Election 2008

Here's a great picture from Georgia Women Vote:

As John McCain is lying to try and get Jews to vote for him, it might be a good idea to review the facts about Obama and McCain from a Jewish perspective. This comes from the National Jewish Democratic Council:

OBAMA STANDS WITH PROGRESSIVE VALUES ON DOMESTIC ISSUES

• He supports reproductive rights and will uphold Roe v. Wade.
• Obama cosponsored the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.
• He will provide affordable access to health insurance for every American.
• He has fought for increased investment in renewable fuels.

OBAMA PERFECT PRO-ISRAEL VOTING RECORD

The pro-Israel community has always used voting records to determine whether a candidate is “pro-Israel.”
• He has voted in favor of foreign aid to Israel every time.
• He has signed onto numerous pro-Israel letters and resolutions.
• When in the State Senate, he cosponsored a bill authorizing the state of Illinois to invest in Israel bonds.

OBAMA BELIEVES ISRAEL’S SECURITY IS PARAMOUNT

• Obama said, “Israel’s security is sacrosanct [...] I will also carry with me an unshakable commitment to the security of
Israel and the friendship between the United States and Israel.” – New York Sun, 2/25/2008

This was going to be a historic moment no matter what. Once the field narrowed to Obama and Clinton, we KNEW we would make history. We would have either the first black or first woman nominated for President by one of the two major parties. Well, THIS, folks, is history. Real and amazing history. We have now done what our parents couldn't do.

Now is the time to get it right. Now is the time to come together. Now is the time...the Dream comes true this year bigger and brighter than it has ever been dreamed before. Let's do this thing TOGETHER.

Today I started petitioning for my local candidates. This is the beginning of the real push locally, statewide and nationally. We have the chance to solidify the House, take the Senate for real, elect a brilliant man to the White House, and win local elections across the nation.

We have already begun. We won some amazing victories in special elections, turning once "safe Red" districts Blue in Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Progressive Majority, one of the most amazing grassroots progressive organizations, has already won some local elections in Wisconsin and in McCain's own state of Arizona. But now, today, the big game begins.

Are you with me?

Tomorrow, Tuesday June 3rd there is a primary election in California. Progressive Majority have some candidates running who need your support. But before I get to that I want to highlight a judicial election for Los Angeles Superior Court judge. There is actually a white supremicist named Bill Johnson running who needs to be soundly defeated. I urge all readers in that district to vote for James Bianco for Los Angeles Superior Court judge. And Thanks to a blogger on MyDD for this tip. Now on to the main list of candidates.

Here is a list of candidates running in California who have been endorsed by Progressive Majority):

Marty Block
Candidate for State Assembly - District 78 (Open Seat)
San Diego County

On June 3rd there is a primary election in California. Primaries are our chance to make the Democratic Party more progressive, an opportunity too often missed. Progressive Majority is an organization that recruits, trains and helps elect progressive democrats in local elections. They have one of the best success rates of any progressive grassroots organizations (about 50%) and recently won big in Arizona and Wisconsin.

Progressive Majority have some candidates running in California on June 3rd who need your support. Here is a list of candidates running in California who have been endorsed by Progressive Majority):

Marty Block
Candidate for State Assembly - District 78 (Open Seat)
San Diego County

Progressive Majority is one of the strongest and most successful progressive grassroots organizations out there. I have been pushing a few of their Arizona candidates in my own newsletter and two of them just won historic victories. I want to share those two victories with you and introduce you to some new Progressive Majority candidates in Arizona. Remember, this is John McCain's state, so our wins there are particularly sweet.

Corey Woods
Candidate for Tempe City Council - At Large (Challenger)
WE WON!!!

Progressive Majority candidate Corey Woods made history this May, when he became the first African-American elected to Corey Woodsthe Tempe, Arizona City Council in its 114-year history!

Corey's election, along with the election of fellow Democrat Joel Navarro, also power-shifts the Tempe City Council to a progressive majority!

Congratulations, Corey!

Last night I attended the annual dinner of the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, a local club where my wife is a club officer. I want to share with you a highlight of that evening. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer spoke to us and his speech was excellent and covered several points that we all should pay attention to.

Now Chuck Schumer is certainly not my favorite Democrat. Too hawkish, somewhat prone to using Bush talking points, and disappointing as my Senator. Joy and I even had a run in with his office when we were part of a MoveOn.org delegation to object to an early funding request from Bush for the Iraq Quagmire. We were basically told to shut up and vote for Chuck anyway.

Chuck Schumer too often has been among the Democrats who has most disappointed me because for someone who is supposed to be such a bulldog, he has too often shown too much of a lack of spine against Bush.

But last night he gave an excellent speech, and one that could be seen as critical of the very weakness that Chuck has sometimes himself displayed under the Bush Administration.

The key message of his speech can be summed up by the quote I used as the title for this piece and one that all Democrats around the nation should be taking up: "I am not afraid of John McCain."

Get used to it Democrats. Whether we run a woman or a black this year, the nastiness from right wing idiots will get pretty bad. Look to what the Republicans did in the Tennessee Senate race in 2006 and you'll get some idea what we are in for.

Georgia is leading the way. Seems a bar owner in Cobb Co. Georgia who thinks he's so clever made up T-shirts with a picture of Curious George (registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) eating a banana with the caption "Obama '08." When confronted by some uppity civil rights groups the bar owner insisted he wasn't racist. From a Daily Kos article because the original newspaper article keeps crashing Firefox:

The T-shirts are being peddled by Marietta bar owner Mike Norman at his Mulligan's Bar and Grill in Cobb County. They show a picture of Curious Georgie peeling a banana, with the words "Obama '08" underneath.

...

Norman acknowledged the imagery's Jim Crow roots but said he sees nothing wrong with depicting a prominent African-American as a monkey.

"We're not living in the (19)40's," he said. "Look at him . . . the hairline, the ears -- he looks just like Curious George."

In 2004 and 2006, I supported Leonard Boswell, Congressman from Iowa's third Congressional district. Boswell has been heavily targeted by the Republican party and tends to squeak by to victory. His age and health were issues in 2006. I supported him through it all.

This year I am supporting a primary challenger to Boswell with some reluctance. Bottom line is I am tired of having to defend the district against increasingly aggressive Republican challenges just waiting for Boswell to retire. The time for him to retire is now and there is an excellent alternative.

HILLARY CLINTON IN EUGENE [3] continues our HRC four-part series, which features the Senator's appearance at Oregon's South Eugene High School Gymnasium. You've read the comments of Tapper and Suarez and myself and probably many others, regarding this very appearance. If you're one of the chosen ones, you've even seen Parts 1 and 2.

In Part 3, an unscripted Town Hall Question and Answer session leads to one of the room's younger political participants confronting the Presidential candidate on her campaign's negative slant. Watch as Senator Clinton is (respectfully) called "self-serving" to her face. And then come back next week for Part 4 (the conclusion to the series), in which we will see Clinton answer the charge.

The latest video by Oregon's Official MTV Choose or Lose Street Team 08 Citizen Journalist, Nezua.

Clicking the picture above will take you to the video page.

Crossposted to The Unapologetic Mexican, Jesus' General, and OpEdNews.