Yes We Did!

Barack Obama Elected President -- When those words flashed on the jumbotron at Obama's Grant Park rally, I, and many others, cried. The news is reporting that over 125,000 people crowded Grant Park. It seemed like at least a million. I'm not complaining, quite the opposite. The energy of the crowd was electrifying and the diversity, my god the diversity. White, black, hispanic, asian, disabled, young and old all came together to support and celebrate our next president of the United States. I'm so grateful to have witnessed such a historic event. 

411 on Tuesday Night Obama Rally

Everyone here in Chicago knows to steer clear of downtown Tuesday due to Obama's election night rally. Mayor Daley is expecting an estimated 1 million people to show up. The Obama campaign's permit said there would be 65,000 ticketed guests and 7,500 media people and campaign workers at the official fenced area. The Chicago Tribune has a guide for those willing to brave the crowd.

Q. When will people arrive at Grant Park on Tuesday?

A. It's anyone's guess. The gates at the rally site don't open until 8:30 p.m., but crowds are likely to form many hours before that. A Loop business group urged offices to send workers home at 3 p.m. to avoid the growing crowds.

Q. Where will people congregate outside the official area?

A. Presumably, in the rest of Grant Park. But the city has not officially designated areas for the overflow crowd and has not ruled out turning people away if the park seems too crowded.

Q. What time will Obama give his victory or concession speech?

A. Probably not before the polls close in California at 10 p.m. Chicago time. Perhaps hours later.

Q. What happens if the electionoutcome is in doubt late into the night?

A. The permit application said "amplified sound" was planned until 1 a.m. Officials were mum on whether they would allow the crowd to wait past that hour. At this point, Metra is scheduled to end service at 1 a.m., and the CTA will run "until everyone has gotten home."

Q. What will security be like downtown?

A. Heavy. The Chicago Police Department has canceled days off for all officers, and Chicago firefighters have been asked to have their personal equipment with them at home. Even the U.S. Coast Guard will patrol in Burnham Harbor and on Lake Michigan.

Q. When will people who applied for tickets find out whether they got them? And when will those tickets arrive by e-mail?

A. The campaign has said they will arrive by e-mail on Monday.

Q. If I have a ticket, do I need a photo ID?

A. Yes. Your guest should bring one too, even though the directions from the obama campaign aren't clear on the matter yet.

Q. Do I need a photo ID if I don't have a ticket and am not guest heading for the ticketed portion of the rally?

A. The city hasn't required anyone outside the ticketed area to have a photo ID, and so far has said restrictions on bags, folding chairs and other items are "recommended," but not required.

Q. Can rally attendees bring a sign or banner?

A. Not in the fenced area. Also banned inside the main area are bags, chairs and strollers.

Q. Will there be concession stands?

A. Pizza and hot dogs will be sold in the secure area. Alcohol will not. The organizers' permit application said vendors would sell hot chocolate—a beverage chosen when no one could anticipate the 64-degree forecast at the rally's start.

Q. What's the weather report for Election night?

A. Here's the latest on what you can expect from WGN-TV's Tom Skilling: Sunny, windy and mild. Temperatures start out in the 50s and warm into the 70s by afternoon. Gusty south-southwest winds 15 to 25 m.p.h.

Dick Cheney Gives Obama an Early Christmas Gift

To the delight of Barack Obama, Dick Cheney has endorsed John McCain. 

"In three days we'll choose a new steward for the presidency and begin a new chapter in our history," the Vice President said Saturday morning. "It's the biggest decision that we make together as Americans. A lot turns on the outcome. I believe the right leader for this moment in history is Senator John McCain."

 

Now why would Dick Cheney endorse McCain so close to election day? I don't see how this helps McCain, especially since he has tried so hard to differentiate himself from President George W. Bush. 

Obama was all over this endorsement.

According to prepared remarks for a rally in Pueblo, Colorado:

I'd like to congratulate Senator McCain on this endorsement because he really earned it. That endorsement didn't come easy. Senator McCain had to vote 90 percent of the time with George Bush and Dick Cheney to get it. He served as Washington's biggest cheerleader for going to war in Iraq, and supports economic policies that are no different from the last eight years. So Senator McCain worked hard to get Dick Cheney's support.

But here's my question for you, Colorado: do you think Dick Cheney is delighted to support John McCain because he thinks John McCain's going to bring change? Do you think John McCain and Dick Cheney have been talking about how to shake things up, and get rid of the lobbyists and the old boys club in Washington?

This Has Got To Hurt

John McCain has always said that one of his heroes is President Ronald Reagan. Unfortunately, a former Reagan adviser has endorsed Barack Obama.

From CNN.com:

Former Reagan chief of staff Ken Duberstein told CNN's Fareed Zakaria this week he intends to vote for Democrat Barack Obama on Tuesday.

Duberstein said he was influenced by another prominent Reagan official - Colin Powell - in his decision.

"Well let's put it this way - I think Colin Powell's decision is in fact the good housekeeping seal of approval on Barack Obama."

Powell served as national security advisor to Reagan during Duberstein's tenure as chief of staff.


To put more salt in the wound, Reagan's son Ron has also endorsed Barack Obama.

A Message to Obama Supporters

Barack Obama is worried that his supporters are taking it easy. His campaign has put out a new ad with this message: "We can't afford to slip up in the final days. Volunteer this weekend and into Election Day, November 4th, 2008."

A hilarious ad and a smart move by Obama.

Obama-mericial

If you didn't have a chance to check out Obama's half-hour polticial ad, you can watch it below. It was moving, inspiring and I balled like a baby.

Obama Toughs Out Rain, McCain Cancels

Barack Obama and John McCain were in a rainy and windy Philadelphia today. John McCain canceled his morning rally in the Philly suburb Quakertown due to the rain. The rain, however, did not stop Obama. He appeared at the Philadelphia rally with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.

Is this telling of the two campaigns?

An Obama rally attendee said it perfectly:

"Philadelphia Phillies fans waited hours in the rain for the third game of the World Series. McCain either doesn't know much about the people in this area or doesn't have much faith in his supporters."

"The passion and persistence of Obama and the crowd that turned out to hear and see him despite the weather speaks volumes," said McGrady. "It's a telling contrast to the fair-weather attitude of the McCain campaign, which threw in the towel at the first drop of rain." She went on to add that John McCain and Sarah Palin went ahead with an indoor rally today in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which caused McGrady to comment wryly: "$150,000 for clothes and they apparently didn't buy her a raincoat."

McGrady felt the Pennsylvania cancellation was indicative of the entire McCain campaign, adding: "What a washout his campaign has been, in more ways than one."

Fox News Anchor Frustrated with Joe the Plumber

Fox New's Shepherd Smith was clearly upset over Joe the Plumber's view that a "vote for Barack Obama is a vote for the death of Israel." Smith addressed the comment in a phone interview with Joe the Plumber today. Immediately after the segment, Smith felt compelled to issue a disclaimer pushing back on any notion that Obama would mean the "death of Israel," saying:

"I just want to make this 100 percent perfectly clear -- Barack Obama has said repeatedly and demonstrated repeatedly that Israel will always be a friend of the United States, no matter what happens once he becomes President of the United States. His words." Smith later added, "The rest of it -- man...some things -- it just gets frightening sometimes. We'll be right back."

Watch the Clip



(Transcript below courtesy of The Huffington Post.)

SMITH: Do you think John McCain agrees with you?

PLUMBER: No, that is just my personal opinion that I've come up with by looking into different facts and what I think. That is what my message has been about. I haven't been telling people to go out and vote. Listen, you don't want my opinion on foreign policy. I know just enough about foreign policy to probably be dangerous.

SMITH: That is what I was wondering. I wonder if you think it is dangerous at all for people to say that a vote for Barack Obama is the same as a vote for Israel, if you think that is dangerous for people to start believing. What happens if the polls are right and he becomes President of the United States and people start thinking that this means the death of Israel. Are you worried about what people might do if they actually believe something like that?

PLUMBER: That goes back to what I just got done saying. Some people believe it wholeheartedly. This gentleman I spoke to is Middle America. Therefore...it is very important to him -- important to me, but especially important to this gentleman. He is Middle America and he was able to get on there and make his point, and I agreed with him. I have no idea where John McCain's position is on that. John McCain is his own person, just like I am.

SMITH: Do you think a lot of that has to do with some hateful things that spread all over the internet? After all, Barack Obama has said repeatedly time after time that there is nothing more important that the United States friendship with Israel-- and the United States will back up Israel every moment of every day if and when he becomes President of the United States. He could not have been clearer about it in his positions in speeches, and I just wonder what it is that makes you think he is lying about that.

PLUMBER: [illegible] Actions...I have heard words. I hear words from politicians all the time, but actions [crosstalk] the action that I see is offering to meet with certain enemies of the United States on no uncertain terms --

SMITH: Meeting with Ahmadinejad? That is what the campaign said. Let's put the statement on the screen. This is what the McCain campaign released after you said that at the campaign event today. So that is what they put out. "While he's clearly his own man, so far Joe has offered some penetrating and clear analysis that cuts to the core of many of the concerns that people have with Barack Obama's statements and policies. Whether it is Obama's willingness to sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or his plans to redistribute the paychecks of hardworking Americans, there is good reason to question the judgement that Obama would bring to the Oval Office." So that's what they put out, so I guess the fact that he has said it he would meet with Ahmadinejad is something that you have taken to believe would be the death of Israel?

PLUMBER: It definitely does not help the situation. I'm not trying to be dancing around this. I honestly want people to go out and find their own reasons. I tell people not to listen to everyone else's opinion. I'm not going to have them start listening to mine. Go out and get informed.

SMITH: Joe Wurzelbacher on the line with us after a GOP stop, a number of them today.

I just want to make this 100 percent perfectly clear -- Barack Obama has said and demonstrated repeatedly that Israel will always be a friend of the United States, no matter what happens once he becomes President of the United States. His words. The rest of it -- man...some things--it just gets frightening sometimes. We'll be right back

Sooo, McCain's camp has a guy out on the trail who openly admits that he knows "just enough about foreign policy to probably be dangerous???" Really? Hmm, maybe this is what they wanted. Joe the Plumber could talk as much bullshit he wants since he's his "own man" and technically doesn't represent McCain's views. That's really low, yet kinda smart. First they had Palin spreading hateful lies, now it's Joe the Plumber. Pretty soon we'll have Cindy McCain calling Obama a Commie Bastard.

Joe the Plumber Thinks Obama Will Bring Death to Israel

Just a couple of weeks ago, John McCain was blaming Obama for Joe the Plumber's unwanted media attention. So it's funny that Joe the Plumber was out on the trail on behalf of John McCain today. That's not all. Apparently Joe the Plumber, who's real name is Samuel Wurzelbacher, is now a foreign policy expert. At a McCain rally in Columbus, Wurzelbacher twice agreed "that a vote for Barack Obama is a vote for death to Israel."

A self-identified Jewish senior citizen told Wurzelbacher that he was concerned with Obama's associations and "It's my belief that a vote for Obama is a vote for the death to Israel."

Wurzelbacher responded , "I do know that."

The audience member went on to knock Obama's tax policies and reiterated his Israel comment.

"Well, you know what, I'll actually go ahead and agree with you on that one," Wurzelbacher said.

Of course McCain's aides quickly put out a statement regarding Joe the Plumber's comments and told FOX News that McCain does not share Wurzelbacher's opinion on Obama's view toward Israel.

It's sad and scary that John McCain would have someone like that reprensent him.

Douchebag of the Day: The GOP Strategist Outraged That Obama is Taking Campaign Plane to Visit (SICK) Grandma

The Douchebag of the Day award goes to GOP strategist Brad Blakeman for his response to a question about how John McCain could square his opposition to wasteful spending with the RNC spending over $150,000 on clothes and accessories for Palin. Blakeman said that the real outrage is Barack Obama "taking a 767 campaign plane to go visit Grandma." [Sidenote: Obama's grandma, who raised him, is gravely ill.] The GOP strategist continued, "Forget about the energy that is wasted, what about the hundreds of thousands of dollars to take a private trip when this guy should be humping his bags on a commercial plane or taking a smaller plane. Taking a 767 of campaign money from people who could least afford it is more of an outrage in my opinion."

Seriously? Wow. My favorite part of the video is David Schuster laughing at the insensitive tool.

This is Just Wrong

According to Christina Bellantoni of The Washington Times, McCain supporters in North Carolina are heckling early voters and calling them cheaters. Why? Because many of the early voters are for Obama.

Obama's campaign has been reaching out to his supporters encouraging them to vote early. After Obama's rally in North Carolina, his campaign gave supporters lists of early voting sites with the hours and locations. Bellantoni and a photographer went to one of the sites and came across protestors who were mainly in support for McCain. I'm not sure if this matters but Bellantoni pointed out that nearly all the protestors were white and nearly all the voters were black. In the video below, one man explains why he's protesting and accuses the voters of cheating.



This news really angers me. Why can't people vote in peace? Everyone has a right in this country to vote they way they choose and to intimidate people at polling places is just wrong.

Absolutely Moving

Here is a video of two little North Carolina girls explaining why they support Barack Obama.

Another Glimpse of McCain/Palin Supporters

Racism in Politics

Racism in politics is alive and strong. Responsible for the examples below are official staffers of The Republican party:

A California county's Republican Party Web site encouraged readers to "Waterboard Barack Obama" and compared Obama to Osama Bin Laden (image below).

The October newsletter by the Chaffey Community Republican Women depicts Barack Obama surrounded by a watermelon, ribs and a bucket of fried chicken (image below). It says if Obama is elected his image will appear on food stamps -- instead of dollar bills like other presidents. The statement is followed by an illustration of "Obama Bucks" -- a phony $10 bill featuring Obama's face on a donkey's body, labeled "United States Food Stamps."

Next isn't from an official republican staffer, but it's just as disturbing. ThinkProgress.org reported that at the Values Voter Summit, vendors sold an item called Obama Waffles featuring a racist cartoon of Obama on the box front — with “popping eyes and big, thick lips” — and another image of him wearing an Arab-like headdress on its top flap (image below). Its creators, Mark Whitlock and Bob DeMoss, said it was meant as “political satire,” and sold the box for $10 from a booth at the Family Research Council event.

McCain Blaming Obama for Joe the Plumber's Media Attention

John McCain is blaming Barack Obama for all the media attention and scrutiny Joe the Plumber has been getting. McCain is saying that Joe the Plumber didn't ask for Obama to go to his home and didn't ask for all the attacks Obama's camp giving him. Seriously?!?!

1. Barack Obama did NOT go to this home. He went to his street in Ohio and Joe the Plumber went up to HIM.
   
2. John McCain is the one who brought up Joe the Plumber at the last presidential debate. He brought him up more than TWENTY times.
   
3. McCain was the one who admitted and apologized to Joe the Plumber on Letterman for bringing him up at the debate.
   
4. If McCain is blaming Obama for all of Joe the Plumber's unwanted media attention, why continue to reference him NUMEROUS times at McCain's rallies. 

It's pretty sad McCain will knowingly lie to his supporters. What's even sadder is that his supporters don't care.

Third Times the Charm for McCain, Too Bad It's Too Late

My girlfriend and I are listening to the analyses of the third and final presidential debate. I actually thought McCain did better than Obama. Not because he was saying persuasive, truthful things, but because he kept Obama on the defense a majority of the time. I felt as though Obama was a little too laid back. He needed to hit back on several things: the negativity of McCain's campaign, Sarah Palin's qualifications, McCain and Palin's own guilt-by-associations, McCain's own hypocrisy, etc. But as my girlfriend and all the pundits are saying, Obama's plan was to stay calm, cool and collected. He wanted McCain to look like the angry one. And according to a few polls that are out, Obama's plan worked. 

A CBS Poll of 638 uncommitted voters: 53% said Obama won.  22% said it went to McCain. 25% saw the debate as a draw.

According to HuffingtonPost.com, CNN's poll of several hundred debate watchers also has 58 % for Obama and 21% for McCain

Obama Supporters Calling McCain a Terrorist and Traitor???

In an interview with CNN's Dana Bash, Bash brings up McCain supporters screaming "Terrorist," "Traitor," and worse at rallies. McCain claims that he too has been called those words at Obama rallies. Really???

The Worst Hits from McCain/Palin Rallies

The Huffington Post reports:

On Tuesday, Brave New Films and Color of Change (one of the nation's most influential Black American political organizations) put out a veritable greatest (really, worst) hits of the past week in McCain-Palin rallies.

McCain/Palin Supporters Really Do Believe Obama is a Terrorist

Behind the Scenes at a McCain/Palin Event

I guess the McCain/Palin fear and smear campaign is working. This is a bit scary.