Wednesday, July 30, 2008

McCain Obama News Links

The Audacity of Ego - Boston Globe

Obama’s Prayerful Stagecraft – National Review Online

McCain Gains On Obama in Poll – ABC News

Why You Think Obama Is Dangerous – Canada Free Press

McCain Wins Rochester Again – Fosters Democrat

McCain campaign: Obama shortchanged injured troops - AP

John McCain: One Prisoner of War's Fresh Appraisal of U.S. in 1973 – US News and World Report

Why Obama snubbed the troops: no photo op allowed - Hot Air

Obama: I Have Become a Symbol - Washington Post

McCain Promotes Drilling for Oil Off the US Coast – USA Today

Women voters aren't warming to 'cool' Obama – Chicago Sun

Monday, July 28, 2008

Obama: McCain 'Wildly Inappropriate' for Wounded Troop Criticism

From the AP McCain campaign: Obama shortchanged injured troops
Republican John McCain's campaign on Saturday sharply criticized Democratic rival Barack Obama for canceling a visit to wounded troops in Germany, contending Obama chose foreign leaders and cheering Europeans over "injured American heroes."

Obama's campaign called the accusation "wildly inappropriate." His spokesman has claimed that the visit to a military hospital in Germany was scrapped after the Pentagon raised concerns about political activity on a military base. Earlier, though, the campaign had said Obama decided the visit might be seen as inappropriate politicking. However, the Pentagon said the senator was never told not to visit.

"Senator McCain knows full well that Senator Obama strongly supports and honors our troops, which is what makes this attack so disingenuous. This politicization of our soldiers is exactly what Senator Obama sought to avoid," Vietor said.

Obama was flying from London to Chicago on Saturday when the McCain campaign issued a statement from Joe Repya, a retired Army colonel who said Obama had broken a commitment to visit the wounded Americans.

"Several explanations were offered, none was convincing and each was at odds with the statements of American military leaders," Repya said. "For a young man so apt at playing president, Barack Obama badly misjudged the important demands of the office he seeks."
If Senator Obama sought to avoid 'politicization' of his scheduled meeting with the troops, why not ditch the cameras and campaign staff and go visit the injured soldiers quietly under the radar? Apparently it is 'wildly inappropriate' and 'disingenuous' for Senator McCain to confront Senator Obama with facts. The facts remain, as they have from the begining, the Pentagon never told Senator Obama he couldn't visit the hospital simply that he could not campaign there. The facts are that Obama first said he didn't go because he thought it was 'inappropriate' to visit the troops on his campaign's dime. Then he blamed it on the Pentagon. So Senator Obama and his campaign can be express outrage at the McCain campaign if they'd like, but McCain isn't the one snubbed wounded American soldiers.

First Posted at: Obama: McCain 'Wildly Inappropriate' for Wounded Troop Criticism

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Obama Blames Pentagon for Skipping Troop Visit

The Obama campaign still lacks a reason for not visiting wounded soldiers in Germany. They have decided to blame the Pentagon for their decision not to visit the military hospital. However, numerous sources confirm that Obama was never told that he could not visit the soldiers, just that bringing campaign staff and cameras was considered inappropriate. The Washington Post states that Obama knew about the rules.
"The senator's staff was informed of the limits on what the military can do with respect to a political campaign and how we could support a senator's visit to Landstuhl and, quite frankly, I expected them to have the visit," Whitman said.
Fox questions Robert Gibbs, a campaign spokesman, about whether they knew of these rules.
“Q: Did it not occur to anybody that this might be viewed as a political stop?

Gibbs: We had taken some of that into consideration, but we believed that it could be done in a way that would not create, it would not be created or seen as a campaign stop.”
However, the LA Times reports that Gibbs blamed the Pentagon not informing them of their restrictions until too late.
“Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs initially released a statement saying the senator had decided to cancel out of respect for the troops, because it would be inappropriate on "a trip funded by the campaign."

That statement said nothing about the Pentagon restriction. Gibbs later said it became apparent the Pentagon "would have tried to politicize this, and then others would try to politicize this."
The reasons for not visiting the troops have been universally weak. The desire not to use campagin funds to visit wounded soldiers smacks of an unbelievable level greed or cheapness. Blaming the Pentagon rings hollow since they never disallowed the trip. The only complaint that has a ring of truth to it is that the Obama campaign didn’t want to follow the rules of no cameras and limited staff. Why meet with service men and women who have sacraficed greatly for their country if Senator Obama can’t put on a show? Unfortunately, as MSNBC notes, the wounded soldiers were let down by Senator Obama’s decision to cancel,
Whatever the reason, Obama and the troops he would have visited have both missed a unique and historic opportunity. According to one Army lieutenant colonel, "Everyone was excited about Obama's visit. It's a shame."


Obama Searches for the Reason Why He Snubbed Wounded Soldiers

Friday, July 25, 2008

Obama No Media No Troops

The Wall Street Journal Reports...
The Obama camp said they canceled the event after the Pentagon ruled it was a campaign event, and needed to be funded from the senator’s election kitty.

“Senator Obama did not want to have a trip to see our wounded warriors perceived as a campaign event when his visit was to show his appreciation for our troops and decided instead not to go,” Obama advisor, retired Gen. Scott Gration, said in a statement.
How about visiting the troops without the media tagging along, then it wouldn't look like a campaign event. Senator Obama is spending $5 on advertising during the Olympics, but won't visit wounded soldiers on his campaign's dime? Apparently, it's more important for him to have the media take pictures of him at the Ritz Carlton gym lifting weights, than to take a moment leave the press behind and talk to the people who defend this country.


NBC and Hot Air are now confirming that Obama did not visit the troops because press would not be allowed to also attend.
Why Obama snubbed the troops: no photo op allowed
MSNBC First Read

Obama No Cameras Then No Troops

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Obama Iraq


Obama Iraq

Denver Protestors Sign Up

Several different groups are planning protests for the Democratic Convention in Denvers.

Nancy Armstrong a No Deal representative is actively organizing bloggers who are willing to travel to Denver for the convention. Bloggers who want to participate can contact her at renaissancelady46@yahoo.com

Puma on the other hand is holding a pre-convention meeting to make plans for Denver.
The Pre-Convention PUMA Conference (PCPC) will be held on August 8-10 at the Marriott Wardham Hotel, the scene of the crime.

The purpose of PCPC will be to organize PUMA for the purposes of the Denver convention and to define our role going forward. We see great potential in PUMA as being an organization that keeps an eye on the major parties. Right now, there is no particular entity whose responsibility it is to make sure that the parties play by the rules. There is no group that holds the party players accountable to the voters for the decisions they make and the propaganda they generate. PUMAs are now to assume the mantle of responsibility that others have abandoned. We will become the referees. We hope to represent the voice of the voters who will give democracy back to the electorate. We want to make sure that our votes are counted, our primary results are respected, and what is important to us is recognized and included in party platforms. And unlike more ideologically motivated groups that have sprung up in the last several years, it is our desire to find that place where most Americans are and base our positions on principle, and to survey the political landscape from those principles, in order to resist the cults of personality and fad movements which have siphoned our strength and diminished our role as voters.

A Denver Revolt

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Clinton McCain Radio Launch

Press Release from Clintons 4 McCain

Washington, DC - Working to empower voters nationwide, the maverick group of Hillary Clinton supporters, Clintons4McCain, has launched a new weekly radio show. The interactive 60-minute show, originating from cities across the United States, will focus on politics and current affairs ignored by the Main Stream Media. The show will air every Saturday from 5pm to 6pm EST on the BlogTALKRadio network. Anyone with a computer can listen from anywhere in the world at www.blogtalkradio.com/clintons4mccain and listeners can take part in the conversation by calling (347) 633-9273.

The Clintons4McCain radio show will include interviews with nationally-known newsmakers and Washington insiders, plus allow disaffected voters to voice their frustrations over the 2008 Democratic primary season. "Our goal is to educate voters, help shape America's future and to do the job the American media should have been doing all along," said the group's founder, Cristi Adkins.

Adkins, featured on the Fox News Channel, CNN, the Washington Post and dozens of other media outlets, will join other concerned voters - Anne Franklin and Peter Boykin - as rotating hosts for the show. "People don't think their voice matters," said Carlson. "This show will allow voters to express their viewpoints and take a stand against this year's unjust and fraudulent election process."

Opponents have accused Clintons4McCain members of being republican operatives, a charge the group finds amusing. "We're real voters - Democrats, Independents and moderate Republicans" said Anne Franklin. "Clinton is our first preference. If, somehow Hillary pulls off the nomination before August, we'll no longer be Clintons4McCain, we'll be Clintons4Hillary!"

Peter Boykin says, "It's no secret that many Hillary supporters are extremely disgruntled over Barack Obama being "anointed" the Democratic presidential nominee by special interest groups, not elected by American voters. That's why we're seeing an ever-growing coalition of groups banding together, fighting to take America back!"

For more information about Clintons 4 McCain, visit their website at www.clintons4mccain.com. If you'd like to suggest interview topics or schedule guest speakers, email Catherine Couch at nomeansnobama@hotmail.com or contact Cristi Adkins at cristi@clintons4mccain.com. Registration for BlogTalkRadio is easy, just go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

The No Unity Report Launches

The No Unity Report has launched. It will keep track of the 'No Unity' movement within the Democratic party from an outside perspective. The No Unity Report provides main stream media reports on this movement, including clips of 'No Unity' or 'Puma' members stating their case on the news. Readers are encouraged to submit news stories.