Wake up America

Amid Criticism From Clinton Insiders, Obama Surrogates Claim Clinton was Considered as Veep Posted: 24 Aug 2008 12:13 PM CDT With the new ad out by John McCain, highlighting the point that Hillary Clinton wasn't even given the courtesy of being vetted for the position of Obama's vice presidential running mate before choosing Barack Obama, Obama surrogates are trying to do some damage control. CNN reports that "two sources familiar with Obama's VP search" say that Hillary Clinton was considered and just because she wasn't "formally" vetted (required to submit paperwork) does not mean that she wasn't seriously considered. The other source said both Holder and Kenndey are very familiar with Sen. Clinton and that there was substantive and lengthy conversations among the Obama team with regards to Clinton as vice president. This comes amid reports of "outrage" from members of Clinton's inner circle. These Clinton insiders are described by CNN's Political Ticker as "furious" that Obama did not offer the appearance of serious consideration for Clinton or keeping her in the loop by consulting with her. A former Clinton strategist told CNN, "Set aside that Obama said she'd be on anybody's short list, set aside anybody's feelings on whether she was deliberately snubbed and the pros and cons of whether it should be her. Focus on the politics of it and you have about a quarter of Clinton loyalists still not joining the caravan…for God's sake, not to even make a show of taking her seriously is flatly stupid." Another Clinton insider, a former adviser expresses "outrage" and claims certain portions of the process should have been handled different, if just for the sake of "optics" and appearances and he goes on to say, "They thought her supporters were mad before? They are really mad now. We knew it was never going to happen but you would have thought they might at least make a show of it." Paul Begala is a former Clinton strategist and he appeared on CNN on Friday night, in which he echoed the feelings of frustration that are being seen across a variety of Clinton supporting forums, blogs and even the media, when he stated, "I think there are a lot of Hillary voters who are going to say, 'Hey, wait a minute, man You said you were going to put her on the short list. You know, you didn't even vet her. You didn't call her. You didn't seek her advice. By the way, he didn't seek President Clinton's advice either. He's actually the guy who I think picked the best vice president in American history. You would think maybe you would sort of check in with him." While much of yesterday was spent discussing the positives and negatives of Obama's choice of Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate, one thing was clear from the second the news was announced to the reports coming out today. For Clinton supporters, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton suspended her campaign two months ago, to them this is all very much still all about Hillary Clinton. According to the Chicago Tribune News blog, one-fifth of Clinton supporters are now supporting John McCain. Using the 18 million plus figures from Real Clear Politics, that is over 3.6 million votes taken from Obama and given to McCain unless something happens within the next 10 weeks to unite them under Obama. With CNN's latest report, other media speaking to the lack of courtesy shown to Clinton by way of the vetting process, bloggers, forums, and websites speaking to the issue, and John McCain's new "Passed Over" ad geared toward those supporters, it is not clear if another two months will heal the wounds that Clinton supporters still feel. Reigniting the Clinton supporters anger just a couple days before the Democratic Convention, which starts tomorrow and is fraught with tension from planned protests, could be reasonably considered not such a good idea, and might explain the damage control that Obama surrogates are attempting to implement by insisting that Clinton was, indeed, considered seriously. The Washington Post is already saying that to an uninformed eye, it is hard to tell whether Denver is preparing for the Democratic National Convention or preparing to implement martial law. With Hillary Clinton set to speak at the Democratic convention on Tuesday and and Bill Clinton set for Wednesday, the roll call to which Hillary Clinton's name is in nomination for, also on Wednesday....it is very clear that this is all, still, about Hillary Clinton, even at an event meant to officially nominate Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee for president. .

John McCain Ad 'Passed Over' Aimed At 18 Million Clinton Supporters Posted: 24 Aug 2008 10:19 AM CDT Video ad above called "Passed Over" and can be found at YouTube here. Reports came out before Barack Obama announced Joe Biden as his running mate, showing Hillary Clinton had not been vetted for the position at all and was not considered. Today John McCain takes aim at Clinton supporters in a new ad called "Passed Over." News reports surfaced the day before Barack Obama announced Joe Biden as his running mate saying Hillary Clinton was not vetted by the Barack Obama campaign as a potential running mate for his presidential bid for presidency. The vetting process usually requires for certain paperwork, such as taxes, medical records, donors and so forth, to be provided so that a presidential candidate can vet the prospect to assure themselves that there will be no surprises about the candidate they choose. Many have said because of the long drawn out primary and the public history of Hillary Clinton, she was already thoroughly vetted but in the the primary campaign she had not provided the names of the Clinton Library donors, to which it was said that should she win the presumptive nominee status, she would then make that list available. Once she suspended her campaign the list of donors became irrelevant, but had she been considered for the vice presidential that list would have been one of the crucial pieces of information any candidate considering her would have required access to. When The Politico published the report called "Hillary Gets Stiffed", many Clinton supporters were angry because even the gesture or symbolic pretense of considering her was reported not to have been made. And the official said she was never asked for medical records or for any financial 2008 information about her or former President Bill Clinton. The last information the couple has disclosed about taxes and financial holdings was for 2007. The Clintons also were not asked about donors to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. "This would be the biggest leap of faith ever," the official said. "She's waiting for the text message like everyone else." According to Real Clear Politics 2008 Democratic Popular vote, when all the votes of each state were included, Hilary Clinton received 18,046,007 votes cast in her name and 17,822,145 votes were cast in Barack Obama's name. Those 18 million plus voters are the people the new John McCain ad, shown in the video above, are aimed at. The Text of the ad: "She won millions of votes. "But isn't on his ticket. "Why? "For speaking the truth. "On his plans: HILLARY CLINTON: "You never hear the specifics." ANNCR: "On the Rezko scandal: HILLARY CLINTON: "We still don't have a lot of answers about Senator Obama." ANNCR: "On his attacks: HILLARY CLINTON: "Senator Obama's campaign has become increasingly negative." ANNCR: "The truth hurt. "And Obama didn't like it. JOHN MCCAIN: "I'm John McCain and I approved this message." This is not the first time, nor will it be the last that Hillary Clinton's words during the primary are used against Barack Obama in the general election campaign, but this ad is clearly geared toward the 18 million plus voters, specifically the ones that have declared they will not support Obama come November. As LA Times' Top of the Ticket notes, McCain was one of the first to warmly welcome Hillary Clinton into the Senate and befriend her in 2001 and during the primary season, McCain and Clinton did not "go after" each, did not level attacks against each other, and when Clinton suspended her campaign, it was the McCain website which instantly paid tribute to her hard fought battle during the primaries, two days before Barack Obama did the same. Television pundits from multiple channels, yesterday and again today, have been discussing not only Obama's choice of Biden as his running mate, but also discussing the potential ramifications of not even making it appear as if Hillary Clinton was in consideration. With interviews and chatter on a variety of Clinton supporter sites calling it some type of disrespect it was only a matter of time before the John McCain campaign starting using that theme to reach those voters, supporters that both campaigns have actively tried to reach since Clinton suspended her campaign. One Clinton supporter website agrees with the questions in the new "Passed Over" ad, acknowledges they understand exactly what John McCain is doing and states, "At least John McCain is showing up and saying 'I want your votes', unlike Gumby who has done nothing but insult Senator Clinton, President Clinton and the 18 million voters who supported Hillary, over and over again; including the latest stunt of not even giving Senator Clinton the courtesy of being "vetted" as a show of unity." .

Understanding the New Left: Revisited Posted: 24 Aug 2008 01:39 AM CDT Understanding the New Left A note from Radarsite: In response to our previous article from Lionheart, The Takeover, honoring the life and work of Orianai Fallaci, we are reposting this original article from December 9, 2007. It is hoped that this small essay will contribute to our discussion of this New Left, this treacherous internationalist political and ideological menace, which currently threatens the very foundations of our nation, and yet is still so widely misunderstood and misinterpreted. As is so often the case with some of the world's most destructive ideologies, they are born from the honest and high-minded efforts of intellectuals, politicians, and historians to right a perceived societal wrong, often coupled with a desire to redress the purported victimization of a people or a nation. One cannot fathom the power of these revolutionary movements without at least attempting to understand their appeal. Few if any successful revolutionary movements were based on the embrace of the dark side of human nature; on the contrary, most were clothed in the shining raiment of goodness and equity. The most violent excesses of the French Revolution were -- at least, originally -- carried out in the firm belief that they were working for the betterment of mankind. The fervor with which these Great Causes were embraced by so many otherwise 'normal' people did not come from their perception of themselves or The Cause as the virtual incarnation of Evil, but rather as the victory of the Good. Whether we are contemplating Islamism, Fascism, Nazism or Communism, or even the rise of an unmitigated monster such as a Pol Pot or an Osama bin Laden, we cannot comprehend these sweeping political upheavals without first acknowledging their loyal adherents' unquestioned self-perception as the embodiment of justice and righteousness. The road to hell is paved with such well-intentioned movements. The closest this contentious world has ever come to achieving true social equity has been in those modern nations which have embraced the combined principles of freedom, capitalism, and democracy. They are simply the most judicious and honorable systems yet devised. Unfortunately, this glaring truth does not render these privileged societies impervious to the machinations of those who know better, those who understand history better, and can better interpret its meanings, those who have conceptualized a better vision of the future, embodied in a better system. There is always a 'better system' out there. And as we have seen to our despair, oftentimes those same old ugly lies reappear in the guise of some newer 'better system', and subsequently a whole new generations of believers is born. Read the rest at Radarsite

Run for the Fallen Posted: 24 Aug 2008 01:20 AM CDT Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Sovie 20, Ogdensburg, New York U.S. Marines Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, Marine Air Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing,2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, New River, N.C. Killed when two CH-53 helicopters crashed near Ras Siyyan, northern Djibouti, while flying a training mission in the Godoria Range area. Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, MAG 29, 2nd MAW, II MEF Nic's mom, Mary, says: I cannot believe how hard this is to write about memories of Nic. This year, and this month especially is difficult as Nic's 5 year contract with the Marines ended on August 5, 2008. We will never know now if he would have reenlisted or come home as he planned and attended college. He had so many dreams and plans for his future. However, he loved his job as crew chief in the Marines and working with all of his fellow Marines. As any parent who lost a child will tell you, everyday is Memorial Day. You would think it would be easy to share all of those memories......they play through our minds everyday. And sadly, it doesn't get easier as time goes on, we just learn to live with the pain. That is where our faith comes in. Nic had that faith too. He would tell me that he put his life in God's hands before every flight. He said that God is in control and whatever happens, he was OK with that. It was that same faith I had to stand on when those 2 Marines came to my door @ 10:30 PM on a cold winter night February 17, 2006. It is that same faith that sustains me today. Nic was my middle son. He has a brother 4 years older and a brother 4 years younger. We were always a close knit family. Faith and Church has always been important to our family. Nic was an altar server for many years and was involved with the church youth group & plays. He even went to Taize & Paris France in 2001 with the church youth group. He enjoyed hiking in the Adirondacks with his older brother and they had plans to climb all the peaks. Nic was always smiling and made friends easily. His friends often turned to Nic for advice because he really listened and cared....they knew that. He had a great sense of humor and was usually the life of the party. He was always optimistic and saw the glass as half full, not half empty. He could cheer anyone up. He was thoughtful & caring to everyone, but could be tough when he had too. He was a wonderful uncle to his nephew Andy. Andy was only 4 when Nic died, but he still talks about "Uncle Nic" all the time. Nic was on honor student throughout school and could probably attend any college he wanted to go to. When September 11, 2001 happened, Nic was 16 and in 11th grade. He wanted to serve his country. A few days after is 17th birthday, just before starting his senior year, Nic talked to a Marine recruiter and signed up with the delayed entry program. He graduated high school with honors in June 2003 and left for bootcamp August 5, 2003. We proudly watched our son march across the fields October 31, 2003 as he was called a Marine for the first time. From there, Nic continued his training, went to SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) training, earned his wings for flight school and became a crew chief on the CH 53 Helicopter. He excelled in his job as crew chief. His best friend in the Marines, Sam Large was also a crew chief. They bot h died along with 6 other Marines and 2 Air Force personnel when 2 helicopters collided. Somehow, in our pain, both Sam's family and ours were comforted by the fact that if they had to die, they died together. Sam's wife and many of his Marine buddies were here for the burial. Nic is buried in our parish cemetery, Notre Dame in Ogdensburg, NY. He had 2 CH 53 helicopters fly over for his burial. There is a song called "The Dash" sung by Eric Dodge. He is a new & upcoming Country Music singer from Utah. Every time we listen to that song, tears fill up our eyes as we think of Nic. It says: "Someday they're gonna carve two dates beneath my name in stone. One for when I first arrived, one for when I say good-bye. I can't change when I got here, or when I'm going home...but there is still a little time in the middle that's mine ..all mine. The dash between the dates, the gift we've all been given. That little line that takes us from the cradle up to heaven. You're born and then you die....Life goes by so fast and it’s all riding on the dash." The song ends with.."When I'm gone I hope my friends all gather for a toast to laugh and cry and say at least I tried to make the most of the dash between the dates........" Nic lived his "dash" to the fullest. He filled all our lives with joy & love and wonderful memories. He touched so many hearts and changed so many lives for the better. His smile lightened and brightened everyone's day. His sense of humor made us all laugh. His stories kept us on the edge of our seats. His wise words, his encouragement and his ability to always look at the glass as half full and seeing the positive aspect of every obstacle or problem that came before him or his friends, made life not only easier for those around him, but a whole bunch more fun! His faith kept you grounded and he never wavered. We thank God for that and for him each and everyday. Honor, courage and commitment-----he was every bit of the Marine motto. We will never let him be forgotten....he is a part of our day, everyday! We know there will always be heartache & tears, but also the precious memories that we created through the years. I will always remember what he told me the first Christmas when he couldn't be home, "Don't be sad that I am not there. The Spirit of St. Nicholas is always with you and so am I." We hold his words close to our hearts. We will never let his sacrifice for all of us be forgotten. Mary (proud Marine Mom of Nic) (source)

Run For the Fallen Posted: 24 Aug 2008 01:15 AM CDT Today, the Run for the Fallen ends in Arlington. Today marks the end of this run for our heroes. Every hero has been recognised and remembered. I have a number of these brave men and women forever etched on my heart. There ARE sites which have profiles of each of them. Two that allow us to know them and their lives are: Living Legends (SA) They Have Names There are many other official sites, of course, and I urge you to spend some time reading the words of those who know and love these heroes the most. To find out more about Run For the Fallen, go here. "May they rest in peace. They are some of the chosen ones."

Reactions To Obama's Veep Choice, Joe Biden Posted: 23 Aug 2008 02:13 PM CDT Reactions are coming out fast and furiously about the news that Barack Obama chose Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate for the November elections. Quick recap: Last night after initial word about hoax text messages and fake bumper stickers, the work leaked that Secret Service had been dispatched to Joe Biden's home, assuring everyone that Biden was the pick. Still no text message from the Obama campaign that promised that supporters would be the "first to know". Different news organizations managed to confirm that Biden was the pick and still "no text message from the Obama campaign that promised that supporters would be the 'first to know'." Finally 3 am ET.... (After Hillary Clinton's 3 am ad, don't think the timing isn't being questioned by Hillary supporters), the text is sent out and the emails start arriving. Today, via memeorandum, the buzz is full of reactions, from giddiness of the right, to the approval and disappointment being expressed on the left and the mixed reactions from those claiming to be more in the center. From the left, a good example of mixed reactions comes from one site, Talk Left, with two very different posts: One from Jeralyn who expresses disappointment with the Biden choice: Big Tent Democrat called it correctly. Is anyone besides me extremely unhappy with Joe Biden, the ultimate crime warrior, on the ticket? One of my favorite Joe Biden gaffes below: You Tube: ""I've had a great relationship (with Indian Americans). In Delaware, the largest growth in population is Indian-Americans moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking," The video she refers to below: Then the next one from Talk Left written by Big Tent Democrat, who declares that politically, given Obama's rules, Biden was the best choice: Below, I criticize the rollout of Biden. But I do not criticize the choice from a political standpoint, given Obama's stubborn refusal to pick the person who would have helped him the most politically, Hillary Clinton. Once the Not Hillary decision was made (and once Obama ran for the hills on McCain's Hanoi Hilton defense to everything), Joe Biden made the most sense. He does not help much, but he helps. And that is better than hurting - as a Bayh, Kaine or Sebelius would have done. More from Jeralyn: I'm weighing my options. Let's just say that today, I'm underwhelmed and greatly disappointed. Is McCain and whomever he picks as a running mate any better? Of course not. But if you don't think choosing between two disappointing scenarios is depressing, well, you're not me. Stay tuned. I'll ultimately decide whether I will vote for the Democratic ticket or vote down ticket only. This site will continue to support the Demcoratic ticket, and keep in mind there aere three authors here and the other two are bound to be more pro the Obama - Biden than I am, but my support is lukewarm right now -- at best. I can't imagine voting for a candidate I can't clap for. I'll be in the Pepsi Center for their speeches. John Kerry would not have been my pick in 2004, but I respected him and believed he'd make a good President. I became enthusiastic about the ticket when John Edwards came on board. Read these posts of my reactions to their speeches in Boston in 2004. I just don't see how I can even come close to those feelings here in Denver next week. I'm going to try to get on board, but the ship seems to have sailed without me. Huffington Post is another example of the lukewarm support Obama is getting about his decision. The Good: As the Drum Major Institute shows, Biden has a fairly progressive record on basic economic issues, and has gotten more progressive on specific issues like trade. He's also been a strong voice opposing unilateral war against Iran. And rhetorically, he seems comfortable painting a stark contrast between Democrats and Republicans on issues. The Bad: He is one of the most arrogant and conceited people in Washington - one of the jokes in D.C. when I was there is that Biden uses the term "I" more than anyone else. Because of this self-importance, he consequently shoots his mouth off in ways that can undermine progressives. For example, he has made insulting racial comments about African Americans and Indians. This might not only be dredged up by Republicans, but Biden may commit additional errors in his new platform as VP nominee. Additionally, Biden is an insider's insider, having spent most of his life in Washington, D.C. That doesn't exactly underscore Obama's message of change. The Ugly: He was one of the most ardent supporters of the credit card-industry written Bankrupty Bill of 2005, which was one of the most regressive pieces of economic legislation in the last generation. And though he cites his foreign policy experience as an asset, he used his position as one of Democrats' top foreign policy voices to support the Iraq War. Another Huffington Post writer asks Joe Biden, very nicely to not say anything stupid. Heading to the Center, I use The Moderate voice to show the mixed reactions, with one writer (Tony Campbell) declaring "Bong, Bong, Bong" – does anyone else hear that? That ominous sound is the bell announcing the TKO the Democrats have just given themselves." Another writer from the same site, thinks Biden is a great pick, despite concerns. Tony may be right with regard to the public perception of the Biden pick. And public perception, in some ways, is far more important than reality when it comes to political campaigns. But, two points: (1) It's pretty much standard operating procedure for senators who are vice presidential candidates to remain on the ballots for re-election to the Senate while campaigning for the higher office. Lyndon Johnson did it in 1960, as I recall. Hedging bets? Yeah, maybe. So what? (2) It'll be interesting for the McCain camp to try to argue that Biden's tenure in Washington–thirty-six years–means he can't bring change to the government. McCain, by my reckoning, has been there for twenty-six years, hardly making him a babe in the Washington woods. Then we come to yet another writer, Jazz, who understands why the GOP is giddy with happiness over the Biden choice. Clearly, at least in American politics, truth is stranger than fiction, since you are doubtless already aware that Obama has actually gone ahead and selected Biden for the number two slot. While our good friend Shaun Mullen has already pointed out some very flattering things about Joe Biden, astute political observers must be scratching their heads this morning and wondering if Caroline Kennedy didn't spike Barack's punch during their last meeting. How on Earth did the Democrats wind up with Biden as the running mate? He then goes on to list a number of reasons behind his thinking....read it all. The Right. Power Line says "Happiness is a thing called Joe"...lol That you just have to go read in full to get the flavor. Bridget Johnson asks "So Joe Biden is 'change'?" Many of us have already provided John McCain's new ad, which was released within hours of Obama's Veep choice, showing Biden standing by his previous comment saying the white House is no place for on the job training (referring to .... Obama!!!) Also a blast from the past with one of Biden's own presidential ads from 1988, where he also says that experience is needed to become president. To be fair, some Democrats are as happy as the Republicans are about Obama's choosing Joe Biden. For different reasons, but just as happy......almost. Last but not least the Washington Post brings the news that the Biden pick is unlikely to make any difference at all in how voters will vote in November. For much, much, much more reaction and buzz, head over to memeorandum and happy reading. By and far, the people the happiest about Obama's choice...are the GOP. That in and of itself might say it all. .

Inmate Charged For Sending Threat Letter To McCain Office Which Caused Evacuation Posted: 23 Aug 2008 01:33 PM CDT Last week it was reported that John McCain's campaign headquarters in Colorado had to be evacuated after a letter arrived with an unknown white powder inside. Reports now say that a Colorado inmate was responsible for sending the letter. As reported at Wake up America, John McCain campaign workers had to undergo decontamination procedures, as a precautionary measure last Thursday, after receiving and opening a letter which said, "Senator McCain, If you are reading this then you are already DEAD! Unless of course you can't or don't breathe." With the letter was a white powdery substance that caused Hazmat teams, local authorities and Joint Terrorism Task Force agents to immediately descend on the Colorado office to test for contamination. The white powder has since been tested and determined to not have been toxic Initial reports claimed that a letter sent to McCain's New Hampshire office was connected to the one sent to his Colorado office, were later shown to be false alarms. As reported by CNN, a state of Colorado jail inmate has been charged with mailing the letter to John McCain. Marc Harold Ramsey, 39 years old, has been an inmate since September 17, 2007 after being charged with felony menacing, 2nd degree assault, contempt of court and being a fugitive from justice with a bond of $352,750. Troy Eid who is a U.S. Attorney states "A death threat is not a legitimate form of political expression. We won't stand for threats of this kind in Colorado." Ramsey will be transfered from state custody to federal custody for his appearance in court on this matter and if convicted he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Rocky Mountain News reports that the man claims his motive for sending the threatening letter was because his father served in Vietnam in the same time period that John McCain served and was not adequately cared for after being exposed to Agent Orange. The kicker here is how the Secret Service was able to trace the letter back to Ramsey. According to E-Flux, the inmate's name, inmate number and location of the jail facility was listed as the return address. .

You are subscribed to email updates from Wake up America To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of Wake up America in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: Wake up America, c/o FeedBurner, 20 W Kinzie, 9th Floor, Chicago IL USA 60610