Happy Monday!

This past week, Sen. Kerry and Sen Schumer held a press conference and sent a letter to Condi Rice regarding deals between Iraq and major oil companies, wrote an op-ed about nuclear disarmament, held a hearing on home heating oil prices, and introduced legislation to remove Nelson Mandela from the terror watch list, improve cruise ship safety, and increase education funding.

He wrote at The Congress Blog about the Sarbanes-Oxley extension, and about Pakistan, and commented in a press release about the SBA nominee.

The Senator voted on FISA, and spoke on the floor about the situation in Zimbabwe.

His hearing in the Senate Small Biz Committee on heating oil prices was interesting and important, so have a look if you can find the time. We posted a small clip, but the entire hearing is worth watching. The price of heating oil this winter is going to be shocking for businesses and consumers, and now is the time to look for solutions.

Oh, and Pickens welshed again. Surprise.

Hope you all have big plans for the 4th. More of us will be spending it closer to home with backyard celebrations instead of long weekends out of town due to soaring gas prices, but however you spend it we hope you have a safe and fun Independence Day.

I'm not really in the habit of giving Republicans helpful tips, but this is getting embarrassing. In the past week, we've learned that Sen. McCain forgot to pay his property taxes, doesn't know what gas costs, and thought he supported the new GI bill when he didn't.

Maybe post-it notes would help. Or one of those little voice recorders that you can stick in your pocket, so when he's looking out the window of the SUV and sees a sign that says "Regular 4.02', he can just say 'gas costs $4' into the recorder, and play it back until it sticks.

In his defense, he probably didn't forget about his lack of support for the Webb amendment. He just took credit for supporting something he opposed.

Just like his oil drilling position that did a 180 in a matter of weeks.

So, is the recent spate of reversals simply another series of senior moments, or is he just so used to getting away with this stuff that he thinks he'll get another pass? It's becoming difficult to tell the difference. It's also getting tough to remember all of McCain's flip-flops. I'm going to have to start writing them down.

UPDATE: Looks like the McCains forgot to pay their AmEx bill. I forgot to pay one of mine once, and I think they charged me $30. Of course, my balance wasn't a quarter of a million dollars. Why would someone pay that kind of interest on that much money when they have tons of cash like the McCains? It doesn't make sense unless maybe they just forgot to pay it.

Interesting.

I've also already been belittled for my measly $3.99 gas photo. Seems some are paying over $4.50, and I saw one in CT for $4.95, so I guess I'm 'lucky'. Of course, when Bush took office, gas was around $1.40, so if McSame finds a way to ooze himself into the White House, we might all find ourself yearning for $5 gas.

Will you help make it happen?

Senator Kerry sent an email yesterday asking his supporters to Unite for Change by attending a local event TODAY to celebrate Democratic unity. Check the link for a Unite for Change event near you.

Hello KV,

What an incredible campaign for President our Democratic Party enjoyed this year - culminating with two groundbreaking candidates debating the issues across the country. Senator Clinton and Senator Obama engaged millions upon millions of Democrats and Independents throughout the primary season and helped spread the message of big progressive change to so many.

And now we're a unified Democratic Party. The unity of our Party is on hand for all to see today - in - ironically -- Unity, New Hampshire. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are holding an event together showing the strength and unity of Democrats as we take back the White House and change our country.

And across the country, Democrats, Independents, and yes, even some Republicans will be holding Unity for Change rallies tomorrow Saturday June 28, to show our common purpose as we bring change to our country. You can find out about a rally near you, or even host one yourself, by visiting this site and putting in your ZIP code:

http://my.barackobama.com/uniteforchange

There are thousands of these events all over the country, in houses, function halls, outside and inside, almost anywhere people can gather. Millions of Americans will be coming together to build our Democratic Party toward victory in the fall. We've all had enough of Republican failures, and this weekend people all across our country will meet and plan what they can do to get our country moving in a different direction.

I hope you'll join us tomorrow, Saturday June 28th. Just follow the link below to find an event near you. It may even be at your neighbor's house, or someone just down the street. You'll get engaged in your own community as part of this nationwide rally.

http://my.barackobama.com/uniteforchange

If we all put everything we have into it, we can remake the political map and get our country moving again.

Thank you,
John Kerry

Today, Zimbabwe will hold an election with a single candidate. Robert Mugabe, who was defeated by Morgan Tsvangirai in the country's March election, will attempt to hold on to power through violence and intimidation and a sham 'run off' election while the world watches.

Mugabe, in his nearly 30 year rule, has seen the devolution of his once prosperous nation into a country replete with poverty and violence, where the life expectancy is the lowest of any nation on earth. The mismanagement of the country's economy has lead to hyperinflation and severe food shortages. Although the literacy rate of adults in Zimbabwe is over 90%, unemployment is around 80%. It's estimated that 4 million Zimbabweans are displaced, either internally or in neighboring countries due to the economic crisis and the violent and repressive Mugabe government.

Senator Kerry took to the floor of the Senate yesterday to urge the US and the international community to uphold the democratic process and the will of the people of Zimbabwe, and condemn the theft of the March election.

In April, Sen. Kerry introduced a resolution to ask the Senate to 'urge President Robert Mugabe to accept the results of Zimbabwe's elections and effect a peaceful democratic transition.' But the resolution has not stopped Mugabe, and although it has helped bring attention to the threat to democracy in Zimbabwe, the world hasn't done enough to force Mugabe to transition the country's leadership to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, the legitimate winner of the election. Tsvangari has removed himself from tomorrow's election to protect the lives of his supporters, who have been savagely attacked by the Mugabe regime.

If America is truly intent on promoting democracy, we must support the attempt by Zimbabweans to hold free and fair elections. If we're to regain our moral authority we must stand with them and urge the international community to uphold the will of the people.

OK, there are a couple of them. First, the cost of home heating oil is projected to increase 36% this coming winter. That's 36% more than what folks couldn't afford to pay last year when they saw a 30% increase over the previous winter. So, people who can't pay to heat their homes and businesses won't be able to, and many small businesses who supply fuel to consumers will go into debt or go under. And the scary thing is that unless someone does something, that's what's going to happen in the northeast this winter.

"Winter is months away — and we New Englanders know the cold times it will bring with it — but we need to act now to make sure that this winter no one has to choose between food or fuel."

Another scary thing is what Senator Kerry's Democratic Senate challenger thinks about the committee that's taking on this issue.

“It’s not an important committee – it’s small business.”

The Senate Small Business Committee, whose mission it is to promote and protect small businesses in the United States -- businesses that employ most Americans -- isn't important to Mr. O'Reilly, which is why Sen. Kerry is a United States Senator, and Mr. O'Reilly is a drunk driving attorney, currently on sabbatical for the purpose of annoying the voters of Massachusetts. See the difference?

Yesterday, the Small Business Committee took on the issue of home heating oil and the future impacts on consumers and small businesses. The hearing covered the near term issues of this coming winter, and touched as well on the long term solutions of conservation and alternative fuels.

Today at a hearing on high heating oil prices, Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), announced legislation with Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) to help small businesses suffering from rising heating fuel costs. Heating oil distributors are facing a credit crunch as they are forced to take out loans to cover higher costs for heating oil while their customers struggle to pay rising bills. Kerry and Snowe’s bill will give businesses impacted by high heating oil costs access to credit through disaster loan programs at the Small Business Administration.

“It might be summer outside, but as families sit down to sign heating contracts for the winter, consumers and small businesses are feeling the chill of skyrocketing heating oil prices,” said Senator Kerry, Chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. “We need to act now to make sure that small businesses impacted by these rising energy prices have access to capital so that they can weather this storm, and so the six million families in the Northeast that rely on heating oil to stay warm in the winter will be safeguarded from supply disruptions.”

You really should watch the entire hearing. I know I say that most of the time, but this one is not only scary, but heartbreaking at times, with small business owners telling stories like that of an of 80 year old customer who can't qualify for heating assistance because she makes too much money at her part time job at the local grocery store.

In about six months, there won't be too many things that are more important.

I came across something interesting last night while googling around for the latest on Iran and why Bush/McCain wants to bomb and/or build there. I think the diplomatic outpost rumor is unfounded, given the last 7 1/2 years of this administration ignoring diplomacy altogether, but I'm not so sure we should be complacent about increased bombing rhetoric. Neocon Bill Kristol seems to think that if things continue to go downhill for McCain, Bush might just go ahead and let 'er rip before it's too late and America elects a president who might just enough sense to try to talk to them before bomb, bomb, bombing.

What caught my attention, though, didn't have to do with the current tensions in the Middle East, or even with Bush the Lesser or his protege McSame, but an old video from back when the Republicans thought it was A-OK to arm Iran. It was George Mitchell's schooling of Ollie North on the topic of patriotism during the Iran-Contra hearings.

It was a far different setting, but the same conclusion was drawn in the discussion on the topic of patriotism and the right wing's attempt to co-opt it between Sen. Kerry and Chris Matthews. The truth is that the right wing doesn't own it, they can't decide how people choose to demonstrate it, and questioning authority is a responsibility of it. These were the points made by both Kerry and Mitchell on these two very distant occasions, and their counter argument to flag-pin patriotism is one that can't be repeated often enough.

I found it fascinating as well that these two discussions of patriotism, decades apart, have a common connection in that they were presented by two key players in the investigation of the Iran-Contra scandal. Both Senate Majority Leader Mitchell, at the forefront of the hearings, and Senator Kerry, who lead the investigation behind the scenes, reminding of the connection between patriotism and dissent and how the two are intertwined.

It is, as Mitchell says, the essence of our freedom.

After Tim Russert's funeral last week, the Senator and Chris Matthews sat down to talk about Tim, about the people who came together to pay their respects to the journalist, and about patriotism. I was a little surprised that Chris brought up the topic the way he did, but happy to hear his views, and for the opportunity to listen to Senator Kerry discuss patriotism in a way you don't often hear in the mainstream media.

Last week, Senators Kerry and Snowe got small businesses a reprieve from Sarbanes-Oxley deadlines, Senator Kerry held a hearing, on cruise ship safety, slammed McCain (repeatedly) on a conference call, blogged at Huffington Post, joined Jim Webb and others on the Paid Federal Employees Parental Leave Act, sent a letter to Condi Rice about the situation in Burma, and one to the FDA on generic drugs.

He announced a $1.35 million Coast Guard contract for a company in Woburn, and $890K for UMass Amherst, and helped dedicate a swimming pool for autistic kids in Southborough.

The Senator introduced legislation to help families with fuel costs this winter in addition to more funding for LIHEAP.

We learned of the missing nuclear weapons parts that Sen Kerry and Bob Casey are trying to find out how the administration lost. I'm thinking that losing nuclear weapons, even parts of them, can't be good. We'll have to keep an eye on that one.

And the men of PCF 94 are taking on Pickens' million dollar challenge. Cough it up, Pickens. It's chump change to you anyway, and it's not near what you put into smearing a good man's reputation. A million bucks to charity is the least you can do to begin your redemption.

Here's the news.

On Friday, Senator Kerry joined Michael and Kitty Dukakis, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray, MA state Rep. James Eldridge and L. Vincent Strully, CEO and founder of the New England Center for Children, to help dedicate the Michael S. Dukakis Aquatic Center for the NECC students. The NECC, with facilities in Southborough, MA and Abu Dhabi, UAE, focuses on the educational needs of children with autism and related disorders.

From their website:

We are a private, nonprofit autism education center dedicated to bringing out human potential and creating productive lives for children with autism. Since 1975, we have remained true to our original mission: providing state-of-the-art autism education and individualized treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and Asperger's Syndrome.

The NECC website also describes Gov. Dukakis' long history of advocacy for disabled children, and his contribution to the Center.

Governor Dukakis’ leadership as Co-chair of the Capital Campaign for the Aquatic Center is testimony to his unwavering support and belief in the mission of The New England Center for Children. When NECC was founded nearly 33 years ago, Michael Dukakis was serving as the newly elected Governor. He believed that children with disabilities should not be confined in institutions, but should live in communities. His administration was instrumental during the mid 1980s in assisting NECC during the implementation of its community-based model of education for children with autism.

Now, I don't know much about autism, although I have learned a bit visiting the NECC site. But as a parent, I do know a something about kids, and from the news account and video describing the event, the reaction of the children as they swam and played in their newly dedicated pool was pretty much the same as that of children without disabilities. If the goal was to provide "opportunities for learning, self-esteem activities and therapy.", as Mr. Strully was quoted at the groundbreaking of the facility last April, it looks like the new pool has hit its mark. Sounds like they're having fun, too, just like any other group of kids would, and for a parent, there's nothing like seeing your kids having fun.

At the New England Center for Children (NECC) yesterday, a handful of students leaped, paddled and splashed in the center's new pool, oblivious to the who's who of Massachusetts politicians watching through the large glass windows.

NECC, a residential and day-school center for children with autism, held a ceremony yesterday morning to dedicate the "Michael S. Dukakis Aquatic Center," named for the former governor who co-chaired the aquatic center's capital campaign and serves on the school's board of directors.

Before the ceremony, Dukakis and his wife, Kitty, lingered in the aquatic center to watch the swim lessons. U.S. Sen. John Kerry, Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray and state Rep. James Eldridge toured the $5.5 million facility as well.

"It was touching to see the expressions on their faces," said Kerry. "It's wonderful to see how the pool opens their character, confidence and identity."

Congratulations to the NECC and the Gov. on the dedication and the new facility, and especially to the kids and their parents. There is a donation page at the NECC website.

In 2004, when the Swift Boat Liars for Bush came out in force against John Kerry's decorated military service, the men who served with him were there to defend. How the Liars got any traction is still a mystery to me. I guess if you tell a lie often enough and put enough money behind it, someone is bound to fall for it. But the guys who served with Lt. Kerry knew the truth, and they were there to defend the man who lead them through the dangerous waters of Vietnam and who helped bring them home alive. Today, the men of PCF 94 are fighting another battle, to defend their honor against the continued smears of someone who never served. The Band of Brothers is taking on the T. Boone Pickens challenge.

I can't imagine what it was like to live through what these men did, having myself spent much of the Vietnam era avoiding Sr. Mary Dominic's ruler, but I do understand loyalty. So, I was impressed but not surprised to see Sen. Kerry's crew return fire when T. Boone Pickens and the Swift Boaters least expect. As we reported at the time, Pickens put up the challenge, and now the men who served with Sen. Kerry have announced that they're taking his bet, and are armed to the teeth with military records and video to defend Senator Kerry's service and their own.

Scott Leigh of the Boston Globe reports:

T. BOONE Pickens, some angry Vietnam veterans would like a little of your time.

These are guys who served directly with John Kerry in Vietnam, and they have a T. bone to pick with you.

They're upset that you helped smear Kerry - and pollute the political discourse - in 2004 by donating $2 million to the inaptly named Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

You need to sit down with them. And when you're done, it'll be time to reach for your checkbook once again - this time to give a cool million to the charity of their choice.

If you're a man of your word, that is.

Frankly, I have my doubts.

more at the Globe

What I don't get is how anyone believed they had the right to question the Senator's service to begin with. He served. In Vietnam. So if you didn't, you're disqualified. If you did, and you're questioning another person's service, official Navy records and the word of the people serving with him, just consider someone casting doubt on your own. It's strange, and I really wonder what kind of person does that.

I keep hearing during the current election campaign that John McCain's service is not to be questioned. That's true. I wouldn't, and I don't know many people who do. But what's with the double standard? Why was trashing a veteran's service OK in '04 but out of bounds in '08?

The answer is that it wasn't acceptable then or now. And the band of brothers is ready to set the record straight, for once and all, if Pickens has the guts to stand behind his words. Like Mr. Leigh, my guess is that he won't.

"Before he debates Barack Obama, he's really got to finish the debate with himself."

OK, so the photo has nothing to do with yesterday's conference call. It's actually a picture from the MA Dem convention, but I have decided that rally signs are completely appropriate when the Senator zings McCain as spectacularly as he did yesterday, with his comment about McCain's flip-flop on the environment so spot-on as to warrant a couple signs at the very least. If I had balloons, I'd post them, too.

TPM has audio of the Senator's call, where he blasted McCain on every inconsistency, from ANWR to his opposition to a windfall profits tax, and from torture to taxes.

Senator Kerry attacked Bush/McCain's big oil position with the facts, explaining that 95% of the Alaska oil shelf is open to oil exploration today, that the Gulf is as well, and the oil companies are sitting on it, waiting for the prices to go up even higher.

The truth, as both Sen. Kerry and Sen. Obama have noted, is that you can't drill your way out of the energy crisis, you have to invent your way out of it. McCain used to know this stuff, Senator Kerry reminds us (even though McCain's record was never as good as what he claimed). I think he still does know it, but has chosen to abandon completely his previous lukewarm defense of the environment in deference to the whims of big oil, and to pander to voters with half-truths and Republican propaganda, promising relief from high energy prices when his proposals will in no way provide any such assistance.

Sen. Kerry ran through the list of McCain flip-flops, including torture, taxes, embracing support from evangelicals, oil drilling, ANWR, and the windfall profits tax. I'll bet he missed a few, but it's quite an impressive list nonetheless.

On the subject of flip-flops, Senator Kerry's MA Senate opponent had a whopper recently, when faux progressive candidate Ed O'Reilly decided he was for immediate withdrawal of our troops from Iraq before he was against it. Kerstin posted on BMG about EOR's new position on getting out of Iraq, where he waffles on his previous calls for immediate withdrawal and even questions the appropriateness of Senate involvement in calling for an end to the war.

Seems to me that was the main plank of Ed's platform, and now he's flipped his position from 'Out Now!' to 'Out Eventually!', which I have to say, doesn't look near as good on signs, and makes for a really lousy protest chant.

Maybe before attempts to debate John Kerry, Ed should really finish the debate with himself.

Memorials are a time to look back on the life of the deceased, to mourn the passing and to celebrate memories and to come together, bound by our common affection for the person being memorialized. They're also a time to reflect on how a person's life has influenced ours, and at a ceremony remembering Tim Russert yesterday at the Kennedy Center, friends and family recalled his life and his impact. A theme that ran through it was Russert's patriotism, and as his son Luke poignantly said of his dad, "His spirit lives on in everyone who loves their country."

In an interview with Sen. Kerry after the service, Chris Matthews broached the subject of patriotism and how the right has attempted to define it in partisan terms. Senator Kerry described patriotism in a way he has many times in the past, one that seeks to include all people who love their country, despite the differences in how that patriotism manifests itself.

"I think patriotism is not defined always by how much you boast about your patriotism. It's about how you live your life about your country and put it into the policies that you care about. Telling the truth is patriotic. Holding your country accountable is patriotic. There are lots of ways to be a patriot, and I think people need to understand that."

Tim Russert understood. I think most people understand it, deep down. But, as the Senator questioned, will the lessons be integrated into the behavior? The challenge for whoever takes the torch from Mr. Russert will be to not only understand the true meaning of patriotism, but to find a way to communicate it.

Nailed it.

That was the best description of John McCain's position on the environment that I think I've ever heard. I don't think I've ever quoted Bush when it wasn't followed by, 'Boy, that was dumb.' It was surprisingly, brilliantly and without question, unintentionally spectacular. Thanks George.

OK, so maybe he wasn't referring specifically to his BFF, but it's an excellent description of McCain's flip-flop on off-shore drilling and profits for big oil, from supporting a windfall profits tax mere months ago to denouncing it yesterday. I guess it's true that you have to speak to your audience, but I don't think that means changing your core position to suit the crowd. Someone needs to explain recording devices to Senator McCain, he seems to forget that what's said one day can be resurrected the next.

Senator Kerry posted at Huffington yesterday in response to another of McCain's 'before it before he was against it' waffles, as the Straight Talk Express derailed once again.

If you care about climate change, the last 24 hours provide the clearest illustration yet of the choice we face in November, and which candidate understands what we need to do.

In Detroit last night, Barack Obama took the stage with Al Gore to tell tough truths -- and propose specific policies to galvanize decades of green economic growth.

In Houston today, candidate McCain will tell the people that he used to call "special interests" that just because two oilmen are leaving the White House doesn't mean the gravy train has to end. Back in 2000, he promised he would "never lose sight" of the importance of protecting our natural heritage. Today his campaign reversed McCain's longstanding position and endorsed drilling off our coastlines. Oh -- and Senator McCain's reform agenda of getting tough on Big Oil? Now Candidate McCain is against any windfall profits tax to fund renewable energy.
More at HuffingtonPost

Windfall profits tax -- McCain was for it ...

... before he was against it.

But that wasn't McCain's only blunder of the day. He came out both in support of big oil, and against the Constitution and the Supreme Court ruling on habeas corpus in the span of a few hours. Senator Kerry hit back on a conference call yesterday after McCain reinforced support of the failed Bush policy in the Middle East. Audio of the call is available at TPM.

"The United States is less safe, less respected, less able to lead in the world. And that is the record that John McCain has chosen to embrace..."

"John McCain is Washington's biggest supporter for the worst foreign policy decision of our generation. He's failed to learn the lessons of 9/11, we're paying for that failure today, and he is the candidate of the Iraq war mindset. A mindset that completely misunderstands and dangerously underestimates the dangers of the 21st century..."

"When it comes to Guantanamo, John McCain is running right now on the platform of continuing a legal approach that has violated our Constitution, failed to prosecute terrorists over the course of these many years, six and a half years, failed to bring them to justice, failed to have verdicts, failed to send them to jail, and in fact, set back our ability to lead the world because of the example, now repudiated by our own Supreme Court. So, if you want to talk about going backwards, and adopting a policy that is retro, I think John McCain has articulated it about as clearly as it could be, and it's against the better interests, national security interests of our country."

Oh, wow. I just saw the new McCain ad on TV. Isn't there a requirement to put some kind of truth in those things? I saw hydro, wind and solar, but where were the off-shore oil rigs? Maybe they should have aired that one last week, when McCain claimed he was for protecting the environment.

It was a long time coming, but on the anniversary of his own presidential announcement, Vice President and Nobel Prize winning environmentalist Al Gore endorsed Barack Obama for President yesterday in Detroit.

Dear Friend,

A few hours from now I will step on stage in Detroit, Michigan to announce my support for Senator Barack Obama. From now through Election Day, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure he is elected President of the United States.

Over the next four years, we are going to face many difficult challenges -- including bringing our troops home from Iraq, fixing our economy, and solving the climate crisis. Barack Obama is clearly the candidate best able to solve these problems and bring change to America.

This moment and this election are too important to let pass without taking action.

That's why I am asking you to join me in showing your support by making a contribution to this campaign today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/gore

Over the past 18 months, Barack Obama has united a movement. He knows change does not come from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or Capitol Hill. It begins when people stand up and take action.

With the help of millions of supporters like you, Barack Obama will bring the change we so desperately need in order to solve our country's most pressing problems.

If you've already contributed to this campaign, I ask that you consider making another contribution right now. If you haven't, please take the next step and own a piece of this campaign today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/gore

On the issues that matter most, Barack Obama is clearly the right choice to lead our nation.

We have a lot of work to do in the next few months to elect Barack Obama president, and it begins by making a contribution to this campaign today.

Thank you for joining me,

Al Gore

There has been a huge surge of support among leading Democrats for Obama since he clinched the nomination. There was Hillary, of course, followed by PA Gov. Ed Rendell coming out big for Barack in Philly the other day. Barbra Streisand, who had backed Hillary's primary run is now on the Obama bandwagon, and ready to help raise funds for his campaign. Most unions are backing Obama's bid. Just a few more heavy-hitters left, and I think that's just a matter of time.

Kool-aid, Bill?

Senator Kerry co-chaired a discussion on Trends in Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage at the Senate Health Care Reform Summit yesterday. No video of the event yet, but we found a tiny bit of audio. We'll post more as it's available.

It was a rough couple of days.

Senator Kerry spoke at the funeral of Sgt. Shane Duffy, who was buried on Saturday in Taunton, and commented on the loss of NBC's Tim Russert.

Earlier in the week, the Senator sent a letter to the head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding unsafe smoke detectors, obtained 13.4 million in aid for Massachusetts fishermen, questioned Condi Rice on the Blackwater contract, introduced a bill to protect small businesses from information security breaches, and another to stop the DoD from using our money for war propaganda, and answered questions at a virtual energy forum,

He also won the Profiles in Compassion Award from the Animal Welfare Institute for his work protecting wales. What the Senator is not doing is riding in l'Etape this year, which is disappointing, but I guess work comes first, and there's always next year, after he and Obama and our even bluer Congress win this November.

There were some notable stories on the internet this week, and although they're not technically news, they stood out. One, on DailyKos, about swiftboating, one that described the reasoning behind a Mass. delegate's vote for the Senator, and a letter in the Herald from Boston's police commissioner (good letter, underwhelming title).

Hope all you dads had a fabulous Fathers' Day.

Yesterday, Senator Kerry, Governor Deval Patrick and Lt. Governor Tim Murray paid their respects to the 65th Massachusetts resident to give his life for his country in Iraq. Sixty five Massachusetts families have suffered the death of a family member, each loss an unbearable tragedy, and each life a precious gift taken too soon. The latest, Sergeant Shane Duffy of Taunton, a mere 24 years old, leaves behind a grieving community and a loving family, including a widow and an eight month old child who will never celebrate Fathers' Day with her dad.

In his eulogy, Senator Kerry recalled stories of Shane's life, shared by family members, and the heartbreaking cost of war to the friends and family of the fallen.

God rest you, Sergeant Duffy. Thank you for your service.

Senator Amy Klobuchar filled in for Sen. Kerry at the Washington State Democratic convention, where he was scheduled to speak yesterday.

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry: "Today’s awful news about Tim Russert’s sudden passing is a swift kick for everyone who knew, respected, and loved Tim and had the honor of sharing his company. It's hard to describe the shock. Tim was the best political newsman of his generation, and he was a trailblazer in the unique way he brought his personal love of politics, honed by Moynihan and Cuomo, right into our living rooms every Sunday.

Tim was at once brilliant and insightful while always approachable, always accessible, and always your next door neighbor and your friend who was there to referee the debates of the big issues of our time. He relished that role and he excelled at it, as any one would who believed in the tenets of Jesuit education. He loved to hold the big guys accountable and in the original, intelligent, studied way he did it he emerged as the biggest guy of all.

It is impossible to overstate how much Tim was inseparable from American politics. When I decided to announce for President, the only place to do it was on ‘Meet the Press.’ It is impossible to imagine political life without him as our guide every Sunday. But it is even more difficult to find the words to express our sympathy for Maureen, Luke, his father Big Russ, and Tim's family at NBC. Tim, Maureen, and their family will remain in our thoughts and prayers a long, long time."

Here's what really bugs me about millionaire, drunk-driver-defending attorney Ed O'Reilly. It's not that he's got a ton of money. Some of my favorite people have money. I have a bit myself, although I'm nowhere near O'Reilly's tax bracket. It's not even how he made his money, although defending drunk drivers for profit is a pretty slimy way to make a living. It's not his shrill speaking style or his annoying habit of running away when things get a little dicey on the blogs or even that he claims to be a progressive when he isn't. It's not that he cozies up to Republicans when it suits his purpose or that he takes their campaign contributions or that he's aligned himself with the Swift Boat Liars.

OK, that bugs me a little.

But what really bothers me about Ed O'Reilly is that he's got nothing -- NO-THING -- and he's trying to run for Senate on it. Against John Kerry. Seriously, despite his self-proclaimed progressive cred, he has done not one single, solitary thing to justify his opposition to Sen. Kerry.

Against the war? ME TOO! For gay marriage? Sure, why not? Heck, I have the same record on Iraq and gay marriage as O'Reilly does. Maybe better. Faith for Senate. It has a ring to it.

Of course, I couldn't run in Massachusetts, where they have a couple Senators who have actually done stuff. Senators who have fought against the Bush administration on a host of issues, and one in particular who has lead the Senate in opposition to the Iraq War for years, and whose Kerry-Feingold Amendment, which got 13 votes in June of 2006, is now the Democratic position on withdrawal.

Joe Biden recognized Senator Kerry's efforts on the floor of the Senate last September.

So, here's the bottom line. Ed O'Reilly has done nothing, and has proven nothing to back up his stated positions on anything. Nothing on Iraq, nothing on gay marriage, nothing on the economy, nothing on the environment. He didn't lead a protest, fund a study, hold a rally or run for elected office higher than school committee that I'm aware of, and I'm sure I would have heard. And until he comes up with something more than angry guy with an annoying voice, his campaign for Senate is nothing more than a bunch of bloviating by a do-nothing, know-nothing windbag pettifogger.

EOR at Sen. Kerry's pre-convention party

I know a lot of Republicans, and most of them have a pretty decent sense of humor, so I'm tempted to believe that the whole McCain thing was a joke gone bad. It had to be. Either they were kidding, or they actually picked the guy to run for President of the United States of America.

So, now they're stuck with him, and the more they try to spin, the deeper they dig. It doesn't matter if you listen to part of the clip from yesterday or the whole interview, when you add up his inability to keep Sunni and Shia straight, his 'hundred year' comment and the fact that he doesn't know how many troops we have fighting in Iraq, one thing is clear. McCain is really confused on Middle East policy.

In the latest McCain screw-up, the Senator from Arizona actually told Matt Lauer that it's "not too important" when the troops come home. These are the same troops who have served multiple tours in George Bush's war, and who are half a world away from their families. This is the same war that has cost the American taxpayers billions of dollars, all to make us less safe than before it all started.

But, according to McCain, it doesn't matter when the troops come home.

Senator Obama's top surrogates were quick to let everyone know why it does matter, very much.

On Countown with Keith Olbermann,

In an interview on MSNBC,

and on a conference call earlier in the day.

You know who else it matters to? Iraqis. They clearly do not want a permanent American presence in their country, but that doesn't seem to matter to John McCain. Maybe someone should write it down for him so he doesn't forget next time. Iraqis do not want us to stay in their country. Not for a hundred years, not indefinitely, not any longer than it takes to withdraw safely. They do not want us there. And it doesn't look like they're kidding.

From a letter to the U.S. Congress from a majority of the Iraqi parliament:

"The majority of Iraqi representatives strongly reject any military-security, economic, commercial, agricultural, investment or political agreement with the United States that is not linked to clear mechanisms that obligate the occupying American military forces to fully withdraw from Iraq."

Sounds pretty serious to me.

If you're going to run for office in Massachusetts, it's good to have at least one Kennedy around to speak on your behalf, and since Teddy couldn't make it, Bobby seemed only too happy to step in and give a great endorsement speech.

Even though Sen. Kennedy wasn't there in person, he was not forgotten by convention goers, who sported "TEDSTRONG" wristbands and listened to the speakers acknowledge his contributions to Massachusetts and to the country and wish him well throughout the day's events.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., son of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy; lawyer, author, radio host, and environmental champion, took the stage in Lowell on Saturday to endorse Senator Kerry's re-election to the Senate.

Kennedy related the history of Sen. Kerry's life of public service, his relationship with the Kennedy family and his qualifications for re-election, and listed some of JK's Senate battles including the Alito filibuster, the fight for ANWR, and Kerry-Feingold, the Democratic position on Iraq withdrawal. He recalled the Senator's efforts in 2006 that resulted in a Democratic majority in Congress, and spoke of John Kerry's commitment to the environment and to our children's future.

Thanks to Bobby Kennedy for a great speech, and to Tony for the video.

Swear to God ...

So, Kerstin and I are coming back into Tsongas Arena after taking a break from the commotion in the hall, and when we walked back in, we could hear this shrill voice over the PA screaming about something or other at a pitch nearly indecipherable to the human ear. My first thought was, "Good Lord, I hope this loon isn't speaking on Sen. Kerry's behalf."

When we reached the top of the stairs and looked into the arena, wouldn't you know, it was none other than Mr. Ed O'Reilly.

Whew. That could have been embarrassing.

As it happens, Martha Coakley and Bobby Kennedy and the others who did speak in support of the Senator were brilliant, as expected. More on that and some video from Bobby's speech in the next days. For now, here are some more photos from the convention. Enjoy!

So, I'm going through security at Logan yesterday with my convention stuff, including two rather large John Kerry for Senate signs, and a TSA guy says to me, "He should be coming through here later on," pointing at my signs. "We really like him."

"Me too," I answered as I pushed my stuff along the belt.

"Sure hope he doesn't take that Secretary of State job when Obamer gets in," he continued.

"You know," I said, smiling, " you Mass folk are a little selfish with your Senators."

"I know," he admitted, "but he's a really good one."

It was a sentiment I heard repeatedly over the past few days from waitresses and big shot union guys and delegates and fellow volunteers. I guess that explains the 78%. Even the 'message senders' who made up a good portion of the remaining 22% seem happy with the work Sen. Kerry is doing, if what I heard is representative. It went something like, "Sure, we love John, but he didn't endorse my candidate/get my legislation passed, so I'm sending him a message." I didn't get it, but that's Massachusetts politics, I guess, and it seems to work.

We have lots more stories and photos from the convention to share, but there was plenty going on this week in addition to the convention, most notably the climate change bill that was blocked by Senate Republicans. The Senator was interviewed on This Week, wrote to Condi Rice urging release for Tibetan protesters, and to the GAO requesting an investigation into SBA lender oversight.

Thanks to Kerstin, Terri, Burt, Tony and the rest of my Mass friends, old and new, for their hospitality. Enjoy the news.

We have plenty of photos and video from yesterday's Massachusetts State Democratic Convention to share over the next few days, but for now, here's a bit of the evening before.

Senator Kerry flew back to Massachusetts after spending the morning in DC to vote on cloture for the climate change bill, which the Republicans blocked once again. Looks like the evening turned out much better though, as he was able to spend some time with MA convention delegates and make his case for another term. I guess he was pretty convincing, as he won the endorsement of the Massachusetts Democratic Party in a walk, with 78% of the delegates voting to back his run.

I did get to grab a minute with the Senator, just long enough to exchange pleasantries, but it's always nice to see John Kerry and thank him for the work he does for all of us. Both venues were packed with people trying to get a bit of his time, and there's only one of him to go around. I'll have to come up with a complaint or a request for next time, It seems to be the one thing that keeps him in one spot for more than a minute or two.

More from the convention in the next day or three. Hope you enjoy these few clips.

Wish you were here.

The City of Lowell, Massachusetts is all done up for the State Democratic Convention today, and its Jr. Senator's renomination to the United States Senate.

The Doubletree Lowell

Volunteers and staff are out in force to rally behind the Senator's bid, and are looking forward to helping him to his fifth term.

Senator Kerry was out and about in Lowell yesterday, meeting with constituents at Lt. Governor Tim Murray's pre-convention get-together at Caffe Paradiso ...

More from Lowell tomorrow!

As someone who speaks publicly on occasion, I try to stick to the one basic rule of speech making.

Don't suck.

Well, 'maverick' McCain broke from the pack the other day, and decided to go in the complete opposite direction. Mercifully, CNN broke into John McCain's snore-fest with a barn burner from the newly proclaimed Democratic nominee.

I have heard some compare the CNN decision to putting a mortally wounded animal out of its misery. Maybe they heard the cries of people watching from both sides to please, make it stop. Whatever the reason, it was a change everyone could believe in.

From McCain's forced smile, to the rapid eye blinking, to the sickly green background, to the repeated denouncement of Obama's hopeful message, his speech was so bad that even the talking heads weren't able to spin it. Except for Stephen Colbert. It seems Stephen was the only news show host able to find a way to make the McCain speech interesting with his 'Green Screen Challenge'. I found one video on YouTube that takes up the challenge and highlights McCain's commitment, as restated in this morning's USA Today, to continue to eschew oratory style for the 'substance' of George Bush's policies. I guess it's always a good idea to go with your strengths, such as they are.

I wouldn't ask anyone to re-watch the massacre, but TPM put together some of the lowlights of Tuesday's McCain speech, and the reaction of the punditry.

Oh, man that was brutal.

Of course, as bad as McCain's speech was, it's certainly not a first. There have been other stunningly dull though not as well publicized flops that contrasted sharply with the merciful rescue of the crowd by the speaker who followed.

John Bowes of BelowBoston captured one recently.

And I am not just talking about Senator Kerry being on fire on the senate floor yesterday, as he laid out in no uncertain terms the risks we will be facing if we do not act to combat global warming starting NOW.

Subject of the Senate Floor Debate was the Climate Security Act, co-sponsored by Liebermann and Warner. The bill is widely seen as landmark legislation and possibly the most effective Climate Change bill ever considered by the congress. Of course the republican side of the aisle sees it as its duty to object to the legislation because.....well, because that's what they do.

I haven't watched their arguments for a variety of reasons, one of which is my fear of my IQ eroding in double digits if forced to make sense out of their convoluted logic. I'm assuming it all boils down to the same old canard: Too expensive for the consumer, which, translated, means: Our friends in the energy business don't want to be inconvenienced.

That's why I figured if we feature Senator Kerry's speech, we can safely consider ourselves duly and honestly educated:

Senator Reid, intelligent enough to head the opposition's lies off at the pass, put out a complementary statement that exposes their myths and lays bare the facts of this bill.

Well, the primary is finally over, thank God. Congrats to Sen. Obama on a great win and a spectacularly run campaign. It was a tough battle between two highly qualified Democrats, and although I didn't have any trouble picking Barack Obama as my candidate, I will commend Senator Clinton for her tenacity and continue to admire the work she's done and will do in the US Senate. The thing about the Dem primary, contentious as it was, was that there were two formidable candidates, both with weighty resumes and strong ideas for how they plan to move the country forward. Neither candidate was perfect, but I believe we chose wisely and we have a great nominee in Barack Obama, who will crush John McCain in November.

There are other contests to consider, though, and a lot of good Democrats running for Congress this year, so it's important that we choose strong candidates to increase our slim majority in both the House and Senate.

JK meets with constituents outside Faneuil Hall

Environmental Protection

O'Reilly's website has three short paragraphs on the environment, most of it referencing Al Gore's work. Obviously Ed is not John Kerry, who has written a book, represented the United States at international climate conferences, and written and/or co-sponsored hundreds of pieces of legislation dealing with environmental issues.

O'Reilly's "Record of Public Service" page is much broader than his environmental dossier, filling four entire paragraphs. I will summarize.

Paragraph 1 - Ed is not John Kerry
Paragraph 2 - Ed was a Gloucester City Councilor in the 1980s
Paragraph 3 - Ed was chairman of the Gloucester School Committee in the 1990s (doesn't say that he quit)
Paragraph 4 - Ed is known to have a sense of humor

I guess he does have a sense of humor. He's attempting to run for Senate against John Kerry with absolutely no record to back up his stated positions.

Good one, Ed.

EOR skulks behind column at Faneuil Hall after Kerry speech

Most of the rest of the site is about how Ed O'Reilly 'believes' this or 'supports' that, with nothing to back it up. Apparently, he believes education is good and war is bad. OK, that ought to sell, it's the position of most Americans. There is nothing, though, to suggest he is any more qualified to represent Massachusetts in the United States Senate than any other former city council person/school board member currently on vacation from his day job as a lawyer.

Really. Nothing. So, if you want to know what Ed O'Reilly has done to back up his stated positions on 'things people like', you really have to dig a little deeper than his campaign site.

Here's some background on Ed O'Reilly from BMG poster 'Masshole':

Ed may be a defender of the Constitution but he's made his living (a good enough living to take a year off to run for Senate) defending drunk drivers, drug dealers and thugs. Everyone deserves competent legal representation but Ed isn't a public defender. He's a self-employed defense attorney who picks his own clients and then makes money off them. Here is my fav Ed client.

* George Sideris - Peabody cop who beat his elderly mother and then was arrested when he went a bit far and threw her down the stairs on Thanksgiving. Ed defended Sideris and said that
the reason George punched his 73-year old mom in the face and then tossed her down the stairs was because George was being teased at work.

* Ed says that he has worked hard to help people with substance abuse problems and spoke about helping kids stay off drugs when he was a one term Gloucester school committee member. So imagine my surprise when I found that in 1988, Ed was defending a member of a drug smuggling operation. The foursome was stopped on the Pike and police found the car loaded with heroin. Ed was trying to get the search thrown out. Oh, guess where the drugs were headed...Gloucester.

True story.

There's more, but you get the picture.

It's the topic 'deplorable things done at Thanksgiving' that brings me, finally, to my introduction to Ed O'Reilly on DailyKos. Mr. O'Reilly, in late November of last year, chose to side with the SwiftBoat Liars in questioning Sen. Kerry's military service. The blogs, of course, reacted and a diary went up on Kos criticizing Mr. O'Reilly for questioning the service of a decorated veteran. Ed showed up to mount a defense, posted one sanctimonious comment titled "Ed O'Reilly Responds" in which he asked for "honest and open dialogue",and then quickly disappeared to enjoy the holiday, leaving his poor friend Ron to try to defend the indefensible. He never answered any of the questions posed to him, including the one about his not having served in Vietnam, or about his criticism of Ted Kennedy's work on children's health care, or even why he was siding with SwiftBoaters and not his fellow Democrat. You know, when someone questions a veteran's service, I immediately think of something said by a Republican veteran recently, that "The only person who has a right to question someone with three Purple Hearts is someone with four Purple Hearts." Ed doesn't have them. Although he was 'of age', he chose not to serve. OK, no problem there, except when one chooses not to serve, he gives up the right to criticize others' service, as we are reminded by that wise Republican vet.

I don't doubt that veteran would have had some choice words for Ed O'Reilly, although there are some Republicans who do seem to like him. They like him so much, in fact, that they are donating big money to his campaign. You would think that a 'true progressive' like Ed O'Reilly wouldn't get big donations from heavy Republican contributors, including backers of Mitt Romney, Bradley Jones, Kerry Healey and John Tierney's 2004 opponent what's-his-name, but he has, oddly enough. Why would folks who previously donated to Republicans suddenly give money to Ed? Oh, right. He's 'Not John Kerry', and I'm pretty sure they would love to run against someone who is not John Kerry this fall.

But the question remains, what is Ed running ON? Someone must know. It has to be something more than "I'm not John Kerry" and a couple grand from Republicans.

Check your gauge, Ed. It's hovering around 'E'.