NH Progressive Blogs
Betsy Devine
Citizen Keene
Democracy for NH
Equality Press
The Political Climate
Granite State Progress
Chaz Proulx
Susan the Bruce
NH Political Links
Graniteprof
Granite Status
Kevin Landrigan
NH Political Capital
Political Chowder (TV)
Political Chowder (AM)
PolitickerNH
Pollster (NH-Sen)
Portside with Burt Cohen
Bill Siroty
Swing State 2008
Campaigns, Et Alia.
Carol Shea-Porter
Paul Hodes
Jeanne Shaheen
Barack Obama (NH)
ActBlue Hampshire
Stop Sununu
NHDP
DCCC
DSCC
DNC
National
Bob Geiger
DailyKos
Digby
Eschaton
FiveThirtyEight
MyDD
The Next Hurrah
Open Left
Senate Guru
Swing State Project
Talk Left
Talking Points Memo
50 State Blog Network
Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
A real catch by Alaskan blogger Andrew Halcro. This blog nails Palin on the whole "Bridge to Nowhere" flip-flop. But there is a gem nestled in the linked Charlie Rose interview. (which I linked separately)
The real politics of the Bridge to Nowhere....
With all the debate surrounding the Bridge to Nowhere earmark, I offer you a campaign photo from 2006 when the Bridge to Nowhere was considered the Bridge to Somewhere by one candidate seeking votes from the people of Ketchikan.
"Palin said Alaska's congressional delegation worked hard to obtain funding for the bridge as part of a package deal and that she 'would not stand in the way of the progress toward that bridge." Ketchikan Daily News 9/2006
A year later she abruptly cancelled the funding.
-snip
"Keeping faith with those who serve must always be a core American value and a cornerstone of American patriotism. Because America's commitment to its servicemen and women begins at enlistment, and it must never end." - Barack Obama
Last night, the DNC paid tribute to America's vigilant:
Chet Edwards, TX-17
As the proud son of a World War II naval aviator, it is a privilege for me to express tonight, on behalf of America's Democrats, our profound respect for the sacrifices made by our service men and women and our veterans.
We also salute the unsung heroes in our nation's defense: the spouses, children, and loved ones of our troops and veterans. Maybe they haven't worn our nation's uniform, but they have surely served us all through their daily sacrifice.
Barack Obama has honored our sacred trust with veterans through his service on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. In the last two years, Senator Obama helped pass the new GI education bill and voted for the budget that provided the largest increase in veterans' health care funding in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration.
The strange and exotic John McCain* must, by punditry wisdom, choose Mitt Romney as the GOP VP nominee. The talking head collective concur, POTUS & VPOTUS must be sympatico.
At first, I thought Daddy Mac was speaking ill of Mr.Romney's flexible nature:
I am very proud to announce that Medal of Honor recipient, Paul 'Bud' Bucha will help Granite State veterans launch New Hampshire Veterans for Obama on Thursday, August 21, 2008. Bud will be joining New Hampshire's veterans to discuss aspects of Senator Obama'a plan to maintain the sacred trust that America has with her veterans.
Much to my surprise, when Bud was in Vietnam, he was assigned to the same unit I went to Iraq with. So I am looking forward to meeting a fellow Rakkasan. This odd connection compelled me to look into Bud's story. I easily found the citation that awards him the MOH. Of more interest, and benefit, to me was an interview that he did in 2006.
Bush:
Come gather 'round, Dick, Condi, Scooter 'n Rove,
It's time to get packin; we must hit the road,
But there's war, recession, and bad mortgage loans,
Cheney:
And our legacy needs savin'!
Bush:
So forget he's a jackass who's liberally prone,
With the Democratic National Convention days away, we know that tens of thousands of veterans around the country (and the world) want to organize and get involved with this historic campaign for change.
You can help make that a reality!!!
Please find your state below, and join that state's Veterans for Obama organization through the websites listed below. Organize house parties to make Senator Obama's acceptance speech on Thursday night. Help reach out to local veterans, veterans' groups, and your neighbors. Our national efforts are only as strong as your participation on the ground, and we need your involvement and leadership to win this November.
I got an e-mail from Congresswoman Tsongas today. Lo and behold, I see this:
We're Headed to New Hampshire!
We had a great kick-off last weekend as canvassers from around the 5th District headed to Hudson, New Hampshire to canvass for Senator Obama and the other outstanding Democrats running for office. I feel that I must help in any way possible to ensure that we re-elect my colleagues from across the border in the battleground state of New Hampshire, Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes to Congress, and elect Jeanne Shaheen to the Senate and Barack Obama as our next President.
If you are interested in joining us for our next trip to New Hampshire on August 2nd, please RSVP here or sign up to volunteer for your candidate(s) of choice by clicking the link below.
(I'm going to have some more on this tonight tomorrow, but thanks to Jack for being first on posting about this important bill. - promoted by Dean Barker)
I know we all have our "pet" causes. Mine is veterans. My passion comes from my sense of duty to my nation, our Constitution and those that have answered the call.
This last year and a half has truly been eye opening. My head has spun around so many times from what I have seen and heard while doing vet outreach in NH.
First, very early, like May '07. a vet asked me "why does our nation fully fund weapons and war, but takes care of vets on the cheap?" he wondered if we would go to war if we honestly factored in the cost of taking care of those impacted. From that day on, I have approached vet issues from this perspective. That we have a duty to finish a war, decades after the armistice. When we start a war, we own it until all those vets are gone. So when, I hear the word "victory" thrown around, I tense up. Victory can only come when all of our troops are home with their loved ones, safe and well cared for. That is how they were when they left to go.
Also, after getting an earful from a senior VFW officer over the phone and vets along parade routes, it is clear that NH is not well served by the VA.
In most of my discussion with pols and/or their staffers, these two points are always at hand. The good news is that with the current crop of Dems, these issues are front and center.
My proposal is simple. When Barack Obama accepts the nomination of the Democratic Party, the campaign will have multiple events across NH to celebrate the moment.
I propose that this community lead the way and hold a Blue Hampshire Bash.
Many pragmatic goals can be woven into this celebration. With the talent level and enthusiasm that comes with this crowd, we should expect great things to come from such an event.
Here's one idea: we can liveblog with Laura & Mike, as they report back to Blue Hampshire from Denver. Maybe a little video feed via Skype?
When it came time to push reform down the throats of the beltway boys, John McCain did what it took.
Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois repeated an accusation he has made in recent days that Mr. McCain was trying to intimidate.
''Senator McCain put out a letter to all our freshmen he campaigned for,'' Mr. Hastert said on CNN. ''He said, 'If you don't support my bill, I'm going to do thus and so.' I think that's a threat.''
Mr. McCain and his staff members have readily acknowledged that they sent letters to about two dozen House Republicans he campaigned for last fall, urging their support of the House version of his bill.
On the CBS program ''Face the Nation,'' he insisted that his letters contained no threat and that there was nothing wrong with reminding House colleagues that they had voiced support for campaign finance reform during last year's campaign.
''I'm really kind of stunned that someone would be surprised that I would write a letter to people that I campaigned for and with, asking them to support what was one of the themes of the campaign I engaged with them,'' he said. ''There was no threat or intimidation.''
Now McCain wants to puff up the pander of the "gas tax holiday." He was challenged over it on This Week.
I was on my second enlistment when I went to war in '91. My wife lived with my mom for the 7 months that I was away. We had no children in those days.
My decision to accept what is called an "early out" came as a surprise to the NCO's in my platoon. I walked and talked like a lifer, but my heart couldn't put my wife through that long sad wait again. I got out for a few reasons, but I knew then, as I know now, that those deployed carry only part of the burden of the deployment.
There are many heroes born from war. And most, never don our nation's uniform.
Children with a parent at war are vulnerable to anxiety or depression, mental health experts say. Homecomings are hard, too, especially when parents return with physical or emotional wounds. In today's wars, unlike those of the past, that cycle is repeated for many families. Of 808,000 parents deployed since Sept. 11, 2001, according to Pentagon data, more than 212,000 have been away twice. About 103,000 have gone three or more times.
"You're talking about a generation of kids who are hurt from the impact of multiple deployments," said Lynne Michael Blum, author of "Building Resilient Kids," an online course for educators through a Johns Hopkins University initiative to help military children. "The first deployment can be hard, but parents report their kids bounce back. But now as families are facing multiple deployments, the research shows that families never have the chance to readjust back to normal. When they're supposed to be focused on just being kids, they are focused on when Dad or Mom are going back into danger again."
This diary is about our common thread of humanity and how the TV media can effect how we perceive each other. I prefer that this not turn into a Tony Snow is a ______ ! Though it might be proper to discuss how he portrayed himself in his role in front of the camera.
I saw the NBC interview by David Gregory this morning for the first time. The story aired originally in 2007. NBC had edited it differently, changing the order of the story, to fit the context of Snow's death. It ended with this sequence:
Gregory: Your son actually wrote an essay about hearing that you got cancer and he wrote, "I was devastated", but he says, speaking of you "that he would be fine and he is."
Snow (nodding): Yep.
Gregory: You've got a lot to live for.
Snow (coughs, chokes up/half chuckles): Yea, I sure do. (painful pause) I said, 'Look, I'm gonna bounce your kids on my knee. That's what I'm gonna do. And, um... That's what I wanna do. I..mean...you know...uh.. (shaking his head, choking up)...
(weeping) It is great to love people this much.
The original cut is here and the sequence starts at 2:12.
Every four years, the Democratic Party assembles a platform that outlines the party's position on a number of issues.
Traditionally, the drafting of the platform is not open to ordinary people.
This year, that's going to change.
For two weeks in July, people all across America will hold Platform Meetings in their own communities to discuss the issues and share their input. The outcome of these meetings will be reviewed by the Drafting Committee as it creates the final Platform.
No political experience is required. Your thoughts and experiences are all that matter, and they will shape a platform that -- like this campaign -- is owned by the people.
Sign up to host or attend a Platform Meeting in your neighborhood:
http://my.barackobama.com/listening
This year, ordinary people like you will gather in their homes, community centers, places of worship, and even coffee shops to discuss the issues that matter to them and help decide what should be at the heart of the Democratic platform for change.
The input we get from these meetings will help shape the platform at the Democratic Convention in August.
Platform Meetings are a great way to connect with fellow supporters and help write the next chapter in the history of the Democratic Party.
We'll make sure you have all the resources and support you need to succeed. All you need to provide are your ideas for America and your hunger for change.
To get started in your community, just log onto My.BarackObama.com and go to our Platform Meetings page. (If you don't have a My.BarackObama.com account, creating one is simple and easy.)
Sign up to host or attend a Platform Meeting now:
http://my.barackobama.com/listening
I hope you'll take advantage of this opportunity to make your voice heard in the political process.
"The trusted resource for Military news and information!"
The Military Times delivers stories gathered from its sister papers: Air Force Times, Army Times, Marine Corps Times, and Navy Times. They strive to keep military personnel and families current with news affecting all facets of military life.
Military Times editorial board meeting with Sen. Barack Obama
Posted : Monday Jul 7, 2008 14:19:15 EDT
July 2, 2008 Q: What qualifies you to be commander in chief?
A: Well, I think that the most important quality that a commander in chief needs at this juncture in history in particular is judgment, an ability to see what America's challenges are, to be able to see around the corner and anticipate where threats may come from in the future and to exercise that judgment effectively in deploying not just our military, but our whole arsenal of American power: our diplomatic power, our economic power, our intellectual, scientific and cultural power. And as somebody who has worked on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on critical issues like nuclear proliferation and the threat of pandemic, as somebody who has traveled widely and grew up traveling around the world, I think I have a clear sense of the nature of both the transnational threats and challenges, but also the opportunities that are going to determine our safety and security for the foreseeable future. And that's why I think I can be an effective commander in chief.
-snip
This caught my eye because I believe Gates should be retained as SECDEF for at least 2 years. Upheaval in the chain-of-command should be avoided at all tolelerable costs, imo.
Q: It's the first wartime transition in 40 years. The basic concern within the Pentagon is that things will be lost or continuity will be lost. Do you expect to keep any political appointees in place?
A: Here's what I'll tell you. I try to avoid signaling what a cabinet will look like. I can tell you this: I do think that [Defense] Secretary [Robert] Gates has brought a level of realism and professionalism and planning to the job that is worthy of praise. I think that the Pentagon is operating more effectively. I think he has improved greatly the relationships with the Joint Chiefs and the military generally.
Q: He just fired one of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A: Well, that's OK. The truth is, part of improving relations is improving accountability. That's something we should always expect from our military leadership and our civilian leadership, something that has been in short supply over the last seven years. So overall I think Gates has done a good job. But whether that means that he would continue in that position, or would even want to, I think that's something that will be determined later. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. I think I have a little more work to do before I have to make those decisions.
-snip
Some context: After witholdings for taxes and healthcare, I get 63% of my earnings to take home. I get paid bi-weekly, and one check is $100 short of paying my mortgage.
My wife works, so it comes to about 13% of our household income devoted to healthcare, assuming good health. (My insurance has $3000 deductibles per person for care that requires hospitalization) Now, once we factor in the cost of living, we are at the point where a $300 car repair goes on the credit card to be paid off over a couple of months.
All and all, we have a decent standard of living. We invest nearly $300/month in our youngest daughter's private schooling (the oldest now goes to Lowell High) and there is $250 going towards martial arts. I say this because, it is clear we aren't strapped. Though things are tight, we have discretionary spending. BTW, our big screen TV is a hand me down, as are most of the kids clothes.
The only thing that truly bugs me about our daily lives is that we live in a poor neighborhood. Lots of drugs and alcohol around, gangs and the occasional fatal shooting. We are waiting for the right time to flip this house and use the VA housing loan that I have available.
I am busting my hump on this election because the difference between treading water and swimming to shore is winning in November. Our party will provide me and those in the working class, the best opportunity to fulfill the promise of America.
The Popgun Seven kept the mood at Unity elevated with a pleasant soundtrack,
but thrilled the crowd with a rousing version of Neil Young's Keep on Rockin' The Free World.
We got a thousand points of light
For the homeless man
We got a kinder, gentler,
Machine gun hand
We got department stores
and toilet paper
Got styrofoam boxes
for the ozone layer
Got a man of the people,
says keep hope alive
Got fuel to burn,
got roads to drive.
The "ROCK" theme continued when a woman in the crowd yelled out to Barack, while he praised Hillary, "She Rocks!" Obama chuckled and parroted back, nodding yes, "She rocks. She rocks."
PS. PG7's lead vocal dabbles in politics. If you need to put an event together, you could ask Barack for some of Roger's time or you can watch his YT trilogy.
My fave is Anatomy of a Deval Patrick Rally Volume III: Inauguration Day.
If you haven't heard of Frank Luntz, you know his work. The Readers Digest version of Luntz is that he has a "way with words" and he has sold his way to the right wing, probably because they needed him more and had the money. So anyways......
It has been discussed here on BH, that over the course of a campaign, that pols' stump speeches and slogans begin to wear thin on us polinerds. It seems that we pay attention too much and for too long, so we end up hearing the campaign narrative loop over a couple of times. Another aspect of our constant obsession devotion to the political ticker tape is that we can spot "parroting" a mile away.
I have an important announcement and I wanted all of you - the people who built this movement from the bottom-up - to hear it first. We've made the decision not to participate in the public-financing system for the general election. This means we'll be forgoing more than $80 million in public funds during the final months of this election.
It's not an easy decision, and especially because I support a robust system of public financing of elections. But the public financing of presidential elections as it exists today is broken, and we face opponents who've become masters at gaming this broken system. John McCain's campaign and the Republican National Committee are fueled by contributions from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs. And we've already seen that he's not going to stop the smears and attacks from his allies running so-called 527 groups, who will spend millions and millions of dollars in unlimited donations. Continued below the fold.
Blue Hampshire RSS
Every four years, the Democratic Party assembles a platform that outlines the party's position on a number of issues.
