Bloggers 4 Obama

Statement from Senator Obama on August Jobs Report

Shawn Williams — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:11:16 +0000

“Today’s jobs report is a reminder of what’s at stake in this election – John McCain showed last night that he is intent on continuing the economic policies that just this year have caused the American economy to lose 605,000 jobs. John McCain may believe that the fundamentals of our economy are ’strong,’ but the working men and women I meet every day are working harder for less, the typical working age family’s income is down $2,000 since George Bush took office, and their purchasing power is as low as it’s been in a decade. John McCain’s answer is more of the same: $200 billion in tax cuts to big corporations and oil companies, and not one dime of tax relief to more than 100 million middle-class families.

If I am President, I will cut taxes for 95% of all working families and provide an immediate $50 billion to struggling states so that they don’t have to cut back on health care and education and can rebuild roads and schools. That’s the change working families need right now,” said Senator Barack Obama.

Senator Obama’s Emergency Economic Plan includes:

· Cut taxes for 95 percent of working families – by $500 for an individual and $1,000 for a married couple. Barack Obama supports a set of middle class tax cuts including a “Making Work Pay” credit that would provide $500 for an individual or $1,000 for a married couple – a benefit for 95 percent of workers and their families. Given the pressing situation in the economy today he would like the first round of checks to be delivered as quickly as possible to help families cope with the rising price of gasoline, food and other necessities.

· $25 billion in a State Growth Fund to prevent state and local cuts in health, education and housing assistance or counterproductive increases in property taxes, tolls or fees. The fund will also ensure sufficient funding for home heating and weatherization assistance as we move into the fall and winter months.

· $25 billion in a Jobs and Growth Fund to replenish the highway trust fund; prevent cutbacks in road and bridge maintenance and fund new, fast-tracked projects to repair schools – all to save more than 1 million jobs in danger of being cut.

Obama organizing group

Shawn Williams — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:09:24 +0000

The Obama campaign is working week after week to empower supporters to organize online and connect that work to campaign activities in their own local communities.

For the people out there who want to know what the Obama campaing is emphasizing in any given week so that you can promote it on your own blogs and to your communities, you can join a new Google group they have recently created:

http://groups.google.com/group/obama-organizing-group

They’ll send out updates to this group at least weekly, if not more frequently, with information on what their organizing focus is.

“Low Road Express” Site Launched by Obama for America

Shawn Williams — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:09:32 +0000

The Barack Obama has just launched a website called The Low Road Express.

The top of the website has a quote from Thursday’s St. Pete’s Time’s Editorials which states “The Straight talk express has taken a nasty turn into the gutter. “ This all comes after an ad released by the McCain campaign likening him to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.


The site also has a quote from the New York Times editorial board.  ““Well, that certainly didn’t take long,” says the Times.  “The candidate [John McCain] who started out talking about high-minded, civil debate has wholeheartedly adopted Mr. Rove’s low-minded and uncivil playbook.”
A 2004 campaign won’t win a 2008 election.  We’ll see more and more evidence of that if McCain continues to go down this course.



John McCain’s rough week; watching Barack Obama on a trip that he helped to plan
Shawn Williams — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:02:45 +0000
 
This week Sen. John McCain’s campaign released a video montage of what they claimed was evidence of a love affair that the media has going on with Sen. Barack Obama. This of course is due to how much television and radio play has come from Obama’s trip to the Middle East and Europe. While a media throng has followed Obama halfway around the globe, one reporter greeted McCain’s airplane at a recent New Hampshire campaign stop.
I concede that the decision of the evening news anchors from CBS, NBC, and ABC to travel with Obama is questionable. But there is no way around the fact that his trip abroad is a newsworthy event.
McCain made a similar trip overseas while the Dems were still fighting it out for the nomination. If his strategists had it to do over again, I’m sure they would have waited until this summer’s lull to have their candidate hop across the Atlantic.
McCain and his party should blame themselves for their part in creating a story about Obama having NOT visited Iraq in quite sometime prior to this week. The GOP even had a running counter of exactly how many days it had been.
So if the Republicans thought it was a big deal that Obama hadn’t been to Iraq, how can they then tell Americans that is going there is not?
David Bauder of the associated press sums up the type of week it’s been for Obama.
Waging the image campaign overseas: Barack Obama has packed his overseas trip with presidential images: a helicopter ride over Iraq with the U.S. military commander; a visit to a Holocaust memorial; a meeting at Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s palace. He even found time to sink a three-point basketball shot before cheering U.S. soldiers.

McCain should learn from Senator Hillary Clinton’s campaign that complaining about media bias is not a winning proposition. If he gives voters some fresh ideas, or at least stops getting so mixed up about what’s going on with the economy and abroad, maybe a little more attention will come his way. But for now, he and his folks should sit back and watch this momentum that they helped to create.
Photos from the New York Times.




Barack Obama launches “Changing World” TV Ad
Shawn Williams — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:46:07 +0000





Senator Barack Obama to Deliver Major Foreign Policy Address on Iraq and U.S. National Security
Shawn Williams — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:49:10 +0000
CHICAGO, IL – (July 15), Senator Barack Obama will deliver a major speech on  the war in Iraq and America’s national security priorities. Senator Obama will  outline his strategy for addressing the most pressing threats facing America,  which requires bringing the war to a responsible end, finishing the fight in  Afghanistan, and pursuing our broader strategic objectives in the world.
Unlike Senator McCain, Senator Obama had the judgment to oppose the war  before it began.  Senator Obama understood that the war would undermine our  security by sapping the resources needed to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan and  al-Qaeda across the globe.  As President, Senator Obama will consult with the  generals on the ground on the tactics necessary to ensure the safe, responsible  redeployment of American troops over 16 months.
 




Obama campaign statement on Bush offshore drilling move
Shawn Williams — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:47:29 +0000
“If offshore drilling would provide short-term  relief at the pump or a long-term strategy for energy independence, it would be  worthy of our consideration, regardless of the risks.  But most experts, even  within the Bush Administration, concede it would do neither.  It would merely  prolong the failed energy policies we have seen from Washington for thirty  years.
 Senator Obama believes Americans need real short-term relief, which is  why he has proposed a second round of stimulus with energy rebates for working  families. And over the long-term, Senator Obama understands that our national  security and the survival of the planet demand a real strategy to break our  dependence on foreign oil by developing clean, new sources of energy and by  vastly improving the energy efficiency of our cars, trucks and our economy.  He  is ready to lead such a transformation,” said Obama campaign spokesman Bill  Burton.




Coming Tuesday: Visiting Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign Headquarters
Shawn Williams — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:27:01 +0000
By Friday Afternoon, I had resigned myself to the fact that my two week attempt to secure a visit to the Barack Obama campaign headquarters would not happen.  I would take my family down to Michgan Avenue for some Garrett’s popcorn and call it a vacation;
The trip had been just like I envisioned, museums, a trip to Wrigley, Chicago style deep dish pizza, Navy Pier, what more could a guy ask for.  I had made a pretty good push with the Obama people, but it just didn’t come through.  Then I get a call as I’m exiting for downtown.  The visit had been set in motion, but it wasn’t a reality yet.
Check back Tuesday for a recap.




Barack Obama releases first TV ad for general election
Shawn Williams — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:41:43 +0000






Obama Announces Senior Working Group on National Security
Shawn Williams — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:08:27 +0000
Source: http://tinyurl.com/6obxbo

  Obama to Hold Meetings with Working Group Members and  Retired Flag Officers in Washington, DC Today
 
CHICAGO, IL – Senator Obama today announced the  formation of his Senior Working Group on National Security, a group of advisors  that he will consult on a regular basis between now and the election.  Obama  will meet with the group for the first time today in Washington, DC for a  wide-ranging discussion of the immense challenges faced by the United States in  the wake of the disastrous foreign policies of George Bush.
 
“Each individual here today has provided extraordinary  service to our nation in the executive branch and Congress. Several have been  advising my campaign for some time. We’re also honored to be joined by some of  Senator Clinton’s senior advisors. In the months to come, we’ll be reaching out  to others, as well as leaders in Congress,” Senator Obama said.
  “The stakes in  this election could not be higher. John McCain wants to continue George Bush’s  foreign policy which has made us less safe, less respected, and less able to  lead the world.  It’s time to change  course. It’s time to end the war in Iraq responsibly, refocus on Afghanistan and  al Qaeda, and renew our global leadership so that we can tackle the huge  challenges of the 21st century.”
 
Later today, he will also meet with a group of nearly 40  retired Admirals and Generals to discuss the state of our armed forces, and the  challenges facing our military in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world. This  meeting is part of an ongoing dialogue between Senator Obama and current and  former military officers of various ranks and views.
 
Senator Obama’s Senior Working Group on National  Security includes:
 
 

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright 
Senator David Boren, former Chairman of the Senate  Select Committee on Intelligence 
Secretary of State Warren Christopher 
Greg Craig, former director of the State Department  Office of Policy Planning 
Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig 
Representative Lee Hamilton, former Chairman of the  House Foreign Affairs Committee 
Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder 
Dr. Tony Lake, former National Security Advisor 
Senator Sam Nunn, former Chairman of the Senate Armed  Services Committee.  
Secretary of Defense William Perry 
Dr. Susan Rice, former Assistant Secretary of State  
Representative Tim Roemer, 9/11 Commissioner 
Jim Steinberg, former Deputy National Security Advisor