New McCain Spears/Hilton attack, Obama responds
Newest John McCain "celeb" ad against Obama. McCain goes negative and compares Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.
Obama responds with a strong ad of his own calling McCain's attacks "old politics" and comparing McCain to Bush's failed policies. The ad is called "low road".
Barack Obama at 10 Downing Street in London
Barack Obama delivered remarks before a press avail at the Prime Minister's residence in London, the famed 10 Downing Street.
LONDON (CNN) – It is no secret that Sen. Barack Obama’s whirlwind tour of the Middle East and Europe has left him, and everyone staffing and covering him, absolutely exhausted.
When asked how he was feeling the other day, he told reporters aboard his campaign plane that he was feeling a bit “sleepy.”
Earlier today, while meeting with Conservative Party Leader David Cameron, the pool camera microphone picked up some light banter between the two men about Obama’s current state of fatigue.
Cameron told the candidate, "You should be on the beach…you need a break. Well you need to be able to keep your head together."
Obama told Cameron he would try to take a week of in August. And he said he got advice from a Clinton White House veteran on how to handle the demands on his time.
Obama said, "Somebody who had worked in the White House who-not Clinton himself- but somebody who had been close to the process, said that should we be successful that actually the most important thing you need to do is to have big chunks of time during the day when all you're doing is thinking and the biggest mistake that a lot of these folks make is just feeling as if you have to be…"
Cameron interjected, "these guys just chalk your diary up."
Obama agreed, "right, exactly, in 15 minute increments"
Cameron told him, "We call it the dentist waiting room. You have to scrap that because you've got to have time."
Obama said not taking that break is when "you start making mistakes or you lose the big picture."
Sarkozy on Obama: "I am the only Frenchman who knows him."
"We now have a pro-American president in France, which shows if you live long enough, anything can happen in this world."
-John McCain: Monday, July 21st, 2008 in a speech in South Portland, Maine
Too bad he backs the Democrats and his "buddy" Obama. It will be interesting to see if McCain keeps that line in future speeches.
-Darryl
Update: Joint press conference
***
PARIS (AFP) — Barack Obama met in Paris Friday with the pro-US President Nicolas Sarkozy on a world tour aimed at burnishing the White House hopeful's foreign policy credentials ahead of November elections.
His plane, bearing the slogan "Change we can believe in," landed at Le Bourget airport and the Democrat then headed into Paris to be greeted on the steps of the Elysee palace by a smiling Sarkozy.
"Bonjour," said Obama, after he was urged by journalists to say something in French and to pose for more handshakes with the French rightwing leader.
He was due to give a joint press conference with Sarkozy before flying to London for the last leg of the tour that has taken him to Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Germany.
Obama received a rock star welcome from 200,000 cheering fans for a speech he made Thursday in Berlin calling for the world to tear down walls of division and hate.
But he was to make no public appearances here, apart from the press conference with Sarkozy at the Elysee, where hundreds of fans waited in the street outside to get a glimpse of the Illinois senator.
The US presidential campaign has riveted France, where many are eager for a change from the administration of George W. Bush and where polls mirror those across Europe to show Obama is the candidate most people want to win.
But there are few votes for any US presidential candidate in being seen to be close to France. John Kerry, the Democratic nominee in 2004, was pilloried by some conservatives just because he could speak French.
Obama "cannot requite the love that France has for him," said Francois Durpaire, the co-author of a book on the senator from Chicago, because "that would go down badly in the Midwest" states of America.
But his visit has sparked much excitement in France, with Le Monde newspaper's front-page headline stating: "Europe is under the charm of Barack Obama."
Sarkozy's election a year ago greatly improved US-French relations, which were poisoned by France's staunch opposition to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq under then president Jacques Chirac.
Sarkozy told Friday's edition of Le Figaro newspaper that 46-year-old Obama, whom he met once in 2006 in Washington along with his 71-year-old Republican rival John McCain, was a "friend."
"Unlike my diplomatic advisors I never believed in Hillary Clinton's chances. I always believed that Obama would be nominated," he added.
Obama's national security spokeswoman Wendy Morigi said: "President Sarkozy has made the bilateral Franco-American relationship and the transatlantic alliance a centerpiece of his presidency, and Senator Obama looks forward to discussing how to build on these important initiatives."
Repairing relations between the United States and Europe -- strained over the Iraq war -- was a theme of Obama's Berlin speech, where he said that "the walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand."
"The walls between races and tribes; natives and immigrants; Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down," he said, echoing former US president Ronald Reagan's 1987 call to tear down the Berlin Wall.
The Berlin event took the White House race abroad in a way never seen before, and confirmed Obama as a global political phenomenon.
The world tour was designed to show voters back home that Obama is a safe pair of hands on foreign policy.
But the Berlin speech was short on specifics, and Obama's foes will likely accuse him of empty rhetoric.
McCain, a Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war who has long been an influential voice on foreign policy and defence, took a swipe at his rival on Thursday, visiting a German sausage restaurant in Ohio.
He said he would love to give a speech in Berlin, but only as president.
Obama is the favourite to win the election, with the latest poll from Fox News on Thursday showing that 51 percent of Americans believe he will triumph, with only 27 percent betting on McCain.
Obama was due to meet in London Saturday with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, opposition Conservative leader David Cameron and former premier Tony Blair, before flying back to the United States.
Great PM Photos from the G8
I think Harper did a great job representing us at the G8. Here are some photos from the summit posted on the PMO website in the photo gallery section.
-Darryl
http://pm.gc.ca/
http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media_gallery.asp?media_category_id=249&media_category_typ_id=3&media_id=2332#tag
The writ is dropped! Looking forward to the Guelph by-election in particular...
-Darryl
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper has called three federal by-elections for Sept. 8, setting the stage for a possible general election later this fall.
Two vacant Quebec ridings, Westmount-Ville Marie in Montreal and nearby Saint Lambert, along with the southwestern Ontario riding of Guelph are up for grabs.
The Liberals held Westmount and Guelph, and the Bloc Quebecois first won the long-time federalist riding of Saint Lambert in 2004.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, whose party holds the balance of power in the minority parliament, said this week he now believes Canadians are ready for a fall election.
The Liberals have abstained from bringing down the Conservative government during multiple confidence votes over the past year.
Party insiders predict the outcome of the newly announced by-elections could either embolden the Liberals or deter them from making good on Mr. Dion's autumn election musings.
Sarkozy looking forward to meeting his "friend" Obama
Perhaps the most impressive Conservative leader on the world stage today seems to be coming close to endorsing Obama as President. Sarkozy was elected as a Conservative in France and has been mentioned several times during McCain speeches during the Republican primaries. The Conservative leader in the UK David Cameron (who is also likely the next British PM) is also fighting to maximize his photo op today with Obama. I am not sure if this is a generational thing or signs that a new form of Conservatism in Europe is trying to part with the failed legacy of George Bush and his brand of "Conservative" ideology. It will be interesting to see if Obama makes a trip to Canada before the next election.
-Darryl
Quotes from Sarkozy:
"Obama? He's my pal," the president told Le Figaro. "Unlike my diplomatic advisors, I never believed in Hillary Clinton's chances. I always said that Obama would be nominated."
Sarkozy added that an Obama victory "would validate" his strategy of reconcilation with the United States. His embrace of the United States has made him American conservatives' favorite Continental politician, but he doesn't seem to be reciprocating."
Referring to Mr Obama's speech, in which he warned that absent black fathers were behaving like teenagers and shirking their responsibilities, Mr Cameron said: 'I think he's absolutely right.
' I mean I think it's a very brave thing to do.
'And it will have a huge influence that he has said it.
'I've had a number of meetings with black church leaders who make the same point too.
'They are very concerned about family breakdown and social breakdown and want to see what I call a responsibility revolution take place.
'I think it is a very important part of our responsibility agenda.'
The veteran civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson has accused Mr Obama of 'talking down to blacks', but Mr Cameron said this was wrong.
He told the Guardian: 'We will never solve the long term problems unless people also take responsibility for their own lives.'
***In fact, the French leader met Mr Obama only once, in 2006 at the Congress in Washington, when Mr Sarkozy was interior minister. The President said he had good memories of their encounter.
In his typically outspoken manner, Mr Sarkozy is quoted by Le Figaro as adding that "Unlike my diplomatic advisors I never believed in Hillary Clinton's chances. I always believed that Obama would be nominated."
Despite the warm words, the Parisian leg of Mr Obama's tour is strikingly low-key compared to his Berlin stopover yesterday, when he gave a rousing speech to a crowd of 200,000.
France is the only country in his three-nation tour where he will not be staying the night.
"Senator Obama looks forward to meeting with President Sarkozy and discussing areas of mutual interest, including the common challenges of security, transnational threats, and the global economy," his national security spokeswoman said.
"President Sarkozy has made the bilateral Franco-American relationship and the Transatlantic Alliance a centrepiece of his presidency, and Senator Obama looks forward to discussing how to build on these important initiatives," she said.
But French commentators recognized that despite Mr Sarkozy's pro-American stance, cosying up to France - which opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq - is unlikely to win Mr Obama many votes back home.
John Kerry, the Democratic nominee in 2004, was lambasted by conservatives just because he could speak French.
Mr Obama and Mr Sarkozy will meet this afternoon and hold a joint press conference - something the Democrat declined to do with Gordon Brown when the two meet in London tomorrow.
The Illinois senator heads off to London this evening.
***Barack Obama will bid farewell to Europe with a stopover in London that has been causing angst in Downing Street because of fears that David Cameron may steal the thunder from Gordon Brown.
In contrast to Berlin, where-hundreds of thousands of fans turned out to see the Democrat nominee-presumptive, the London leg of the tour will be conducted almost entirely out of the public view. Mr Obama will largely be meeting political leaders, Labour and the Conservatives having been engaged in high-wire negotiations to win the “battle of the photo opportunity”. It looks like the Tories have secured the better photo spot, despite there having been no firm plans for a meeting with the party leader as recently as ten days ago.
Mr Obama, who will arrive from Paris late tonight, will receive Tony Blair, now the Middle East peace envoy, first thing tomorrow morning, talking to the former Prime Minister – who is much better known in the US than Mr Brown – about climate change and the Palestinian situation.
He will then make his way to Downing Street for breakfast with Mr Brown.
Strict protocol requires Mr Brown not to appear on the steps of No 10 standing next to Mr Obama, because he did not do the same for John McCain, the Republican nominee, when he was here in May. Instead the handshake and farewell photographs will be taken inside, and Mr Obama will leave No 10 on his own to address the press.
He will then travel by car to the Houses of Parliament for his meeting with Mr Cameron, in the Conservative leader’s office overlooking the Thames.
The choreography of this switch-over caused high tension this week when Mr Obama’s advisers informed Downing Street that Mr Cameron would “collect” him on foot and they would walk the few yards to Parliament. That would provide a huge “spontaneous” photo opportunity that Mr Brown would be unable to match. The Obama team withdrew the suggestion after high-level representations from senior government figures.
The Conservatives are still on course for the better photo opportunity after Andy Coulson, the party’s director of communications, took over the negotiations. Mr Cameron is to be pictured with the presidential candidate walking down the cloister of New Palace Yard in the Palace of Westminster. This is the same shot taken of Mr Cameron and Mr McCain in May – and provides a better backdrop than a Downing Street fireplace.
The Democrat nominee has rebuffed all requests for British media interviews, having also barred nonUS media organisations from travelling with him. Instead he will record an interview with Tom Brokaw, of NBC, for broadcast as he flies back to Chicago.
This announcement is great news for Ontario, Toronto and York Region. Kudos to both the Harper government and the current Ontario provincial government for getting this done. Now lets get some shovels in the ground. The subway extension to York university and funding for Viva transit are crucial to relieving gridlock in York Region.
-Darryl
Feds to invest more than $3B in Ont. infrastructure
Updated Thu. Jul. 24 2008 5:33 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Ontario will receive about $6.2 billion dollars from federal and provincial coffers to improve infrastructure, Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon announced Thursday.
Cannon said Ottawa will give more than $3 billion to help repair the province's aging roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
The provincial government of Ontario has promised to match the amount, raising the total to the $6.2 billion mark.
The minister, speaking to reporters in London, Ont., said the funding was long overdue for the province.
A large portion of the money will be spent on improvements to the Trans-Canada Highway in northwestern Ontario, rural broadband coverage in southern and eastern Ontario and rapid transit in the Kitchener-Waterloo Region.
"Our government will work with Ontario to identify and deliver upon those infrastructure needs most critical to Ontarians," said Cannon. "We will do that in the spirit of open federalism and co-operation."
The minister said ensuring the "economic and environmental viability and vitality of Canada" was a top priority for the federal government.
"Investments in infrastructure help support a stronger economy, a cleaner environment and a more secure Canada," he said.
Ontario Deputy Premier George Smitherman said Thursday's announcement proves that both levels of government are working together to build a stronger province.
The money is also expected to help create jobs in the province, which has been hard hit by cutbacks in the manufacturing and auto sector.
The federal-provincial deal will stretch until 2014.
With files from The Canadian Press
Full Obama speech in Germany
Barack Obama addresses a crowd of over 200,000 people in Tiergarten, Berlin.
Massive Crowd Hears Obama Speak in Berlin
Full speech coming soon...
-Darryl
PM hails breakthrough on climate change at 2008 G8 Summit
What is Russia doing with Cuba and Chavez?
Keep an eye on this...
-Darryl
Obama visits Israel
Raw video from the AP
Raw Video: Obama Meets With Israeli Leaders
Raw Video: Obama Visits Israeli Holocaust Shrine
BBC Report:
New John McCain ad about the Media love affair with Obama
Version II
T. Boone Pickens has some answers on foreign oil
How can we reduce our dependence on foreign oil? T. Boone Pickens explains his plan for alternative, domestic energy in a 60-second TV commercial.
His Plan:
T. Boone Pickens gives an extended account of his plan to break America's dependency on foreign oil. With a combination of domestic natural gas and renewable alternative, Pickens offers an action plan to save America's energy future.
http://www.pickensplan.com
Pitch to Congress:
Iraqi Prime Minister Seems To Back Obama's Iraq Time Table
July 21, 2008 CNN Situation Room
Rice and Powell voting Obama?
I think this is starting to be a problem for McCain. Is there anyone willing to admit they are voting Republican next time. Condi Rice? Colin Powell? Chuck Hagel? Ron Paul? Even Arnold Schwarzenegger is open to the possibility of serving in Obama’s cabinet. If Rice is a VP candidate and part of the Bush administration, one would expect that her vote would be automatic for the Republican party. By not telling us who she is supporting, one has to wonder if it is possible she will be voting for Barack Obama in November. There has been a lot of talk of McCain having trouble with his conservative base in this contest. Based on some of the comments we have seen lately, it is unclear if McCain can count on the support of moderate Republicans either. Rice and Powell have broken all kinds of barriers in American politics. Barack Obama is hoping to break the final barrier by becoming the first African American President of the
-Darryl
On today's Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer on CNN, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- a Republican -- had this to say about the race to succeed her boss, President Bush:
Blitzer: "Now, you grew up in the segregated south. You know what racism is in our country. The fact that Barack Obama is now the Democratic presidential nominee, what does that say to you?"
Rice: "I think it's great. And I think it's great for our country. And I do think it says that we've come a long way. But it's interesting that it's from Colin Powell. He knocked down a few barriers of his own. He knocked down the barrier of chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. He knocked down the barrier to the first black secretary of state. Yes, I've knocked down a few too. It just shows that our country has been doing this for a while and it's great that this last barrier perhaps, has also come down."
Blitzer: "Have you decided who to vote for?"
Rice: "Wolf, yes."
Blitzer: "Do you want to tell us?'
Rice: "No."
***
WASHINGTON (AP) — Condoleezza Rice says it's a remarkable accomplishment that a black politician is on track for his party's presidential nomination.
The secretary of state says it's great for the country that Barack Obama is the expected Democratic nominee. Rice says it shows that the U.S. has come a long way. Rice herself is the second black to be America's top diplomat. Colin Powell was the first.
Rice also is making clear that she doesn't want to be considered for vice president. She wants to return to California and write a book about America's foreign policy when President Bush leaves office in January.
Rice also says in a television interview that aired Sunday that she has decided which candidate she will vote for in November. She just isn't saying in public who it will be.
Will Ron Paul's convention out draw McCain's?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
If they expected us to retire quietly from the scene, the political elite are in for a surprise.
Today I am making some very big announcements.
First, from August 31 to September 2 in Minneapolis, we will host a handful of events that will shake the political establishment. Everything will culminate on Tuesday with the official launch of the Campaign for Liberty at the Rally for the Republic.
The Campaign for Liberty will be the largest organization for peace, freedom, the Constitution, and sound money in American history. It will launch in grand fashion with lots of special guests and - if the early television and print inquiries we've received are any indication - plenty of media attention.
I would like to personally invite you and your family to join me and thousands of others in Minneapolis for these events and send a message to the Republican Party.
Tickets will go on sale for the Rally for the Republic this Friday, July 25 @ 10AM CST. We want this to be an unforgettable day, so we are holding a ticket bomb all day Friday in the tradition of our famous money bombs. How many seats can we sell on the first day?
In patriotic fashion all tickets will cost $17.76, so you can afford to bring the whole family.
This leads me to the second big announcement. After measuring the excitement and enthusiasm, we decided that the Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota was just too small to hold you. Therefore, we are making a significant upgrade. The Rally for the Republic will now take place at the Target Center, the largest arena in Minneapolis!
This promises to be the most spirited and provocative political event of the year! We held some very large rallies during the presidential campaign, but I have never attempted anything of this scale before. Its success rests entirely in your hands.
Later this week I will announce two internationally renowned musicians as headliners for the Rally for the Republic. We'll also be joined by rock star Aimee Allen, NBC's Tucker Carlson, Barry Goldwater Jr., Gov. Gary Johnson, conservative stalwart Grover Norquist, former Reagan deputy Attorney General Bruce Fein, presidential historian Doug Wead, MTV's Adam Curry, musician Mark Scibilia, and Frank Sinatra impersonator Rick Ellis. Other special guests will be announced soon.
My staff has been working overtime to provide you with three full days of entertainment. Please visit the schedule page of the website and read all about upcoming events. We also have a lodging page to help you find accommodations in Minneapolis.
Together we are taking back our government and restoring the republic. Please join me in Minneapolis to kickoff the Campaign for Liberty and support our Revolution. Can I count on you to be there?
In Liberty,
P.S. I know that you have done so much already, but with both major party nominees threatening to lead us into bankruptcy at home and more wars abroad, the success of the Rally for the Republic and the launch of the Campaign for Liberty is crucial. Please do what you can to be in Minneapolis August 31 - September 2 and send a loud and clear message of freedom, peace, and prosperity.
My Interview with Jillian York for Voices without Votes on the US Election
A special thanks to Jillian York for doing this interview for the Reuters Voices without Votes website. You can visit Jillian’s blog by clicking the link below:
-Darryl
Many bloggers around the world have been talking about the upcoming U.S. elections. One such blogger is the Darryl Wolk, who resides in Canada and blogs about politics in general. I recently had the opportunity to ask the prolific blogger a few questions about his life, interest in politics, and thoughts on the 2008 U.S. elections.
Tell me about yourself, Darryl.
My name is Darryl Wolk and I was born in Kapuskasing, Ontario Canada. I attended the University of Windsor and did my MBA with undergrad degrees in Political Science and Commerce. Politically, I have volunteered for several leadership races and local election campaigns for the Conservative Party of Canada, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and have been active in municipal elections in my current town of Newmarket, Ontario and located just outside of Toronto. I am currently the President of the Newmarket Rotary Club and care deeply about international issues and needs within my community. I started a blog initially with the purpose of providing information and opinion about issues I care about locally, provincially and internationally. I have family in both the US and Canada but am a Canadian citizen and do not hold US citizenship. On Super Tuesday, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to spend a few days campaigning for Barack Obama and witnessing his speech live in Chicago. It was a great experience and felt like the Superbowl of politics from a Canadian point of view. I think Reuters and Global Voices website Voices without Votes is doing a great job in terms of gathering a group of talented international bloggers with diverse opinions on the upcoming US Presidential race and I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to participate.
When did your interest in politics start?
I have been interested in politics and current events almost all of my life but really started taking an interest in my first year of high school. I have been heavily active in Canadian politics since the Progressive Conservative and Reform parties merged and Belinda Stronach was running for leader representing my riding of Newmarket-Aurora.
What, initially, got you interested in U.S. politics?
I first got interested in politics during the time of Reagan who I admire a great deal. NAFTA was a major issue in Canada at the time. I also liked Bill Clinton and felt he was a great leader who I respect a great deal and have had the opportunity to hear him speak on a couple of occasions in Toronto. In Canada, American politics is everywhere. Ninety per cent of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US border, the largest undefended border in the world. All of the major newspapers have been filled with coverage of the primaries. We get the American version of CNN as opposed to the international version seen elsewhere. Fox News, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS and many other American networks are readily available here. The Colbert Report and Daily Show are popular in Canada along with late night talk shows and Saturday Night Live. This current election has been very exciting for Canadians and Americans alike. Recent polls in Canada have shown that a majority of Canadians would trade their Canadian vote for a one in the US election while another showed Barack Obama would win a Canadian election as leader of either the Liberal Party or Conservative Party.
American politics has a huge impact on Canadian politics. Eighty pc of our exports go to the United States with bilateral trade volume worth 1.5 billion per day. Canada is the America's number one energy supplier and this has resulted in massive development of the Alberta oil sands. In Windsor I lived near the Ambassador Bridge where 10 million vehicles travel back and forth to Detroit each year. Good Canadian relations with the United States essential for our economy, security and shared international interests. As members of NATO we are fighting shoulder to shoulder in Afghanistan with American forces and also experienced casualties in the 9/11 attacks. We consider America are closest friend and ally along with the UK. We chose not to participate in the current Iraq war, although we took part in the first Gulf War, Kosovo, Korea and in two world wars where we fought shoulder to shoulder for freedom with the United States. Arctic sovereignty is becoming a big issue in Canada following Russia planting a flag at the North Pole. The decline of the US dollar is also hurting our manufacturing based economy in Ontario. Issues like NAFTA-gate with Obama and John McCain coming up to deliver a speech in Ottawa has injected Canada into the US election campaign and the US Presidential race into our upcoming federal election. Good relations with the United States are crucial to our economy, security and foreign policy in Canada.
It is also impossible to talk about issues like Russia, China, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Kosovo, North Korea, Iran, Pakistan or bringing peace to the Middle East without factoring in US foreign policy and decisions coming from the American president. Progress on issues like the environment, poverty, disease, human rights, stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, terrorism and the global economy cannot be achieved without the United States stepping forward and playing a large leadership role. How Americans vote in November will have a major impact on how the rest of the world moves forward on a series of issues that have a global impact.
How do you think most Canadians, or non-Americans in general, view politics in the U.S.?
I think Canada is a bit different than most non-Americans because of our shared cultures and exposure to American media and politics. People in Europe, the Middle East, South America, Africa and Asia would have a different view of American politics based on their own unique perspectives and issues of concern.
In many ways American politics is seen as the big leagues with Canadian politics being the minor leagues. American campaigns are huge with hundreds of millions spent and 24 hour news coverage on TV every day not to mention the blogs, Facebook, YouTube and mainstream media. Election night coverage with exit polls, immediate projections and best political team on television coverage is unheard of here. Right now in Canada, we do not have the charisma or hype around any of our leaders in the same way we have seen South of the border with Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and some of the other contenders in the primaries. I think most Canadians are fascinated with the primary process and current race going on in the United States between John McCain and Barack Obama.
Polls show Canadians are heavily rooting for Obama regardless of age, gender, province, and political affiliation. An interesting poll asked Canadians who they most admire among the leaders mentioned below. The results were as follows:
* Barack Obama: 26 pc
* Stephen Harper (Current Canadian Prime Minister and Conservative leader): 21 pc
* Hillary Clinton: 16 pc
* Jack Layton (Current NDP leader): 9 pc
* Gilles Duceppe (Current Bloc Quebecois leader): 6 pc
* Stephane Dion (Current Liberal leader): 5 pc
* John McCain: 3 pcI think Canadians are hungry for any change after George Bush and would see either Obama or McCain as a major improvement over the current administration on both management of foreign affairs and the economy. The prospect of the first African American president (and when Hillary was in the race the prospect of the first female President) is a story that is also interesting to many Canadians. I think McCain is personally respected in Canada but his party is affiliated with the record of Bush who's approval ratings in Canada are much lower than the historic lows we are seeing in the United States.
Why do you think so much of the world is blogging about U.S. politics?
The world is hungry for leadership. Who is going to save the earth from global warming? Who is going to prevent a global recession? Who is going to stop the genocide in Sudan? Who is going to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians? Who is going to deal with Iraq, Syria, Iran, China, Russia and North Korea? Who will do something for those living in extreme poverty in Africa and elsewhere? Who will fight for democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms? George Bush has alienated most of the world with his stance on the environment, the war in Iraq and a series of other issues. Rising powers in China, India, Brazil, Russia and elsewhere are challenging American influence in the world and it is important for the next President to repair strained relationships with the rest of the world and restore its rightful role as a leader on many of the issues activist bloggers around the world care about.
Have you had many reactions to your blog from Americans? If so, what were they?
A couple of Americans have commented that I should butt out of US politics, but most are just interested in discussing the issues and candidates I tend to write about. Any post about Ron Paul seems to draw a lot of comments from American readers demonstrating his internet following. The biggest debate on my blog has been among Canadian Conservatives who are split between McCain and Obama.
Why do you think so much of the world supports Obama?
He represents change from George Bush and politics in general, he has the potential to be the first African American president, his words are inspiring and he represents a more multilateral approach to world issues. Obama's willingness to talk with Americas enemies, his opposition to the Iraq war and his environmental policies are also likely well received in many places around the world. I think the world is as frustrated with George Bush as most Americans. For a lot of young people, he also represents generational change and a spirit of unity as oppose to the division we have seen over the past 7 years. Obama represents the American dream and all that is great about the United States. John McCain is well respected and has a great story as well, but unfortunately he is tied to the Republican brand that is not popular inside or outside the United States.
If you could vote in the U.S. general elections, who would you vote for?
I have an American cousin serving in Iraq and another in the navy stationed in the Persian Gulf. In Canada I also have a couple of cousins fighting in the Afghanistan war. In the case of Iraq, I would like to see the troops come home as soon as possible. In Afghanistan I would like to see more American troops to support our Canadian troops in what has been seen by many as the forgotten war. Personally I would vote for change and for me it would have came down to either Ron Paul or Barack Obama. While Ron Paul is closest to my personal views, Barack Obama would get my vote based on the two choices that are currently available. I am excited about his message of change, unity and his positions on foreign affairs. If I was an American I might be concerned about what he would do with regards to taxes, government spending and issues where his lack of experience might hurt him. Having said that, I think John McCain would represent a third term for George Bush's foreign and economic policies despite the fact he has proven to be a maverick in the past and certainly could be considered a strong friend to Canada.
In terms of running mates, I predict Barack Obama will eventually select Hillary Clinton. I think after earning 18 million votes and campaigning hard for well over a year she deserves the spot more than the other options available. She brings some experience, ensures party unity and deserves credit for bringing a lot of the excitement into the Democratic primaries. I also think if he picks someone besides Hillary, that person will be compared to Hillary and the pick will be constantly debated in the media and among Democratic supporters. A Obama/Clintons ticket would be unstoppable in my opinion. I do not think it would be worth the risk of the Obama campaign going off message by picking someone else unless he is concerned about shoring up his national security or economic credentials. If I was John McCain, I would go with Condi Rice who is clearly the biggest rising star in the Republican Party, has the strongest experience, would be ready to step into the job right on day one and is also rumoured to be a maverick or moderate within the Bush administration. I think in the end he will pick Mitt Romney because McCain admits himself that he is not strong on the economy and that will be the ballot box issue; not Iraq come November. Schwarzenegger or Powell would be great fantasy picks for McCain, but Schwarznegger was not born in America and cannot be VP while it is unclear at this point who Powell will be supporting in November.
From the perspective of a Canadian, I look forward to watching Americans democratically elect their own leader this fall and I expect that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will work well with either President Barack Obama or President John McCain. Canadians and Americans have great relations and I look forward to that continuing even if from time to time we disagree on some of the issues. There are a lot of challenges to face and the world is excited about the next President restoring America's image and leadership in the world during these difficult times. God bless America.
Interview with Barack Obama from Afghanistan
Exclusive Interview: Obama in Afghanistan: Face the Nation
Any difference between Bush and McCain economic policies
Cross Mark Sanford off McCain's VP list...
-Darryl
Obama would send at least two additional combat brigades to support our effort in Afghanistan
Obama's plan would be good for Canadian troops serving in Afghanistan.
-Darryl
***
CHICAGO — The call by Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki for a timetable for the removal of American troops from Iraq presents an enormous opportunity. We should seize this moment to begin the phased redeployment of combat troops that I have long advocated, and that is needed for long-term success in Iraq and the security interests of the United States.
The differences on Iraq in this campaign are deep. Unlike Senator John McCain, I opposed the war in Iraq before it began, and would end it as president. I believed it was a grave mistake to allow ourselves to be distracted from the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban by invading a country that posed no imminent threat and had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. Since then, more than 4,000 Americans have died and we have spent nearly $1 trillion. Our military is overstretched. Nearly every threat we face — from Afghanistan to Al Qaeda to Iran — has grown.
In the 18 months since President Bush announced the surge, our troops have performed heroically in bringing down the level of violence. New tactics have protected the Iraqi population, and the Sunni tribes have rejected Al Qaeda — greatly weakening its effectiveness.
But the same factors that led me to oppose the surge still hold true. The strain on our military has grown, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated and we’ve spent nearly $200 billion more in Iraq than we had budgeted. Iraq’s leaders have failed to invest tens of billions of dollars in oil revenues in rebuilding their own country, and they have not reached the political accommodation that was the stated purpose of the surge.
The good news is that Iraq’s leaders want to take responsibility for their country by negotiating a timetable for the removal of American troops. Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. James Dubik, the American officer in charge of training Iraq’s security forces, estimates that the Iraqi Army and police will be ready to assume responsibility for security in 2009.
Only by redeploying our troops can we press the Iraqis to reach comprehensive political accommodation and achieve a successful transition to Iraqis’ taking responsibility for the security and stability of their country. Instead of seizing the moment and encouraging Iraqis to step up, the Bush administration and Senator McCain are refusing to embrace this transition — despite their previous commitments to respect the will of Iraq’s sovereign government. They call any timetable for the removal of American troops “surrender,” even though we would be turning Iraq over to a sovereign Iraqi government.
But this is not a strategy for success — it is a strategy for staying that runs contrary to the will of the Iraqi people, the American people and the security interests of the United States. That is why, on my first day in office, I would give the military a new mission: ending this war.
As I’ve said many times, we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. We can safely redeploy our combat brigades at a pace that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 — two years from now, and more than seven years after the war began. After this redeployment, a residual force in Iraq would perform limited missions: going after any remnants of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, protecting American service members and, so long as the Iraqis make political progress, training Iraqi security forces. That would not be a precipitous withdrawal.
In carrying out this strategy, we would inevitably need to make tactical adjustments. As I have often said, I would consult with commanders on the ground and the Iraqi government to ensure that our troops were redeployed safely, and our interests protected. We would move them from secure areas first and volatile areas later. We would pursue a diplomatic offensive with every nation in the region on behalf of Iraq’s stability, and commit $2 billion to a new international effort to support Iraq’s refugees.
Ending the war is essential to meeting our broader strategic goals, starting in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the Taliban is resurgent and Al Qaeda has a safe haven. Iraq is not the central front in the war on terrorism, and it never has been. As Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently pointed out, we won’t have sufficient resources to finish the job in Afghanistan until we reduce our commitment to Iraq.
As president, I would pursue a new strategy, and begin by providing at least two additional combat brigades to support our effort in Afghanistan. We need more troops, more helicopters, better intelligence-gathering and more nonmilitary assistance to accomplish the mission there. I would not hold our military, our resources and our foreign policy hostage to a misguided desire to maintain permanent bases in Iraq.
In this campaign, there are honest differences over Iraq, and we should discuss them with the thoroughness they deserve. Unlike Senator McCain, I would make it absolutely clear that we seek no presence in Iraq similar to our permanent bases in South Korea, and would redeploy our troops out of Iraq and focus on the broader security challenges that we face. But for far too long, those responsible for the greatest strategic blunder in the recent history of American foreign policy have ignored useful debate in favor of making false charges about flip-flops and surrender.
It’s not going to work this time. It’s time to end this war.
Barack Obama, a United States senator from Illinois, is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
Credit: New York Times
***
In what is being billed as a major policy speech, Democrat Barack Obama declared this morning that "the central front in the war on terror is not Iraq, and it never was" and, if elected president, he would redirect attention and US forces to Afghanistan.
"It is unacceptable that almost seven years after nearly 3,000 Americans were killed on our soil, the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 are still at large," he said. "Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahari are recording messages to their followers and plotting more terror. The Taliban controls parts of Afghanistan. Al Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia. If another attack on our homeland comes, it will likely come from the same region where 9/11 was planned. And yet today, we have five times more troops in Iraq than Afghanistan."
That strategic imbalance, Obama argues, is the result of a misguided policy in Iraq that he would end by withdrawing nearly all US combat troops within 16 months of taking office -- and that would only continue under his Republican rival John McCain, a key supporter of the so-called surge of US troops that even Obama has grudgingly conceded has helped reduce violence.
"What’s missing in our debate about Iraq -- what has been missing since before the war began – is a discussion of the strategic consequences of Iraq and its dominance of our foreign policy," Obama said. "This war distracts us from every threat that we face and so many opportunities we could seize. This war diminishes our security, our standing in the world, our military, our economy, and the resources that we need to confront the challenges of the 21st century. By any measure, our single-minded and open-ended focus on Iraq is not a sound strategy for keeping America safe."
"As President, I will pursue a tough, smart and principled national security strategy -- one that recognizes that we have interests not just in Baghdad, but in Kandahar and Karachi, in Tokyo and London, in Beijing and Berlin," he continued. "I will focus this strategy on five goals essential to making America safer: ending the war in Iraq responsibly; finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban; securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states; achieving true energy security; and rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century."
Asked about Obama's speech, President Bush told reporters that the war on terror is being fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan -- and that Iraq is going better now.
"Afghanistan is a tough fight," Bush said at a White House press conference.
While there has not been a terrorist attack in the US since Sept. 11, 2001, the US cannot allow safe haven for terrorists, he said. "I would hope that whoever follows me understands that we're in a war."
Obama also released a new TV ad today that highlights one facet of his speech -- his bipartisan work on stopping the smuggling of nuclear weapons.
Obama is scheduled to follow up his speech with appearances on PBS and CNN this evening. He is also scheduled to soon visit Iraq and Afghanistan for the first time since January 2006.
Later today in Albuquerque, N.M., McCain plans to answer Obama, including criticism of Obama for outlining his plans for Iraq and Afghanistan before actually visiting the war-torn countries.
"Senator Obama is departing soon on a trip abroad that will include a fact-finding mission to Iraq and Afghanistan," McCain plans to say, according to excerpts released by his campaign. "And I note that he is speaking today about his plans for Iraq and Afghanistan before he has even left, before he has talked to General Petraeus, before he has seen the progress in Iraq, and before he has set foot in Afghanistan for the first time. In my experience, fact-finding missions usually work best the other way around: first you assess the facts on the ground, then you present a new strategy."
McCain is trying to press his advantage among voters on terror and national security -- the only issues, in fact, that polls show Americans have more confidence in McCain. A Washington Post-ABC News poll published today shows that 72 percent of Americans say McCain would make a good commander-in-chief, while only 48 percent said Obama would and 48 percent said he would not.
On the specific question of Iraq, however, the survey found that Americans are evenly divided on Obama's timetable for withdrawal and McCain's position that events on the ground should decide the next moves. And Americans are also split on which candidate they trust more to handle Iraq.
While McCain pushed for the surge and a different strategy against the insurgency later in the war, Democrats are trying to tie McCain to his support of President Bush earlier in the conflict, hoping to dent his advantage on nationa security.
Obama calls Afghanistan a top priority By Glen Johnson, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS |
WASHINGTON - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Tuesday that overall U.S. interests have been hurt rather than helped by the current government's decision to increase troop strength in Iraq 18 months ago as he vowed to withdraw combat troops within 16 months of becoming president.
Obama said his White House rival, Sen. John McCain, "has argued that the gains of the surge mean that I should change my commitment to end the war. But this argument misconstrues what is necessary to succeed in Iraq, and stubbornly ignores the facts of the broader strategic picture that we face."
In a speech delivered in advance of an overseas trip to the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama said fighting al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan would be his top priority.
The speech billed as a major address by the campaign offered no new policy, but a high-profile explanation of his opposition to the war and his pledge to complete a U.S. troop pullout within 16 months of becoming president. It also gave him a forum for criticizing President George W. Bush and McCain.
"By any measure, our single-minded and opened-ended focus on Iraq is not a sound strategy for keeping America safe," Obama said at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center. "I am running for president of the United States to lead this country in a new direction."
"I will end this war as president," he said, speaking from a podium that said "Judgment to Lead." Obama addressed the crowd with a line of American flags behind him.
Obama's last trip to Iraq was in 2006. He has never been to Afghanistan. The campaign was keeping the exact dates of the trip secret for security reasons.
"This war distracts us from every threat that we face and so many opportunities that we could seize," Obama said. "This war diminishes our security, our standing in the world, our military, our economy and the resources that we need to confront the challenges of the 21st century."
Meanwhile, Bush was asked at a news conference he held at the White House what advice he might give Obama as he prepared to visit Iraq. The president said he would ask Obama to listen carefully to Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander, and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker.
"It's a temptation to let the politics at home get in the way, you know, with the considered judgment of the commanders," Bush said. He defended his policy and maintained that the effort in Iraq was succeeding and acknowledged that the war in Afghanistan remained "a tough fight."
How much does it cost to meet with Bush administration officials????
Can someone lend me $600,000????
-Darryl
Story From: TPM, NY
Prez, Consultant Go Back 20 Years:
By Andrew Tilghman - July 14, 2008,
How much does it cost to get a meeting with top Bush administration officials?
According to one lobbyist, maybe about $600,000. And you can make that check out to the future George W. Bush presidential library fund.
The Times of London has a video of a Homeland Security adviser and Houston-based lobbyist telling a Kazakh man that he could arrange a meeting with high-level administration officials in exchange for a big donation to the future Bush Library.
In the video, Steven Payne tells "Eric Dos," a politician from central Asia whose full name is Yerzhan Dosmukhamedov, that he can help arrange meetings with top Bush officials for Askar Akayev, the former president of Kyrgyzstan, who is now in exile in Moscow.
"The exact budget I will come up with, but it will be somewhere between $600,000 and $750,000, with about a third of it going directly to the Bush library," Payne said in the video. "I think that the family, children, whatever [of Akayev], should probably look at making a contribution to the Bush library."
An undercover reporter sits at a table with the Kazakh politician and asks Payne who the meeting might involve.
"Cheney's possible, definitely the national security adviser [Stephen Hadley], definitely either Dr Rice or . . . I think a meeting with Dr Rice or the deputy secretary [John Negroponte] is possible . . .
"The main thing is that he [the Asian politician] comes, and he's well received, that he meets with high-level people . . . and we send positive statements made back from the administration about 'This guy wasn't such a bad guy, many people have done worse'."
Unlike campaigns, presidential libraries do not have to disclose their donors.
Last year Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff appointed Payne to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which is made up of government officials, academics and others from the private sector.
Today, when reporters in Washington asked White House spokeswoman Dana Perino about Payne, she distanced the president from him, saying that "the President has probably met him on a number of occasions," but Payne has never worked at the White House.
It looks like Arnold could be competing with Al Gore for the energy/environment post. Either way Schwarzenegger's potential interest in serving in Obama's cabinet is a sign of the broad appeal his campaign has.
-Darryl
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, who has endorsed Senator John McCain and called his fellow Republican a role model, suggested in an interview broadcast Sunday that he would be willing to serve as an energy and environment czar under Senator Barack Obama should he win the presidency.
“I’m always ready to help in any way I can,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has endorsed Senator John McCain for president.
Mr. Schwarzenegger said that whether he held a position in an Obama administration or not, he planned on traveling the world to promote clean energy after his tenure as governor. He also indicated that he was not pursuing a cabinet job.
“I’m always ready to help in any way I can,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said in the interview on the ABC News program “This Week,” adding, “I’ve committed myself to be a public servant.”
Mr. Schwarzenegger endorsed Mr. McCain in January, in part for what he called Mr. McCain’s “great vision in protecting the environment.” But Mr. Obama, a Democrat, has praised Mr. Schwarzenegger’s efforts against climate change in California and mentioned his name in discussions of possible cabinet officers.
That apparently prompted George Stephanopoulos, the moderator of “This Week,” to ask Mr. Schwarzenegger whether he would take a phone call from Mr. Obama if he was calling with an offer to be his energy and environment czar.
“I’d take his call now, and I’d take his call when he’s president — any time,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said. “Remember, no matter who is president, I don’t see this as a political thing. I see this as we always have to help, no matter what the administration is.”
Mr. Schwarzenegger also offered some praise for Mr. Obama, saying he disagreed with people who have criticized the senator as a flip-flopper.
“Someone has, for 20 or 30 years, been in the wrong place with his idea and with his ideology and says: ‘You know something? I changed my mind. I am now for this,’ ” Mr. Schwarzenegger said. “As long as he’s honest or she’s honest, I think that is a wonderful thing.”
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