I CAN HANDLE THE TRUTH ~ BUT NOT PRETENDING TO BE TRUTHFUL

PUBLIC LIFE AND THE TRUTH ~ IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR?

I was taught to not hate the person, but to dislike their behavior. Well, that is what I was told, anyway. It took me into my adult life to find it liberating to allow myself to not like someone. It’s a need for clarity for me to be able to figure out why I don’t like someone or why I do.

The internet has some blogs and sites that are filled with loving and compassionate people. But there are people who are jealous, resentful, hateful and covertly bigoted who spread their dark qualities online. Anonymously. When I read their comments it always throws me some. It is not comforting.

Because I dislike Hillary, but it has been an acquired dislike, I typed “The truth about Hillary Clinton” and googled. And I couldn’t believe the wealth of links, that led to a list of other links and eight pages of books and publications to purchase at www.Amazon.com

I also googled “truth about Barack Obama”. Although one really negative site came up, upon reading it ~ I found it was delighting in being searing by the unidentifiable person behind it. He said this is going to be "fun" when picking at Senator Obama. But it was heavy on the hate and transparent on the lack of substance. The internet opens us all up to deep resentments and hate. And it is a wonder that any self-respecting human being would want to run for President and be able to maintain or keep equilibrium in the life of his or her family. I still trust Barack Obama. I believe he is running for President because he wants to serve.

Hillary, for me, is pretending to want to serve, but it is all about power and control. The type of controlling that comes from not feeling control within so the effort is made to fill up that need from without. She doesn’t appear comfortable with herself. So she works so hard at being someone she isn’t. And I have seen her lie during this Presidential campaign. That doesn’t sit well with me.

I never thought much about narcissistic people before a couple of years ago. But understanding the traits of narcissist has been helpful. A lack of empathy and not being truly able to put yourself in someone’s “shoes’ are not endearing qualities. And this is how I see Hillary.

I read a sample of a book The Case Against Hillary Clinton by Peggy Noonan, published articles, a long list of Hillary Clinton quotes from various books, and websites dedicated to bashing Hillary Clinton at worst and at best making one wonder if there are this many people criticizing her, is there some real validity here? Or are they just picking on her?

I googled the authors to get an idea of what kind of people they are. And found the few that I looked up were conservatives and appeared to be Republicans. But the long list did raise my antenna, in that anyone who gets that much reaction, and it was all negative energy, must have some mojo worth being aware of.

Here is one of the most neutral reads I found, although on the critical side:

Hillary’s Baggage Just Too Heavy

February 5, 2008

By Richard Cohen

At the most recent Democratic debate, moderator Wolf Blitzer referred to "a dream ticket for the White House" - either Hillary Clinton for President and Barack Obama for veep or the other way around. Both candidates demurred, giving me the opportunity to describe my own dream ticket: Obama for President; Clinton for chief of staff.

That's the long and the short of it. Just about everything Clinton says about herself - her experience, her indomitability, her presumed ability to work long hours - says to me that she would make a swell chief of staff. Beyond that, she either lacks the qualities that would make a great - not merely competent - President or hides them from us, as she has occasionally done with her own pain.

My conclusions about Clinton, forced upon me by the need to vote in a Super Tuesday primary, come from her own campaign. Whether she meant to or not, she has presented herself as a model of caution, of experience hard-earned and not enjoyed and an inability to admit fault or lousy judgment.

Two matters stand out. The first, of course, is her vote in favor of the Iraq war. I, too, supported going to war, so I don't think this alone disqualifies her from the presidency. I do think, though, that her refusal to simply admit that her judgment - not simply her facts - was faulty says something about her. We all knew George Bush was going to launch the invasion and was not merely seeking permission to stare down Saddam Hussein. If Clinton did not know that, then her judgment was doubly faulty.

Her refusal - her inability - to simply confess poor judgment says to me that her vote was politically motivated. In that, she was not alone. All of her 2008 Democratic primary colleagues who were in the Senate at the time voted for the war resolution. Many other Senate Democrats voted against it - not on the basis of different facts but on the basis of a different judgment about the same facts.

If that were the only example of Clinton voting suspiciously like a presidential candidate, I would not be troubled. But in 2005, she co-sponsored a bill that would make flag-burning illegal. It just so happened that around that time I heard Associate Justice Antonin Scalia explain why he, a conservative so conservative you cannot be more conservative, considered flag-burning a form of political expression. It was therefore, he said, protected. Precisely so.

Look, I know what Barack Obama was doing when he refused to confront his minister about the latter's embrace of Louis Farrakhan. He was ducking an issue with no upside for him. He will not get my Profiles in Courage award for this, but the rest of his record overwhelms this one chintzy act.

Not so with Clinton. The fact remains that as a politician, Hillary Clinton is a creature of her husband. This is reality, not a putdown. In this respect, she is like George W. Bush or any of the Kennedys now out there telling us how to vote. Even the mighty Teddy is the product of nepotistic politics, and his adoration of Obama is, I suspect, partly a function of Obama's qualities and partly a function of the perceived slight of John F. Kennedy by Hillary Clinton some weeks ago.

But for Hillary Clinton, the Bill thing looms larger. He was a good President with bad associations - beginning with Jim McDougal of Whitewater fame and ending with Marc Rich of pardon infamy. Bill Clinton has a tropism for the faintly corrupt and his wife has more than a tropism for him. He would stalk her presidency as he has her campaign, and when she vows that she alone would rule the White House, she is talking personnel, not marriage. It ain't the same.

So I vote, as I must, for Obama and against Hillary. This is not an easy choice. But the time has come and, really, hers has gone.

Source: New York Daily News

TRUTH DOESN’T LIE AND INJUSTICE IS NEVER RIGHT

DON'T IGNORE GREATNESS BECAUSE YOU ARE STUCK IN THE PAST

I RESPECT THE YOUNG ADULT GENERATION WHO SUPPORTS BARACK OBAMA

Barack Obama reaching out

Dear People of Conscience, I am forwarding this email that is below to you. I admit it is a plea to ask you to consider voting for Barack Obama. But I believe this is a moment in time that requires us to act with courage, outside the box and with the hope that WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. If you will go to the link you will see the speech that Barack delivered to us who were there in Nashua New Hampshire, January 8, 2008 put to music. Yes, I was there at Nashua South High School gym in New Hampshire. Here is the actual speech from that night: Barack Obama speaks New Hampshire Primary Night Here is a picture of me at the New Hampshire Primary Party night taken by the Reuters photographer and sent around the world: Caption to picture given online:

Barack Obama supporter Sandra Hammel (C), reacts to televised results at Obama's New Hampshire primary night rally in Nashua, New Hampshire, January 8, 2008.

REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
Link to Picture

Irish TV interviewed me that night and asked me why I support Barack Obama. And knowing brevity was important I stated one reason: Other candidates say "I can do this and I can do that for you" but Barack Obama asks us to step up and get engaged in our government. He of course will lead, but we will no longer be dismissed and not listened to. He wants our participation."

Truth and integrity are critical to me. No more lies. For this reason, my personal choice is Barack Obama.

I respect your possible difference of opinion. But I also believe that we need to come together in this nation for the good of our families, our nation and our world. And I believe Barack has unique gifts to speak to the world on this very important need to heal.

Here is a page of Barack's stands on issues. Barack Obama on Issues

Thank you for your consideration.

Sandra Hammel

The orginal email that I forwarded:

Friends:

Tuesday’s vote and the few weeks that follow may literally change our country and the world forever, and I am doing everything I can to make a difference. Please help.

It has been said that someone like Barack only comes along once in a generation. There are many good people of all political persuasion who have tried to fundamentally change the direction of our country, but I don’t know of anyone who has lifted up the hopes and dreams of this country like Barack is doing.

This is our time.

We need a pragmatic visionary. A down to earth leader who knows what it is like to struggle through school on scholarships and loans and to survive.

We need a leader who understands the world and knows that if the world hates America less, we will be safer.

Barack Obama embodies the American dream and the greatness of our country. I could go on and on, but I will leave you with this. Please watch this: http://www.dipdive.com/

Please forward this email or one of your own to everyone in your address book, no matter what political persuasion or whether you think that person is interested in politics. This is beyond Democrat or Republican. This is beyond “politics.”

If nothing else, please watch this video. It is 4:44 minutes and may compel you to do whatever you can to change this country and the world: http://www.dipdive.com/

This is our time. This is our moment. Please believe, and seize the moment.

Jeffrey M. Padwa
Rhode Island Finance Co-Chair Obama for America

I would like to add this although I have said it surely on a previous post. In New Hampshire, the age differences of those of us that came together to work as volunteers for Barack Obama was wide. I am near Hillary Clinton's age. The two running the canvas were two young women who were 18 and 22 respectively. One who put off college to work on this campaign of Barack Obama and the other who put off graduate school for the same reason. They worked until 2:00 a.m. and started all over working at 6:00 a.m. every day. They were always soft spoken, thoroughly prepared and structured, diligent and committed to Barack Obama and their belief that Barack is the one to lead us into a transcending politics of our future.

I so respect the young people involved in Barack's campaign. I so love seeing the variety of ethnicity, age and regions that are brought together by this one candidate.

If you haven't heard Barack in person, you are missing the magical experience. If you haven't listened beyond the pundits, the accusations who are running against him or have never met him, then you have an inaccurate idea of who he is. You have to listen to Barack longer than 30 to 60 seconds. He actually is more experienced than you know. He is just as intelligent as Hillary if not more. He transcends your average and tired politician because he dares to say why can't we have more than what the government has so far been to us.

Here is just one of many bits of information on Barack's website:

Obama has appeal to Latinos

To the Editor

Those watching Univision, the Spanish-language network, at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9, witnessed a historic event. This was the first time that a Spanish-language network sponsored a presidential debate.

Having observed Latino politics in Iowa for the last 14 years, this event represents the increasing potency of the Latino vote.

However, not all candidates are taking advantage of this opportunity, and some are philosophically against it. On the Democratic side, all the major candidates were present.

But Republicans did not have such a forum on Univision because only Sen. John McCain was willing to participate in a similar event. This signals a reversal from the strategy of George W. Bush when he was a candidate.

In 2000, I thought that George Bush had the most effective outreach to Latinos in Iowa. He had a full-time staff person devoted to Latino issues and building a Latino base in Iowa. That may not be enough for Latinos like myself to vote for him, but that effort does carry weight with many Latino voters.

Bush, after all, won 48 percent of the Latino vote when he last ran for governor in Texas. I am not sure any Republican candidate can even approach this sort of support in this election from Latinos nationwide.

This year, the most vigorous outreach to Latinos I have witnessed is that of Sen. Barack Obama. He has a full-time staff person, Joan Kato, devoted to building a Latino network of supporters. Sen. Obama's Latino advisory committee includes powerful voices in the Latino community in Iowa.

Although the total proportion of Latino voters in Iowa is still small, one cannot evade the fact that Latinos now outnumber farmers in Iowa. No one will be able to ignore the Latino vote in this election cycle, especially in key states, such as California, Florida, and Texas.

In the present election cycle, Latinos in Iowa may make a difference in a close race in some areas with high Latino populations (e.g., Muscatine, Denison, Storm Lake, Perry, Marshalltown) if voting registration drives are successful.

Although the presidential forum focused a lot on immigration issues, I support Sen. Obama because, in addition to having sensible plans on many Latino issues, he was against the Iraq War from the start.

Opposition to the Iraq war showed me that Sen. Obama's wisdom and courage was more potent than all of the experience of those seasoned politicians who voted for this costly and unwise human disaster that disproportionately affects the lives of the poor and the marginalized in this country and in Iraq.

Like many Latinos, I am interested in a candidate who makes an effort to reach out to Latinos. But that is just the first step. At the end of the race, I will vote for the candidate who addresses all the major aspects of my life as an American and as a citizen of an increasingly dangerous world. Sen. Obama is that candidate.

Hector Avalos
809 Wheeler Street, No. 6
Ames

Source: Mid Iowa News

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Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love.

Quote of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

HOW OBAMA STANDS ON UNITED STATES FOREIGN RELATIONS ~ CRITICAL TO OUR NATIONAL AND FAMILY'S SECURITY

Barack Obama
Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Phoenix, Arizona

Caroline Kennedy
Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Phoenix, Arizona

Barack Obama is down there ~ that's where all these people are looking

Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Phoenix, Arizona

One thing I noticed when I was at the Primary Party in Nashua, New Hampshire, was that there was not one of the signs
CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN ~ BarackObama.COM
or STAND FOR CHANGE ~ BarackObama.COM
left on the floor or seats. We Barack supporters are either very conscientious of not doing something that would be considered littering or we WANT THOSE SIGNS for the taking as a keepsake. As much as it would be nice to think we are that kind of conscientious, I think it is the "keepsake" thing.

GET OUT THE VOTE FOR OBAMA FROM HOME

BARACK OBAMA’S PLAN TO SECURE AMERICA AND RESTORE OUR STANDING IN THE WORLD

“When I am this party's nominee, my opponent will not be able to say that I voted for the war in Iraq; or that I gave George Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iran; or that I supported Bush-Cheney policies of not talking to leaders that we don't like. And he will not be able to say that I wavered on something as fundamental as whether or not it is ok for America to torture — because it is never ok… I will end the war in Iraq… I will close Guantanamo. I will restore habeas corpus. I will finish the fight against Al Qaeda. And I will lead the world to combat the common threats of the 21st century: nuclear weapons and terrorism; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. And I will send once more a message to those yearning faces beyond our shores that says, "You matter to us. Your future is our future. And our moment is now.”

— Barack Obama, Des Moines, Iowa, November 10, 2007

This is well-worth listening to:

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HOW BARACK OBAMA WILL RENEW OUR STANDING IN THE WORLD
Link: Barack Obama has gathered these brilliant people together for his foreign relations team

Barack's outline to our Foreign Policy under his administration:

• Ending the War in Iraq

• Iran
• Renewing American Diplomacy
• Nuclear Weapons
• Building a 21st Century Military
• Bipartisanship and Openness
• On Israel

Barack Obama's Plan

Ending the War in Iraq

• Judgment You Can Trust: As a candidate for the United States Senate in 2002, Obama put his political career on the line to oppose going to war in Iraq, and warned of “an occupation of undetermined length, with undetermined costs, and undetermined consequences.” Obama has been a consistent, principled and vocal opponent of the war in Iraq:
  1. In 2003 and 2004, he spoke out against the war on the campaign trail;
  2. In 2005, he called for a phased withdrawal of our troops;
  3. In 2006, he called for a timetable to remove our troops, a political solution within Iraq, and aggressive diplomacy with all of Iraq's neighbors;
  4. In January 2007, he introduced legislation in the Senate to remove all of our combat troops from Iraq by March 2008.
  5. In September 2007, he laid out a detailed plan for how he will end the war as president.
• Bring Our Troops Home: Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months. Obama will make it clear that we will not build any permanent bases in Iraq. He will keep some troops in Iraq to protect our embassy and diplomats; if al Qaeda attempts to build a base within Iraq, he will keep troops in Iraq or elsewhere in the region to carry out targeted strikes on al Qaeda.
• Press Iraq's leaders to reconcile: The best way to press Iraq's leaders to take responsibility for their future is to make it clear that we are leaving. As we remove our troops, Obama will engage representatives from all levels of Iraqi society – in and out of government – to seek a new accord on Iraq's Constitution and governance. The United Nations will play a central role in this convention, which should not adjourn until a new national accord is reached addressing tough questions like federalism and oil revenue-sharing.
• Regional Diplomacy: Obama will launch the most aggressive diplomatic effort in recent American history to reach a new compact on the stability of Iraq and the Middle East. This effort will include all of Iraq's neighbors – including Iran and Syria. This compact will aim to secure Iraq's borders; keep neighboring countries from meddling inside Iraq; isolate al Qaeda; support reconciliation among Iraq's sectarian groups; and provide financial support for Iraq's reconstruction.
• Humanitarian Initiative: Obama believes that America has a moral and security responsibility to confront Iraq's humanitarian crisis – two million Iraqis are refugees; two million more are displaced inside their own country. Obama will form an international working group to address this crisis. He will provide at least $2 billion to expand services to Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries, and ensure that Iraqis inside their own country can find a safe-haven.

Iran

• The Problem: Iran has sought nuclear weapons, supports militias inside Iraq and terror across the region, and its leaders threaten Israel and deny the Holocaust. But Obama believes that we have not exhausted our non-military options in confronting this threat; in many ways, we have yet to try them. That's why Obama stood up to the Bush administration's warnings of war, just like he stood up to the war in Iraq.
• Opposed Bush-Cheney Saber Rattling: Obama opposed the Kyl-Lieberman amendment, which says we should use our military presence in Iraq to counter the threat from Iran. Obama believes that it was reckless for Congress to give George Bush any justification to extend the Iraq War or to attack Iran. Obama also introduced a resolution in the Senate declaring that no act of Congress – including Kyl-Lieberman – gives the Bush administration authorization to attack Iran.
• Diplomacy: Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. Now is the time to pressure Iran directly to change their troubling behavior. Obama would offer the Iranian regime a choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal diplomatic relations. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step up our economic pressure and political isolation. Seeking this kind of comprehensive settlement with Iran is our best way to make progress.

Renewing American Diplomacy

• The Problem: The United States is trapped by the Bush-Cheney approach to diplomacy that refuses to talk to leaders we don't like. Not talking doesn't make us look tough – it makes us look arrogant, it denies us opportunities to make progress, and it makes it harder for America to rally international support for our leadership. On challenges ranging from terrorism to disease, nuclear weapons to climate change, we cannot make progress unless we can draw on strong international support.
• Talk to our Foes and Friends: Obama is willing to meet with the leaders of all nations, friend and foe. He will do the careful preparation necessary, but will signal that America is ready to come to the table, and that he is willing to lead. And if America is willing to come to the table, the world will be more willing to rally behind American leadership to deal with challenges like terrorism, and Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs.
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Obama will make progress on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a key diplomatic priority. He will make a sustained push – working with Israelis and Palestinians – to achieve the goal of two states, a Jewish state in Israel and a Palestinian state, living side by side in peace and security.
• Expand our Diplomatic Presence: To make diplomacy a priority, Obama will stop shuttering consulates and start opening them in the tough and hopeless corners of the world – particularly in Africa. He will expand our foreign service, and develop the capacity of our civilian aid workers to work alongside the military.
• Fight Global Poverty: Obama will embrace the Millennium Development Goal of cutting extreme poverty around the world in half by 2015, and he will double our foreign assistance to $50 billion to achieve that goal. He will help the world's weakest states to build healthy and educated communities, reduce poverty, develop markets, and generate wealth.
• Strengthen NATO: Obama will rally NATO members to contribute troops to collective security operations, urging them to invest more in reconstruction and stabilization operations, streamlining the decision-making processes, and giving NATO commanders in the field more flexibility.
• Seek New Partnerships in Asia: Obama will forge a more effective framework in Asia that goes beyond bilateral agreements, occasional summits, and ad hoc arrangements, such as the six-party talks on North Korea. He will maintain strong ties with allies like Japan, South Korea and Australia; work to build an infrastructure with countries in East Asia that can promote stability and prosperity; and work to ensure that China plays by international rules.

Nuclear Weapons

• A Record of Results: The gravest danger to the American people is the threat of a terrorist attack with a nuclear weapon and the spread of nuclear weapons to dangerous regimes. Obama has taken bipartisan action to secure nuclear weapons and materials:
  1. He joined Senator Dick Lugar in passing a law to help the United States and our allies detect and stop the smuggling of weapons of mass destruction throughout the world.
  2. He joined Senator Chuck Hagel to introduce a bill that seeks to prevent nuclear terrorism, reduce global nuclear arsenals, and stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
  3. And while other candidates have insisted that we should threaten to drop nuclear bombs on terrorist training camps, Obama believes that we must talk openly about nuclear weapons – because the best way to keep America safe is not to threaten terrorists with nuclear weapons, it's to keep nuclear weapons away from terrorists.
• Secure Loose Nuclear Materials from Terrorists: Obama will secure all loose nuclear materials in the world within four years. While we work to secure existing stockpiles of nuclear material, Obama will negotiate a verifiable global ban on the production of new nuclear weapons material. This will deny terrorists the ability to steal or buy loose nuclear materials.
• Strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: Obama will crack down on nuclear proliferation by strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty so that countries like North Korea and Iran that break the rules will automatically face strong international sanctions.
• Toward a Nuclear Free World: Obama will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons, and pursue it. Obama will always maintain a strong deterrent as long as nuclear weapons exist. But he will take several steps down the long road toward eliminating nuclear weapons. He will stop the development of new nuclear weapons; work with Russia to take U.S. and Russian ballistic missiles off hair trigger alert; seek dramatic reductions in U.S. and Russian stockpiles of nuclear weapons and material; and set a goal to expand the U.S.-Russian ban on intermediate- range missiles so that the agreement is global.

Building a 21st Century Military

• The Problem: The excellence of our military is unmatched. But as a result of a misguided war in Iraq, our forces are under pressure as never before. Obama will make the investments we need so that the finest military in the world is best-prepared to meet 21st-century threats.
• Rebuild Trust: Obama will rebuild trust with those who serve by ensuring that soldiers and Marines have sufficient training time before they are sent into battle.
• Expand the Military: We have learned from Iraq that our military needs more men and women in uniform to reduce the strain on our active force. Obama will increase the size of ground forces, adding 65,000 soldiers to the Army and 27,000 Marines.
• New Capabilities: Obama will give our troops new equipment, armor, training, and skills like language training. He will also strengthen our civilian capacity, so that our civilian agencies have the critical skills and equipment they need to integrate their efforts with our military.
• Strengthen Guard and Reserve: Obama will restore the readiness of the National Guard and Reserves. He will permit them adequate time to train and rest between deployments, and provide the National Guard with the equipment they need for foreign and domestic emergencies. He will also give the Guard a seat at the table by making the Chief of the National Guard a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Bipartisanship and Openness

• The Problem: Under the Bush administration, foreign policy has been used as a political wedge issue to divide us – not as a cause to bring America together. And it is no coincidence that one of the most secretive administrations in history has pursued policies that have been disastrous for the American people. Obama strongly believes that our foreign policy is stronger when Americans are united, and the government is open and candid with the American people.
• A Record of Bringing People Together: In the Senate, Obama has worked with Republicans and Democrats to advance important policy initiatives on securing weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons, increasing funding for nonproliferation, and countering instability in Congo.
• Consultative Group: Obama will convene a bipartisan Consultative Group of leading members of Congress to foster better executive-legislative relations and bipartisan unity on foreign policy. This group will be comprised of the congressional leadership of both political parties, and the chair and ranking members of the Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Intelligence, and Appropriations Committees. This group will meet with the president once a month to review foreign policy priorities, and will be consulted in advance of military action.
• Getting Politics out of Intelligence: Obama would insulate the Director of National Intelligence from political pressure by giving the DNI a fixed term, like the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Obama will seek consistency and integrity at the top of our intelligence community – not just a political ally.
• Change the Culture of Secrecy: Obama will reverse President Bush's policy of secrecy. He will institute a National Declassification Center to make declassification secure but routine, efficient, and cost-effective.
• Engaging the American People on Foreign Policy: Obama will bring foreign policy decisions directly to the people by requiring his national security officials to have periodic national broadband town hall meetings to discuss foreign policy. He will personally deliver occasional fireside chats via webcast.

On Israel

• Ensure a Strong U.S.-Israel Partnership: Barack Obama strongly supports the U.S.-Israel relationship, believes that our first and incontrovertible commitment in the Middle East must be to the security of Israel, America?s strongest ally in the Middle East. Obama supports this closeness, stating that that the United States would never distance itself from Israel.
• Support Israel's Right to Self Defense: During the July 2006 Lebanon war, Barack Obama stood up strongly for Israel?s right to defend itself from Hezbollah raids and rocket attacks, cosponsoring a Senate resolution against Iran and Syria?s involvement in the war, and insisting that Israel should not be pressured into a ceasefire that did not deal with the threat of Hezbollah missiles. He believes strongly in Israel?s right to protect its citizens.
• Support Foreign Assistance to Israel: Barack Obama has consistently supported foreign assistance to Israel. He defends and supports the annual foreign aid package that involves both military and economic assistance to Israel and has advocated increased foreign aid budgets to ensure that these funding priorities are met. He has called for continuing U.S. cooperation with Israel in the development of missile defense systems.
• Read the full Israel Fact Sheet

For More Information about Barack's Plan

Read the Speech and Learn More About Barack Obama's Plan on Iraq and Iran
Read the Speech on Nuclear Weapons and Diplomacy
Read the Speech on Counter-Terrorism Strategy
Read the Speech on Restoring American Leadership
Barack Obama's Foreign Policy

Speak your mind and help set the policies that will guide this campaign and change the country.

• Present your ideas

All of the above is taken directly from Barack Obama's website on the issue of foreign policy.

BARACK OBAMA INTERVIEWED BY KEITH OLBERMANN

Ethics according to Barack Obama

The Problem

Lobbyists Write National Policies: For example, Vice President Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force of oil and gas lobbyists met secretly to develop national energy policy.

Secrecy Dominates Government Actions: The Bush administration has ignored public disclosure rules and has invoked a legal tool known as the "state secrets" privilege more than any other previous administration to get cases thrown out of civil court.

Wasteful Spending is Out of Control: The current administration has abused its power by handing out contracts without competition to its politically connected friends and supporters. These abuses cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year.

Read Barack Obama's Ethics Plan

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Barack Obama interviewed by Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews the night of President Bush's final State of the Union delivery January 28, 2008

WHO'S TRUTHFUL AND WHO'S NOT ~ OBAMA OR CLINTON?

Picture of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton at the Los Angeles Presidential candidates debate January 31, 2008.
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Barack Obama TV Ad with Caroline Kennedy


The two Democratic candidates for President at the last debate before the Super Tuesday Primary and caucus day , which will happen February 5, 2008.


I hesitated to include these four pictures. I couldn't believe the amount of time given to the one picture posted to the point of saturation, which is the fourth one of this sequence. Round tables were dicing and slicing what this picture meant. I would like to say this much: it is ridiculous to concentrate this much energy and time on the possibilities of what this picture meant. Meant? ~ Well, not really. The assumption was that it could only mean something regarding "to shake or not to shake". Seriously, folks. Does it matter? Truly. There have been important and relative character actions during this campaign. But to discuss for 30 to 60 minutes with panels of pundits about one Senator/ Presidential candidate and another Senator/ Presidential candidate and what was behind whatever is being implied in the fourth picture is pretty much useless energy and attention. Do you see anyone else in these pictures even paying attention to Hillary (other than Ted, one woman and someone I don't recognize)? Look at the others' attention and direction of their eyes. Were the others snubbing Hillary? Hillary says she put her hand out to Barack. It doesn't prove it in these four pictures. I think once again Hillary tried to use what divisiveness was being thrown about and framed it for her best interest and not based in truth. Hillary has lied before. And to me this is just one more example of Hillary adding fuel to a fire which at best is deceptive. Deception is a form of lying. I've had enough of lying with Bush.

New York Times Blog

I'M ASKING FOR A PRESIDENT WHO DOESN'T LIE AND THINKS "WE THE PEOPLE" ARE THE CENTRAL PART OF THE DEMOCRACY

What I am looking for in the Presidential candidate:
Integrity. Operates from truth and not just when it is convenient. Someone who doesn't parse positions and decisions, but is straight-forward. Not pretentious. Doesn't lie. Intelligent. Knowledge that our security is based on the respect from other free nations and peoples and not just our military power. Issues. Addresses the poor. A candidate who calls on us to be a part of our "We the People" democracy and listens to us over the corporate lobbyists. Follows the Constitution. We are not free until we are all considered as important.

OBAMA FOR AMERICA

The Time is NOW

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A focus group of independent voters watch the democratic debate.

Barack Obama on Poverty

Help Barack Obama from your home

Check the Facts about what Hillary says about Barack

BARACK OBAMA IN DENVER WITH CAROLINE KENNEDY JAN 30, 08

YES. WE. CAN.

Caroline Kennedy introducing Barack Obama in Denver, Colorado
January 30, 2008 to overflow crowds

Obama rally in Denver, January 30, 2008

Obama rally in Denver, January 30, 2008

Obama rally in Denver, January 30, 2008

You can help even from your own home: action center

Obama Addresses Overflow Crowd At DU Arena

By Nedra Pickler, AP Writer

Obama drew more than 10,000 people to his speech at the University of Denver. They packed a hockey arena and crammed into two overflow rooms and still were lined up outside to get in. Colorado is a caucus state, one of 22 to hold nominating contests Tuesday, and is one of a handful of states where the Obama campaign is predicting victory. Clinton has the advantage in several others, while several are still up for grabs. From cbs4denver

Check the Facts about what Hillary says about Barack

Supporters making Obama sign posts in garage

San Antonio, Texas
January 21, 2008

Sarasota Springs, New York
January 19, 2008

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Economy

As president, Barack Obama will implement a 21st century economic agenda to help ensure that America can compete in a global economy, and ensure the middle class is thriving and growing. He will increase investments in infrastructure, energy independence, education, and research and development; modernize and simplify our tax code so it provides greater opportunity and relief to more Americans; and implement trade policies that benefit American workers and increase the export of American goods.

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MATT JERZYK INTERVIEWS PATRICK KENNEDY THE DAY HE ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION

Matt Jerzyk wrote this: I just got off the phone with Congressman Kennedy and posted my interview with him about his Obama Endorsement on my blog: http://www.rifuture.org

Best,
Matt

Here it is:

Interview with Rep. Patrick Kennedy Regarding Obama

by: Matt Jerzyk

Mon Jan 28, 2008

I just got off the phone with Congressman Patrick Kennedy and wanted to share with you some of his thoughts on the presidential election and his endorsement of Barack Obama for president:

Question: What did it feel like to be in that crowd today?

It was electric, absolutely euphoric. You felt a part of something much bigger than yourself.

We are looking past the prism of narrow minded special interests and looking for a greater vision of this nation and the world. The Obama campaign is an inspiring thing to be around.

When you work in Washington and the work is dominated by individual issues competing with one another – to have this much bigger idea of unifying everybody –this idea of inclusiveness – is just terrific and it resonates with everybody. Everybody wants to believe again and everybody wants a better country. We have been dominated by a politics that doesn’t ask the American people to participate; the only people that run the country are “the professionals.”

That an ordinary person in America should have a say in the process is at the heart of what this is all about. Obama is the perfect antidote of 8 years of cynicism and an effort by the Bush administration to drive people away from the political process.

Question: Did you talk with Sen. Chris Dodd before making the endorsement?

Chris and I have spoken. Chris talked a great deal about the new patriotism in his campaign. It was a patriotism of national service and it was a cornerstone of his campaign and something I was very attracted to. He spoke about how he was called to service by President Kennedy and about how he - once again - wanted to bring Americans together around service – not just in military service, but serving as mentors, teachers, in the community. He hit the tone that’s necessary to bridge the divide in this country. In addition, I felt like Chris had the ability to repair our image in the world. We need the world to see us as a friend. Barack has the same strength with his ability to repair our international image and improve our standing in the world.

Question: Will you be getting involved in the grassroots campaign in Rhode Island to support Barack Obama and, if so, how?

Absolutely. We want to work with all of Barack’s supporters in RI to get the vote out.

The Clintons have spent a lot of time in RI and we’re up against a formidable challenge with the number of supporters who have endorsed Hillary. But there is a great network of enthusiastic supporters on campuses around the state and people who want to get involved in the Obama campaign.

This is a terrific opportunity to get the grassroots going and give people a chance to show that this democratic process can be changed by their participation

No one could have thought that this race is as wide open as it is right now and Rhode Island is going to matter. Rhode Island is going to count and the people out there working hard are going to count.

…My office will be working closely with Barack Obama supporters in Rhode Island to do whatever we can to get out the vote on election day.

Let me just add that I told Congressman Kennedy that I can only imagine the amount of political pressure that the Clinton machine was putting on him and his family and that I commend his courage and his vision in endorsing Obama. It certainly wasn't the most politically expedient thing to do. But it was the right thing to do.

DO WE COUNT IN OUR DEMOCRACY? AND WHO GETS TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION?

Edward and Edwin Mutanguha

"You have something others envy ~ your freedom" is what Edward Mutanguha said to us on a Saturday afternoon in late October in Providence, Rhode Island on the State Capitol grounds. And with that comes responsibility to use that freedom. We gathered to make a statement that we were standing up to end the now 5 year old genocide in Darfur. Edward and his twin brother, Edwin, had first hand experience. They are Rwandans that necessarily lived in exile due to the genocide in their homeland of Rwanda. I believe firmly that we must become knowledgeable and engaged in the political process or we will lose our freedoms.

I sent a letter to my Senators Reed, Whitehouse and Representative Patrick Kennedy asking for their endorsements for Barack Obama for President. Here is the one I sent to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse:

Subject: Health of our Country and Darfur

Dear Senator Whitehouse,

I am writing to you on behalf of my heart and genuine love for our people and the people around the world. I am a grass roots Darfur ~ Stop and Prevent Genocide ~ activist with the Save Darfur Coalition. I organized the Rhode Island state Torch Relay in regards to China and Darfur. I am sure you know about China's role in the genocide of the Darfur people. Omar al-Bashir has been jerking "our" chain and plays games with us especially about getting the UN Peacekeepers in place as agreed upon July 31, 2007.

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Our Rhode Island Dream for Darfur Torch Relay in Providence, October 27, 2007

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I have lobbied you in person regarding Darfur in your Providence office on May 29, 2007 with constituents, including several high school students and the past executive director of STAND, as well as Frank Caprio, RI General Treasurer.

A separate reason for writing is that I am a proud and strong supporter of Barack Obama for President. I volunteer for his campaign, including a week in New Hampshire, running up to their Primary. I have never in my 59 years done anything like this before. I can tell you that the 18 and 22 year olds that were organizing all of our canvassing were committed, hard workers and made me extremely proud and humble. I will never vote for Hillary, which leaves me somewhat afraid.

Would you please consider endorsing, very publicly, Barack Obama? This would be in my humble opinion a very genuine and good message to our nation and the world, that We Do Want to Be Unified and NOT the divided United States of America. Time is of the essence.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

I admire you for what you have done in the past regarding Darfur, however we need to get the helicopters in Darfur immediately for the UN Peacekeepers. What has been going on recently in Darfur is extremely troubling and going on under the media radar.

Thank you for your continued support regarding Darfur and our humanity.

LINKS ABOUT CURRENT DARFUR NEWS:
http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnMCD640425.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/01/23/darfur.hijackings.ap/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27sun2.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=
http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN734520.html

Sandra Hammel
Rhode Island
Female
White
Grew up in a Republican, Bible-belt family in Indiana
Turns out I am a Democrat
B.S. and M.M.
Retired Teacher and Human Rights Activist

GENOCIDE STOPS WITH US - LET'S MAKE IT PAST HISTORY

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CHINA PLEASE: Bring the Olympic Dream to Darfur. The 2008 Olympic theme is ONE WORLD, ONE DREAM. www.dreamfordarfur.org
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

www.savedarfur.org
I post all of my Darfur events on this website. Click on "Darfur Events Center" on right hand side of Home Page, Type in zip code 02840.
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This is a reminder of how to behave. This is Barack Obama's speech after he conceded to Hillary Clinton who got 2% more of the votes from New Hampshire. However, know that Hillary and Barack received equal number of delegates. I was there this night. I am so glad that I was.

Hillary didn't even meet together with her volunteers in South Carolina after she conceded to Barack on the telephone. Volunteers work very, very hard on the candidates' behalf. Volunteers go door-to-door and meet with all variations of welcome or unwelcome. And it is good manners for the candidate to meet with the volunteers at the end of the time in the state after the primary or caucus.

Please, notice how Barack handled this very same situation in the Youtube above, leading by example.
Barack Obama's New Hampshire YES WE CAN speech.

"There has never been anything false about hope.
...When we're told that we're not ready....that we shouldn't try or that we can't....Yes. We. Can. ...a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation, Yes, we can......Yes, we can to justice and equality....Yes, we can to opportunity and prosperity, Yes we can heal this nation, Yes, We can repair this world...Yes, We Can...We will remember that something is happening in America, that we are not as divided as our politics suggest, that we are one people, we are one
nation and together we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words, from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea. Yes. We. Can." Barack Obama, January 8, 2008 in Nashua High School gym, New Hampshire

BARACK ROCKS MY WORLD ~ AND YES THE WORLD IS WATCHING

Barack and Michelle Obama, January 26, 2008, in Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, South Carolina

The Right Change Can Be Ours

Pat Buchanan said on MSNBC tonight that the Clinton's have Barack Obama ~ after the South Carolina Primary ~ right where they planned. . . right where they want to be. Pat Buchanan is for Hillary Clinton because he expects Hillary to unify his party, the Republican party. He should be fired from his job. I'll reserve my reasons. But I'll say this much, when you can spin a 55% Barack Obama win and a 27% Hillary Clinton loss ~ to be in Hillary's best interest, something is off-balance in the brain.

He is so blatantly weird. And that is nicer than how I want to say, what I feel about this male.

How would it be spun if Hillary had won? Would that have been in Barack's best interest?

Hillary won in New Hampshire by 2% and even then Barack got the same number of pledged delegates from New Hampshire. How can you win by 28% as in South Carolina, and it is just what Bill and Hillary were hoping for? That is what Pat Buchanan said tonight. What kind of thinking does it take to come up with this reasoning?

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Barack Obama's Speech text as prepared for delivery in Columbia, South Carolina...

Over two weeks ago, we saw the people of Iowa proclaim that our time for change has come. But there were those who doubted this country’s desire for something new – who said Iowa was a fluke not to be repeated again.

Well, tonight, the cynics who believed that what began in the snows of Iowa was just an illusion were told a different story by the good people of South Carolina.

After four great contests in every corner of this country, we have the most votes, the most delegates, and the most diverse coalition of Americans we’ve seen in a long, long time.

They are young and old; rich and poor. They are black and white; Latino and Asian. They are Democrats from Des Moines and Independents from Concord; Republicans from rural Nevada and young people across this country who’ve never had a reason to participate until now. And in nine days, nearly half the nation will have the chance to join us in saying that we are tired of business-as-usual in Washington, we are hungry for change, and we are ready to believe again

But if there’s anything we’ve been reminded of since Iowa, it’s that the kind of change we seek will not come easy. Partly because we have fine candidates in the field – fierce competitors, worthy of respect. And as contentious as this campaign may get, we have to remember that this is a contest for the Democratic nomination, and that all of us share an abiding desire to end the disastrous policies of the current administration.

But there are real differences between the candidates. We are looking for more than just a change of party in the White House. We’re looking to fundamentally change the status quo in Washington – a status quo that extends beyond any particular party. And right now, that status quo is fighting back with everything it’s got; with the same old tactics that divide and distract us from solving the problems people face, whether those problems are health care they can’t afford or a mortgage they cannot pay.

So this will not be easy. Make no mistake about what we’re up against.

We are up against the belief that it’s ok for lobbyists to dominate our government – that they are just part of the system in Washington. But we know that the undue influence of lobbyists is part of the problem, and this election is our chance to say that we’re not going to let them stand in our way anymore.

We are up against the conventional thinking that says your ability to lead as President comes from longevity in Washington or proximity to the White House. But we know that real leadership is about candor, and judgment, and the ability to rally Americans from all walks of life around a common purpose – a higher purpose.

We are up against decades of bitter partisanship that cause politicians to demonize their opponents instead of coming together to make college affordable or energy cleaner; it’s the kind of partisanship where you’re not even allowed to say that a Republican had an idea – even if it’s one you never agreed with. That kind of politics is bad for our party, it’s bad for our country, and this is our chance to end it once and for all.

We are up against the idea that it’s acceptable to say anything and do anything to win an election. We know that this is exactly what’s wrong with our politics; this is why people don’t believe what their leaders say anymore; this is why they tune out. And this election is our chance to give the American people a reason to believe again.

And what we’ve seen in these last weeks is that we’re also up against forces that are not the fault of any one campaign, but feed the habits that prevent us from being who we want to be as a nation. It’s the politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon. A politics that tells us that we have to think, act, and even vote within the confines of the categories that supposedly define us. The assumption that young people are apathetic. The assumption that Republicans won’t cross over. The assumption that the wealthy care nothing for the poor, and that the poor don’t vote. The assumption that African-Americans can’t support the white candidate; whites can’t support the African-American candidate; blacks and Latinos can’t come together.

But we are here tonight to say that this is not the America we believe in. I did not travel around this state over the last year and see a white South Carolina or a black South Carolina. I saw South Carolina. I saw crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children. I saw shuttered mills and homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from all walks of life, and men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag. I saw what America is, and I believe in what this country can be.

That is the country I see. That is the country you see. But now it is up to us to help the entire nation embrace this vision. Because in the end, we are not just up against the ingrained and destructive habits of Washington, we are also struggling against our own doubts, our own fears, and our own cynicism. The change we seek has always required great struggle and sacrifice. And so this is a battle in our own hearts and minds about what kind of country we want and how hard we’re willing to work for it.

So let me remind you tonight that change will not be easy. That change will take time. There will be setbacks, and false starts, and sometimes we will make mistakes. But as hard as it may seem, we cannot lose hope. Because there are people all across this country who are counting us; who can’t afford another four years without health care or good schools or decent wages because our leaders couldn’t come together and get it done.

Theirs are the stories and voices we carry on from South Carolina.

The mother who can’t get Medicaid to cover all the needs of her sick child – she needs us to pass a health care plan that cuts costs and makes health care available and affordable for every single American.

The teacher who works another shift at Dunkin Donuts after school just to make ends meet – she needs us to reform our education system so that she gets better pay, and more support, and her students get the resources they need to achieve their dreams.

The Maytag worker who is now competing with his own teenager for a $7-an-hour job at Wal-Mart because the factory he gave his life to shut its doors – he needs us to stop giving tax breaks to companies that ship our jobs overseas and start putting them in the pockets of working Americans who deserve it. And struggling homeowners. And seniors who should retire with dignity and respect.

The woman who told me that she hasn’t been able to breathe since the day her nephew left for Iraq, or the soldier who doesn’t know his child because he’s on his third or fourth tour of duty – they need us to come together and put an end to a war that should’ve never been authorized and never been waged.

The choice in this election is not between regions or religions or genders. It’s not about rich versus poor; young versus old; and it is not about black versus white.

It’s about the past versus the future.

It’s about whether we settle for the same divisions and distractions and drama that passes for politics today, or whether we reach for a politics of common sense, and innovation – a shared sacrifice and shared prosperity.

There are those who will continue to tell us we cannot do this. That we cannot have what we long for. That we are peddling false hopes.

But here’s what I know. I know that when people say we can’t overcome all the big money and influence in Washington, I think of the elderly woman who sent me a contribution the other day – an envelope that had a money order for $3.01 along with a verse of scripture tucked inside. So don’t tell us change isn’t possible.

When I hear the cynical talk that blacks and whites and Latinos can’t join together and work together, I’m reminded of the Latino brothers and sisters I organized with, and stood with, and fought with side by side for jobs and justice on the streets of Chicago. So don’t tell us change can’t happen.

When I hear that we’ll never overcome the racial divide in our politics, I think about that Republican woman who used to work for Strom Thurmond, who’s now devoted to educating inner-city children and who went out onto the streets of South Carolina and knocked on doors for this campaign. Don’t tell me we can’t change.

Yes we can change.

Yes we can heal this nation.

Yes we can seize our future.

And as we leave this state with a new wind at our backs, and take this journey across the country we love with the message we’ve carried from the plains of Iowa to the hills of New Hampshire; from the Nevada desert to the South Carolina coast; the same message we had when we were up and when we were down – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope; and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people in three simple words:

Yes. We. Can.

Speech link

4,853 articles from around the world

What the Guardian of Great Britain Writes
Clintons underestimated South Carolina's significance

Here you can hear Barack deliver the above speech:
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Barack Obama gives South Carolina Victory Speech

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A supporter of Barack Obama feels strongly as I do about Barack

OBAMA FOR AMERICA

Sign up to help from your home even: Barack Obama

Song: Victory

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Victory
(This is new to me, so I am fiddling around with this way of sharing my beloved music, until I learn how it works.)