“OBAMA SUPPORTERS” DAILY NEWS Wednesday April 30 2008

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

WELCOME TO “OBAMA SUPPORTERS” DAILY NEWS

Wednesday April 30 2008


Senator Barack Obama drove to the basket during a basketball game in Chapel Hill on Tuesday.
(Photo: Jae C. Hong/Associated Press)

Esteemed DUer's, please consider taking a moment (or more) to graciously participate
by posting news and announcements about the Obama campaign on this thread. You can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web. :think:

2. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU,
providing a link to the original thread :applause:

3. Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page :thumbsup:

4. Clinton supporters or “anti Obama posters please start your own “Clinton Daily News Thread”.

Get your DU-o-matic codificator (to format your posts) here
Read the Daily News Archives here

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

1. Another Primary Plan Proposed in Michigan

Another Primary Plan Proposed in Michigan

By John M. Broder NYT The Caucus Blogs April 29, 2008

Yet another proposal to resolve the mess arising from Michigan’s too-early primary has been floated, this time by a group of prominent Democrats.

This latest plan would split the difference between the positions of Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. Mrs. Clinton insists that the state’s 128 pledged delegates be seated according to the result of the Jan. 15 primary, which she won although the national Democratic Party declared the contest illegal in advance and Mr. Obama’s name was not on the ballot. That would give her a 73 to 55 advantage in delegates.
Mr. Obama, saying the primary was illegitimate and should have no bearing on the Michigan delegation, said he would accept a 64-64 split.

Various plans to untangle the debacle — including holding a new primary or seating just half the delegation — have been rejected by one or more of the various parties. Now Michigan’s so-called Gang of Four — Senator Carl Levin; Representative Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick; Ron Gettelfinger, the United Auto Workers president; and Debbie Dingell, a Democratic National Committee member — are proposing that the delegation be split 69-59, reducing Mrs. Clinton’s 18-delegate advantage to 10 delegates.

...No dice, the Obama campaign said. The Michigan primary, the campaign said in a statement Tuesday, “where Senator Obama’s name did not appear on the ballot and the candidates did not campaign, should not be the basis for how the Michigan delegation is seated.”

...The Michigan Democratic Party said it was studying the plan. No comment from the national Democratic Party.

...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

2. Roll Call says Debbie Wasserman Schultz might be next chairman of the DCCC. I have concerns.

Read this post and be scared for the future of the democratic party:

Posted by madfloridian in General Discussion: Primaries
Tue Apr 29th 2008,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5733604

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

3. Obama Kicks Wright In the Junk

Obama Kicks Wright In the Junk

By: John Cole at 2:08 pm

Because I refuse to say he threw him under the bus, which is now my least favorite expression in the English language. At any rate, Obama “distanced” himself from Wright...

...All the talking heads assured me he had to do this, and now he has. I am not sure why it was necessary, as it was pretty clear to me when listening to Wright the past few days that he was not speaking for Obama, but such is the guilt-by-association bullshit of the media.

As to Wright himself, well, I have my own thoughts. First and foremost, I guess I am no longer the delicate fainting flower that most other bloggers and media commenters are these days. I spent several years in the early days of this blog being all sorts of outraged about petty bullshit. I spent days calling Ted Rall an asshole (he still is, I think), days opining about what an asshole Michael Moore is, and so on. I got my panties all in a bunch about Ward Churchhill (also a dick), and stupid things Bill Maher may or may not have said, and so on.

....And so it is with Jeremiah Wright. Is he a jerk? I don’t think there is any argument to be made that lately he hasn’t in fact been one big, giant, puckered asshole. His ego tour the past few days was all about him, but so what? I blame the media as much as I blame him. Is it an offensive notion that the government created aids? Absolutely, but I refuse to get all bent out of shape about it, because the government that tortures people and ran the Tuskegee experiment and wiretapped MLK for years opens itself up to crazy accusations like that.

...Maybe it is because I am totally and unrepentantly in the tank for Obama, but I just can’t get worked up over what his pastor said. Maybe it is because I am not religious, and I am used to religious people saying things that sound crazy. Or maybe I just refuse to spend any more time and energy getting worked up over and denouncing, distancing, and rejecting the wrong people- people who really don’t matter in the big scheme of things. If you have a memo from Jeremiah Wright to John Yoo showing how we should become a rogue nation, let me know. If you have pictures of Jeremiah Wright voting against the GI Bill, send it to me. If you have evidence of Jeremiah Wright training junior soldiers on the finer aspects of stacking and torturing naked Iraqi captives, pass them on.

....more at the link

[MarjorieG]

10. He questioned Obama's sincerity. Necessary to answer.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

4. Krugman: Clinton's gas tax plan pointless and disappointing

Krugman, you smelling what Obama's cooking yet?

Krugman: Clinton's gas tax plan pointless and disappointing

Jed Report Tue Apr 29

I knew this day would eventually come (from Paul Krugman's blog):

Gas tax follies

I’ve been on the road (actually doing a public dialog with Barney Frank on financial reform), so I’m just catching up. Anyway, John McCain has a really bad idea on gasoline, Hillary Clinton is emulating him (but with a twist that makes her plan pointless rather than evil), and Barack Obama, to his credit, says no.

Why doesn’t cutting the gas tax this summer make sense? It’s Econ 101 tax incidence theory: if the supply of a good is more or less unresponsive to the price, the price to consumers will always rise until the quantity demanded falls to match the quantity supplied. Cut taxes, and all that happens is that the pretax price rises by the same amount. The McCain gas tax plan is a giveaway to oil companies, disguised as a gift to consumers.

Is the supply of gasoline really fixed? For this coming summer, it is. Refineries normally run flat out in the summer, the season of peak driving. Any elasticity in the supply comes earlier in the year, when refiners decide how much to put in inventories. The McCain/Clinton gas tax proposal comes too late for that. So it’s Econ 101: the tax cut really goes to the oil companies.

The Clinton twist is that she proposes paying for the revenue loss with an excess profits tax on oil companies. In one pocket, out the other. So it’s pointless, not evil. But it is pointless, and disappointing.

...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. Gas tax wars: Pandering vs. Honesty (see new ads on video)

Gas tax wars: Pandering vs. Honesty

Jed Report Tue Apr 29

New Ads on Video

Clinton vs. Obama
(New Clinton attack ad)

Obama vs. McCain
(Obama debunks the McCain-Clinton plan)

For more on why the McCain-Clinton gas tax plan is a bad idea, see Krugman.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

6. Why Wright Doesn't Necessarily Hurt Obama's Shot at the Nomination

Why Wright Doesn't Necessarily Hurt Obama's Shot at the Nomination

Andrew Romano UPDATE, April 29:

In Winston-Salem this afternoon, Obama forcefully severed himself from Wright. Will it work? Read my take here.

Unless you spent the last three days in a cave--the kind without Wi-Fi--you're probably aware that Barack Obama's spurned former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., has received roadblocked media coverage for what some commentators are calling his "revenge tour"--an interview with PBS's Bill Moyers on Friday, an NAACP speech Sunday and an appearance at the National Press Club this morning. According to the chatterati, this is a big problem for Obama. "Wright's purpose now seems quite clear: to aggrandize himself--the guy is going to be a go-to mainstream media source for racial extremist spew, the next iteration of Al Sharpton--and destroy Barack Obama," writes Time's Joe Klein. According to Ben Smith of the Politico, "if you had any doubt about whether Jeremiah Wright's new high profile was in the service of the Obama campaign, his cheerfully combative performance...should put that to rest." Adds MSNBC's First Read crew: "'s hurting and hurting him very badly. Frankly, it’s as selfish of a move as we've seen in some time."

...But there's another factor at work. The harder the superdelegates are pressed to make a decision involving race--whether implicitly or explicitly--the more hesitant they will be, I think, "to cave--or to be seen caving, to anyone's racial biases, including voters'." In other words, the more that race and Wright are linked to the arguments against nominating Obama*--i.e., electability--the more chancy it is politically for superdels to side with Clinton; that choice then becomes "racism" over "hope" for a significant number of Democrats, namely Obama supporters. (NB: I'm not saying this is right. We're talking perceptions here.) And I suspect that the risk of being seen as bowing to bigotry overwhelms (or at least cancels out) the risk of suffering "bogeyman" attacks, which would, after all, only play in states Obama stands no chance of winning (like Mississippi)--while spurring a sizable backlash everywhere else.

In the end, then, Wright won't transform Obama into more electable general-election candidate or a friendlier top-of-the-ticket pick for downballot pols in contested blue-collar districts. We knew that a long time ago. But at this point, he could very well make it harder--fairly or unfairly--for the party bosses to choose Clinton instead. Talk about moving in mysterious ways.

*And yes, as some commenters have noted, it's the media doing most of the explicit linking--which is not to say that a connection isn't really there. It's a vicious cycle.

...more at the link including video

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

7. Obama Throws Wright Under the Bus, Runs Him Over, Puts the Vehicle in Reverse and Repeats

Obama Throws Wright Under the Bus, Runs Him Over, Puts the Vehicle in Reverse and Repeats

Andew Romano Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Yesterday, I outlined why the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's "revenge tour" wouldn't necessarily hurt Obama's shot at the nomination--namely, because it forces superdelegates into the politically uncomfortable position of appearing to vote against the Illinois senator because of Wright (and, by extension, race). But there's another reason Wright's reappearance might not inflict as much damage as the pundits predicted: it gave Obama the opportunity to do what he did this afternoon in Winston-Salem, N.C. Which is throw Wright under the bus, run him over, put the vehicle in reverse and repeat.

Holding a press conference after a town hall at the Joel Coliseum, Obama ripped into Wright for yesterday's remarks, delivering a "far sharper disavowal than he gave in Philadelphia last month." Twice saying his was "angry" with the grandstanding Wright--"what mattered to him was commanding center stage"--Obama characterized his former pastor's speaking tour as "a show of disrespect to me an insult to what we're trying to do in this campaign." Obama's basic message: Wright's musings were not only offensive but antithetical to his own views and politics. The transcript, via Ben Smith:

"I have spent my entire adult life trying to bridge the gap between different kinds of people. That’s in my DNA, trying to promote mutual understanding to insist that we all share common hopes and common dreams as Americans and as human beings. That’s who I am, that’s what I believe, and that’s what this campaign has been about," Obama said. "I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yesterday."

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

8. If Obama Had Said It

If Obama Had Said It

Andrew Sullivan 28 Apr 2008 12:49 pm

Imagine the fuss if Barack Obama had pledged to "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacked Israel.

He'd be regarded as green, unready for the presidency, prone to hyperbole, untested and unvetted.
If his comment had rattled key allies, from Saudi Arabia to Britain, the critics would have pounced.
And yet Senator Clinton's extreme rhetoric in the Philly debate was barely noted by the media.
And some say she gets no respect.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

9. NC's Gov "Crash" "deletes public records" "diverts $ from mental health" Easley endorses Clinton

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5722199

NC Gov Easley endores Hillary Clinton - and why it may hurt Clinton

Here's why I'm not surprised that someone like him would do that.(He's the outgoing DINO Gov)

Destroys public records on a regular basis

North Carolina Governor Sued By Media Over Emails

April 14, 2008 Stephanie Cruz - AHN

Raleigh, NC (AHN) - Several media organizations on Monday filed a lawsuit against Gov. Mike Easley, accusing his administration of routinely violating the state's public records law by deleting official e-mails.

The complaint was filed in Wake County Superior Court by 10 media groups seeking a court order against state employees to prevent them from deleting, destroying, or concealing government e-mails.

The lawsuit is asking the Court to compel North Carolina Cabinet officials to require all personnel to abide with state public records law.
...
The law states that all e-mails sent to and from government offices are "public records if they contain information related to the transaction of public business" and should be be kept for future reference.

The suit stemmed from a former Dept. of Health and Human Services official's statement that Easley's office follows an unwritten policy to delete e-mails daily. Two other public information officers affirmed the fired worker's claim.

...The media groups who sued Gov. Easley include: The Associated Press; The News & Observer, The Charlotte Observer; the North Carolina Press Association; The Fayetteville Observer; The Wilson Daily Times; The Alamance News; Freedom Communications and Freedom Eastern North Carolina Communications; Media General Operations Inc.; and The John Locke Foundation

...more at the link

Easley withheld millions of $ from health care to plug the budget holes

Governor's Candidates Focus on Woes of Mental Health System

WRAL News Apr. 25, 2008

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina's mental health system has never received so much attention from the public, let alone the major-party candidates for governor.

That's largely due to the widespread failure of a reform effort initiated by the Legislature in 2001 and carried out by Gov. Mike Easley's administration, which tried to create a community-centered method for treating the mentally ill, substance abusers and the mentally disabled.

...The idea behind the 2001 reform was to shift the state's mental health programs away from institutional care to community-based treatment offered by private providers. The General Assembly set aside money to help local agencies that manage patient services to build up their treatment capacity by adding short-term hospital beds and crisis services.

The intention was to keep patients from ending up in jails or emergency rooms following a breakdown.

Instead, the state's institutions are used more than ever. Replacing government-run psychiatric services at the county level led to no care in some rural areas because private or nonprofit providers either couldn't survive financially or simply left the area.
Easley also intercepted tens of millions of dollars earmarked for mental health to plug a budget shortfall.

...more at the link

Here's why we in NC unaffectionately call him "Crash Easley"

Easley Won't Be Thrown Off Track

Dan Kane & Rupen Fofaria, News & Observer May 10th, 2003

Gov. Mike Easley walked away from a high-speed crash Friday at Lowe's Motor

Speedway, got into a second race car and raced some more at speeds up to 160 mph.

No big deal, said NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace. "I don't think it's dangerous," he said.

But Rep. Mickey Michaux, after hearing of the wreck, said a governor should be more careful.

"I think if I was governor, I'd be a little more circumspect," said Michaux, a Durham Democrat.
"I don't think I'd be in a race car. But hey, you take a chance crossing the street."



...more at the link

[quantass]

52. .

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

11. Oliver Willis: "just McCain/Clinton types who are trying to whip up noise."

Obama Denounces Rev. Wright At Press Conference

Oliver Willis April 29, 2008

(Video is at Oliver's website here

It’s pretty clear where Obama stands, and the people who are going to keep saying things “raise questions” are just McCain/Clinton types who are trying to whip up noise.

“I’m outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle.
The person that I saw yesterday was not the person I met 20 years ago. His comments were
not only divisive and destructive, but they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate.
I believe they do not accurately portray the perspective of the black church. They certainly don’t portray mine.
If he considers this political posturing, then he doesn’t know me very well. And I don’t know him well either.”

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

12. $2.38 Billion In Earmarks For Clinton?

$2.38 Billion In Earmarks For Clinton?

Oliver Willis April 29, 2008

Now, I don’t buy the conservative yammering about earmarks. I think one of the integral parts of congress is requesting money to bring back home and that’s never changing. But, em, you think Sen. Clinton would be a little less grabby.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has requested nearly $2.3 billion in federal earmarks for 2009, almost three times the largest amount received by a single senator this year.

The Democratic presidential candidate’s staggering request comes at a time when Congress remains engaged in a heated debate over spending federal dollars on parochial projects.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

13. RBC Update: The Gas Tax Holiday - 6 reasons its a terrible idea

The RBC Update: The Gas Tax Holiday

Same Facts 2008.04.29

Anyone (I'm looking at you, Paul Krugman) who ever criticized Obama for "repeating Republican talking points" ought to switch sides now. It may be true that, as Krugman says, financing the tax holiday with a windfall profits tax on oil companies makes it "pointless rather than evil," but deceiving the voters is worse than pointless, and doing so in a way that supports the idea that every problem can be fixed with the appropriate tax cut is an endorsement of the ultimate Republican talking point.

If I were running the Obama campaign, I'd think about using my candidate's famous eloquence to explain the issue in some detail and ram the lie back down Hillary Clinton's throat, and McCain's.

And Mike O'Hare is right as usual: the correct response when a candidate does something brave and right on a crucial issue is to send money.... more at the link (including the 6 reasons)

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

14. Clinton Files Debt Disclosure

Clinton Files Debt Disclosure

By Alex Knott, CQ Staff Mon Apr 28, 4:22 PM ET

Hillary Rodham Clinton amended her disclosure reports over the weekend to account for $5 million she loaned her presidential campaign in January. Though it was widely known the New York senator used the funds to help rally support for her White House bid during the early primaries, an accounting oversight left the information missing from reports filed at the Federal Election Commission.

The new disclosure brings her total debt to $15.3 million through March, compared to $662,784 for her Democratic opponent Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. While both have debt, they both also have a considerable amount of cash on hand, Obama with $51 million to Clinton's nearly $32 million.

Obama has outraised Clinton during the presidential election taking in $240 million to Clinton's $195 million. This fundraising disparity has become more pronounced in recent months as Obama has won more delegates.

The Clinton campaign announced the candidate's January self-funding loan in early February.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

15. Two Nobel Laureates: Obama Better for Economy

Two Nobel Laureates: Obama Better for Economy

One Million Strong 28 Apr 2008

I'm not sure if this was an upset answer or not, but I found the question even more interesting than the answer.

CNBC ran an 11-minute segment on the economy with Joseph Stiglitz, 2001 Nobel prize winner in Economics, and a former member of Bill Clinton's Counsel of Economic Advisors, and Edmund Phelps, a 2006 Nobel prize winner in Economics.

The first question was: Who would be the better President for the economy, Clinton, Obama or McCain? Interestingly, this question was directed first to . . . Joseph Stiglitz. Why? Because he "was a member of Clinton's Counsel of Economic Advisors". Again, not sure if this was a deliberate attempt to bolster Clinton, but if it was . . . it backfired . . . bigtime!

He chose Obama. Then, Dr. Phelps essentially said "Ditto what he said".

Listen to the segment for yourself. Worth 11 minutes of your time.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

16. Another Iowa Superdelegate, Richard Machacek, endorses Obama

powergirl

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5740764

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

17. Gingrich pushes Hillary candidacy on "The View"

Gingrich pushes Hillary candidacy on "The View"

Tuesday, April 29, 2008 by John Aravosis (DC)

I rest my case. Newt Gingrich is on TV presenting pro-Hillary talking points, that are lies, in order to push her candidacy. He just told ABC's audience that Hillary actually has more votes than Obama (which is absolutely untrue, though it is a new lie the Clintons came up with last week), and then suggested that we hold a revote in Michigan at the beginning of August. Yeah, he'd like that, wouldn't he - prolong our civil warn until August. So now Gingrich joins Limbaugh and all the rest of the nutjobs in being a Hillary fan. Tell you anything?

[John Q. Citizen]

24. From impeach to install. Hmmm....

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

18. Neo Cons Pull Out All Stops for Hillary

Neo Cons Pull Out All Stops for Hillary

By Laura Roslin - Apr 29th, 2008

The Neo Cons' are busy trying to give Hillary a last minute boost in the Indiana and North Carolina primaries. They have Newt Gingrich on the stump, a DINO Gov endorsement, Robo calls to African-Americans, Rush Limpballs' Operation Chaos, and the major Pastorgate eruption.... DINO outgoing Gov of NC endorses Hillary.

...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

19. Deleted Pro-Clinton Blog Entry from National Press Club Rev. Wright Appearance Organizer

Kpete
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3289959&mesg_id=3289959

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

20. Please post links, pictures, news etc

if you see a thread in GDP that you like, please share it and here
and more people will get to see that thread.

Any news etc you post here helps make the news more interesting.

Thanks!

[grantcart]

21. Obama Campaign Holding Basketball Tournament in Oregon

Following up with the basketball theme:

PORTLAND, Ore. - Tonight, Craig Robinson, Senator Barack Obama’s brother-in-law and OSU's new basketball coach, will referee the Obama Campaign’s 3-on-3 'Hoops for Change' basketball event featuring Portland Trail Blazers Channing Frye and James Jones.

Oregonians aged 16 years or older who collect voter registration forms for at least 5 people will qualify to be picked to participate in the 3-on-3 'Hoops for Change' basketball game. On Monday, two participants will be selected by the campaign to pick two of his or her friends to play in a game of 3-on-3 basketball. The game will be refereed by Coach Robinson. Portland Trail Blazers Channing Frye and James Jones will each coach a team. Voice of the Trail Blazers and former Trail Blazer Antonio Harvey will announce the 3-on-3 game.

[grantcart]

22. Democratic voter registration surges in Oregon

Democratic voter registration surges in Oregon
New voters and those who have changed party affiliation push state numbers beyond 2 million for the first time since the 2004 presidential election

The Democrats are coming. And they are coming in force.

A surge in Democratic voter registration that began earlier this year is peaking as Oregon nears the Tuesday deadline to register for the May 20 primary. Oregon's contest could be crucial in deciding whether Sen. Hillary Clinton or Sen. Barack Obama will win the Democratic nomination for president.

Oregon Democrats, who began the year with about 70,000 more registered voters than Republicans, have doubled that advantage, which stood Friday at 826,984 Democrats to 685,344 Republicans.

Obama "buzz"

There are a few signs that Obama may be the main beneficiary of the new Democratic registrations.

According to local elections officials, the Obama campaign appears to have been more active in registering voters than the Clinton campaign. In Lane County, home of the University of Oregon and the kind of area where Obama has run strongly in other parts of the country, "it's primarily the Obama campaign" that has been registering voters, said Annette Newingham, chief deputy county clerk. "The Hillary Clinton campaign is pretty quiet in comparison."

"The buzz has been Obama," echoed Jackson County Clerk Chris Walker.

"We've seen more individuals wearing Obama campaign material coming in with registration forms," said Margaret Wu, Clackamas County elections manager.

Obama has trounced Clinton among younger voters in earlier primaries, and that could work to his advantage in Oregon. In the months before the 2006 primary, about half of newly registered voters were 18 to 30 years old. So far this year, 18- to 30-year-olds account for 58 percent of a much larger influx of new voters.


http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/120918572488500.xml&coll=7&thispage=3

[John Q. Citizen]

25. That's such a cool idea for an event..

[Cha]

27. This has got to be an exciting

thing to look forward to in Oregon..how perfect that Michelle's brother is the new head coach at OSU!

[Tarc]

23. Wow. Too funny

Let's distract the masses from the Rev. Wright blow-up by posting fluff pieces?

Sad, sad, sad. :rofl:

[grantcart]

26. This thread is meant to serve as a community service to the Obama community

to share information and news in a single thread.

It is not a discussion thread or an issues thread.


We have on numerous occasions requested Clinton Supporters to start their own thread and that we would work with them to make sure that interlopers would not interfere. While we thank you for kicking the thread we would like to encourage you to do something productive in advancing your candidate's cause by starting a similar venture for her. Thank you.

[Tarc]

29. What I'll do is ridiculue your transparent propaganda farce here

and there's really not much you will do about it.

But thanks for the advice. :eyes:

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

31. The thread says "Obama supporters" not people who have nothing good to say about their own candidate

if you have to harass people on a thread that is clearly labled
Obama Supporters, then

1. you have NO CLASS, Hillary supporters always leave this thread alone, only
nasty trolls come here to disrupt,

2. you don't have anything good to say about your candidate or you
would start your own daily news thread for that campaign.

3. I challenge you to start a "----" Supporters Daily News Thread of your own,
unless your only goal is to harass us here.

And we know the rules - deliberate disrupting or stalking is against DU rules.

[NashVegas]

39. You're Gaming the Board

But Tarc has no class?

[JimGinPA]

35. So What You're Saying Is Your Purpose Is To Be Disrupting Here?

Hmmm.

[catgirl]

48. We should all alert for disrupting

[Tarc]

54. Pointing out O-Bot hypocrisy and poking holes in their puff pieces

isn't disruptive, my dear. All topics in all forums are open to commentary. If you don't like it then sod off and go write a blog where you can control things more, k?

I'm glad we cleared that up.

[catgirl]

55. Welcome to my Mean Sarcastic Unlikable Person Ignore List

Glad I've heard the last of you. Others should me. It'll be a much
nicer world.

[grantcart]

28. Newspapers in N Carolina and Indiana

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/hr.asp?fpVname=NC_HS&ref_pge=lst

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/hr.asp?fpVname=NC_NR&ref_pge=lst

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/hr.asp?fpVname=NC_NO&ref_pge=lst

[quantass]

50. .

[AJ Franklin]

30. Take up a collection

Obama supporters are passing the hat to keep Reverend Jeremiah Wright on the campaign trail right behind his favorite politician.

Clinton supporters think it is a great idea and are supporting it as well. It's something we can all agree on!

But watching the all-talk Barack campaign implode? Priceless!

[JimGinPA]

36. This Is A Daily Thread That Most HRC Supporters Here Have The Courtesy Not To Shit On...

This is not a clever way to begin your sojourn at DU.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

32. The latest Rasmussen 4/29 NC: Obama 51% Clinton 37% -not bad considering all of these things:

Not bad considering the Hero of Tuzla is doing push polling, Newt Gingrich is on the radio endorsing her here, Robo Calls are going out to African Americans to make them think they aren't registered to vote, Bill Clinton's friend Rush Limpballs is aiming his Operation Chaos on NC, and a Clinton supporter sponsors Pastor Wrights attack on Obama.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of North Carolina’s Presidential Primary finds Barack Obama leading Hillary Clinton 51% to 37%.

Rasmussen Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Earlier this month, Obama led by twenty-three percentage points.

Nationally, Obama has the edge over Clinton in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.
The demographic results in North Carolina are similar to the dynamics seen nationally and in most primaries—Clinton leads by fifteen points among White voters while Obama leads 80% to 11% among African-Americans. Clinton does well among White Women and older voters while Obama leads among those under 65.

....
Obama is viewed favorably by 71% of the state’s Likely Primary Voters, down four points from the previous survey. Clinton is viewed favorably by 62%, down four since earlier this month.

...Overall, 62% believe that Obama will win the nomination while 26% believe it will be Clinton who ends up representing the party.

Obama voters, by an 89% to 6% margin, believe their candidate will win. Clinton voters, by a 58% to 30% margin, believe the former First Lady will be the Party’s nominee.

Thirty-two percent (32%) of Tar Heel Democratic Primary Voters say that Clinton should drop out of the race. Twenty percent (20%) say the same about Obama. These figures are close to the national average.

...Rasmussen Markets data just prior to the release of this poll showed Obama was heavily favored to win the North Carolina Primary. Current prices show that Obama has a 90.3% chance of winning while Clinton is given a 8.2% chance of victory. Numbers in this paragraph are from a prediction market, not a poll. We invite you to participate in the Rasmussen Markets. It costs nothing to join and add your voice to the collective wisdom of the market.
...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

33. NC Needs Your Help NOW with GOTV Calls - its easy really!

One-Stop Early Voting is underway now in North Carolina. This unique voting process allows even people who are not registered, or who have never voted before, to register and vote all at once. We've undertaken an ambitious drive to inform as many of our supporters as possible about One-Stop Early voting, and your phone calls have been a major part of that effort. The result: the News & Observer reported that, as of last Friday, more than 121,500 people statewide had voted at one-stop locations.

Earlier in the month, North Carolina Out of State Volunteer coordinator Charlie Anderson spoke to our National Call Team about the importance of your phone calls to North Carolina:

Registered and unregistered North Carolina residents can participate in One-Stop Early Voting now through Saturday. If you live in North Carolina, you can find your One-Stop location now.

We have until the end of the week to reach as many supporters as possible and let them know about One-Stop Early Voting, as part of our effort to make one million calls to voters by the close of polls on May 6th.

It only takes a minute to get started, and One-Stop Early Voting means that your phone calls to North Carolina can translate into real votes, right now.

MAKE CALLS

[quantass]

51. .

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

34. Elizabeth Edwards & Bloggers Denounce Racist Ad Against Obama and NC Democrats

Elizabeth Edwards & Bloggers Denounce Racist Ad Against Obama and NC Democrats
Submitted by NCDem Amy on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 7:18pm.

Elizabeth Edwards Calls Racist GOP Wright Ad an “Assault Weapon”

Taking time off from her family vacation in Florida, Elizabeth Edwards commented on the GOP racist ad, “Extreme,” during an MSNBC interview, calling it an “assault weapon.” Elizabeth went on to support Obama’s decision to separate himself from Reverend Wright.

Watch the interview here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s1gESVHw0o

As the North Carolina Primary heats up, the NC Republican party is igniting the race issue, employing Jesse Helms style tactics. McCain, having failed yet another leadership test, made a request for the ad not to air, but is being defied by the NC Republican Party who plans on airing this reprehensible ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXxkctYRAZQ

It’s no surprise that Elizabeth Edwards has stepped up and denounced this racist ad. From confronting Ann Coulter for calling her husband a gay slur to telling the media to “do their job,” she’s known for speaking out.

A media frenzy and airing racist ads about Reverend Wright further distract from the issues that American voters want and deserve to hear about, threatening our democratic process.

Media Corporations should be held accountable for what political messages they sell on their stations.

.... more at the link
http://bluenc.com/elizabeth-edwards-%2526-bloggers-denounce-racist-ad-against-obama-and-nc-democrats

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

37. Jed Report: Nothing to worry about

Tue Apr 29, 10:28 PM | Permalink / Comments
Nothing to worry about Jed Report

If you're growing concerned about Barack Obama's prospects, take a moment to watch this video clip from the 1992 documentary The War Room. This clip if from the beginning of the film, when Clinton's primary campaign was sidetracked by allegations of extramarital affairs and draft dodging. The part of the clip to focus on is the end, when a Democratic consultant says he's sure the combined weight of the scandals will force Clinton out of the campaign within days, if not hours.

Of course, nothing of the sort happened. Likewise, today Barack Obama will survive these rough patches. He's the only candidate offering a real change this election, and these false guilt-by-association attacks just won't work. It's important to remember that Bill Clinton survived even tougher attacks -- and won the presidency. (They were tougher because there was more truth to them, and because they concerned Bill Clinton's own behavior, not that of someone he knew.)

Video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLnIGY85VQI

story posted at the Jed report
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/04/nothing-to-worr.html

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

38. Obama adds a third new superdelegate in 24 hours

Obama adds a third new superdelegate in 24 hours

April 30, 2008
Obama adds a third new superdelegate in 24 hours
Posted: 10:04 AM ET
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Iowa Rep. Bruce Braley will endorse Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president Wednesday, the fifth Democratic superdelegate to choose sides in less than 24 hours, an Obama aide confirms to CNN.

Braley, a first-term congressman who represents an eastern district that hugs the Illinois border, had originally backed John Edwards in the race for the Democratic nomination. He joins fellow Iowan and Democratic National Committee member Richard Machacek in publicly declaring his support for Obama this week Machacek and Kentucky Rep. Ben Chandler both said Tuesday they were backing Obama, while North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley and Missouri Rep. Ike Skelton endorsed New York Sen. Hillary Clinton the same day.

Braley’s decision to support Obama was first reported Wednesday morning by the Des Moines bureau of the Associated Press.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/30/obama-adds-a-third-new-superdelegate-in-24-hours/

[TragedyandHope]

40. Two special promotions for donating today, April 30th

Obama Magnet for a $15 donation

Obama Tshirt for a $30 donation

The amounts are only suggested minimums. This offer ends today!


Call for Obama:

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

41. also, get a relative or friend to donate - we need more individual donors

and thanks for posting that bit of info!

[catgirl]

49. I donated again yesterday

But I really want a t-shirt, so I'll give another one today. Thanks for the heads up!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

42. NC State BoE shows how many people have voted so far...

From their website:

Absentee Counts as of 04/30/2008 6:00am
Absentee Mail Ballots Returned: 14,108
Absentee Onestop Ballots Cast: 212,287

Note: some sites are realtime and some are disconnected.

Click Here For:
- Absentee Download files


Go to this link, data is on right hand side.
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/

[grantcart]

43. Super Delegate Endorsement Sub Thread

Seems like its picking up so below please see the SDs for today


As collected from DemconWatch - the most reliable neutral source for delegate information

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

[grantcart]

44. Rep Baron Hill (IN) endorses Obama

Indianapolis, IN — Indiana Congressman Baron Hill endorsed Barack Obama for President today, citing his strength of character and ability to change the tone of Washington:
"Some have advised me to be cautious, to wait and see which way the electoral winds may blow. I confess that I have listened to those voices and been tempted by their reasoning. But, the stakes are just too high. We cannot continue to pursue the same politics of personal destruction we have engaged in for a generation, some never-ending “groundhog day” endlessly playing out the cultural wars of forty years ago.

If we are going to develop real solutions for Hoosier families, for America’s families, we have to move past the partisan gridlock. I believe both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama want to do that and I believe both are formidable candidates. But, I also believe that only one of them truly can.

I am proud of Senator Obama’s call for change in Washington – change I have been advocating since I first sought public office. I am truly hopeful that his campaign and election will help unify our nation and ultimately change our politics. I am pleased that Senator Obama clearly and unequivocally denounced Reverend Wright’s remarks. Hoosiers don’t feel that way about our country, I don’t feel that way about our country and Senator Obama made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t feel that way either.


http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGCn2r

[grantcart]

45. Rep. Lois Capps (CA) - long time Clinton supporter endorses Obama

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9976.html

California congresswoman with long ties to both Clintons will announce her endorsement of Barack Obama today, a campaign source said.

Rep. Lois Capps, who represents a district on California’s central coast, is the third member of Congress to announce an endorsement of Senator Obama Wednesday, the day after he responded sharply to one of the deepest crises of his campaign, a confrontational and, he said, “appalling” set of remarks by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The campaign is using the flurry of endorsements to shore up political support and demonstrate the frontrunner’s continuing strength.

“Barack Obama is the better choice because of something larger and perhaps more important. Simply put, he has made a call to the better angels of our nature. He is challenging us to lift ourselves out of the ugliness that increasingly consumes Washington, where the heat of your argument counts for more than the light it should bring,” Capps said in a statement. “He is asking us to stand together as Americans and transcend the traditional lines that have so often divided us by party affiliation, economic status, gender, or race.”

In her statement, Capps praised Clinton, but also suggested she’d been pushed to Obama by negative aspects of the campaign.

[grantcart]

46. Rep Bruce Braley (IA) - former Edwards supporter endorses Obama

Congressman Bruce Braley of Waterloo has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Braley is one of the "super delegates" who may play a key role in deciding who wins the party's nomination.

"I had a chance to go to my first district convention in Dubuque on Saturday and that was the number one question on everybody's mind: 'When are you going to endorse? Who are you going to endorse?' and after looking at the numbers from both district convention, the county conventions and the Caucuses in my district; talking to many, many people about the candidates left in the race and looking at the longterm impact on our party I decided that Senator Obama was the right person to endorse," Braley says.

Braley says his endorsement is "in no way" any kind of signal to the Clinton campaign. "It's simply to send a message to the voters of my district that I have given this a lot of consideration and after weighing all of the factors, I've decided that Senator Obama is the person that I want to endorse," Braley says.

Braley endorsed John Edwards before the Iowa Caucuses and this spring Edwards organizers had asked supporters to "keep their powder dry" and remain uncommitted rather than jump on the Obama or Clinton bandwagons. "Senator Edwards dropped out of the race and I had a very good conversation with him after he decided to do that. I have left voice mails for him trying to get input from him on what his thinking was on the remaining two candidates and have heard nothing back from him," Braley says. "I am my own person. I've got my own responsibilities to the people who elected me and it's come down to a choice between Senator Obama and Senator Clinton and after giving it a great deal of consideration, I've decided to endorse Senator Obama."

http://www.radioiowa.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=9FFB0568-D0F5-460D-1AEF2F0ACAB7DA42

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

47. Group with ties to Clinton doing deceptive Robo calls in North Carolina

They also flooded voters with prefilled voter registration forms, many
voters already registered. Now they are calling African Americans with LIES.

PLEASE RECOMMEND THIS THREAD! PASS THE WORD TO ANY FOLKS IN VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA.
ITS HAPPENING IN BOTH STATES

Bigleaf Wed Apr-30-08

Dailykos Blogger: BREAKING: Source of deceptive NC robo-calls exposed

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5751417&mesg_id=5751417

[grantcart]

53. kick