More McCain endorsements...

Georgia's two conservative U.S. Senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson have endorsed McCain. Hmmm.... A vast majority of conservatives had jumped on the Romney band wagon some time back.

Rudy Giuliani just gave a very strong endorsement of McCain. He'll have a position of some sort in McCain's White House if McCain manages to attain that goal.

Hear tell California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is primed to endorse McCain, too.

Based on the volume of McCain emails in the Fayette Front Page inbox, it's very clear that McCain is the front runner .

Isakson, Chambliss Praise Corps for Taking First Steps to Update Water Control Plan for Drought-Ravaged River Basin Serving Georgia, Alabama, Florida

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has now committed to begin to update its outdated water control plan for the drought-ravaged river basin that serves Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

Secretary of the Army, Pete Geren, notified both senators by telephone that the Corps will start the process for updating the water control manual for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin.

“The water control plans governing these two critical river basins are decades old and no longer serve the needs of the state of Georgia. It is imperative that we update the water control plan to reflect 21st century demand and usage,” Isakson said. “The action taken by the Corps today is a good first step, but there is still much work to be done in order to achieve a more realistic and fair management of Georgia’s water resources.”

“The Corps of Engineers is required by federal statute and their own regulations to operate the reservoirs with up to date water control manuals,” said Senator Chambliss. “However, for the ACF Basin, the only approved master manual was prepared in 1958 and does not even include the federal facilities at West Point, Walter F. George, or George W. Andrews. I was pleased to hear from Secretary Geren personally that the Corps is moving forward with updating these manuals, because it will allow the Corps to make smarter decisions in their management of these river systems. We have underscored to him how important this action is.”

Isakson and Chambliss have continually worked to get Georgia, Florida and Alabama together and to force the Corp of Engineers to update a 20-year-old Water Control Plan for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa and Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basins. In 2006, Isakson and Chambliss held Senate hearings in Gainesville and Columbus to implore the Corps to keep its commitment to update its outdated water control plan for the two river basins.

On August 1, 2007, Isakson and Chambliss met with Geren as well as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works John Paul Woodley, Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp and General Counsel Craig Schmauder. At the meeting, Geren indicated his desire to give mediation time to work before starting the update of the water control manuals.

However, Geren gave his commitment to the senators that if and when mediation broke down and was not making progress, he would begin the update of the water control manuals. Geren’s predecessor had committed to begin the update of the water control manuals on January 2, 2007, but failed to honor that commitment.

On September 28, 2007, after judges involved in the mediation announced that the talks had broken down, Isakson and Chambliss sent a letter to Geren strongly urging him to honor his pledge to update the water control plan.

On October 18, 2007, Woodley told both senators by telephone that the Corps will start the process for updating the water control manual for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin.

Alabama sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1990 to block the corps from giving metro Atlanta any more water out of Lake Lanier. Since then, Alabama, Florida and Georgia have made a number of unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a long-term agreement on how to share water.

Isakson Introduces Legislation Offering Tax Credit to Homebuyers

Drawing on more than three decades of experience in the real estate industry, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today introduced legislation to provide a $15,000 tax credit spread out over three tax years for anyone purchasing a new home, a foreclosed home or a home where foreclosure is pending. Isakson said he believes such a tax credit would provide an immediate boost to the housing market and to the nation’s economy, just as a similar tax credit did in the mid-1970s.

Co-sponsors of Isakson’s legislation include Senators Judd Gregg, R-N.H., Wayne Allard, R-Colo., Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho.

“Our country and our economy face a serious challenge in the next 12 months. The number of unsold new homes and foreclosed resale homes will reach unprecedented numbers. Lenders will be forced to liquidate their real estate holdings, which will result in lower home values and less equity for homeowners,” Isakson said. “Today, we need the same bold incentive to restore the housing market and consumer confidence. Just as it did in the mid-1970s, this proposal will reduce inventories, reduce foreclosures and stabilize market values.”

In the mid-1970s, America faced a similar housing crisis when a period of easy credit and loose underwriting flooded the market with new construction. Interest rates rose, the economy slowed and America was left with a three-year supply of vacant homes. Congress responded by passing a $6,000 tax credit spread out over three tax years for anyone purchasing a new home for their principle residence. Isakson believes the results were clear and swift as home values stabilized, housing inventory dropped and the market recovered.

Specifically, Isakson’s legislation, S.2566, will provide a direct tax credit for the purchase of a single-family home in the amount of $5,000 a year for three years on homes purchased between March 1, 2008, and February 28, 2009. Buyers must occupy the homes as their principle residences to be eligible, and purchases of homes from investors or by investors are ineligible. Homes eligible for the tax credit include:

· New homes where the building permit was issued and construction began on or before September 1, 2007;

· Owner-occupied homes whose first mortgage loan is in default; and

· A single-family home that has been foreclosed on and is owned by the mortgagor or its agent.

Isakson spent more than three decades in the real estate business, beginning his business career in 1967 when he opened the first Cobb County office of a small, family-owned real estate business, Northside Realty. Isakson later served as president of Northside for 20 years, presiding over the company’s growth into the largest independent residential real estate brokerage company in the Southeast and one of the largest in America.

Then there were two...

Well, three if you still want to count Gravel.

John Edwards is out of the Democratic race and is expected to endorse Obama.

Edwards Nixes Campaign Stops for Speech

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards canceled campaign events in Alabama and North Dakota to make a "major policy address on poverty" Wednesday in New Orleans, where he launched his presidential bid 13 months ago.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hoAvkYTooNMqpzn8fF_3B76ko8eAD8UFRI0O1

Isakson Statement on State of the Union

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) tonight issued the following statement following the President’s State of the Union address:

“I just returned home two weeks ago from Iraq. It’s remarkable the progress that’s been made. It’s still a very dangerous place but political progress is now also being made. The sacrifices that have been made by the nearly 4,000 young Americans who have been killed there do not need to go unnoticed or unappreciated. I remain supportive of the President’s strategy in Iraq, and I believe it is in the best interest of the United States and the free world that we see this through to the conclusion.

“I’m glad the President finally delineated the problem when it comes to earmarks. He pointed out tonight that the last-minute, drop them in at the dead of night, conference committee earmarks are wrong. Authorizations are right, but last minute spending of the taxpayer’s money without accountability is dead wrong and should be stopped. The President is absolutely right.

“The President was right tonight to highlight the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and how critical it is to the security of the United States of America. The petty differences that may be exhibited right now on the floor of the House and the Senate pale in comparison to the importance of knowing who is trying to do harm to the United States. I fully endorse the President’s call to immediately pass FISA so we may ensure that the flow of critical intelligence is not disrupted.

“As the President said, this year we must reauthorize No Child Left Behind. This landmark law has demonstrated improvements in the children it set out to help the most. I look forward to working with him again to strengthen our nation's public schools, because I believe our commitment to the principles in No Child Left Behind will continue to improve educational achievement around the country in all subject areas.”

Assorted stories on the election

Super Tuesday Won't Decide Nominations
The Associated Press - But a Republican candidate would have to attract support across the country to build a formidable lead. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leads the race ...

Super Tuesday Not So Super?
Outside the Beltway - VA,USA
But a Republican candidate would have to attract support across the country to build a formidable lead. There will be more than 1000 Republican delegates at ...

Bill Clinton Clashes With Media Over Race
U.S. News & World Report - Washington,DC,USA
But a Republican candidate would have to attract support across the country to build a formidable lead. ... There will be more than 1000 Republican ...

Republicans should nominate McCain
Pasadena Star-News - Pasadena,CA,USA
Following an unpopular president and the Democratic victory in the House and Senate in 2006, the next Republican candidate's road to the White House will ...

Libertarian Party sends letter to pro-FISA Democratic Senators

(RNS Note: Keeping you posted on what everyone is doing!)

Letters sent to Senate Democrats who voted for the FISA amendments

Washington, D.C. - The Libertarian Party has sent letters to 22 Democratic Senators who voted for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act amendments in August of last year, urging them to reconsider against an upcoming Senate bill that would make those amendments permanent. The letter was also sent to Democratic Senators who did not vote at all for the amendments. "Given that Republicans have shown such disrespect for civil liberties and freedom in the past few years--evidenced by the fact that not a single Republican Senator voted against the FISA amendments--Democrats have an instrumental role in acting as a counterbalance in Congress," says Shane Cory, executive director of the Libertarian Party.

The Senators receiving the letters are: Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE), Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA), Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Sen. Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT), Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) and Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA).

The following is text from the letter:

Coming up in the near future, you will be deciding on a matter of great importance to freedom in the United States. You and your colleagues will soon be voting on Senate bill S.2248, which makes permanent the amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 that were passed in Senate bill S.1927 in August of last year. We are sending you this letter because of your position on S.1927, and strongly urge you to reconsider against S.2248.

During this prolonged War on Terror, numerous American civil liberties have been sacrificed in the name of "safety" for all Americans. As a nation founded by men escaping the tyranny of an authoritarian State, it greatly disturbs us to see America headed back towards tyranny again. We feel the amendments to FISA only take us farther down this ominous path.

A famous man once said:

"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men."

This man was none other than Sam Adams, one of the most celebrated men of the American Revolution. I'm sharing Adams' quotation with you because I think there is much truth to what he had to say so many years ago. Tyranny can come from enemies both domestic and foreign, and we must not forget about one while focusing on the other. Since Sept. 11, 2001, we have been focusing so much attention on those who want to destroy American liberty from outside our borders that we ignored those who wish to do the same from the inside. Their tactics may be different, but their intent is still the same.

This is why your opposition to the FISA amendments is so crucial. You, as Democratic Senators, have the power to act as a counterbalance to the further expansion of the powers of the federal government and the erosion of civil liberties. American citizens rely on you to protect them and their rights from this encroachment.

So, please, when considering S.2248, remember that protecting liberty now is easier than trying to win it back in the future.

The Libertarian Party is America's third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.lp.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

'Two Pinocchios' for Hillary Clinton

CNSNews.com) - One of the nation's major, liberal-leaning newspapers is giving Sen. Hillary Clinton "two Pinocchios" for "significant omissions or exaggerations" at Monday's Democratic debate in South Carolina. And a former Senate leader -- a Democrat -- is part of a new South Carolina Truth Squad to counter the Bill and Hillary Clintons' "incredible distortions."
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200801/NAT20080123b.html

Swiftboating 2.0

An e-mail attributed to Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, and sent out by the Barack Obama campaign took on those who would "swiftboat" Obama.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/SalenaZito/2008/01/23/swiftboating_20

Candidates on Roe vs Wade Anniversary

Huckabee, McCain, Edwards, Obama, Romney's statements follow. Giuliani has not made a formal statement that we could find. Clinton's statement includes a new plan to save the world and is miles long. We'll be posting it in a separate blog.

STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN ON THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROE VS. WADE DECISION
U.S. Senator Sam Brownback read the following letter on behalf of John McCain at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. on the 35th Anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Decision.
Dear Fellow Pro-Lifers,

I join you today in marking the 35th anniversary of the tragic Roe vs. Wade decision made on January 22, 1973. I salute you for taking the time to show that the cause of Life is alive and well in the hearts of millions of Americans.

As a prisoner of war at the hands of a communist dictatorship, I saw firsthand the perils faced when human dignity and human life are not respected.

Whenever the value of one class of persons is not respectedwhether they are unborn, handicapped, elderlythe dignity of all mankind is threatened.

For this reason, I have been a strong supporter of the right to life movement since I was first elected to Congress in 1982. As the father of seven childrentwo of which were adoptedmy wife Cindy and I understand how every child has a value which can never be calculated or cheapened. Every child literally alters the course of human history.

America stands for an ideal that all people are endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I know what it is like to live without those rights, and I have an obligation to advocate them wherever they are denied: in Bosnia or Burma, in Cuba or the Middle East; and in our own country when we fail to respect the inherent dignity of all human life, born or unborn. That is why I am pro-life.

While our nation struggles with the issue of abortion and the division it has wrought on our society and culture, Americans on both sides of this debate should agree that the proper solution for this debate to be settled is through the democratic process, not through judicial dictate. Seven judges in 1973 took the issue of abortion on themselves to settle this issue for every American, in all fifty states. They assured us that by sheer judicial will and power, the question of a so-called right to abortion was settled' and that our society would now arrive at a shared consensus by virtue of their ruling.

They were wrong to make this assumption. Your presence in Washington today marching for Life proves just how wrong they were.

If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the next President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement. The pro-life movement appeals to the best instincts within each and every one of us. In that regard, our pro-life cause will ultimately be successful.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today and please be assured of my best wishes and prayers for all those who labor for the cause of Life.
Sincerely,
John McCain
United States Senator

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY ON TODAY'S "MARCH FOR LIFE"
Today, 35 years after the Roe v. Wade decision, Governor Mitt Romney released the following statement commemorating the annual March For Life:

"Today, as Americans from across this country participate in the annual March for Life, my thoughts are with all those whose dedication and compassionate concern have done so much to educate and assist others in creating a genuine culture of life.

"After 35 years of Roe v. Wade, we are again reminded why this decision should be overturned. We recognize the worth and dignity of every person, a fact that is ingrained in our hearts and etched in our national purpose. Unelected judges should not be the final arbiters on these important decisions which define who we are as a people.

"Respect for human life is, at once, both the foundation and the way forward to the future of a just and noble society, one in which every human individual is welcomed in life and protected in law."

Obama Statement on 35th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Decision
Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on the 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.

"Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, it’s never been more important to protect a woman’s right to choose. Last year, the Supreme Court decided by a vote of 5-4 to uphold the Federal Abortion Ban, and in doing so undermined an important principle of Roe v. Wade: that we must always protect women’s health. With one more vacancy on the Supreme Court, we could be looking at a majority hostile to a women’s fundamental right to choose for the first time since Roe v. Wade. The next president may be asked to nominate that Supreme Court justice. That is what is at stake in this election. "Throughout my career, I’ve been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America.

"When South Dakota passed a law banning all abortions in a direct effort to have Roe overruled, I was the only candidate for President to raise money to help the citizens of South Dakota repeal that law. When anti-choice protesters blocked the opening of an Illinois Planned Parenthood clinic in a community where affordable health care is in short supply, I was the only candidate for President who spoke out against it. And I will continue to defend this right by passing the Freedom of Choice Act as president.

"Moreover, I believe in and have supported common-sense solutions like increasing access to affordable birth control to help prevent unintended pregnancies. In the Illinois state Senate, when Congress failed to require insurance plans to cover FDA-approved contraceptives, I made sure those contraceptives were covered for women in Illinois. In the U.S. Senate, I've worked with Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) on a bill that would make birth control more affordable for low-income and college women, and introduced the Senate version of Representative Hilda Solis’ bill to reduce unintended pregnancies in communities of color. As President, I will improve access to affordable health care and work to ensure that our teens are getting the information and services they need to stay safe and healthy.

"But we also know that Roe v. Wade is about more than a woman’s right to choose; it’s about equality. It’s about whether our daughters are going to have the same opportunities as our sons. And so to truly honor that decision, we need to update the social contract so that women can free themselves, and their children, from violent relationships; so that a mom can stay home with a sick child without getting a pink slip; so that she can go to work knowing that there’s affordable, quality childcare for her children; and so that the American dream is within reach for every family in this country. This anniversary reminds us that it’s not enough to protect the gains of the past – we have to build a future that’s filled with hope and possibility for all Americans."

Edwards Statement On The 35th Anniversary Of Roe v. Wade
Chapel Hill, North Carolina – John Edwards released the following statement on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
"Roe v. Wade was an important step on the road to full equality, opportunity and dignity for women. On the 35th anniversary, it is important to reflect how far we've come as a nation, but more importantly how far we still have to go.
"I strongly support a woman's right to privacy and reproductive choices. That right has been under attack though -- by President Bush and his anti-choice agenda and by the Supreme Court, which has been moving the right-wing's agenda faster than we've seen in decades. The hard right turn of the Supreme Court is a stark reminder of why Democrats cannot afford to lose the 2008 election. Too much is at stake - starting with a woman's right to choose.
"As President, I will guarantee the right to choose and ensure that women can make choices

Statement By Gov. Mike Huckabee On Anniversary Of Roe vs. Wade Court Decision
“Today is the 35th anniversary of a great American tragedy, the Roe vs. Wade court decision that has led to the loss of millions of innocent lives. These children were denied the right to life our Constitution grants to everyone in America, only because they had yet to emerge from their mother’s womb. As President Bush noted today, America is better than this.

“I support and have always supported passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the right to life. As president, I will fight for passage of this amendment. My convictions regarding the sanctity of life have always been clear and consistent, without equivocation or wavering. I believe that Roe v. Wade should be over-turned.

“I applaud those who are marching in Washington and elsewhere to call attention yet again to this terrible injustice. I stand with them in calling for the passage of a Constitutional amendment to overturn Roe v. Wade and restore the constitutional rights of the unborn, and I will march with them next year if I am elected president. As president, I pledge that I will continue the fight so that every child can have his or her God-given right to life.”

CNN sets debate criteria 1% above Kucinich’s latest poll results, campaign files complaint with Federal Communications Commission

RNS Note: You'll note that on occasion we include info on Democratic races... that's simply to keep you informed on some of the more interesting aspects of "that side" of the Presidential race.

The Kucinich for President campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission yesterday against CNN and its parent company, Time Warner, Inc., for arbitrarily establishing criteria for its scheduled Monday Presidential debate that will exclude the Democratic candidate from participation.

On Wednesday, the campaign was notified by CNN that its criteria included a showing of 5% or better in a national poll. In two polls completed earlier last week by CBS News/New York Times and by the Pew Research Center, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich scored 4%.

“The CNN criteria specifically exclude the diverse and anti-war voice of Mr. Kucinich and his grass-roots supporters,” according to the complaint. “The exclusion of Mr. Kucinich undermines the purpose of the (Federal Communications) Act and is a blatant violation of the Act, including its equal time provisions.” Also, “Mr. Kucinich is a successful candidate because of his anti-war message and strong criticism of the American healthcare system, issues that are not championed by his presidential primary opponents. In these and other policy issues, his opponents share very similar policy platforms that differ from Mr. Kucinich.”

The filing also points out that Kucinich was invited to participate in the upcoming South Carolina debate by the Congressional Black Caucus, which is co-sponsoring the event. The invitation, which he accepted on May 20, stated, in part that Kucinich “will be guaranteed a rare opportunity to present your message to millions of voters unfiltered by any political organization or by any news organization.”

The complaint also argues that the Monday event “is not a true presidential primary debate without including all credible candidates. Instead, it is effectively an endorsement of the candidates selected by CNN” and is a breach of the federal requirement “to operate in the public interest and to afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of issues of public importance.”

The campaign is asking the FCC to order CNN to allow Kucinich to participate.

Military Absentee Voting 'Primary' Concern for Federal Voting Assistance Program

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

For the Federal Voting Assistance Program, getting deployed troops and their families engaged in the current election season is a primary goal.

Ahead of the November general election, FVAP, which fosters voting participation by uniformed and U.S. citizens abroad, is assisting eligible absentee voters who wish to cast ballots in their states' primary election.

"It's important that voters participate in the upcoming primary elections," said Polli Brunelli, the program's chief. "We have over 20 primaries occurring in February, so now is the time, if you've received your ballot, to vote and get it back by the state deadlines."

During an interview yesterday, Brunelli said registering to vote is a simple process. "Absentee voters fill out a federal postcard application form to request a ballot, send it into their local election official where the voter is legally authorized to vote," she said. The ballot will be sent to the voter, who then votes on the ballot and sends it back to the local election office.

Paper copies of the application form are available at military installations, embassies and consulates and from organizations of overseas citizens. Electronic forms are posted online at the Federal Voting Assistance Program Web site, www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefwab.html.

Citizens using this form should vote and submit it immediately using regular mail or, where allowed by state law, by fax or e-mail, to their local election officials. The FVAP's Integrated Voting Alternative Site at www.fvap.gov/ivas/fvap_state_menu.html shows citizens if fax or e-mail alternatives are permitted in their home state.

Voting assistance officers are stationed at military installations abroad to help FVAP implement its program initiatives. Equipped with state-by-state voting assistance guides, the officers are available to assist servicemembers in navigating the registration process and election procedures, and inform voters of relevant deadlines, Brunelli noted.

FVAP carries out the responsibilities of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which protects the voting rights of active-duty military members, Merchant Marines, eligible family members and citizens residing outside the United States.

Members of the U.S. armed forces traditionally represent an active component of overall voting-age Americans. The total voting participation rate among servicemembers was 79 percent in 2004, compared to the 64 percent rate of the general public, according to figures published by FVAP.

In a memorandum to military secretaries and top commanders sent Nov. 26, 2007, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates underscored the importance of extending voting rights to servicemembers at home and abroad.

"With the calendar of primary elections beginning early and stretching through September, 2008," Gates said, "it is important that the department and the services be prepared to carry out the voting assistance mission to inform and educate U.S. citizens of the right to vote, foster voting participation, and protect the integrity of the electoral process.

"Voting is a both a right and a responsibility of citizens in our country," Gates continued. "(Leaders of the armed services must) do everything we can to encourage participation and ensure that our servicemembers and families are able to exercise their right to vote and have that vote counted."

Related Sites: Federal Voting Assistance Program

Michelle Obama, Chelsea Clinton Attend Same Black Church Service

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Anyone looking to gauge the importance of blacks in the Democratic presidential primary next weekend only needed to visit one church service Sunday morning.
Michelle Obama and Chelsea Clinton were tucked among the hundreds of congregants at Bible Way Church of Atlas Road, clapping in unison with the choir during a more than two-hour gathering.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/20/michelle-obama-chelsea-clinton-attend-same-black-church-service/

Oprah’s Web Site Flooded With Criticism for Her Support of Obama Over Clinton

Television talk show guru and women’s rights advocate Oprah Winfrey has been dubbed “traitor” by some of her online supporters for her decision to support Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/20/oprahs-web-site-flooded-with-criticism-for-her-support-of-obama-over-clinton/

States try to pull plug on 'robo-calls'

States are trying to disconnect computer-generated political calls that are flooding the nation's households at election time.
More than 5 million automated "robo-calls" have been made to potential voters in early primary states. The number of robo-calls could run into the hundreds of millions this election year as the political parties battle for control of the White House, Congress and state governments.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-17-robocall_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Pizza Hut® Airs First Presidential Get-Out-The-Vote Ad Aimed at Youth

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pizza Hut® is airing a new ad encouraging young Americans to get involved in the political process by voting for the next U.S. President. Pizza Hut is the first company in this Presidential election to remind Americans to vote with the tagline, “It’s your choice. Please vote.”

The new 30-second ad features two college students, one of whom is questioning whether he should vote in this year’s Presidential election. The other student stresses the importance of voting, and encourages the doubting student to let his voice be heard by voting, convincing him to cast his ballot. This is the first time in Pizza Hut’s 50-year history the company has run an ad to promote a public policy issue rather than promoting its pizza. The company’s new Pizza Mia $5 value pizza is shown in the ad as a product placement, but is never referenced or specifically promoted.

“Today's youth have the power to change history with their vote in this Presidential election. At a time when the number one issue in this election is the economy, we're using our new Pizza Mia ad to encourage everyone to vote and make sure their voice is heard,” said Scott Bergren, Pizza Hut president. Young voters, age 18-29, reportedly will account for up to 25% of the electorate in this Presidential election1. “There's something about pizza and politics - they just go hand-in-hand,” Bergren said.

The new ad is the second in a series of Pizza Hut’s Pizza Mia Presidential Election ads. It will run in the Presidential primary states of South Carolina and Nevada just before the primaries, and on national network television. The company’s first political ad, which debuted during the Iowa Caucuses and featured snippets of each of the Democratic and Republican Presidential
candidates appearing on a debate stage together to address concerns about the economy. It was the first time a company had used actual Presidential candidate snippets in a commercial ad, and was well-received by youth on blogs and social media sites.

Pizza Mia offers an economic solution for families feeling the financial pinch today, particularly under current economic conditions, by providing everyday value at just $5 with the purchase of three pizzas, or $6.99 for one pizza. It is the company’s most affordable, high-quality pizza, made with 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese and old world sauce from sweet vine-ripened tomatoes. Orders for Pizza Mia are accepted at local Pizza Hut restaurants and online at pizzahut.com for delivery or carry out.

CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro Takes on CNN’s Lou Dobbs and His Anti-Trade, Protectionist Positions

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®) President and CEO Gary Shapiro last night took on CNN’s Lou Dobbs and his anti-trade, protectionist positions during a live “debate” on the cable network’s “Lou Dobbs Tonight.”

“Everyone knows you are a protectionist – you want to close the borders,” said Shapiro. When Dobbs protested that he did not consider himself protectionist, Shapiro responded: “You may not be a protectionist, but you play one on TV.”

Pointing out that Dobbs often slants and fragments the facts on free trade, Shapiro established that trade supports jobs and economic growth by opening previously closed-off overseas markets. For instance:

While Dobbs claims that trade has resulted in the loss of three million jobs, he ignores the fact that over that same period 25 million good jobs were created.

While Dobbs rails against agreements such as NAFTA, he conveniently ignores that before NAFTA, the average unemployment rate was around 7 percent and in the 14 years since it has been about 5 percent.

While Dobbs frets over imports into this country he ignored the fact that $220 billion of high-tech products, which includes consumer electronics, were exported from this country, and that many of the companies that produced those products were small and medium-sized companies that are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. Moreover, he doesn’t even address that the percentage of exports from the United States to the world has gone up by 4,000 percent (1,000 percent in real terms) over the last 42 years.

When Dobbs belittled the jobs that have been created by the consumer electronics industry, he belittled the hard-working men and women who work for companies here in the United States that help spur the engine of the American economy – the very people he claims to be fighting for.

CEA is calling on Congress to approve pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. “What these agreements do, Lou, is the agreements allow us to get into other countries, that’s why it baffles me that you oppose them,” added Shapiro.

“Free trade is good for the country,” Shapiro told Dobbs. “And as much as you say you are a free trader, you don’t want free trade agreements, you oppose them every chance you get, and that’s not good for this country, Lou.”

Dobbs responded by saying that our trade deficit is growing out of control. Shapiro pointed out that oil imports contribute to that deficit and that our exports are going up. “Your answer is to put up a wall around the United States and that would help us how?”

Dobbs claimed he doesn’t want to put up a wall around the United States but instead insists on an equal trade balance with our principal trade partners. “You have an Economics degree from Harvard and you know that’s unprecedented and undoable and unlikely and would hurt the people of this country. Give me an example of when a protectionist policy like that has ever been successful,” requested Shapiro.

In its trade campaign, CEA has called on Congress to pursue a pro-growth trade policy that includes:

Aggressively pursuing bilateral trade agreements. In the absence of an agreement in the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization, bilateral trade agreements offer the next best way to open foreign markets to U.S. small businesses. They create sales opportunities, reduce costs and diminish uncertainties. Through trade agreements we can implement intellectual property rights standards, establish substantive investment protections, and provide increased transparency to U.S. exporters.

Reauthorize trade promotion authority. Without trade promotion authority our trading partners will be reluctant to negotiate trade pacts with the United States. America’s hands will be tied, and the United States will fall behind other nations negotiating trade agreements at an unprecedented pace.

Eliminate non-tariff barriers. These non-tariff barriers hinder trade and burden small companies with unnecessary compliance costs. Examples of these barriers include: cumbersome customs regulations; corrupt government procurement processes; and most recently, a proliferation of divergent or non-harmonized approaches to environmental standards, among others.

Uphold and enforce trade agreements. In addition to pursuing new agreements, the United States must commit to maintaining and enforcing those agreements already in place. The United States must take an aggressive stance to protect products already covered by the WTO’s Information Technology Agreement (ITA). The ITA covers over 97 percent of the world trade in information technology products, and provides for the elimination of duties on those covered products. But as technology has evolved, many countries claim that the ITA does not apply to the next generation of covered products. It is crucial for the United States to uphold provisions of the ITA that allow for future developments of IT products and enable companies to enjoy the full scope of the agreements intended duty-free benefits.

For more information on the CEA trade initiative, please go to the CEA website at www.ce.org/freetrade.

AJC Article

GOP, especially Richardson, at high risk in the House
Atlanta Journal Constitution - GA, USA
It depends on his pursuit of the GREAT tax swap — some property tax relief for a new tax on services in return. It depends on his handling of the effort to ...

Congressional Candidate Appears Magically Skinnier in Doctored Campaign Photo

HOUSTON — A mailer from a congressional candidate's campaign contains a photo of his head attached to an image of a different body that makes him look thinner.
The photo is presented as a true image of Dean Hrbacek, a Republican former mayor of Sugar Land. In reality, it is a computerized composite of Hrbacek's face and someone else's slimmer figure, in suit and tie, from neck to knee.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,324005,00.html

New Hillary Health Care Records

Judicial Watch Releases Records Re: Hillary's Health Care Reform Plan Internal Memos Detail Creation of Government "Interest Group Database" to Collect Personal Data on Health Care Debate Activists

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 /Standard Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released records obtained from the Clinton Presidential Library related to the National Taskforce on Health Care Reform, a "cabinet-level" task force chaired by former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton during the Clinton administration.

Specifically, these documents come from the White House Health Care Interdepartmental Working Group. Among the highlights of the documents released by Judicial Watch: *

A June 18, 1993 internal Memorandum entitled, "A Critique of Our Plan," authored by someone with the initials "P.S.," makes the startling admission that critics of Hillary's health care reform plan were correct: "I can think of parallels in wartime, but I have trouble coming up with a precedent in our peacetime history for such broad and centralized control over a sector of the economy...Is the public really ready for this?... none of us knows whether we can make it work well or at all..." *

A "Confidential" May 26, 1993 Memorandum from Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) to Hillary Clinton entitled, "Health Care Reform Communications," which criticizes the Task Force as a "secret cabal of Washington policy 'wonks'" that has engaged in "choking off information" from the public regarding health care reform. The memorandum suggests that Hillary Clinton "use classic opposition research" to attack those who were excluded by the Clinton Administration from Task Force deliberations and to "expose lifestyles, tactics and motives of lobbyists" in order to deflect criticism.

Senator Rockefeller also suggested news organizations "are anxious and willing to receive guidance [from the Clinton Administration] on how to time and shape their [news] coverage." *

A February 5, 1993 Draft Memorandum from Alexis Herman and Mike Lux detailing the Office of Public Liaison's plan for the health care reform campaign. The memorandum notes the development of an "interest group data base" detailing whether or not organizations "support(ed) us in the election."

The database would also track personal information about interest group leaders, such as their home phone numbers, addresses, "biographies, analysis of credibility in the media, and known relationships with Congresspeople."

These records released by Judicial Watch were obtained from the approximately 13,000 records made publicly available by the Clinton Library. The National Archives admits there may be an additional 3,022,030 textual records, 2,884 pages of electronic records, 1,021 photographs, 3 videotapes and 3 audiotapes related to the Task Force that are being withheld indefinitely from the public. On November 2, 2007 Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the National Archives to force the release of all the Task Force records.

"These documents paint a disturbing picture of how Hillary Clinton and the Clinton administration approached health care reform - secrecy, smears, and the misuse of government computers to track private and political information on citizens," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

"There are millions more documents that the Library has yet to release. The Clintons continue to play games and pretend they have nothing to do with this delay. The Clintons should get out of the way and authorize the release of these records now."

These and other documents related to JW's pursuit of Hillary's White House records are available at http://www.judicialwatch.org/.

Focusing on Food and Fitness: State Strategies for Healthy Communities and Economic Development

Friday, February 8, 2008 12 noon-1:30pm EST/11am-12:30pm CST/10am-11:30am MST/9am-10:30am PST

Americans' growing girth - 66 million Americans are overweight or obese - has health officials and policymakers concerned. Excess weight can lead to diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and other chronic conditions. These health conditions strain state health care systems and budgets.

Many states are looking at ways to increase access to nutritious food, build physical activity into daily routines, with safe pedestrian walkways, parks, and recreation, especially in low-income neighborhoods. This webcast will provide listeners with a state legislative perspective on increasing nutritious food and fitness options and how they are intertwined with economic development in our communities.

Speakers: Michael Hamm, PhD: C.S. Mott Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, Michigan State University Representative Dwight Evans: Chair, House Appropriations Committee (Pennsylvania)TBD

This event is FREE for the first 50 registered participants thanks to generous grant funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Click here to register.

For questions about registration for this event, please contact Lisa Castro
For questions about program content, please contact Melissa Hansen
Please read guidelines on how to join an event or view recorded events.

Governor Perdue Moves to Unite Child Welfare Agencies

Today Governor Sonny Perdue took action to restructure four agencies responsible for serving Georgia’s at-risk children and families to better serve the state’s child advocacy community. The Children’s Trust Fund Commission (CTF) will combine with the Children and Youth Coordinating Council (CYCC) and become the Governor’s Office for Children and Families. The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) will assume the responsibilities of the Office of Child Fatality Review (OCFR).

“By combining the skills and resources of these agencies, we will be in a better position to ensure that our child welfare system is strong and that we are funding those programs that our policy research shows are proven to work,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “With this reorganization, we will have a more unified approach to serving all at-risk children, from infancy through adolescence.”

The two new agencies will work together to ensure consistency and effectiveness in child welfare planning, policy and funding. The combined agencies will also report directly to the Governor’s Office and work closely with policy staff and child welfare agency leadership.

"This strategy is designed to maximize the impact of resources invested in communities to support the healthy development of children and youth,” said Pam Brown, Program Director of Prevent Child Abuse Georgia. “It promotes shared responsibility between the state and community for comprehensive and cohesive program planning, implementation and accountability which is so important for the success and sustainability of efforts."

Governor Perdue also announced the Children and Family Services Strengthening Act of 2008, legislation that the Governor intends to introduce in the upcoming session to make this agency reform permanent. The combined funding agency, to be called the Governor’s Office for Children and Families, will share office space with the expanded Office of the Child Advocate, which will continue its responsibility to oversee and improve the state’s child protection system.

“I’m looking forward to being able to work in partnership with the new Governor's Office for Children and Families,” said State Child Advocate Tom Rawlings. “While OCA will remain an independent agency, sharing office space will allow us to share ideas and to work together toward our mutual goal of improving the lives of Georgia’s children.”

Upon legislative approval, the Governor’s Office for Children and Families will rely on a consolidated board composed of CYCC and CTF board members to make grants to communities. Additionally, the alignment of staff resources will allow funding of a continuum of services, from child abuse prevention to juvenile delinquency treatment. The Governor’s Office for Children and Families will also serve as the new home for the First Lady’s Children’s Cabinet.

“By combining the expertise of our staff and citizen boards, we will now be able to target the entire family cycle, from the at-risk infant to the troubled teen,” said Jen Bennecke, Executive Director of the newly created Governor’s Office for Children and Families.

The Children’s Trust Fund has funded over $25,000,000 in child abuse prevention projects in local communities. The CYCC disburses millions of dollars annually to local abstinence education, delinquency prevention and juvenile justice projects.

The Office of Child Fatality Review uses local data on child deaths to develop policies and practices designed to prevent such deaths. The youngest of the four agencies, OCA, is the state’s independent ombudsman for child welfare practice and policy.

Americans United for Life Releases Ranking of Pro-life States

Americans United for Life (AUL) today released its fifth annual ranking of the most and least pro-life states based on laws in the states. For the third year in a row, Michigan topped the list, followed by Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Kansas.

"These states have made great strides in protecting women and their children from the negative consequences of abortion," said Denise M. Burke, AUL's Vice President & Legal Director. While AUL's criteria covers each state's treatment of all life issues, the final ranking depends largely on each state's enactment of prudent and well-supported laws that fence in the abortion license granted by the U.S. Supreme Court in its 1973 decision, Roe v. Wade. Among the laws that AUL looks for are informed consent, parental involvement for minors, abortion clinic regulations, and funding limitations on the use of public monies for abortion.

"Until all the pieces are in place to make the overruling of Roe a realistic possibility and until the truth has replaced misinformation about abortion," said Clarke D. Forsythe, AUL's President, "laws that put fences around the abortion license and highlight the negative impact of abortion on women are imperative. And those laws are being passed in the 50 states."

The ranking also seeks to answer the question: Thirty-five years after Roe, are we making progress to restore a culture of life in America?

"We are making progress, state by state and law by law. In states that have passed these types of laws, the abortion rates have declined by up to 20% over the past 10 years," responds Burke. "Further, these laws highlight the significant dangers-physical, psychological, and relational-posed by abortion."

"Once the scope of the negative impact of abortion on women is fully understood, support for most or all abortions will erode and a renewed culture of life will be within our grasp," continued Burke.

Added Forsythe, "Women need to be much better informed about the medical risks of abortion, and these common-sense laws seek to do that."

The least protective states according to AUL were Oregon, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Vermont. For more information about AUL's annual ranking, visit www.AUL.org.

Effort Launched to Draft Lou Dobbs as Presidential Candidate

With illegal immigration as a top issue in the 2008 campaigns and the possibility of a pro-Amnesty candidate such as John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, or Mike Huckabee winning the GOP primary, forcing American voters to choose between two pro-Amnesty candidates, a Draft Lou Dobbs for President campaign is being launched today by Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee (ALIPAC) found at www.LouDobbsforPresident.org

"Ninety percent of our supporters are behind either Romney, Thompson, Paul, or Hunter for President because they appear truly opposed to Amnesty for illegal aliens," says William Gheen of ALIPAC. "Eighty four percent of our supporters say they would support Lou Dobbs for President, if the GOP primary fails to yield a candidate opposed to Amnesty."

Lou Dobbs has earned national recognition for his tough stance on Border Security and curbing illegal immigration. While encouraging voters to register as independents, Dobbs addresses a host of issues dealing with the economy, trade agreements, election integrity, and America's middle class that would appeal to Democrats, Republicans, and Independent voters alike.

The Wall Street Journal reported on January 7 that many people are dropping Lou Dobbs' name as a potential candidate and that he is a self-styled "independent populist" who is reluctant to run, but responds to such suggestions with "I cannot say never"

"Lou Dobbs could run and win because he could easily raise the funds and grassroots support he needs to be a historic and viable candidate quickly. The public is eager to rebuke the DC status quo and would quickly rally to Dobbs," says Gheen. "Our website is designed to allow people to express their political support for Lou Dobbs, to show Mr. Dobbs what kind of support is out there, and to have some supporters organized, if he decides to run."

The website located at www.LouDobbsforPresident.org has information about Lou Dobbs, a speculative platform, videos, and allows people to register as volunteers and potential contributors to a Lou Dobbs for President Campaign.

In the event Lou Dobbs files for office, the website and supporter information will be presented to Mr. Dobbs as a campaign contribution by ALIPAC. Until that time, all information collected will be held in strict confidence.ALIPAC is one of the largest organizations in America fighting for secure borders and immigration enforcement, while fighting against Amnesty and illegal immigration. Founded on 9/11 in 2004, ALIPAC supporters are active in all 50 states and represent Americans of every race, party, and many walks of life, which indicates a desire for more to be done about illegal immigration. For more information please visit http://www.alipac.us or http://www.loudobbsforpresident.org

Georgia State of the State Address

Governor Sonny Perdue will deliver the State of the State Address, TOMOROW, Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.

New York Times ‘Killer Vet’ Story Exposed as Erroneous by Pro-Troop Group

Move America Forward (website: http://www.moveamericaforward.org/), the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization, today announced that after vetting the numbers cited by The New York Times in their Sunday, January 13, 2008 story, “Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles,” it became clear that the Times had engaged in demonstrably erroneous and false reporting.

It took seven New York Times researchers to find 121 cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in the United States, or were charged with one, upon returning home to this country.

The Times made the false conclusion that: “Taken together, they paint the patchwork of a quiet phenomenon, tracing a cross-country trail of death and heartbreak.”

The Times documentation of 121 potential killings out of more than 1.5 million veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), divided by 6 years of conflict results in a murder rate of just 1.34 incidents per 100,000 veterans per year.

That murder rate is far lower than the murder rate for the general population, demonstrating that the experiences of military service – including having served in Iraq and Afghanistan – actually made it less likely for returning veterans to commit murder once they returned home, than the general population.
Given a census-estimated population of the United States of 300,000,000 persons in this country as of October 2006, and FBI-compiled statistics of 17,399 homicide offenders for 2006, the murder rate of the general population was 5.80 offenders per 100,000 on average – and a rate of approximately 7.67 per 100,000 for men.

Since all but one of the veterans cited by the Times who committed a killing in the U.S. was male, the comparable rate is approximately 7.67 incidents of murder per 100,000 people among the general male population, compared to just 1.34 incidents per 100,000 returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans (of both genders).

“It’s obvious that the New York Times has an agenda of undermining the missions of our troops in the War on Terror, so much so that they are willing to resort to demonstrably false statistics to support their anti-troop bias,” said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.

“The slander of our troops and veterans by the New York Times is unfortunately all too familiar. We heard this kind of nonsense about our returning veterans from Vietnam. It’s the same insult, different war.

“Perhaps the shameful staff of The New York Times has run out of war-time secrets to publish for America’s enemies to read, because now they’ve resorted to an all-out smear campaign of America’s finest men and women, who have served this country bravely and with distinction,” Morgan said.

In place of hard data to support their premise, The New York Times was instead forced to devote almost the entire portion of 6,321 word hit-piece to anecdotes of wrongdoing by individual veterans.

The New York Times even went so far as to trace back the phenomenon of murderous veterans to Greek mythology to back up their assertions of their report.

“The real mythology is the reporting by The New York Times,” Move America Forward’s Melanie Morgan concluded.

Looking UP in LA.

Things are looking up in Louisiana! The state now has a Republican governor who is promising to clean things up. Love it.

Not only is he Republican, but he's the first Indian-American governor... When are those who swing to the Democratic side saying their good to minorities gonna get it through their heads that the Republican party is the party that puts feet to their words? The Republican party has been consistent in looking at people as people. Period.

Congratulations to Louisiana for making a great choice!

New La. gov. pledges to fight corruption
BATON ROUGE, La. - Republican Bobby Jindal, the nation's first Indian-American governor, was sworn in Monday in Louisiana and moved quickly to make good on a campaign promise to clean up the corrupt image of this hurricane-battered state.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080114/ap_on_re_us/louisiana_governor

Man To Beat: McCain's Cross-Party Appeal

John McCain is starting to look like the candidate to beat for the GOP nomination. Not long ago, he was dismissed, unable to compete with Rudy Giuliani's star power. But with New Hampshire, the tortoise has overtaken the hare.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DickMorrisandEileenMcGann/2008/01/13/man_to_beat_mccains_cross-party_appeal

Rudy Giuliani Should Be GOP Nominee

Now that the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary are behind us, the race for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination begins in earnest, with Michigan voting on January 15, South Carolina voting on January 19, Florida voting on January 29, and twenty-one states - including California, Illinois, and New York - voting on "Super Tuesday," February 5.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/01/rudy_giuliani_should_be_gop_no.html

Behind Nevada casino walls is a political fight

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - A key back-room battle in the contest to nominate a Democratic presidential candidate is raging far from the gaze of TV cameras in places like the workers' cafeteria of the Mirage Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.

There, activists like Amelia Moreland are trying to translate an endorsement from the state's most powerful union into support for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the Nevada caucus next Saturday. Labor unions are especially crucial in the Democratic presidential race for their ability to organize and mobilize voters and get them to the polls.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080113/pl_nm/usa_politics_nevada_dc

Will NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg Run?

While Obama and Clinton wrestle and the four Republican candidates face one another, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s shadow increasingly falls over their playing field. Armed with as much money as he could possibly need to run, this Democrat-turned-Republican could throw the entire race into chaos.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DickMorrisandEileenMcGann/2008/01/13/will_nyc_mayor_mike_bloomberg_run

News Roundup

Iranian boats threaten, so the candidates step up rhetoric
Ha'aretz - Tel Aviv,Israel
The Republican candidate is pinning his hopes on winning his party's primary in South Carolina, which borders his home state of Tennessee. ...

Transcript: Rudy Giuliani on 'FOX News Sunday
'FOXNews - USA
Mayor, the linchpin of your campaign is national security, that you are the Republican candidate best suited to win the war on terror. ...

Are You Sure You Are a Reagan Republican?
Canada Free Press - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
By JB Williams Saturday, January 12, 2008 The fact that almost every Republican candidate wants to invoke the Reagan name as the centerpiece of their own ...

On the Schmitt List: No front runners, no problem
Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil - Council Bluffs,IA,USA
Giuliani could overtake Huckabee as the more moderate Republican candidate, but I don't think he will. The other option for Republicans is to nominate a ...

Evangelicals in SC not just voting on faith
Chicago Tribune - United States
Coming from nowhere a few months ago, he has become a top Republican candidate here in recent weeks, leading Arizona Sen. ...

Tuesday's primary key for candidates ... Or is it?
Battle Creek Enquirer - Battle Creek,MI,USA
Electibility also is a factor Brownback said makes McCain a favorite in Michigan because he's the Republican candidate who can match up the best against ...

George Will: This could be one of the worst for GOP
Houston Chronicle - United States
Which Republican candidate this year could produce a similarly constructive loss? Today, all the usual indicators are dismal for Republicans. ...

Bush says troop cutbacks might stop

MANAMA, Bahrain - President Bush said Saturday he is open to the possibility of slowing or stopping plans to bring home more U.S. troops from Iraq, defying domestic demands to speed the withdrawals. Updated on war developments, Bush said the U.S. presence in Iraq will outlast his presidency.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080113/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_mideast

Minority vote moves center stage

With nomination contests in lily-white Iowa and New Hampshire settled, minority voting power now moves into the spotlight.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080113/ap_po/racial_politics

Barack Obama is a Powerful Speaker—And so is My Bose Bass Amp

The words “change” and “Jesus” are being tossed around in this election more than Lindsay Lohan was by those three Italian dudes last New Year’s Eve. I’m getting burned out hearing both the word change and the name Jesus, and I like them both.
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/DougGiles/2008/01/12/barack_obama_is_a_powerful_speaker%e2%80%94and_so_is_my_bose_bass_amp

News Roundup 3

'Change' in the Air, Once Again
The Associated Press - The Republican candidate argued that leadership was much more important — and then twice hit the Big C: "Let's do what generations have done in times past, ...

Giuliani Finance Director Returns to Private Sector
ABC News - USA... campaign manager described the move as one that would allow the campaign to maximize resources and denied money woes for the Republican candidate. ...

Candidate to speak to GOP women
Billings Gazette - MT, USA
The Yellowstone County Republican Women's Club will hear from Montana Attorney General Republican candidate Lee Bruner at Wednesday's meeting. ...

Why Can't Ron Paul Win?
Nolan Chart LLC - Warrenton,VA,USA
I believe that Dr. Paul hit a homerun, though, when he was asked disrespectfully among laughter if he has any viability as a Republican candidate. ...

DA Candidate Apologizes For Comment Made During Jury Selection
Click 2 Houston.com - Houston,TX,USA
By Phil Archer HOUSTON -- A high-profile Republican candidate running to replace Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal has come under fire for a ...

the contrarian - Recount Slated For New Hampshire
Gather.com - Boston,MA,USA
by David McGill New Hampshire's Secretary of State announced Friday that Republican candidate for president, Albert Howard, and Democratic candidate Dennis ...

Why Delegates Matter In Presidential Election
Live 5 News - Charleston,SC,USA
The Democratic nominee will need two thousand twenty-five delegates to win the nomination, while the Republican candidate will need just under twelve ...

Amy Branham: Presidential Candidate Choices
BuzzFlash - Chicago,IL,USA
Every single Republican candidate is, quite simply, off my A list. Huckabee, a Baptist preacher who believes in the sanctity of human life -- at least while ...

Ethical Principles Protect Patients--Not Personal Opinions

The Christian Medical Association (www.cmda.org) voiced strong opposition to an assisted suicide bill introduced today in the Washington legislature, saying the measure puts patients at risk by supplanting longstanding, recognized ethical principles with personal opinion.

"This bill to legalize assisted suicide attempts to force the opinions of a small band of suicide advocates on society and the medical community, and to force the government into the position of sanctioning suicide," observed CMA CEO Dr. David Stevens.

"Laws teach. Think about the message this measure would send to vulnerable and depressed individuals contemplating suicide. How are we going to publicly sanction suicide and then turn around and try to stem the tide of teen suicides?

"The minority lobbying for assisted suicide may personally believe that the value of a life is measured by physical health. Yet millennia of longstanding ethical principles recognize that the value of human life extends far beyond our bodies and beyond our ability to perceive value. Longstanding recognized ethics from Hippocrates to the bible have provided vital safeguards for patients while motivating physicians to practice true compassion by providing comfort and commitment to the patient. "It's easy for suicide lobbyists to attract a measure of public sympathy for their views by waving the flag of individual autonomy. But when the debate moves beyond sound bites to actual evidence, the public recognizes that patients' autonomy and interests are protected only when doctors remain healers and never killers.

"The Netherlands decided to remove longstanding ethical safeguards for patients, and legislators legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia. Published medical studies reveal that Dutch doctors administer lethal injections to roughly a thousand patients a year who never consent to their deaths. That's autonomy for doctors--not for patients.

"Once assisted suicide infiltrates medicine, patient protections fall and the power of doctors rises. Euthanasia is next--beginning with patients who can't swallow lethal drugs. "Assisted suicide also removes patient protections by opening a door for self-interested parties to pressure vulnerable patients to die. Imagine the incentives for cost-conscious HMO's, government insurers, greedy heirs and tired caregivers. A patient's apparently voluntary decision may actually be coerced--yet nearly impossible to detect or prosecute.

"The answer to patients suffering at the end of life is not to kill them, but to provide aggressive and appropriate relief from pain, compassionate counsel and unconditional love."

Ready for Congress to Stop Pork-Barrel Spending? Make It Flake!

Ever since Republicans lost control of Congress in 2006, Minority Leader John Boehner has been working hard to convince his fellow Republicans that a return to fiscal responsibility and limited government principles is the way to regain the trust of the American people.

Leader Boehner knows the value of getting Republicans back to being the “party of less,” but he has an uphill battle (just as I did when I was in Congress) in going against the Members of his own party that are on the powerful Appropriations Committee. Many appropriators advance an agenda of “spend, spend, spend” with too little oversight. The goal for these politicians is to bring home the pork and create pet projects for their districts no matter what it costs the American taxpayer. And since the responsibility of this committee is to decide how Congress spends money, they’ve got the inside track.

Now, however, there is a spot to fill on the Appropriations Committee, and Rep. Jeff Flake, (R-6, AZ) a close ally of limited government conservatives who has been leading the fight against pork-barrel earmarks and wasteful spending, is ready to step in and reform Congress’ culture of out-of-control spending from the inside.

Help send a message that Rep. Flake is the right man for the job by visiting MakeItFlake.com.
This is a powerful opportunity for the Republican Leadership in Congress to prove they are serious about returning to an agenda of limited government principles.

Rep. Flake has made a name for himself on the Hill for his stalwart stand against the practice of earmarking. He has never offered a single earmark, and consistently puts the spotlight on Members who do through his weekly “Egregious Earmark” press releases and frequent speeches on the House floor to call out members of both parties for wasting the taxpayers’ money.

Jeff Flake is serious about reining in spending and has done an incredible job to date. But he can do even more by attacking the issue at its choke-point; from inside the Appropriations Committee.

Leader Boehner and key Republicans such as Roy Blunt (R-7, MO), Eric Cantor (R-7, VA) and Adam Putnam (R-12, FL), will ultimately decide who fills the current vacancy on the committee.
For years Congressman Flake has been a voice in the wilderness for fiscal responsibility. Republicans should now let him lead the charge.

We are building a coalition of concerned taxpayers and free-market groups that support this effort. Please visit MakeItFlake.com to join us!

Sincerely,
Dick Armey
Chairman
FreedomWorks.org

Georgia Speaker Richardson's tax reform faces uphill climb

Georgia Speaker Richardson's tax reform faces uphill climb
NorthFulton.com - Alpharetta,GA,USA
Yet homeowners are crying out for property tax relief. While Georgia has experienced extremely good property appreciation, it has been a double-edged sword ...

Bill Clinton Says Obama No ‘Fairy Tale’ on Al Sharpton Radio Show

NEW YORK — Former President Bill Clinton says his comment about Barack Obama telling a “fairy tale” about opposing the war in Iraq has been misconstrued as a criticism of the senator’s run for the Democratic nomination.
http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/11/bill-clinton-says-obama-no-fairy-tale-on-al-sharpton-radio-show/

New Hampshire to Conduct Recount of Presidential Primary

Dennis Kucinich is getting his way.
New Hampshire officials said Friday they will conduct a hand recount of the state’s Democratic and Republican presidential primaries at the request of two minor candidates — Kucinich, who received less than 1.4 percent of the vote, and Republican Albert Howard of Michigan, who received about 44 votes statewide. The candidates are expected to pay a $2,000 fee to start the process, according to state officials.
http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/11/new-hampshire-to-conduct-recount-of-presidential-primary/

8 Questions and Answers about the (Confusing) Michigan Primary

1. Why did Michigan change its primary date from Feb. 26 to Jan. 15?
Michigan’s legislature set the Jan. 15 primary deadline for the same reason any state front-loads its contest: to gain greater influence over the presidential nominating process. When she signed the bill in September that set the Jan. 15 primary, Democratic Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm said Michigan’s electorate “deserves a primary process that requires candidates to address the issues they will be held accountable for in the general election.”
“The January 15th primary in Michigan accomplishes precisely this goal,” she said.
2. What are the consequences of the new primary date?

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002654438

U.S. appeals court dismisses Guantanamo torture suit

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday that four former Guantanamo prisoners, all British citizens, have no right to sue top Pentagon officials and military officers for torture, abuse and violations of their religious rights.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080111/pl_nm/guantanamo_ruling_dc

Hillary: $70 Billion Needed to Stop Recession

Hillary Clinton wants voters to believe the country is entering a recession and a $70 billion subsidy package for low-income Americans is needed to keep the economy afloat. Clinton laid out the details of this plan at the IBEW Hall in Commerce, California Friday—a state with significant “Tsunami Tuesday” clout that will send 441 delegates to the Democratic nominating convention. "This economy may be working for some people, but it sure isn't working for everybody," Clinton said.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/AmandaCarpenter/2008/01/11/hillary_$70_billion_needed_to_stop_recession

GOP Candidates Go Supply-Side

The New Hampshire primary may not have confirmed who’s going to win the GOP nomination (or the Democratic nomination for that matter). But it just may have told us where voting Republicans stand on the economy and supply-side policy.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/LawrenceKudlow/2008/01/11/gop_candidates_go_supply-side

Supreme Court to Decide on Millionaires

Self-financers and their opponents running in 2008 take note: Today the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging the constitutionality of the so-called “Millionaires’ Amendment” — a provision of the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law that raises the contribution limits for opponents of self-financed candidates who spend more than a given amount on their race.
Jack Davis, a Democratic candidate from New York who pumped more than $2 million into his unsuccessful 2006 congressional race, is challenging the law. Davis argues that it does not prevent corruption as intended and is a means of protecting incumbents.
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002654496

John Kerry Endorses Barack Obama, Says He’ll Lead ‘Transformation’

Sounding a call for unity and change, John Kerry endorsed Barack Obama for president Thursday in South Carolina, entrusting the Illinois senator to pick up where he left off and retake the White House for the Democrats.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/10/ap-john-kerry-endorsing-barack-obama/

FOX News Poll: McCain Takes the Lead in South Carolina GOP Primary

Following his win this week in New Hampshire, Republican presidential hopeful John McCain takes the lead in South Carolina — though Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are both close behind.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/10/fox-news-poll-three-way-race-in-south-carolina-gop-primary/

Judges Pan Anti-Clinton Documentary as Campaign Advertising

WASHINGTON — The early reviews are in, and three federal judges appeared in agreement Thursday that a movie lambasting Hillary Rodham Clinton seemed an awful lot like a 90-minute campaign advertisement.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/10/judges-pan-anti-clinton-documentary-as-campaign-advertising/

Bill Richardson Offers No Endorsement as He Ends Campaign

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson dropped his bid for president Thursday in Santa Fe without offering his endorsement to any of the remaining Democratic candidates.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/10/ap-bill-richardson-drops-out-of-democratic-presidential-race/

No Peace if Gaza Terror Is Not Stopped, Olmert Says

Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - There will not be any Israeli-Palestinian peace pact if terror attacks are not stopped, and that includes rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200801/FOR20080109e.html

Bush sees Palestine state treaty within year

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - President George W. Bush told Palestinians on Thursday he believed they would sign a peace treaty with Israel within a year that would give them their own state.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080110/ts_nm/bush_mideast_dc

Bush Predicts Mideast Peace Treaty Before He Leaves White House

Fox News: RAMALLAH, West Bank — President Bush on Thursday predicted that a Mideast peace treaty would be completed by the time he leaves office, but undercut that optimism with harsh criticism of Hamas militants who control part of the land that would form an eventual independent Palestine.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,321572,00.html

Michael Bloomberg Begins Nationwide Effort to Gauge Support for Bid

NEW YORK — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has quietly been polling and conducting a highly sophisticated voter analysis in all 50 states as he decides whether to launch an independent presidential bid, associates said Wednesday.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/09/michael-bloomberg-begins-nationwide-effort-to-gauge-support-for-bid/

Hillary Clinton Discussed Displaying Emotion Before Her ‘Moment’ in N.H.

Hillary Clinton’s “emotional moment” on Monday seemed to have come out of the blue, but it turns out the Democratic presidential candidate discussed the pitfalls of showing emotion on the campaign trail just one day earlier in an interview with Access Hollywood.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/09/hillary-clinton-discussed-displaying-emotion-before-her-moment-in-nh/

Bill Richardson Drops Out of Democratic Presidential Race

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson ended his campaign for the presidency Wednesday after twin fourth-place finishes that showed his impressive credentials could not compete with his rivals’ star power.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/09/ap-bill-richardson-drops-out-of-democratic-presidential-race/

Congress, Justices, Vice President Get 2.5 Percent Pay Raise

Fortunately for members of Congress, their pay isn't tied to their approval ratings.
Lawmakers in 2008 will receive salaries of $169,300, a boost of $4,100 over the pay they have lived with since January 2006.
That 2.5 percent increase is mirrored by similar raises for associate justices of the Supreme Court, who will see their pay go from $203,000 to $208,100, and Chief Justice John Roberts, whose pay will rise to $217,400 from $212,100.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,321445,00.html

Judge won't inquire into CIA tapes case

WASHINGTON - A federal judge refused on Wednesday to delve into the destruction of CIA interrogation videos, saying there was no evidence the Bush administration violated a court order and the Justice Department deserved time to conduct its own investigation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/cia_videotapes

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin Endorses Barack Obama

Today, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin endorsed Barack Obama for President, citing his unique ability to give voice to America's future and his ability to bring the American people together to bring change.

Mayor Franklin said, "Barack Obama is a dynamic, smart, and experienced leader who has demonstrated the capacity to bring people together across party, race and gender lines. He inspires me and has inspired so many others. As a leader I believe he can build consensus to bring Americans together over the issues we care most about like health care, the economy and foreign policy."

"I'm proud to have Mayor Franklin's support," said Senator Barack Obama. "As the first woman to hold this office in Atlanta and the first black woman to be mayor of a major city in the south, Mayor Franklin is a trailblazer. By breaking down these barriers and by working each day to strengthen Atlanta – and to strengthen Atlanta's families – Shirley is helping bring about the America we know in our hearts is possible. And I look forward to fighting side-by-side with her in the months and years to come."

Shirley Franklin has served as Mayor of Atlanta since 2002, being the first female mayor of Atlanta and the first African American woman to serve as mayor of any major Southern city.

Secretary Handel Announces Information for Candidate Qualifying

Secretary of State Karen Handel today announced the following information relating to qualifying for federal and state offices to be filled in the Tuesday, November 4, 2008 General Election.

In accordance with O.C.G.A. §21-2-131, the following qualifying fees have been fixed for 2008 federal and state offices:

Office
Salary
Fee

United States Senator
$165,200.00
3%
$4,956.00

United States Representative
$165,200.00
3%
$4,956.00

Public Service Commissioner
$113,060.40
3%
$3,391.81

State Senator
$400.00

State Representative
$400.00

Justice of Supreme Court
$162,339.60
3%
$4,870.19

Judge of the Court of Appeals
$161,346.00
3%
$4,840.38

Judge of Superior Court
$116,749.57
3%
$3,502.49

District Attorney
$111,023.08
3%
$3,330.69

Qualifying fees are set by O.C.G.A. §21-2-131(a), which states that candidate qualifying fees will be 3 percent of the office’s minimum annual salary, excluding the qualifying fees for State House and State Senate which are $400.

A complete list of offices up for election can be found at: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/candidate_information/2008%20office%20to%20be%20filled_3.pdf.

Qualifying will be held Monday, April 28 beginning at 9:00 a.m. through Friday, May 2, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. for Republican and Democratic candidates wishing to fill federal and state offices up for election in 2008. As outlined by Georgia law, the qualifying fee will be paid to the applicable state political party. The primary election for these candidates will be held on Tuesday, July 15, 2008.

Qualifying for independent candidates will be held Monday, June 23 beginning at 9:00 a.m. through Friday, June 27, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. in the Secretary of State’s Elections Division Office. As outlined by Georgia law, the qualifying fee will be paid to the Secretary of State. Independent candidates do not have a primary but qualify for placement on the General Election ballot.

Huckabee's latest ad, Understanding

Playing in Michigan

Governor Perdue, Lt. Governor Cagle and Speaker Richardson

Governor Sonny Perdue, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and House Majority Leader Jerry Keen today began a tour of Georgia to discuss their shared priorities for the 2008 legislative session. Representative Keen traveled on behalf of Speaker Glenn Richardson, who was unable to attend on Wednesday, due to obligations trying a case in court.

The three state leaders announced today that they share a vision for continuing Georgia’s success in improving education, ensuring the sustainability of our water resources, strengthening the state’s transportation infrastructure and protecting the health of Georgia’s citizens. The three started in Albany this morning and will travel to nine cities over the next day and a half.

“We are traveling the state today to show that we are unified on the issues of education, water, transportation and healthcare,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “This year, we plan to give Georgians what they expect: sensible and effective legislation that will continue our progress in improving education, establish plans to protect our water resources, improve Georgia’s transportation system and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges.”

"We have come together to highlight critical issues that unify us as we look to bring essential and positive changes to Georgia’s transportation infrastructure, educational system, water needs and healthcare,” said Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle. “As elected officials, our main priority should be to provide the kind of leadership that brings positive results to our state and that is our goal this session."

"Now more than ever our state is faced with many challenges and issues that we must address,” said Speaker Glenn Richardson. “Whether it be protecting our water resources, educating Georgia’s children, or providing affordable health care, we must band together and work towards a common goal with common ideas. During this legislative session the Governor, the Lt. Governor and I are committed to improving the way of life for all Georgians, and because we share this common thread, I know we will succeed.”

Among the priorities discussed today was continuing Georgia’s success in improving education. Georgia’s high school graduation rate is currently higher than it’s ever been before. Today the Governor, Lt. Governor and House leadership committed to work to increase the graduation rate to at least 80 percent by 2010. They agreed on the importance of tougher curriculum standards as well as more parental involvement and control over a child’s education. They indicated that innovative approaches to education such as charter schools and special needs scholarships are all components in moving Georgia’s educational system forward.

State leadership also committed today to address funding for a statewide trauma care network during the 2008 legislative session. They agreed that innovative and creative approaches should be examined to ensure that effective and affordable healthcare coverage is available to Georgians.

The sustainability of Georgia’s water resources has been a critical topic leading up to the 2008 legislative session. The three leaders agreed today that the passage of the Statewide Water Plan is imperative to ensure that our water resources are managed effectively. They also agreed that in 2008, local governments must examine adding storage capacity through reservoir construction and enhancements, with the state’s support.

Transportation is another area that state leadership agrees must be addressed as Georgia’s economy and population continue to grow. Today each of the three leaders supported internal changes at the Georgia Department of Transportation to ensure projects are completed on time and on budget, allowing Georgia to foster economic growth and development for generations to come.

Following the first stop in Albany this morning, Governor Perdue, Lt. Governor Cagle and House Majority Leader Keen plan to visit Brunswick, Savannah, Augusta and Atlanta on Wednesday. Speaker Richardson hopes to join the group as his court obligations allow. Thursday they visit Macon, Columbus, Cartersville and Gainesville.

For more information on these and other initiatives, you can visit Governor Perdue’s website at http://gov.georgia.gov, Lt. Governor Cagle’s website at http://ltgov.georgia.gov or Speaker Richardson’s website at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/house/speaker/index.htm.

Four New Hampshire independents, four reasons they voted Democratic

A majority of independent voters in Tuesday's presidential primary chose one of the Democratic candidates. Those who voted on the GOP side helped boost McCain to victory.

Bedford and Goffstown, N.H. - Andre Gibeau's decision came down to a choice between following his head or his heart. His heart was beating "90 percent" for Rep. Dennis Kucinich, he says. But "10 percent" was thinking: Sen. Barack Obama. In the end, he says, he followed his heart.
Betty Ward was won over by Senator Obama and his message of hope.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0109/p25s04-uspo.html

For Clinton and McCain, a New Hampshire revival

CONCORD, N.H. - Voters in the New Hampshire primaries sent a message to the country Tuesday: The show's not over.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton edged out Sen. Barack Obama with the help of women voters, roaring back from defeat in Iowa and denying Mr. Obama back-to-back wins that would have smoothed his path to the Democratic nomination.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0109/p25s01-uspo.html

Clinton: I Didn't Believe the Polls

(CNSNews.com) - Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), hoarse but elated on NBC's "Today" show Wednesday morning, cackled over the headline in Wednesday's New York Post, which proclaimed her "Back From the Dead."

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200801/POL20080109c.html

Bush Signs Bill Improving Gun Background Checks

(CNSNews.com) - President George W. Bush signed the NICS (National Instant Check System) Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 late Tuesday, a decision that was welcomed by most gun control advocates and Second Amendment groups alike.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200801/NAT20080109c.html

Bush in Israel to push Mideast peace

JERUSALEM (AFP) - US President George W. Bush said he saw a new opportunity for peace in the Middle East as he arrived in the region at the start of a landmark tour marked by escalating tensions with Iran.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080109/ts_afp/mideastusdiplomacy

War? What War? Economy Trumps Iraq in Election

WASHINGTON -- The Iraq war, once the key issue in the presidential election, is taking a back seat to the economy as voters fret over a possible recession and consider the improving security situation in Baghdad.

Polls in Iowa, the state that kicked off the process for choosing a president on Thursday, showed people pushing the war lower on their list of concerns after the surge in U.S. troops helped calm conditions in the country and a deteriorating economic situation at home drew focus to domestic woes.

http://www.newsmax.com/politics/iraq_election_issue/2008/01/08/62813.html