Posts Tagged lobbyist
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
5/27 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
5/22 News
Chinese earthquake victims reaches 50,000
The death toll of an earthquake that hit Southwestern China May 12th has leaped to over 50,000, increasing 10,000 from the previous estimate. The injured count from this 7.9 magnitude earthquake nears 300,000 with another near 30,000 missing.
Today ended a three-day mourning period that postponed the Olympic torch relay through a coastal province. The final stretch through the Sichuan province will start August 3rd, less than a week before the opening ceremony.
House passes faulty farm bill
House Democrats tasted a bittersweet victory yesterday when a House clerk sent an incomplete copy of the $300 billion farm bill to President Bush. Bush used his 10th veto this presidency on the bill but the House easily overrode the veto. However; when before the bill was sent back to the Senate to override, a 34-page omission was discovered.
2/3 of the bill covers food stamps and other nutrition programs. It also provides farm subsidies to dairy farmers and biofuel farmers, omitting the ethanol industry which has been blamed for helping to raise food prices.
McCain attracts more criticism for lobbyist ties
Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain is attracting more criticism for his ties with lobbyists. His top political advisor Charles Black was a lobbyist and advisor for several questionable regimes, including Angolan guerrilla Jonas Savimbi in the 1980’s. He was also registered as a foreign agent for other African leaders from Zaire, the Philippines, Nigeria and Somalia.
Ironically, McCain recently banned his staff from lobbying for foreign countries. “One of the things Obama will do is portray him as the creature of Washington, and what could be more Washington-esque than having a dictator as a client?” said Paul Light, a public service professor at New York University.
FBI isn’t prepared, says agent
An FBI agent and whistleblower for the organization testified in Congress yesterday, claiming the FBI lacks the knowledge about the Middle East to deal with threats from that region.
“While we appreciate any employee’s views on the state and direction of the FBI, those assessments may be very limited in scope,” said John Miller, head of FBI public affairs.
Add comment May 22, 2008
