President Obama's Address

There’s no denying that President Obama is one of the most eloquent politicians to come along in a long time. That was on display last night in his address to the joint session of Congress. The President put forth ideas that certainly show a shift in direction from the previous administration. It was nice to see energy and the environment move up the ladder of national priorities. The president also did a nice job in using his popularity with young people to tell them that he expects that they not only graduate high school, but further their education beyond high school, and he framed it well in terms of being a responsibility of citizenship.

What didn’t add up about the President’s speech was the math. President Obama laid out a number of ambitious goals one of which was cutting the national deficit in half by the year 2013. However, instituting programs such as national health care, making college accessible to all citizens, and instituting a cap and trade initiative on carbon emission is beyond ambitious when also trying to cut the deficit. With a huge stimulus package that just passed, a large appropriations bill about to come up for debate, and the possibly of more money needed for bailout plans, it seems highly unlikely that the national debt will do anything other than balloon even further. This isn’t just an issue of a theoretical debt that will some day have to be paid by the tax payer. This is a basic math problem that could negatively impact the economy for years to come. Government services take on an added appeal if the price tag is ignored, and a better explanation needs to be given of the cost to taxpayers before these programs are rubber stamped.

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President Obama’s Address

Judd Gregg Won't Be Commerce Secretary

From Politico I couldn't be Judd Gregg

Sen. Judd Gregg abruptly withdrew his nomination as commerce secretary Thursday, telling Politico that he “couldn’t be Judd Gregg” and serve in Barack Obama’s Cabinet.

The White House — where some aides were caught off guard by the withdrawal — responded harshly to Gregg’s announcement, portraying the New Hampshire Republican as someone who sought the job and then had a “change of heart.”

In a statement, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Gregg had “reached out to the president and offered his name for secretary of commerce” — and that he’d promised that, “despite past disagreements about policies, he would support, embrace and move forward with the president’s agenda.”

Obama himself told an Illinois newspaper that Gregg’s withdrawal was “something of a surprise” because the senator had “approached us with interest and seemed enthusiastic.”

Although one White House aide said he was “blindsided” by the news, chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said Gregg signaled to the administration earlier in week that he was having second thoughts and Obama met with him Wednesday at the White House to urge him to stay.

Still, there was no joint statement — as there was when former Sen. Tom Daschle withdrew as Obama’s Health and Human Services nominee — and the tension between the White House and Gregg was clear. 

Senate Republicans Put Forward Alternative Stimulus Plan

Republican Senators put together an alternative stimulus package that has a much lower price tag than the current version of the stimulus bill, as the AP reports that the current plan tops $900 billion. The Republican alternative allows home owners to refinance their home mortgages at a low interest rate that will help the home owner and help stabilize home prices in general. This plan also provides more money for infrastructure projects than the current bill and cuts the payroll tax and the corporate tax to encourage economic growth and job creation. Also, it requires spending cuts once the economy has rebounded helping to limit the amount of future government debt. CNN reports not only that their is a this second bill, but moderates are also working on the current bill trimming the excess pork...

Some Republicans want to take it a step farther than their party's leaders. Ten Republican senators, including Sen. John McCain, want more funds -- almost $90 billion -- for infrastructure. They are shopping around a plan with a price tag of just under $500 billion.

"We can either fight the Democrat proposals, which would increase the deficit incredibly and mortgage our children's futures and not beneficially stimulate our economy, which we will do, in many respects. But we have to have a proposal of our own," said McCain, R-Arizona.

That version of the stimulus measure, put together by Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, is broader than the one proposed by GOP leadership, but narrower than the Democratic bill.

The group of Republicans met Tuesday to discuss their plan because they don't believe their leadership's approach, focusing exclusively on the housing crisis and tax cuts, is enough to jump-start the economy.

Another alternative that's getting a lot of attention is a bipartisan plan from Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson and Maine Republican Susan Collins. The two moderate senators are looking at the current economic stimulus package and trying to scrub it of all spending that they say will not stimulate the economy.

One attempt to trim pork from the current bill was successful. An ammendment passed sponsored by Tom Coburn that eliminated a $246 million dollar tax break for Hollywood movie companies.

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Senator McCain has sponsored a petition protesting the current version of the stimulus bill...

Sign Vote No On The Stimulus Package Petition

Americans Will Pay the Bill for Overloaded Stimulus Package

Rasmusen reports that support for the Emergency Stimulus plan is slipping. This is not surprising since the stimulus has been packed with pork, which by anyone's definition seriously stretches the meaning of emergency. Regular Americans know better than many politicians the basic fact that bills have to be paid, and this proposal leaves Americans holding the tab for a pile of pork. President Obama and House Republicans have shown some willingness to compromise, but the House bill that passed yesterday had not one Republican vote for it and 11 Democrats also oppose it for good reason. Just take a look at a few of the items in this bill that have been stuffed into this bill...

• $20 million “for the removal of small- to medium-sized fish passage barriers.”
• $400 million for STD prevention
• $25 million to rehabilitate off-roading (ATV) trails
• $34 million to remodel the Department of Commerce HQ
• $70 million to “Support Supercomputing Activities” for climate research
• $150 million for honey bee insurance

Cited from Earmarks In House Bill

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Americans Will Pay the Bill for Overloaded Stimulus Package

Democrats Take Aim At Investments and Savings

US News and World Report is reports in their article Why Democrats Will Target the Investor Class in 2009 that a Democrat run government will target a government take over of savings and investments for political expediency. It should be noted that the 'investor class' includes people who put thier savings in IRA's and 401K's. This isn't the super wealthy, this is most often responsible middle class Americans that save for retirement and other needs. This not only threatens people's savings it is more evidence that a government fully controlled by the Democrats will result in a dramatic lurch to the left as thes are plans for more big government control.

1) Hike Investment Taxes. Obama wants to raise capital gains taxes even though he has kinda, sorta admitted that it might be bad for the economy and might actually decrease tax revenue to the government. For now, he's talking about raising the highest cap gains rate by one third to 20 percent, though earlier in the campaign, he floated pushing it as high as 28 percent, a near doubling. (Recall that Democratic presidential contender John Edwards wanted to raise it as high as 40 percent, a move that was applauded by liberals who want investment income to be taxed as onerously as labor income.) With the next administration facing a trillion dollar budget deficit—maybe more—there will certainly be pressure to raise taxes to higher levels than now being suggested.

2) Eliminate 401(k)'s, IRAs, and other retirement plans. Democrats in the House are now talking openly about the longtime liberal dream of repealing the tax advantages of putting money into a 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged retirement account. "The savings rate isn't going up for the investment of $80 billion [in 401(k) tax breaks], we have to start to think about whether or not we want to continue to invest that $80 billion for a policy that's not generating what we now say it should," said Rep. Jim McDermott, a Democrat from Washington at a recent hearing, according to an industry trade paper.

Indeed, House Democrats recently invited Teresa Ghilarducci, a professor at the New School of Social Research, to testify before a subcommittee on her idea to eliminate the preferential tax treatment of the popular retirement plans. In place of 401(k) plans, she would have workers transfer their dough into government-created "guaranteed retirement accounts" with a 3 percent real return.

Not only would removing the preferential tax treatment of these vehicles raise investment taxes by $100 billion a year and affect Americans making less than $100,000, it would surely prompt many Americans, already shell-shocked by the market's recent losses, to flee stocks. All this ignores the fact that there are trillions of dollars in American retirement accounts, and abandoning the higher-returning stock market at a probable bottom is classic financial foolishness. If you believe long term in the American economy, then you have to believe in the stock market. If you don't, then you have to admit the government won't be able to afford its promises anyway.

3) Replace private capital with public capital. But wouldn't a weak stock market hurt the economy by making it tougher to raise investment capital and lessen the return on risk? Surely, it would. But Obama is planning hundreds of billions of dollars of government "investment" in cutting-edge technology, particularly in the energy and healthcare sectors. One specific example: Obama wants to create something called a "Clean Technologies Venture Capital Fund" and invest $10 billion a year in emerging energy technologies. Now, the private VC industry is already pouring billions into alternative energy, but Obama thinks that's not enough and wants Uncle Sam to get in on the action at taxpayer expense. Interestingly, a new study by the University of British Columbia looked at the performance of the Canadian government's venture capital efforts. It found that government venture capital isn't nearly as successful as private venture capital.

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Democrats Take Aim At Investments and Savings

Biden Says Obama Will Be Tested With A ‘Major International Crisis’

Barack Obama will need help in a crisis, says Joe Biden from Times Online UK...

Joe Biden, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, has told Americans to expect a “major international crisis” that will present an early test of a Barack Obama administration.

His comments were seized upon by the Republican campaign yesterday to raise fresh doubts about the prepared-ness of Mr Obama to be commander-in-chief.

Speaking at a fundraiser in Seattle on Sunday night, Mr Biden said: “Mark my words, it will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We’re about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here . . . we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”

He cited Russia and the Middle East as possible places that may cause problems, as well as the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan – “crawling with al-Qaeda” – as being of particular concern.

Mr Obama would need help and support, Mr Biden suggested, “because it’s not gonna be apparent, initially, that we’re right.” He then spotted the media in the room, “I probably shouldn’t have said all this because it dawned on me that the press is here.”

Now why would anyone vote for Barack Obama when his own VP states that a vote for Obama is a vote for an international crisis? Why would anyone want to be a part of a ticket that one believes will lead the country to crisis? What an unbelievable statement. The only time a time camera falls on Senator Biden at this point is when he is trying to pull his foot out of his mouth. However, this is beyond a gaffe; this is disturbing. It appears Senator Biden sees Senator Obama as weak. It appears that Senator Biden, is not confident in Senator Obama's ability to handle a crisis, and it appears that Senator Biden would prefer a "major international crisis" that a Republican president.

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Biden Says Obama Will Be Tested With A ‘Major International Crisis’

Obama, FactCheck.org, Ayers, and the Annenburg Foundation

There is a disturbing link between Barack Obama, FactCheck.org, and William Ayers. National Review reports that William Ayers and Barack Obama both served as co-chairs of the Chicago Annenburg Challenge. Obama called for an $3.5 million dollar earmark for the Annenburg Foundation that sponsors FactCheck.org. Several FactCheck articles have been viewed as promoting the Obama campaign line instead of truly acting as a fact checkers. Controlling the ‘facts’ is a hallmark of a totalitarian regime, and this is a truly unsettling connection.

Mission statement from FactCheck.org.

The Annenberg Political Fact Check is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state and federal levels.
The APPC accepts NO funding from business corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying organizations or individuals. It is funded primarily by the Annenberg Foundation.

Requested Annenberg Earmark from Barack Obama - Citation from Answers.BarackObama.com

Obama Requested $3.5 Million For The USC Annenberg Research Network. In 2005, Obama requested $3.5 million for the USC Annenberg Research Network on International Communication, in partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, to support the deployment of pervasive broadband for education and economic development.Funding was for the construction of a large-scale broadband wireless systems in two communities—one in South Los Angeles and the other in small-town Illinois. In each community, broadband network coverage will be provided over a minimum of about a half-square mile area, utilizing leading edge wireless technologies. In Los Angeles, this will include the five schools in USC’s immediate neighborhood, with about 8,000 K-12 students. USC also will provide wireless equipment and access to every family with a student entering the first grade of a new Science Center School, and in Illinois, a similar group of students will be selected to receive wireless equipment and access within the coverage area. The impact of these technologies on the students and their families will be tracked. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education, 6/7/05]

Obama’s Challenge from the National Review

Let’s first review CAC’s [Chicago Annenburg Challenge] initial setup. In the first year, 1995, Obama headed the board, which made fiscal decisions, and Ayers co-chaired the Collaborative, which set education policy. During that first year, Obama’s formal responsibilities mandated close cooperation and coordination with the Collaborative. As board chair and president of the CAC corporation, Obama was authorized to “delegate to the Collaborative the development of collaborative projects and programs . . . to obtain assistance of the Collaborative in the development of requests for proposals . . . and to seek advice from the Collaborative regarding the programmatic aspects of grant proposals.” All this clearly involves significant consultation between the board, headed by Obama, and the Collaborative, co-chaired by Ayers.

Hat Tip to Death by 1000 Papercuts for first reporting this in their article Obama, Bill Ayers, and FactCheck.Org: All Have Ties To Annenberg Foundation

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Clarification: The connection between Obama and Ayers is through
the Chicago Annenberg Challenge that received money from the Annenburg
Foundation, but the Chicago Annenburg Challenge Challenge and the
Annenburg Foundation are not directly connected philosophically.  The
earmark Senator Obama requested was for the Annenburg Foundation, which
funded the Chicago Annenburg Challenge and also funds FactCheck.org. 
Obama is tied to both groups one via earmark, the other via direct
participation, however, Ayers is not directly connected to
FactCheck.org.

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Obama Controlling the Facts

Republicans Democrats Fannie Mae Freddie Mac

The Presidential Debate and the Bracelet Moment

Senator McCain talked, as he has previously, about Matthew Stanley and his family of Wolfboro, NH, and the bracelet Senator McCain wears in his honor.

Senator Obama reading the name off 'his bracelet' was tacky, and poorly done.

The story of John McCain, Matthew Stanley, and the bracelet.

Positive Signs for the McCain Campaign

1. Base united and energized with Palin pick.

2. Strong support from both Independents and Democrats.

3. Obama's money advantage is shrinking. Party money combine with campaign money makes the money race extremely close.

4. During primaries Obama tended to poll better than he performed except in blowout situations. McCain tended to perform better over even with polls.

5. The youth vote is fickle, the senior vote is not. While no one knows who will turn out in the end, stats say the person who has consistently voted over the years will show up on election day, while first time voters don't have a strong turn out record.

6. The debates are coming. Question and answer is McCain's strong suite, and not Obama's.

7. Volunteer efforts are improved. State volunteer info - Phone from home volunteer info.

8. Energy - Winter's coming and as Dems stall on the energy bill, and people have to pay for heating oil, gasoline, and electricity; the 'do everything' approach of Republicans, already popular, will likely gain more traction as the days get shorter and colder.

9. McCain is a closer. Looking at the primaries as a guide McCain was behind almost the entire election except for election day. Obama, on the other hand, had a burst at the beginning, but had trouble closing out the race even when the numbers were decisively in his favor.

10. The VP picks. Palin brings excitement and energy, no one pays any attention to Biden except when he sticks his foot in his mouth.

Positive Signs for the McCain Campaign

Orson Swindle Roommates at the Hanoi Hilton

New Hampshire Democrats Endorse McCain Palin

New Hampshire Democratic State Legislator Endorses McCain-Palin
Press Release

Posted on Friday, September 12, 2008 4:48:07 PM by frankjr

For Immediate Release

Contact: Press Office

Friday, September 12, 2008

603-369-8744

MANCHESTER, NH -- The McCain-Palin campaign today announced that New Hampshire State Representative Doreen Howard, a Democratic legislator from Newmarket, has endorsed John McCain for president. Representative Howard previously supported Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's candidacy.

"As a lifelong Democrat who enthusiastically backed Hillary Clinton in the primaries, I am now supporting John McCain. Like Senator Clinton, McCain values the importance of public service. Both Clinton and McCain put country first and that's critically important," said Howard. "John McCain and Sarah Palin are mavericks who have proven they can deliver real reform. As our nation faces challenges at home and abroad, Americans will benefit from their experience, judgment and strong leadership."

Elected in 2006, Representative Howard is a member of the State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee. She represents Newmarket and Newfields.

Representative Howard supported John Kerry in 2004 and Al Gore in 2000.

Is McCain/Palin In Obama's Head?

Obama and his campaign have been showing signs of having been rattled by the VP pick of Palin. However, there were signs before the VP selection that the Obama campaign could be rattled. First, the celebrity ad. Outrage, and cries of foul abounded over an ad that basically poked fun at Obama's celebrity and his legions of euphoric supporters. Second, Saddleback. Not the event itself, but the cries of cheating that came from the Obama campaign. It couldn't be that McCain outperformed Obama there must have been foul play. So the Obama campaign screams cheater because Senator McCain wasn't hermetically sealed in in a sound proof pod, or 'cone of silence'. Their reaction was both foolish, and a sign that even minor victories by the McCain campaign could rattle them. However, the pre-Palin kicker is that someone convinced Senator Obama to give a mediocre acceptance speech. What is the one area where Senator Obama has a decisive edge? Speech making; and he under-performed. How that happened should be studied in political science classes in years to come, because forfeiting a strength in any arena is flat crazy.

Then comes the VP picks. Obama doesn't want Clinton, and chooses a candidate to help him appear more experienced so he picks Biden. McCain supporters chuckle as Senator Biden is a legendary 'Gaffe Machine'. Everyone else yawns. Good guy, fairly safe pick, but no one really cares. Then it's McCain's turn. Everyone is predicting Romney or Pawlenty, both safe choices, but again not terribly exciting. The McCain campaign keeps the pick completely secret, and then Palin explodes on the scene. She gave a good opening speech, but there were a lot of questions about her still to be addressed. The Obama campaign immediately took a shot at her, but then retracted the statement as harsh and unnecessary. The media loses its mind. Certainly that's not the Obama camps fault, but their obvious Obama bias and hysterical reaction to Palin does not help their favorite candidate. Clumsily the Obama campaign chimed in with cracks about her experience as a small town mayor, and dismissed her experience as a sitting Governor. This opened the door for Palin to clock Obama on his community organizer experience during her acceptance speech, which was such a powerful speech that it made the media and Obama look foolish for their attacks.

Since then the Obama campaign has struggled to get its bearings. First, Obama acted horrified that Palin challenged his community organizer experience, when he had really set himself up. Then his campaign had a meltdown over Palin's comment that she had pulled the plug on the 'Bridge to No Where'. Instead of criticizing Palin's original support for a different version of the bridge, or questioning what that money should have been spent on after the project was dead, the Obama campaign instead freaked out. They called Palin a liar, they called the McCain/Palin ticket corrupt, yet in the end Palin did pull the plug on the 'Bridge to No Where' and the Obama campaign's over-reaction looked foolish and unstable. Then comes Senator Obama's 'Lipstick on a pig' comment. One can argue intent all day long, however, there is little argument that the comment was incredibly stupid. Particularly, since in the same day he made another comment about a 'stinking fish', and another campaign member also referenced lipstick in a less than flattering way. For someone who is typically graceful in his use of language, "The fierce urgency of now", "We are not red states or blue states, we are the United States", talking about lipstick on pigs after Palin made a lipstick joke during her speech is at best sloppy and out of character.

Today the fumbling continues. An ad criticizing Senator McCain's out of date attire from 1982, and challenging his apparent internet ineptitude has to be one of the weakest attack ads put out in years. Maybe that helps him somehow with the youth vote, but he already has the youth vote. Most people over the age of 30 know at some point in their lives they've worn a silly outfit, and/or had a bad hair day. As for lack of internet experience, who cares? It's an odd argument that I can't imagine helps the campaign. The Obama campaign has abandoned their 'new politics' argument for random and silly attacks. It's not just that they're struggling since the Palin pick and the convention, its that they're panicking. They're only down a few points in the polls, the real problem isn't the numbers it's that the McCain/Palin ticket has them completely flustered.

Is McCain/Palin in Obama's Head?

McCain Attends NH Nascar Race

New Hampshire NASCAR Race
What: New Hampshire NASCAR Race
When: September 14, 2008 12:00 p.m.
Where: New Hampshire International Speedway
Loudon, NH

McCain Palin Reform Ticket Tackle Change

Reform: 1.the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc.: social reform; spelling reform.

Change: 1.to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone: to change one's name; to change one's opinion; to change the course of history.

From Dictionary.com

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There is a difference in the promise of a change versus the promise of a reform. First, a reform ticket acknowledges the good of the initial structure, and seeks to route out what has corrupted it. The promise of change simply says things will be different; possibly better, possibly worse, but definitely different. Change lacks specifics, reform seeks the goal of fixing the problems.

While reform includes some change, the basic promise differs, and this is evident in the two campaigns. The Obama campaign promises to be different than President Bush. Different how? In party affiliation, in political philosophy, a broad sweeping promise to not be 'him'. However, the McCain campaign says through reform they'll fix Washington. Washington is 'broken', but it is not inherently bad. The government structures of America are quite remarkable, however, with power comes corruption and the McCain/Palin ticket seeks to rectify problems of waste and corruption. The 'reform mantle' take a sliver of the 'change argument' and focus it on specifics. The idea of change is often appealing, but change can be good and it can be bad. Simply promising not to be 'that guy' is not concrete plan for what type of change one seeks.

McCain Palin Reform Ticket Tackle Change

New Hampshire - The McCain Update

Official McCain Convention gear is now available! The online store for the Republican National Convention launched this week, so you can now order the latest McCain and GOP Convention gear.



In the store, there is an "Official Convention Kit"
available
which is a great way to show your Republican pride and support of John
McCain. The kit includes a McCain t-shirt, buttons, a McCain Hat, and a
McCain travel mug.



Even if you cannot attend the convention in Minnesota, this is your chance to be involved and share in the excitement. Click here to visit the store now and remember to tell your friends and family to visit RNCGear.com too!







Host a Convention Watching Party!










The Republican National Convention begins on September 1st and the
planning is underway for our next McCain Nation party. On
September 4th, we will have a nationwide Convention Watching party as
John McCain accepts the Republican nomination in Minnesota. Click here to host an event or find one near you to attend.



After the great success of our first nationwide event, we hope to organize even more parties on September 4th. The last night of the convention will be a momentous evening that you will want to enjoy with other McCain supporters, so begin planning your event today!









Join Us on the Road to the Convention









As John McCain prepares to accept the Republican nomination on
September 4th at the GOP Convention in Minnesota, he will be holding rallies around the country leading up to the exciting night.



The first Road to the Convention Rally will be on August 29th in
Dayton, Ohio. From there, John and Cindy will travel to Washington,
Pennsylvania, on August 30th. John Rich, of the band "Big and Rich,"
will also be at the Pennsylvania event. The next stop will be in
O'Fallon, Missouri.



Tickets are free and required for entrance. To reserve tickets, click here for the Ohio event, click here for the Pennsylvania event and click here for the Missouri event. If you are in the area, please come and show your support for John McCain on his way to the Republican National Convention!









A Message from Orson Swindle





Below is a special message and news article from Orson Swindle,
Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Ret.). Orson was a prisoner of war in Vietnam
with John McCain and is a longtime friend.



"I'd like to pass along to you what I believe is the most complete
accounting of how my friend, John McCain, helped our nation avoid a
disaster in Iraq.



"When you read this article, you'll understand better what John McCain
was up against. People told him he was wrong. People told him it would
cost him his chance for the nomination for President of the United
States. True to form, John McCain decided to listen to the commanders
on the ground. He'd seen the situation with his own eyes, and his years
of experience in military and foreign affairs convinced him that he
could not ignore what was happening in Iraq, what the commanders were
saying, and the solution that was required." Click here to continue reading Orson Swindle's message.







Latest News












On Monday, John McCain spoke at the 109th Annual Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States National Convention. He praised the veterans for their service and discussed the importance of supporting our current military
men and women now and in the future.



John McCain also talked about the war in Iraq and growing concern over
Russia's recent actions in Georgia. He contrasted his plans in Iraq
with Senator Barack Obama's, saying, "Both candidates in this election
pledge to end this war and bring our troops home. The great difference
is that I intend to win it first." Click here to read John McCain's full speech to the VFW Convention.



Below are some of the top news articles from this week. For more news articles and press releases,
go to www.JohnMcCain.com.

• The Washington Times: McCain Erases Obama's Edge With Swing Voters
• The Wall Street Journal: We Can't Tax Our Way Out Of The Entitlement Crisis
• The Washington Times: Michigan Remains Tricky For Obama
• USA Today: From Oil Platform, McCain Drills Energy Plan
• New York Sun: Battle Of Pennsylvania
• Dallas Morning News: McCain Clarity Could Beat Obama Nuance
• New York Sun: Obama Facing Attacks From All Sides Over Abortion Record
• The New York Times: Showdown At Saddleback
• The Washington Post: McCain's New Hope

For more information, log on to www.JohnMcCain.com and please


be sure to forward this newsletter on to family, friends and fellow John McCain supporters.

McCain New Hampshire Update

OFFICE GRAND OPENINGS
We are expanding our network of Victory Centers across the state. In the coming weeks we'll be opening two new Victory Offices in Grafton and Rockingham Counties. Please join us. Meet other local supporters, activists and campaign staff and learn more about our operation!

August 20, 5:00-8:00PM

Stratham Victory HQ
151 Portsmouth Avenue
Stratham, NH 03885
August 22, 5:00-8:00PM

Lebanon Victory HQ
57 Mechanic Street
Lebanon, NH 03766

COUNTY TRAININGS
We are continuing our informative training sessions across the state where you can learn more about our plan for victory, meet and ask questions of staff members from the McCain, Sununu and NH Victory campaigns as well as sign up to be a part of our Get Out the Vote operation this summer and fall!

Hillsborough County - Nashua
Wednesday, August 13, 7:00PM
Nashua Victory HQ
139 Daniel Webster Hwy
Nashua, NH

Grafton County
Saturday, August 16 @ 3:00PM
Lebanon Victory HQ
57 Mechanic Street
Lebanon, NH

Belknap and Carroll Counties
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 @ 5:00PM
Wolfe Trap
19 Bay St, Wolfeboro, NH

If you'd like to attend,
please RSVP to
Tom DeRosa at
Tom@NHGOP.org
or call 603-225-9341

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Wednesday, August 13
5pm-8pm
Keene Phone Bank Night
328 West St
Keene, NH 03431
Or Call 603-888-3138

Thursday, August 14

5pm-8pm Manchester Phone Bank Night
250 Commercial St. Suite 3007
Manchester, NH 03101
Or Call 603-369-4944

5pm-8pm Stratham Phone Bank Night
151 Portsmouth Ave.
Stratham, NH 03855
Or Call 603-778-1154

5pm-8pm Nashua Phone Bank Night
139 Daniel Webster Highway
Nashua, NH 03060
Or Call 603-888-3138

5pm-8pm Lebanon Phone Bank Night
57 Mechanic St.
Lebanon, NH 03766
Or Call 603-448-0004

Saturday, August 16
Time Event / Location To RSVP
8:30amLondonderry Old Home Day Parade
Meet at Londondery Middle School
313 Mammoth Rd.
Londonerry, NH 03053
Or Call 603-369-4944

Anytime Manchester Phone Bank
250 Commercial St. Suite 3007
Manchester, NH 03101
Or Call 603-369-4944
Meet @ 10am Manchester Door to Door
250 Commercial St. Suite 3007
Manchester, NH 03101
Or Call 603-369-4944

Anytime Stratham Phone Bank
151 Portsmouth Ave.
Stratham, NH 03855
Or Call 603-778-1154
Meet @ 10am

Seacoast Door to Door
151 Portsmouth Ave.
Stratham, NH 03855
Or Call 603-778-1154

Anytime Nashua Phone Bank
139 Daniel Webster Highway
Nashua, NH 03060
Or Call 603-888-3138

Meet @ 10am Nashua Door to Door
139 Daniel Webster Highway
Nashua, NH 03060
Or Call 603-888-3138

5pm-8pm Lebanon Phone Bank Night
57 Mechanic St.
Lebanon, NH 03766
Or Call 603-448-0004

Meet @ 10am Lebanon Door to Door
57 Mechanic St.
Lebanon, NH 03766
Or Call 603-448-0004

Not local to our Victory Centers?

We also have a variety of other volunteer activities across the state that you can be a part of including:
Writing Letters to the Editors of your local newpapers - Please contact Mark Lenzi - Mark@nhgop.org

Sign Delivery - contact our state Headquarters at 603-369-4944 or email NHVolunteer@JohnMcCain.com

Volunteering at County Fairs and Old Home Day Celebrations
please contact our state Headquarters at 603-369-4944 or email NHVolunteer@JohnMcCain.com

McCarnival Round Up

The first McCarnival for McCain ….. from McCainBlogs

Some people are saying they need a reason to vote for McCain. Well, if you are looking for a reason you can find several at Sanity102. Malia writes Give me a reason to vote for McCain, how’s this? She then cites several excellent reasons including his stance on entitlement programs, earmark and pork barrel spending and what I consider the most important reasons, our troops and the Global War on Terror.

If you need an enthusiastic reminder of why you are excited that John McCain will, in all likelihood, be our next Commander in Chief, then you might want to check out Colecurtis The McCain Monitor’s post titled: This Video Clip Never Ceases To Amaze But Inspire Me…He Is Still Here For A Reason. Vicki plays a video that most of us have seen before, but its good to see it again. She reminds us that sometimes we lose sight of the man when we get wrapped up in the politics and oration connected with a campaign. She gives us a reminder of who John McCain, the man, is. ‘Then from out of the crowd you hear a soft but confident voice …. ‘. Go read the rest.
Matt has The ad that is going to win the election. posted at McCainiac. He reminds us of the resistance that Churchill faces when he stood his ground against the Nazis. Its a good reminder of why we need to stand our ground against radical Islamic extremism.

The Marathon Pundit takes a hard look at Obama’s legislative record while he was an Illinois State Senator. In his post Obama’s state legislative record–he got a lot of help provides information on Obama’s starmaker, Emil Jones.

Fausta’s blog has a rather frightening comparison of the man Obama and the man McCain in The Great Non Sequitur. Do you really know who Obama is? What does Obama really offer us as opposed to what he says he offers us? Fausta has some thoughts and facts on that. Its pretty sobering.

The Median Sib gives a passionate and personal argument for why she hopes John McCain is the one who answers that now famous 3 a.m. phone call. In her post Clinton, McCain, Obama: Who do you want for president? she explains why she feels McCain has the integrity, experience, wisdom and courage to deal with whatever is on the other end of that phone call.

Pat at . . . With Both Hands writes a screenplay based on the tete-a-tete between John McCain and a New York Times reporter who apparently was trying to get an angry reaction from McCain. You remember the incident that was played repeatedly as McCain losing his temper. It was a non-starter. Pat plays it out as John McCain Beat the Press or A Man for All Snakes on a Plane

New York for McCain share the McCain profile on 60 Minutes…. Its really is a great profile and well worth watching and sharing with others.

You can find The First 5 of the Top 10 Reasons to be Leary of Barack Obama at the McCain Jewish Coalition of Illinois blog. This article is written from the perspective of why the Jewish community should be leary of Obama. Of course I can think of reasons for most communities to be leery of Obama. The reasons cited by Alan Weisz in this post are certainly applicable to all of us who are Jewish and Christian. Just as Neville Chamberlain believed he could talk to and work with the Nazis, Obama believes he can talk to, reason with and work with the Islamofascists. That naiveté is dangerous for us in the West in particular and for the world as a whole.

Lee Vogler offers us a very passionate and personal post in which he explains What John McCain Means to Me. Lee is a twenty-year-old who describes himself as a political guru (among other things). He uses his blog, Lee Vogler’s Political Points to give us ‘a campaign view from a college eye’. I found his post inspiring. I hope you will go read it.

Christopher Hedges wonders Could McCain Democrats Make The Difference? He relates to us that many Clinton supporters have said they will vote for McCain if Hillary isn’t the democratic nominee and compares them to Reagan democrats.

Still Stacy has a Lolobama for us to enjoy! She’s Still Stacy–Smarter Than The Average Blonde and calls her Lolobama OBAMAVELATION. If you frequent I Can Has Cheezburger? you’ll like this.

Over at 84rules, criticism of the 2005 “Gang of 14″ deal is under the microscope with The Base Is Wrong About The Gang Of 14, with the on-point reminder that if we Republicans lose the White House and don’t get back the Senate, the “nuclear” option will be used against us. (Remember the Coalition of the Chillin’? I was a charter member!)

Army wife (aka “Hooah Wife“) and real-life pal of mine Greta breaks out some video with Reason 7 gazillion to vote for John McCain, which she also posted at Louisiana Conservative. The video is funny, but it’s more realistic than I think the creators intended.

Another good friend, Shannon Nicki (she’s gonna kill me) from The Birthplace of the Process of Illogical Logic, mulls over the “Hussein” question with What’s in a name?, and decides that it’s probably better to just stick with referring to him as the more appropriate B.O. Bonus: Photoshoppy goodness!

Jefferson Poole at Blue Grass, Red State takes a thoughtful look at the Man in the Arena and is struck by its message, saying “the strength exhibited by extraordinary leaders of the past is demonstrated to be a necessity of the present for the health of the future.” He sees a bold and courageous leader as we’ve seen in years past with Teddy Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. That leader is Senator John McCain, and he is the right man for our time.

Economy and health care are two critical issues in this election, says Haydee Florez at America’s Best Choice. We Republicans may not talk about those issues as much as they do on the Left, but we should, as our candidate has the right solutions, which she outlines in her post.

Indiana University student J Will at The Wi11is says John McCain needs an internet video girl for guys like him, like Obama Girl and the others that he showcases in Annihilation Tuesday–a, shall we say, unconventional look at the online campaigns.

Over at Right Wing Nation, Rightwingprof speaks to my inner political wonk with some excellent analysis of polling data in Americans First, Americans Last, Americans Always. If he’s right (and I think he is), we’ll be in good shape in November.

MV08 blogroll-keeper Michael Schuyler of Reality Bytes deconstructs the opposition’s arguments with The Real Deal on the Tanker Deal, an issue that few really understand, while the opposition demagogues it to death. I’m glad he’s explained it, because all I’ve seen is left-wing attacks on McCain thus far. Knowledge is power!

James Carder, who writes at ELECTION 2008: Do We Need Change for the Sake of Change?, left the Republican Party in 2003 but he’s come home for John McCain, as I’m certain others will. James says Don’t Fault John McCain on Iraq - Just Be Thankful That He’s Still Around!, a piece that should appeal strongly to others who are disaffected with the Iraq war. Even though he’s opposed to the war, he understands that since we’re there, we need to finish the job the right way. James, as an independent, has the vote that all the candidates want–and he has chosen John McCain.

Right Wing Squadron’s Boomer asks about The New York Times - Why did they endorse John McCain when they had alleged “dirt” on him? I think that’s a question to which we probably know the real answer, but it’d be nice if there would ever be some honesty from the New York Times. If there were ever doubt that they’re all in for the Democrats, they’ve erased it.

The Old Grey Lady just keeps on trying to find something they can pin on McCain to ruin him. Our good friend, William Teach at The Pirate’s Cove uses a sports analogy to keep score on how the New York Times is doing in their quest to bring McCain down. First they were ‘just wondering’ if McCain had an affair. Then they got to wondering if McCain might not be eligible to run for President since he’d been born out of the country while his parents were serving in the military. Now the Grey Lady Is Just “Wondering” About McCain Getting Cancer Again. The Old Grey Lady keeps playing the same game and keeps losing.

Beth of MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is looking for a new church and is wondering if it matters what they believe and preach there. She says, I’ve found a church! and even though they preach against every thing she believes in that’s okay because she’s not responsible for what they believe. Sounds like twisted logic doesn’t it? Why, yes it does! She goes on to debunk the arguments of the many apologists of the hate-cult church that Barack Obama has chosen to attend for the past twenty years. You know … if it quacks like a duck ….. Go read her post. Its enlightening.

Beth at Blue Star Chronicles says that Obama Could Put an End to Destructive Racial Politics if He Had the Courage. She wonders why he doesn’t show the leadership and courage to speak openly and with conviction to his followers about their insistence that Obama should not be submitted to the same scrutiny as every other politician. That’s not the behavior of a leader. Its certainly not the behavior we expect to see in someone who aspires to be President of the United States.

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GraniteGrok Endorses McCain

Granite Grok a conservative New Hampshire blogs makes their pick...
http://granitegrok.com/blog/2008/01/voting_in_the_nh_primary_doug_picks_mcca.html

Voting next Tuesday in the NH primary. Doug picks McCain.

When I head into the voting booth Tuesday, I will be casting my vote for John McCain. If, a year or so back, you had told me that that’s what I would be doing come primary day, I would have politely told you that you’re nuts—there’s no way I could vote for the “maverick” Arizona Senator. So what has happened? How could I possibly be supporting somebody that gets regularly panned by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and others that I respect on the right? The answer is easy: the New Hampshire primary process. Because the hallmark of our state’s unique position as the kickoff for the presidential races is retail politicking, we get to see most of the candidates up close and personal—if we choose to do so, which I have.
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In addition to taking advantage of the intimate contact afforded all NH citizens at public events and meetings, thanks to my online activities here at GraniteGrok.com, my weekly column in the Laconia Daily Sun, and the Saturday morning radio program, I have had additional opportunities to interact with several of the candidates and their closest advisors on a very personal level. With the multitude of ways that the presidential wannabees have at their disposal to engage in real, one on one conversations with as many people as possible, one hopeful stands out from the rest: John McCain. I can attest that this is a man who doesn’t pre-screen the questions that come his way and is ready to take on all comers.
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While I like Rudy Giuliani, my second choice in this cycle, he just doesn’t hold a candle to the Senator when it comes to having the ability (desire?) to answer standard questions from the regular folks outside of the town meeting atmosphere. In one instance, when walking beside me towards his campaign bus, the Mayor refused to answer a simple question about the trash-to-energy industry—quite expansive in New York State— telling me that he “simply cannot walk and answer substantive questions.” I was then politely sidetracked by one of his handlers. Needless to say, as I was feeling rather disposed to vote for him at the time, I was taken aback by this brush off. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t trying to pull a “do you know who I am” moment or anything like that, but his local NH people actually DO know who I am—and knew me to be favorable to Hizzoner at the time.
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McCain and his people are completely opposite in this regard—and not just for the likes of me. At every town hall meeting that I have attended, the campaign staffers have had to practically drag their man kicking into the bus in order to make the next stop in a timely manner. The problem? He is so comfortable with his beliefs, opinions, and thoughts, that when he engages the folks, he actually communicates with them for real. When you have nothing to hide, and you are up front with your core beliefs and ideals, there is no “trick question” one might come up with that can’t be answered.
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In addition to his connectivity with the people, there are the issues themselves.
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Many Republicans believe that their nominee must stand opposed to abortion. There is no ambiguity here. Senator McCain definitely fits the bill on this one. For people like me, the new world war with the Islamo-fascists trumps all else. I believe that the path to victory starts with the front in Iraq. Nobody has been a stronger advocate for finishing the job than John McCain. And while you might be able to fathom his knowledge of the military and governmental players from about the globe from bits and pieces you catch at public appearances and on TV, I can assure you that you have only scratched the surface.
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Wings w/ McCain

Several months back, I had the chance to take a ride on the Straight Talk Express, where I ate chicken wings with this genuine American hero. We had nearly an hour of conversation about a variety of things, including some details about military strategies and the realities on the ground in Iraq. I cannot stress enough how impressed I was with his understanding and awareness of these matters. Add to that his personal experience in Viet Nam, and you get a person with insight from the perspective of the soldiers that must fight wars as well. This is a man that will be ready to be Commander-in-Chief on day one. Beyond that, I have participated in a number of “Blogger Conference Calls” with the Senator. Given the wild-west nature of the blogging community, these were no-holds barred exchanges where, again, the sense of his awareness on a variety of matters both great and small was always plainly in evidence.
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“But Doug, what about illegal immigration?” I am confident that McCain “gets it” when it comes to this one. At a town hall meeting in Wolfeboro just after the defeat of the so-called “comprehensive” immigration bill, he duly noted that Americans had spoken and want the borders verifiably sealed before anything else gets done in this area. It is the rare politician that acknowledges being wrong on a matter, and recognizes the collective voice of regular people.
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Beyond all that, I think it’s imperative that the Democrats are prevented from gaining the presidency during this moment in time. McCain still carries great appeal among Independents and even a fair number of Democrats. In a phone conversation with a prominent local Democratic leader this past Monday, he admitted to me that if McCain were to end up as the president, he would be OK with that. The president must stand ready to be the leader of ALL Americans, not just members of one party or the other. It is a good bet that McCain has the ability to attract enough votes to win it all for the GOP next November. If our Democrat friends admit this possibility as being one they can live with, then perhaps we can at least throttle back some of the bitterness that has gripped our Nation since the 1992 election. That’s a notion I’m sure we can all agree with.