Obama's Speech "A More Perfect Union"

Barack Obama gave an excellent speech today explaining his experience with race and putting his relationship with Rev. Wright into context. It was an excellent speech that again shows why this man is in a unique position to bring this country together.

Destructive Religious Rhetoric and Politics

By now everyone has heard the inflammatory statement's that Barack Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright made concerning America's responsibility in events that led up to 9/11 as well as his remarks against a white-dominated government who tried to keep African Americans down. Read more here. The Reverend may have had a case for some of his points, but they were made in a dogmatic and divisive way. But what was his ultimate point? That the U.S. government had made poor foreign policy decisions and that the U.S. had oppressed African Americans for years. Honestly, when rephrased, much of what he said is obviously true. The problem was the in the angry tone and dogmatic nature of the statements that turned a point worthy of discussion into something that sounded angry and destructive.
But let us compare those statements to John McCain's spiritual advisers. Read more here. John Hagee who railed against Catholicism. Rather than referring to it as a branch of Christianity to which he disagreed, he called it "a cult" and "the great whore." Not helpful. More destructive divisive rhetoric. Even more disturbing, was what McCain spiritual advisor Rod Parsley had to say. He has written: "I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications. The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore." Read the story here. Not only is this bigoted, and destructive but it shows a complete disregard for historical accuracy and common sense.

I am tired of religious "leaders" who try to drag us into such hateful thinking and policies. I'm tired of the partisan nature of this country and religious leaders who try to steer us in a direction based upon one or two narrow issues. In my own Catholic church, I have been disappointed by a priest who couldn't stop telling worshipers how much he admired George W. Bush because he is a man who was not afraid to pray and admit it in public. This during the closing months of 2004 when we were getting ready to vote for President. My first thought was that Osama Bin Ladin wasn't afraid to pray publicly either, but it was more about the content of those prayers than the prayers themselves that was either noteworthy or despicable. Attending a friend's wedding at another Catholic church, a time which should be focused on the joy of the union being consecrated and celebrated, we were "treated" to an anti-Protestant tirade. Something I have NEVER experienced before in a Catholic church. It was depressing. I was glad to finally hear a message of inter-religious unity and common cause at the National Shrine of St. Francis here in San Francisco. That gave me hope again that I could find a comfortable place inside organised religion. The other aforementioned examples made me depressed and disappointed.
When I grew up, politics was mentioned as important in the church, but were were told to exercise our own judgement, pray for guidance and remember one's intentions when selecting one's leaders. I certainly wish the Reverends Wright, Hagee, and Parsely would be giving us more of that message than the ones that they did. And what about that part about turning the other cheek, and loving one's enemies? I seem to remember that being of somewhat importance in Christianity.... ...maybe it's time we all remembered that!

Hillary Clinton Must Reject and Denounce Geraldine Ferraro's Extremely Divisive Comments

Former 1984 Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro who was working for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign has on a number of recent occasions made outrageous comments about Barack Obama suggesting that it is only because of his race that he has been successful thus far. I could write on and on about how terrible these comments are, and how Hillary Clinton has surrounded herself with mean spirited people who seem more intent on winning the next primary than the future of the Democratic party or that of America, but Keith Olbermann has already said it best in his latest special comment:

Obama Wins Mississippi

Barack Obama defeated Hillary Clinton in the latest Democratic contest in Mississippi. It is harder and harder to imagine a scenario where HRC wins the nomination. The math is definitely in Obama's favor!

Obama Wins in Wyoming

Barack Obama Won yet another contest - this time in the state of Wyoming. He has won 29 of 43 contests, and is leading in the popular vote as well as in the number of delegates. I think it's obvious that Hillary Clinton has little chance of overtaking him and winning the nomination. She can only attack him and make it harder for the Democrats to win in November. She wants to have it both ways - saying that he's not ready to be President and yet hoping that he will accept a Vice Presidential slot so she can gain his enthusiastic supporters and well organized team. It won't work. He will be the nominee, God willing.

One Charity Helping Americans Without Adequate Health Coverage

I recently saw a report on 60 minutes about a charitable organization - Remote Area Medical that is providing free health care services for thousands of Americans who either have no insurance or are underinsured. It was stunning to see what the state of health care is in the wealthiest nation on Earth. I strongly encourage everyone to read or watch the report here and then to donate to this wonderful organization here.



This just reminds me of how awful our system of caring for people is in the U.S. We have a for-profit system that leaves people suffering while those on top make millions of dollars. The right perpetuates the myth that any tampering would lower the quality of healthcare. Even if that was true, it doesn't matter how good the care is if very few can ever take advantage of it.

This report also shows how even people who are insured are suffering because of high deductibles. I'm sorry but that is why I like Obama's plan to lower insurance costs over HRC's mandates.

In any case, no matter where you stand politically, I encourage people to learn more about and generously support this very noble endeavor.

Obama Must Win

Barack Obama narrowly lost to HRC on Tuesday March 4 in Rhode Island, Ohio and the Texas Primary, He won in Vermont and looks like he will have won in the Texas caucus when the votes are finally counted. HRC will end up gaining only a handful of delegates. Obama still leads by over a hundred delegates. HRC needs to win by huge margins all or most of the remaining states, count on Michigan and Florida being seated at the convention in her favor, and then hoping that the super delegates will mostly jump to her side - all of this to give her a narrow victory over Obama. The math is heavily against her.
I am so disgusted by her campaign. I am really upset that I am so upset. I was very happy with the entire field of Democratic candidates last year - and despite my very early support for Obama campaign - not in the way a fellow rival campaign should make me upset but in the way that Bush, Rove and the cheep dirty Republican political machine has run recently. I realized that I was supporting , I liked what I saw in all the other candidates. All wanted our troops out of Iraq, wanted to provide health care to all Americans and would have been a huge improvement over the disastrous Bush administration. But as time went on, I became more and more upset by the HRC campaign. We need Obama not just because he is a visionary and an inspiring leader who works for bipartisanship, but because he wants to end this sort of politics. America has been poisoned and polarized by many years of the politics of hate and fear. Bush's presidency was defined by this approach. But the Clintons and their opponents did more than their share of this sort of dirty dishonest politics during the last years of Bill Clinton's administration. The Clintons were always shifty but they did seem to do thier best to bring out the worst in their opponents. America is tired of a politics that triumphs in the face of defeating their opponents yet does nothing to solve the real myriad of problems that Americans face. HRC would be a continuation of this politics-as-usual. That is why we need Obama. The math is on his side. HRC can only succeed in providing material for John McCain. Her type of politics is a large part of what is wrong with America. That is why OBAMA MUST WIN!

Live from New York - A Shameless Appeal to Vote for a B%#@h, Hillary Clinton

I have watched Saturday Night Live for my entire life. When I was young I remember eagerly waiting for the next Mr. Bill sketch. I grew up and went to school watching Ed Grimly, Toonces the Driving Cat, Sprockets and Wayne's World. In times of an excellent cast and great writers, I watched the show. In bad times when that wasn't the case, (and there have been far too many years where the cast and/or writing hasn't been very good one must admit) I continued to watch the show. I always enjoyed SNL's unique brand of social satire and political humor.
With this in mind, I watched Saturday Night Live's first show since the writer's strike and the first of 2008. Tina Fey was the host - I was looking forward to seeing the ex-cast member and one of my favorite writers back on SNL. The opening sketch was a parody of the Democratic debates which seemed to give an impression that the media was in love with Barack Obama (something I would dispute.) The sketch was shallow, but physical impressions were done well. Then came the Weekend Update sketch where Tina Fey made an appearance. I have to say, my wife and I were shocked and disgusted. Tina Fey had a tirade that was nothing but a humorless endorsement for Hillary Clinton. She made her argument that "B*%#h was the new black", an obvious assessment that voter's support for Obama was just a fad, and the next fad would be voting for a B*#&h, i.e. Hillary Clinton. She claimed that people were upset at Hillary Clinton, not for her Iraq War vote, or support of NAFTA, but because Bill Clinton would be there to help her. I'm sorry but Bill Clinton's experience would probably be an asset to Hillary Clinton - but for the fact that she is so polarizing that they would block every attempt she would make to do anything. Tina Fey misses the whole point - we are tired of the politics of fierce division and partisanship that marked much of the Bill Clinton and all of the George W. Bush administrations. We are tired of B*%#hes. We want real unity, real hope for tomorrow and real progress - not a B*$&h. I was very upset by Tina Fey's naked appeals to the voters of Ohio and Texas. It was not funny and it had no place on SNL. Contrary to Ms.Fey's argument, B*%#hes don't get things done. They get people upset and that interferes with their ability to get important things done. The paradigm is shifting and it is shifting in Obama's favor not in any B*&%h's favor.

Obama Wins the Democrats Abroad Global Primary

Barack Obama has won yet another contest. American Democrats living abroad voted for the Democratic nominee all over the world. Read the story here. Obama won about 65% of the vote. He won 79% of the vote in Japan. As someone who lived abroad for 3 years, I know how hard it is to be an American overseas with the very unpopular Bush administration in Washington. Thank you, Democrats Abroad for being involved and for voting for change! Yes we can win back the white house and restore our own and the world's confidence in America.

Obama Wins 10 in a Row !

Last night, Barack Obama won the Wisconsin Primary and the Hawaii Caucus, extending his winning streak to 10 out of 10 contests. He has won in every contest since Super Tuesday in Washington, Louisiana, Nebraska, The U.S. Virgin Islands, Maine, The District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and now Wisconsin and Hawaii. He is ahead in delegates, number of states won, and in the popular vote. His opponent for the Democratic nomination, HRC is in a difficult position. I hope that she will not go overly negative and give ammunition to the Republicans, but I fear that she will. Already, John McCain, the all-but-certain Republican nominee is giving speeches attacking Obama as if he were the Democratic nominee!

A New Blog to Read

Tired of the fluff and half-baked emotionalism that passes for thought in cyberspace, my wife, Jen, has started her own blog: In Pursuit of Reason. Please read and comment!

Obama Sweeps February 9th Democratic Contests

Barack Obama defeated Hillary Clinton in Washington, Nebraska, Louisiana and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Read the story here.

Obama won by a wide margin and I hope this is a sign of his continuing momentum and will bring him closer to securing the Democratic Party nomination for president!

Current Delegate Totals In the 2008 Presidential Races

I Did My Part

I think Barack Obama showed very well in yesterday's Super Tuesday elections across America. He had some very large victories and even in most of the states he did not win, he finished a close second. The delegate totals are tight (MSNBC is reporting Obama 838 to HRC 834) and this long nomination process will continue.

I am disappointed that Obama did not do better in California, although he was very far behind in the polls until a little over a week ago. I know I did my part to help him win. I made hundreds of phone calls, talked to many people in person, volunteered and attended many events and even held a small visibility and get-out-the-vote rally in my own precinct on Monday. I convinced 12 first time voters and 1 disenchanted older voter to vote for Obama.

I am glad to see that Obama carried San Francisco:

San Francisco

Candidate	Votes	% of votes
Barack Obama	88,886	52%
Hillary Clinton	75,341	44%
John Edwards	3,715	2%
100% of precincts reporting

source: MSNBC.com

I did what I could do. I did my part. Now it's up to you who live in the next states to vote to do yours. You can start here.

My Top 5 Reasons for Supporting Barack Obama for President

Here are my top 5 reasons for supporting Barack Obama for president of the United States of America.

1. Barack Obama brings a message of hope and optimism to politics that has been long absent in our nation’s recent history. He is inspiring millions of new voters and giving hope to many who had been turned off by negativity, dishonesty and corruption in politics. He has asked his supporters not just for their money, but has given them the opportunity to get involved and be a part of something greater than themselves.

2. Obama is appealing not just to Democrats, but also Independents and Republicans who see the need to work together to solve many of this nation’s problems such as healthcare, education, energy, and the economy. More so than any other candidate, Obama seeks to build a new collation to tackle these large scale problems.

3. After what will have been 8 years of a disastrous Bush Presidency, Obama seeks to bring competent people to fill important government posts. He is not taking any money in his campaign from Washington lobbyists or PACs. The people he appoints will be answerable to the American people and not special interests. In confronting entrenched interests such as the health insurance and pharmaceutical companies, Obama wants to televise these discussions and through transparency, the people will see what is happening.

4. Obama has a comprehensive vision and sees how many of our problems and thus their solutions are tied together. He argues in his book “The Audacity of Hope” how creating “green” jobs to work for energy independence will strengthen our economy, lessen our dependence on foreign oil and create new opportunities for millions of workers in America, while addressing the challenges of global warming and pollution.

5. Obama is the most electable democrat. By appealing to Independents and some Republicans, he will be able to draw votes that other democratic candidates cannot. Here are some polls that show how Obama ranks head to head against John McCain (who seems to be the Republican frontrunner):

(Source: http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08gen.htm)

Cook Political Report/RT Strategies Poll. Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2008. N=855 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.4.

McCain: 45% McCain: 41%

Clinton: 41% Obama: 43%

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2008. N=1,249 adults nationwide. Fieldwork by TNS. Current results based on registered voters.

McCain: 50% McCain: 47%

Clinton: 45% Obama: 48%

If John McCain is the Republican nominee, he will be difficult to beat. Obama has the best chance of doing so, by appealing to people outside the Democratic Party. John McCain has said that troops may remain in Iraq for another 50, 60 or even 100 years. Obama opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning and is committed to bringing our troops home as quickly and as safely as possible.

On February 5, 2008, Stand for Change and vote for Barack Obama!

To learn more visit: www.barackobama.com

Obama: Style with Substance

Barack Obama is the most inspirational leader in my lifetime. I have been following his career since he first ran for the U.S. Senate. Inspirational leadership has been truly lacking in this country for a very long time. I know Obama will motivate us and awaken us to new possibilities as president. However, many critics claim that he is all style and no substance - that he is some sort of demagogue who says nice things but will do little. They ask where the substance is. If all we had from Obama were his powerful and moving speeches, they might be right. But we have far more than that. He has accomplished much in his lifetime, both inside and outside government. He offers a 64 page summary of his plans in his "Blueprint for Change". With Obama we get both the substance and the style that we are in need of in America today.

Yes We Can Video

Here is a supporter-created video that puts Barack Obama's speech to music.

Hillary Supporters Push Polling in California

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Californians are receiving a Pro-Hillary push poll. This is the kind of politics that we Obama supporters are fighting against. Read the story here.

Olbermann on the Bush Administration Protecting Law-breaking Telecom Companies

Keith Olbermann had another excellent "Special Comment" regarding the Bush administration’s efforts to give Telecom companies retroactive immunity for their involvement in illegal wiretapping of American citizens. I can't say it any better than he did.

Ted Kennedy in Oakland for Barack Obama

I returned a short time ago from Oakland where I attended a Barack Obama rally where Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Senator Ted Kennedy spoke. Kennedy spoke passionately for Obama, calling this the most important election in his lifetime. I met some very interesting people, most of whom were quite inspired by Obama's candidacy for president. There were some undecided voters as well, who had the opportunity to see firsthand the excitement and enthusiasm of the Obama movement. The energy was amazing. Many SEIU union members were there. People were chanting "Si Se Pueda, Yes we can, Obama '08, and of course, Fired up, ready to go." Many held signs up and almost every car driving by honked their horn and showed off their own Obama signs in a display of support. It was great to feel a part of this amazing movement.

Here is news coverage of the event.