Hip-Hop activist and journalist Rosa A. Clemente announced today that she is joining Cynthia McKinney, the presumptive Presidential nominee of the Green Party, as her Vice Presidential running mate.
Complete Story...
Rosa A. Clemente Tapped as Cynthia McKinney Running Mate for Green Ticket.
July 09, 2008 by bbn editors,
Warning: Super ‘Elected’ Delegates Proceed With Extreme Caution. Memories are Long.
March 04, 2008 by BBN Editors,
This caucus and primary season Senator Barack Obama has swept his way to victory in caucuses and primaries held across the nation. He has won 22 states.
Complete Story...
BBN Members Endorse Barack Obama and John McCain-Mike Huckabee
February 18, 2008 by BBN Editors, for Members and Supporters
BBN Members and Supporters selected Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Republicans John McCain and Mike Huckabee (they tied) to endorse for the 2008 Presidential nomination.
BlackandBrownNews.
Complete Story...
Bill Clinton Was NOT A “Soldier in the Field for Black People.” Not At All.
February 03, 2008 by sharon d. toomer, writer
In the immortal words of the late Christopher Wallace, ‘First things First’ – Bill Clinton is no friend to Black people, and in no way deserves the honor of “First Black President. ”
While I have a great deal of respect for political strategist and media pundit, Donna Brazile, (I don’t know how that sister survived the political snake pit), she is flat out wrong to Complete Story...
Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones has died after suffering a brain aneurysm.
August 20, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(cpd) U. S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the first African-American woman to represent Ohio in Congress, has died after suffering a brain aneurysm, said sources familiar with the situation.
She was removed from life support at 12:19 p. More...
Republican National Convention Events / College says 'no' to students' camping. Anti-war group says it's singled out.
August 16, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(twincities) (twincities) Hundreds of out-of-town students are expected to descend on Macalester College next month for lectures, workshops, performances and other events related to the four-day Republican National Convention. But they better not pitch tents.
Administrators have denied a student group's request to allow an estimated 400 to 500 people from around the country to camp on the school's green or bunk together indoors.
The visitors will be allowed to stay in residence halls with individual Macalester students under the rules that apply to any overnight guests, including that they must be gone after three days.
Officials say there would be too many health and safety concerns involved with putting up an unknown number of strangers in some large space on campus, not to mention that it comes at a time when the school is trying to welcome new students and launch the academic year. More...
NYT Mag: Is Obama the End of Black Politics? The generational transition that is reordering black politics didn’t start this year.
August 13, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(NYT) The generational transition that is reordering black politics didn’t start this year. It has been happening, gradually and quietly, for at least a decade, as younger African-Americans, Barack Obama among them, have challenged their elders in traditionally black districts. What this year’s Democratic nomination fight did was to accelerate that transition and thrust it into the open as never before, exposing and intensifying friction that was already there. For a lot of younger African-Americans, the resistance of the civil rights generation to Obama’s candidacy signified the failure of their parents to come to terms, at the dusk of their lives, with the success of their own struggle — to embrace the idea that black politics might now be disappearing into American politics in the same way that the Irish and Italian machines long ago joined the political mainstream.
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For Those Once Behind Bars, A Nudge to the Voting Booth. Activists work to register Felons to vote.
August 11, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(wapo) Democrats and civil rights activists who are trying to register tens of thousands of newly eligible felons. They have taken up the cause on their own, motivated by the belief that former offenders have been unfairly disenfranchised for decades. Despite massive registration efforts, the presidential campaigns of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama have not designated anyone to go after the group.
In Alabama, Al Sharpton's younger brother, the Rev. More...
McCain Losing Big with Latino Voters
July 24, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(politico) John McCain is winning a paltry 23 percent of the Hispanic vote compared with 66 percent for Barack Obama, according to a large poll released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center.
While Obama’s lead among Hispanics is not drastically ahead of where Democratic nominee John Kerry stood in the summer of 2004, McCain trails President Bush’s standing at this point four years ago.
At that time, Pew found that Hispanics broke 62 percent for Kerry and 32 percent for Bush. Exit polls later found that Bush earned the support of about four in 10 Latino voters.
That difference — from Hispanics breaking 2-to-1 for Democrats to nearly 3-to-1 today — is enough to send shockwaves through GOP circles. More...
Obama camp says it raised $52 million in June. Total is more than double the $22 million raised by Republican rival McCain.
July 17, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(msnbc) Democrat Barack Obama raised $52 million last month, boosting his presidential campaign's fundraising while building up his financial cache for the fall campaign.
The Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee ended June with a combined total of $92. 3 million in the bank. The figure represents a notable fundraising jump, especially for the DNC.
Obama reported $72 million cash on hand and the DNC $20. More...
Caught On Tape: Jesse Jackson Disparages Barack Obama.
July 09, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(huffpost) The Rev. Jesse Jackson issued an apology to Barack Obama Wednesday for making what he called a "crude and hurtful" remark about the Illinois senator's recent comments directed toward some members of the black community.
According to Jackson, a Fox News microphone picked up comments he meant to deliver privately that seemed to disparage the presumptive Democratic nominee for appearing to lecture the black community on morality.
Jackson didn't elaborate on the context of his remarks, except to say he was trying to explain that Obama was hurting his relationship with black voters by recently conducting "moral" lectures at African-American churches.
Jackson's apology came a few hours before Fox News planned to air the remarks. More...
Obama regrets putting daughters - 10 and 7 - on TV. Calls ‘Access Hollywood’ interview a mistake, and he and Michelle won't do it again.
July 09, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nbc) Barack Obama said it was a mistake to allow his daughters to be interviewed extensively by “Access Hollywood,” and he will not allow it to happen again.
“I think that we got carried away in the moment,” the Illinois senator and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee told TODAY’s Matt Lauer Wednesday. “We were having a birthday party, and everybody was laughing. And suddenly this thing cropped up. I didn’t catch it quickly enough. More...
For Republicans, the Senate outlook is bad. Mississippi and other longtime strongholds could go Democratic this fall. Obama's candidacy is a boost.
July 06, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(lat) Mississippi, one of the nation's most conservative states, has not elected a Democratic senator in a quarter-century. It has voted for Republican presidential candidates in the last seven elections.
But this year, there is a real chance that the state will send a Democrat to the Senate.
That prospect is a window onto a remarkable political trend that has been eclipsed by the fireworks surrounding the 2008 presidential contest: Democrats are running strong Senate campaigns in states such as Mississippi, Alaska and North Carolina that Republicans have long taken for granted.
The outlook for the GOP is so grim that party leaders have readily conceded there is no chance they can regain control of the Senate in 2008, even though Democrats' current majority is slim, 51-49. More...
Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez: Stop forgetting that millions of us are both black, and Latino. En punto, y ya.
July 02, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(BBN Editors: The following article from Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is dated Jan. 16, 2008, but it's still timely. She takes aim at a New York Times article on the Latino vote and Barack Obama. We recommend reading her full blog entry on this issue). . More...
Thomas Edsall: Some say Bill (Clinton) wants Obama to promise to lift the cloud of alleged racism.
June 28, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(huffpost) "What does Bill Clinton want?"
Barack Obama quickly determined what Hillary Clinton wants in the aftermath of defeat: a major role in the general election campaign, a star turn at the convention, help with her debt, and Obama's support for elected officials who backed her. The big-time holdout turns out to be her husband.
Bill is more complex. He wants respect, absolution and love.
The former president and Obama have not talked, and, by all accounts, the man of the Clinton household remains hurt and resentful. More...
John Ridley: When Rove Calls Obama Arrogant, He Means "Uppity"
June 28, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(huffpost) Karl Rove says Barack Obama is arrogant.
We've heard that; we've heard the pejorative "arrogant" before. When I say "we" I mean those of us who are "others" in America; people of color. Minorities. Women. More...
Clinton urges Latino voters to back Obama
June 27, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(politico) In her first public appearance since folding her presidential campaign, Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Latino voters, who favored her in the primaries, now need to unite and vote her former rival into the White House.
“Every issue [the Latino community] is fighting for is really at risk. We cannot afford four more years of the same,” she told the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials’ 25th annual conference on Thursday. “We have to be determined to chart a new course and we cannot do that without electing [Sen. More...
Black Voters Strain to Hear What Presidential Candidates are Not Saying
June 23, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(amnews) The day after presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama announced his historic victory, the monthly jobs report showed the African-American jobless rate as beng once again higher than all other racial groups.
At 9. 7 percent, Black unemployment is almost five points above the White rate of 4. 4 percent; three points above the Hispanic-American rate of 6. 9 percent, and more than four points above the national average of 5. More...
Congressional Hispanics pledge to help Obama win
June 19, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(usat) Most of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have shifted their support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama and are vowing to help Democrats win the Latino vote.
Obama met with the caucus Tuesday evening in what attendees said was a cordial meeting and the first time many had met or had any significant discussion with Obama. Only one of the four female Hispanic caucus members attended.
Hispanic voters heavily favored Clinton over Obama during the Democratic primary season.
"I told him I worked my heart out against you and I'm ready to work for you now," Rep. More...
Obama to meet with Hispanic lawmakers
June 17, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(politico) Sen. Barack Obama returns to Washington tonight to meet with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the campaign announced today. He will be joined by Federico Pena, the former transportation secretary and Obama's campaign co-chairman, and Temo Figueroa, the campaign's national Latino outreach director.
Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in an email statement that the meeting is a chance to brief members and "an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and provide input. ” Psaki said the campaign plans to hold “regular meetings” with the CHC in the coming months. More...
Clinton’s Taking Note of Who They Think Hurt Them. Gov. Bill Richardson and Rep. James Clyburn on Clinton’s “Bad People List”.
June 11, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was gracious in her full-throated endorsement of Senator Barack Obama. But that does not mean all is forgiven by others in the Clinton universe.
For proof, look no further than Doug Band, chief gatekeeper to former President Bill Clinton.
Mr. Band keeps close track of the past allies and beneficiaries of the Clintons who supported Mr. More...
GOP Insiders Worry About McCain's Chances
June 09, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(huffpost) For four months John McCain had a clear field while Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were at each other's throats. Given the opportunity, the Arizona Senator failed to define the debate in favorable terms, spending much of the valuable primary months defending himself on charges that his campaign staff was top heavy with lobbyists.
Conversely, McCain has so far eluded the anti-Republican tidal wave that threatens to sweep away the party's candidates at every level, from county councils to the U. S. Senate. More...
Obama Has A Man-to-Man Chat with wishy-washy Dem-Ind-Rep Joe Lieberman on Senate Floor.
June 07, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(abc) Sen. Joe Lieberman, the self-described "Independent Democrat" who caucuses with the Democratic party in the Senate even though he has endorsed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, got some tough talk from Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, yesterday about his advocacy for the presumptive Republican presidential candidate and the general tone of the campaign, Democratic sources tell ABC News.
Returning to the Senate after his securing the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama and Lieberman greeted each on the Senate floor in the Well as they were voting on the budget resolution. More...
Ruben Navarrette: Latinos will stick with Obama. The idea that Obama can't win Latino votes. is a myth
June 06, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(rn/indystar) Some suggest that Barack Obama should pick Hillary Clinton as his running mate because she can help him do something he has trouble doing on his own: winning Latino votes.
I think an Obama-Clinton ticket is a disastrous idea. Even if that combination made it easier for Democrats to win, it would make it impossible for them to govern. There's a certain meddlesome former president who comes with the deal. And how uncomfortable do you suppose it would be to tap as your vice president the person who invoked the assassination of Robert Kennedy to explain why she was staying in the race?
It is true that Obama has struggled with the Hispanic demographic. More...
Obama's Right Hand Man...On the Court and on the Trail, Reggie Love Looms Over Obama
June 03, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) In the last year, Barack Obama has learned a thing or two about running for president, and Reggie Love has learned a thing or two about Barack Obama.
Mr. Love now knows that when it comes to food, Senator Obama “eats pretty much anything, from chicken wings and barbecue and ribs to grilled fish and steamed broccoli. ” But when he is campaigning in a small town with limited options, a cheeseburger is always a good bet. (“Cheddar is the cheese of choice,” Mr. More...
Will Black voters forgive elected officials for not backing Obama? Clinton wants Obama to help Black officials who endorsed her.
June 03, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(huffpost)Hillary Clinton has summoned top donors and backers to attend her New York speech tomorrow night in an unusual move that is being widely interpreted to mean she plans to soon suspend her campaign and endorse Barack Obama - not tomorrow night but within a day or two.
Obama and Clinton spoke Sunday night and agreed that their staffs should begin negotiations over post-primary activities, according to reliable sources. In addition to seeking Obama's help in raising money to pay off some $20 million-plus in debts, Clinton is known to want Obama to assist black officials who endorsed her and who are now taking constituent heat, including, in some cases, primary challenges from pro-Obama politicians.
"This has never happened before," one donor said, referring to the personalized request by email to attend the event in New York Tuesday night.
Obama is expected to claim enough delegates to put him over the top that night at a separate event in St. More...
“Hard Working” Americans in W. Va. Aren’t Amused by Dick Cheney’s Incest Remark.
June 03, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(cg)Vice President Dick Cheney joked about West Virginians during a Monday talk at the National Press Club in Washington, D. C. - and many West Virginia leaders didn't find it funny.
Cheney was responding to his distant relationship to U. S. More...
Name Recognition helps Clinton in Puerto Rico. Survey of PR Voters: neither side's voters had a particularly harsh view of the other candidate.
June 01, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(ap) Hillary Rodham Clinton had far greater name recognition than Barack Obama in Puerto Rico, giving her a big advantage in the Democratic presidential primary Sunday, according to a poll for The Associated Press and television networks.
The survey also found that — unlike in recent primaries on the U. S. mainland — neither side's voters had a particularly harsh view of the other candidate.
Overall, Clinton got 65 percent and Obama 35 percent among likely Democratic primary voters who expressed a preference for a candidate in a telephone poll conducted Tuesday through Saturday by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. More...
UPDATE: Democrats Make Their Deal. Party seats Florida, Michigan delegations. Clinton “Riled”; Obama Closer to Nomination.
May 31, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(msnbc/FirstRead) Out of the day, Clinton got 87 pledged delegates to Obama's 63 for a net of 24. (52. 5 to 33. 5 out of Florida; 34. 5 to 29. More...
Obama Resigns From Trinity Church
May 31, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(msnbc) Barack Obama resigned his membership at Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ, campaign communications director Robert Gibbs confirmed this afternoon.
The resignation came just more than a month after Obama denounced former Trinity pastor and friend the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and days after another long-time Obama associate, the Rev. Michael Pfleger, had delivered a sermon at the church ridiculing Hillary Clinton. Both men's comments were captured on video. More...
NewsCorps Giant, Rupert Murdoch is "Cautiously intrigued by Barack Obama. Open to Voting for him." And, John McCain "Has A Lot of Problems."
May 29, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(allyinsider) News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch, who started becoming pessimistic about the U. S. economy earlier this spring, is now downright gloomy: At his company's D conference Thursday, he predicted that "for the next 18 months, I think this country is in for a very hard time," and that America's woes are spreading to Europe.
So is he optimistic about anything? Yes, he is: He's cautiously intrigued by. More...
John Edwards Endorses Barack Obama!
May 14, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(co/ap)Democrat John Edwards endorsed former rival Barack Obama on Wednesday, a move designed to help solidify support for the party's likely presidential nominee even as Hillary Rodham Clinton refuses to give up her long-shot candidacy.
The surprise endorsement came a day after Clinton defeated Obama by more than 2-to-1 in the West Virginia primary, and it helped the Obama campaign steer much of the evening news coverage away from a painful subject. The West Virginia outcome highlighted Obama's challenge in winning over "Hillary Democrats" - white, working-class voters who also supported Edwards in significant numbers before he exited the race in late January.
Edwards made the carefully timed announcement at an Obama rally here, as the Illinois senator campaigned in a critical general election battleground state.
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Black Community Is Increasingly Protective of Obama
May 11, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(Darryl Fears/wapo) In black America, oh, how the mighty have fallen.
Bill Clinton is no longer revered as the "first black president. " Tavis Smiley's rapid-fire commentaries on a popular radio show have been silenced. And the Rev. Jeremiah A. More...
GOP Worry: Representative Vito Fossella (R - NY) admits he has love child with Virginia woman. Drunk Driving Arrest Doesn't Help Situation.
May 08, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nydn) Rep. Vito Fossella today admitted he fathered a love child in a longtime secret affair with the woman who rescued him from the drunk tank.
Fossella, who is married and has three children in New York, did not say if he would step down or seek re-election.
"I have had a relationship with Laura Fay, with whom I have a 3-year-old daughter," Fossella said in a four paragraph statement.
"My personal failings and imperfections have caused enormous pain to the people I love and I am truly sorry. More...
Truth Challenged Hillary Clinton "Decries China's Acquisition of Indiana Company -- Ignoring Her Husband's Role in the Sale."
April 30, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(abc) As she campaigns throughout Indiana, Sen. Hillary Clinton has been talking quite a bit about Magnequench, a Valparaiso, Ind. , factory that moved to China.
"We've got to elect a president next January who's going to remember Magnequench," Clinton told voters in Valparaiso on April 12.
It seems, however, that when it comes to Magnequench there's quite a bit that Clinton has conveniently forgotten. More...
Oscar-winning writer and director Michael Moore supports Barack Obama’s candidacy. He says: Hillary is "stoking the fears of white America" against the mixed-race Obama.
April 29, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(michaelmoore. com) Outspoken documentary film-maker Michael Moore Monday endorsed Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama, decrying the "downright disgusting" campaign tactics of Hillary Clinton.
Moore, whose latest movie "Captain Mike Across America" tracks John Kerry's doomed 2004 bid for the presidency, said he had not given a "rat's ass" who won the nomination this year as long as a Democrat triumphs in November.
But having excoriated Clinton for her 2002 vote in support of the Iraq war, the Oscar-winning writer and director now accused the New York senator of "stoking the fears of white America" against the mixed-race Obama.
Writing on his website on the eve of the Pennsylvania primary, Moore said that in recent weeks, "the actions and words of Hillary Clinton have gone from being merely disappointing to downright disgusting. More...
Errol Louis: Is Jeremiah Wright a colossal disaster for Barack Obama or a press trick? Clinton Operative Organized Rev. Wright’s Press Club Appearance.
April 29, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nydn) The Rev. Jeremiah Wright couldn't have done more damage to Barack Obama's campaign if he had tried. And you have to wonder if that's just what one friend of Wright wanted.
Shortly before he rose to deliver his rambling, angry, sarcastic remarks at the National Press Club Monday, Wright sat next to, and chatted with, Barbara Reynolds.
A former editorial board member at USA Today, she runs something called Reynolds News Services and teaches ministry at the Howard University School of Divinity. More...
Rep. James E. Clyburn: Clinton’s conduct in this campaign had caused what might be an irreparable breach between Mr. Clinton and an African-American constituency that once revered him.
April 27, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) One of the nation’s most influential African-American political leaders sharply criticized former President Bill Clinton on Thursday afternoon for what he called his “bizarre” conduct during the Democratic primary campaign.
The black leader, Representative James E. Clyburn, an undeclared superdelegate from South Carolina and the third-ranking Democrat in the House, said “black people are incensed over all of this,” referring to statements Mr. Clinton has made in the course of the heated race between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.
In a radio interview in Philadelphia on Monday, Mr. More...
UNBELIEVEABLE! ABC hosted the WORST debate this campaign season, and lost credibility for letting George “former Clinton Aide” Stephanapolous host the debate.
April 16, 2008 by kirbyny
Whatever remaining ounce of respect I had for ABC as a news source was lost on their handling of the debate tonight between Obama and Clinton. Boring, warmed over questions, bad journalism, awful hosts who were just bad, bad, bad, awful! Even Barack and Hillary looked out of it, but they at least have an excuse for being tired and sick of so-called journalists asking the same questions and going over the same weeks old stories. I’m almost embarrassed for Charlie Gibson. BUT what I will never get is how in the world did anyone who is a boss at ABC co-sign George Stephanapolous hosting the debate. George was a former Bill Clinton aide, and not just any aide. More...
Bill (Hillary too) Clinton forgot about his own “Bitter” “Elitist” comment about middle-working class folks.
April 14, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(politicalwire) "If [Republicans] could cut funding for Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the environment, middle-class Americans would see fewer benefits from their tax dollars, feel more resentful paying taxes, and become even more receptive to their appeals for tax cuts and their strategy of waging campaigns on divisive social and cultural issues like abortion, gay rights, and guns. "
-- Bill Clinton, in his 2004 memoirs, My Life, making the same argument as Sen. Barack Obama. . . More...
Clinton Chief Strategist Gets Fired-Resigns from Two Gigs Over Trade Flap. Colombian Gov't Fires Him First, then He "Resigns" from Clinton Campaign.
April 06, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(npr/ap)Mark Penn, the pollster and senior strategist for Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid, left the campaign Sunday after it was disclosed he met with representatives of the Colombian government to help promote a free trade agreement Clinton opposes.
"After the events of the last few days, Mark Penn has asked to give up his role as chief strategist of the Clinton Campaign," campaign manager Maggie Williams said in a statement released Sunday. "Mark, and Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates, Inc. will continue to provide polling and advice to the campaign. "
According to Justice Department filings, Colombia agreed last year to pay Burson-Marsteller $300,000 to help "educate members of the U. More...
SEMANA LATINA! Week of April 13th, Latinos across the country Plan low dollar fundraisers to support Barack Obama.
April 02, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(National Latinos Por Obama). . . On the week of April 13th, Latinos across the country are planning low dollar fundraisers nationwide to support the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama. During "Semana Latina", Latinos nation-wide will say in one collective voice - Sí se puede por Obama. More...
Comedian, Sinbad, Calls Out Hillary Clinton on Her Lie About Being Under “Sniper Fire” and enduring a “Corkscrew Landing” during 1996 Bosnia Trip with Daughter Chelsea and Singer Cheryl Crow. It Didn
March 25, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(Sleuth) Finally, the Barack Obama campaign has found a big gun to help shoot down Hillary Rodham Clinton's self-proclaimed foreign policy experience. And he may be the wackiest gun of all: Sinbad, the actor, who has come out from under a rock to defend Obama in the war over foreign policy credentials.
Sinbad, along with singer Sheryl Crow, was on that 1996 trip to Bosnia that Clinton has described as a harrowing international experience that makes her tested and ready to answer a 3 a. m. phone call at the White House on day one, a claim for which she's taking much grief on the campaign trail. More...
POLITICO: Hillary Rodham Clinton has virtually no chance of winning. The notion of the Democratic contest being a dramatic cliffhanger is a game of make-believe.
March 22, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(politico) One big fact has largely been lost in the recent coverage of the Democratic presidential race: Hillary Rodham Clinton has virtually no chance of winning.
Her own campaign acknowledges there is no way that she will finish ahead in pledged delegates. That means the only way she wins is if Democratic superdelegates are ready to risk a backlash of historic proportions from the party’s most reliable constituency.
Unless Clinton is able to at least win the primary popular vote — which also would take nothing less than an electoral miracle — and use that achievement to pressure superdelegates, she has only one scenario for victory. An African-American opponent and his backers would be told that, even though he won the contest with voters, the prize is going to someone else. More...
Bill Richardson Endorsement Does Matter.
March 22, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(politico) First, Richardson is a big name among superdelegates, who may have to decide the almost-tied nomination fight. He has given the Obama campaign a morale boost, especially during a time when the Illinois senator has been dogged by controversy over the racially charged sermons of his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
To those Obama supporters who might have become skittish because Wright’s angry words undermined Obama’s optimistic message of “hope,” Richardson tried to offer reassurances about the candidate’s character. Obama could have given a “safe speech” but instead spoke directly to the issue, Richardson noted. More...
On This Holy Weekend Clinton Mouthpiece, James Carville, Links 'Judas' and Bill Richardson. Carville Angry that Richardson is Endorsing Obama Instead of Hillary.
March 22, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(heraldtribune/nyt) James Carville: "An act of betrayal," said James Carville, an adviser to the Clintons.
"Mr. Richardson's endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate, if ironic," Carville said.
(BBN Recommends reading the entire article)
. . More...
After primary, Pennsylvania GOP looking to win back party-switchers. State GOP Chairman says of DEMs: "The fact that they're beating each other up is good for us."
March 22, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(ap) These are tough times for the state's Republican Party.
Republican voters are defecting by the thousands in Pennsylvania, all while the national media spotlight remains trained on the Democratic presidential candidates heading into the state's primary next month.
Rob Gleason, the state GOP chairman, acknowledges the difficulty of trying to rebuild the party, but sees a silver lining in the frequent rhetorical clashes between the would-be Democratic nominees, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois.
"The fact that they're beating each other up is good for us," he said, arguing that such conflict shores up the GOP base. More...
Detroit City Council Votes 7-1 for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to Resign. Mayor Vows to Stay Put After Lying Under Oath About Extramarital Affair.
March 18, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(freepress) The Detroit City Council has just voted to call for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s resignation, an extraordinary rebuke as Kilpatrick seeks to survive the text-message scandal.
The vote was 7-1. Voting yes were Council President Ken Cockrel Jr. , Sheila Cockrel, Barbara-Rose Collins, Brenda Jones, Kwame Kenyatta, Alberta Tinsley-Talabi and JoAnn Watson. Council President Pro Tem Monica Conyers voted no. More...
Clinton Supporter, Geraldine Ferraro: "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position".
March 11, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(dailybreeze) Geraldine Ferraro: "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept. ". More...
David Paterson, New York's First Black Governor (Spitzer will have to resign or face impeachment at some point, we speculate). BBN wants you to know who will take Spitzer's place.
March 11, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(ny. gov) David A. Paterson was elected New York’s lieutenant governor on November 7, 2006.
Elected to represent Harlem in the New York State Senate in 1985, David Paterson has demanded and achieved change at every level, not simply by what he stands for but by who he is.
In 2002, David Paterson was elected minority leader of the New York State Senate, the first non-white legislative leader in New York’s history. More...
Girl in Clinton Ad Supports Obama
March 09, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(wral) Casey Knowles didn't much like a recent campaign commercial for Hillary Clinton - even though she's in it as a sleeping 8-year-old.
After all, she about to turn 18 now and is a big supporter of Barack Obama.
"What I don't like about the ad is its fear-mongering," Knowles told ABC's "Good Morning America Weekend Edition" on Sunday. "I think it's a cheap hit to take. I really prefer Obama's message of looking forward to a bright future. More...
Obama Wins Wyoming Democratic Presidential Caucus!
March 08, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(np) Democrat Barack Obama beat rival Hillary Clinton in Wyoming's nominating contest on Saturday, bouncing back from a string of losses that gave Ms. Clinton new life in their hotly contested presidential battle.
Mr. Obama's victory in the nominating caucus in sparsely populated Wyoming slowed Ms. Clinton's momentum after she won three of four contests on Tuesday in their tight duel for the right to face Republican John McCain in November's presidential election. More...
Whoa! Obama Raised $55 Million in the Month of February. To Date Total for Obama Fundraising is $193 Million
March 06, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(AP) — Democratic Sen. Barack Obama raised a record $55 million in February for his presidential campaign, eclipsing rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's own substantial fundraising for the month. All told, Obama has raised $193 million during his yearlong bid for the White House.
The campaign's announcement Thursday came two days after Obama lost three of four primaries to Clinton. More...
Huckabee Out, McCain Official Frontrunner, Barack Obama Wins VT and Leads in Delegates, Hillary Wins OH and Barely TX.
March 05, 2008 by editor
The Democratic race in Texas and Ohio was tight. Hillary Clinton barely won Texas and Ohio delivered for her. But Barack Obama still leads in the delegate count. The race is still on. Both Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have seven weeks to win over Pennsylvania voters before the April 22nd primary. More...
Journalisms: Latino Media Primed for Texas Primary
March 04, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(journal-isms)If the predictions come true for a record turnout Tuesday for Texas' political primaries and caucuses, especially among Hispanics, you can give some of the credit to the news media.
A spot check of Spanish-language media found a strong desire to educate Latinos, many of them first-time voters, about the election process, building upon the pro-immigration rallies of 2006 and 2007 and capitalizing on a disposition to support Sen. Hillary Clinton in her fight for the nomination.
"Two years ago, there were massive rallies saying, 'Today we're marching; tomorrow we're voting,'" Alfredo Carbajal, editor in chief of Al Dia, the Spanish-language publication of the Dallas Morning News, told Journal-isms. "We're trying to say, 'now is the time to fulfill your citizen responsibilities to the political advancement of Latinos. More...
It's Official...Ga. Congressman John Lewis Switched His Support From Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama.
February 27, 2008 by editor (View Source)
It's official. . . Georgia Congressman John Lewis switched his support for the Democratic Presidential nominee from Senator Hillary Clinton to Senator Barack Obama. The Civil Rights Icon and Congressman is also one of 800 Super Delegates who could determine the nominee if candidates go to the convention without a clear choice. More...
'Clinton Campaign Starts 5-Point Attack on Obama .' Will Hillary Clinton's Strategy Work? Or Will Voters See Her As Desperate?
February 26, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) After struggling for months to dent Senator Barack Obama’s candidacy, the campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is now unleashing what one Clinton aide called a “kitchen sink” fusillade against Mr. Obama, pursuing five lines of attack since Saturday in hopes of stopping his political momentum.
The effort underscores not only Mrs. Clinton’s recognition that the next round of primaries — in Ohio and Texas on March 4 — are must-win contests for her. It also reflects her advisers’ belief that they can persuade many undecided voters to embrace her at the last minute by finally drawing sharply worded, attention-grabbing contrasts with Mr. More...
One Week Before March 4th Primaries, Poll Shows Obama Surges Ahead Nationally
February 26, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(cbsnews) A new CBS News/New York Times poll finds Barack Obama with a 16-point lead over rival Hillary Clinton among Democratic primary voters nationwide.
Obama, coming off 11 straight primary and caucus victories, had the support of 54 percent of Democratic primary voters nationally. Clinton had 38 percent support.
In a CBS News poll taken three weeks ago, shortly before Super Tuesday, Obama and Clinton were tied at 41 percent. Clinton led by 15 points nationally in January. More...
Gennifer Flowers is putting the tapes of her recorded conversations with Bill Clinton during their 12-year affair on the auction block.
February 26, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(lvc) Gennifer Flowers is putting the tapes of her recorded conversations with Bill Clinton during their 12-year affair on the auction block, Vegas Confidential learned Monday.
Flowers, who came forward during Clinton's 1992 Presidential election campaign with details of the relationship, said she decided to part with the tapes after renewed interest surfaced. She was offered $5 million by a Japanese collector in the 1990s, she said.
Asked about the timing of her announcement coming out as Hillary Clinton continues to slide in her presidential bid, “I don’t need to hurt Hillary. She is doing a fine job of that herself, along with her idiot husband. More...
Clintonite Stabs Obama Supporter. Cops: Man assaulted brother-in-law during political argument
February 26, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(tsg)Meet Jose Antonio Ortiz. The Pennsylvania man allegedly stabbed his brother-in-law in the stomach after the pair quarreled about their respective support of Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. According to cops, Ortiz, 28, stabbed Sean Shurelds last Thursday night in the kitchen of an Upper Providence Township home. According to a criminal complaint, a copy of which you'll find here, the 41-year-old Shurelds, an Obama supporter, told Ortiz that the Illinois senator was "trashing" Clinton (apparently in regard to recent primary and caucus results). Ortiz, a Clinton supporter, replied that "Obama was not a realist. More...
Ralph Nader enters U.S. presidential race
February 24, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(canada) Consumer advocate Ralph Nader, blamed by many Democrats for their loss of the White House in the 2000 election, said Sunday he is launching another independent campaign for the White House.
Nader, who will turn 74 this week, announced his longshot presidential bid on NBC's "Meet the Press" saying that neither the Democrats nor the Republicans were addressing problems facing Americans.
Nader called Washington "corporate occupied territory" that turns the government against the interests of the people. "In that context, I have decided to run for president," he said.
Democrats said they do not expect Nader, who also ran as an independent in 2004, to have much of an impact. More...
By Double-Digit Margin, Barack Obama Wins Wisconsin and Hawaii!
February 20, 2008 by editor
Continuing his winning streak, Barack Obama won by wide margins, Wisconsin and his home state of Hawaii. Results: Wisconsin, Obama 58%; Clinton 41%; Hawaii: Obama 76%; Clinton 24%. . . On the Republican side, John McCain, John Mcain won 55% of the vote while Mike Huckabee won 37%. More...
Clinton on the Defensive. She Accuses Obama of Lifting Words. But Clinton Also Used Language from Barack and Newt Gingrich.
February 18, 2008 by editor (View Source)
Hillary Clinton accused Barack Obama of plagarism. But then Clinton, herself, didn't start using "Change" and "Hope" phraseology until she started struggling in the race. This say's nothing of her and her husband's new line of "solutions for America. " Well, as it turns out, "Solutions for America" sounds very close to "American Solutions," a Think Tank started by Conservative Newt Gingrich. Did the Clinton's life Newt's words? . More...
The Ego Has Landed. Commentator Tavis Smiley Gets a Dose of Criticism for Bashing Barack Obama for Not Coming to His Annual 'Intellectual' Black Folk Affair.
February 16, 2008 by Editor (View Source)
(wapo) Tavis Smiley, the bestselling author of the "Covenant With Black America," is in a world turned upside down. He said he's being "hammered," "barbecued," and is "catching hell" from black Americans for suggesting that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill. ) made a major mistake by declining to speak at the State of the Black Union event that Smiley plans to host next week in New Orleans.
"There's all this talk of hater, sellout and traitor," Smiley said to me in a telephone interview. More...
Puerto Rico's Governor Endorses Barack Obama. 63 Delegates at Stake.
February 14, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(prnewswire) SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor
Anibal Acevedo-Vila of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico today announced his
endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President.
Governor Acevedo-Vila praised Senator Obama as the leader to unite
America and move forward on a progressive agenda for change, while
advocating for the interests of Puerto Ricans and Hispanics in particular.
Citing Senator Obama's commitments on several key issues, including
economic development and job creation in Puerto Rico, and the future
relationship of the Commonwealth and the United States, Governor
Acevedo-Vila today issued the following statement.
Today I announce my endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President of
the United States. More...
Clinton Ally: Some whites 'not ready' for Obama. Pa. governor says that was a factor in his race against black candidate
February 12, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(msnbc) Gov. Ed Rendell, one of Hillary Rodham Clinton's most visible supporters, said some white Pennsylvanians are likely to vote against her rival Barack Obama because he is black.
"You've got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate," Rendell told the editorial board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in remarks that appeared in Tuesday's paper.
To buttress his point, Rendell cited his 2006 re-election campaign, in which he defeated Republican challenger Lynn Swann, the former Pittsburgh Steelers star, by a margin of more than 60 percent to less than 40 percent.
"I believe, looking at the returns in my election, that had Lynn Swann been the identical candidate that he was — well-spoken, charismatic, good-looking — but white instead of black, instead of winning by 22 points, I would have won by 17 or so," he said. More...
For Clinton, Latino vote could swing the deal. But Obama is pushing hard: ‘As Latinos get to know me, we do better’
February 11, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nbc) For decades, much has been said about the potential power of Latino voters, but rarely has their impact lived up to expectations.
This year is different, according to political analysts and leaders of Latino activist organizations. While many Latinos like and admire both of the leading Democratic candidates for president, these authorities say, their years-long connection to former President Bill Clinton could deliver the party’s nomination to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.
The problem is not with Sen. More...
Did Hillary Clinton dupe the 'People' and 'Press'? News report suggest the whole story about loaning her campaign $5m and staff forgoing pay was untrue.
February 07, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(abcnews) So it turns out the Clinton campaign may not be so cash-strapped after all — at least not at this very moment.
After offering on Wednesday to go without paychecks to help save precious campaign resources, senior staff members on Hillary Clinton's campaign are in fact not going without pay during the month of February, ABC News has learned.
"It's not happening," said a source familiar with the situation.
Clinton's campaign has been shouting from the rooftops all day about its online fundraising efforts since Super Tuesday.
The campaign announced today that it raised more than four million dollars online in the 24 hours after polls closed on Tuesday — the biggest single haul in one day ever for the campaign. More...
'Obama leads money race with $7m raised in 24 hours.' Clinton Fundraiser: "She is not going to catch up. He is outraising her."
February 07, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(guardian)Barack Obama today declared a new front in the Democratic battle for the White House - the money race - announcing that he had raised more than $7m in less than 48 hours.
Obama's ease at raising funds was seen as a sign of strength for his candidacy as the contest moves through the next phase of primary contests.
The announcement comes as both the Obama and Clinton camps try to demonstrate momentum ahead of primary contests in Louisiana, Washington state and Nebraska on Saturday, and Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC, next week.
The Clinton team tried to exert its own pressure on Obama, challenging him to debate once a week through the next round of contests. Obama refused. More...
Mitt Romney Drops Out of GOP Race
February 07, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(wapo) Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney announced today he will suspend his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
He revealed his decision during a a speech to the Conservative Political Action Committee conference in Washington, D. C.
"I must now stand aside, for our party and our country," Romney said. "If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. More...
State of the Union reflection of Bush’s tarnished legacy
February 04, 2008 by ChuckHobbs (View Source)
By Chuck Hobbs One of the grand spectacles of our Republic is the annual State of the Union address. For a few hours, America listens attentively to our president who, like the Roman God Janus, reflects on our past while looking forward to the future.
George W. Bush’s final address was greeted with the usual plaudits from his supporters and pessimism from his opponents. As a Democrat that has long criticized the Bush administration, I was surprised that my gut level reaction to his speech was not one of joy, but frustration at the opportunities that this administration squandered. More...
'A President Like My Father,' By Caroline Kennedy. Endorsement of Barack Obama for President.
January 30, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nyt, By Caroline Kennedy) OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.
My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. More...
John Edwards Bows Out of Presidential Race. Calls on Obama and Clinton to Do the Right Thing and Make Poverty a Priority.
January 30, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(BBN Editors: John Edwards will be missed in the presidential race. He has heart and he was the only candidate talking about poverty and healthcare. That he started and ended his campaign in New Orleans speaks volumes. We hope we've not heard the last of him. )
(wapo) It was here in the devastated Lower Ninth Ward that John Edwards launched his campaign for president a year ago, and it was here Wednesday that he ended it, vowing that his quest for economic justice would be carried forward by his fellow Democrats. More...
Obama's Road to Victory & History
January 29, 2008 by Chuckhobbs (View Source)
By Chuck Hobbs
Words can hardly express the excitement that I felt as CNN’s Wolf Blitzer announced that Barack Obama was the Democratic victor in the 2008 Iowa Caucuses. After a year of skepticism about whether Obama’s message of hope would have mainstream appeal, his rousing victory over presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton sent a clear message that Democratic voters may not be as excited as the experts have predicted about the Clinton family returning to the White House.
Or maybe it didn’t. Barely a week after Obama’s triumph, Senator Clinton stormed back in New Hampshire, defeating Obama by three percentage points while claiming to be the “comeback kid. ”
After the first week of the 2008 election season one thing is certain---this will be a bitterly fought campaign to determine whether the nation’s first black, or first woman, will carry the Democratic standard into the general election. More...
Presidential race brings dark side of Clinton duo to light
January 29, 2008 by Chuckhobbs (View Source)
By Chuck Hobbs
This week’s Florida Primary will provide keen insight into the likely Democratic Party nominee for president. Florida Democrats form an eclectic mix of ethnic and social interests from northern retirees to blacks and non-Cuban Hispanics to laborers. While Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean was infuriated last year when Florida legislators voted to move the primary to January, the wisdom in the move is that Florida’s diversity comprises a terrific sampling of which candidate resonates most with party loyalist.
A week after the Florida Primary looms Super Tuesday, where 22 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Tennessee will go to the polls. In each of these states black voters will prove critical in determining the outcome. More...
Glass House: Hillary and Bill Photographed with Same “Slum LandLord” She Slammed Barack Obama On.
January 25, 2008 by editor (View Source)
It seems Hillary and Bill Clinton and Barack Obama know the same bad guy in Chicago. The one Hillary slammed Barack on during Monday’s television debate. But she forgot about the photograph she and Bill took with the same bad guy ‘Slum LandLord. ’ Is it silly to think that the same guy who contributed to Barack Obama in his beginning days as a politician had the brains to funnel money to the Clinton’s in their beginning political days (look at the photo. It’s not recent)? We at BBN get the Clinton Camp strategy on this one, but they might want to stay away from opposition research that they too have a problem with – like shady land deals and taking money from criminals. More...
Huckabee endorsed by some conservative black leaders
January 21, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(houstonchron) Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee paid tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. at a lengthy memorial service Monday at King's old church and was endorsed by several black religious leaders.
While his main GOP rivals campaigned in Florida, Huckabee sat quietly through a nearly four-hour King ceremony at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. He was overshadowed by fellow Arkansan Bill Clinton, who received a long ovation for his 18-minute address. More...
Two Key White Leaders Tell Bill Clinton To "Pipe Down." Sen. Edward Kennedy and Rep. Rahm Emanuel Tell Bill To Change His Tone.
January 21, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(newsweek) Prominent Democrats are upset with the aggressive role that Bill Clinton is playing in the 2008 campaign, a role they believe is inappropriate for a former president and the titular head of the Democratic Party. In recent weeks, Sen. Edward Kennedy and Rep. Rahm Emanuel, both currently neutral in the Democratic contest, have told their old friend heatedly on the phone that he needs to change his tone and stop attacking Sen. Barack Obama, according to two sources familiar with the conversations who asked for anonymity because of their sensitive nature. More...
Key Black Leader tells President Clinton to 'Chill' on Obama
January 21, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(greenville) Chill out is the message South Carolina's most influential -- and publicly uncommitted -- black politician had today for former President Bill Clinton over his vociferous defense of his wife, Democratic presidential front runner Hillary Clinton. U. S. Rep. James Clyburn of Columbia, the House majority whip, told The Greenville News that he'd advise the former president to ?chill. More...
Hillary Clinton (D) and Mitt Romney (R) Win Nevada Caucus. McCain Barely Wins GOP So. Carolina Primary.
January 21, 2008 by editor
With 85% of the Caucus Precincts reporting, Senator Hillary Clinton (D) and Governor Mitt Romney (R) are the victors in the Nevada Caucus. Clinton wins with 51%; Obama 45%; Edwards 4%. On the Republican side…Romney wins with 53%; McCain 13%; Paul 13%. In the South Carolina Republican Primary the results: McCain 33%; Huckabee30%; Fred Thompson 16%; Mitt Romney 15%. . More...
Latinos Test Voting Muscle. Nevada caucuses could demonstrate demographic's influence
January 18, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(bostonglobe) Fifty-seven stories above the glittering Strip, Elodia Hernández makes her living by staying behind the scenes.
The housekeeper fluffs pillows and mops floors in the Wynn Las Vegas hotel after guests have decamped to the slot machines, blackjack tables, four-star restaurants, and glamorous shows. She disappears to a hidden workroom for lunch, and slips out a back door at the end of her shift.
But now Hernández and thousands of Latino voters find themselves squarely in the spotlight in Nevada's presidential caucuses tomorrow, hoping to capitalize on newfound clout that could help tilt a state that went for President Bush the past two elections toward the Democrats in November. The caucuses, closely contested by Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, will also offer a first look at the influence of Hispanic voters on a national campaign and a hint of how the race in other Western states with burgeoning Latino populations might unfold. More...
Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin Thinks for Herself and Backs Obama '150%,' While Old Guards Andrew Young, John Lewis, Maynard's Folk Go with Clinton.
January 09, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(ajc) With New Hampshire over, the Georgia primary began in earnest this morning.
On an Atlanta morning radio show, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin just declared Barack Obama to be her choice in the Democratic race for president — putting herself opposite John Lewis, her mentor Andrew Young, and members of the Maynard Jackson clan. They’re on the side of Hillary Clinton.
Here’s the two-minute sound clip, courtesy of WVEE-FM. Franklin was on the station’s “Frank and Wanda Morning Show. More...
Latinos' Warning to Democrats: Ignore Us Now, Pay Later
January 08, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(diversity) In his proposal, reports The New York Times, Huckabee pledged to complete a border fence between the U. S. and Mexico by 2010 and ruled out "a pathway to citizenship" for undocumented immigrants unless they first returned to their native country, backpedaling on a pledge he made earlier at a GOP debate that "We're a better country than to punish children for what their parents did. "
That pledge went hand in hand with earlier statements Huckabee made welcoming the influx of Latinos into Arkansas during his tenure as governor and praising "racial progress" made throughout the state. Casting aside those earlier pronouncements, Huckabee struck a winning chord in Iowa, railing against undocumented immigrants, a fact that concerns many Latino advocacy groups across the country. More...
No More Fence Straddling. Pressure on Black Leaders to Endorse Candidate...Leaders Who Backed Hillary Are in a Political Pickle. My Oh, My.
January 07, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) Before the Iowa caucus returns were in on Thursday, the phones started ringing in the home of Fletcher N. Smith Jr. , a black state legislator from Greenville, S. C. Like other black leaders, Mr. More...
Clinton Surrogate Having Tad-Bit of a Hard Time with New Hampshire Voters. LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: “I’m here because they (Clinton) asked me to.”
January 07, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(BBN) This story is just plain comical. LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Clinton supporter, is in New Hampshire stumping for his candidate, Hillary. But the crowd is not sure why they have to listen to a Mayor from LA. They want to hear from Hillary. It’s worth a read. More...
Bill O’Reilly Shows His ‘Behind’ at Obama Rally in New Hampshire this past weekend. Columnist, John Dickerson, writes comical take on the incident.
January 07, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(BBN) This weekend Fox News host Bill O’Reilly showed his behind at an Obama rally.
Slate. com columnist John Dickerson writes a good – humorous – column about the incident. (Slate. com/Dickerson) …. More...
'The Résumé Factor: Those 8 Years as First Lady.' Hillary Clinton’s Claims of “Experience” is Questionable and Worthy of Challenge.
December 26, 2007 by editor (View Source)
This is an interesting article on Hillary's claims of her domestic and foreign “experience” superiority over her Democratic presidential contenders. Here are the highlights of the article by Patrick Healy of the NYT. (1) She has few significant legislative accomplishments to her name. (2) During her husband’s presidency (which she claims as experience having been married to the president) she did not assert herself on the crises in Somalia, Haiti and Rwanda. Instead her husband's focus was on the ethnic bloodshed in the Balkans (3) She did not hold national security clearance. More...
Another Apology to Barack from Hillary Supporter. “Former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey Apologized to Barack Obama for Insult.”
December 20, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(ap) Former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey has apologized to Barack Obama for any unintentional insult he committed by raising the Democratic presidential candidate's Muslim heritage while endorsing rival candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Kerrey sent a letter to Obama on Wednesday, lauding the Illinois senator's qualifications to be president and saying that he never meant to harm his candidacy.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the senator accepted Kerrey's apology, sent to the campaign in the mail and via e-mail.
While announcing his support for Clinton on Sunday, Kerrey told The Washington Post in an interview that while he hopes Clinton is the nominee, he would like Obama to have a role — especially because of his ability to reach out to black youth and Muslims around the world. More...
The Aging Civil Rights Icon, Andrew Young: ‘Barack Is Too Young’
December 13, 2007 by editor
1. Theodore Roosevelt 42 (not much experience)
2. John F. Kennedy 43 ( not much experience)
3. Bill Clinton 46 (not much experience)
4. More...
Desperate Times for Camp Clinton. Clinton adviser: Obama's drug past a liability. But then he back-peddles.
December 13, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(ap/wapo) A top adviser to Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign said that Democrats should give more thought to Sen. Barack Obama's admissions of illegal drug use before they pick a presidential candidate.
Obama's campaign said the Clinton people were getting desperate. Clinton's campaign tried to distance itself from the remarks Wednesday, and the adviser said later he regretted making them.
Bill Shaheen, a national co-chairman of Clinton's front-runner campaign, raised the issue during an interview with The Washington Post, posted on washingtonpost. More...
Lost in Translation? Bilingual misinformation from the GOP field.
December 11, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(factcheck. org) The Republican presidential candidates met Sunday evening in Florida for a forum hosted by the Spanish-language media company Univision Communications. We found a few missteps in what the candidates had to say to Spanish-speaking voters:
1) Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee made some incorrect and questionable claims about Americans who don't have health insurance, hypothesizing that a third don't have coverage because "the think they're healthy and invincible" – a claim for which we find no support – and that another third are self-insured – which is the definition of all people who don't have health insurance and must pay their own bills. He also understated the number who can't afford insurance. More...
Obama and the 'Oprah Effect': can she sway voters?
December 10, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(csm) Call it the "Oprah effect," a phenomenon the political world is watching warily. Not because celebrity endorsements are new, but because Ms. Winfrey is more than a celebrity: She's a social icon, an earth mother, a television priestess of sorts whose predominantly female flock takes her words to heart.
"The problem with most celebrity endorsements is that there's no transferability between their talent and real credibility," says Howard Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates, a retail investment banking firm. "Oprah is different. More...
All About How the Iowa Caucuses Work. Good Information even for know-it-alls.
December 10, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(BBN: This is an abbreviated explanation. We recommend viewing source for more information). . . . More...
GOP Candidate Mike Huckabee (also a Baptist Minister) Wanted to Isolate AIDS Patients.
December 09, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(AP/wapo) Mike Huckabee once advocated isolating AIDS patients from the general public, opposed increased federal funding in the search for a cure and said homosexuality could "pose a dangerous public health risk. "
As a candidate for a U. S. Senate seat in 1992, Huckabee answered 229 questions submitted to him by The Associated Press. Besides a quarantine, Huckabee suggested that Hollywood celebrities fund AIDS research from their own pockets, rather than federal health agencies. More...
Black Republicans
December 03, 2007 by sweetlorraine (View Source)
You've got to check this out.
http://www. nationalblackrepublicans. com/
http://www. nationalblackrepublicans. More...
Obama Endorsed by Des Moines Mayor
December 03, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(ap) Democrat Barack Obama was endorsed Sunday by the mayor of Iowa's largest city and predicted more criticism ahead from presidential rivals as his political fortunes keep brightening.
Meeting with reporters, Obama trotted out Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, who last month won a second term. He has focused on global warming and other environmental issues. "Senator Obama has made a promise and is willing an open-minded enough to listen to the mayor of the capital city of Iowa," Cownie said. "Together we can make change in Iowa. More...
Candidate Barack Obama and NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg Made Staged Public Appearance Together this Week in Hillary's Backyard. Porque? What's Up?
December 01, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(cst) Barack Obama breakfasted early Friday at a coffee shop here with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is eyeing an Independent White House bid.
Obama picked up the tab. The breakfast came at Bloomberg's initiative -- Obama had a standing invitation to dine with the mayor, Obama's campaign said. For Obama, who is looking to cut into the New York home field advantage of chief rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N. More...
Ongoing Problem for Clintons: Conveniently forgetting their own words. Bill Fumbles on Iraq War while stumping for Hillary in Iowa. Crowd Shuts Him Up, Internet-Bloggers Call Him Out.
December 01, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(abc) It was a partial clause in a sentence uttered in Muscatine, Iowa. But Bill Clinton's assertion Monday that he'd opposed the Iraq war "from the beginning" triggered outbursts across the political spectrum.
From the left, the right and the media establishment, the judgment was the former president had committed a gaffe that could hurt his wife's presidential bid.
"Bill Clinton Rewrites History on Iraq?" wondered ABC News' Political Radar blog. "A political blunder of monumental proportions," Dan Spencer wrote at the conservative Redstate. More...
Enough cliches about faith. Mitt Romney's Mormonism matters
November 30, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(nydn) Let's quit tiptoeing around the question of whether Republican Mitt Romney's Mormon religion will be an issue in his bid to become President of the United States.
Of course it will matter. And it should.
Voters have every right to be curious and concerned about a candidate's beliefs - especially a candidate like Romney, who keeps talking about the importance of faith in his life.
Romney's not a run-of-the-mill believer. More...
Obama's Standing in Iowa Poll Shifts Contest. The Dance Is Not Over.
November 26, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(bostonglobe) Hillary Clinton began the week with Sunday-morning worship at Grace United Methodist Church, with a hymnbook open before her, bobbing her head along as the choir sang, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. "
In the more earthly pursuits that occupy Clinton's attention in Iowa these days, such fervor is easy to come by. Certainty is not.
Last week began with then release of an Iowa poll - of negligible statistical relevance but much symbolic weight - showing Clinton for the first time behind Senator Barack Obama of Illinois. The final month before the Jan. More...
Anti-immigration Hysteria Holds 17M Latino Voters Hostage
November 25, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(nydn) As soon as Hillary Clinton said she thought Gov. Spitzer's plan to issue special driver's licenses to illegal aliens "makes sense," I said to myself, holy guacamole, here it comes. Before everyone else on that stage was finished piling up on her, I was into a full-blown claustrophobic seizure.
One more thing we're going to be blamed for.
Latinos have become the bogeymen of the 2008 presidential election - the Willie Hortons, the Welfare Queens and the Osama Bin Ladens, all rolled into one. More...
CNN To Do Better Job of Disclosing Carville-Clinton Connection. James Carville is a longtime friend of the Clintons and is a CNN Pundit. So much for Objectivity in Campaign Coverage.
November 18, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(BBN Editor). . . So much for objectivity in campaign coverage when a significant CNN political contributor (James Carville) is a longtime friend and supporter of the Democratic frontrunner (Hillary Clinton). Yes, indeed, viewers should know this tidbit of information on the front end and CNN knows full well that they should in plain terms tell their viewers that one of their contributors may not be the most objective in commenting on political campaign 2008 since he is best friends with the Clintons. More...
Political History: First Woman Elected Baltimore’s Mayor. A team of Black women now lead Baltimore’s government.
November 07, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(baltimore sun/ John Fritze and Julie Bykowicz) Mayor Sheila Dixon decisively won her bid to lead Baltimore yesterday as voters gave her an overwhelming, if predictable, victory and made her the first woman elected as the city's mayor.
Dixon, the 53-year-old former president of the City Council, will sit at the head of a government led almost exclusively by black women - including the newly elected president of the City Council, the city comptroller, who won a fourth term yesterday, and the city state's attorney.
Unofficial returns showed Dixon with a solid lead over Republican Elbert R. Henderson, who did not aggressively campaign for the position and faced devastating odds before he even put his name on the ballot. Democrats have not ceded the mayor's office in four decades. More...
Obama courts Latino voters in L.A.
October 21, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(lat) Barack Obama dived into California's most contentious policy debates Saturday at an East Los Angeles appearance where he defended immigration reform and affirmative action and criticized Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of a measure to extend college scholarships to students in the country illegally.
"That was wrong," the Illinois senator and Democratic presidential candidate told several hundred gathered at Garfield High School. "Instead of driving thousands of children who were on the right path into the shadows, we need to give those who play by the rules the opportunity to succeed. "
Later, during a question-and-answer session, he returned to the topic, declaring that if a student had been brought to this country illegally but had been going to school "like every other American child, it is cruel and stupid for us to suddenly say to them: 'We're not going to give you college scholarships. More...
"Obama-Clinton Quandary for Many Black Women." Who Will Black Women Vote For?
October 16, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) In the beauty parlors that are among the social hubs for black women in the Carolinas, loyalties are being tested as voters here contemplate the first Democratic primary in the South.
Clara Vereen, who has been working here in rural eastern South Carolina as a hairstylist for more than 40 of her 61 years, reflects the ambivalence of many black women as she considers both Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
“I’ve got enough black in me to want somebody black to be our president,” she said in her tiny beauty shop, an extension of her home, after a visit from an Obama organizer. “I would love that, but I want to be real, too. ”
Part of being real, said Ms. More...
NY Times Paul Krugman: "Conservatives don't care that you're hungry"
October 07, 2007 by Texasfjord (View Source)
Conservatives Are Such Jokers
By PAUL KRUGMAN
10/5/07
New York Times
In 1960, John F. Kennedy, who had been shocked by the hunger he saw in West Virginia, made the fight against hunger a theme of his presidential campaign. After his election he created the modern food stamp program, which today helps millions of Americans get enough to eat.
But Ronald Reagan thought the issue of hunger in the world’s richest nation was nothing but a big joke. Here’s what Reagan said in his famous 1964 speech “A Time for Choosing,” which made him a national political figure: “We were told four years ago that 17 million people went to bed hungry each night. More...
3rd Qtr Report: Obama $20 million; Clinton$27 Mil; Edwards $7 Million; Richardson $5.2 Million. Obama Tops Overall DEM fundraising having raised nearly $80Mil.
October 02, 2007 by editor (View Source)
Barack Obama raised $20 Million dollars in the 3rd Quarter of 2007. He came in second to Hillary Clinton who raised $27 million in the 3rd quarter. Overall in fundraising, Obama leads the Democratic pack having raised somewhere between $75 and $80 million dollars this year. John Edwards trails having raised $7 million. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson said he raised about $5. More...
Inside the Hispanic vote: Growing in numbers, growing in diversity.
September 30, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(cnn) As Democratic and Republican presidential candidates scour the country for votes during the 2008 campaign, they'll inevitably court the Hispanic community, a voting group growing rapidly in number and diversity.
The Hispanic vote is neither homogenous nor loyal to one party. Though the current political moment seems to favor the Democratic Party, experts say that affinity should not be taken for granted.
The Hispanic community is the fastest-growing minority group in the United States, according to the U. S. More...
Obama Proposes $80 Billion Tax Cut for Middle Class.
September 19, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(bloomberg) Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama proposed cutting taxes by more than $80 billion annually for middle-class Americans, a plan that would be funded by increasing the burden on investors and companies.
The plan, which Obama announced in Washington today, would give a tax credit of up to $500 to 150 million working Americans, create a mortgage credit for homeowners, and eliminate taxes for some senior citizens. The proposal calls for raising the top rate on capital gains and dividends, eliminating ``corporate loopholes,'' including one used by hedge funds and private-equity firms, and cracking down on overseas tax havens.
Obama, 46, is the first Democratic candidate to propose a comprehensive strategy for overhauling the tax code. In the speech to the Tax Policy Center today, he portrayed the current system as overly complex and skewed toward helping the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. More...
Clinton Seeks to Offset Black Defections by Courting Hispanics
September 17, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(Bloomberg) Representative Ciro Rodriguez picked up his phone in June and heard a familiar, raspy voice: It was former President Bill Clinton, asking the Texas Democrat to endorse his wife Hillary's White House bid.
``So far, they're the only campaign to contact me,'' said Rodriguez, former chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He's mulling the request, and hasn't forgotten that the former president campaigned for him in last year's congressional election. ``He's done a lot for me,'' said Rodriguez.
Senator Clinton's campaign is bracing for a possible swing of black voters toward her chief rival, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, by focusing more attention on Hispanic voters. More...
Clinton Sees Fear Realized in Trouble With Donor. She’s linked to convicted criminal who brought in tens of thousands of dollars.
September 12, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) Of all the possible vulnerabilities facing Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign, Mrs. Clinton has long believed that the one of the biggest was money, friends and advisers say. Some sort of fund-raising scandal that would echo the Clinton-era controversies of the 1990s and make her appear greedy or ethically challenged.
As a result, Mrs. Clinton told aides this year to vet major donors carefully and help her avoid situations in which she might appear to be trading access for big money, advisers said. More...
"Hillary Clinton Returns Fund-Raiser Hsu's $850G; Probe Begins." The Clinton's Can't Stay Out of Mess.
September 11, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(nydn) A red-faced Hillary Clinton yesterday returned $850,000 in campaign cash tied to felon fund-raiser Norman Hsu, as the Daily News learned New York prosecutors are leading the probe into Hsu's buck-raking.
The tainted dollars are being returned to 260 donors by the New York Democrat's White House campaign, her aides said.
The Clinton campaign scrambled to contain the damage from a fund-raising scandal that's been building for two weeks, after reports some donors of modest means contributed hefty sums to Clinton in coordination with Hsu, a New York apparel millionaire.
"In light of recent events and allegations that Mr. Norman Hsu engaged in an illegal investment scheme, we have decided out of an abundance of caution to return the money he raised for our campaign," Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said in a statement. More...
Last Woman Standing. As Her Star Wanes, Rice Tries to Reshape Legacy
September 03, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) On May 25, Stanford University’s student newspaper, The Stanford Daily, devoted the bulk of its front page to the university’s former provost, who is on leave while she serves out her term as secretary of state. “Condi Eyes Return,” read the headline, “but in What Role?”
Within hours, the letters to the editor started coming in. “Condoleezza Rice serves an administration that has trashed the basic values of academia: reason, science, expertise, and honesty. Stanford should not welcome her back,” wrote Don Ornstein, identified by the newspaper as an emeritus professor of mathematics in a letter published May 31.
Online comments on the newspaper’s Web site were even harsher, a veritable stream of vitriol. More...
GOP Hypocrites! Rudy Giuliani, Larry Craig, David Vitter, Mark Foley lead the Republican pack in not practicing what they preach.
September 03, 2007 by editor
Then Mayor Rudy Giuliani carried on an affair with his now wife while still married to his former wife; Senator Larry Craig resigned after an arrest and guilty plea of trying to pick up an undercover cop in a Minneapolis airport bathroom to engage in homosexual activity; Louisiana Senator David Vitter was one of the men listed in the DC Madams black book; Florida Representative Mark Foley resigned after getting caught instant messaging salacious text to little boys (this is the same Mark Foley who crusaded against child exploitation). Those are just the ones we can think of off hand. For all their talk of “Family Values” the Republican party needs to read, listen and follow their own rhetoric or shut the hell up. . . More...