Posts Tagged attack
5/29 News
McCain staff leave Vets for Freedom
Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) left the independent organization Vets for Freedom after yesterday’s story surfaced about the group’s anti-Obama ads. The group aims to promote victory in Iraq and Afghanistan but McCain’s “Relevant” policy prohibits his campaign staff from being involved in any independent organizations that comment on presidential candidates.
McCain started the policy after his Virginia leader Craig Shirley was discovered to be a paid advisor to a group that attacked Obama also.
News Corp Chairman predicts Obama victory
Rupert Murdoch said at the Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital conference last night that he thought Obama will win the election.
The Chairman of News Corps and the inventor of conservative media like Fox News called Obama a “rock star.” “I love what he is saying about education.” “He will win in Ohio and the election.” “I am anxious to meet him.”
Murdoch admitted he was a friend of McCain but cast doubt about his economic policy and long career in Congress.
DNC gives Florida and Michigan half of delegates
The Democratic National Committee’s legal team ruled yesterday that Florida and Michigan’s delegates can count for no more than half. The full count would’ve given Senator Clinton a huge boost in the delegate race. Both Clinton and Senator Obama pledged not to campaign in the states since they broke party rules and moved their primary too early. Obama had his name removed from the Michigan ballot.
Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said “We don’t think it’s fair to seat them fully,” but “we’re willing to give some delegates here.”
DNC falling short of convention fundraising
The DNC is having trouble raising money for it’s August convention in Denver. It’s still $15 million short of the roughly $40 million needed for the convention. The party is planning to give corporations a way to underwrite the convention. Many insiders partially blame the prolonged primary race for stealing Democrat donors.
New York to recognize gay marriages and unions from other states
New York Governor David Paterson pushed state agencies yesterday to recognize gay unions and marriages made in other states. Currently California and Massachusetts are the only states to allow gay marriage, while some states like New Jersey allow gay unions. Paterson called the measure “a strong step toward marriage equality.” Former governor Elliot Spitzer failed to get a gay-marriage bill passed last year.
Add comment May 29, 2008
5/28 News
Bush planning Iran attack by August
The Bush Administration is planning an Iran air strike within the next two months, according to an anonymous source who appears to have talked to several other media outlets as well. Two US senators were briefed on the matter and plan to go public with their opposition the source says.
The source is a retired US diplomat and a former assistant Secretary of State. It says that the US is planning to air strike the headquarters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps’ elite forces, the Quds. Likely targets include garrisons near the Iran-Iraq border.
Last year the Senate passed a non-binding resolution classifying Qud as a terrorist organization. The Bush Administration has also accused Iran of helping Iraqi insurgents and still insists on the potency of their probably now-defunct nuclear weapons program.
The source claimed that Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) would write a op-ed in the New York Times “within days.”
Former Press Secretary attacks Bush Administration
Former White House Press Secretary attacks Bush’s misinformation and propaganda regarding the Iraq War, the CIA leak case and the “Scooter” Libby case in his memoir hitting bookstores next week. He also attacks the press corps for going to easy on the Administration in the days following up to the war.
The tone is harsher than expected. McClellan was one of Bush’s first and most loyal aides but wastes little space on nostalgia and praise. He also attacks the Administration for their denial and lack of action regarding Hurricane Katrina.
“I had allowed myself to be deceived into unknowingly passing along a falsehood,” McClellan writes. “It would ultimately prove fatal to my ability to serve the president effectively. I didn’t learn that what I’d said was untrue until the media began to figure it out almost two years later,” he remarked about the Libby case.
McCain’s voting record in line with Bush
John McCain and George Bush have strikingly similar voting records, according to a recent CQ report. The report tracked when McCain was present to vote and when President Bush stated an explicit opinion of a bill since 2001.
Though McCain has been busy campaigning, he voted 100% in line with President Bush. The rest of the time his support borders between 90%-95%.
Add comment May 28, 2008
5/27 News
McCain staff advise Obama attack group
Recently John McCain created the “Relevant Policy” for campaign members, prohibiting his staff from participating in a 527 or any other independent group that endorses or criticizes presidential candidates. However, the Daily Kos has picked up some stinging information regarding Vets for Freedom, a Joe Lieberman-backed 527 group that recently launched an Obama attack add.
The clincher is that both Lieberman and Senator Lindsey Graham serve as McCain campaign co-chairs and honorary advisors to Vets for Freedom.
Graham recently appeared on CBS and reiterated the attack ads claim that Obama hasn’t visited Iraq in two years and his platform has suffered because of it.
UN says Iran is uncooperative
A UN watchdog agency said yesterday that Iran’s nuclear research regarding warheads is concerning and demands “substantive explanations.” The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran has built roughly 500 more uranium-enriching centrifuges since February, when 3000 were discovered at the underground Natanz facility. The report also accuses Iran of a lack of cooperation.
Fidel Castro comments on Obama
Barack Obama received a mixed endorsement from Fidel Castro this weekend, who called Obama the “most progressive candidate to the U.S. presidency” but criticized him for pledging to continue the Cuba embargo.
The topic arose when Obama talked to the Cuban American National Foundation and explained the embargo must continue to pressure Cuba to turn democratic. However; Obama said he would relax travel restrictions and exchanging money. Castro refrained from praising him wholly, saying “Were I to defend him, I would do his adversaries an enormous favor. I have therefore no reservations about criticizing him.”
Obama grows superdelegate lead
Obama picked up six more superdelegates this weekend, raising his total to 1974.5. A former Alaskan governor and three Hawaiian party members advanced Obama’s superdelegate lead. He is now 51.5 delegates from the nomination.
Add comment May 27, 2008
5/25 News
French documentary attacks biotech giant Monsanto
A recent French documentary, Le Monde selon Monsanto (The World According to Monsanto) is attacking the bioengineering giant Monsanto. Award-winning investigative journalist Marie-Monique Robin filmed an amateur-style report about how the company has bullied and lured governments and farmers to to become the dominant genetically-modified seed distributor on the market. Monsanto refused to be interviewed because they said it would make them look bad.
Monsanto produces Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) to increase milk production despite proven health risks to both the cows and consumers. It was the only company to sell PCBs in the US and has also produced products like Agent Orange and aspartame. Robin illustrates how the company has wedged itself into both the government and local agriculture distributors in order to sell such questionable products.
747 crashes, splits on runway
A cargo Boeing 747 crashed split in half while attempting takeoff at a Brussels airport early this morning. Four of the five crew members had minor injuries and were taken to the hospital. It’s not clear what caused the plane to crash near the end of the runway, close to a rail line and housing. Firefighters coated the plane in flame-retardant foam since the plane was still full of fuel.
Pirate attacks rising
According to the International Maritime Bureau’s latest report, pirate attacks are rising for the first time since 1990. Though not as romantic as Johnny Depp, modern pirates create just as many horrific stories. Last March pirates shot a passenger boat captain and two crew members near the Philippines and tied them to the ship’s anchor before shooting the remaining crew members. The organization says some blame rests on the political instability in coastal countries like Somalia and Nigeria.
Mugabe threatens to expel US ambassador
Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe threatened today to expel US ambassador James McGee from the country if “he makes one more step wrong,” according to Mugabe.
“He says he fought in Vietnam, but fighting in Vietnam does not give him the right to interfere in our domestic affairs.” He also accused the State Department’s top diplomat Jendayi Frazer of behaving like a prostitute. “You saw this little American girl trotting around like a prostitute celebrating that the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) had won. A disgraceful act.”
Add comment May 25, 2008
