The College Hill resident was 89.....

I'll never look at a Pringles can the same way again.

(By the way, Dr. Baur had a master's degree and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University.)

Can you help?

The Holy Family Soup Kitchen in Columbus, Ohio, needs your help. Someone destroyed the refrigeration unit overnight, while stripping the unit of metal. The soup kitchen serves over 700 meals each day, Monday-Friday, to men, women, and children. Because of the vandalism, meals are unable to be served. If you can help, please contact them asap:

Holy Family Mailing Address:
Holy Family Church
584 W. Broad St.
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone Numbers:
Rectory - (614) 221-4323
Office Fax - (614) 221-9818
Soup Kitchen - (614) 461-9444

Email addresses:
Soup Kitchen - hfsoupkitchen@sbcglobal.net
Church - hchurch1@columbus.rr.com

If your office can take up a collection or you personally would like to help them, call one of the numbers listed above.
Update: Apparently, $14,000 worth of metal and refrigeration equipment was stolen from the Holy Family Soup Kitchen. They also lost several thousand dollars worth of food that was stored. Please help if you can.