Tue, June 10, 2008 - 3:20 PM

A group of North Carolina and Virginia Republican congressmen put pressure on House Democratic leaders Tuesday to fast track funding for a fence along the Mexican border.

Congress directed the Homeland Security Department to build such a fence two years ago, but the money to do so never passed. A group that included Reps. Walter Jones, Sue Myrick and Virginia Foxx of North Carolina and Virgil Goode from Virginia called on House leaders to pass funding this year.

“We know the fence will work, and that’s why the liberals are trying so hard to undo this action,” Foxx said at a press conference.

While the illegal immigration issue dominated national politics a few years ago – and Republican politics especially – it has all but fallen off the radar screen in recent months, trumped by the Iraq war and the dodgy economy. And the chances of it playing a major role in the upcoming election, analysts say, are slim.

As John McCain and Barack Obama seek to highlight differences between their positions on a variety of issues over the next few months, don’t expect much immigration talk. McCain shares far more in common with Obama on the issue than most in his party. Many Republicans deride his stance on the subject as providing amnesty to those in the country illegally.

Perhaps sensing this, Goode called on the two candidates to “take a look at what’s being said today, and say build (the fence) quick and build it now.”

--Sean Mussenden

Tue, June 10, 2008 - 10:43 AM

Dear elected officials throughout the country,

In the name of all that is good and holy, please stop this fist pound epidemic before one of you is injured.

Last week, the Obamas used the fist pound on stage as they celebrated his capturing the Democratic nomination for president. It seemed to be a spontaneous moment of joy and celebration between the couple.



The gesture has been around for about a decade now. But we all know that spending so much time inside the Beltway can lead to delusions that you are cool. I know what you’re thinking: if Obama looked hip with a fist bump maybe I can too!

But no, dear politicians, you won’t.

If you had never seen a fist pound before Tuesday night’s Obama speech, don’t start now.

If you had to look up what a fist pound was, don’t start using it now.

If you had to ask your grandchild or young staffer to demonstrate, please abstain from using it.

If you need further evidence, just look here.

And Obama himself needs to be more judicious with his use of the pound. North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley looked quite uncomfortable when Obama gave him a pound.



In closing, it’s time to retire the fist pound before a politician is punched in the face. On second thought …

Sincerely,

Amy Dominello
Founder, Stop the Political Fist Pound Now

Any news that undermines a presidential candidate's message is trouble, and Barack Obama's campaign today is fighting reports that Jim Johnson, who's vetting vice presidential candidates for Obama, got special below-market home loans from Countrywide totalling $7 million.

John McCain has already hopped on the story, telling Fox News in an interview, “I think it suggests a bit of a contradiction talking about how his campaign is gonna be not associated with people like that. Clearly he is very much associated with that.”

Check out the story in Politico.com, which refers to a report Saturday in The Wall Street Journal.

-- Marsha Mercer

Mon, June 09, 2008 - 4:12 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that one of Hillary Clinton’s most loyal supporters will vote for Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention.

State Rep. Calvin Smyre, a pledged Clinton delegate, released a statement Saturday evening that appeared to be urging party unity, according to the newspaper.

-- Amy Dominello

UPDATE: Here's the full text of Smyre's statement.

"I would like to congratulate and applaud Senator Barack Obama on winning the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. His nomination to head a major party ticket is a defining moment for America. Senator Obama has shown that America is changing and, through his campaign, he has proven that he and his family are some of the many faces of this change.

Senator Obama's success has connected the work, hopes and dreams of the civil rights generation with the efforts, ideas and plans of the African-American leaders who are emerging in this generation. His success, however, is not just the success of African-Americans. Senator Obama's nomination as the Democratic party's presidential candidate represents unity, respect, family, and hope for all Americans.

I have always held, and continue to hold, Hillary Clinton in the highest regard. She is a woman whose character is rooted in public service. Her record achievement is not to be minimized. In fact, she should receive great accolades from our party and our country for the role she has played in reigniting the interest and passion of the American electorate during this spirited campaign.

In August, I will cast my delegate vote for the next president of the United States, Barack Obama, at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. We live now, more than ever, in a time that requires firm resolve, clear vision on issues affecting our country, and a deep faith in the values that make us a great nation. Senator Obama stands firm in his ability to make a shift in the way we, as Americans, think as leaders of the world. He is the best qualified to change the dynamics of the American dialogue, both socially and politically.

As we turn our attention to the general election and Senator John McCain. I fully support the Democratic National Party and Senator Obama's run for the White House."

WASHINGTON – Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson this morning endorsed Barack Obama for president.

“We all need to come together to take back the White House in the general election,” Nelson said, in a statement released by his office. “I look forward to helping Barack win in Florida and lead our country in a new direction.”

Nelson had initially endorsed Hillary Clinton after the polls closed in Florida’s presidential primary, on Jan. 29.

The statement released today noted that “Nelson has been friends with the senator and her husband, President Clinton, for almost two decades.”

The statement also explained that Nelson waited until today to endorse Obama to allow Clinton “time to make an official public announcement of her support for the Democratic nominee, which she did over the weekend.”

-- Billy House

Sat, June 07, 2008 - 12:47 PM

In this extraordinary election year, it was inevitable that either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama would be disappointed in June, if not before. And either way, it's history.

The first woman to come close to shattering the glass ceiling of the presidency suspended her campaign for the White House today and congratulated the first black man to win a major party presidential nomination on his victory.

"I endorse him and throw my full support behind him and I ask of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me," Hillary Rodham Clinton told supporters packed into the National Building Museum in Washington.

The Associated Press noted that she mentioned Obama's name 14 times in her 28-minute speech.

Now the speculation is about whether she'll be Obama's pick for running mate. Clinton has said it's his decision, although her supporters have been pushing hard for an Obama-Clinton ticket.

Obama is giving Clinton the limelight today. He's taking the weekend off with his family in Chicago.

-- Marsha Mercer

Fri, June 06, 2008 - 11:57 AM

After the Senate voted not to deal with its sweeping climate-change bill Friday, Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said it appeared the major legislating for the year may be over with and his colleagues couldn't stop using the phrase "the next president."

In a 30-minute news conference where Senators from both parties talked about simply getting the bill ready for Obama or McCain to deal with, Lieberman admitted the Senate is unlikely to take up such significant bills again with five months remaining until the November election.

"It’s gonna be hard. Presumably we’ll do -- for instance -- things we just have to do, like the Department of Defense authorization bill, but we haven’t done a lot lately," Lieberman said.

None of the presidential candidates attended the Friday morning vote to end debate on the Climate Security Act.

--Neil Simon

Thu, June 05, 2008 - 3:59 PM

Sen. Jim Webb is expected on stage with Obama here in Prince William County. Webb announced his support for Obama late Wednesday night, only after it was reported that Clinton would bow out this weekend.

Webb wanted to “let the process run itself out,” he said in a conference call with reporters.

Webb declined to say whether he would accept an offer of the vice presidency from the presumptive Democratic nominee.

“I’m happy where I am,” the first term senator said.

Regarding whether Obama should offer Clinton the vice presidency, he said, “I think this is Barack’s decision.

Webb said he was confident Obama would carry Virginia. George Mason University political scientist Toni Travis agreed.

“If he picks somebody with a military background – even if it isn’t Jim Webb – but somebody who can pull veterans from across the state, I think he can pull Virginia,”

By going to suburban Prince William County after spending the morning in rural Southwest Virginia, Travis said Obama was showing he knows where he needs to expand his base.

“It’s a new strategy,” she said. “I think he’s going to go to the places in each state where the real people are.”

--Neil Simon

OBAMA FANS FILLING AMPHITHEATER

Prince William County’s Nissan Pavilion holds 25,000 people, but campaign volunteers say they expect it to be overflowing onto the grass by thousands tonight.

Several supporters, like Tonya Woodson of Richmond, Va., came out to the ampitheater hours early to “be part of history.” Obama is first African-American to secure a major party presidential nomination.

“It’s completely electric,” Woodson said. “It’s palpable. The hope – you can taste it.”

Fran Ellis, came from Baltimore, Md., to see Obama for her first time. “This is my opportunity to inhale history,” she said.

Several die-hard Democrats here say Obama should avoid putting Hillary Clinton on the Democratic ticket, especially after Clinton failed to acknowledge Obama’s clinching of the party’s nomination Tuesday night.

Jim and Janelle Noble of Charlottesville said Obama should meet with Clinton and keep her involved on health issues, but nothing more.

“I don’t want her to be V.P. There are plenty of other people,” Janelle Noble said.

Others said Clinton wouldn’t be a team player and would take too much attention away from Obama.

“When she had her hour to really support the party, she didn’t do that,” said Ellis.

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is seizing on Sen. John McCain’s opposition to a National Catastrophic Insurance Fund in a latest attempt to tie the Arizona Republican to a position held by President Bush.

“Once again John McCain has made clear that he is much more interested in standing with George Bush than getting the facts right or doing what’s right. But what John McCain doesn’t understand is that by choosing to stand with George Bush’s failed policies instead of standing with the families of Florida he can’t deliver the change the country needs and deserves,” said Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan, in a statement.

The Obama campaign statement notes that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist -- who is mentioned as a possible McCain running mate and who has fought for such a fund geared to helping homeowners in areas prone to natural disasters such as hurricanes -- initially praised McCain in March 2007 for what he believed was support of the idea.

But McCain by early this year was saying flat-out that he did not support such a national fund, and began saying the country needed to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency, instead.

And in a February 2008 speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, McCain highlighted his opposition to the national catastrophic insurance fund as a badge of his political courage, stating, “I campaigned in Florida against the national catastrophic insurance fund bill that passed the House of Representatives.”

-- Billy House

Sen. Jim Webb will join Sen. Barack Obama at the Nissan Pavillion for tonight's rally in Prince William County.

Webb had remained neutral throughout the entire primary process, but after news reports last night that Sen. Hillary Clinton would end her candidacy by the weekend, Webb's staff announced the freshman senator from Virginia will participate in the Obama event.

Webb, widely mentioned as a potential V.P. for Obama has said he's "not really" interested in the job. He had joked he'd rather be on Obama's search committee to find a veep than end up being asked himself. No word yet on how Webb thinks Obama can best unite Democrats or what approach the presumptive nominee should take in working with Clinton.

--Neil Simon

Wed, June 04, 2008 - 11:22 AM

Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., encouraged Republican presidential nominee John McCain to focus the fall campaign on substance rather than slogans and avoid turning the race into a generational choice, lest he damage the Republican Party for years to come.

With the general action match-up all but set, Davis analyzed the state of the 2008 election at a breakfast with reporters hosted by The Christian Science Monitor.

“We lose the soundbite, but we win on individual issues,” Davis said.

“McCain has to focus like a laser on individual issues to have a shot at winning,” he said.

If the race comes down to youth versus age, Davis said McCain, 71, would lose to Obama, 46.

A generational election would be “a loser,” he said, “not just this year. It could hurt the party for several elections to come.”

--Neil Simon

In the fight for two open House seats in Alabama, the Republican contenders in both districts will compete in runoffs to determine their party’s nominee.

In primaries held Tuesday night, the Democrats selected their candidates.

In the 2nd Congressional District, Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright will be the party’s nominee. He will face either state Rep. Jay Love of Montgomery or state Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocumb. The two Republicans will face off in a July 15 runoff.

The winner of the Nov. 4 general election will replace retiring Republican Rep. Terry Everett.

In the 5th Congressional District, where conservative Democrat Rep. Bud Cramer is retiring, state Sen. Parker Griffith will be the Democrats' nominee.

Republicans Wayne Parker and Cheryl Baswell Guthrie will compete in the runoff.

-- Amy Dominello

Wed, June 04, 2008 - 10:43 AM

Mississippi superdelegate Carnelia Fondren came out in support of Barack Obama last night, just a few hours before he claimed the Democratic nomination.

Her statement:

Sen. Hillary Clinton is one of the greatest political leaders of our time. This is a special and exciting time to be a woman in politics. I, as well as other Mississippians, am extremely proud of what she has accomplished.

Sen. Clinton has run an honorable, impressive campaign and has discussed in-depth her vision for the future of our country. I am especially grateful that Sen. Clinton made it a point to include Mississippi in her campaign schedule, giving our residents a good look at her plans and agenda.

But the people of our state and this country have spoken. And they have chosen to support Sen. Barack Obama, an equally impressive presidential candidate. Sen. Obama is a dynamic leader who offers a compelling vision for the future of our nation and the state of Mississippi.

Sen. Obama’s campaign style, his honesty and his ability to connect with the people of this country give us a great opportunity to win back the presidency. The people of our country have spoken and shown they support Sen. Obama – now it’s time for party leaders to unite behind one candidate and head toward victory in November.

-- Amy Dominello

Tue, June 03, 2008 - 4:17 PM

Obama's trickling gain of superdelegates became a flood with 10 new endorsements coming this afternoon from people who had backed John Edwards' failed presidential bid.

The Obama campaign announced new superdelegate support from eight South Carolinians, four Iowans, and 10 of the 13 Edwards delegates from Florida.

-Neil Simon