The Liberal Media of Scarborough and Buchanan Express Concern over Vice President Palin

Former Republican congressman Joe Scarborough and former Republican candidate for President Pat Buchanan express their concerns over Sarah Palin being named as John McCain's vice president candidate.

After Buchanan outlines Palin's short resume and her year and a half stint as Governor of Alaska, Scarborough says...

That-that-that will not work.

Palin Endorses Obama's Energy Plan

On August 4th, Sarah Palin released a press release praising Barack Obama's energy plan.

August 4, 2008, Fairbanks, Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin today responded to the energy plan put forward by the presumptive Democratic nominee for President, Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

"I am pleased to see Senator Obama acknowledge the huge potential Alaska's natural gas reserves represent in terms of clean energy and sound jobs," Governor Palin said. "The steps taken by the Alaska State Legislature this past week demonstrate that we are ready, willing and able to supply the energy our nation needs."

In a speech given in Lansing, Michigan, Senator Obama called for the completion of the Alaska natural gas pipeline, stating, "Over the next five years, we should also lease more of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska for oil and gas production. And we should also tap more of our substantial natural gas reserves and work with the Canadian government to finally build the Alaska natural gas pipeline, delivering clean natural gas and creating good jobs in the process."

Governor Palin also acknowledged the Senator's proposal to offer $1,000 rebates to those struggling with the high cost of energy.

"We in Alaska feel that crunch and are taking steps to address it right here at home," Governor Palin said. "This is a tool that must be on the table to buy us time until our long-term energy plans can be put into place. We have already enjoyed the support of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, and it is gratifying to see Senator Obama get on board."

McCain's Been Running for President Longer than Palin's Been a Governor

John McCain has been running for president longer than Sarah Palin has been Governor.

John McCain formed his exploratory committee to run for president on November 13, 2006.

Sarah Palin was sworn in as Governor of Alaska on December 4, 2006.

How can McCain and the Republican Convention Compete With This?

How can John McCain and the Republican convention compete with Obama's speech in front 75,000 people at Mile High Stadium and almost 40 million people watching on TV? The differences between the 2 candidates will obvious and vast.



McCain even had trouble filling the 10,000 arena in Dayton, Ohio for his vice president announcement.

Sarah Palin: Dangerously Inexperienced

After hearing that John McCain has named Alaska Governor Sarah Palin his vice president, I checked out her stances on some issues on On the Issues. Under Foreign Policy it says...

No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.

Then I read this on Political Wire...

Just a year and a half ago she was mayor of a town with just over 5,000 people.

Talk about dangerously inexperienced.

Thursday's Highlights From the Democratic National Convention

Iowan and Olympic Gold Medalist Shawn Johnson started the day off by leading the pledge of allegiance.

Bill Richardson outlined how McCain has consistently changed his position on numerous issues and then nailed McCain on wearing $520 pair of Italian loafers, saying...

John McCain may pay hundreds of dollars for his shoes, but we're the ones who will pay for his flip-flops.

Al Gore spoke last night and had this great line...

Today, we face essentially the same choice we faced in 2000, though it may be even more obvious now - because John McCain, a man who has earned our respect on many levels, is now openly endorsing the policies of the Bush-Cheney White House and promising to actually continue them, the same policies all over again?

Hey, I believe in recycling, but that’s ridiculous.

Then a group of everyday people who were Republicans, but are now supporting Obama spoke. One of these people was Barney Smith from Marion, Indiana who summed up the difference between Obama and McCain...

We need a president who puts the Barney Smiths before the Smith Barneys.

I will write more later about Obama's speech, but this article by David Sirota sums up Obama's speech, saying that Obama has made an economic populism the key theme to this election.

Shawn Johnson to Lead Pledge of Allegiance at the Democratic National Convention

Olympic Gold Medalist and Iowan Shawn Johnson will be in Denver on Thursday to lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democratic National Convention.

Barack Obama's presidential campaign says Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson will lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.

Obama is expected to give his acceptance speech Thursday night at Invesco Field at Mile High stadium in Denver.

The 16-year-old Johnson won four medals at the recent Olympics in Beijing, including a gold in the women's balance beam competition.

Fraudulent Private Contractors Better Watch Out, Grayson's on His Way to Congress

Alan Grayson, who ran this great campaign ad in July, won the Democratic primary in Florida's 8th district yesterday. Grayson now faces Republican incumbent Rick Keller, who barely held on against a primary challenge himself.

Grayson has fought against fraud by private contractors throughout the past 15-20 years. He is running for Congress to make sure taxpayer money isn't wasted by private contractors and our troops get the equipment they need to do their job.

Grayson has another outstanding ad about the fraud by private contractors in Iraq...

Iowa: We Started It!

In Denver, Iowa has received a lot of recognition and praise for standing for Barack Obama "that cold January night", and opening the door to the movement that has swept the nation. Iowa should be proud. Not only of our belief in Barack Obama, but of our state government, activists, and communities.

Every morning we have guest speakers to begin our day. Yesterday we had Governor Chet Culver and Lt. Governor Patty Judge. Wow, these two have done so so much to improve our great state. Culver spoke of the disasters Iowa has endured this summer (They will go down in history to be in the Top 10 worst natural disasters in the US), and also showed the silver lining; that Iowa is "going to rebuild to be a stronger, safer and better state." He stated that Iowans locked arms and used resilience to get through the floods and tornados, and that every single one did their part. (Donate at www.embraceiowa.org. The other night Union Pacific wrote a check for $50,000 to Embrace Iowa.)

We also heard from Mike Gronstal, the Senate Majority Leader, who reminded us of how far Iowa has come with the democratic majority. Since 2006, minimum wage has been raised for 250,000 workers, Iowa has produced 3 million gallons of alchohol for fuel, we have made strides in our civil rights, produced more wind energy per capita than any state in the union, passed children's health care, and went from having our teacher's pay rank 42nd in the nation to 25th.

That's the only reminder we need to remember why we stay democrats in Iowa!

wow Wow WOW

I'm behind on a lot of what's been going on at convention, but the experience overall is hard to describe in words.

Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Amy Klobuchar, Claire McCaskill, Barbara Boxer, Kathleen Sebelius...the list goes on. Women in the United States have some of the best representation we could ask for! These are just a few of the many out there, who are willing to fight for us and for everyone.

Monday night Michelle Obama knocked her speech out of the ballpark, not leaving a dry eye in the audience. She gave ever woman, every child, every family hope for what could be. She proved her faith in the American Dream as well as her faith in Barack Obama to keep renew that dream, and to keep it alive.

Last night, Hillary Clinton gave one of the most moving speeches a democrat could ever hear. Her giving attitude and love for her country shined through every word she had to say, and after her address to the convention, party unity is just around the corner. She really does believe in this party and in this country, and because of this she deserves much praise. We are very fortunate to have her continued representation and impact in the US Senate.

There is no need for any woman in the country to worry about our rights, as long as these ladies are here fighting for us, and as long as we get Barack Obama elected as president of the United States.

Tuesday's Highlights from the Democratic National Convention

The media was all over last night's convention speeches for not attacking Bush and McCain enough. Tonight, that's is not the case...

Janet Napolitano, Governor of Arizona (YouTube video)...

Barry Goldwater ran for president, and he lost. Mo Udall ran for president, and he lost. Bruce Babbit ran for president, and he lost. For this next election, that's one Arizona political tradition I'd like to see continue.

Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas...

John McCain's version: There's no place like home...or a home...or a home...or a home...or a home...

Sen. Bob Casey, Pennsylvania (YouTube video)...

John McCain calls himself a maverick, but he votes with George Bush more than 90% of the time...that's not a maverick, that's a sidekick.

and...

The Bush-McCain Republicans inherited the strongest economy in history and drove it into a ditch. They cut taxes on the wealthiest of us and passed on the pain to the least of us. They ran up the debt, gave huge subsidies to big oil companies, and now they’re asking for four more years.

How about four more months?

Mark Warner, former Governor of Virginia and Senate candidate...

People always ask me, "What's your biggest criticism of President Bush?" I'm sure you all have your own. Here's mine: It's not just the policy differences. It's the fact that this president never tapped into our greatest resources - the character and resolve of the American people. He never asked us to step up.

Think about it: After September 11, if there was a call from the President to get us off foreign oil, to stop funding the very terrorists who had just attacked us, every American would have said, "How can I do my part?" This administration failed to believe in what we can achieve as a nation, when all of us work together.

and Warner does a great summing up what this election is about...

This election isn't about liberal versus conservative. It's not about left versus right. It's about the future versus the past.

Ted Strickland, Governor of Ohio, made a great baseball analogy...

You know, it was once said of the first George Bush that he was born on third base and thought he'd hit a triple. Well, with the 22 million new jobs and the budget surplus Bill Clinton left behind, George W. Bush came into office on third base--and then he stole second. And John McCain cheered him every step of the way.

Brian Schweitzer, Governor of Montana, is really hitting McCain hard on being in the pocket of Big Oil and against renewable energy (and having a great time while is at it)...

After eight years of a White House waiting hand and foot on big oil, John McCain offers more of the same. At a time of skyrocketing fuel prices, when American families are struggling to keep their gas tanks full, John McCain voted 25 times against renewable and alternative energy. Against clean biofuels. Against solar power. Against wind energy.

This not only hurts America's energy independence, it could cost American families more than a hundred thousand jobs. At a time when America should be working harder than ever to develop new, clean sources, John McCain wants more of the same and has taken more than a million dollars in campaign donations from the oil and gas industry. Now he wants to give the oil companies another 4 billion dollars in tax breaks. Four billion in tax breaks for big oil?

That's a lot of change, but it's not the change we need.

In Montana, we're investing in wind farms and we're drilling in the Bakken formation, one of the most promising oil fields in America. We're pursuing coal gasification with carbon sequestration and we're promoting greater energy efficiency in homes and offices.

Even leaders in the oil industry know that Senator McCain has it wrong. We simply can't drill our way to energy independence, even if you drilled in all of John McCain's backyards, including the ones he can't even remember.

Hillary Clinton caps off a fantastic night with a fantastic speech that stressed the need to elect Barack Obama. She nailed McCain with this line...

It makes a lot of sense that next week John McCain and George Bush will be together in the Twin Cities, because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart.

Video of Jim Leach's Speech at the Democratic National Convention