The Senate's back in session this week and the SFRC has a full slate of hearings planned on Iraq. First, though, Senator Kerry will make a stop in Boston at the newly renovated Coast Guard Command Center, and chat with Ed Schultz on the radio.
Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.
~Robert Montgomery
There really is no place like home. Rich, poor or in between, for most of us, our homes are a lot more than brick and mortar and a payment coupon every month, they help make us part of a community and give us a sense of security and pride of ownership. Owning a home has long been part of the American dream, but this year the dreams of a million people may turn into nightmares as they lose the place where they raise their children, welcome friends, sink most of their hard earned money and time into, and find comfort at the end of a long work day. It's easy enough for some rich guy like John McCain to blame the crisis on the American people instead of focusing on the predatory lending practices of mortgage companies. He's probably got enough money to pay for his house many times over, and he's not known to be big on compassion. But some of us regular people are still trying to pay ours off, and sinking most of our paychecks into our house payments.
March 13 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. home foreclosure filings jumped 60 percent and bank seizures more than doubled in February as rates on adjustable mortgages rose and property owners were unable to sell or refinance amid falling prices...
More than 223,000 properties were in some stage of default, or 1 in every 557 U.S. households, Irvine, California-based RealtyTrac Inc., a seller of foreclosure data, said today in a statement...
Foreclosure filings are likely to be ``explosive'' in May and June as more payments jump, after remaining at current levels this month and next, Rick Sharga, executive vice president of RealtyTrac, said in an interview. There may be between 750,000 and 1 million bank repossessions in 2008. Bank seizures rose 110 percent in February from a year ago, he said...
Economists are forecasting the U.S. housing slump will push the economy into a recession this year and there are no signs housing will recover in 2008. U.S. sales of new and existing homes probably will fall to 5 million this year, down 33 percent from the all-time high of 7.46 million in 2005, before rising to 5.23 million in 2009, Freddie Mac said in a March 3 forecast.
There are some people who, unlike Sen. McCain, understand what homeownership means to working Americans and to the overall health of our economy. Sentor Kerry attended Boston Mayor Tom Menino's foreclosure seminar yesterday, where mortgage company representatives and homeowners met to try to restructure loans and attend financial workshops, and where the Mayor and the Senator attempted to offer some relief and support to people struggling to hold on to their homes.
Senator Kerry also proposed legislation with Senator Smith (R-OR) recently to help people keep their homes, and vowed to keep fighting despite the Republican roadblock.
Kerry-Smith provision will help keep low-income families in their homes
Washington, D.C. – Senator John Kerry expressed strong disappointment today when Senate Republicans blocked progress on legislation designed to stem foreclosures and address the housing crisis in America. Kerry vowed to continue his efforts to keep families in their homes and ease the skyrocketing rate of foreclosure across the country. Kerry urged the Senate Finance Committee to keep pursuing the goals of their proposal to address the subprime mortgage crisis. Roughly 2.5 million mortgages were in default in the third quarter of 2007 – a 40 percent increase from 2005.
In 2008, Massachusetts is again on a pace to have a record number of foreclosures. In 2007, mortgage companies foreclosed on more than 7,500 homes in Massachusetts, almost nine times the number in 2005 and almost three times the number in 2006. The foreclosure rates of five Massachusetts metro areas rank in the nation’s top 100 – Worcester (#35), Springfield (#47), Essex County (#53), Boston/Quincy (#59) and Cambridge/Newton/Framingham (#65).
“This legislation would provide targeted relief to families who need it most, and we must not allow Republican obstruction to stop the Senate from acting on common sense,” said John Kerry. "This is a critical moment for families who may soon lose their homes, and Washington needs to be part of finding solutions that will help people avoid foreclosure. In spite of today's roadblock, we will keep pushing until this bill is enacted into law and help is on the way.”
Senator Kerry and Senator Gordon Smith began working on a bill in December to stop the spread of foreclosures by providing options to obtain safe, fair mortgages. Under current law, state and local governments may issue bonds to finance new mortgage loans to first-time homebuyers. The Kerry- Smith provision would temporarily expand the use of this program to include refinancing of subprime loans.
According to a recent report by the Joint Economic Committee, the number of subprime foreclosures in Oregon will total 12,600 by the end of 2009. Mortgages in delinquency in Oregon rose by nearly 50 percent between 2005 and the end of 2007. Nationwide, it is estimated that Smith’s proposal would lead to roughly 80,000 fair, secure, new loans according to the National Council of State Housing Agencies.
Dr. David Seiders, Chief Economist of the National Association of Home Builders, spoke favorably of the Kerry- Smith provision at today’s Finance Committee hearing. The Finance Committee passed the provision last month with overwhelming bipartisan support as part of the economic stimulus package, though it was not included in the package that was signed into law.
The mortgage crisis has also taken center stage in the presidential contest, and rightly so. Both Obama and Clinton have offered plans to address foreclosures. McCain, who admits knowing little about the economy (and it shows), has nothing, falling back on what Rachel Maddow calls the "I'm a dummy strategy".
I canvassed for Barack Obama yesterday, and there was a common theme. Most of the people I spoke with had the same concerns. They'll vote for the person who will bring back jobs, help them get healthcare, and keep them in their homes. As one very observant Obama supporter who lives in a neighborhood with rising crime rates and high unemployment told me, "If you want to keep crime down, bring our jobs back. Most people will do what they have to do to feed their families."
Senator McCain and the Roadblock Republicans just don't get that it really is the economy, stupid.
Heads up! JK is on 'This Week' today, debating my Gov., Big Ed Rendell.
Go get 'em, Senator!
Also on the show is Joe 'Zell' Lieberman, at which point I will turn off the TV.
That's what friends are for -- Obama in Greensburg
It's good to have friends. And by friends, I don't just mean people who hang with the same crowd, but the ones who know you, who know what you care about and what you stand for. And who like you and support you for it. People who, when you spend the better part of an evening to get them tickets to the hottest show in town, will return the favor by making sure you have great seats, good company, and a husband who will video tape the parts you missed because, after all, they did give you really bad directions.
Sometimes friends, because they do know you and what you stand for, will even endorse you and spend their time traveling on a bus with you if you decide to run for President of the United States. Senator Bob Casey's endorsement of Barack Obama yesterday was big, but the fact that he spoke to the people of Pittsburgh twice yesterday about why he's supporting him was huge, and made me really glad I worked so hard in '06 to help get him elected to office. I don't always agree with Sen. Casey, but it's good to know that on some of the really important things, we see eye-to-eye.
So, long story short, I did make it to the Obama Greensburg event yesterday, albeit late. My friend's husband did catch some really good video of Senator Obama and gave me the tape to share with you all. And I did manage a couple decent pictures. It was a small venue, Hempfield High School gym, in a mostly white, working class town about a half hour east of Pittsburgh, that, if the waiting list for tickets was any indicator, Senator Obama could have filled many times over. But it was nice to see him in a fairly intimate setting rather than the typical large arena.
The setting was relaxed, as was the Senator, and the folks in Greensburg were ready to hear his message, laugh at his jokes, and ask some really great questions. He spoke of the people he met on the campaign trail in the last 15 months, during which, Obama joked, babies were born and learned to walk and talk. He told stories of working people who are barely able to make ends meet and unable to get the healthcare they need. He spoke about veterans who have fought bravely in a war that should never have been waged, an economy that is sliding backward, and and he told the crowd why he is the right person to help us change the course of our country.
If there's anything as important as electing a Democratic president this year, it's increasing our majority in Congress. Time to remove the roadblocks, end the endless filibusters, and elect some good, fighting Dems. These will do for a start:
Dear KerryVision,
There's nothing our johnkerry.com community has done these last four years that I'm more proud of than our work to elect veterans - "Fighting Democrats" - to Congress.
In races the cynics said we couldn't win, you gave early and often to elect some special candidates who shook up Washington and reminded Karl Rove and his Republican allies that patriotism doesn't have a political label, and the flag of the United States doesn't belong to a Party, it belongs to the American people.
And these vets have reminded the political class what patriotism really is: just a couple weeks ago, for instance, the House of Representatives stood up to George Bush on his illegal wiretapping scheme and refused to budge in the face of fear-mongering attacks from the right.
And some of the veterans you helped elect (people like Patrick Murphy and Tim Walz) were right in the middle of it, reminding America that there's a way to safeguard our security without shedding our values.
But we're not done yet. We need more Democrats in Congress to finally achieve a true working majority, and we need more Democratic veterans to help chart a new national security course and help us end the disastrous Bush/McCain Iraq policy.
We have some great new candidates running to take over Republican seats:
In New York, Tom Reynolds just retired, spooked by my friend and young Iraq war veteran Jon Powers. Capt. Powers saw the devastation of the Iraq War up close and personal when he served in Baghdad and decided to do something about it. As soon as he got back home, he started a charitable organization to help Iraqi children. Jon and I have been friends for three years now; I believe that if we seize this moment and send him to Congress he will be a real leader for our Party and country for decades to come.
And in California, we have the Deputy Commander of all Joint Special Forces Operations in Iraq running to replace arch-conservative Duncan Hunter. Mike Lumpkin has served 8 operational tours as a Navy SEAL, so he knows the realities of 21st century conflicts intimately. He knows we need to change course in the Middle East and knows a strong nation depends on good jobs and an economy that works for working people.
We also have two incumbents you all helped elect in 2006 we need to help. They've been targeted by Republicans for their courage in standing up for us, and we need to have their backs:
Patrick Murphy was the first Iraq war veteran elected to Congress, and he's been a great ally in the drive to keep our promises to those who wear the uniform of our country. He's worked tirelessly to end the Bush policy in Iraq. Patrick has been one of the best fresh young Democrats in Congress; and that's exactly why he earned a place on the list of top GOP targets this fall.
Minnesota's Tim Walz, who started his service when he was 17 on the first day he was eligible to join the National Guard, stood with Patrick and other Democrats a couple of weeks ago and refused to let the White House scare the Congress about illegal wiretapping and domestic spying. Tim stood up for the Constitution and stared down the fear-mongering ads the rightwing threw at him. But by doing so, he made himself a target for the right, and we need to stand up for gutsy public servants like Tim when they stand up for us.
So please do what you can to help these great Democrats hold and expand our Democratic majority in the fall:
I firmly believe we'll have a new Democratic President next year, and that President will need a strong Democratic Congress to deliver the kind of change our country needs. In the last election, we fought off the worst of the Republican policies, and now it's time to get our country moving forward.
Thanks so much for your help,
John Kerry
I hate to admit we have a favorite here at KV, but we do. Captain Powers, who we've seen at several Kerry events and met at Take Back America a couple years ago, has a lot of friends and supporters here in the blogosphere, not only because he's a good Dem and friend of John Kerry, not just because of War Kids Relief (although that's a big part of it), but because he's a really great guy with a fantastic sense of humor and a love of his country and of our children's future. His speeches have inspired us and given us hope that as a Congressman, Jon will represent change in the best possible way.
Good luck to Captain Powers and all the fighting Dems.
Yesterday, we posted about Teresa and touched on the work she's done to promote women's issues. Today, it's the Senator's turn. Throughout his career, he's worked to advance equality for women, and this week his efforts were recognized by the American Association of University Women.
From the press release:
During his 35 years in public service – as a prosecutor, Lieutenant Governor, and throughout 23 years in the United States Senate – John Kerry has been a champion for women’s rights. From protecting a woman’s right to privacy to working toward equal pay for equal work, Kerry has fought for fairness and for America’s women.
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has given Senator John Kerry their highest possible100% rating, citing his work on strengthening hate crimes laws, making college more affordable, addressing the pay gap between men and women, and raising the minimum wage.
"On behalf of the bipartisan members of the AAUW of Massachusetts, I want to thank Senator Kerry for his 100 percent rating in our recently published AAUW Congressional Voting Record," said Patricia Ho, AAUW New England Regional Director and a past president of AAUW of Massachusetts. "We greatly appreciate his consistent support for AAUW’s priority issues in the first session of the 110th Congress, including making college more accessible, strengthening hate crimes laws, defending international family planning programs, and raising the minimum wage."
“As the father of two daughters the fight for equal opportunity for women is personal to me, from equal pay and college sports, to health care, to the right to privacy. I am proud of my record of fighting for these issues and with the help and support of my friends in the AAUW I will keep up the fight until we fully achieve economic and social justice for women across Massachusetts and America,” said Senator Kerry.
Senator Kerry and Senator Ted Kennedy together led the Senate’s filibuster against the Alito nomination in order to protect Roe vs. Wade and the Constitutional right to privacy. He has consistently received 100% ratings from NARAL and Planned Parenthood on behalf of his work on reproductive rights.
Kerry has been a longtime supporter of the Violence Against Women’s Act. Kerry has worked on the Women’s Retirement Security Act, developing pension legislation especially geared towards the unique retirement security issues facing women. He has introduced legislation to strengthen the Earned Income Tax Credit which will help many working women who are the heads of households with children. Kerry has also been a consistent advocate for broader health coverage for pregnant women.
Kerry last year voted to give workers a long overdue raise by increasing the federal minimum wage; of the 13 million workers who currently receive the federal minimum wage approximately 59 percent are women.
As Chairman of the Senate’s Small Business Committee, Kerry has been a longtime supporter of Women’s Business Centers, including the Center for Women and Enterprise in Boston, as well as affiliates in Worcester and Providence. He has authored several successful bills expanding and strengthening the program.
Kerry is also working closely with Senator Kennedy to reverse the erroneous Supreme Court decision in the Ledbetter case so that women who have been subject to pay discrimination can recoup back pay.
Of course, it's no secret that Senator Kerry has long been an advocate for women, in particular in his role as Chariman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The 100 percent rating from the AAUW is an important recognition of that. After all, you don't have to be a woman to be concerned about womens' equality. You just have to care.
Really, I try to stay out of this discussion, because I believe there's a place for religion, and a place for government, and the two really do need to stay out of each others' business. After all, we are a diverse country, founded on freedom of religion and the belief that each of us has a right to worship as we see fit, or not at all.
But because pastor-gate just doesn't seem to go away, despite the fact that Obama has denounced and rejected the Rev. Wright's comments, maybe it's time to see whose support John McCain actively sought out.
The Rev. Wright has no doubt made some comments that I do not support, and it's appropriate that Sen. Obama has denounced them. But honestly, I grew up in the Catholic Church, and we're not without some history that most of us either ignore, denounce, or just wish would go away. That doesn't keep us from embracing our Churches, as most of what they preach is good and positive. I think we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater here. We're none of us perfect. That's the same with everyone and with every church. McCain chose to seek out Hagee's endorsement. Will the media spend a week on it, defining Teflon John by his association with the ugly and divisive comments of Rev. Hagee? Um, no.
And if you think this leaves Hillary in the clear when it comes to religious affiliation, think again. Hers is possibly the most controversial of the three. How about some airtime for "The Fellowship"?
Better yet, let's just leave religion a matter of personal choice, as the founders intended, and concentrate on the issues that our government should control, like the economy and the war and getting folks some healthcare.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
On Sunday, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette published Teresa Heinz Kerry's endorsement of Barack Obama.
Teresa at a book signing in Pittsburgh, May 12, 2007
It isn't the first time she's written in support of Barack, having sent an email to her husband's supporters in February in which she wrote about Barack's ability to be an environmental leader.
I’ve looked at his record, and I’ve observed his career, and he has a leadership ability that is rare in public life. He is, in many ways, a lot like my husband. He’s a leader who listens, and a listener who unites.
Teresa's philanthropy in Pittsburgh and across the country is well known, and as chair of the Heinz Family Philanthropies, her endorsement carries a lot of weight. She's a champion of women's health and environmental issues, and has an intense loyalty to her home town of Pittsburgh and the state of Pennsylvania. Here's her op-ed in full (reprinted with permission HFP).
Election days are always special to me. I grew up in a land where there were no election days.
The Mozambique of my childhood was governed by a right-wing dictatorship in far-away Portugal. My father, a wise and good man, was 71 years old when he voted for the first time. I never cast a ballot until I became a citizen of the United States. But when I did, it was for a young man who spent years teaching me about the needs of Pennsylvania's working families and the good our government can do for them -- my late husband, Sen. John Heinz. He helped me learn how precious a right suffrage is -- as a weapon against tyranny; as an instrument of hope, progress and change.
That is why, this year, I will cast my vote in the April 22 Pennsylvania primary for Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
Pennsylvania needs a president like Barack Obama, someone who understands the tough times Pennsylvanians are facing. Raised with much love but in challenging circumstances by a single mom and grandparents, he knows firsthand the stress and financial pressures families face. When he beat the odds and put himself through college, he could have made good money with a big-name law firm anywhere in the country, but he chose the gritty streets of Chicago's South Side where, as a community organizer, he worked helping families like his build better lives.
Mr. Obama's work taught him what happens to families and communities when factories shut down and jobs go overseas. He knows firsthand the devastation and despair the global economy can bring -- and how important hope is in overcoming setbacks and getting lives and neighborhoods back on track.
Four thousand American lives, probably upwards of 100,000 Iraqi lives, unknown numbers of severely wounded, four million displaced Iraqi citizens, and a huge drain on our economy.
And yet, John McCain is still wearing his rose colored glasses, refusing to acknowledge the terrible toll of this misguided war. Really, can any rational person consider voting for someone who would continue this massive disaster for another hundred years? Or joke about starting another war in the Middle East?
Senator Kerry was in Massachusetts this past week, and commented on the fourth anniversary of Bush's disaster, but before he left Washington, he spoke with a group of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. In MA, he met with vets in Bristol County, and wrote to the VA about voting rights for veterans.
"The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring."
-Bern Williams
A joyous Easter to all who celebrate, and a very happy Spring! Spring is a time of change, when we escape the harsh winter and look with hope for signs of life and renewal. But despite the reminder of spring that we can make a fresh start, change isn't an easy thing. Often we have to make our way through truly difficult times before the desire for the familiar is overtaken by the realization of the need for something different. First, though, we have to know what we need to change from. In politics, that's the job of the media, to give us the whole story, equitably, so we can make an informed decision about where we are and where we want to be.
As every word out of the mouth of Barack Obama and anyone he's associated with is parsed, every sound byte clipped and analyzed and distorted, some really scary stuff is getting a pass in the media.
Is John "Bomb, bomb Iran" McCain, who the Clintons seem only too happy to promoterepeatedly over our own likely nominee, just a doddering old man who can't tell Sunni from Shi'a? Maybe. Does that make the prospect of a McCain presidency any less terrifying? Hardly.
Except for his honorable service in Vietnam, McCain is Bush III, but worse. He's supported and enabled many of the administration's most egregious policies, despite having been thrown under the bus in the most horrific way by the very same people in 2000. He seems OK with the prospect of spending another 100 years in Iraq. He admits to knowing little about the economy, the country's number one concern. His violent temper is legend, though the media has chosen to ignore it. He's sought out the endorsement of a virulent anti-Catholic preacher, and yet there is relative silence. And it will remain that way until we have a nominee.
Obama has all but locked up the Dem nomination, and if the media has the guts to report on the latest Clinton controversy, she doesn't have a chance. It's time for us to focus on McCain, and let the American people know that after eight years of Bush, the last thing we need is more of McSame.
'Senator Obama reminded us that cynicism is not realism, and that hope is not folly', declared Bill Richardson during a brilliant and rousing speech yesterday, in which he endorsed Barack for president. Governor Richardson, who gave up his own bid for the presidency only a couple of months ago, joined Senator Obama at a rally in Portland, OR, to officially give his support.
The first time I heard Richardson speak was at last year's TBA conference, where he was invited as one of the presidential candidates. I was quite impressed with his stance on the issues and his specific solutions, but was not particularly moved at the time. It might have been because it was a dry policy speech. But it is also possible that, having been freed from the yoke of being a presidential contender, Richardson yesterday was finally able to let passion and emotion be a part of his words.
All I can say is - it definitely worked! This had to have been the best speech the man has ever given. Of course the fact that Bill seems to genuinely like Barack doesn't hurt, either. Pay attention to the story he tells about how Obama saved his hide during one of the debates, and you can see that he has not forgotten and that that particular moment did a lot to ferment Richardson's very favorable opinion of Obama's character and integrity:
One thing that struck me, and apparently the pundits agree: While Bill Richardson was being nothing but kind and polite about Senator Clinton, he called for a uniting of the Democrats and an end to the infighting. In light of what can only be a minimal chance at the nomination for Clinton, this could well have been seen as a call for a speedy withdrawal from the race. It will be interesting to see who, if anyone, will follow his lead in the coming days and weeks and how this will impact Clinton's dogged persistence in staying until the bitter end.
Governor Richardson, in a subsequent interview with CNN, remarked on the difficult conversation he had with Senator Clinton on Thursday night. "It was painful and it wasn't easy," he said. "I've spoken to others who have had that same conversation and they say at the end, it’s not all that pleasant."
Thank you, Bill, for doing what is right, not what is easy.
This was my third annual trip to the TBA conference, and although we had a great time, as always, hanging out with friends and fellow Kerry supporters and attending some great conference sessions, something was missing this year.
At the TBA in 2006, we watched as Senator Kerry give the most incredible speech on dissent. The energy was palpable, and the entire room was on our feet over and over again, wildly applauding each time he called on us to speak out against the wrongheaded policies of the Bush administration. In 2007, we saw the presidential candidates, and had a chance to hear each of them make the case for their candidacy.
This year, Congress was not in session during TBA, and most of the people we had hoped to see and meet were back home with their constituents, talking to them about why they deserve to be sent back to Washington to represent them for another term, or making a case for their favorite candidate, or just taking a break from what we were all in DC to experience.
So, while we were hanging out in Senator Kerry's office, talking to his staff and taking the Capitol tour with one of his interns, he was in Massachusetts, making the case for his own reelection.
Campaigning with Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and THK,
So, even though we missed the Senator this time, we're glad to see he was home in Massachusetts, spending some quality time with his constituents.
There's always next year.
Speaking of connections or missed connections, my daughter went to DC last week. And who did she see? Not Senator Kerry, as you might presume. He was in Boston. No, she ran into Ben Affleck who must have been very busy last week flying between DC where he was shooting his new film and Boston to campaign with Sen. Kerry.
As day three of Take Back America was winding down, KerryVision caught up with the only Republican in the place. Just before his friends Dave, Terri and Rick packed up to head back to Boston, Quagmyre sat down with us to explain the Republican position on habeas corpus and S-CHIP and introduced us and a reporter from the Washington Times to the RoadblockRepublicans website.
What a treat to meet Quagmyre and his creator.
UPDATE: Here's the Washington Times' story on Quagmyre and the Roadblock Republicans.
If Barack Obama's speech yesterday changed the conversation, and I hope it did, Jesse Jackson is one of the people who started it. One of the foremost leaders of the civil rights movement, Rev. Jackson helped pave the way for many of the advances in civil rights and human rights that are again becoming part of the national conversation. And as he reminded us yesterday, it's not just the rights of African Americans that Selma helped advance, but the rights of students, immigrants, people with disabilities and others who benefit from the conversation he and others helped start over 40 years ago.
Vanity asks the question, "Is it popular?"
Politics asks the question, "Will it work?"
Conscience and morality ask the question "Is it right?"
"Unless the third rail is turned on, the train never moves."
Barack Obama's speech yesterday was a call to change the conversation in America to one where the challenges of the past and the struggle for equality are not forgotten, but are advanced beyond what they were over 40 years ago. This is no longer a conversation just about how we can achieve equality, but about how we can achieve unity.
It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare, and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper. ~ Barack Obama
Progressive Majority hosted last evening's reception here in DC at the TBA conference, and the organization's president, Gloria Totten, explained their goals and rather than just talk about their successes, she brought them on stage with her.
Progressive Majority's mission is explained on their website:
Progressive Majority's mission is to elect progressive champions. We accomplish this by identifying and recruiting the best progressive leaders to run for office; coaching and supporting their candidacies by providing strategic message, campaign, and technical support; prioritizing the recruitment and election of candidates of color; and bringing new people into the political process at all levels.
"Progressive Majority recruits committed progressives to run for office at the state and local levels. More than 750 people have accepted our call to serve and, as a result, we've elected 259 to office. This work is changing American politics - we've helped flip control of four state legislatures and 27 local governments. Finally, the rise of the right wing is on hold and progressives are in charge!"
-Gloria A. Totten
President, Progressive Majority
As Gloria explained, one of these local politicians could be the next Barack Obama. It starts with a need for change, and Progressive Majority is giving grassroots progressives an opportunity to make change happen. Thanks to Gloria and Progressive Majority, and to all those who take the time and make the effort.
Back to the conference. We saw Jesse Jackson this morning, who spoke on the lessons of Dr. King and the civil rights movement. More on that later.
I'm on my way to TBA, but I did manage to get the news done before I left for my third annual trip to this huge progressive gathering in DC.
I was searching for a really profound Irish blessing for all of you, but when Kerstin and I came across this one, we decided it was our favorite.
May the light always find you on a dreary day.
When you need to be home, may you find your way.
May you always have courage to take a chance
And never find frogs in your underpants.
Well, I don't suppose anyone can argue that would be a blessing. Enjoy the news.
The photo at the beginning of the newsreel is one I took on my last trip to Ireland. It's just outside the village of Glenbeigh on the Ring of Kerry in County Kerry. Funny that the Irish name counties after US Senators, isn't it?
A big thank you and Happy St. Pat's Day to the artist whose music I used -
The song, Irish Soldier Laddie is quite lovely, and I hope Dan O'Donnell doesn't mind that I used it. I couldn't find anything on his site to the contrary, so I'll just give him a plug here and hope that's OK. And Dan, I do hope you make it to Ireland some day. Here's another photo from my last trip to tide you over. It's from just outside Glenbeigh.
If any of you happen to be in South Florida and find yourself in need of a good traditional Irish musician, Dan's website indicates that he does gigs for the following occasions:
Ethnic (any) Festival, Fair, Snipe Hunt, Hoe Down, Wake, Wedding, Divorce, Anniversary, Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination, Excommunication, Mitzvah, Circumcision, Mass, Exorcism, Revival (of anything), Seance, Resurrection, Coven Gathering, Viagra Party, Deflowering Rites, Rain Dance, Orgy, Barn Dance, Barn Raising, Barn Burning, Peace Rally, Revolution, Hunger Strike, Sit In, Riot, War, Protest (anything) Rally, Convention (any), Inauguration, Impeachment, Debutante Ball, Barbecue, Clambake, clipping your toenails ...
Sounds like my kinda guy. Here's one more picture for Dan and the rest of you.
Torc Waterfall, Killarney National Park, Killarney, Ireland
The weekend's dust-up over some over-the-top language used by Barack Obama's former preacher might just be the perfect opportunity to illustrate the transformation Sen. Obama hopes to bring about in his Presidency. I'm sure that wasn't Hannity's intent when he tried to weaken the campaign of hope and change, but if you listen, you'll understand what Barack means when he explains that a different kind of politics can help unite the country and remove the divisions of the past.
Change doesn't mean ignoring the past. It doesn't mean we should forget those who have struggled, like Rev. Wright, and who harbor anger and resentment over a past that was not always kind. Very often, anger leads to rhetoric that most of us view as inappropriate and divisive. Certainly, some of Rev. Wright's comments made me uneasy. But I haven't lived his life, and none of us can know what he feels. If the 30 seconds that were repeated in the media this weekend were all that could be condemned from 36 years in the pulpit, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on the rest. Change is not about abandoning Reverend Wright or the past. It's about making sure our children don't feel the same anger that would cause them to repeat Wright's sermon in the future.
The words of Rev. Wright are not the words of Barack Obama. Rev. Wright's words are of the past. Barack Obama's are the words of a man who has the audacity to hope to bridge the divides and heal the wounds of the past, and who believes, like Bobby Kennedy, that "we have different stories, but we have common dreams and common hopes, and we can decide to walk down this road together."
Will this controversy hurt Barack in the general election? I honestly doubt it. John McCain has embraced an anti-Catholic whack job. Let's see how that plays out.
UPDATE:
Dwahzon at Dwahzon's Village provides additional insight and a different perspective as an American who grew up as a missionary kid in Liberia. The post reminds us that this issue can not be reduced to sound bytes put out by the media. It really is one that, as Senator Obama emphasizes, should not be ignored or forgotten, but discussed and acknowledged, so that we can begin to understand that despite our differences, what unites us is much greater than what divides us, and that we can overcome the obstacles of anger and fear with compassion and strength.
And the KerryVision team was lucky to participate. While we didn't get to ask questions, most of what we were curious about was answered anyway. The Senator does not leave out any details.
The call was originally billed as a Massachusetts blogger call, and the topic of discussion was to center around the Senate reelection campaign and Mass.- central issues. Well, you can imagine how that worked out! We had Mass. bloggers, Kerry-centric bloggers, and supporters participating in what ended up being a wide-ranging and informative conversation.
The Senator was having a rather busy day at the Capitol on Thursday - 50 votes or more on the budget bill, at least - so he was delayed by a few minutes getting on the line with us. Once he did, however, he hit the ground running, telling us that he is fully engaged in his reelection campaign, and takes nothing for granted. (The campaign has organized an event for this upcoming Saturday to have the Senator and volunteers collect signatures in the Boston area, with food and drinks for everyone afterwards.)
'....we're down here usually Monday through Friday. We've got a lot of votes - we'll be voting all day today. I don't know what we'll wind up with - 30,40,50 votes....we're voting on the budget with some major confrontations on the tax issue, such as who gets the tax breaks. We're trying to keep the breaks for the middle class and keep them away from the wealthiest and most powerful interests in the country....', Senator Kerry informed us. Just that morning the Senate passed a major AIDS bill he had written six years ago with Senator Frist, that added $ 50 Billion in aid and assistance to go around the world.
After this intro, we then launched into the Q and A session of the call:
On strategy against his Senate re-election opponents on each side - O'Reilly and Ogonowski:
- I'm just doing my job. I'm not going to change suddenly. I'm going to do things the people sent me down here to do. I've led the fight to end the war; I was the individual who put the amendment on the floor in August of 2006 against the advice and to the delight of many of my colleagues and we got 13 votes. Then we got 30 votes when I brought it back later, and finally we got 52 votes. So it is now the majority position of the US Senate.
I don't think anybody could lead more effectively or stronger than I did on that issue, and we got it done. We built a majority in the Senate to actually vote to set a date and begin to redeploy the troops. I also believe you have to do it in a responsible way that recognizes out interests in the region and I'm doing that.
I've been the leader in Global Climate Change and don't think anybody can offer stronger leadership than I have on that, alternative energy, renewable fuels, emission reductions. Entire environmental communities recognize me as the Senate leader on that issue, and I'm proud of that.
So, I'll just do my job - continue what I'm doing, and let the record speak for itself.
On possible concerns in certain geographical areas and voting blocs that might need special attention:
- I'm going to work everywhere. I've constantly been moving around the state, but I always do that. It's not a matter of only doing that during an election year. I try to get around the state as much as I can, meeting with mayors, different constituencies, etc. My attitude is "don't leave any stone unturned" and we won't. '
On what the major challenges are for Massachusetts in this election year:
- I think the single biggest challenge on people's minds is the economy: how to create more jobs, how to hold on to the pay levels people have and to be able to pay the bills. Pay the mortage, the energy costs, pay tuitions which have gone up. Most of the costs to the average person are going up and wages are NOT going up commensurate with that.
A lot of people have been squeezed by the foreclosure crisis in the economy through homeownership. I've led on that. I went to the White House and told the president at the meeting of the leadership that they ought to include the foreclosure/housing issue in the stimulus package. I actually won my amendment in the Finance Committee and got it in there, but the Republicans objected and we weren't able to pass it with everything that we wanted to put in it.
It's now in the Housing proposal that is on the floor and I hope we're going to get it passed. Now, finally, the administration is coming around a month and a half later, saying '"gee, we think we ought to do something about the housing crisis" which I gave them a chance to do in the stimulus package a month and a half ago.
So I think my leadership on that has been ahead of the curve, visionary about what the problem is. We are going to get some stop-gap measure to help with respect to foreclosures and housing, which is a big problem. I was down in Brockton, for instance, a few weeks ago, meeting with the mayor. He's had over 400 foreclosures in that city alone, with another 400 to 800 staring him in the face. A lot of communities have a major challenge with respect to the foreclosure issue.
Creating more jobs....Yesterday I had a hearing where I held the science community accountable because they cut the science budget down here for some of the major efforts we need to do the research that creates the new jobs. I have put in an amendment, which is in the budget we're voting on today, that will increase the amount of money to the Small Business Administration and to the small businesses, as well as increase the science money that we're going to spend.
There's a lot on the line. I think those are very critical issues...Immigration is an important issue in a lot of different ways, one of which is - we have a huge problem with the temporary worker visa program. I've personally talked to Michael Chertoff, and I'm hopeful we're going to get that issue resolved somewhere in the next days, but it's been held hostage to the politics of the overall immigration issue. We're trying to break it out so we can get our small businesses - there are a lot of people on the Cape and Islands, a lot of folks out in the Berkshires, some people in between, who are going to be greatly affected by seasonal employment, and we have to get that problem solved.
We have a big issue with respect to the cost of energy. New England pays a particularly high premium on home heating, and the cost of commuting to work - gasoline, which is up now anywhere from 3,10 for normal gas to 3,90 for diesel. It is really getting difficult for people with oil at $104 a barrel, so we're going to continue to push those things.
I visited a New Bedford renewable energy plant that is reprocessing landfill materials into energy, and there are a lot of things like that which I believe would be huge for Massachusetts. We're trying to get those production credits and tax credits passed, but unfortunately, once again the Republicans defended the oil companies. We had money that came out of the oil companies, and they fought against it and defended it. But we're going to continue and try to press for those.
I think those three issues are three of the most important, and obviously, ending the war in Iraq and strengthening America's entire response in the War on Terror. I was just in Pakistan and Afghanistan because I'm chairman of the South Asia and Mideast Subcommittee and again came back underscoring the degree to which the real center of the War on Terror (which I think is not the right name, incidentally. It's a larger struggle than that) is in Pakistan and Afghanistan and they're very much related to each other. So, ending that war in Iraq and getting our troops redeployed and strengthening our military is an enormous issue to Massachusetts and the rest of the country.
So, jobs, the environment, national security, energy costs, are the really big issues.
At this point, Senator Kerry was called away for a vote on the floor. He was very apologetic and asked if he could put us on hold. Umm, Senator? We surely don't mind being placed on hold for something as important as voting on the country's future. Besides, your hold music is rather pleasant to listen to!
And while we're on hold, let's take a look at some recent work JK has been involved in for MA:
Funding science and technology is a priority for Senator Kerry. He's a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and chairman of the Science, Technology and Innovation Subcommittee, and is considered the Senate leader on environmental issues. So yesterday's announcement of a million dollar grant for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution had a special significance.
Senators John Kerry and Edward Kennedy today, along with Congressman Bill Delahunt, announced that the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute would receive $990,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The funding will be used for the Woods Hole Sea Grant program, which supports research, education and extension projects that channel the expertise of ocean scientists toward meeting the research and information needs of users of the marine environment. It works to encourage environmental stewardship, long-term economic development and responsible use of the resources of the nation’s coast.
“For decades, the Sea Grant program at Woods Hole has been on the cutting edge of critical issues impacting Massachusetts’ coastal waters. Sea Grant’s innovative research and technology efforts have helped coastal states across the nation on everything from fisheries, aquaculture and ecosystems to our ever-changing coastline,” said John Kerry.
As luck would have it, several Massachusetts bloggers had a call with Senator Kerry yesterday, and one of the attendees was friend and blogger Mary Beth, a long time Kerry supporter and a marine biologist at Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, who may be eligible to apply for funding for the Sea Grant project that WHOI is administering.
Watch for more from Kerstin on the call with Senator Kerry tomorrow. We discussed everything from the economy to the war to the environment, but I thought the tie with the Woods Hole funding and the fact that Mary Beth was on the call was particularly interesting.
Mary Beth thanked the Senator on the call for his attention to the science budget, and he responded that not only are they focused on funding, but cited a number of initiatives related to the environment, including an ocean acidification bill that was passed out of his committee, a bill related to climate change, and one that he's working on with Barbara Boxer and Joe Lieberman on cap and trade.
The senator also spoke about a hearing he held this week on the deficiencies of the administration's budget proposal, and "The America Competes Act" that attempts to makes up the gap in America's commitment to science and technology.
The big problem, the Senator noted, is that we have an administration that unfriendly with respect to these types of initiatives.
I was unable to find video related to the Sea Grant program, but this is pretty fascinating. It's a WHOI project on climate change, and illustrates the broad scope of their work.
Yesterday, we wrote about dissent, something that's not tolerated in the Bush administration. In the interest of fairness, I thought we'd write today about something they seem to be OK with.
The Washington Monthly has published a series of essays in their current issue from a number of leading politicians and high ranking military officials on the subject of America's use of torture, including one from Senator Kerry. The conclusion by all?
Stop.
Nothing has done more to undercut America's struggle against extremism than the Bush administration's squandering of our nation's good reputation. The torture, abuse, unlawful detention, and related un-American practices associated with Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and CIA interrogations at "black sites" have been as unwise as they have been unprincipled. Most of us can agree that sometimes, in the name of national security, it is necessary to make difficult ethical decisions to protect the American people. However, the administration's dangerous and counterproductive choice to employ torture has severely weakened our ability to win the struggle against extremism. It has also wasted our greatest asset: our moral authority. - John Kerry
The purpose of the series of articles, as Republicans prepared to uphold President Bush's veto of ban on torture, is to encourage the three Presidential candidates to speak out on the topic. All three have in the past, although Senator McCain, in his lust for the presidency, has recently changed his position. Seems he was against torture before he was for it. Pretty shocking from someone who was actually subject to torture back in his POW days, and sad that McCain is willing to set aside his sense of right and wrong and hang on to Bush's threadbare coattails.
The issue has come up on the Democratic side, with Barack Obama citing a Clinton quote where she wavered in her opposition. For the most part, both have spoken out strongly against the use of torture, although Clinton has cited exceptions.
Even if the Republicans in Congress and the Bush administration are not willing to consider the moral implications, they should at least consider the lack of success in intelligence gathering via torture, as a new study - Epistemic Systems - has shown:
KEY FINDINGS FROM THE STUDY
Torture is not an effective means to gather information.
Torturers do not know the truth when they hear it. Torture victims understand this fact and therefore hide the truth.
Torturers cannot make a believable promise to stop torture when they hear the truth. Torture victims understand this fact and therefore hide the truth.
Some, though, have been consistent in defending America's moral values. We've posted this video before, but it's worth a replay. Senator Kerry spoke on the Senate floor in September, 2006 in opposition to the Republican torture bill.
"The bedrock of America’s greatest advances—the foundation of what we know today are the defining values of our country—was formed not by cheering on things as people saw them and as they were, but by taking them on and demanding change."
"So here today we must insist again that fidelity, honor, and love of country and untrammeled debate and open dissent take place. At no time is that truer than in the midst of a war rooted in deceit and justified by continuing deception."
"Dissent" is my favorite John Kerry speech. It is uniquely American, and speaks to the foundations of our democracy. I really don't think it's George Bush's favorite, though. Actually, he probably doesn't have a favorite John Kerry speech, if you can believe that.
Which brings me to my point.
Admiral William "Fox" Fallonstepped down as head of U.S. Central Command yesterday, effective the end of the month. Why, you might ask, would a 40 year veteran resign from such an important post? The Admiral explains:
"Recent press reports suggesting a disconnect between my views and the president's policy objectives have become a distraction at a critical time and hamper efforts in the Centcom region.''
He left because of perceived differences with Bush's strategy on Iran. So even the perception of dissent is enough to warrant the pink slip from this administration.
In an Esquire interview, the magazine called Fallon " ... the rarest of creatures in the Bush universe: the good cop on Iran, and a man of strategic brilliance." Well, that's enough of a disconnect right there. No one would accuse the Bush administration of 'strategic brilliance'. But did he leave, as Defense Secretary Gates stated, of his own accord, or was he pushed out? The Bush administration is not known as a big fan of dissent. As the Esquire article concludes, "... time will tell whether being reasonable will cost Admiral William Fallon his command." It didn't take long.
Senator John Kerry made the following statement today about the retirement of Admiral William Fallon. Kerry pressed Congress to pose tough questions about whether Fallon was dismissed for voicing dissent against a rush to war with Iran.
“Congress needs to determine immediately whether Admiral Fallon’s resignation is another example of truth tellers being forced to the sidelines in the Bush Administration. His departure must not clear the way for a rush to war with Iran.
Admiral Fallon has been a voice of common sense and truth in an Administration where candor has been in tragically short supply. He was correct in warning that we diverted resources from Afghanistan to fight a war of choice in Iraq, and correct in warning of the risks of a rush to war with Iran.
Over these last seven Bush years, we’ve seen those who toe the company line get rewarded and those who speak inconvenient truths get retired. We know that George Tenet got the Medal of Freedom for “slam dunk” evidence on non-existent WMD’s and General Shinseki got retired for telling the truth about the troop levels needed in Iraq.
The looming question now is whether the cost of Admiral Fallon’s candor was his job.”
For most Democrats, the Limbaugh effect involves a barf bag and a bottle of Pepto. In this case, the effect is the same, but the cause is a bit more specific.
Despite what you might be hearing on the cable news channels, Barack Obama won Texas last week, securing more delegates than Hillary Clinton. Sen. Clinton did, however, win the popular vote there by a slight margin. Not really a surprise, she had some help from an unlikely ally.
The Wall Street Journal reports on the impact of Limbaugh's subversion of democracy. Except that they got the winner wrong (Obama won TX), this explains pretty clearly what happened in the Texas primary, and how the Limbaugh Effect helped Hillary Clinton take the popular vote and the primary portion of Texas's hybrid prima-caucus.
Of the 181 voters she personally dealt with, 70 offered that they were “Rush Limbaugh voters” who were there to cast ballots for Clinton. “I’m here to vote for Hillary Clinton, I want to see the Democratic Party implode,” one voter told Kreissl, she recounted in an interview. “I was just stunned,” she said. “As an election official we can’t say anything. We just jot them down and let them vote.”
Kreissl, an Obama supporter, said she kept rough counts, but her fellow poll worker, a Clinton supporter, both estimated that as many as two-thirds of the voters were Limbaugh Republicans turned Clinton voters. About 800 ballots were cast in total there. “I’m an accounting professor, I know numbers pretty well,” she said.
Kreissl worked a 19 hour day to also help organize the caucus event later that night. Similarly, she said she personally checked in 20 Obama supporters and 17 Clinton supporters. Of Clinton’s 17, 10 identified themselves as Rush Limbaugh voters, she said.
She’s convinced the Limbaugh voters turned the tide in favor of Clinton. “I don’t think we were an isolated case by any means,” she said. “I think it was very widespread across the state.”
Now, I know a lot of Republicans. Most of them are good people who play by the rules and believe in fair elections. But I guess there are some who would rather follow Rush Limbaugh into hell than face Barack Obama in November. Maybe the Ohio Limbaugh voters didn't know Rush may have been asking them to commit a felony. Still, it's a moral issue, and they should all know that it was wrong. Shame on them.
Congratulations to Senator Obama on a big 61-38 win in Wyoming the other day, and best of luck in Mississippi today. The Magnolia State will go huge for Obama, particularly after Hillary burned Mississippi with a put-down last year in Iowa. As to the potential impact of the Limbaugh Effect on MS, I haven't heard a peep from the media or the Clintons. Despite the fact that Limbaugh's website depicts the Clintons with the bodies of cockroaches and the heads of Bill and Hillary, they haven't renounced his dirty tactics. I'm not holding my breath.
Big news this week. First, Obama won Vermont and Texas. I don't care what the traditional media says, and I don't care what Rush Limbaugh says. The media has been hyping TX as a Hillary win for days, and it's really bugging me. Hillary may have won the first half, but Obama won the caucus and the most delegates in the Texas prima-caucus, so he won. Period. He also came away with a big win in Wyoming on Saturday, and is headed for another tomorrow in Mississippi. GObama.
In other campaign news, it was all about Michigan and Florida on the Sunday shows, and if/how to seat the delegates from the rogue states. It's a tough one. Bending the rules for these two might set an ugly precedent, but the people have a right to their voice. I wonder why the governors of these two states are getting a pass on this? Their really bad decision to try to circumvent the rules hasn't been questioned and they really did start this whole cluster.
The other big Dem election news from the weekend was a scarcely covered IL special election for Congress. The reason it's big is that Democrat Bill Foster won Denny Hastert's seat! Now THAT is a big Dem win.
Oh, and the Clintons have changed their campaign strategy. I think the new slogan is "Confuse to Lose". Hillary says Obama's not ready to lead, but is suggesting a 'dream ticket', presumably with her at the top. Someone might want to tell her the winner doesn't take second prize. I missed who Scarborough was quoting this morning when he said "It's like selling a house you don't own," but it was spot-on.
There was huge news for Massachusetts, too, as both Senators Kennedy and Kerry were ranked among the most powerful members of Congress. We already knew that, of course, but it's good to have the validation. MA was also recognized as the leader in e-prescriptions, and Senator Kerry, who introduced legislation to make it a national priority, accepted the honor on behalf of his state.
There was a SFRC hearing on strengthening national security (watch Gen. Zinni), a letter to Senators Conrad and Gregg about the Social Security disability backlog, an appeal to ICE secretary Julie Myers, and an investigation into veterans' center funding.
The discussion on Face the Nation this morning on how to seat the Florida and Michigan delegates is an important one. Everyone wants the voices of the people in these two states to be heard. But how?
Rules are rules, and the leadership of both parties in Michigan and Florida broke them by moving their primaries to January despite the DNC's warning that their delegates would not be counted. They knew what would happen. As Howard Dean reminds us, the rules were set a year and a half ago, and the states agreed to them. Still, they went ahead with their early primaries and the result is that their voters have been disenfranchised. So now, they have to fix the resulting mess. The question is how to do that in a way that is fair to both candidates.
First, there has to be some opportunity for the people to get to know the candidates. The results of the early contests in those states can not stand, obviously, since the candidates didn't have an opportunity to campaign and Obama's name wasn't even on the Michigan ballot. Hillary tried to 'game' these primaries, by claiming a victory in states she knew were in violation of the rules. Here's what happened in Michigan:
... in August 2007, Clinton, Edwards, Obama, all signed a pledge not to "campaign or participate" in Michigan or Florida. Then, in December, Clinton told New Hampshire Public Radio that the votes of Michigan would not count.
In January she refused to remove her name from the Michigan ballot, even though John Edwards and Barack Obama, honoring the pledge all three signed in August, removed their names. On January 15, she "won" the Michigan Democratic primary. On January 25, she released a statement urging that the delegates pledged by Michigan's primary be seated.
Still, not the fault of the Michigan and Florida voters.
However this plays out, it will have to be agreed to by both candidates, the states and the Democratic party, and that's not going to be easy. Of course, we do have to wonder about Sen. Clinton's word and whether or not she'll keep it this time.
On Face the Nation, Senator Kerry and Florida Senator Bill Nelson discussed the options.
If you ask Senator Kerry why he believes Senator Obama will be the best person to answer the '3am phone call', he'll tell you it's about judgment.
Video Credit: CNN
It's true that, unlike the other two candidates, Barack Obama has made the correct choice with respect to Iraq and Iran. And his policy of speaking to both friend and foe has been proven by history to be the correct course. Also important to good foreign relations, though, is the proper temperament, and Obama can chalk up a win in that column as well.
Despite Sen. Clinton's claims that she and Sen. McCain are the two candidates who have the experience to react in times of crisis, there is serious concern about what that reaction might be. First, though, two questions. Why is Sen. Clinton defending the Republican nominee over the Democratic candidate, and what, exactly, is her experience? Until recently, the media hasn't challenged her assertions, but lately, they've come under scrutiny.
"I think it's imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander-in-chief threshold. I believe that I've done that. Certainly, Sen. McCain has done that and you'll have to ask Sen. Obama with respect to his candidacy." -- Hillary Clinton
"I think you'll be able to imagine many things Senator McCain will be able to say. He's never been the president, but he will put forth his lifetime of experience. I will put forth my lifetime of experience. Senator Obama will put forth a speech he made in 2002." -- Hillary Clinton
Temper, temper
So, when John McCain picks up the phone at 3 am, how will he react? Maybe he'll belt out a tune. Heck, the song works with a whole lot of Middle Eastern countries. Perhaps he'll insult some world leader's children. Or maybe a simple "f-you" -- click. Keith Olbermann speaks to Salon's Mark Benjamin about military leaders' fears and John McCain's temperament.
Video Credit: MSNBC
I'm not sure why Sen. Clinton believes John McCain is more prepared than Barack Obama to answer that 3 am phone call. Maybe it's a matter of judgment. Or maybe she really does have some of that John McCain 'experience'.
fellow Kerry supporters and attending some great conference sessions, something was missing this year. 
This year, Congress was not in session during TBA, and most of the people we had hoped to see and meet were back home with their constituents, talking to them about why they deserve to be sent back to Washington to represent them for another term, or making a case for their favorite candidate, or just taking a break from what we were all in DC to experience.
my daughter went to DC last week. And who did she see? Not Senator Kerry, as you might presume. He was in Boston. No, she ran into Ben Affleck who must have been very busy last week flying between DC where he was shooting his new film and Boston to campaign with Sen. Kerry. 
The song, Irish Soldier Laddie is quite lovely, and I hope 
