The battle for Iowa

tuck,realityville, kansas — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:04:51 GMT

Odd, all the other polls have CLinton up by 2-5%...

so this is an outlier the barackist will latch onto.

best hope for no storms, obamaites

The battle for Iowa

Dot, Illinois — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:06:00 GMT

"aides are beginning to grapple with the frustrating possibility that all the time, money and political skill invested here might prove to be for naught when it comes to identifying the candidate to beat in the primaries and winnowing the top tier… Rather than clarify the state of play and consolidate this crowded field a bit, an outcome like that would almost certainly muddle things further and potentially extend the time before Democrats know their nominee.”

-----------------------------------------------------

So, in other words, the votes of those from states that have later primaries might still have some relevance in the process? This might make for an interesting year--wouldn't more people get involved if they think the races have not already been decided?

The battle for Iowa

Ann, Iowa — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:07:15 GMT

Mitt Romney,

Or should I say Flip Flopper Romney!

Mitt Romney's Flip Flop Record

ABORTION

From the Left:

Romney ran against Senator Edward M. Kennedy in 1994. During a debate, Romney declared: "I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country. I have since the time that my mom took that position when she ran in 1970 as a US Senate candidate. I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain and support it."
- Boston Globe, March 2, 2006

"I respect and will protect a woman's right to choose."
-2002 Questionnaire for the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL)
Boston Globe, July 3, 2005

From the Right:

"I am pro-life. I believe that abortion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by judicial mandate."
- Boston Globe, Op-Ed, July 26, 2005

More from the Right:

"Every decision I have made as Governor in a very liberal state has been on the side of favoring life." – Governor Romney

- Robert Behre, "Romney Gets S.C. Support," Charleston Post-Courier, January 30, 2007

STEM CELL RESEARCH

From the Left:

"Romney has decided to support experimentation on surplus frozen embryos from in-vitro fertilization procedures."
- National Review Online, February 11, 2005

"At a campaign appearance at Brandeis University in June 2002, Romney strongly endorsed stem cell research."
- Boston Globe, December 17, 2006 Read the article

From the Center:

"Governor Mitt Romney set off a storm of criticism yesterday after he declared in a published interview that he favored banning a specific type of stem cell research. Scientists and the leader of the state Senate accused him of trying to block a promising avenue of research, even as antiabortion groups assailed him for declaring that he did not object to stem cell research involving embryos from fertility clinics."
- Boston Globe, February 11, 2005 Read the article

From the Right:

"I studied the issue for many months, and entered into conversation with experts from across the nation who were looking for consensus solutions, like Stanford's Dr. William Hurlbut. In the end, I became persuaded that the stem-cell debate was grounded in a false premise, and that the way through it was around it: by the use of scientific techniques that could produce the equivalent of embryonic stem cells but without cloning, creating, harming, or destroying developing human lives."
- Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "A Stem-Cell Solution," National Review Online, June 15, 2007

EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

From the Left:

"When he ran for governor in 2002, Romney said he supported expanding access to the emergency contraception pill, a high dose of hormones that women can take to prevent pregnancy up to five days after sex . . . On a questionnaire Planned Parenthood gave to the gubernatorial candidates in 2002, Romney answered 'yes' to the question, 'Do you support efforts to increase access to emergency contraception?' "
- Boston Globe, July 7, 2005

From the Right:

"Yesterday I vetoed a bill that the Legislature forwarded to my desk. Though described by its sponsors as a measure relating to contraception, there is more to it than that. The bill does not involve only the prevention of conception: The drug it authorizes would also terminate life after conception."
- Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Why I Vetoed The Contraception Bill," Boston Globe, July 26, 2005 Read the article

GAY RIGHTS

From the Left:

"All citizens deserve equal rights, regardless of their sexual orientation. While he does not support gay marriage, Mitt Romney believes domestic partnership status should be recognized in a way that includes the potential for health benefits and rights of survivorship."
- Romney's 2002 campaign website

"Mitt and Kerry Wish You a Great Pride Weekend! All citizens deserve equal rights, regardless of their sexual preference"
- A flier handed out at "Gay Pride" by the Romney/Healey Campaign See the flier here

"We have discussed a number of important issues such as the Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which I have agreed to co-sponsor, and if possible broaden to include housing and credit, and a bill to create a federal panel to find ways to reduce gay and lesbian youth suicide, which I also support. One issue I want to clarify concerns [grammar in context] President Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" military policy. I believe that the Clinton compromise was a step in the right direction. I am also convinced that it is the first of a number of steps that will ultimately lead to gays and lesbians being able to serve openly and honestly in our nation's military. That goal will only be reached when preventing discrimination against gays and lesbians is a mainstream concern, which is a goal we share…"
- Governor Romney letter to Log Cabin Republicans, October 6, 1994 Read the letter here

From the Right:

Lopez: "And what about the 1994 letter to the Log Cabin Republicans where you indicated you would support the Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and seemed open to changing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military? Are those your positions today?

Gov. Romney: "No. I don't see the need for new or special legislation. My experience over the past several years as governor has convinced me that ENDA would be an overly broad law that would open a litigation floodgate and unfairly penalize employers at the hands of activist judges...As for military policy and the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy, I trust the counsel of those in uniform who have set these policies over a dozen years ago. I agree with President Bush's decision to maintain this policy and I would do the same."
- Interview with National Review, December 14, 2006 Read the interview

MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

From the Left:

In 2002, before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declared same-sex marriage protected by the Constitution, Romney denounced as "too extreme" the effort by pro-family groups to enact a preemptive state Marriage Protection Amendment prohibiting homosexual marriage, civil unions and same-sex public employee benefits.
- Boston Phoenix, May 14-20, 2004

From the Right:

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough: "Do you support a national constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage?"

Governor Romney: "Boy, I sure do. You know, that's a topic that's really, I think, very important to the country because marriage is not just about adults. Marriage is about the development and nurturing of kids, and in my view, the development of a child is enhanced by having a mom and dad. And so, I think it's very important that we have a national standard because marriage is a status. You get married in one place and then you move to another, you're still married at least in the eyes of the community and the children and the benefits may not follow you, but ultimately we're going to have one standard of marriage in this country and that standard ought to be one man and one woman."
- MSNBC's "Morning Joe" September 17, 2007

GUN RIGHTS

From the Left:

"He [Romney] is a supporter of the federal assault weapons ban."
- Romney 2002 campaign website

More from the Left:

In his 1994 US Senate run, Romney backed two gun-control measures strongly opposed by the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights groups: the Brady Bill, which imposed a five-day waiting period on gun sales, and a ban on certain assault weapons.

"That's not going to make me the hero of the NRA," Romney told the Boston Herald in 1994.

At another campaign stop that year, he told reporters: "I don't line up with the NRA."
- Boston Globe, January 14, 2007 Read the article

From the Right:

"Americans should have the right to own and possess firearms as guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution," said Governor Romney. "I'm proud to be among the many decent, law-abiding men and women who safely use firearms."
- Governor Romney, News Release, January 12, 2007

WAITING PERIODS FOR GUNS

From the Left:

Regarding the Brady Bill which required waiting periods to buy a handgun, Romney stated, "I don't think [the waiting period] will have a massive effect on crime but I think it will have a positive effect."
- Boston Herald, August 1, 1994

From the Right:

"Romney says he still backs the ban on assault weapons, but he won't say whether he stands by the Brady Bill. And after the gun show tour, his campaign declined to say whether he would still describe himself as a supporter of tough gun laws."
- Boston Globe, January 14, 2007 Read the article

MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE

From the Left:

"The minimum wage is important to our economy and Mitt Romney supports minimum wage increase, at least in line with inflation."
- Romney 2002 campaign website

From the Right:

Governor Mitt Romney yesterday rejected the Legislature's plan to raise the state minimum wage to $8 an hour over two years, angering Democratic lawmakers and advocates who accused him of abandoning a 2002 campaign pledge to significantly boost the pay of low-wage workers.
- Boston Globe, July 22, 2006 Read the article

EDUCATION

During his 1994 campaign for Senate he continually called for the abolishment of the Department of Education.
- Club for Growth's White Paper on Mitt Romney

Governor Romney now supports the No Child Left Behind Act.
- Club for Growth's White Paper on Mitt Romney

IMMIGRATION

From the Left:

In a November 2005 interview with the Boston Globe, Romney described immigration proposals by McCain and others as "quite different" from amnesty, because they required illegal immigrants to register with the government, work for years, pay taxes, not take public benefits, and pay a fine before applying for citizenship.

"That's very different than amnesty, where you literally say, 'OK, everybody here gets to stay,' " Romney said in the interview. "It's saying you could work your way into becoming a legal resident of the country by working here without taking benefits and then applying and then paying a fine."

Romney did not specifically endorse McCain's bill, saying he had not yet formulated a full position on immigration. But he did speak approvingly of efforts by McCain and Bush to solve the nation's immigration crisis, calling them "reasonable proposals."

Romney also said in the interview that it was not "practical or economic for the country" to deport the estimated 12 million immigrants living in the US illegally. "These people contribute in many cases to our economy and to our society," he said. "In some cases, they do not. But that's a whole group we're going to have to determine how to deal with."
- Boston Globe, March 16, 2007 Read the article

From the Right:

In his appeals to conservative voters, Romney has made the Arizona senator's work on immigration one of his favorite targets. When McCain and other senators unveiled the latest reform bill two weeks ago, Romney called it the "wrong approach" and immediately launched a television ad slamming "amnesty" for illegal immigrants.
- Boston Globe, June 1, 2007 Read the article

TAXES

From the Left:

"Governor Romney…imposed a slew of fee hikes and tax 'loophole' closures….The largest of these was $259 million worth of fee hikes in FY 2004, the bulk of which came from higher Registry of Deeds fees. Smaller fee hikes, including higher charges for boaters and golfers, we imposed in FY 2003 and FY 2005. Romney also sought $128 million worth of so-called tax loophole closures for FY 2004; $70 million for FY 2005; and $170 million for FY 2006, which were later reduced to $85 million due to backlash from business leaders."
- Club for Growth's White Paper on Mitt Romney

"Romney continues to oppose the flat tax with harsh language, calling the tax 'unfair.'"
- Club for Growth's White Paper on Mitt Romney

Romney didn't support President Bush's tax cuts in 2003. That earned him praise from liberal Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA)
- Boston Globe, April 11, 2003.

From the Right:

"I said no to a tax hike; raising taxes hurts working people and scares away jobs. I also said no to more borrowing; borrowing just shifts our problems to the backs of our kids...Instead, I went after waste, inefficiency, duplication, and patronage."
- Governor Romney, Boston Globe, October 24, 2005

NO NEW TAXES PLEDGE

From the Left:

In 2002, Romney broke with his predecessor, Jane Swift, and Republican governors before her by declining to sign a written vow not to raise taxes once in office.

- Boston Globe, January 5, 2007 Read the article

From the Right:

Almost five years after he refused to sign a "no new taxes" pledge during his campaign for governor, Mitt Romney announced yesterday that he had done just that, as his campaign for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination began in earnest.
- Boston Globe, January 5, 2007 Read the article

CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS

From the Left:

Governor Romney has changed his position on key campaign finance reform issues several times during public life. During his 1994 Senate campaign, he held far left positions that advocated for abolishing PACs and creating strict campaign spending limits.

- Club for Growth's White Paper on Mitt Romney

From the Right:

As he runs for President, Romney abandoned his previous stance and has come out as a harsh critic of McCain-Feingold, and those presidential candidates who support it. His transformation has even propelled him to call for the legislation's repeal.
- Club for Growth's White Paper on Mitt Romney

ON HIS FAVORITE BOOK

From the Left:

He told Fox News his favorite book is L. Ron Hubbard's "Battlefield Earth"

From the Right:

He also told Fox news his favorite book is the The Bible

Or

Who Knows:

His MySpace page said his favorite book is "Huckleberry Finn"

Read more news articles on Mitt Romney's Record
Watch a video from Mitt Romney's 1994 debate with Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA)

The battle for Iowa

tuck,realityville, kansas — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:07:26 GMT

opps, FIRST READ skips that it's REPUBLICONS voting FOR OBAMA... they want the weakest canidate.
Now why would first read skip that part of the des moines registars article?

Don't they want it known that the republicans want the weakest canidat elected?

The battle for Iowa

laurie, St. Paul — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:36:18 GMT

The poll will help Obama win by a significant margin, as undecideds and second choices break in his favor. Voters are going to want to claim a small piece of his victory. Maybe he will even pick up some Edwards supporters.

The battle for Iowa

S.K.M. Mass — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:38:41 GMT

Tuck,
You must have moved FROM Realityville. Republicans won't sign up as Democrats because they want to choose the weakest candidate. That makes no sense given their field, they'd be more inclined to stick Republican and vote for who they think is more electable if they were interested in a Republican win.
It's a ridiculous assertion to state that Obama has to be bad because Republican voters want to vote for him. That implies that Republican voters in general are bad. They aren't. Many of them are also interested in ending the legislative stalemate, the cold war between Blue America and Red America.

I know you'll disagree, but between Obama and Clinton, Clinton is the weakest link in a general election. Not to mention that if she wins, Bloomberg will run.

The battle for Iowa

Carrie, Eastern Iowa — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:42:54 GMT

The DMR poll is pretty interesting. However, I can't help but wonder how many of those "first-timers" will actually show up. It seems like the DMR's results bank on a high turnout from them and from the independents. If the best predictor of attendance is past participation...maybe it is not so wise to put such emphasis on newbies.

The battle for Iowa

Asad, Atlanta, GA — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:58:00 GMT

Hey, Tuck from Realityville, when the Des Moines Register endorsed your candidate, why were you celebrating the newspaper's credibility? They are obviously biased, right?

And for all others reading this discussion, please take a look at these Clinton supporters bashing Republicans, and ask yourselves if Clinton will be able to build consensus if she is elected. Clinton keeps talking about "winning" and "beating Republicans", but people need to realize that Democrats won BIG in the midterm elections and still weren't able to pass any meaningful legislation because they couldn't build consensus. As far as I see, Obama, Biden, Dodd, and McCain care about building concensus and leading by bringing people together. Any one of them would make fine presidents.

The battle for Iowa

Andrea — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:04:13 GMT

10 Barack Obama Facts That Will Impress Your Yale Friends

Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, August 4, 1961.

Barack studied law at Harvard University, where he became the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review.

In the first month of the newly Democratic-controlled 110th Congress, Obama worked with Russ Feingold (D–WI) to eliminate gifts of travel on corporate jets by lobbyists to members of Congress and require disclosure of bundled campaign contributions under the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act", which was signed into law in September 2007.

Obama was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996.

Before announcing his presidential candidacy, he began a well-publicized effort to quit smoking. "I've never been a heavy smoker," Obama told the Chicago Tribune. "I've quit periodically over the last several years. I've got an ironclad demand from my wife that in the stresses of the campaign I don't succumb. I've been chewing Nicorette strenuously.”

Obama's mother died of ovarian cancer a few months after the publication of his 1995 memoir, Dreams from My Father.

Obama wrote and delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, while still serving as a state legislator.

Obama's parents separated when he was two years old and later divorced.

Obama met his future wife Michelle Robinson in 1988 when he was employed as a summer associate at the Chicago law firm of Sidley & Austin.

Obama sponsored 152 bills and resolutions brought before the 109th Congress in 2005 and 2006, and cosponsored another 427.

From:

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content.asp?contentid=186960

The battle for Iowa

Nashville_fan — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:04:44 GMT

The newbies are gonna come out - why wouldn't they? They've been turning out to all these events to hear the candidates speak, so why would they do all of that and then just for get to causcus?

The battle for Iowa

Ava — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:09:20 GMT

I think Obama will win by a larger margin than indicated. There will be an added "self-fulfilling prophecy" element because the DMR poll is the most respected poll in Iowa, so when Iowans pick up this morning's issue of the DMR and see Obama ahead, more will dump whomever they're supporting and break for Obama. Everyone wants to back a winner.

The battle for Iowa

Andrew, New York — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:15:42 GMT

The Obama camp should certainly be pleased with these numbers, but again, it all depends on turnout, and the Register is clearly banking on the absolute best case scenario for him; that first-time newcomers to the caucus will indeed jump head first into the madness that shall be Thursday evening. If the Register is wrong, however, and the turnout isn't all that hot, Obama could just as easily place third. And then of course there's the "2nd choice/less than 15%" situation, which could perhaps benefit the Top 3 about evenly. Bottom line - do not assume Obama's going into Thursday with a bonfiide "lead."

The battle for Iowa

Sean Connley, Springfield IL — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:30:48 GMT

>> 10 Barack Obama Facts That Will Impress Your Yale Friends <<

Here's a few more:

As a US Senator, Barack manages to miss a lot of votes.

Barack is somewhere to the political left of Hillary Clinton, who by all indications is a Marxist. Barack doesn't believe that government is the first solution to all problems, he believes government is the only solution to all problems.

Barack has ZERO executive experience. He would struggle to run a lemonade stand, let alone the US government. He has ZERO foreign poilicy experience on his resume.

The battle for Iowa

Rick,ky — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:33:49 GMT

The battle for Iowa

nadeem, Toronto, Ontario, Canada — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:38:14 GMT

Now Clinton is on the populist theme?

First is was - don't bother running i am inevitable

Then it was the experience Hillary - NYT blew a hole in that one

Then it was the likable Hillary - bringing her mom out, turn out only a mother could love

Then it was the soft Hillary - Chelsea is hear to be seen and not heard - what is is 12? Chelsea is an adult now!

Now its the populist, i've taken on big oil and big insurance - when? If thats the case why aren't the problems fixed?

Her campaign has become a joke and will be a lesson in school on how not to run a campaign.

The battle for Iowa

nadeem, Toronto, Ontario, Canada — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:38:15 GMT

The battle for Iowa

Nashville_fan — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:51:38 GMT

"He would struggle to run a lemonade stand, let alone the US government."

lol

Senator Obama seems to be running a pretty good campaign though, huh Sean? :)

The battle for Iowa

William Kenly, Concord, NH — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:58:22 GMT

Hey Democrats - You KNOW you don't want to face Romney come November - which is why the ultra-liberals keep trying to push Huckabee or McCain!

The battle for Iowa

Marbw — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:17:53 GMT

I believe that, based on Barack Obama's self-written books 'Dreams from MY Father' and 'Audacity of Hope'/
his work throughout the years to give voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless(poor and union-workers)/ his speeches etc, he is a better candidate. He did not just happen upon Democratic principles in this campaign, he gave up hundreds of job offers over 20+ years ago to go work for $12,000/yr in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago. He graduated magna cum laude/became head of Harvard Law Review/Civil Rights Attorney/taught constitutional law for over 10 years etc. Obama went to work with churches that organized job training and other programs for residents of a massive housing project in Chicago. He persuaded the city to provide summer jobs, remove asbestos, repair toilets, pipes and ceilings. He went door to door, offering help for three years, then went to Harvard Law School. After law school, he registered 150,000 new voters in Chicago. He was finally able to pay off his college debt using proceeds from his first bestselling book.
--

Obama helped to deliver the first significant campaign finance reform law in Illinois in 25 years. He brought law enforcement groups around to back legislation requiring that homicide interrogations be taped and helped bring about passage of the state’s first racial-profiling law. He was a chief sponsor of a law enhancing tax credits for the working poor, played a central role in negotiations over welfare reform and successfully pushed for increasing child care subsidies (NYT, 7/30/07). Here in Chicago, Obama worked as lead organizer for the Developing Communities Project, a campaign funded by south-side Catholic churches to counteract the dislocation and massive unemployment caused by the closing and downsizing of southeast Chicago steel plants. (ChicagoReader 12/8/95) As a Chicago community organizer, Obama notched accomplishments ranging from job-training programs to a successful attempt to improve city services at the Altgeld Gardens housing project, chaired a voter-registration drive that helped carry Illinois for Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton in 1992 and led an effort to acquire state money for a dropout prevention program that still operates today.

--

"As a state legislator, Obama worked with both Democrats and Republicans in drafting successful legislation on ethics and health care reform. He sponsored a law enhancing tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for child care. He expanded healthcare to include 154.000 people in Illinois(including 70,000 children). Obama also led the passage of legislation mandating videotaping of homicide interrogations, and a law to monitor racial profiling by requiring police to record the race of drivers they stopped. During his 2004 general election campaign for U.S. Senate, Obama won the endorsement of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, whose president credited him with having been "immensely helpful in working with police organizations" on death penalty reform."

As a member of the minority party of the Senate for six of his eight years there, Obama wrote a health insurance law that covered an additional 20,000 children, a welfare reform law, an earned-income-tax-credit law for working-poor families, and death penalty reform that passed unanimously. During his last two years in the majority, he sponsored 780 bills, 280 of which became law.
(continued)

The battle for Iowa

Sean Connley, Springfield IL — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:20:32 GMT

>> Senator Obama seems to be running a pretty good campaign though, huh Sean? :)

Nashville_fan <<

Well, considering the competition, which appears to be next to none, someone has to win I guess.

The battle for Iowa

Greg Rodriguez, Palm Springs, CA — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:34:52 GMT

UPDATE: Two new Iowa polls are out today. In the Zogby poll, it's Clinton 30, Obama 26, Edwards 25. In the CNN/Opinion Research poll, Hillary leads with 33 percent, Obama 31, Edwards 22.

*****

The Des Moines Register poll adopts an unprecedented new turnout model for the caucuses, and its new poll is out of sync with the other polling done in the race.
When you look at Democrats who last time were 80% of the turnout, Hillary wins with that group by 6%, 33 to 27 for Obama and 25 for Edwards. And as David Yepsen points out, had their pollsters used the 2004 turnout model, Hillary would lead by 29 to 27, figures in line with the other polls.

The Des Moines Register Poll this time has 40% independent voters and 5% GOP voters in the poll when past independent participation has been 15% in 2000 and 19% in 2004, and the GOP has generally made up 1% of the vote. So they are depicting an unprecedented departure from historically established turnout patterns in the caucus. Under their model, only 55% of the caucus goers would be Democrats.

The other recent polls all show Hillary trending up and leading or within 1 point of the lead, and many show her moving up from a substantial deficit to tie and having the momentum in this race.

Insider Advantage, 12/28-12/29: Clinton 30, Edwards 29, Obama 22
Zogby, 12/27-12/30: Clinton 30, Edwards 26, Obama 26
Mason-Dixon, 12/26-12/28: Clinton 23, Edwards 24, Obama 22
Research 2000, 12/26-12/27: Clinton 28, Edwards 29, Obama 29
ARG, 12/26-12/28: Clinton 31, Edwards 24, Obama 24

So we do not see this poll as accurately reflecting the trends we are seeing in other polls, on our nightly canvasses or in our own polls, and voters should understand this is a very close race, and that their participation on caucus night could make all of the difference.

The battle for Iowa

Marbw — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:45:06 GMT

While in the US Senate Obama has passed Lugar-Obama, a bill that expands the Nunn-Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles and anti-personnel mines. He has also passed the "Coburn-Obama Transparency Act" provides for a web site, managed by the Office of Management and Budget, listing all organizations receiving Federal funds from 2007 onward, and providing breakdowns by the agency allocating the funds, the dollar amount given, and the purpose of the grant or contract. In addition to those two he has also gotten through the "Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act," which had his name on it as the first sponsor.
He also worked with Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) in strengthening restrictions on travel in corporate jets to S.1, the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007. And then Obama sponsored with Kit Bond (R-MO) an amendment to the 2008 Defense Authorization Act adding safeguards for personality disorder military discharges, and calling for a review by the Government Accounting Office following reports that the procedure had been used inappropriately to reduce government costs. He sponsored the "Iran Sanctions Enabling Act" supporting divestment of state pension funds from Iran's oil and gas industry, and joined Chuck Hagel (R-NE) in introducing legislation to prevent nuclear terrorism. He also sponsored a Senate amendment to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to provide one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries.
-----------------
As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Obama is committed to helping the heroes who defend our nation today and the veterans who fought in years past.

In January 2007, Senator Obama reintroduced the Lane Evans Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act to improve the VA’s planning process to avoid budget shortfalls in the future.
---
He authored the Sheltering All Veterans Everywhere Act (SAVE Act) to strengthen and expand federal homeless veteran programs that serve over 100,000 homeless veterans annually.
---
Part of the Lane Evans Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act, which Senator Obama reintroduced in January 2007, would help veterans transition from the DOD health system to the VA system by extending the window in which new veterans can get mental health care from two years to five years.
READ MORE AT:
http://obama.senate.gov/issues/veterans/

--
Honoring Our Veterans
http://origin.barackobama.com/issues/veterans/

---
Ensuring that the Voting Section Protects the Right to Vote:

Barack Obama has been a life-long defender of voting rights. After law school, he registered 150,000 new voters in Chicago. As a civil rights lawyer, he defended minority voters who challenged redistricting plans that diluted their vote. As a constitutional law lecturer, he taught classes on voting rights. And in the US Senate, he has led the fight to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act, to oppose discriminatory photo-ID laws and improve our election machinery. His " Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act", which has passed the House of Representatives and the Senate Judiciary Committee, will enable investigations into deceptive and fraudulent practices. It establishes significant, harsh penalties for those who have engaged in fraud, and it provides voters who have been misinformed with accurate and full information so they can vote.
--------
UPDATE OF 12/20/07: Washington, DC – Today, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) and Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) announced that a provision authored by Obama and Senator Hagel (R-NE) in the Senate and advanced by Schiff in the House requiring a comprehensive nuclear threat reduction plan passed as part of the omnibus appropriations bill. This provision requires the President to submit to Congress a comprehensive plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at vulnerable sites around the world are secure by 2012 from the threats that terrorists have shown they can pose. The Senate passed the omnibus appropriations bill last night and the House approved the same bill today. It will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.

Barack Obama is on the following committees in the US senate:

Senate Foreign Relations Commitee
Senate Commitee on Veterans' Affairs
Senate Commitee on Health, Education, Labor, Pensions
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Illinois senate
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/07/29/us/politics/20070730_OBAMA_GRAPHIC.html

Google Q&A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4yVlPqeZwo

Meet Barack Obama
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WGGIHqIoP2k

WFO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ASwQGwTDII&sdig=1

Real Leadership for Seniors
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid353515028/bctid1358585519

SPEECHES
http://www.barackobama.com/speeches/

ISSUES
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

The battle for Iowa

Marbw — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:46:38 GMT

December 19, 2007 -- Chicago, IL -- Over sixty foreign policy experts, with experience ranging from the State Department and the Pentagon, to the White House and the U.S. Congress, today announced their endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President.

The group, which includes individuals who have served under every President since John F. Kennedy, said that Obama has the judgment to lead America at this pivotal moment in history, and the ability to take on unconventional threats and restore America's security and standing in the world.

"On the most important foreign policy decision of the last twenty years, Barack Obama made the right judgment in opposing the war in Iraq. His combination of sound judgment, global understanding, and bold and detailed policy proposals is exactly what America needs in a President at this critical moment in our history," said Larry Korb, Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration.

Their endorsement came as Obama held a Foreign Policy Forum in Des Moines, Iowa, where he and several of his top foreign policy advisors engaged in a n open dialogue with Iowa residents on the challenges America faces and how Obama would address them as President. At the event, Obama discussed his specific plans to end the war in Iraq, renew American diplomacy, pursue aggressive diplomacy with Iran, fight terrorism and extremism, and lead the world against the threats of the 21st century.

Further details on Obama's foreign policy agenda can be found here: http://barackobama.com/foreignpolicy.

National Security Experts Endorsing Obama Today

Clifford Alexander, former Secretary of the Army

Ambassador Jeffrey Bader, Former Assistant US Trade Representative for Asia; Ambassador to Namibia

Professor Henri Barkey, Lehigh University, former member, State Dept. Policy Planning

Mr. Tom Bernstein, Human Rights Expert

Ambassador David Birenbaum, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. for Management and Reform

Dr. Esther Brimmer, former staff member State Department Policy Planning

Mr. Art Brown, former National Intelligence Officer for East Asia and Chief of CIA's East Asian Operations Division

Dr. Mark Brzezinski, former Director, European Affairs, National Security Council

Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Adviser under President Carter

Rep. Brad Carson, former Member of Congress; Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense

Dr. Joseph Cirincione, Author and Nonproliferation Expert

Ms. Bonnie Cohen, former Undersecretary of State for Management

Mr. Greg Craig, former Assistant to the President and Director of Policy Planning, State Department

Dr. Ivo Daalder, former Director, European Affairs, National Security Council

General (ret.) Tom Daniels, Texas Air National Guard

Mr. Richard Danzig, former Secretary of the Navy

Senator Tom Daschle, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader

Ambassador Alice Dear, former U.S. Executive Director, African Development Bank

Mr. Michael Froman, Chief of Staff, Department of Treasury; Deputy Assistant Secretary, Dept. of Treasury; National Security Council Staff Member

Mr. Tony Gambino, former Mission Director, USAID, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Dr. Tobi Gati, former Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research; Senior Director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasian Affairs, National Security Council

Ambassador Robert Gelbard, former Presidential Envoy for the Balkans; Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement; Ambassador to Indonesia; Ambassador to Bolivia

Dr. Matthew Goodman, Former Director for Asian Affairs, National Security Council

Dr. Philip Gordon, former Director, European Affairs, National Security Council

Dr. Scott Gould, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Management

General (ret.) Scott Gration, former Director for Strategy, Policy and Planning, U.S. European Command

Adm. Don Guter, former Judge Advocate General of the Navy

General (ret.) Richard Hearney, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps

Mr. Eric Holder, former Deputy Attorney General

Mr. John Holum, Former Director of ACDA and Undersecretary State for Arms Control and International Security

Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Ambassador to Mali and Madagascar, Chief of Mission to Cuba and Ethiopia

Admiral (ret.) John Hutson, former Judge Advocate General of the Navy

Mr. Jeh Johnson, former General Counsel, U.S. Air Force

Mr. Brian Katulis, Author and Middle East expert

Mr. Noel Koch, former Special Assistant to President Nixon; former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs

Mr. Larry Korb, Assistant Secretary of Defense

Mr. Anthony Lake, former National Security Adviser to President Bill Clinton

Mr. David Lipton, former Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs

Mr. Robert Litt, former Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General; US Attorney

Mr. Jan Lodal, former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense

Mr. Frank Loy, former Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs

General (ret.) Lester L. Lyles, former Vice Chief of Staff USAF 1999-2000

Governor Raymond Mabus, former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Governor of Mississippi

Dr. Michael McFaul, Professor, Political Science, Stanford University

General Tony McPeak, former Chief of Staff of the Air Force

The Honorable Abner Mikva, former White House Counsel under President Clinton; Chief Judge, DC Court of Appeals, Member of Congress (D-Ill)

Ambassador Donald McHenry, former US Permanent Representative to the United Nations

Ambassador Al Moses, former Ambassador to Romania

Professor Michael Nacht, Dean, School of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley

Admiral (ret.) John Nathman, former Director of Navy Operations and Plans

Prof. Michael Oppenheimer, Albert G. Milbank Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs, Department of Geosciences and Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs

F. Whitten Peters, former Secretary of the Air Force

Professor Samantha Power, Professor, Harvard University - Pulitzer Prize Winner

Ambassador Nick Rey, former Ambassador to Poland

Dr. Susan Rice, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; former Senior Director for African Affairs, National Security Council

Prof. Riordan Roett, Director of Western Hemisphere Studies and the Latin American Studies Program, SAIS, Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Barnett Rubin, Director of Studies and Senior Fellow, Center on International Cooperation, NY University

Ambassador David Scheffer, former Ambassador at Large for War Crimes

Dr. Witney Schneidman, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs

Ms. Sarah Sewell, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense

Mr. Dan Shapiro, former Director, National Security Council

Representative Adam Smith, House Armed Services Committee, Chairman, Terrorism, Unconventional Threats, and Capabilities Subcommittee

Ms. Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to the President, National Security Council

General (ret.) James Smith, former Deputy Commander, Joint Warfare Center, US Joint Forces Command

Ms. Tara Sonenshine, former Special Assistant to the President, National Security Council

Mr. Theodore "Ted" Sorensen, former Special Counsel to President John F. Kennedy

Ms. Mona Sutphen, former Special Assistant to the National Security Advisor

Dr. Jim Vermillion, former Mission Director, USAID, Nicaragua

Professor David Victor, Stanford Law School

The Honorable Pat Wald, Chief Judge, DC Circuit, US Court of Appeals, Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs, International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia, Iraq Intelligence Commission

Professor Celeste Wallender, Georgetown University

Senator Harris Wofford, former CEO Corporation for National Service (Americorps), United States Senator

Representative/Dr. Howard Wolpe, Former Member of Congress and Presidential Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa

The battle for Iowa

Sierra, SF — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:00:46 GMT

William Kenly, Concord, NH : '...Hey Democrats - You KNOW you don't want to face Romney come November - which is why the ultra-liberals keep trying to push Huckabee or McCain!...'

William, I don't want to face Romney because he might win the Presidency.
He's a phoney and an opportunist who'll change his position to win votes

Yes, I'd rather see McCain or Huckabee or (even) Ron Paul get the nomination because they seem honest.
I don't really agree with their positions (they are Republicans, after all)
But, at least they seem honest.
McCain stood up against torture.
That's honorable !
I'm afraid of his stupid song 'bomb, bomb Iran'

We'll beat that flip-flopper Romney like a drum !

Romney's problem isn't that he's a MORMON
Romney's problem is that he's a MORON

The battle for Iowa

Marbw — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:02:30 GMT

Iowa newspapers have endorsed Senator Obama:

Sioux City Journal
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Ames Iowa State Daily
Iowa City Daily Iowan
El Latino
Woodbine Twiner
Ottumwa Courier
Logan Herald-Observer
Marshalltown Times-Republican

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Iowa---Clinton County Sheriff Rick Lincoln supports Barack Obama.
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Lee County law enforcement officials back Obama

We urge all Lee County citizens to consider supporting Barack Obama at the Iowa caucus on Jan. 3.

H.D. “Buck” Jones, Lee County Sheriff; David L. Ireland, Retired Lee County Sheriff; Michael P. Short, Lee County Attorney; and Gordon Liles, Assistant Lee County Attorney.

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EXCLUSIVE! Mayor Rickard to vote for Obama
By Gersh Kuntzman
The Brooklyn Paper

BROOKLYN, IOWA — The longtime Republican mayor of this tiny heartland town will stun his neighbors — and send shockwaves that will reach his countrymen in the real Brooklyn — when he breaks ranks with the GOP to vote for Sen. Barack Obama at the Iowa caucuses this Thursday night.

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/30/51/31_01iowamayor.html

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WASHINGTON, DC – United States Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) endorsed Barack Obama for President today, citing his ability to unite the nation to get things done.

----------------------------------------
Award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, a resident of Walpole, NH endorsed Barack Obama
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Superman swoops in for Obama

Iowa-born actor Brandon Routh (aka Superman) stumped for Obama Sunday.
INDIANOLA, Iowa (CNN) — He may be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but Superman can’t caucus.

Actor and Iowa native Brandon Routh is better-known for his role as Superman, but Sunday night he made a cameo appearance on the campaign trail, speaking on behalf of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama at a rally in Indianola, Iowa.

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Even the Grinch is voting for Barack Obama.
OK, the Grinch's animator. Tom Ray was one of the five animators who created "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" back in 1966 (which was incidentally a favorite of Senator Obama's as a kid.) In addition to the Grinch, we can also thank Tom for being part of the team that brought us Daffy Duck, Tom & Jerry, Yogi Bear, and a smart-aleck, Brooklyn-type rabbit known to most of us by the name of Bugs.

The battle for Iowa

Marbw — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:04:47 GMT

Democratic primary

With 95 percent of precincts reporting, Mr. Obama had 53 percent of the vote and led his nearest competitor, Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, who had 23 percent of the vote. Multimillionaire businessman Blair Hull was a footnote.

Illinois senate race in 2004---(12% African-American population only--won over 75%)

Barack Obama won 70%--------over 3.5 million (including all demographics---suburbs, city, downstate, upstate, Black, White, Hispanic, Asian).

John Kerry won over 54%-----over 2.8 million(less votes than Barack Obama

George Bush won over 44%----over 2.3 million

Alan Keyes won over 27%-----over 1.3 million

Not only that, Obama won consistently in both affluent and poor areas, and in both black and white communities. His strong values enabled him to appeal to a wide variety of voters.

The battle for Iowa

PulSamsara — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:05:31 GMT

I'm voting for Barack Obama.

Barack Obama for President of the United States of America.

It's time for America to Rise and Shine again.

The battle for Iowa

wjm — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:08:08 GMT

As a former military officer with a couple of wartime deployments, it used to be that people looked up to our country as a force for good. Not anymore.

ead foreign press and talk to people you know abroad. The rest of world is hoping against hope that Obama will be elected, because the hope they hold is that they won't have to be afraid of the United States anymore.

It is only because Americans are such self-absorbed crybabies that most people in our heartland just don't get it. If Obama doesn't win, I'm outta here. Canada, or Europe perhaps.

The battle for Iowa

Marbw — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:16:29 GMT

Barack Obama was raised by his mom, Stanley Ann Dunham til arbout age 10; then lived with his maternal grandparents in Hawaii. He went to school on a scholarship.

Michelle/Barack's mom/Barack
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2007/01/27/obama/obama4.jpg

Barack and his sister Maya in Hawaii
http://www.hawaiiforobama.org/images/IMG_0245_f.jpg

EDUCATION

Harvard Law School, J.D. 1991, Magna Cum Laude.
President, Harvard Law Review
Executive Board, Black Law Students' Association
Columbia University, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1983

Illinois State Senator - 13th Legislative District, Chicago, 1996 - 2004
Minority Spokesperson for the Public Health & Welfare Committee, Member of the Judiciary and Revenue Committees, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
Areas of legislative interest include welfare reform; public school funding and accountability; tax accountability and tax fairness; campaign finance and ethics reform; job training and workforce preparation; economic development and technology access; and juvenile justice issues.

University of Chicago Law School
Senior Lecturer, 1993 -

Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C.
Of Counsel, 1996 -
Specializing in civil rights and voting rights litigation, employment law, and the representation of not-for-profit and community development corporations in urban redevelopment activities.
Associate, 1993 - 1996
Litigated voting rights and employment cases, wrote appellate briefs and argued appeals in the United States Court of Appeals, helped to structure and finance efforts to construct mixed-income housing to replace public housing in and around Cabrini Green, served as general counsel to community health clinics, social service agencies, and charter schools throughout Chicago.

Illinois Project Vote
Director, April 1992 - November 1992
Organized and directed a voter registration and education campaign targeted at minority and low-income voters in Cook County. Recruited and managed 10 paid staff and 700 volunteers; helped raise $200,000 for the project; coordinated a companion multi-media campaign; established office and reporting systems. Resulted in approximately 150,000 newly registered voters in the 1992 Presidential election.

Developing Communities Project
Director, June 1985 - June 1988
Organized and directed a not-for-profit community development program in low-income areas of Chicago's Far South Side. With a membership of over twenty churches and civic groups, the organization trained local leaders to formulate and execute a range of community development projects, including job training programs for area unemployed, college prep programs for low-income students, parent initiatives to reform public schools, and campaigns to clean up hazardous waste sites.

Business International Corporation
Writer/Financial Analyst, January 1984 - January 1985
Researched, wrote and edited articles, reports, and how-to manuals on international business and finance for multinational corporations.

Honors

Outstanding Legislator Awards from Campaign for Better Health Care and Illinois Primary Health Care Association, 1998

Best Freshman Legislator Award from Independent Voters of Illinois/Independent Precinct Organizations, 1997

Legal Eagle Award for litigation leading to Illinois' compliance with national "Motor Voter" Legislation, 1995

Monarch Award for Outstanding Public Service, 1994

Crain's Chicago Business "40 Under 40" Award, 1993

The battle for Iowa

Carrie, Eastern Iowa — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:29:44 GMT

Carrie ( Iowa), if i'm not mistaken, you posted sometime ago, that you were under 30 years of age. If that is correct, as involved with the Political process as You are, why can't other's be just as Involved?
Newbies, as You called them, I would better characterize it as Concerned citizens fed up with the way our Government is Not working for the so-called Newbies, or for the Majority of American's as a whole.
Rick,ky (Sent Tuesday, January 01, 2008 11:33 AM)

Newbies is correct - if they have not caucused before, then they are new to the process. Maybe they will show up and maybe they won't. As I (and others in Iowa) have stated before, the best predictor of caucus attendance is past attendance. Those who make the trek to their precincts every four years will undoubtedly make the trek again this year. Those who have never gone before...that's somewhat of an unknown. And, incidentally, it is an unknown that everyone paying any attention has acknowledged.

The battle for Iowa

Carrie, Eastern Iowa — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:32:03 GMT

Wow, what's up with the endless string of super-long posts, Marbw? Geez, that kinda stuff makes it a real pain in the ass to read the comments that do more than make lots of lists.

The battle for Iowa

David Anders Pharr ,Tx. — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:25:10 GMT

MARBW CUT THE CRAP SO YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE I WAS GONNA VOTE OBAMA TILL YOU PULLED THIS CRAP

The battle for Iowa

Dot, Illlinois — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:07:36 GMT

I thought perhaps I was the only one who found those long posts from marbw annoying? Does anybody take the time to read them?

The battle for Iowa

HP Boston — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:04:13 GMT

I thought perhaps I was the only one who found those long posts from marbw annoying? Does anybody take the time to read them?
Dot, Illlinois (Sent Tuesday, January 01, 2008 7:07 PM)

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NO!