Oxendine Announces First Round of Campaign Leadership Team

Commissioner John Oxendine is honored to announce the first round of leaders for Team Oxendine - Governor 2010.

"It is humbling to have such a great team of Georgia leaders supporting my campaign to transform Georgia government. We have set the foundation for a true statewide campaign. I want to be the Governor for all of Georgia.

Consider where Georgia is after this past Legislative Session: At the end of the Session, Georgians still have no tax cuts, are still stuckin traffic, still have no new economic development projects, and still trailother states on school test scores. My message to Georgia taxpayers: Help is on the way and change is coming."

Please welcome the first of multiple announcements of Team Oxendine:

Finance Committee Chairman:

Dan Amos - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aflac Incorporated

Senior Policy Advisor:

Bill Byrne - Former Chairman Cobb County Board of Commissioners and former Republican candidate for Governor

Campaign State Co-Chairs:

Representative Amos Amerson 9th District Dawson (pt.), Forsyth (pt.), Lumpkin (pt.)

Representative Rich Golick 34th District Cobb (pt.)

Representative Brooks Coleman, Jr. 97th District Gwinnett (pt.)

Representative Clay Cox 102nd District Gwinnett (pt.)

Charles Bannister - Chairman Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners

Al St. Lawrence - Sheriff Chatham County

Pat Vaughn - Mayor, City of Powder Springs

Mike Bilderback - Member Monroe County Board of County Commissioners

David Breedlove - School Board Member-elect Walton County Board of Education

U.D. Roberts - Chairman of faith based groups for Governor Mike Huckabee in Georgia and President and CEO of Brentwood Christian Press of Columbus

Donna Rowe - Leader in Georgia Federation of Republican Women, Georgia Vietnam Veterans community and Georgia Realtors community of east Cobb County

Marvin Myers -Leader in Georgia veterans community of Atlanta

Nolen Cox - Past Georgia State Director of the American Family Association and President Crown Chemicals of Valdosta

Emma Hinesley - Past state chair Georgia Federation of Republican Women and past Secretary of the Georgia Republican Party of Newnan

Debbie Groninger - McCain for President Fayette Chair, Chair of New Generation of Republican Women of Fayetteville

Dr. James Story, Jr. - Retired general surgeon and hospital administrator of Thomasville

Yvonne White - Past Second Vice Chair Georgia Republican Party, Past Chair Troup Republican Women's Federation, Past Chair of Troup Republican Party of LaGrange

Nancy Hollingshed - 11th District Chair Mike Huckabee for President of Dallas

Melinda Mock - Past Chair 6th Congressional District Georgia Republican Party of Canton

Kathryn Gartland - Gwinnett Republican Party leader

Michael Opitz - Chairman The Madison Forum of Marietta
Mike Powell - American Legion Riders accredited representative Veterans Counselor of Cartersville

John Oxendine
Oxendine Working for Georgia

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Saxby Chambliss on Winning the Runoff Election

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) today made the following statement after winning the runoff election:

“My family and I are deeply humbled by the outpouring of support our campaign has received over the past four weeks. I would like to thank my staff, the RNC, the NRSC, all of the Georgians throughout the state, and the volunteers from around the country who came out to make calls, knock on doors, and help with our get-out-the-vote effort. Our victory tonight sends a strong message to Washington, D.C., that Georgia still cares about conservative values - but this win is only the beginning. We have a lot of work to do over the next six years and I’m proud to have the opportunity to ensure Georgia has a strong voice in the Senate.”

RNC Chairman Duncan & Co-Chair Davidson Make Victory Stops in GA

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan and Co-Chair Jo Ann Davidson will make Victory stops in Georgia on Monday, November 24 and Tuesday, November 25 on behalf of Senator Saxby Chambliss and the Republican ticket.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24
Sandy Springs, GA
RNC Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan
Co-Chair Jo Ann Davidson
Fulton County Victory Center Visit
Monday, November 24, 2008 at 3:30 pm EST
Fulton County Victory Center
5920 Roswell Road
Sandy Springs, GA 30328


Marietta, GA
RNC Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan
Co-Chair Jo Ann Davidson
Cobb County Victory Center Visit
Monday, November 24, 2008 at 5:00 pm EST
Cobb County Victory Center
1234 Powers Ferry Road
Marietta, GA 30067

Woodstock, GA
RNC Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan
Co-Chair Jo Ann Davidson
Cherokee County Victory Center Visit
Monday, November 24, 2008 at 7:00 pm EST
Cherokee County Victory Center
1105 Parkside Lane
Woodstock, GA 30189

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Lawrenceville, GA
RNC Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan
Co-Chair Jo Ann Davidson
Gwinnett County Victory Center Visit
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at 9:30 am EST
Gwinnett County Victory Center
911 Duluth Highway
Lawrenceville, GA 30043

Fayetteville, GA
RNC Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan
Co-Chair Jo Ann Davidson
Fayette County Victory Center Visit
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at 11:30 am EST
Fayette County Victory Center
111 South Glynn Street
Fayetteville, GA 30215

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Second Amendment Rights Rally with U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss

Come celebrate your Second Amendment Rights with
U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss
&
NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre!
Wednesday, November 19th, 2008
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter
Georgia Building
401 Larry Walker Parkway
Perry, GA 31069
Please RSVP to RSVP@saxby.org
and indicate "NRA Rally" or call (678)589-4888

Chambliss, Huckabee, Linder & Boortz at Fair Tax Rally

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) today announced that he will join Governor Mike Huckabee and special guests for a Fair Tax rally Sunday, November 16, 2008, at 2:30 pm, at the Gwinnett Center.

2:30-4:30 PM
Gwinnett Center- Grand Ballroom
6400 Sugarloaf Parkway
Duluth, Georgia 30097

U.S. Representative John Linder and the ‘Talkmaster’ Neal Boortz, authors of two books on the Fair Tax, will also attend.

Message from Senator John McCain re: Saxby Chambliss

My Friends,

I sincerely appreciate your hard work on our presidential campaign. Although we fell short of our ultimate goal, we were victorious in Georgia due to your tireless efforts. Now I am asking you to go on one more mission with me. Please join me in helping re-elect my good friend Saxby Chambliss to the United States Senate.

Saxby has a runoff election on Tuesday, December 2nd. We must get our fellow Republicans back to the polls and send Saxby back to Washington. We need Senator Chambliss there to protect your Georgia values and the Georgia taxpayers.

I want to start our effort by inviting you to my campaign rally for Saxby this Thursday, November 13, 2008 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway in Atlanta, Georgia. I will be joined by Senator Chambliss and Senator Johnny Isakson along with many federal, state, and local officials. This event is free of charge, and the doors open at 4:00 p.m.

If you cannot make the political rally, please visit www.saxby.org to volunteer your help for the campaign. Also, please request and return your absentee ballot as soon as possible! Remember you do not need an excuse to vote absentee.

Again, thank you so much for all you've done. Let's turn out the vote in Georgia one more time.

Sincerely,

John McCain
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Reuben Torres and Dr. Brasch Debate on Barack's Historical Win

Professor Walter Brasch, Ph.D. and liberal activist will be the guest this Tuesday on the radio show, “ Let’s Get Real With Reuben Torres .” He will be debating fiscal conservative talk radio host, Reuben Torres on Barack’s historical win, the status of the Global and U.S.A economy, Free Trade agreements , political corruption and the future of the two political parties in America .

WALTER M. BRASCH, Ph.D.—an award-winning former newspaper reporter and editor in California , Iowa , Indiana , and Ohio—is a university professor of journalism and mass communications, and author of a biweekly syndicated newspaper column. Walter is also the author of dozens of magazine articles, several multimedia productions, and has worked in the film industry and as a copy writer and political consultant. Walter is the author 14 books, most of them focusing upon the fusion of historical and contemporary social issues, including Sinking the Ship of State: The Presidency of George W. Bush, The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina, America's Unpatriotic Acts: The Federal Government's Violation of Constitutional and Civil Rights (2005); Black English and the Mass Media (1981); Forerunners of Revolution: Muckrakers and the American Social Conscience (1991); With Just Cause: The Unionization of the American Journalist (1991); Brer Rabbit, Uncle Remus, and the 'Cornfield Journalist': The Tale of Joel Chandler Harris (2000); The Joy of Sax: America During the Bill Clinton Era (2001); and Sex and the Single Beer Can (2004). He also is co-author of Social Foundations of the Mass Media (2001) and The Press and the State (1986), awarded Outstanding Academic Book distinction by Choice magazine, published by the American Library Association.magazine, published by the American Library Association.

During the past decade, Walter has won more than 100 regional and national media awards from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, Society of Professional Journalists, National Federation of Press Women, Pennsylvania Press Club, Pennsylvania Women's Press Association, Pennwriters, International Association of Business Communicators, Pacific Coast Press Club, and Press Club of Southern California.

Walter is the president of the Pennsylvania Press Club, and was president of the Keystone State professional chapter and deputy regional director of the Society of Professional Journalists, from which he received the Director's Award and the National Freedom of Information Award. He is founding coordinator of Pennsylvania Journalism Educators. He is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, Author's Guild ,National Writers Union (UAW/AFL-CIO), and The Newspaper Guild (CWA/AFL-CIO). Walter is listed in, Who's Who in America, Contemporary Authors, and Who's Who in the Media.

Dr. Brasch earned an A.B. in sociology from San Diego State College, an M.A. in journalism from Ball State University , and a Ph.D. in mass communication/ journalism, with a cognate area in language and culture studies, from Ohio University .

“Lets Get Real With Reuben Torres" is an open forum where topics on politics, immigration, health, education, and other global issues, that affect our country and the world at large, are discussed and debated at local, national, and global levels. "Lets Get Real With Reuben Torres " will air this Tuesday evening from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm unless otherwise stated.

To listen to the program go to www.blogtalkradio.com/LETSGETREALWITHREUBENTORRES

All are welcome to participate by calling (347) 327-9003

ELECTION DAY IRREGULARITIES IN BATTLEGROUND STATES

The McCain-Palin campaign is committed to ensuring that every qualified voter has the opportunity to vote and that all lawfully cast ballots are not cancelled out by fraudulent votes. Given that four states in the 2004 Presidential Election were decided by 1 percent or less, the McCain-Palin Campaign believes there should be a zero-tolerance policy for voter fraud and voter intimidation. Through a combination of news accounts and first-hand reports, the following cases of voter irregularities have been documented:

PENNSYLVANIA

In Philadelphia, PA, Black Panthers Are Intimidating Voters By Standing Outside Of A Polling Station While Holding A Night Stick. Fox News' Rick Leventhal: "I do not even know where to begin, but we have reached a polling place in the city of Philadelphia. One of the two black panthers who was allegedly blocking the door is standing right over here, [and] accused us of intimidating voters because we were here with a camera and microphone. He did not answer questions, other people here have confirmed that another person in black panther attire was holding a night stick and apparently the concern was that they were intimidating people who were trying to go inside to vote. A republican poll observer actually called the police, the police were here and we miss[ed] them, they came and left." (Fox News; "America's Newsroom 2008," 11/4/08) SEE FOX NEWS VIDEO HERE - SEE MORE VIDEO OF INTIMIDATION HERE

· The New Black Panther Party Promised To "Protect Its Interest" On Election Day. "We will not allow some racists and other angry whites, who are upset over an impending Barack Obama presidential victory, to intimidate blacks at the polls,' [Black Panther Field Marshall Najee] Muhammad said. Most certainly, we cannot allow these racist forces to slaughter our babies or commit other acts of violence against the black population, nor our black president.' Muhammad added, "We must organize to counter and neutralize these threats using all means at our disposal. This is a great time for our people, and we must ensure that peace prevails for our people.'" (Tyrone Tony Reed, Jr., "New Black Panthers Visit Alamo," Jackson Sun, 11/2/08)

In Philadelphia, PA, Republican Election Board Officials In At Least Six Precincts Have Been Tossed By The Democrat Judge Of Elections. The State Republican Party filed suit in Election Court in Philadelphia City Hall seeking an injunction requiring that all Republican poll watchers be provided the access that had been denied. The duty judge granted the injunction that was sought.

In Lancaster County, PA, Calls From "Democrats For Obama" Are Being Made, Informing Voters About A Fake Change Of Polling Location. Lancaster County is a high priority target county for Republicans this year, and this is a clear attempt to suppress Republican votes. READ MORE ABOUT VOTER SUPPRESSION IN LANCASTER COUNTY.

FLORIDA

In Florida, There Are Reports That Out-Of State Obama Volunteers Have Cast Ballots In The State. "Julietta Appleton's business and home address are in New York, but she decided to vote in Florida. ... Julietta flew to [Florida] in September to help the Obama campaign get out the vote in Miami. She posted a link on ObamaTravel.org -- a site designed to help volunteers from non-swing states get to battleground states by connecting them with donors. On the site, she asked for help paying for a flight back home' to New York after the election. Included, Julietta posted a picture of herself casting a ballot in Miami." (Tiffany Wilson, "Florida Fraud?" Palestra Blog, 11/4/08)

In Florida, There Are Reports Of Intimidation Of McCain-Palin Voters By Elections Officials. After learning that a voter cast a ballot for the McCain-Palin ticket, one Florida election official reportedly told the voter "she could kill her for voting for [McCain]" and that she didn't deserve an "I voted sticker" because she voted for McCain-Palin.

In Palm Beach County, FL, Many Voters Are Reporting Trouble Locating The McCain-Palin Ticket On The Ballot Because It Appears On The Second Page. "Florida's Palm Beach County is reporting problems at a couple of polling stations: so-called undervotes,' where machines reject ballots because voters are not filling out the second page of the ballot, a spokesman for the county Board of Elections confirmed He said in some cases people simply forget to fill out the second page..." (CNN, "Undervotes Reported In Palm Beach County, Florida," CNN Political Ticker Blog, 11/4/08)

NEW HAMPSHIRE

In Manchester, NH, Republican Election Officials Are Being Kept Away From Locations Inside The Polling Places Where They Are Supposed To Be Verifying Voters. The New Hampshire Republican Party brought a lawsuit against Secretary of State William Gardner seeking an immediate order to require that election officials in statewide polling stations, including in Manchester, NH, allow appointed Republican officials access to same-day registration tables where voter qualifications are being checked. These Republican officials, who are appointed by the State Party to monitor voter registration to ensure they are qualified to vote in NH, are being kept away from the locations inside the polling places where this verification is taking place. The lawsuit occurred in New Hampshire Superior Court at 1:30 pm. (Ethan Kendrick, "BREAKING NEWS - Lawsuit Being Filed Over NH New Voter Registrations," New Hampshire's News and Politics Blog, http://www.nowhampshire.com, 11/04/08)

OHIO

In Toledo, OH, Non-Credentialed "Election Protection" Democrat Observers Were Found Inside The Polling Precinct. (ElectionJournal.org, 11/4/08) SEE VIDEO HERE

VIRGINIA

In Virginia Beach, VA, There Are Reports That Voters Are Casting Multiple Paper Ballots. There are multiple reports that a polling station in Virginia Beach is understaffed, and people are picking paper ballots off the floor and casting multiple votes.

In Northern Virginia, It Is Reported That "Tens Of Thousands" Of Military Absentee Ballots Could Be Missing. Fox News' Megyn Kelly: "[T]he northern part of Virginia almost always goes blue. He may not know how many military ballots are missing, but according to the wire reports, it could be tens of thousands. That is according to the McCain camp in a local press report. That military absentee ballot in Virginia could be potentially big." (Fox News' "U.S. National America's Election HQ," 11/4/08)

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel Issues Mid-Day Election Update

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel issued the following update on Election Day procedures and management.

“Nearly all of Georgia’s 3,000 voting precincts opened this morning on time and without complication,” Handel said. “The agency’s Office of Inspector General quickly dispatched monitors or technicians to assist poll managers in three precincts that did not open on time, and wait times are averaging from ‘no wait’ to just under an hour statewide. Additionally, the Secretary of State’s Office has received no complaints regarding the photo ID requirement.”

More than 15,000 poll workers are assisting county election officials and precinct managers today at Georgia’s 3,000 voting precincts. Additionally, the Secretary of State’s Office of Inspector General and the Kennesaw State University Center for Election Systems deployed over 150 election monitors, including investigators and technicians, to serve as rapid responders to assist the counties and voters with issues or questions.

This year, the Secretary of State’s office partnered with the Governor’s Office of Customer Service and utilized the Professional Licensing Board call center in Macon to address voters’ questions about elections issues and procedures.

“I want to especially thank Governor Perdue for assisting Georgia’s voters by dedicating the Governor’s Office of Customer Service and 1-800-GEORGIA to answering voters’ questions,” Handel said. “The Office of Customer Service and 1-800-GEORGIA teams answered over 10,000 calls from voters on issues such as finding their early voting and precinct locations, polling hours, and the status of their mail-in ballot. I commend these teams for providing outstanding customer service to their fellow Georgians.”

Handel also credited the record-setting early voting turnout for easing pressures so far at the precincts today. Over 2 million Georgia voted during the early voting period.

The Secretary of State’s Office worked closely for over a year with Georgia’s county election offices in preparation for the 2008 General Election. This includes producing online training materials for county officials; an online poll worker training manual; conducting training seminars during conferences of county election officials, and in numerous regional meetings with county election superintendents; establishing dedicated liaisons for each county within the Elections Division to handle all election-related issues and procedures; and creating the Agency’s first Office of Inspector General to oversee all agency inspectors, investigators and election monitors.

Polls will be open until 7:00 p.m. today. Georgia law provides that any voter in line at 7:00 p.m. shall be permitted to vote. Voters can find registration information, including polling locations and legislative districts, by using the Secretary of State’s Poll Locator at http://www.sos.georgia.gov/Elections or by calling (888) 265-1115. Voters should call (888) 265-1115, 1-800-GEORGIA, or visit http://www.sos.georgia.gov/Elections with any election issues or questions.

McCain-Palin Launches Honest and Open Election Hotline

The McCain-Palin campaign launched the Honest and Open Election hotline to help citizens learn the location of their polling place, as well as report any instances of irregularities at the polls, including voter fraud, intimidation, violence and electioneering. The hotline can be accessed via phone at: 866-976-VOTE.

"With the tomorrow's election, our Honest and Open Election hotline will serve as an informative guide for all Americans participating in the electoral process," said McCain-Palin National Political Director Mike DuHaime. "The hotline will allow us to learn about and take steps toward remedying any voter irregularities at polling places across the country. While we are hopeful that Election Day will be free of any wrongdoing, allies of the Democrat Party, such as ACORN, have shown a willingness to commit fraud in both this election cycle and in 2004. Given the tightness of the polls, all examples of fraud must be addressed to preserve the integrity of the election."

In 2004, multiple forms of voter fraud occurred, including voter intimidation, fraudulent registrations, multiple ballots cast and votes bought for money. Already during the 2008 election cycle, a dead woman in Missouri cast an absentee ballot, individuals were arrested for voting twice in Florida and people in Ohio registered and voted on the same day.

Statement on Barack Obama Hedging on Foreign Policy

Today, U.S. Senator John McCain issued the following statement concerning Barack Obama's hedging on foreign policy and Iran:

"Earlier today, when asked about efforts to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power, Senator Obama said he might apply tougher sanctions -- 'potentially.' I have called for tougher sanctions against Iran for years. I have supported tougher sanctions during this campaign that Barack Obama opposed, and if elected, I would work to lead an international effort to put tougher sanctions in place -- not potentially but actually. Senator Obama last year opposed legislation with broad bipartisan support that called for tougher sanctions on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for its terrorist activities. Senator Obama was also asked today about capturing Osama bin Laden -- he said he would 'try him, apply the death penalty to him where it is necessary.' I do not know why Senator Obama would have any doubt that it is necessary. There is no one more deserving of execution than Osama bin Laden. If he survives capture, the death penalty would be necessar y, just and appropriate. Senator Obama continues to hedge his bets on national security issues showing his inexperience and weakness. Senator Obama's comments demonstrate once again that America cannot afford untested leadership when facing the threats posed by Iran and Osama bin Laden."

Background:

Barack Obama
CNN's "Situation Room"
October 31, 2008

CNN'S WOLF BLITZER: Senator McCain says he knows how to capture Bin Laden and he says I'll get him, if he's elected president. Do you know how to capture Bin Laden?

BARACK OBAMA: I'm reminded of -- he said this during the debate. I think that night, maybe, Jon Stewart on Comedy Central said, you know, why have you been holding out on us over the last six years? The fact is, along with George Bush, John McCain championed the strategy that distracted us from capturing Bin Laden that focused on Iraq that had nothing to do with 9/11.

And so clearly, Senator McCain doesn't know how to capture Bin Laden because he was supportive of a huge strategic blunder when it came to accomplishing the task. I will focus on what Secretary Gates and others have indicated is our number one security threat, and that is Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. We will go after him. We will kill him or capture him, try him, apply the death penalty to him where it is necessary. That's the threat we should have stayed focused on. That's the threat I will focus on when I'm president.

BLITZER: Senator McCain says that if he's elected president, Iran will not become a nuclear power. Can you make that same commitment?

OBAMA: Well, I've said I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. I think it would be a game-changer. It would not be acceptable. It would be a threat to our strongest ally in the region, Israel. But it would also potentially trigger a nuclear arms race in the region. And we have to both apply much tougher diplomacy and sanctions, potentially, if they do not move in a better direction. We have to give them some inducements to walk away from their nuclear program and we should never take a military option off the table.

Statement from John and Cindy McCain

Today, U.S. Senator John McCain and Mrs. Cindy McCain issued the following statement on the passing of Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham:

"We offer our deepest condolences to Barack Obama and his family as they grieve the loss of their beloved grandmother. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them as they remember and celebrate the life of someone who had such a profound impact in their lives."

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Endorses John McCain

"John McCain is fiercely independent. And he makes no apologies for the principles he holds dear, even if they be at odds with the traditional party base. But he has never wavered in his core belief of what Republicanism (with a capital 'R') and republicanism (with a lower-case 'r') are all about: Small government. Fiscal discipline. Low taxes. A strong defense. And a judiciary that does not legislate from the bench. Compared with Barack Obama's long and dangerous statist laundry list of the ever more expansive role government should play in our lives, John McCain sums it up quite succinctly, quite effectively and quite nicely, thank you." -- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

"For President: Elect John McCain"
Editorial
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
November 2, 2008

The late British philosopher Bertrand Russell once opined that passive acceptance of the teacher's wisdom is easy for most boys and girls. "It involves no effort of independent thought and seems rational because the teacher knows more than his pupils."

Yet Mr. Russell warned that the habit of passive acceptance is a disastrous one in later life. "It causes men to seek a leader and to accept as a leader whoever is established in that position."
Welcome to the 2008 presidential race. This nation's liberal elite and its predominantly liberal media have anointed as the next president Democrat Barack Obama, 47, the junior senator of Illinois.

The liberal tutorial is that Sen. Obama is a visionary, a man of hope, if not the political equivalent of the Second Coming. And a plurality of the student body appears to accept this at face value. But Obama has sparse political experience, no executive experience, no leadership experience, really, and woefully little experience at much of anything.

That is, other than rationalizing quite leftist and collectivist views that include everything from the worst of command economics -- sure to turn recession into depression -- to perverting the U.S. Constitution by making it and the Supreme Court some kind of rule-of-law relative social re-engineering tool.

Talk about manifest danger.

The only truly experienced leader in this race -- the gentleman whose resume actually is worthy of the phrase -- is John McCain, 72, war hero, former congressman and longtime U.S. senator of Arizona.

We first endorsed Mr. McCain for president in February, long before we knew Sen. Obama would be the Democrat nominee. But our words then are even more apropos now.

John McCain is fiercely independent. And he makes no apologies for the principles he holds dear, even if they be at odds with the traditional party base. But he has never wavered in his core belief of what Republicanism (with a capital "R") and republicanism (with a lower-case "r") are all about:

Small government. Fiscal discipline. Low taxes. A strong defense. And a judiciary that does not legislate from the bench.

Compared with Barack Obama's long and dangerous statist laundry list of the ever more expansive role government should play in our lives, John McCain sums it up quite succinctly, quite effectively and quite nicely, thank you.

Indeed, we have differences that are more than quibbles with some of Sen. McCain's positions. We stridently disagree with his campaign finance and immigration "reform" efforts. And we've told him so face to face.

But it being, as once was written, a golden rule that one should never judge men by their opinions but rather by what their opinions make of them, it would be imprudent of us to allow our respectful differences to preclude our support.

Thus, we again today wholeheartedly endorse John McCain for president of the United States. For it really is time to stand up and fight.

Read The Editorial
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Albuquerque Journal Endorses John McCain

"He is a known quantity, a member of Congress since 1982 whose positions and record are clear. At a time of partisan, economic and geopolitical turmoil, that inspires confidence and justifies a vote for John McCain." -- Albuquerque Journal

"McCain For President"
Editorial
Albuquerque Journal
November 2, 2008

Weekly town hall meeting-style debates for the last two months, as proposed by Sen. John McCain, would have done much to inform the public about the issues -- and about McCain's long, clear record as a moderate who works across party lines. Sen. Barack Obama, whose record is very thin, shrewdly rejected the joint tour that could have given swing voters a more substantial comparison of the candidates.

The Republican hasn't fared well in the traditional campaign that ensued, though voters caught a glimpse of the real McCain when he firmly told a supporter there was no reason to "fear" his rival, publicly squelching the notion that Obama is anything other than a patriotic American who has run a masterful campaign.

We encourage those who are still uncommitted and those who vote on the basis of a candidate's qualifications instead of party label to give McCain's experience a closer look and to consider the consequences of concentrating too much political and economic power in the hands of one party.
A McCain veto in the White House would provide a check on a Congress likely to take a leftward swing in this election. Where principles are on the line, McCain has a history of standing firm.

He didn't bend to the will of torturers in a North Vietnamese prison, even when doing so could have bought his freedom. He didn't bend to the will of presidents, Republican and Democrat, and drop his opposition to deploying Marines in Beirut in the '80s or sending troops to Somalia in the '90s -- judgments in which he was proved right.

Along with many Democratic senators, McCain in retrospect was wrong on the invasion of Iraq, but he was right from the beginning to stand against the Bush administration's failure to put enough boots and equipment on the ground to do the job right. He was clearly correct to push the administration for the troop surge that has given Iraq a shot at avoiding chaos. A President McCain would not lightly commit U.S. force, but neither would he shy away from addressing threats -- diplomatically or militarily -- before they achieved unmanageable proportions.

He can be depended on to stand firm and moderate a Congress that feels it has been handed carte blanche by this election, but he also would find ways to work with Congress.

He has collaborated not only with centrist Democrats, but has palled around with liberals like Sens. Ted Kennedy and Russ Feingold on tough issues like immigration and campaign reform. Few other Republicans or Democrats would similarly risk the ire of their own party.

McCain early on advocated an "all-of-the-above" energy policy -- including nuclear, offshore drilling and cutting CO2 emissions -- instead of swinging around in response to public opinion just before an election.

His tax and economic plans, emphasizing job creation, are better remedies for the nation's ills.
A border state senator, he put his political capital on the line to address immigration issues many in Congress preferred to let fester. He is a champion for Native Americans.

He is a known quantity, a member of Congress since 1982 whose positions and record are clear. At a time of partisan, economic and geopolitical turmoil, that inspires confidence and justifies a vote for John McCain.

Read The Editorial

A New Direction by Sen. John McCain

"After months of campaign trail eloquence, we've finally learned what Sen. Barack Obama's economic goal is. As he told Samuel J. 'Joe the Plumber' Wurzelbacher in Ohio, he wants to 'spread the wealth around.' Given the chance to retract his statement on network news, he affirmed it. He believes in redistributing wealth, not in policies that grow our economy and create jobs. I am going to create wealth for all Americans by creating opportunity for all Americans." -- Sen. John McCain

"A New Direction"
By Sen. John McCain
Rocky Mountain News
October 31, 2008

We have just a few short days until the election. It's been a long campaign and we've heard a lot of words. I know you're worried. America is a great country, but we are at a moment of national crisis that will determine our future. Will we continue to lead the world's economies or will we be overtaken? Will the world become safer or more dangerous? Will our military remain the strongest in the world? Will our children and grandchildren's future be brighter than ours?

My answer to you is yes. Yes, we will lead. Yes, we will prosper. Yes, we will be safer. Yes, we will pass on to our children a stronger, better country. But we must be prepared to act swiftly, boldly, with courage and wisdom.

After months of campaign trail eloquence, we've finally learned what Sen. Barack Obama's economic goal is. As he told Samuel J. "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher in Ohio, he wants to "spread the wealth around." Given the chance to retract his statement on network news, he affirmed it. He believes in redistributing wealth, not in policies that grow our economy and create jobs. I am going to create wealth for all Americans by creating opportunity for all Americans.

Senator Obama may say he's only going to go after "the rich," but it's the middle class who are going to bear the brunt. To pay for nearly a trillion dollars in new government spending, his tax increase would impact 50 percent of small-business income in this country, and the jobs of 16 million middle-class Americans who work for those small businesses.

The McCain-Palin tax cut is the real thing. We will hold the line on taxes and cut them to make America more competitive and create jobs here at home. We're going to double the child deduction for working families. We will cut the capital gains tax. And we will cut business taxes to help create jobs, and keep American businesses in America. Raising taxes makes a bad economy much worse. Keeping taxes low creates jobs, keeps money in your hands and strengthens our economy.

In this country, we believe in spreading opportunity, for those who need jobs and those who create them. And that is exactly what I intend to do as president of the United States.

I announced a plan to protect the value of your home and get it rising again by buying up bad mortgages and refinancing them so if your neighbor defaults he doesn't bring down the value of your house with him. This will help stem the tide of foreclosures that are hurting families, and it will put a floor under the broken housing market that was at the root of the financial crisis.

I will freeze government spending on all but the most important programs like defense, veterans care, Social Security and health care until we scrub every single government program and get rid of the ones that aren't working for the American people. And I will veto every single pork-barrel bill Congress passes.

My administration will stop spending $700 billion to buy oil from countries that don't like us very much. Sen. Obama will argue to delay drilling for more oil and gas and against building new nuclear power plants in America. As president, we will start new drilling now. We will invest in all energy alternatives - nuclear, wind, solar and tide. We will encourage the manufacture of hybrid, flex-fuel and electric automobiles. We will invest in clean-coal technology. We will lower the cost of energy within months, and we will create millions of new jobs.

What America needs now is a fighter. We cannot spend the next four years as we have spent much of the last eight - hoping for our luck to change at home and abroad. We have to act. We need a new direction, and we have to fight for it.

I've been fighting for this country since I was 17 years old, and I have the scars to prove it. I will fight to shake up Washington and take America in a new direction from my first day in office until my last. I'm not afraid of the fight, I'm ready for it and I'm asking you to stand and fight with me on Nov. 4.

John McCain is the Republican candidate for president of the United States.

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Reality Check: The Cost Of Obama's Pledges

"The fact is the savings Obama has identified do not cover his spending. According to a CBS News estimate, he's around $90 billion short. The Obama campaign disputes this, saying everything including the stimulus is paid for over 10 years. But other analysts say - even presuming Obama saves money in Iraq and chops the federal budget as promised - he falls short." -- CBS News' Wyatt Andrews

"Reality Check: The Cost Of Obama's Pledges"
Wyatt Andrews
CBS News
October 29, 2008

Without question, the Barack Obama infomercial served as a very slick and powerful recitation of the biggest promises he's made as a presidential candidate. But the very bigness of his ideas is the problem: he seems blind to the concept his numbers don't add up.

Obama has already proposed a new stimulus package of $188 billion over two years. His tax cuts will cost $85 billion a year. His "army of new teachers": $18 billion; Renewable energy: $15 billion. CBS News and various independent experts estimate Obama's total first year spending could exceed $280 billion.

Still Obama repeated his claim he can find the money to pay for every proposal.

"I've offered spending cuts above and beyond their cost," he has said.

The fact is the savings Obama has identified do not cover his spending. According to a CBS News estimate, he's around $90 billion short. The Obama campaign disputes this, saying everything including the stimulus is paid for over 10 years. But other analysts say - even presuming Obama saves money in Iraq and chops the federal budget as promised - he falls short.

Let's break all of this down, starting with his highly suspect, and widely discredited, claim that he can find federal "spending cuts beyond the costs" of his promises. Very few independent economists believe he has identified the savings needed to offset his remarkable list of tax credits, tax cuts and spending pledges.

Fact: Even if you believe Obama intends to fix health care, most independent analysts say the cost is massive - $1.2 trillion over ten years, according to the highly respected Lewin Group. When the new Congress wakes up next year to a $1 trillion deficit, and answers the overwhelming new demands for another stimulus package, will the leadership really bite on a health care reform package that digs the deficit hole so much deeper?

And that's just the beginning of what Obama would spend.

Fact: The tax cuts he promises, which are mostly refundable tax credits (code for cash back), will cost $60 billion just in year one, according the National Taxpayers Union, though the Obama campaign's own estimates in July put that figure at $130 billion.

Fact: His new promise to give businesses a $3,000 tax credit for each new job created will cost $40 billion. But economists say this credit is far more likely to benefit companies already planning to expand and will likely not be enough to help companies create new jobs or forestall layoffs.

Fact: Obama's claim he will lower health care premiums by $2,500 is: 1.) guesswork, which is 2.) based on health care savings that might, in a perfect world, happen over 10 years - a fact Obama neatly glosses over.

Fact: Obama, when referring to savings he can make by leaving Iraq ($90 billion, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates), has spent these savings several times over, across several different promises depending on the crowd he's addressing.

Most of the time he spends the Iraq savings in the context of the roads he wants to build; sometimes it's for the teachers he wants to hire. Tonight, he riffed rhetorically on the savings, asking how many scholarships could be funded, or how many schools could be built. In the end though, presuming he really saves $90 billion, he can only spend it once.

Remember he also mentioned rebuilding the military ($7 billion/yr); his education initiative ($18 billion/yr); and his energy initiative ($15 billion/yr). He did not mention the $188 billion that he would spend on the brand new stimulus package he has proposed.

If he closes every loophole as promised, saves every dime from Iraq, raises taxes on the rich and trims the federal budget as he's promised to do "line by line," he still doesn't pay for his list. If he's elected, the first fact hitting his desk will be the figure projecting how much less of a budget he has to work with - thanks to the recession. He gave us a very compelling vision with his ad buy tonight. What he did not give us was any hint of the cold reality he's facing or a sense of how he might prioritize his promises if voters trust him with the White House.

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Governor Sarah Palin's Remarks, Erie PA

Thank you. It's good to be in Erie, Pennsylvania, and I appreciate the hospitality of Penn State. I'm grateful as well to our distinguished guests: Governor Tom Ridge, former CIA Director Jim Woolsey, John Lehman, the 17th secretary of the Navy, Ambassador Rich Williamson, Admiral Marsha Evans and retired three-star General Carol Mutter of the United States Marine Corps: I thank all of you for joining us.

Yesterday in Ohio, I spoke about the great and urgent need to gain energy security for our country. Energy policy is just the most dramatic example of how domestic and foreign policy cannot be separated anymore. When we draft energy policy these days, we need to think about both prices at the pump and about pipelines on the other side of the world, about basic economics and about the fundamentals of national security.

It used to be we could place domestic and foreign concerns in more or less "distinct categories" -- and choose a president according to which seemed the greater priority at the time. But the world has so drastically changed and those days are gone. Even if a most immediate concern is economic, our recovery will still depend on leadership that can protect and advance our security and our vital interests in the world.

It's easy to forget this in a time of economic worry and hardship. When your most valuable assets -- from your home to your retirement plan -- seem at risk, it may be hard to spend much time worrying about great troubles in far-off places. When you fear for your own job, or the possible loss of health insurance, it may be hard to spare much thought even for the most urgent matters of national security. The security of other nations, and even the fate of millions of people across the world, can seem remote when America itself is passing through an economic crisis.

One of the requirements of presidential leadership is to understand that the "dangers of the world" do not disappear when our attention is diverted! In fact, if we remain distracted for too long, they become much, much worse. As Senator McCain said yesterday: we're going to pull through this economic crisis! And with policies to keep taxes low, promote growth, and create jobs, we will come out stronger, just as America -- the greatest country on earth -- has done before!

But when the worst of our economic crisis has passed -- and it will pass -- we don't want to find ourselves facing even graver problems because we lost sight of the things that matter most. And as John McCain has understood throughout his career -- serving on carriers, in cockpits, and in the Capitol -- nothing takes priority over the security of this country!

In Iraq and Afghanistan, the consequences of victory and defeat alike will reach far into the future making America much safer, or placing us in greater danger. Now, Barack Obama didn't have much to say in that long infomercial of his last night about the stakes in the wars America is fighting, or about the need to support the troops in the field, or why he supported cutting off funding to our troops in the war. He prefers to wrap his "closing message" in a warm and fuzzy commercial message. He wants to soften the focus in these closing days, hoping your mind won't wander to the real challenges of national security that he is incapable of meeting. But in "a time for choosing," what we need is clarity! We need an alertness to dangers that are still in our power to contain!

Seven years after 9/11, there is a temptation to assume that we have seen the worst that terrorists can do, or that they have somehow changed their mind, and abandoned their mission of inflicting "catastrophic harm" on our country! But we must not confuse effective countermeasures with an end to the threat. The terrorist threat will be with us for many years, and millions of innocent lives are in the balance. Our children's future is at stake here! In this time for choosing, the question is which man will protect us from Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran, and other grave threats in the world, which one understands the threat! That man is Senator John McCain.

If you don't believe me, Senator McCain's running mate on this score, then just listen to Senator Obama's running mate. In that way of his, Joe Biden strayed off message the other day and stumbled on the truth. And he never sounded more certain of anything. First, in the primaries he said Barack Obama is not ready to be president. Then, the other day, he "guaranteed" us that Obama's lack of experience ensures us an international crisis. He said we could expect this crisis by July of 2009, within just six months of an untested man's arrival to the Oval Office.
After a warning like that, it would be some comfort to believe, at least, that Congress might provide some national-security leadership. But, no, we've been put on notice by the Democrat majority that this is not to be expected either. Already, plans are underway by Democrat House Finance Committee chairman Barney Frank to cut defense spending by 25 percent!

We're fighting two wars, with a force strength in need of rebuilding, and a guaranteed crisis heading our way, in the considered judgment of Joe Biden himself -- and they think it's the perfect time to radically reduce defense spending? They even tie these cuts to projected savings from the forced withdrawal -- an early surrender -- in Iraq that Barack Obama promises! The far left wing of the Democrat Party is preparing to take over the entire federal government, folks. And according to their own stated plans, the first thing to go will be one quarter of our defense budget.

As the time for choosing draws near, let me provide a better idea -- wiser and safer course for America. Let's not retreat from wars that are almost won. Let's not gut the defense budget, in a time of multiple conflicts and obvious dangers. And let's not entrust all the powers of the federal government to the one-party rule of Obama, Pelosi, and Reid.

You know, a man can be admirable in many ways, and promising, and yet still not be ready for the most important and demanding job in the world. Rousing speeches can fill a stadium, but they cannot keep this country safe. For a season, a man can inspire with his words. But for a lifetime, John McCain has inspired with his deeds. And in five days, it will all come down to a choice between these two men, Barack Obama and John McCain.

Only one of them understands the costs of war, because he has paid those costs himself in the pursuit of peace. Only one of them has ever held command over more than a political campaign, and borne responsibility for the lives of others. He is a man of unquestioned honor, of personal and political courage, and of tested judgment -- the kind of judgment that avoids crisis instead of inviting it. In a time of great danger, we are fortunate to have a man of his caliber ready to serve as commander in chief -- and I ask you, my fellow Americans, to elect John McCain as the next president of the United States. Thank you, and God bless America.
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Barack Obama's Misleading Infomercial

Wednesday night, Barack Obama's infomercial offered the American people a nicely packaged product of misleading information. Check out the facts below:

JUST WORDS #1: Barack Obama Decries Record Deficits But Admits He Has No Interest In Reducing The Deficit

Barack Obama: "We were running a record deficit and our national debt had never been higher." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· Barack Obama: "I Do Not Make A Promise That We Can Reduce [The Budget Deficit] By 2013." "'I do not make a promise that we can reduce it by 2013 because I think it is important for us to make some critical investments right now in America's families,' Obama told reporters this week when asked if he'd match McCain's pledge." (Nedra Pickler, "Analysis: Obama Won't Try For McCain's Budget Goal," The Associated Press, 7/8/08)

· Chicago Tribune: Barack Obama Has "No Interest In Eliminating Deficit Spending." "Since winning the nomination, Obama reportedly has been moving toward the middle of the political spectrum. But on the budget, he still sounds left of center, with no interest in eliminating deficit spending." (Editorial, "Failure Of Nerve," Chicago Tribune, 7/8/08)

· The Associated Press: Barack Obama Not "Even Trying" To Balance The Budget And "Frankly Says He's Not Sure He'd Bring It Down At All In Four Years." "Barack Obama says John McCain's plan to balance the budget doesn't add up. Easy for him to say: It's not a goal he's even trying to reach. Not only does Obama say he won't eliminate the deficit in his first term, as McCain aims to do, he frankly says he's not sure he'd bring it down at all in four years, considering his own spending plans." (Nedra Pickler, "Analysis: Obama Won't Try For McCain's Budget Goal," The Associated Press, 7/8/08)

JUST WORDS #2: Barack Obama Talks About Leadership In The Financial Crisis But When The Crisis First Began, He Refused To Lead

Barack Obama: "But then a little over a month ago, the bottom fell out. What happened in the financial markets was the final verdict on eight years of failed policies. And we're now going through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. A few weeks ago, we passed a financial rescue plan. It's a step in the right direction ... and as president, I'll ensure that you, the taxpayers, are paid back first. But we also need a rescue plan for the middle class ... starting with what we can do right now that will have an immediate effect." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· The Washington Times: "Obama Mum On Market Crisis." "Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama opted Friday not to divulge details of his recovery plan for the financial crisis after a morning meeting with his top economic advisers -- fearing it would stir Wall Street jitters." (S.A. Miller, "Obama Mum On Market Crisis," The Washington Times, 9/20/08)

· Barack Obama Did Not Make Calls To Round Up Votes For The Economic Recovery Package. ABC's JOHN BERMAN: "The McCain campaign has been hammering Obama suggesting he did not take a leading role in the financial negotiations." SEN. MCCAIN: "At first, he didn't want to get involved. Then, he was monitoring the situation." BERMAN: "Indeed, Obama aides say he did not make any calls to help round up votes." (ABC's "Good Morning America," 9/30/08)

· Barack Obama "Hinted That Had He Known Earlier The Deal Was Going Down To Defeat He Would Have Worked The Phones Even Harder." "Obama also hinted that had he known earlier the deal was going down to defeat he would have worked the phones even harder, especially given that some of those who voted no, were some of his early supporters." (Lee Cowan, "Obama Places No Blame, But..." MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com, Posted 9/30/08)

· Fox News' Major Garrett Reported That Barack Obama Would Not Take A Position On Whether Or Not He Supported Or Opposed The Government Rescue Of AIG. GARRETT: "On the biggest financial issue of the day, Barack Obama would not say if he supported or opposed the government-backed rescue of insurance giant AIG." BARACK OBAMA: "We don't know all the details of the arrangement with AIG and the Federal Reserve must ensure that plans protect the families that count on insurance." GARRETT: "Obama also wants taxpayers protected but executives and shareholders exposed but on the central question to intervene or not, Obama sidestepped. Advisers said lack of details forced caution. The larger political truth: advisors believe anxiety alone is enough to lift Obama in the polls. That is why on the trail, Obama doesn't talk about specifics of the moment but the nation's overall direction." (Fox News' "The Special Report," 9/17/08)

JUST WORDS #3: Barack Obama Says He'll Cut Taxes For Those Making Less Than $200,00 But Yesterday It Was Either $250,000 Or $150,000

Barack Obama: "As president, here's what I'll do: Cut taxes for every working family making less than $200,000 a year." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· In July 2008, Barack Obama Said: "If You Make $250,000 A Year Or Less, We Will Not Raise Your Taxes. We Will Cut Your Taxes." (Barack Obama, Remarks, Powder Springs, GA, 7/8/08)

· Joe Biden: "Spreading the wealth was not--he was talking about is all of the tax breaks have gone to the very, very wealthy. For example you have right now, this year, under the old tax policy that was just -- that was put in by George Bush, people making an average 1.4 million a year, good people, decent people, patriotic -- they're going to get an $87 billion tax break. What we're saying is that $87 billion tax break doesn't need to go to people making an average of 1.4 million, it should go like it used to. It should go to middle class people -- people making under $150,000 a year." (Joe Biden, Interview With WNEP Scranton, 10/27/08)

· Obama-Biden Campaign Aides Said That Those Making Between $150,000 And $250,000 Will Actually Not See A Tax Increase Or A Tax Cut. "Biden aides say his comments were actually consistent with Obama's tax plan -- people under $150,000 get a cut, and people making up to $250,000 stay the same." (Mark Murray and Mike Memoli, "$150,000 Vs. $250,000," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com, Posted 10/28/08)

JUST WORDS #4: Barack Obama Says That His Business Tax Plan Will Create Jobs Here But His Running-Mate Disagrees

Barack Obama: "Give businesses a tax credit for every new employee that they hire right here in the U.S. over the next two years ... and eliminate tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· The Washington Post: Barack Obama's Plan On Business Taxes "Would Make It Even Harder" For Corporations To Compete And Will Hurt Workers In The United States. "Barack Obama says that he would 'end tax breaks for corporations that ship jobs overseas' and blasts John McCain for refusing to condemn such loopholes. But the offshoring issue is more complicated than Mr. Obama's rhetoric suggests. ... Mr. Obama's proposal would change the provision in which U.S.-based companies don't have to pay taxes on their earnings abroad until that income is 'repatriated' -- brought back into the United States, for example as dividend payments. ... Mr. Obama's suggested fix would make it even harder for them to compete abroad -- ultimately hurting workers and others here." (Editorial, "The Export Of Jobs," The Washington Post, 8/17/08)

· The Wall Street Journal Said Barack Obama's Proposal Penalizes Most American Companies That Have Subsidiaries Abroad With "A Big Tax Increase." "Under Mr. Obama's plan, 'patriot employers' qualify for a 1% tax credit on their profits. To finance this tax break, American companies with subsidiaries abroad would have to pay the U.S. corporate tax on profits earned abroad, rather than the corporate tax of the host country where they are earned. Since the U.S. corporate tax rate is 35%, while most of the world has a lower rate, this amounts to a big tax increase on earnings owned abroad." (Editorial, "Obama's 'Patriot' Act," The Wall Street Journal, 2/27/08)

· Joe Biden Acknowledged That Eliminating Tax Breaks For Corporations Won't Keep Jobs Here; That America Has To Make It "More Attractive" For Corporations To Operate Here. Biden: "I agree with everything that was said here. But the bottom line here is that eliminating the tax breaks is not going to keep jobs here in America. We've got to make it more attractive to have jobs here in America and for corporations to be here. You've got to take the burden off the corporations with a health care system that's universal, so we're not at a competitive disadvantage." (Sen. Joe Biden, Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Howard University, Washington, DC, 6/28/07)

JUST WORDS #5: Barack Obama Says He Will Help Small Businesses Even As He Proposes Higher Taxes That Will Kill Small Businesses

Barack Obama: "And just like after 9-11, we'll provide low-cost loans to help small businesses pay their workers and keep their doors open." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· Obama-Biden Has Called For Higher Income Taxes, Social Security Taxes, Capital Gains And Dividend Taxes, And Corporate Taxes, As Well As "Massive New Domestic Spending." "Obama's transformation, if you go by his campaign so far, would mean higher income taxes, higher Social Security taxes, higher investment taxes, higher corporate taxes, massive new domestic spending, and a healthcare plan that perhaps could be the next step to a full-scale, single-payer system. Is that what most Americans want, someone who will fulfill a Democratic policy wish list?" (James Pethokoukis, "Barack Hussein Reagan? Ronald Wilson Obama?" U.S. News & World Report's "Capital Commerce" Blog, 2/12/08)

· Obama-Biden Will Increase Capital Gains And Dividend Taxes. Obama Economic Advisors Jason Furman and Austan Goolsbee: "The top capital-gains rate for families making more than $250,000 would return to 20% ... The tax rate on dividends would also be 20% for families making more than $250,000, rather than returning to the ordinary income rate." (Jason Furman and Austan Goolsbee, Op-Ed, "The Obama Tax Plan," The Wall Street Journal, 8/14/08)

· Tax Policy Center: Obama-Biden Would Raise Taxes On One Out Of Every Three Senior Households. "Even though Senator Obama's plan eliminates individual income taxes for seniors with incomes less than $50,000, his plan would raise taxes for almost 10 million senior households, over a third of the total (not shown in table). On average, seniors would face a tax increase of about 2 percent of income." (Burman et al., "A Preliminary Analysis of the 2008 Presidential Candidates' Tax Plans," The Tax Policy Center, 6/11/08)

· Obama-Biden Would Raise Income Taxes. Obama: "[I] would roll back the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000." (Sen. Barack Obama, CNN Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Manchester, NH, 6/3/07)

· U.S. Department Of Treasury: Small Business Owners "Are Frequently Subject To The Highest Individual Income Tax Rates." ("Topics Related To The President's Tax Relief," U.S. Department Of Treasury, http://www.ustreas.gov, May 2008)

· Obama-Biden Would Raise Social Security Taxes. "Obama's proposal ... would impose social security taxes on income above $250,000 per year. He would continue to exempt income between $102,000 and $250,000 from social security taxes." (Teddy Davis, Sunlen Miller, and Gregory Wallace, "Obama Kisses Billions Goodbye," ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 6/18/08)

JUST WORDS #6: Barack Obama Talks About Pension Security While Democrats In Congress Propose Rules To Eliminate 401(K)s

Barack Obama: "You earned your pension. You earned it. It wasn't a gift. You gave up wages so that money could be set aside for your retirement. Time and time again, what we're seeing is companies who owe their workers retirements, pensions shedding those obligations. When you make a commitment to workers at a company, those aren't idle promises. Those are promises that should have the force of law." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· The Wall Street Journal: "Lawmakers Have Been Suggesting They May Look At Policy Changes To 401(k)s . In Coming Months." "In the past 12 months, more than a half-trillion dollars have 'evaporated' from 401(k) plans as a result of turmoil in the financial markets, said U.S. Rep. George Miller, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. ... Lawmakers have been suggesting they may look at policy changes to 401(k)s -- the tax-advantaged plans that are the most widely used retirement vehicle -- in coming months. Miller made it clear he sees flaws in the 401(k) model. About $3 trillion is invested in the plans, the majority of it placed in equity mutual funds that track the stock market. Miller said the 401(k) approach is a policy 'not well devised' for changes in the market. He said the plans were meant to be savings vehicles, not primary retirement plans." (Jennifer Levitz, "Amid Deep Los ses, Congress Examines 401(k)s," The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire," 10/7/08)

· Among The Changes To The 401(K) System That Were Proposed At A Recent Congressional Hearing, "Chief Among Them Was Eliminating $80 Billion In Tax Savings For Higher-Income People Enrolled In 401(K) Retirement Savings Plans." "A wide range of sweeping changes to the 401(k) system were proposed Tuesday at a hearing on how the market crisis has devastated retirement savings plans. Chief among them was eliminating $80 billion in tax savings for higher-income people enrolled in 401(k) retirement savings plans. This was suggested by the chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor. 'With respect to the 401(k), it appears to be a plan that is not really well-devised for the changes in the market,' Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., said. 'We've invested $80 billion into subsidizing this activity,' he said, referring to tax breaks allowed for 401(k) contributions and savings. With savings rates going down, 'what do we have to start to thi nk about in Congress of whether or not we want to continue and invest that $80 billion for a policy that is not generating what we ... say it should?' Mr. Miller said." (Sara Hansard, "Congress Mulls Major 401(k) Changes," Investment News, 10/7/08)

· At An October 2008 Hearing, Education And Labor Committee Chairman Rep. George Miller (D-CA) Asked: "What Do We Have To Start To Think About In Congress Of Whether or Not We Want To Continue And Invest That $80 Billion For A Policy That's Not Generating What We Now Say It Should?" "But I think the key point raised by Dr. Ghilarducci, and Mr. Orszag I'm going to direct this to you, is that we've invested $80 billion a year into subsidizing this activity, which originally I thought was sort of a savings plan. And now its' become a retirement plan. I don't know when it changed, but now everybody is told that that's their retirement supplement. And again, it appears that while we've lamented all the time the savings rate isn't going up for the investment of this $80 billion, in fact, it's probably going down or appears to have been on a downward trend for a number of years. What's the policy? I mean, what do we have to start to think about in Congress of whether or not we want to continue and invest that $80 billion for a policy that's not generating what we now say it should?" (U.S. House Committee On Education And Labor, Hearing, 10/7/08)

· Rep. Miller: "I Think What We Are Seeing Is That After 25 Years Of 401K Plans That They Are A Big Failure In Terms Of Providing An Adequate Retirement For Middle Class Americans." (Jeff Mitchell, "Miller Says Government Must Next Turn Its Attention To Propping Up Sagging 401K And Pension Plans," PolitickerCA.com, 10/8/08)

JUST WORDS #7: Barack Obama Says The American People Aren't "Looking For A Handout" But Proposes A New Welfare System

Barack Obama: "Americans -- they don't expect government to solve all their problems. They're not looking for a handout. If they're able and willing to work, they should be able to find a job that pays a living wage. They should be able to retire with some dignity and some respect." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· The Wall Street Journal Calls Obama's Numerous Refundable Tax Credits "Tens Of Billions Of Dollars In Government Handouts." "For the Obama Democrats, a tax cut is no longer letting you keep more of what you earn. In their lexicon, a tax cut includes tens of billions of dollars in government handouts that are disguised by the phrase 'tax credit.'" (Editorial, "Obama's 95% Illusion," The Wall Street Journal, 10/13/08)

· New York Post: "[O]bama's 'Tax Cuts' Really Amount To A Sizable Expansion Of Welfare." "In truth, as The Wall Street Journal detailed yesterday, nearly all of those 'cuts' actually come in the form of 'refundable tax credits,' by which the government in effect writes a check to those who meet certain criteria - even if they don't pay taxes in the first place. In other words, Obama's 'tax cuts' really amount to a sizable expansion of welfare. That leaves American taxpayers to foot the bill - both directly, and through the lost economic opportunity that's sure to follow Obama's promised tax hikes on income, dividends and capital gains." (Editorial, "Ready, Set ... Spend!" New York Post, 10/14/08)

· Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "[T]he One-Third Of All American Working Families Who Pay No Income Taxes Now Will Receive A Government Check Under The Obama Plan. And That Number Could Rise To About 44 Percent Under Obama's Proposal." "The 'tax-cut plan' of Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama is anything but. In fact, it's nothing more than another liberaled-up wealth-transference program that, in the 'old days,' was known as welfare. ... Just as troubling, however, is this little factoid: Even the one-third of all American working families who pay no income taxes now will receive a government check under the Obama plan. And that number could rise to about 44 percent under Obama's proposal." (Editorial, "Obama's Tax Cut: New Welfare Deal," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 10/14/08)

JUST WORDS #8: Barack Obama Says His $150 Billion Fund Will Lead To Energy Independence But "There's No Guarantee That The Research Will Result In Less Oil Being Imported"

Barack Obama: "As president, I'll use companies like McKinstry as a model for the nation. I'll invest $15 billion dollars a year in energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy -- like wind, solar and bio-fuels -- creating five million clean energy jobs over the next decade -- jobs that pay well and can never be outsourced." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· FactCheck.Org: "On closer examination, his proposal is to spend $150 billion over the coming decade on energy research. Ten years doesn't sound all that 'fast' to us, and there's no guarantee that the research will result in less oil being imported. ... We do object to implying that a decade-long program, which in all probability could not even begin until sometime in late 2009, is a 'fast track' to anything." (FactCheck.Org, "Straining A Point," www.factcheck.org, 7/17/08)

JUST WORDS #9: Barack Obama Says We Need To Tap The Very Same Domestic Sources Of Energy He Opposes Tapping

Barack Obama: "And to further reduce our demand for foreign oil, I'll tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology and expand domestic production of oil." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· Barack Obama Opposes Offshore Drilling. OBAMA: "This is not real. I know it's tempting. The polls say the majority of Americans think that's one of the ways we're going to solve this problem, but it's not real." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At Campaign Event, Springfield, MO, 7/30/08)

· Joe Biden Said That He And Barack Obama Don't Support Clean Coal And Believe In "No Coal Plants Here In America." PERSON: "Senator, Senator, wind and solar are flourishing here in Ohio, so why are you supporting clean coal?" BIDEN: "Say ... I didn't hear what you said." PERSON: "Wind and solar are flourishing here in Ohio, so why are you supporting clean coal?" BIDEN: "We're not supporting 'clean coal.' Guess what. China's building two every week. Two dirty coal plants. And it's polluting the United States. It's causing people to die." PERSON: "So will you support wind and solar?" BIDEN: "Absolutely. Before anybody did. The first guy to introduce a global warming bill was me, 22 years ago. The first guy to support solar energy was me, 26 years ago. It came out of Delaware. But guess what. China is gonna burn three hundred years of bad coal unless we figure out how to clean their coal up. Because it's going to ruin your lungs and t here's nothing we can do about it. No coal plants here in America. Build them, if they're going to build them over there make 'em clean because they're killing you." (Joe Biden, Remarks, Maumee, OH, 9/17/08)

JUST WORDS #10: Barack Obama Says His Spending Proposals Are All Paid For But According To Independent Sources, Barack Obama Can Not Account For All His New Spending

Barack Obama: "That's why, for my energy plan, my economic plan and the other proposals you'll hear tonight, I've offered spending cuts above and beyond their cost. I'll also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that don't work ... and making the ones we do need work better and cost less." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· ABC News: Barack Obama Can Not "Pay For Every Dime" Of New Spending He Has Proposed. "Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said during Friday's presidential debate that he would 'pay for every dime' of his spending. But according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, 'without substantial cuts in government spending' Obama's plan -- and McCain's, too --'would substantially increase the national debt over the next ten years.' The Tax Policy Center has estimated that Obama's proposed tax policies would increase the debt by $3.5 trillion over ten years." ("Fact Check: 'Pay for Every Dime'? Not Quite," ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, Posted 9/26/08)

· PolitiFact Discredits Barack Obama's Claim That His Proposals Are Paid For; Says His Rhetoric Is "Disingenuous." "Until he fleshes out his economic plan considerably more, it's disingenuous to go around claiming his proposals are 'paid for.' And that claim is even more suspect considering that his proposals would leave a larger deficit than would the tax laws currently on the books. We find his claim to be Barely True." ("'Paid For' Without Real Money," St. Petersburg Times' "PolitiFact.com," www.politifact.com, 6/16/08)

· Los Angeles Times: Barack Obama "Has Not Identified New Revenue Sources Or Spending Cuts To Pay For Some Of" His Proposals. "The Obama campaign responds that tax cuts, once enacted, are usually renewed and do not expire. Therefore, they say, Obama can legitimately claim to be recouping money for other purposes by scaling back the tax cuts. Obama has not identified new revenue sources or spending cuts to pay for some of what he wants to do." (Peter Nicholas, "Adding Up The Cost Of Obama's Agenda," Los Angeles Times, 7/8/08)

JUST WORDS #11: Barack Obama Talks About Reforming Education But He Has No Record

Barack Obama: "Now is not the time for small plans - now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation - to provide every child a world class education. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries, and give them more support. And in exchange I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· "In His Eight Years In The State Senate And Two Years In The U.S. Senate, Mr. Obama Hasn't Made A Significant Mark On Education Policy." ("Obama's Annenberg Stint Informs White House Bid," Education Week, 3/7/07)

· The Washington Post: Barack Obama "Elusive" On School Accountability. "Mr. Obama, as the New York Times' David Brooks recently observed, has promised dozens of crowd-pleasing programs but has been elusive on such thorny issues as teacher tenure and school accountability." (Editorial, "Focus On School Reform," The Washington Post, 7/7/08)

· Chicago Tribune's Steve Chapman: "Obama Is The Staunch Defender Of The Existing Public School Monopoly." "On the subject of elementary and secondary education, the two seem to have gotten their roles completely mixed up. Obama is the staunch defender of the existing public school monopoly, and he's allergic to anything that subverts it. John McCain, on the other hand, went before the NAACP last week to argue for something new and daring." (Steve Chapman, Op-Ed, "Change: A Matter Of Convenience," Chicago Tribune, 7/20/08)

JUST WORDS #12: Barack Obama Says His Health Care Plan Will Save Families $2,500 But There Is "Zero Credible Evidence" For That

Barack Obama: "That's why my health care plan includes improving information technology, requires coverage for preventive care and pre-existing conditions ... and lowers health care costs for the typical family by $2,500 dollars a year. And you can keep your same coverage and your same doctor." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· Barack Obama's Pledge To Lower Health Care Premiums By $2,500 In His First Term "Is A Matter Of Considerable Dispute" Among Experts. "In speech after speech, Senator Barack Obama has pledged that he will lower the country's health care costs enough to 'bring down premiums by $2,500 for the typical family.' Moreover, Mr. Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has promised that his health plan will be in place 'by the end of my first term as president of the United States.' Whether Mr. Obama can deliver is a matter of considerable dispute among health analysts and economists." (Kevin Sack, "Obstacles For Obama In Meeting Health Care Goal," The New York Times, 7/23/08)

· A Health Policy Professor At The University Of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Said The Savings In The Obama Plan Are "Wishful Thinking." "Jonathan B. Oberlander, who teaches health policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, called it wishful thinking. 'Do they have the potential to generate significant savings in the long run?' Dr. Oberlander asked. 'Yes. Do I believe they will produce substantial savings in the short run that can be used to finance Obama's plan? No.'" (Kevin Sack, "Obstacles For Obama In Meeting Health Care Goal," The New York Times, 7/23/08)

· M.I.T.'s Jonathan Gruber Said That There Is "Zero Credible Evidence" That The Obama Plan Will Save The Average Family On The Costs Of Insurance Premiums. "Experts also are skeptical of both [Obama and Clinton's] claims that their plans will reduce the cost of insurance for the typical family by $2,000 or more. 'I know zero credible evidence to support that conclusion,' says M.I.T's Jonathan Gruber." (Factcheck.org Website, www.factcheck.org, Accessed 6/9/08)

· Factcheck.Org: Barack Obama's Claim That His Plan Will Cut Insurance Premium Costs By $2,500 Is "A Bit Of Misleading Math." "That's a bit of misleading math. It assumes individual Americans will share in all of the savings for the health care system, which includes insurance companies, the government and health care providers. Obama claims families will save $2,500 under his plan, but they won't see at least some of those savings directly in the form of lower premiums. And they may not see them indirectly either." (Factcheck.Org, www.factcheck.org, Accessed 6/16/08)

JUST WORDS #13: Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) Says Barack Obama Was A Clear Leader In The Illinois State Legislature But He Voted "Present" Nearly 130 Times

Senator Dick Durbin: "Here's a person who as a state legislator was a clear leader in Springfield on so many important issues that really made a difference. Came to Washington, had an impact as soon as he arrived." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· Barack Obama Voted "Present" Nearly 130 Times When He Was A State Senator. "In the end, Mr. Obama chose neither to vote for nor against the bill. He voted "present," effectively sidestepping the issue, an option he invoked nearly 130 times as a state senator." (Raymond Hernandez And Christopher Drew, "It's Not Just 'Ayes' And 'Nays': Obama's Votes In Illinois Echo," The New York Times, 12/20/07)

· Hillary Clinton: Barack Obama's State Senate "Present Votes" Demonstrated An Unwillingness To "Draw A Lot Of Political Heat." CLINTON: "And, you know, this is kind of like the 'present' vote thing, because the Chicago Tribune, his hometown paper, said that all those 'present' votes was taking a pass. It was for political reasons. Well, when you come up with a universal health care plan and you don't have any wiggle room left, you know that you're going to draw a lot of political heat." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, CNN Democrat Presidential Debate, Myrtle Beach, SC, 1/21/08)

JUST WORDS #14: Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) Says Barack Obama Went Up Against His Own Party But The Ethics Bill Was Hardly A Test Of Party Loyalty

Senator Claire McCaskill: "He's changed the rules in Washington. Gone are the free gifts from lobbyist, gone are the fancy airplane rides for nothing. He did that. Now, it wasn't easy. He had to work across party lines. More importantly, he had to fight senior members of the Senate who liked it just fine the way it was." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· Joining 82 Other Senators, Barack Obama Voted For The 2007 Lobbying And Ethics Reform Legislation. "Reid, D-Nev., motion to concur in the House amendment to the bill that would overhaul congressional lobbying and ethics rules for members and their staffs and require the disclosure of 'bundled' campaign contributions that exceed $15,000 in a six-month period. Former senators would have to wait two years before becoming lobbyists." (S. 1, CQ Vote #294: Motion Agreed To 83-14: R 34-14; D 47-0; I 2-0, 8/2/07, Obama Voted Yea)

· FactCheck.org: Ethics Bill "Hardly A Test Of Party Loyalty." "Worth noting, also, is that Obama gave his supposed collaboration with McCain as an example of how he had worked 'against party loyalty ... for the good of America,' in the words used by Warren in his question. In fact, the measure that became law was sponsored by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and a bipartisan list of 16 others. ... But in the end the bill was hardly a test of party loyalty." ("Saddleback Bloggers," FactCheck.org, 8/18/08)

· The Wall Street Journal's John Fund: "On A Relatively Minor Ethics Bill," Barack Obama Declined To Work With John McCain In Favor Of "Signing Onto The Democratic Leadership's Ethics Bill." "Mr. McCain said he had 'a long list' and provided specifics from global warming to runaway spending under a Republican Congress. Barack Obama offered only one answer: 'Well, I'll give you an example that in fact I worked with John McCain on," Mr. Obama said, 'and that was the issue of campaign ethics reform and finance reform.' ... While it's true he briefly teamed up with Mr. McCain on rewriting a Congressional ethics bill, their alliance didn't last long. Back in February 2006, Mr. Obama wrote to Mr. McCain that he was declining to join a bipartisan task force and was instead signing onto the Democratic leadership's ethics bill. Mr. McCain responded with a harsh note accusing Mr. Obama of retreating into 'self-interested partisan posturing.' ... In the end, both men found a way to kiss and make up, and both found reasons to oppose the final ethics bill. But Mr. Obama is now the one citing work on a relatively minor ethics bill as an example of his unself-interested pursuit of the national good. The actual history isn't so clear and draws an unfortunate contrast with Mr. McCain's well-known independence from party orthodoxy. A shortage of examples of him breaking with his party's line remains one of Mr. Obama's big vulnerabilities." (John Fund, Op-Ed, "Obama's Self-Profile In Courage," The Wall Street Journal's "Political Dairy," 8/18/08)

JUST WORDS #15: Senator Joe Biden Says Barack Obama Reached Across And Led On An Effort That Was Hardly A Test Of Leadership

Barack Obama: "He came in, not only reached out, but reached across the aisle to Dick Lugar, one of the leading guys in America for the past 20 years on arms control, to keep loose nukes out of the hands of terrorists." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· Barack Obama Co-Sponsored Legislation To Authorize "The President To Establish A Program To Provide Assistance To Friendly Foreign Countries For Proliferation Detection And Interdiction Activities And For Developing Complementary Capabilities (Program)" That Was Incorporated Into Another Bill That Passed By Unanimous Consent. (S. 2566, Introduced 4/6/06)

· The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "Working with Dick Lugar on loose nukes was a good thing, and an example of Obama's willingness to write legislation [with] Republicans, but it didn't piss off liberals. (Who's in favor of looser nukes?)" (Marc Ambinder, "Obama's Bipartisanship," The Atlantic, 6/26/08)

JUST WORDS #16: Barack Obama Says He Will Expand The Military But An Adviser He Is Selling Access To Is Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) Who Proposes Cutting Defense Spending By 25%

Barack Obama: "As president, I will rebuild our military to meet 21st century challenges." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) Proposed A 25 Percent Cut In Military Spending To Fund A New Stimulus Package. "After the November election, Democrats will push for a second economic stimulus package that includes money for the states' stalled infrastructure projects, along with help paying for healthcare expenses, food stamps and extended unemployment benefits, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank said Thursday. In a meeting with the editorial board of The Standard-Times, Rep. Frank, D-Mass., also called for a 25 percent cut in military spending, saying the Pentagon has to start choosing from its many weapons programs, and that upper-income taxpayers are going to see an increase in what they are asked to pay." (Steve Urbon, "Frank Envisions Post-Election Stimulus From Democrats," Standard-Times, 10/24/08)

· Barack Obama's Campaign Offered Up A Reception With Rep. Barney Frank To Donors For $1,000. "Aides to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) scheduled pricey luncheons, roundtables, readings, V.I.P. receptions, dinners and policy dinners with campaign officials and advisers, offering donors a taste of his potential administration. ... An e-mailed October 'national schedule of upcoming events across the country for Obama/Biden' was provided to Politico by one of the recipients. Among the offerings: ... --Reception in Palm Springs, Calif., with Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee -- $1,000 or $250." (Mike Allen, "Obama Donors Get Access To Top Advisers," Politico, http://dyn.politico.com, 10/ 29/08)

JUST WORDS #17: Barack Obama Says He Wants Tough Diplomacy With Iran But Would Meet With Ahmadinejad Without Precondition

Barack Obama: "I will renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· Barack Obama Would Unconditionally Meet With The Leaders Of State Sponsors Of Terror "Without Precondition" Like Ahmadinejad. QUESTION: "[W]ould you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?"... OBAMA: "I would." (CNN/YouTube Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Charleston, SC, 7/23/07)

· The Wall Street Journal: Barack Obama's Foreign Policy "Could Strengthen Mr. Ahmadinejad." "Middle East experts said Obama's strategy holds potential pitfalls. In Iran, they said, Sen. Obama could strengthen Mr. Ahmadinejad if as U.S. president he moves too quickly to hold direct talks with Tehran's leader." (Jay Solomon, "Obama's Foreign-Policy Pledge Sparks Criticism from Rivals," Wall Street Journal, 3/26/08)

· The Washington Post: European Officials "Increasingly Concerned That Sen. Barack Obama's Campaign Pledge To Begin Direct Talks ... Could Potentially Rupture U.S. Relations With Key European Allies." (Glenn Kessler, "Europe Fears Obama Might Undercut Progress With Iran," The Washington Post, 6/22/08)

JUST WORDS #18: Barack Obama Says He Will Focus On Afghanistan But He Did Not Focus On Afghanistan When In The United States Senate

Barack Obama: "And I will refocus our efforts on finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· Barack Obama Has Served As Chairman Of The Subcommittee On European Affairs From 2007 -- 2008. (U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Website, www.senate.gov, Accessed 2/15/08)

· As Chairman Of The Subcommittee On European Affairs, Barack Obama Could Have Held Hearings On The Role Of NATO In Afghanistan. "[A]mbassador John Ritch, who served for two decades as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's senior staffer on European affairs and East-West relations...[P]oints out that as subcommittee chair, Obama could have examined a wide variety of urgent matters, from the role of NATO in Afghanistan and Iraq to European energy policy and European responses to climate change..." (Joe Conason, "Obama's European Problem," www.salon.com, 12/29/07)

· Barack Obama: "I became Chairman of this committee at the beginning of this campaign, at the beginning of 2007. So it is true that we haven't had oversight hearings on Afghanistan." (MSNBC Democratic Presidential Debate, 2/27/08)

· Hillary Clinton Criticized Barack Obama For Not Holding Hearings As European Affairs Subcommittee Chairman. Sen. Clinton: "But I also have heard Senator Obama refer continually to Afghanistan, and he references being on the Foreign Relations Committee. He chairs the Subcommittee on Europe. It has jurisdiction over NATO. NATO is critical to our mission in Afghanistan. He's held not one substantive hearing to do oversight, to figure out what we can do to actually have a stronger presence with NATO in Afghanistan." (Sen. Clinton, NBC Democrat Presidential Debate, Cleveland, OH, 2/26/08)

JUST WORDS #19: Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM) Says Barack Obama -- Who Has An Extreme Partisan Record -- Could Bring Bipartisanship To Washington

Governor Bill Richardson: "That he's a man that can heal this country, that can bring bipartisanship." (Obama For America, "American Stories And American Solutions" Ad, 10/29/08)

· The Associated Press: "None" Of Barack Obama's Touted Bipartisan Efforts Paced Him "At Odds With The Leaders Of His Own Party Or Gave Significant Offense To Outside Interest Groups With Democrats." (David Espo, "Bipartisanship Marks McCain's Senate Tenure," Associated Press, 7/2/08)

· NPR's Juan Williams: Barack Obama "Doesn't Have The Record" Of Bipartisanship That John McCain Has. NPR'S JUAN WILLIAMS: "You think about everything from campaign finance to immigration and on, and there's John McCain working across party lines. Senator Obama doesn't have a record. Now, he can make the claim and he can hold himself up as pure and trying to reach to a new generation of post partisan politics, but he has to do so largely based on rhetoric and wishful thinking because he doesn't have the record." (Fox News' "Special Report With Brit Hume," 5/7/08)

· The Washington Post's Richard Cohen: "There Is Scant Evidence The Illinois Senator Takes Positions That Challenge His Base Or Otherwise Threaten Him Politically." (Richard Cohen, Op-Ed, "McCain's Core Advantage," The Washington Post, 6/24/08)

· Politico's Jonathan Martin: "He's Pretty Much A Conventional Liberal On The Issues And Has Few Examples Of Breaking With His Own Party, So How Does Obama Try To Pull Off Being 'Post-Partisan?'" (Jonathan Martin, "Obama's Third Way: It's All In The Tone," Politico, 6/30/08)

· Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK): "His Record Does Not Reflect Working In A Bipartisan Fashion." "Boren, the lone Democrat in Oklahoma's congressional delegate, said that while Obama has talked about working with Republicans, 'unfortunately, his record does not reflect working in a bipartisan fashion.'" (Tim Talley, "Okla. Dem Calls Obama Liberal, Declines To Endorse," The Associated Press, 6/10/08)

· "The Record Shows Obama To Be A Fairly Doctrinaire Liberal Democrat..." (Editorial, "Obama's Rhetoric Soars, But What Does His Record Suggest?" USA Today, 1/28/08)

· In 2007, Obama Voted With The Democrat Party 97 Percent Of The Time. (Congressional Quarterly Website, www.cq.com, Accessed 3/3/08)
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Hillary Clinton Supporters and Women React to Obama's "His Choice" Ad

McCain-Palin 2008 today (10/29/08) released the following statements from former Hillary Clinton supporters and Women for McCain leadership in reaction to Barack Obama's sexist attack ad "His Choice":

VIRGINIA

Judy Black, National Co-Chair, Women for McCain: "Enough is enough! Senator Obama has stooped to a new low in his constant attacks on Governor Palin with his new ad titled, 'His Choice.' Barack Obama's choice has been to attack, demean and ridicule women, first Sen. Clinton and now Gov. Palin. American women do not need any more of Obama's sexist choices or attacks. John McCain made the choice to put a strong leader with a proven record forward as his running mate. As a woman, I am outraged by the over-the-top treatment of Gov. Palin and I urge all women to reject the double standard put forward by a man who was just a state senator in Illinois three years ago by voting McCain-Palin this Tuesday."

Patty Denton, Washington County Republican Chairwoman: "We, as a country, should be past the days in which women were treated as inferior. Women are the backbone of this country. It's disappointing for Senator Obama, who has proclaimed change' as his mantra, to disregard the monumental progress women have made in this country. Governor Palin is an exceptional leader and has fought on the side of all Americans, regardless of race or gender. These types of ads show that the Obama campaign is willing to do anything to score a few political cheap shots at the expense of women. On November 4th, women will go to the polls and demand respect for themselves and their daughters from the type of negative attacks perpetrated by Senator Obama."

MISSOURI

Representative Jo Ann Emerson: "With more executive experience than Barack Obama and Joe Biden combined, Governor Sarah Palin holds her own on the national scene and embodies the values that Americans want in those who will lead our country. This ad is just one more example of the constant attacks from the Obama-Biden campaign. With each attack, they attempt to dismiss the intelligent, qualified, and experienced woman who will soon become our next Vice-President of the United States."

Sharon Barnes, Missouri State Chair Women for McCain: "These attacks on Governor Sarah Palin show the desperation of the Democratic Party to try to stem the overwhelming support for the maverick Republican team of John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin - a team dedicated to bringing about the right kind of change for the people of this country. The voters of this great nation will not be fooled. Gov. Palin is a proven leader and serious reformer with experience in economics, defense and foreign policy that the Democratic candidate for president can only wish he had."

CALIFORNIA

Shelly Mandell, President of Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women: "I am outraged by the new ad put out by Barack Obama. It is sexist and demeaning to women. These tactics started with Hillary Clinton and continue, growing even more disgusting with Gov. Palin. I was a Hillstar for Hillary and an avid supporter. Trashing two women clearly in a sexist manner in one election is an outrage and must be identified and stopped. There must be consequences. Let female Obama supporters take a good look at this and still believe their candidate supports women's rights and women's dignity."

Prameela Bartholomeusz, DNC Platform Committee Member: "I am once again stunned at the personal and sexist attacks by the Obama campaign against Gov. Palin. This latest ad is sexist and offensive. The Gov. of Alaska has been managing and balancing a budget of $10 billion; I think she knows a bit about economics. Sen. Obama never spoke up against sexism during the primary season, and is not speaking out against misogyny during this phase of the election season -- he is contributing to it. I have no confidence that Sen. Obama will fight for women's issues if elected. This sets women back decades."

PENNSYLVANIA

Christine J. Toretti, PA Women For McCain Co-Chair, PA National Committeewoman: "Vice presidential running mate, Sarah Palin, is an experienced public servant. As governor of Alaska and as mayor of Wasilla she proved to be an effective leader and businesswoman. Senator Obama's baseless attack on Governor Palin is preposterous. God forbid a leader is not only competent, but beautiful and wears a skirt!"

Bernie Comfort, Pennsylvania Women for McCain State Chair: "Senator Obama's ad simply mocks Governor Palin. The real truth is Gov. Palin has experience dealing with the economy as an executive running the state of Alaska and as a business owner. She is the experienced leader we need to lead this country with John McCain."

Stephanie Bressler, Ph.D, Hillary Clinton supporter, University of Scranton women and politics professor: "It's a sexist example of reducing a woman to an object - a wink - and denying her a voice. Her lips are actually moving, but she's not allowed to be heard."

OHIO

Barbara Rosier-Tryon, Member of the Warren Republican Women's Club: "This is yet another sexist cheap shot on Gov. Palin's image from the Obama-Biden campaign. Sarah Palin's record of reform and experience as governor of Alaska and commander of the state's National Guard is more distinguished than Barack Obama's one and only term in the U.S. Senate."

NORTH CAROLINA

Martha Jenkins, North Carolina Women for McCain State Chairman: "Barack Obama chose Joe Biden to make up for his own lack of foreign policy expertise. He has absolutely no reason to criticize McCain's pick of Palin. Gov. Palin is infinitely more qualified than Barack Obama. In running this ad, Obama is acknowledging that Gov. Palin is an effective and a positive part of John McCain's candidacy; otherwise, why focus on her at all? Barack Obama is using this ad to divert attention from the fact that the American public is realizing that Obama is just as radical as his associates, and that he lacks the experience and judgment to be President of the United States."

FLORIDA

Albert Chang, Regional Director of Citizens for McCain, a group that includes Democrats and Independents: "We look forward to winning Tampa and the surrounding counties for McCain-Palin. This ad is a distracting personal attack on an experienced executive and the voters of Florida will see through it. This campaign will remain focused on issues impacting the everyday lives of Floridians and Americans."

Mary Calderon, Tampa, former Senator Clinton supporter: "I'm disappointed that Senator Obama has resorted to personal attacks at this point in the campaign. Would any male candidate for vice president of the United States be afforded similar treatment by the Obama campaign? I would say not."

INDIANA

Judy Singleton, Indiana Women for McCain Co-Chair: "Obama seems to have a problem with strong, smart women. Ask Hillary. Running an ad like this is an affront to talented women everywhere. To imply that Gov. Palin doesn't understand economics because she's pretty and winks is ridiculous. As a governor, she's proved she understands the economy better than Barack Obama, who hasn't completed his first term in the Senate, does. All one has to do is look at her record of leadership on economic development and then look at his."

NEW YORK

Amy Siskind, Ambassador for Hillary: "When Senator Hillary Clinton was demeaned and degraded during the Presidential Primary, many of us of, myself included, vowed 'never again'. The treatment of Governor Palin by both the main stream media, and now the Obama Campaign, shows that the misogyny fest is alive and well in our country. There has been a complete and utter smear job of our fellow citizen, Sarah Palin, who is only trying to serve her country."
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