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Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior White House Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
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'Those Are The Facts': Obama Sounds Out New Message, Riffs, Refrains in Kansas City Speech
August 26, 2008 1:57 PM
Sounding out themes for his convention speech and teeing off fresh economic news from a U.S. Census Bureau report, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., stood in a Kansas City, Mo., airplane hangar this afternoon to decry how his Republican opponent is deaf to the economic struggles of the American people.
"The truth is, this economy is not working for average Americans," Obama said to the crowd of roughly 150 union members and 100 local Obama activists sitting in an American Airlines Overhaul Base that has been the site of many job cutbacks in recent years.
"I'm just going to remind everyone here, this election is not about me, it’s about you," Obama said. "It’s about who is going to be fighting for you, who is going to be listening to you, who has been, for the last 20 years, standing side-by-side with you. Making sure that unions can organize, making sure that people who don’t have health insurance can get health insurance, making sure that kids can go to college who couldn’t go before. Who has a track record of fighting for you?"
Obama told voters in this swing state that they "need somebody who, every single day, 'gets it,' and understands that you’re not looking for a handout. That you are willing to work as hard as you can to create a better future for your children. All you want is just an American government that is on your side, that is making things a little easier, that is giving you a few more handles to climb up that ... ladder of success -- that is what I want to provide as your president."
Obama seemed to be previewing new riffs and refrains -- perhaps ones he will use Thursday night when he accepts his party's nomination for president.
"Over the last eight years, you’ve been falling behind," Obama said, easing into an oratorical pattern. "Over the last eight years, your lives are less secure; over the last eight years, you are more likely to have lost your health insurance; over the last eight years, you are more likely to not be able to save; over the last eight years, your home values have started to drop."
He concluded, "That’s the track record, those are the facts. And John McCain is not promising to do anything different than George Bush did. So, if you think that the last eight years have been good, then you need to go ahead and vote for John McCain. But if you think that we need to change this country fundamentally, then I think that you need to get involved in this campaign and help us bring about the kind of change that America’s looking for."
As the roar of nearby jets taking off and landing filled the air, Obama cited numbers from today's "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007" report, indicating that "816,000 new people fell into poverty in 2007, including 500,0000 more children."
The official poverty rate in 2007 for the U.S. was 12.5 percent, which the census says is not statistically different from 2006, though it does constitute an increase in the number of people who have fallen into poverty -- 37.3 million people in poverty in 2007, up from 36.5 million in poverty in 2006.
The census statistics showed that 1.3 million more Americans have health insurance this year than had it last year, largely because of the increase in those who have joined the ranks of Medicare and Medicaid. But Obama chose to, instead, focus on the millions more uninsured since Bush took office, instead of the increase in the number of those insured since 2006.
"Under this president," Obama said, "seven million Americans are newly uninsured."
"Those are the statistics," said the Democrat. "Those are the facts."
He mentioned other bleak economic news, including home foreclosures and sinking property values, rising gas prices and grocery prices -- "eggs are up 20 percent," he said, "bread is up 30 percent" -- as well as anticipated home heating oil price increases.
"You'd think both parties would be scrambling to come up with a way of how do we come up with a new direction," Obama said. "But that's not what John McCain's doing."
Obama ran through a number of statements McCain has made in which he praised the fundamentals of the U.S. economy, as well as McCain's apparent inability to say how many homes he owns. He also referenced the comments of McCain economic adviser, former Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, saying the U.S. was in a "mental recession" and had become "sort of a nation of whiners."
"This is the guy who's got the inside track to be secretary of the Treasury!" Obama said of Gramm.
"I don't think John McCain says these things because he's a bad person," Obama said. "I just don't think he gets it ... I think he is out of touch. I don't think he understands what ordinary Americans are going through. But I do, and that's why I'm running for president."
-- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
August 26, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (376)
who cares what color he is, a reguler guy he is not. I will not vote for him as he is ignorant, and arrogant. I expect him to erect a pulpit to give us his weekly sermons of hope eeven though he does nothing. A president cannot make decisions on his own! Wake up America! McCain/Lieberman 08
Posted by: beau | Aug 27, 2008 3:44:42 PM
Steven from time immemorial, blacks in America have always voted for white candidates. So what are you talking about? The truth of the matter is this: most white Americans are turning their backs on Obama because of his looks, and not because of his economic agenda and foreign policy issues. Let’s face it, Obama looks more black than white and above all, he has a black wife. His daughters look black as well. Race is a very big factor in this campaign. Even Hilary and Bill Clinton the so called first black president raised the issue of race during the primaries. The Hilary camp all along believed that Obama will not win in the general election, simply because of the fact that he is black. They introduced the issue of race in the democratic primaries. Hilary was once quoted as saying, “He can’t win, don’t you that see he is black?”. As long as blacks remain subservient to Bill Clinton it is okay. As soon as they seek higher offices and leadership positions it becomes a problem with Bill and some in the Democratic Party, who probably believe that it is not in the genetic make up of a black man to rule or govern? I want someone to convince me that this is not racism.
Posted by: Albert | Aug 27, 2008 3:29:31 PM
Hey, Jake....come on....fair is fair....Obama is trying out a new campaign message? Yeah, right from the Hillary Clinton playbook. This guy hasn't had a new idea...let alone a creative thought ...sorry, didn't mean to say the latter.....he loves being the rock star and now, as we understand it....the producer of rock events. His acceptance speech on the Martin Luther King "I Had a Dream" event...which ought to be a solemn event is one hell of a way to honor King.....drag out Jennifer Hudson,....drag out Bono....drag out Springsteen.....get everyone you can on that stage...hell...fly over the music acts who got you your big audience in Berlin...and have fireworks..like the Chinese did a week ago. Accept the nomination.....maybe juggle a few balls in the air for the folks...you know...."make 'em feel real good"
Posted by: justj joe | Aug 27, 2008 2:08:44 PM
Everyone's talking about Barack being black all the time, but he is no more black than he is white. It's not like he only got 30% of his white mother's genes and 70% of his dad's. OK? He's both.
So let me ask this question. If he was 1/4 black but looked mostly white, would you vote for him? What if he was 1/8 black?
Do you see how stupid this whole issue of race is?
Posted by: Steven R | Aug 27, 2008 1:58:16 PM
McBush is not going to do anything that his corporate puppet masters don't tell him. Having alligned himself with Bush/Cheney sais it all. He's so out of touch with the actual needs of working America, it's scary. Having recently toured six southern cities, It's apparent to me that the Bush years are taking a negative toll on literally thousands of inner city families. The rural areas are even more impacted yet un noticed.
This election is about hope(Obama) not fear(McCane), green(Obama) not greed( McCane). You watch and see both Bush and Cheney speak at the RNC to support McCane. With friends like that,who would seriously vote for McCane??
Posted by: savoymt | Aug 27, 2008 12:48:52 PM
Never in the entire history of America, has anyone presidential canditate emerged as strong as Sen. Barack Obama. Obama has ispired millions of Americans and has given them a glimse of their long forgotten dreams. I think this guy has come on the right time when the Americans peopls are desperate in need of a wise leader to rescue the country from sinking and to restore back into the hearts of every single America the hope the had lost in their own country. Those who are intensively working to undermine Obama's call for a foundamental change in this country of great previlage are those who has disregard for the middle class Americans and the working class America. I only hope that we look not into our racial class. We're one people of one country. let's unite to change this country. God bless us all, God bless America, and God bless our heroic leader Sen. Barack Obama.
Posted by: Asante Milla Longa | Aug 27, 2008 12:22:44 PM
White Americans will always find a reason to vote against an Obama presidential ambition. I mean white Americans from Bill Clinton to the last republican out there. White people are generally almost the same when it comes to issues of race, whether they are democrat or republican.
If Obama losses, he will loss not because of his past, his agenda or his religion. He will loose simply because of the very fact that he is BLACK and has a BLACK family. What else can the man do? He has led out a solid plan to restore this country back to its past glory and prosperity. He is dropping in the polls because for once, white Americans are waking up to the reality that a black man has a chance to be elected president. Charles Barkley summed it up very well last night on CNN when he decried that if Obama was a white man, he will be trouncing McCain in the polls by double digits right now. If Obama was a white man and given the present condition of things in the country, McCain won’t stand a chance in the polls come November. But again, we live in the United States of white America where racism and discrimination still rules supreme.
If Obama looses in November, the racial divide in this country will only deepen. It will most definitely reaffirm the world’s view of most Americans as racist and proponents of the neo con white rule and dominance, which the Bush Cheney white house propagated. It will further clip America’s wings abroad to continue to preach the gospel of human rights and self determination. The world will wake up to the full reality that America is a land of hypocrites. The resentment for Americans in the world will only continue to grow.
Posted by: Albert | Aug 27, 2008 11:39:37 AM
dean O!
And your guy McBush - he is 100% blue-collar guy. 11 or 7 houses or 5 houses, private plane, 500 dollar shoes, country club, water skiing with Georgia president (Do you remember Kerry), etc.. He really understands how hard it is to be poor or middle class...
Come on, dean O, you can do better than this,
Posted by: ghost | Aug 27, 2008 11:26:23 AM
Obama: I'm Not Really a celebrity. Maybe an elitist Harvard Lawyer. Maybe a charleton, but not a celebrity.its real telling that clinton never said Obama was READY to be president; only that the Dems should support him. a good speech but not effective for the critics. Obama the celebrity just keeps digging his grave deeper. after last nights convention a party for insiders, and holywood stars, and recording industry. He is just turning off more of small town america. who wants to see people like clooney, barkley, jason alexander, damon, afflack whopping it up on the convention floor. its disgusting and does nothing for his image. an elitst harvard lawyer is going to have trouble relating to working blue-collar men and women.
Posted by: dean o | Aug 27, 2008 10:28:16 AM
"I could get a Indonessia passport if my mum married an indonessian! I dont have to give up my USA passport to get one! "
NO YOU COULDN'T... BECAUSE INDONESIA DOES NOT SUPPORT DUAL CITIZENSHIP WITH ANY OTHER COUNTRY!
And as to the question of what passport Obama used...... it's a matter of record.
Do your homework!
Posted by: hmmmmm | Aug 27, 2008 9:35:18 AM
Even veterans POW's won't be voting for McCain... I wonder why ?
Posted by: Americans against stupidity | Aug 27, 2008 9:23:53 AM
republicans have never done a damn thing for the workers.
The workers in this country need ot band together and keep the rpeublicans out of congress and the white house.
The fact is if we do not get more moeny and benefits into the hands of the workers this economy and this ocuntry will not get any better.
McCain has no plans to return prosperity to the worker. McCain's pan is the same as Bush's plan, get the money to the welathy and the corporations and they supposedly will create new high paying jobs and pay people more...
That didn't happen when Bush gave out tax breaks, so why would it work if McCain does it to... it won't
wake up people, a vote for a republican is a vote for 4 more years of republican crap
Posted by: Americans against stupidity | Aug 27, 2008 9:22:24 AM
Anyone of us can stand in front of people and speak about what is wrong with America today, because we are living it. I don't need any politician to do that. We need someone who is going to speak on how they plan to change those things that are not working.
As an Independent voter I could care less about the big rocks bands used to attract people to hear politicians speak. I attend to hear them speak about the issues.
Read the words above in the article, just what substance was said? Was anything said specifically how he is going to lower inflation, make a stronger dollar, make an energy policy, pay for all the social programs, where is the substance?
Anyone can say these things but, how are you going to do them, whats your plan. Will you take this trip, if you don't know the road you are going to take?
Posted by: Independent minded | Aug 27, 2008 9:02:58 AM
"I'm just going to remind everyone here, this election is not about me, it’s about you," Obama said. "It’s about who is going to be fighting for you, who is going to be listening to you, who has been, for the last 20 years, standing side-by-side with you. Making sure that unions can organize, making sure that people who don’t have health insurance can get health insurance, making sure that kids can go to college who couldn’t go before. Who has a track record of fighting for you?"
---------
LOL which fictional character is he describing here? He's hoping for the sucker votes with this list of blatant deceptions. Pied Piper!
Posted by: Emm | Aug 27, 2008 8:15:56 AM
Watch how Obama wants to disarm country....his staff posted the video!
Posted by: JED | Aug 27, 2008 6:30:00 AM
What are the Obama activists....they are almost as large as the group he's talking to? Why the need for that. Sen. McCain just goes to town halls and passes the mic to anyone in the room with a question, unlike Bozo who is afraid of question, especially in debates which he fails so miserably.
NEVER OBAMA, HILLARY SUPPORTER FOR McCAIN
Posted by: Debra | Aug 27, 2008 1:56:31 AM
"beware false prophets...."
I will take your advice at heart.
The duplicity of McCain leaving out Cindy's income while trumpeting both their gifts to charity have already been settled.
And yes, they donated their money to their own Charity Fund, which in turn funneled their money to the private schools their childern attended:
Brophy College Preparatory School happens to be the prep school that McCain's two sons attended.
Christ Lutheran School happens to be the private school that McCain's Daughter attends.
Xavier College Preparatory happens to be where one of his other daughters attended.
In other words McCain was taking a tax deduction for donations to elite private schools that his children have attended. Perfectly legal but…
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 27, 2008 1:47:18 AM
hmmmmm
Are you a Pakistan passport control agent ? How would you know what passport he used ?
I could get a Indonessia passport if my mum married an indonessian! I dont have to give up my USA passport to get one!
That the rules there! My sister taught english over there and that how easy it is! It not exactly a nation that wants to keep people out!
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 1:42:55 AM
"with a foreign (Indonesian?) passport?"
Hmmmmm.
Keep making stuff up, don't you?
Simple American Passport. He had already been living in the US for ten years by then.
You guys remind me of the Truthers. You aren't Corsi, by any chance?
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 27, 2008 1:38:41 AM
S Adams: "I'm leaving you to your delusions. Good night."
S Adams suddenly realizes this campaign is far from over and realizes McCain and the Republicans have made some serious strategic errors. Their own words will come to bite them. Most don't realize it yet, but it appears it has become apparent to S Adams.
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 27, 2008 1:32:42 AM
and if OBama IS a citizen, why did he travel to Pakistan when he was around twenty... with a foreign (Indonesian?) passport?
The passport was that of a country which doesn't acknowledge dual citizenship... so how could Obama have gotten one if he weren't a citizen of that country?
hmmmmm?
Posted by: hmmmmm | Aug 27, 2008 1:32:35 AM
Ryan:
"but the biggest recipients of its largess has been the private schools McCain children attended (and only while they were attending)".
________________-
This is an out and out lie!
Quantify the charity PERCENTAGE WISE
distributed by the McCains and the Obamas....... withOUT fibbing, and you will get a clear picture of generousity of money and self on the one hand, and of parsimoniousness on the other.
And it won't be the McCains who come up on the short end of generous!
Posted by: beware false prophets.... | Aug 27, 2008 1:27:15 AM
and a birth cert from his half-sister born in Kenya, suddenly turns up in a hospital in Hawaii.
Behold the Power of the Photoshop!
I've got Photoshop too, what do you need?
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 27, 2008 1:26:57 AM
In the most detailed examination yet of Senator John McCain’s eligibility to be president, a law professor at the University of Arizona has concluded that neither Mr. McCain’s birth in 1936 in the Panama Canal Zone nor the fact that his parents were American citizens is enough to satisfy the constitutional requirement that the president must be a “natural-born citizen.”
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 1:25:34 AM
Any 47 y.o. whippersnapper too afraid
to confront old John McCain in town
hall meetings doesn't have the intes-
tinal fortitude to assume the chair
in the Oval Office. Ohbama's yellow
streak is eclipsed only by his hauteur.
Posted by: grizzly bare | Aug 27, 2008 1:19:28 AM
the hospital has already confimed his birth there
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 1:19:17 AM
"Barack Obama has already provided his birth Cert and the hospital has already confimed his birth there! What more do you need!
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 1:09:39 AM
___________________
that was the wrong birth certificate; it was presumed to be that of his half sister, and was noticeably altered!
Posted by: beware false prophets.... | Aug 27, 2008 1:14:56 AM
Current State Department policy reads: "Despite widespread popular belief, U.S. military installations abroad and U.S. diplomatic or consular facilities are not part of the United States within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. A child born on the premises of such a facility is not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of birth."[13] However, the State Department is of the opinion that this does not affect those who are born abroad to U.S. citizens and who otherwise meet the qualifications for statutory citizenship.[14]
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 1:12:41 AM
hfp,
Barack Obama has already provided his birth Cert and the hospital has already confimed his birth there! What more do you need!
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 1:09:39 AM
Night S Adams
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 1:05:59 AM
Willem if it's legitimate he will then show it to a Federal judge. Since he hasn't so far produced it and laid the issue to rest, it's a "where's there's smoke there's fire" issue.
But OBama's tanking on his own lack of merits alone.
Posted by: hfp | Aug 27, 2008 1:02:18 AM
Nah, been settled, no legal challenge for McCain whereas there IS one for Obama.
Posted by: hfp | Aug 27, 2008 1:00:26 AM
hfp: go to that WorldNetDaily website of Corsi, you and your ilk. Even THEY have acknowledged that the cert is ligit.
But keep beating that horse. It just shows how desperate the McCain campaign is.
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 27, 2008 12:57:20 AM
hfp,
Romney was the one who brought up the fact McCain cant be president.
It has been debated in the senate and even his own campaign has said should he win the election his ability to take the oath may face legal challange!
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 12:55:54 AM
Human and Willem--Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum
I'm leaving you to your delusions. Good night.
Posted by: S Adams | Aug 27, 2008 12:51:44 AM
S Adams, I'm glad you are suddenly realizing there is going to be a huge dilemma there for the Republicans and the Bush administration in particular.
I know that Republicans, when they are suddenly faced with a contradiction, just lash out incoherently to mask their panic.
I understand that.
When McCain would get elected, it would pose a huge problem for the Republicans. Legal scholars all agree that the issue has not been properly settled. When McCain is declared natural born, it automatically follows that GB is US Territory.
That's the reason McCain wants Guantanamo Bay closed. So he can be president. What do you think, is McCain willing to release ‘terrorists’ unto the American public, just for the sake of becoming President?
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 27, 2008 12:51:18 AM
human.......he has yet to prove he was born in the USA with a paper birth certificate, that's why there's a lawsuit to make him finally cough one up
Posted by: hfp | Aug 27, 2008 12:48:55 AM
barack was born in the USA making him a US citizen regardless of where his parrents were born
lucky for Barack his mum was American and his dad was here on a student visa!
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 12:47:31 AM
There's a FEDERAL INJUNCTION LAWSUIT against Obama to prove he's a natural born citizen; nothing 'bout McCain though.
Posted by: hfp | Aug 27, 2008 12:47:22 AM
O-ver for MAObama
Just say "no" to socialists.
Socialism kills.
Nobody's swimming TO Cube.
Posted by: hfp | Aug 27, 2008 12:46:00 AM
Willem van Oranje,
And john Mccain has made the same point ! Willem...
Guantanamo Bay is outside US courts juristiction-John Mccain May 18 2006
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 12:38:47 AM
ENOUGH OF REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION!!
ENOUGH OF REPUBLICAN LIES AGAINST DEMOCRATS!!
ENOUGH REPUBLICAN AGENDA!!
THIS TIME,
DEMOCRATS ALL THE WAY!!
Posted by: americanvoter | Aug 27, 2008 12:38:34 AM
Willem, If you think those poor souls who want to blow you up are being treated so badly, maybe you can ask the govt if you can take one in. Feed them their special food, give them their special place to pray, and be prepared to wear a burka and read the quran. Watch your back though.
Posted by: S Adams | Aug 27, 2008 12:38:22 AM
Virtually everyone who knows anything about the economy - from the Fed Chief to Wall Street to industry leaders like Warren Buffett and T Bone Pickens to regular Americans who have to actually buy groceries and pump their own gas know the economy is in deep trouble. The economic analysis in this piece is tripe. Maybe if you've got an heiress behind you -like John McCain and others, it all looks rosy - but to most of America it doesn't. And that's not because they are ignorant. It's because they are hurting.
Posted by: mara | Aug 27, 2008 12:36:38 AM
S Adams.
The court you refer to was the only a court for US citizens. There was a seperate court for locals!
United States Senator John McCain Claims he was born in 1936 at a Navy hospital at Coco Solo Naval Air Station.
However Coco Solo Hospital was constructed in the Summer of 1941. The area containing it was transferred from the civil part of the Panama Canal Zone to the naval part when Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8981 on December 17, 1941.
John McCain was not born on the US base he is not a natural born us citizen!
Posted by: human | Aug 27, 2008 12:35:04 AM
S Adams "All U.S. territory is any area belonging to and under the dominion of the U.S."
Really? The Bush Administration is not going to like that ...
They think Guantanamo Bay is OUTSIDE the US and that's the reason they think they can hold people indefinitely and without due process....
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 27, 2008 12:29:14 AM
Human--Correction, It was U.S. territory and was under jurisdiction of federal govt . All U.S. territory is any area belonging to and under the dominion of the U.S.
Congress possessed power to set territorial govts of the U.S.
If that's not good enough for you, then U.S. also had a naval base on OUR territory in the Panama Canal. John McCain was born on the naval base.
If you dispute this, then you will have to dispute U.S. citizenship of every child born to Americans on military bases in every country.
Posted by: S Adams | Aug 27, 2008 12:22:11 AM
Mary, You think people are all good or all bad, and that is not reality. Reading your comments makes me think you are uneducated and don't know the difference between news and rumors. You have no ability to think rationally. I know I am wrong because I am judging you only on a few statements in one blog on one evening. I am sure you have many great qualities I don't know about. And you have many examples of great intelligence I am not aware of. So don't judge others based on partial information and don't spread distortions. Being religious, I believe you find God in the truth and the devil in distortions. Rev Wright supports the devil when he distorts the truth and shares the word of God when he tells the truth.
Posted by: MikeMo1947 | Aug 27, 2008 12:02:29 AM
S Adams
The Panama Canal Zone was never US territory it was controled by the US but we never owned it! It was never US territory! Perhaps you should take a history leason!
Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty was signed on November 18, 1903 (two weeks after Panama's independence from Colombia). Phillipe Bunau-Varilla went to Washington, D.C. and New York City to negotiate the terms with several U.S. officials, most prominently, Secretary of State John Hay. The two men negotiated the terms of sale for the building of a Panama Canal and for a Panama Canal Zone surrounding the canal. No Panamanians signed the treaty although Bunau Varilla was present as the Panamanian minister — despite French citizenship.
The Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty is also called The Treaty No Panamanian Signed, though Panama later agreed to the terms including: the United States was to receive rights to a canal zone which was to extend five miles on either side of the canal route in perpetuity; Panama was to receive a payment from US up to $10 million and an annual rental payments of $250,000.
Just as renting a house doesnt make you an owner! Renting land doesnt make it US territory!
was a source of conflict between Panama and the United States since its creation, that reached its peak on the January 9, 1964 riots over sovereignty of the Panama Canal Zone. The riot started after a Panamanian flag was torn during conflict between Panamanian students and Canal Zone Police officers, over the right of the Panamanian flag to be flown alongside the U.S. flag. U.S. Army units became involved in suppressing the violence after the Canal Zone Police were overwhelmed. After three days of fighting, about 22 Panamanians and four U.S. solders were killed. This day is known in Panama as Martyrs' Day.
The events of Martyrs' Day are considered to be a significant factor in the U.S. decision to negotiate the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which finally abolished the Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty and allowed the gradual transfer of control of the Canal Zone to Panama and the handover of the full control of the Panama Canal on December 31, 1999.
FACTS ARE FACTS
Posted by: human | Aug 26, 2008 11:59:35 PM
Ronald - You are full of baloney. I've got the records of the Woods Fund - they are right in front of me. You want to say how often they met?? Or who they gave money to? Ever served on a non-profit board? Any idea how much interaction there is between the people on those boards? Didn't think so.
If you're worried about corruption, you might want to look up Cindy McCain's Daddy - the one who left her the millions and her sister $10,000 - all money he made from booze and racetracks - a felon who actually went to jail for his crimes (although not as long as his brother - and unlike Cindy - who didn't serve a day for her theft or illegal drug use). And I would imagine John McCain was alot closer to his children's sleezeball grandfather (whose money is driving his campaign - and his political career) than Obama ever was to anyone on the Woods Fund board. Or you could research the Keating 5 - I believe that little episode with John McCain cost us $20 Billion dollars. If that doesn't get you anywhere - try last week's newspapers - where it was revealed that Cindy McCain lied about MOTHER TERESA. Sleeeeezy.
Posted by: mara | Aug 26, 2008 11:59:29 PM
Country First.
Posted by: HawkTheSlayer | Aug 26, 2008 11:49:21 PM
RonaldR5--interesting information. Birds of a feather...
Posted by: S Adams | Aug 26, 2008 11:49:03 PM
Human--take a history lesson why don't you. In 1903 the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty was established giving 50 miles of land across the Isthmus of Panama to the U.S. It was officially called Canal Zone and residents were primarily U.S. citizens and West Indian. In 1979 Jimmy Carter signed away 60% of the Canal Zone back to Panama and Dec 1999, all the land was given back. John McCain was born on U.S. territory.
Posted by: S Adams | Aug 26, 2008 11:44:36 PM
Hillary knows where its at NO to MCSAME
YES TO OBAMA !!
Posted by: human | Aug 26, 2008 11:29:58 PM
The new American Issues Project Ad isn't anything new.
In 2001, Bill Ayers reaffirmed that he was glad to have bombed the Pentagon and only wished that he had done more. Obama was 40 then.
When Ayers threw his first fundraiser for Obama, Obama was 34 years old.
Obama served for years with Ayers at the Woods Fund and the Chicago Annenberg Challenge and was planning a run for federal office when his association with Ayers was clearly solid.
Ayer's terrorist accomplice and wife, Bernardine Dohrn, worked as a paralegal with the law firm Sidley Austin where Michelle Obama was an attorney.
There's nothing false, despicable and outrageous about these facts. They have been known by many for some time. Now people outside of Chicago are becoming familiar with Senator Obama, and those who have supported him.
Ayers (on Public Policy):
"Kill all rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, kill your parents, that's where it's really at."
Dohrn (on the Manson killings):
Dig it! First they killed those pigs, then they ate dinner in the same room with them, then they even shoved a fork into a victim's stomach! Wild!"
Obama (on Ayers):
"Respectable and Mainstream"
Many people will not want to come to grips with the real unfolding biography of Barak Obama, but we must continue to hope they will.
Posted by: ronaldR5 | Aug 26, 2008 11:29:48 PM
S Adams in the Panama Canal Zone it was never a territory of the USA Mccain says he was born at a hospital on the Coco Solo Naval Air Station the hospital was built 8 years later till then everyone used the local hospital!
MCCAIN was not and is not a natural born
citizen.
The Panama Canal Zone was never A USA territory!
Article Two of United States Constitution:
The President must be a natural born citizen of the United States, be at least 35 years old, and a resident of the United States for 14 years.
Posted by: human | Aug 26, 2008 11:28:01 PM
Hillary laid out a wonderful case for voting against McCain - she simply ripped him to shreds!
Posted by: Mike | Aug 26, 2008 11:09:18 PM
Hillary may have to toe party lines, millions of us don't.
Country first! You don't hand the highest office in our country over to a questionable newbie, ever. Love ya Hill, but screw it....never Obama.
Posted by: DLM | Aug 26, 2008 11:05:21 PM
Hillary as usual is hitting it out of the park tonight....her applause was never ending...she couldn't start her speech for 5 minutes.
After Bozo speaks Thursday, DEMS will be hanging their heads in their hands.
HILLARY SUPPORTER FOR McCAIN.
HILLARY '12
Posted by: DLM | Aug 26, 2008 11:02:25 PM
REPUBLICANS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE THANKING GOD TONIGHT THEY ARE NOT RUNNING AGAINST HILLARY CLINTON!
Polls were right, she would have beat him. She is just showing to the world tonight how their idiot candidate was the wrong one.
HILLARY SUPPORTER FOR McCAIN, NEVER OBAMA!
Posted by: DLM | Aug 26, 2008 10:59:01 PM
gallup McCain 46% Obama 44%. on face value one has to say that last nights performance at the donkey convention was a real negative. Not even Biden as VP declaration had that effect. How many days to go in the convention? There could be a 15 point bounce downward by Friday.
Posted by: hype bites | Aug 26, 2008 10:22:51 PM
Where are they keeping grandma Durham, his typical white person grandma? Why isn't she at the convention?
Posted by: hype bites | Aug 26, 2008 10:17:58 PM
MikeMo1947, you prove my point.
Posted by: Mary | Aug 26, 2008 10:10:04 PM
Human, McCain was born in U.S. territory, his father was a Navy officer, Kenya, IF that is really where Obama was born, (notice big IF) is NOT U.S. terrritory. His mother also moved to Indonesia when she married his step-father and became an Indonesian citizen, thereby making Obama an Indonesian citizen. He even went by his step-fathers name Soetoro.
Posted by: S Adams | Aug 26, 2008 10:10:01 PM
MikeMo, it doesnt really matter what the association with Ayers is; Obama has repeatedly said he didn't agree with the Weather Underground. What is the point of bringing it up, since we all know that he has nothing to do with it. Obama's philosophy has nothing to do with Weather at all. Ayres however, is something of a name in early childhood education and therefore was on the board of the same charity as Obama. So what?
Posted by: Mike | Aug 26, 2008 10:05:06 PM
Mary, putting Bush down is not putting America down and you know it. He is not the fuhrer, after all, is he?
Posted by: Mike | Aug 26, 2008 10:01:33 PM
Mary, Now another approach to facts and distortion. McCain was near the bottom of his class at the naval academy. He crash more US planes than any N.VietNam soldier. He married a swimsuit model. After coming back from the war, he found she had been in a car wreck and had lost her figure, so he found a younger good looking rich woman that would give him a better chance of getting into an elected position in government. He was was a member of the Keating 5 that would dragged into a Senate Hearing because of misuse of lobby and corporate moneys and special treatment.
As you said, those are the facts. But it is a distortion of McCain’s life and his professional career because it implies things that are not true and only presents the negatives life. Again, the statements above about McCain are distortions and should not be taken literally.
Posted by: MikeMo1947 | Aug 26, 2008 9:58:40 PM
Mike, Obama supporters not only put Bush down they put America down and you know it.
Michelle Obama "America is a down right mean Country" Obama's biggest supporter
Posted by: Mary | Aug 26, 2008 9:58:17 PM
Mary, Obama said he was bone headed for involving a questionable character like Rezco. That does not mean he did anything illegal, nor has anyone else except his opponents in this election. You also said he had a long term relationship with Ayers. He meet very few times with Ayers (outside of business meetings) during those many years. That is not a friendship. I can also tell you if I meant someone famous or infamous, I would like to be around them for awhile to see what they were really like and how they think. Not because I want to be like them, but to understand how a person can get that far out of normal.
Posted by: MikeMo1947 | Aug 26, 2008 9:57:34 PM
What was that about ‘frivolous lawsuits’ a couple of years ago?
Well, that was a perfect example of a frivolous lawsuit.
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 26, 2008 9:57:00 PM
Mary, you are still disrespecting the founders of our nation and American voters. Everything you said to me at 7:20 was distortion. Let me teach you the difference. Rev Wright said God xx America because our government invented aids to give blacks. That is a lie. Rev Wright said God xx America when they permitted slavery for over 100 years and for treating them like secondary humans for another 70 years with separate and unequal schools, medical care, and everything else. Both of those are true. He said God xx America for taking land away from the Indians and treating like throw away people on reservations. That is true. He said that the Bible says God blesses nations when they rule wisely and xx them when they abuse the people. True. You also use the phrase as if that was the only thing Rev Wright and the church ever did. That is far from the truth. Of course, in your thinking, if someone said or was friends of someone who said something bad, then they are totally bad. I hope you don’t think like that with your kids.
Posted by: MikeMo1947 | Aug 26, 2008 9:56:47 PM
Joe, its not America thats at fault on the wrong side, its Bush. How dare you associate the rest of us with that man.
Posted by: Mike | Aug 26, 2008 9:54:55 PM
old message, new message, it's all bs to him anyway. one only needs to see his lack of accomplishment in his congressional district to know he all words, yup, just words.
it's all about "i got the power'...or is it powder.
Posted by: hype bites | Aug 26, 2008 9:51:32 PM
And I've heard the Republican judge already has thrown it out of court.
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 26, 2008 9:49:06 PM
S Adams, only the package is different. The content is not.
On the surface it seems you have more choice. But everybody in that community and its surroundings is now eating the exact same bread from the exact same factory. And when you can only afford the basics, you don't have much choice, you go for the sales.
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Aug 26, 2008 9:47:58 PM
Willem, the attorney who filed the lawsuit and did all of the research is a democrat in Pennsylvania.
Posted by: S Adams | Aug 26, 2008 9:43:11 PM
I have been reading these posts and I just wonder why so many Obama supporters seem think America is always at fault and on the side of wrong in the world? I think this reflects on Obama's mind set about America and given Obama's associations with Rev. Wright, Ayers and Wright and his supporters very negative opinions about America, I will be voting for McCain
Posted by: Joe | Aug 26, 2008 9:39:42 PM
Oh, first the rightwingers were convinced that the Hawaii-birthcertificate was absolutely and undeniably false and they had a photoshop to proof it. Today WorldNetDaily itself - the boss of Corsi - had to affirm that they had checked the birthcertificate and acknowledge that it was ligit.
And now suddenly the people with Photoshop on their computers claim they have undeniable proof that they have found a Kenyan birth-certificate ...
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