TPM Exposes Myth of McCain Independence on Iraq

This chronology, compiled by Talking Points Memo, documents John McCain's consistent support for Bush with regard to Iraq, contradicting Senator McCain's account of frequent confrontation. McCain presents himself as a mythic hero. The mythic is all too apt.
I am providing a link rather than copying it to this site because you'll find it much easier to follow in the format on the TPM page.
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/07/mccains_iraq_timeline_criticiz.php

Vote From Abroad

Did you know, if you live abroad but fail to request your ballot this year you most likely will NOT be able to vote?

All American citizens have the right to vote, no matter where in the world they live - but you need to officially register and request your ballot. Fortunately, this is incredibly easy to do.

www.votefromabroad.org

Definitive Organizing Event Change of Venue!

The good news: so many people want to participate in the training session for London-based Obama advocates that we have had to move the event to a much larger location.
Unfortunately, we will have to postpone the Tower Bridge rally as a consequence of this move.

The meeting will now be held at University College London in the Cruciform Lecture Theatre 1, near Warren Street and Euston stations in Bloomsbury. The full address is:

Cruciform Lecture Theater 1
Cruciform Building
University College London
Gower Street
London WC1

The Cruciform Building is the large, X shaped building across the
street form the main UCL Campus.

See this link to see where the Cruciform building is within the UCL
campus:

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maps/ucl-maps/map2_hi_res

And this one to locate UCL within London:

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maps/ucl-maps/map1_hi_res


ABOUT THE TRAINING

Ali Sutton, an Obama staffer from the Chicago office, will give us a comprehensive instruction covering voter registration and mobilizing grassroots support for Barack overseas. We have ambitious goals to expand our voter outreach across the globe in this election. Come learn how you can help.

I have uploaded a file called "London Training" to the Files page of
this group: http://groups.google.co.uk/group/obama-london/files?hl=en

Please download, print out and bring this document with you - Ali will use this to talk you through the training.

The meeting will start at 3:00PM and will run until about 5:30PM.

Date: Sunday, 27th July 2008

Time: 3:00-5:30PM

If you have not yet had a chance to register and request your absentee ballot, we can register you on the spot.

You will also have a chance to indicate what type of volunteer work you might want to do for the campaign here in the UK (if you are based here) or across Europe.
Please join us for this ground-breaking event.

Let us know if you'll be there: obamalondon@gmail.com

I'm baaack...

Hello again, Blog readers! My apologies for the almost total absence of posting from me while I was away but things got slightly manic while I was visiting my family in Portland, Oregon.

I can report, however, that Oregon is satisfyingly saturated with Obama lawn signs and bumper stickers – clearly there is a tremendous amount of excitement for him there, which I suppose is no shock after the 75,000 person rally there during the primary.

Actually, I got a kick out of talking to some friends of ours – big Obama supporters – who live in downtown Portland, just a few blocks away from the campaign headquarters, and a short bike ride (Portland is a very bike-friendly town) from the rally site, who didn’t even find out about the rally until after it was over. So I guess our communications efforts aren’t 100% just yet!

So of course, while I’ve been away Barack himself has been spending his time on a grand tour of Europe and the Middle East, which I (ironically) haven’t been able to catch much of the coverage of! Check out his speech tonight in Berlin, to an audience of thousands:



To put into perspective the significance of this event, you have to understand that only four years ago it was considered taboo to acknowledge that the Democratic candidate was well liked overseas – there was no active fundraising or official staff dedicated to getting out the expat vote, and the one of the biggest insults thrown at John Kerry was that he “looked French.” Now we have a candidate who is not only wildly popular with the domestic populations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, but inspires unparalleled donations and excitement from Expat American voters and feels comfortable signalling the importance of our allies here by visiting their leaders directly in Paris, London and Berlin.

A small step for one man – a giant leap for us Americans Abroad.

Organize for Obama: The Definitive London Event

Please join us this Sunday July 27th to learn how you can help Barack Obama become our next President.
On Sunday U.S. based Obama for America field staffer Ali Sutton will provide an afternoon of intensive advocacy training here in London.
Here's the scedule for the day:
2:00 - We'll meet on Queen's Walk, opposite Potters Field Park on the South bank of Tower Bridge for a quick photo shoot. Dress for the cameras in Obama kit or bring posters, homemade or prefab.
3:00 - We'll convene at the River Bar and Brasserie for a Get Out The Vote training session with Obama for America staffer Ali Sutton followed by tips for finding US citizens, registering them to vote and, of course persuading them to vote for Barack.
You'll find directions to the River Bar and Brasserie at:
http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/clubs_bars/venue-1143.php

Looking forward to seeing you there. To confirm your attendance, please
write to: obamalondon@gmail.com

Download This!

I have not heard a better discussion of Senator Obama's trip abroad. It features Colin Powell's former Chief of Staff Lawrence Wilkerson, a 31 year veteran of the armed services. You can listen via Windows Media or Real Player. http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2008/07/20080722_a_main.asp

Can't Catch a Break

Finally someone has taken the shovel away from John McCain.
With every public appearance, the GOP nominee has dug himself deeper, entrenching the perception that he does not have the knowledge, understanding, or temperament to take the reins of power. And so some merciful soul has cancelled the balance of this week’s press ops.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/23/mccain-on-the-run-cancels_n_114539.html

Senator McCain started digging this week when, having once upon a time craftily courted the press on his Straight Talk Express, he began to gripe that his former supplicants have left him in the lurch. Even if it were true, it’s hardly worth making a fuss about it. After all, every GOP nominee in living memory has complained about a liberal bias in the media, yet Americans voted for Nixon, Reagan, and Bushes one and two.

But we know it’s not true because we know that CBS edited Katie Couric’s interview with Senator McCain to conceal his customized timeline of the surge. So far from granting Barack Obama favorable coverage at his expense, the media is complicit in helping John McCain save face. http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/205343.php
Incidentally John McCain made another mistake during that CBS interview. Turns out that the Sunni Sheik, whom he named as a beneficiary of the surge, was assassinated during it.

The series of events and remarks that culminated in self-censorship included not only those mentioned in previous posts: the Bush Administration backing in practice what Senator Obama advocated in principle (withdrawal of troops from Iraq, transfer of troops and provision of aid to Afghanistan, negotiations with Iran), and Senator McCain’s self-serving chronicle of the surge, but also the mean-spirited charge, hardly likely to endear him to anyone but hard-core Obama opponents, that Barack Obama would rather lose the war than the election.
It also includes John McCain’s claim that Barack Obama’s statement at Israeil’s Holocaust Museum was cynical and politically expedient, a charge that has been roundly and rightly condemned.

Perhaps the final straw for McCain’s minders was the GOP nominee’s claim today that oil prices fell in response to President Bush lifting the ban on off-shore drilling.
But the White house denied credit for the price cut, citing reduced consumer demand for oil. The upshot? The President left Senator McCain to twist in the wind...and cancel his appearances. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/23/mccain-give-bush-credit-for-oil-price-drop/

The supreme irony of the situation is obvious: if Barack Obama had been as inaccurate or intemperate as John McCain has been this week, the Republicans would deck him, citing his errors and attitude as exhibit A, B, C through Z of why he isn’t qualified to lead America at this time.
While it plays to our side, Senator McCain’s pathetic performance is regretful.
When Senator McCain clinched his party’s nomination, seasoned political observers anticipated a principled campaign. For the first time in years, they said—and we had hoped—Americans would witness two intelligent, earnest candidates with genuine differences debating the issues. Sadly, the spectacle before us is a parody of what we’d been promised. As Barack Obama proves himself a prescient, able statesman, showing the world a dignified, respectful, generous spirited America alien to its recent experience of our nation, John McCain carries on a campaign of misinformation, assailing his opponents’ character, distorting his position and otherwise engaging in the very kind of politics he had claimed to deplore.

MUST See TV

Troops in Iraq signal their support for an aspiring Commander In-Chief http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/22/obama-greeted-by-cheering_n_114315.html

I Have a New Job - As an Obama Staffer!

Dear Friends and Blog Readers,



I wanted you to be among the first to know that I have recently accepted a full time paid staff position working for the Obama Campaign and the DNC, based here in London. My title will be Regional Field Director for UK, Ireland and Scandinavia and it will be my responsibility to:


* coordinated voter registration activities across the region
* provide support and advice to local grassroots groups
* manage a team of volunteers for get out the vote activities, voter registration and outreach to American groups across the region
* act as a liaison between the campaign and its supporters overseas.

I will be working with a wonderful team based in Chicago and Washington, and there will be 9 other Field Directors heading up similar operations across the globe.

This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for me, but it also reflects a real vote of confidence by the campaign in all of YOU. This will be the first time that any Presidential campaign will have staffed based overseas. The fact that Obama's campaign have decided to take this huge step forward is entirely due to how impressed they have been by all of you - our overseas fundraising and activism, combined with the record-breaking number of voters in the Global primary have helped to demonstrate that there is a real opportunity to dramatically improve our voter registration efforts overseas.

As I transition into this new role I will be hoping to prove to the campaign that they made the right decision, through some significant on the ground efforts. And that, again, means all of you! In the coming weeks I'll be getting in touch with lots of you to ask if you can help out with our volunteer efforts across the UK (and the world).

In the meantime, thanks so much for all that you have already done for us - I'll be back from Oregon on the 2th, totally fired up and ready to go.

Best wishes,

Karin

I'm Out of Here...

So I'm taking off for a couple of weeks for Portland Oregon to spend some time with my family (what a concept!) and for my brother's wedding.

I don't know how often I'll be able to update the blog, but rest assured I will not be shaking off my Obama obsession any time soon.

And I've got an important (well, important to me) announcement coming up soon, plus further information about our Obama London rally and meeting on July 27. So, as they used to say, "stay tuned."

Solution to Our Economic Problems: Quit Your Whining

So you've probably heard about this already - McCain's top economic advisor Phil Gramm has gotten himself in some hot water for his apparent belief that America's economic problems can easily be accounted for by the fact that we are a "nation of whiners."

But have you seen the video?



Ouch.

Barack had just the right response to this: merciless mockery.

Marc Ambinder on Obama's European Visit

Well worth a read:

The press has a pretty good idea of Barack Obama's overseas schedule, although we've been asked to keep the details private for the moment and we don't know when he's going to Iraq and Afghanistan. Right now, swarms of Democratic advance folks are in Europe or traveling there, and the pressure on them to produce flawless events will be acute.

Obama's trip to Europe will be a huge event...maybe as big as his convention, maybe as big as a debate. Sheer curiosity will translate into enormous crowds, even as most of Obama's events will be small and pooled. The European press will go ga-ga, uncritically. If Obama does speak at the Brandenburg gate -- and it's unclear whether he will at this point -- you could envision a crowd of more than 200,000 watching and cheering him.

A few years ago, it might not have been the best political move for a candidate to be seen as receiving the adulation of world... especially France and Germany. Not today: given how important it is to many independents and Republicans and Democrats that America's standing in the world is restored, Obama could well benefit domestically from a raucous reception overseas.

There are potential drawbacks: gaffes will be magnified through the lens of a voracious, excited press corps. His trip has to be flawless, message-wise, tone-wise and in its execution. If Obama appears presumptuous and arrogant and not humble, there's a good bet that we'll see that reflected in the coverage back home. Likewise if any European (or Israeli) leader lectures him about unilateral diplomacy with Iran.
At least until he sits down with Gen. Petraeus ... will he speak truth to power? -- the benefits surely outweigh the risks....

John McCain REALLY Doesn't Want to Talk About His Position on Birth Control

This excruciating (but short) video of John McCain desperately not wanting to talk about his position on the sensible notion that medicare should pay for birth control:



This makes for a useful opportunity to remind you all: John McCain has voted multiple times in the Senate to oppose the inclusion of birth control on publically paid health care plans. As his own campaign surrogate, Carly Fiorina, pointed out the other day - it is plainly obscene that these plans will pay for Viagra but not for birth control. Women everywhere should be deeply offended by this - I sure am.

But it's of a piece with McCain's overall anti-woman agenda. Remember, he wants to overturn Roe Versus Wade, jsut for starters.

And apparently his own advisors aren't even aware how retrograde his positions are.

And BOY does he not want to remind them.

Welcome Back Teddy!

Ted Kennedy has returned to the Senate - to a very warm reception from his colleagues.



So glad to have you back Teddy.

UPDATE: And by the way, his return was no mere symbolic gesture - according to Paul Kane of the Washington Post:

Kennedy's return to the chamber yesterday was really something special. Republicans and Democrats alike cheered him on, and GOP senators such as Kay Bailey Hutchison were just awe struck. Plain and simple, Kennedy turned that vote around. They had 59 votes without Kennedy, he showed up and gave them 60 -- the number needed to pass the bill -- and as soon as Republicans like Hutchison realized the bill was passing they lined up to vote yes. They wanted to be on the winning side. Thinking of the Senate like a basketball game, Kennedy scored 10 points yesterday. His arrival meant 10 votes, taking it from 59 votes to 69 votes. I've never seen anything like it in the 8 years that I've now closely covered the Senate.

Obama May Not Win Texas, But He Can Win IN Texas...

Obama's unprecedented ground organisation, voter registration and GOTV program stands to benefit congressional candidates all across the country. One of the places where it might play some surprising dividends is the deep red state of Texas - W's own backyard.

Here's how:

In the heavily Republican state of Texas, the odds are against Barack Obama’s being able to defeat John McCain.

But an energized Latino electorate, a spirited Senate race featuring a Hispanic and a $10 million investment by the Obama campaign will benefit the presumptive Democratic nominee and the state’s Democratic candidates and force Republicans to spend more money than originally planned.

The gathering momentum of Texas Democratic Senate candidate Rick Noriega, a state representative, against Republican Sen. John Cornyn, has some political pundits speculating about what once seemed improbable: whether the Hispanic Democrat can pull off an upset.

“We are going to watch Texas very carefully,” Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said recently. Hispanics make up 15 percent of the state’s total voters.

Are you chuckling at the thought of staging a Texas takeover? Me too! But hey, don't just think about it, take action - there's a Noriega fundraiser coming up right here in London:

Join us at a fundraiser in support ofRick Noriega
Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate
From Texas
Wednesday 16 July 2008, 6:00 – 8:00pm
The Texas Embassy
1 Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, SW1Y 5DL, Central London
Fajita Buffet and Cash BarTickets US$100
RSVP/tickets here and here only GET 'EM QUICK

http://www.actblue.com/page/london_noriega

Questions? Contact Laura Welch in Austin at laura@ricknoriega.com or Mark Mullen in London at noriegalondon@gmail.com.
Please forward this to anybodywho wants a US Senator Texas can be proud of andwho may know like minded individuals in the UK

pachanga means party!

***Please note: Only US Citizens and Permanent US Residents may contribute to US political campaigns. Documentation will be required.Contributions or gifts to Rick Noriega for Texas are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes. To comply with Federal law, we must use our best efforts to obtain, maintain, and submit the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 per calendar year. Contributions are limited to $2,300 per individual and $4,600 per couple per election.