Barack Your Baby: Obama accepting babies through mail

Barack Your Baby: Barack Obama travels a lot, but many babies live in places he hasn’t been. That’s why he’s now accepting babies by mail. Send him your baby, and he’ll kiss it and send it back to you.

Most Australians would vote for ObamaFrom

Obama would win by landslide if world could vote United States only country where McCain won Obama leading in opinion polls since vote

IF Australians could vote for US president, Democrat Barack Obama would win by a landslide, according to a survey that was part of a global poll.

In fact if the whole world could vote, Obama would win by a landslide in all but one of the 17 countries polled by Reader's Digest magazine.

The odd one out was the United States where Republican John McCain was preferred by a narrow margin, the magazine said in an article posted on its website.

However, the surveys - with about 1000 participants in each country - were conducted from June 2 to July 7 and since then Senator Obama has been leading in opinion polls.

In Australia, 76 per cent of respondents said they would vote for Senator Obama, to Senator McCain's 10 per cent.

When asked if they were paying attention to the campaign, 85 per cent of Australians said they were, with 24 per cent of claiming a high level of interest.

But a resounding 71 per cent said they would not want to live in the United States.

Of the global picture, the magazine's polling director John Fredricks said: "It's Obama by a landslide - except in the country in which he's actually running for president".

"What is most striking is the margin of his support."

Senator Obama was preferred by more than 90 per cent in the Netherlands, by 85 per cent in Germany and by similar margins on all six continents, the magazine said.

Polling was conducted in Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, South Africa, Taiwan, and the United States.

An interactive reader survey by The Economist delivered another resounding victory for Senator Obama.

The Economist has created a "Global Electoral College" in which readers in all of the world's 195 countries can cast votes on its website.

Mirroring the US system, each country is allocated a number of votes in proportion to its population.

In the US electoral college, a candidate needs to win 270 of a total 538 votes to win the White House. US voters cast ballots to decide who wins their state's electoral college votes, rather than voting for president directly.

"With over 6.5 billion people (worldwide) enfranchised, the result is a much larger electoral college of 9,875 votes," the Economist said of its global version.

"But rally your countrymen - a nation must have at least 10 individual votes in order to have its electoral college votes counted," it said.

Voting at www.economist.com/vote2008 will conclude on November 1 at midnight London time.

So far, Senator Obama had tallied 8455 global votes and Senator McCain 16 - from Andorra, Georgia and Macedonia.


From News.com.au

Barack Obama Writes to Indian Prime Minister

Barack Obama didn't meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his recent U.S. visit, but has written him a letter reports Rediff.com.

Sen. Obama congratulated Dr. Singh for shepherding the nuclear cooperation agreement through the Indian parliament and deplored the recent string of terrorist attacks. Obama also said he hoped the civil nuclear cooperation would lead to greater cooperation on the non-proliferation issue, and said he would work with the U.S. Senate to secure ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

"Imagine our two democracies in action: Indian laboratories and industry collaborating with American laboratories and industry to discover innovative solutions to today's energy problems. That's the kind of new partnership I would like to build with India as president," he wrote.

The Friends of McCain

Can a presidential candidate justify a long and friendly relationship with someone who, back in the 1970s, extolled violence and committed crimes in the name of a radical ideology -- and who has never shown remorse or admitted error? When the candidate in question is Barack Obama, John McCain says no. But when the candidate in question is John McCain, he's not so sure.

Obama has been justly criticized for his ties to former Weather Underground member Bill Ayers, who in 1995 hosted a campaign event for Obama and in 2001 gave him a $200 contribution. The two have also served together on the board of a foundation. When their connection became known, McCain minced no words: "I think not only a repudiation but an apology for ever having anything to do with an unrepentant terrorist is due the American people."What McCain didn't mention is that he has his own Bill Ayers -- in the form of G. Gordon Liddy. Now a conservative radio talk-show host, Liddy spent more than 4 years in prison for his role in the 1972 Watergate burglary. That was just one element of what Liddy did, and proposed to do, in a secret White House effort to subvert the Constitution. Far from repudiating him, McCain has embraced him.

How close are McCain and Liddy? At least as close as Obama and Ayers appear to be. In 1998, Liddy's home was the site of a McCain fundraiser. Over the years, he has made at least four contributions totaling $5,000 to the senator's campaigns -- including $1,000 this year.

Last November, McCain went on his radio show. Liddy greeted him as "an old friend," and McCain sounded like one. "I'm proud of you, I'm proud of your family," he gushed. "It's always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great."


Which principles would those be? The ones that told Liddy it was fine to break into the office of the Democratic National Committee to plant bugs and photograph documents? The ones that made him propose to kidnap anti-war activists so they couldn't disrupt the 1972 Republican National Convention? The ones that inspired him to plan the murder (never carried out) of an unfriendly newspaper columnist?

Liddy was in the thick of the biggest political scandal in American history -- and one of the greatest threats to the rule of law. He has said he has no regrets about what he did, insisting that he went to jail as "a prisoner of war."

All this may sound like ancient history. But it's from the same era as the bombings Ayers helped carry out as a member of the Weather Underground. And Liddy's penchant for extreme solutions has not abated.

In 1994, after the disastrous federal raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, he gave some advice to his listeners: "Now if the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms comes to disarm you and they are bearing arms, resist them with arms. Go for a head shot; they're going to be wearing bulletproof vests. ... Kill the sons of bitches."

He later backed off, saying he meant merely that people should defend themselves if federal agents came with guns blazing. But his amended guidance was not exactly conciliatory: Liddy also said he should have recommended shots to the groin instead of the head. If that wasn't enough to inflame any nut cases, he mentioned labeling targets "Bill" and "Hillary" when he practiced shooting.

Given Liddy's record, it's hard to see why McCain would touch him with a 10-foot pole. On the contrary, he should be returning his donations and shunning his show. Yet the senator shows no qualms about associating with Liddy -- or celebrating his service to their common cause.

How does McCain explain his howling hypocrisy on the subject? He doesn't. I made repeated inquiries to his campaign aides, which they refused to acknowledge, much less answer. On this topic, the pilot of the Straight Talk Express would rather stay parked in the garage.

That's an odd policy for someone who is so forthright about his rival's responsibility. McCain thinks Obama should apologize for associating with a criminal extremist. To which Obama might reply: After you.

By Steve Chapman

Barack Obama Dress Hits Paris Runway

Barack Obama also made an appearance at the Jean-Charles de Castelbajac 2009 ready-to-wear show in Paris, in the form of a sparkling canary yellow dress, complete with "Yes" glove. In the spirit of fairness, the model also wore a "No" glove on the other hand.

From Towleroad.com

Aussie bets $50,000 on Obama win

AN Australian punter has bet $50,000 on Barack Obama winning the November US presidential election, Sportingbet Australia said.

Mr Obama's odds have shortened as polls put him further in front and big money continues to come in support of the Democratic candidate, the bookmaker said.

"We have taken a number of big bets for Obama in recent weeks, including a bet of $50,000 at $1.45 this morning,'' Sportingbet Australia chief executive Michael Sullivan said.

Mr Obama's odds have narrowed from $1.50 to $1.40 in the past week.

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's odds have drifted out from $2.75 to $2.90.

"Until the last week, the money was fairly evenly split between McCain and Obama, but it has been all one-way traffic this week, with punters jumping off the McCain train,'' Mr Sullivan said.

From The Australian

Why Barack Obama will loose

When Benjamin Franklin was dispatched to France as ambassador of the United States in 1776, he won the hearts of the French through his authenticity. Rather than take on an affected and phony continental style, Franklin eschewed the powdered wig of the European gentleman and donned the fur cap of an American frontiersman. Original genius and polymath, Franklin understood that the French would see through any false pretension but respect an authenticity that sprang from an unpretentious and naive love of country.

What a contrast there is between Franklin and Barack Obama. Obama is a Harvard lawyer who is a mile wide and an inch deep. He is only the latest in a long line of shallow elites that consider it stylish and intellectual to despise their own culture and heritage.

Nothing exemplifies Obama’s antipathy for American culture better than his statement that Americans “cling to” religion and guns out of frustration or bitterness. We only can suppose that Obama regards religion or firearms as aberrations that need to be eradicated.

Of course, both guns and religion are essential aspects of American culture. The United States was founded by people seeking religious freedom. Does the word “Pilgrim” ring a bell with anyone? Our freedom and the right to self-government were won by farmers with guns.

The American Revolution started when the British marched to Concord with the intention of confiscating colonial arms. Both the right to “keep and bear arms,” and the right to “free exercise” of religion are enshrined in the Bill of Rights. We have come a long way when the presidential nominee of a major political party regards the exercise of fundamental rights as a mental aberration.

When Obama refers to “my Muslim faith,” the verbal gaffe resonates as a Freudian slip because of Obama’s thinly veiled hatred for this country’s unique culture and institutions. Obama sat for 20 years in a church where the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr preached “goddamn America.” He only resigned from the congregation when it became politically expedient to do so. When earlier this year, Michelle Obama said “for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country,” can we conclude that her husband disagrees? Is it not remarkable that Michelle Obama can be so small-minded as to find nothing in the history of the United States that merits her admiration but the personal success of her husband?

What is Barack Obama for? His campaign motto is “change.” But even a 6-year-old child understands that “change” can be either good or bad. Lacking specifics, the invocation of “change” as policy is completely empty. As we witness Obama’s minions mindlessly endorse the meaningless maxim of “change,” it only can call to mind the barnyard animals in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” chanting “four legs good, two legs bad!”

The choice of Sarah Palin as John McCain’s running mate has been devastating for the Obama campaign precisely because she is everything Obama is not. Palin is not ashamed of her culture or country. She is not embarrassed by being an American, but naively embraces her birthright. Unassisted by affirmative action, Palin has risen to national prominence on the basis of her character, intelligence and natural gifts. In a word, she has guts. This is a woman who is proud of her country, not because it has granted her personal success, but because she respects what America stands for: freedom, opportunity, and individualism.

Obama is a vapid demagogue, a hollow man that despises American culture. He is ill-suited to be president of the United States. As the weeks pass, more Americans will come to this realization and elect McCain/Palin in a landslide.



DAVID DEMING is an associate professor of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma, but his opinions do not necessarily represent those of the university.

Published in The Edmond Sun

Joe Biden stepping down as Barack Obama's VP?

There is no doubt that the Democrats who voted for Hillary Clinton in the primariers are still fuming mad that she didn’t win the nomination…but they were angered even further when Barack Obama didn’t have the guts or fortitude to choose Clinton as his running mate for this year’s election.

So when Sarah Palin was selected by the Republican Party…it seemed as though a lot of women fled to McCain because they liked him better than Barack Obama and they admired The Maverick for choosing a female running mate…no matter how idiotic the decision actually appears to be.

So what better way for the Democrats to regain their plummeting momentum than to get back a lot of the pro-abortion women’s vote and some of that white, working middle class vote throughout the United States than to place Hillary Rodham Clinton back on the ticket?

I really cannot see this scenario taking place…with Biden stepping down…unless there really is something very wrong with Joe Biden’s health.

But wouldn’t this have been examined long before he was chosen by Barack Obama to be his running mate? I mean in the vetting process?

Joe Biden is saying a lot of things that are just plain stupid and kind of annoying to those to whom he is directing his comments…but this is normal, typical Joe Biden! So I say that these rumors of Hillary Clinton coming in to replace him as VP are just ridiculous rumors and that Barack Obama will probably be muzzling Joe Biden until the October 2, 2008 Veep debate with Sarah Palin.

At any rate, I am not very sure that even Hillary Clinton could stop the spiraling poll numbers for the Democrats at this point in the game.

The Democrats may just have to admit that they lost the election to someone who played their image and pandering game better than they did…John McCain, when he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate (please don’t say he picked her because she, too, is a Maverick)…utter nonsense.

What's common between Barack Obama and Abraham Lincoln

* Both came from obscurity and very humble socio-economic backgrounds.
* Both physically thin and very tall.
* Both met and married their respective Illinoian wives, in Illinois.
* Both vocally opposed existing Wars and alleged deliberate deception by the Presidents who started them. Lincoln, the Mexican War. Obama, the Iraq War. And both did so at a time when public sentiments were strongly in favor of the respective Wars.
* Both advocated paradigm shifts in race relations.
* Both practiced law in Illinois.
* Both demonstrated knowledge of and competence in Constitutional law. Lincoln by being admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court. Obama by teaching Contitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for 12 years.
* Both served multiple terms in the Illinois state legislature.
* Both served a single term in the U.S. Congress before running for President. Lincoln in the House and Obama in the Senate.
* Both nominated to run for U.S. President with nearly identical elective resumes consisting of multiple terms in the Illinois state lege and a single term in Congress.
* Both younger than the average age of the elected first-term Presidents who preceeded them. Lincoln by 5 years, Obama by 8 years. Although both were preceeded by several Presidents who had been even younger when inaugurated.
* Both faced significantly older General Election opponents. McCain is at 72 years old the oldest non-incumbent Presidential candidate in our nation’s history. Well, unless you want to include perennial spoiler wannabe Ralph Nader who is 74.
* Both significantly younger at nomination than the sitting President. Lincoln by 18 years, Obama by 14 years.

Michelle Obama among 10 best dressed women

Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, has made People magazine's list of the year's top ten best dressed women.

"Politics may be tougher than ever, but Obama has wowed along the campaign trail with confidence, in polished looks that bring to mind a famous former first lady," wrote People in an apparent reference to Jacqueline Kennedy.

At 44, the tall, athletic former lawyer was the most senior woman on the magazine's annual list.

"Sticking mainly to favorite hometown designers like Maria Pinto, who crafted her sleek purple sheath, Obama has also tried new looks by Isabel Toledo and jeweler Tom Binns for campaign fund-raisers," the magazine wrote.

The list also includes Barbados-born singer Rihanna, pop star Fergie from the "Black Eyed Peas" and Oscar winners Gwyneth Paltrow and Charlize Theron, as well as the star of "Sex and the City," Sarah Jessica Parker.

AFP

U.S. Jews outraged over phone campaign alleging 'Obama gave money to PLO'

Jewish voters have been receiving telephone calls from figures claiming to be pollsters yet trying to dissuade them from supporting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in the upcoming election.

The callers introduce themselves as poll-takers who are gathering data for a public opinion survey and subsequently ask their interlocutors loaded questions whose tone infers that Obama holds anti-Israel views and is thus unworthy of Jewish votes.

The calls, which have been reported of late in Florida and Pennsylvania, were brought to public attention by the Jewish Council for Education, a pro-Obama organization that has worked to drum up support for the Illinois senator among prospective Jewish voters.
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Callers posed questions asking if voters would reconsider their preferred candidate had they learned that "Obama had given money to the Palestine Liberation Organization", or that "the leader of Hamas, Ahmed Yousef, expressed support for Obama and hoped for Obama's victory," or that Obama's political advisors are "pro-Palestinian," or that Obama once said "the Palestinians have suffered the most."

The "pollsters" also asked what would-be Jewish voters thought if they were told that the president of Iran also "endorsed Obama," or if they learned that Obama "supported a united Jerusalem and then switched his opinion and believed in a divided Jerusalem," or Jimmy Carter's "anti-Israel national security advisor is one of Barack Obama's foreign policy advisors."

Officials from the Jewish Council for Education are scheduled to convene a news conference in New York on Tuesday during which they are expected to reveal new information that sheds light on the mysterious campaign intended to smear Obama under the guise of a public survey.

One of those expected to address the media in New York on Tuesday is Joelina Marcus, a retired professor currently residing in Miami Beach.

Marcus says she received a phone call from a man who claimed to be a pollster. She was asked if she was Jewish, and if so, to what stream of Judaism does she belong, and whether she attended synagogue.

She was then asked if her vote would be influenced by the fact that Obama once contributed money to the PLO or that one of Obama's closest aides maintained close contacts with Palestinians, she recounted.

From Haaretz.com

Obama does Hollywood

Hollywood A-listers paid big bucks to see Sen. Barack Obama at a Beverly Hills dinner on Tuesday night, where Obama focused his remarks on easing Democrats’ jitters about the close race ahead. Obama spoke for around 15 minutes in an outdoor courtyard at the Greystone Estate, a Tudor-style mansion on 16 acres overlooking Los Angeles. Attendees at the $28,500-per person dinner included Will Ferrell, Chris Rock, Tobey McGuire, Leonardo diCaprio and Jodi Foster.

“A lot of you, just in conversations while we were in the photo lines, had all sorts of suggestions,” Obama said. “…And a lot of people have gotten nervous and concerned. Why is this as close as it is? And what’s going on?” The Illinois senator said that the race was always going to be a hard-fought contest because he represented a “leap” for voters, especially when running against John McCain, a “genuine hero” with a “compelling biography.” Obama said that there was “enormous resistance … because people have been fed cynicism for a long time” but he said that he remained “confident about winning because I’ve looked at John McCain, I’ve looked at Sarah Palin, I’ve looked at their agenda, and they don’t have one.”

Despite the lavish setting, the gourmet meal (filet of beef and asparagus), and the exclusive crowd, Obama said his campaign was being fought for people who would “never see the inside of a building like this and don’t resent the success that’s represented in this room, but just want the simple chance to be able to find a job that pays a living wage.”

Sen. McCain took his own shot at Obama on Tuesday, as the presidential hopefuls jockeyed over who would best lead during a financial crisis like the one that had seized Wall Street last weekend. “He talks about siding with the people just before he flew off for a fund-raiser in Hollywood with Barbara Streisand and his celebrity friends,” McCain said during an Ohio rally. “Let me tell you, my friends, there’s no place I’d rather be than right here with the working men and women of Ohio.”

For his part, Obama told the audience Tuesday night that the recent Wall Street turmoil would help clarify the choices facing voters. “It’s reminded people that this is not a game. This is not a reality show, no offense to any of you,” Obama said to laughter. “This is not a sitcom.” Between 250 and 300 attended the fund-raiser, according to the campaign, and was set to attend a second event featuring a performance by Streisand later Tuesday night.

Obama’s decision to forego public financing means that he’s still able to solicit private donations for his campaign; McCain has accepted public financing and can no longer solicit campaign contributions. Both candidates can also continue to raise money for their respective political parties, though there are greater restrictions on how that money can be used.

Obama raised $66 million in August, a new campaign record, but McCain set his own record by drawing a $47 million haul. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, top strategist David Axelrod played down the idea that the Obama campaign believed that its “very large and dynamic fund-raising base at the grassroots” would ever translate to “some huge fund-raising advantage.” “We knew we were going to be up against the Republican fund-raising machine,” Axelrod told reporters. “Our ability to draw on the grassroots has been helpful so I don’t think we’d be in a better position” if the campaign had accepted public funding.

Sarah Palin: The New Face of Religious Right

Sarah Palin, a working mother-of-five whose down-to-earth appeal has electrified the Republican Party's bid to retain the U.S. presidency, reflects a new attitude toward women in America's religious right.

Analysts say Palin, the nominee for vice president who has galvanized the party's conservative Christian base, highlights how the movement has evolved from its staunchly anti-feminist roots in the 1970s as it tries to broaden its appeal.

The movement, which has no formal structure but includes a number of prominent Christian groups, has a big influence on Republican politics. It has become younger, more female and less white-dominated and extended beyond its Southern roots.

Polls suggest Alaska Governor Palin's starring role as Sen. John McCain's running mate for the November 4 election against Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden has helped the Republican ticket make inroads with female voters.

Some women have been put off by her strong opposition to abortion, to gay rights and her lack of experience and expertise in national or international affairs.

But she has generated a new enthusiasm among the conservative evangelicals who comprise the Republican Party's most important constituency. McCain, who was lagging Obama in national polls before selecting Palin, is now running even or slightly ahead in opinion polls.

About one in four U.S. adults are evangelical and while the religious right hardly speaks for all of them it does represent the views of many.

Palin represents one way it has redefined itself in the 21st century while sticking to its guns on its red meat issues like opposing abortion rights and gay marriage.

The movement also has reached out to non-whites, seeing ground to be gained among socially conservative blacks and Hispanics, though gains for the Republican Party especially among African Americans have been limited.

Some analysts said Palin was not such a mold-breaker.

"She does not in any way challenge the traditional conceptions of men and women that are present among conservative evangelicals. She is a mother of five, she talks about God as having a plan for people's lives," said David Domke, a professor of communication at the University of Washington in Seattle.

"Her role on the ticket is to support the presidential candidate and this fits very much what would be the expectations for the woman," Domke said.

Critics of the anti-feminist plank of the religious right's platform remains entrenched in its unyielding opposition to abortion rights -- a position that polls consistently show a majority of American women oppose.

(By David Storey)

Key States in US Presidential Race

The U.S. presidential race between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama ultimately will be decided in about 10 states where their battle remains close.

Each candidate is battling for the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. The president is determined not by who gets the most votes nationally but by the Electoral College, which has 538 members allotted to all 50 states and the District of Columbia in proportion to their representation in Congress.

All of the states except Maine and Nebraska award their votes to the popular vote winner in the state. Maine and Nebraska split them by congressional district.

Here are some of the key battleground states in the November 4 election, with their electoral vote totals, 2004 results and some recent details about the contests in each state.

* Colorado -- 9 electoral votes. President George W. Bush beat Democrat John Kerry 52 percent to 47 percent here in 2004, but since then Democrats have captured the state legislature and governor's office, putting it near the top of Obama's target list. Polls continue to give Obama a slight lead, even after McCain's post-convention boost in momentum.

* Florida -- 27 electoral votes. Bush beat Kerry 52 percent to 47 percent in a state infamous for the disputed result that decided the 2000 race. Florida's diverse population makes it a classic swing state, with a heavy concentration of older voters who could favor McCain and of Jewish voters who are normally Democratic but have been wary of Obama. Polls give McCain a solid lead at this stage.

* Michigan -- 17 electoral votes. Kerry won by 3 percentage points in 2004, and the state's depressed economy and ailing manufacturing base make it a prime target for competing arguments by the candidates on the economy. Obama has narrowly led most recent polls, although one poll after the Republican convention showed the race dead even.

* New Hampshire -- 4 electoral votes. Kerry narrowly beat Bush here by one percentage point in 2004, and McCain's history of big primary wins in the state in 2000 and this year gives him hope he can push it into his column in November. Democrats captured both seats in Congress and gained control of the state legislature in 2006 in an anti-Republican wave Obama hopes to capitalize on. Most polls show Obama with a slight lead.

* New Mexico -- 5 electoral votes. Bush narrowly beat Kerry by fewer than 6,000 votes in 2004. As the senator from neighboring Arizona, McCain is familiar to many voters here but will have to battle Obama for the state's growing bloc of Hispanics, who make up more than 40 percent of the state's population.

* Nevada -- 5 electoral votes. Bush beat Kerry by 20,000 votes in 2004 in a state won by Republicans in 8 of the last 10 presidential elections. Like New Mexico, the burgeoning Hispanic population will be crucial -- they now make up nearly a quarter of the state's residents.

* Ohio -- 20 electoral votes. Bush beat Kerry by about 120,000 votes in the state that ultimately decided the 2004 race. No Republican has won the White House without Ohio, and McCain will have a hard time piecing together a win without the state. Polls show a tight race.

* Pennsylvania -- 21 electoral votes. Kerry beat Bush 51 percent to 48 percent in 2004, but Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states won by Kerry where McCain's camp sees a chance to reverse the result. Polls have given Obama a steady 4 to 7 point lead for months, but that narrowed after McCain's post-convention surge.

* Virginia -- 13 electoral votes. Bush won fairly easily by 9 percentage points in 2004 in a state that hasn't gone Democratic in a presidential election since 1964, but Virginia has trended toward Democrats in recent state elections amid dramatic growth in the Democratic-leaning northern suburbs of Washington D.C. McCain has a narrow lead in most recent polls.

* Wisconsin -- 10 electoral votes. Kerry won by 11,000 votes out of more than 3 million in 2004, but Obama has held a lead for months in a state where he crushed Hillary Clinton in a February Democratic primary showdown.

(Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Patricia Wilson and David Wiessler @ Retuers)

Barack Obama's anti-abortion campaign hits him on the face

“If Barack Obama had his way I would not be here.”

Can you imagine not giving babies their basic human rights, no matter how they entered our world? My name is Gianna Jessen, born 31 years ago after a failed abortion. I’m a survivor, as are many others…but if Barack Obama had his way, I wouldn’t be here.

Unfortunately, Barack Obama voted four times against affording these babies their most basic human right. I have serious concerns about Senator Obama’s record and views on this issue, given he voted against these protections four times as a state Senator. Just as abuse victims share their stories to educate the public, fight for the common good and hope that as a result politicians do what’s right, I felt it was important to come forward and give these new born babies a voice.

I am living proof these babies have a right to live, and I invite you to learn more about Senator Obama’s record on this important issue.

-Abortion Survivor Gianna Jessen
(Born Alive Truth)

Phoenix-based comic book store to sell McCain, Obama comic books

It's official. Everybody's trying to capitalize on the presidential election.

Phoenix-based Atomic Comics will start selling biographical John McCain and Barack Obama-themed comics on Oct. 8.

Idea & Design Works, a San Diego company, publishes the 32-page, full-color books priced at $3.99 each.

Presidential Material: Barack Obama chronicles "the rise of the Democratic candidate from his humble beginnings to his spot on the November ballot," according to a store promo.

Presidential Material: John McCain "follows an American hero from the dregs of Vietnam to the halls of Washington, D.C."

Bill Mitchell, president of purchasing for Atomic Comics, said neither candidate is portrayed in tights. Neither has super-human power.

"This is a great to get people involved in registering to vote," he said. "Most of the people that work here are political, so we know how politics affects our lives. We wanted to make sure other people got involved as well."

He added there are spirited employee debates at Atomic Comics, which has not endorsed either candidate.

The store offered customers the chance to preorder the comics, which begs the question: Which candidate is ahead in orders? It's close. Last week, McCain had 51 preorders and Obama had 50.
Mitchell didn't think Atomic Comics would be carrying Sarah Palin and Joe Biden-themed comic books. It's an interesting thought, though.

More information: www.atomic comics.com/election.html.

Source: The Arizona Republic

Barack Obama the $66 Million Man

Desperate to change the election narrative, the Democrats released a breathtaking number yesterday: $66-million(U.S.).

That's how much Barack Obama's supporters donated in August. No politician, not even Mr. Obama himself, has ever come close to raising that kind of money in one month. In August, 500,000 new donors joined the two million who already have contributed to the presidential nominee's campaign.

Republican nominee John McCain raised $47-million (U.S.) during the same period - by far his most successful effort. But because he has accepted public financing for his campaign, Mr. McCain is prohibited from spending more than $84-million (U.S.) during this fall election season.
Why does this matter? For two reasons: First, it suggests that Mr. Obama will be able to outspend Mr. McCain by something approaching two to one over the coming weeks.
Second, it reminds us that the fundamentals in this election continue to favour the Democrats, despite the euphoric frenzy among social conservatives over Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

These are the top-10 industries from which the U.S. presidential candidates receive personal
donations.

Barack Obama:

1. Lawyers/law firms $24,060,136
2. Retired $23,180,767
3. Education $10,375,038
4. Securities & investment $9,873,356
5. Business services $6,746,937
6. Real estate $6,421,385
7. Health professionals $5,852,212
8. Misc. business $5,411,083
9. TV/movies/music $5,161,298
10. Computers/Internet $4,258,226

John McCain:

1. Retired $23,536,345
2. Lawyers/law firms $7,959,446
3. Securities & investment $6,893,293
4. Real estate $6,796,844
5. Misc. finance $3,907,413
6. Health professionals $3,563,798
7. Misc. business $3,122,709
8. Business services $2,550,153
9. Commercial banks $1,868,224
10. Insurance $1,655,352

Source: OpenSecrets.org

Obama and McCain on Wall Street Overhaul

As Wall Street is trembling on bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers (largest Chapter 11 filing in the history of America) and news of Merrill Lynch's acquisition by Bank of America, President hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama are trying to outdo each other in presenting solutions for Wall Street Overhaul.

It was unclear which candidate voters might be more likely to turn to in an ongoing climate of economic turmoil. Polls generally show voters believe Mr. Obama would do a better job than Mr. McCain in handling the economy, but his lead on economic issues has been shrinking.

Image Source: National Post