John Edwards' Full Remarks from Grand Rapids, MI

Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama is to be backed by former rival John Edwards, his campaign says.

Mr Edwards, who was John Kerry's running-mate in the 2004 presidential race, has been one of the few senior Democrats yet to endorse a candidate. Correspondents say his endorsement will damage Mr Obama's one remaining rival, Senator Hillary Clinton. The endorsement comes a day after Mrs Clinton won the party's primary in West Virginia by a wide margin. Mrs Clinton, like Mr Obama, had actively sought Mr Edwards's influential endorsement.

'Tricky case'

So far in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Mr Obama has won more of the delegates who will choose the party's nominee at the Democratic National Convention this summer. He has also raised more money than Mrs Clinton.

The Clinton campaign has been hoping that she could pick up more endorsements than Mr Obama from the so-called "super-delegates", who get an automatic vote at the convention by virtue of holding a senior position in the party.

The BBC's Justin Webb says that with Mr Edwards's high-profile endorsement, Mrs Clinton's already difficult case has just become even trickier to make. Mr Edwards was expected to make his endorsement alongside the Illinois senator at a rally in Michigan later on Wednesday.

Source BBC News

Road to change: Oregon

West Virginians for Obama

Keeping Our Faith With Veterans

We just won a decisive victory in North Carolina thanks to people like you.

Indiana remains too close to call. But what is clear is that we did much better than all the pundits predicted, despite Republicans changing parties to support Senator Clinton, believing she would be easier for Senator McCain to defeat.

Here's where we stand.

As of Tuesday morning, we needed just 273 delegates to clinch the nomination. When the votes are fully counted Wednesday morning, we will have gained more than a third of them in a single day.

We have a clear path to victory. But now is the time for each one of us to step up and do what we can to close out this primary.

LOUISVILLE, KY — U.S. Congressman Ben Chandler from Kentucky endorsed Barack Obama for President today, citing his ability to lead the country forward:

"Today I am pleased to announce my support and to offer my endorsement to Barack Obama to be the next President of the United States. I have listened to this man, I have met with him and like many of you, I am inspired by his message of change and of hope for our future. But more importantly, I am convinced Barack Obama will provide the steady hand and leadership we need to chart a new path for our nation.

In these tough economic times, when many in our nation and right here in Kentucky are struggling to make ends meet and to provide for their families, too much is at stake for us to do nothing. I hope all Kentuckians and citizens throughout the nation will join with me in firmly supporting Barack Obama to lead our nation to a better future and to a place of respect for our country around the world."

Said Obama: "I am honored to have the support of Congressman Ben Chandler. As a Congressman, Ben has been a tireless fighter for working families and seniors, our troops in Iraq and our veterans at home. When he served as Kentucky Attorney General, he fought to pass Megan's Law and protect women and children, and he took action to protect the elderly from patient abuse and neglect. I look forward to working with Ben to strengthen our middle class and to keep our sacred trust with our past and present servicemen and women.” 

Congressman Chandler is Senator Obama’s 244th Superdelegate endorsement. Senator Obama is now 288 delegates away from winning the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.

I've found this video on Youtube, and thought it will be cool to share it with you...please enjoy this artwork.

The Patriot-News | April 21, 2008

By CHRIS A. COUROGEN

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has heard the comparisons between Barack Obama and his brothers. He does not disagree with those who say the senator from Illinois has the same ability to inspire people that President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy possessed.

"I see Barack having a similar kind of appeal," the senior Democratic senator from Massachusetts said. "He is challenging young and old alike to be a part of the solution to the problems."

Kennedy was in Harrisburg to deliver a brief motivational speech to Obama campaign volunteers as the race for the state's presidential primary entered the stretch run.

"This whole campaign is about rejecting the quick, easy, slick answer," Kennedy said. "H.L. Mencken once said, 'For every complex problem there is a simple, easy answer and it is wrong.' Barack Obama is spelling out the complex answers to complex problems. Americans are ready for that kind of answer."

By THOMAS B. LANGHORNE

Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel threw his support behind Sen. Barack Obama's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday.

Weinzapfel's written endorsement, issued hours before Obama was scheduled to take the stage at a rally at Roberts Stadium, called the Illinois senator a "special leader."

"I feel Sen. Obama brings integrity, a fresh perspective, good judgment, a wealth of experience and determined leadership to deal with the challenges our country faces," the Democratic mayor's statement said.

Weinzapfel said Obama understands the needs of working families and has the ability to inspire people and unite the nation "in a way that transcends the typical partisan politics of the past, and allows us to focus on our shared hopes and dreams for the future."

 

After fourteen long months, it's easy to forget this from time to time – to lose sight of the fierce urgency of this moment. It's easy to get caught up in the distractions and the silliness and the tit-for-tat that consumes our politics; the bickering that none of us are immune to, and that trivializes the profound issues – two wars, an economy in recession, a planet in peril. 

But that kind of politics is not why we're here. It's not why I'm here and it's not why you're here.   

... We're not here to talk about change for change's sake, but because our families, our communities, and our country desperately need it. We're here because we can't afford to keep doing what we've been doing for another four years. We can't afford to play the same Washington games with the same Washington players and expect a different result. Not this time. Not now.    

… We can be a party that says there's no problem with taking money from Washington lobbyists – from oil lobbyists and drug lobbyists and insurance lobbyists. We can pretend that they represent real Americans and look the other way when they use their money and influence to stop us from reforming health care or investing in renewable energy for yet another four years.

Or this time, we can recognize that you can't be the champion of working Americans if you're funded by the lobbyists who drown out their voices. We can do what we've done in this campaign, and say that we won't take a dime of their money. We can do what I did in Illinois, and in Washington, and bring both parties together to rein in their power so we can take our government back. It's our choice.

… In the end, this election is still our best chance to solve the problems we've been talking about for decades – as one nation; as one people. Fourteen months later, that is still what this election is about.

Brack Obama, Evans Ville, April 22nd 2008

For the first time since the historic 1960 primary election, the Democratic presidential nomination remains hotly contested as West Virginians prepare to vote. So this state's Democrats and independents may, once again, help decide U.S. history.
We hope they support the brilliant, inspiring, eloquent frontrunner in the race, Barack Obama.
Sen. Obama is a rare figure in U.S. politics - a deep thinker who rises above partisan sniping and makes statecraft seem noble. He raises hope that, after the disastrous Bush years mercifully come to an end, Americans can again be proud of their national leader.
Obama appeals to the innate decency in all groups of people, beyond party lines, without personal grandiosity. He fosters a desire to restore America's finest values of honor and fairness.
In endorsing Obama, Sen. Jay Rockefeller pointed out that the young Illinois lawyer had to work hard - "there was nothing sheltered about his life" - but he rose to national stature. Rockefeller said Obama was far-sighted enough to oppose President Bush's unwise plan to invade Iraq while most others, including rival Hillary Clinton, supported the invasion.
"The indisputable fact is, Barack Obama was right about Iraq when many of us were wrong," the West Virginia senator said. "It was a tough call and the single greatest national security question - and mistake - of our time. ... What matters most in the Oval Office is sound judgment and decisive action. It's about getting it right on crucial national security questions the first time, and every time."

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey endorsed Democrat Barack Obama on Friday, a move that could help the presidential candidate make inroads with white working-class voters dubbed "Casey Democrats"  in the Keystone State.

Appearing on stage beside the Illinois senator, Casey told a boisterous rally, "I believe in my heart that there is one person who's uniquely qualified to lead us in that new direction and that is Barack Obama."

Pennsylvania's April 22 primary will allocate 158 delegates, the biggest single prize left in the drawn-out nomination battle between Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. Clinton is leading Obama in the state, by 12 points in one poll this month.

Casey is a first-term senator and the son of a popular former governor of the state. Casey is Catholic and, like his father, is known for his opposition to abortion and support of gun rights. His support could help Obama make inroads among Catholic voters, who have preferred Clinton to Obama in earlier primaries and strongly favor her in Pennsylvania polls.

"I really believe that in a time of danger around the world and in division here at home, Barack Obama can lead us, he can heal us, he can help rebuild America," he said.

Obama told the crowd that he had not pushed Casey hard for an endorsement.

"Bob is such a gracious person and such a thoughtful person that I did not press him on this endorsement," especially since Obama trails Clinton in Pennsylvania polls.

"It would have been easy for Bob just to stay out of it, just to stay neutral, I think everybody would have accepted that," Obama said.

Casey said that he called Clinton Thursday night to tell her of his decision.

"She was very gracious. We know that she's a great senator, she's a great leader," Casey said.

Asked by Casey's endorsement, Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said, "We're proud of the support we have from across Pennsylvania, including Gov. (Ed) Rendell, several members of Congress and mayors from across the state. We look forward to having his support in the general election as Democrats unite to beat John McCain and to turn our country around."

Clinton's backers in the state include Rep. John Murtha, who was an early advocate of withdrawing from Iraq, and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who is black.

Meantime, a leading Obama backer, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has said Clinton should abandon her White House run.

"There is no way that Sen. Clinton is going to win enough delegates to get the nomination," Leahy told Vermont Public Radio in an interview Wednesday. "She ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Sen. Obama. Now, obviously that's a decision that only she can make. Frankly, I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate."

Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, endorsed Obama in January.

The Casey endorsement came as Obama began a six-day campaign swing through Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has an estimated 3.8 million Catholics, or just over 30 percent of the state's population, and the percentage among Democrats is estimated to be slightly higher.

Obama's team hopes that Casey will help narrow Clinton's huge lead among white working-class voters—men in particular. Clinton routed Obama among that demographic in Ohio and Texas on March 4, raising questions about his electability in November. In recent weeks, Obama has stressed economic issues important to the middle class, and he is outspending Clinton on television advertising that features blue- collar imagery.

Clinton and her supporters have been making their own direct appeals: backers Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., last week wrote a letter to Pennsylvania Catholics emphasizing her plans on health care, mortgage foreclosures and fuel costs. Clinton has been endorsed by Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, giving her access to his potent political operation.

Obama has lacked a major endorsement by a statewide Pennsylvania politician, and Casey's could help jump-start his Pennsylvania campaign. Casey has close ties to organized labor, which has been divided in Pennsylvania between the two candidates.

Casey had a 62 percent approval rating among Democrats in a recent Quinnipiac University poll.

Casey's move could also be seen as a political jab at the Clintons. Bill Clinton was the Democrats' presidential nominee in 1992 when Casey's father was not given a prime-time speaking position at the party's convention, which outraged many of the state's conservative Democrats.

Casey was to campaign with Obama as he travels across Pennsylvania by bus.

The bus tour will feature "listening sessions," a technique Clinton used in her 2000 Senate campaign to convince skeptical New Yorkers that she was not just a carpetbagger looking for a plum post after leaving the White House.

Obama hopes to prevent Clinton from racking up a large win in the state which could eat away at his delegate advantage and give her new life in the final primaries running to June.

It may be a tough sell for some in the state, which has a sizable elderly population. In the previous primaries, older Democrats have favored Clinton, while younger voters tend toward Obama.

Casey served two four-year terms as state auditor general. He lost a 2002 gubernatorial bid in the Democratic primary to Rendell.

Casey was elected to the Senate in 2006, defeating conservative GOP incumbent Rick Santorum. Obama campaigned for Casey, but so did Clinton and her husband.

SANTA FE, New Mexico - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, America's only Hispanic governor, is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president, calling him a "once-in-a- lifetime leader" who can unite the nation and restore the country's international leadership.

Richardson, who dropped out of the Democratic race in January, is to appear with Obama on Friday at a campaign event in Portland, Oregon, The Associated Press has learned.

The governor's endorsement comes as Obama leads among delegates selected at primaries and caucuses but with national public opinion polling showing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton pulling ahead of him amid controversy over statements by his former pastor.

Richardson has been relentlessly wooed by Obama and Clinton for his endorsement. As a Democratic superdelegate, the governor plays a part in the tight race for nominating votes and could bring other superdelegates to Obama's side. He also has been mentioned as a potential running mate for either candidate.

No primaries are scheduled until Pennsylvania's on April 22, a gap in time Obama hopes to use for such announcements to assert that he is the front-runner for the nomination.

'Once-in-a-lifetime leader'
"I believe he is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime leader that can bring our nation together and restore America's moral leadership in the world," Richardson said in a statement obtained by the AP.

"As a presidential candidate, I know full well Sen. Obama's unique moral ability to inspire the American people to confront our urgent challenges at home and abroad in a spirit of bipartisanship and reconciliation."

Richardson's endorsement also could help Obama pick up support among Hispanics, who are the nation's largest and fastest-growing minority.

Clinton has been the favorite of Hispanics in primaries and caucuses, according to exit polls. She won the New Mexico caucus in early February with a nearly 2-to-1 advantage among Hispanics.

Richardson backed Obama despite his ties to Clinton and her husband, the former president. He served as ambassador to the United Nations and as secretary of the Energy Department during the Clinton administration. Last month, Richardson and former President Bill Clinton watched the Super Bowl football championship together at the governor's residence in Santa Fe.

Clinton a 'distinguished leader'
Richardson praised Hillary Clinton as a "distinguished leader with vast experience." But the governor said Obama "will be a historic and great president, who can bring us the change we so desperately need by bringing us together as a nation here at home and with our allies abroad."

Richardson was a roving diplomatic troubleshooter when he was a congressman from New Mexico, negotiating the release of U.S. hostages in several countries and meeting with a rogue's gallery of U.S. adversaries, including Saddam Hussein and Fidel Castro.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama has the judgment and courage we need in a commander in chief when our nation's security is on the line. He showed this judgment by opposing the Iraq war from the start, and he has show it during this campaign by standing up for a new era in American leadership internationally," Richardson said.

Obama said he was "deeply honored" to have Richardson's support.

"Whether it's fighting to end the Iraq war or stop the genocide in Darfur or prevent nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists, Gov. Richardson has been a powerful voice on issues of global security, peace and justice, earning five Nobel Peace Prize nominations," Obama said in a statement.

Source : Associated Press

“Instead of fighting this war, we could be fighting for the people of West Virginia,” Senator Obama said today.  “For what folks in this state have been spending on the Iraq war, we could be giving health care to nearly 450,000 of your neighbors, hiring nearly 30,000 new elementary school teachers, and making college more affordable for over 300,000 students. We could be fighting to put the American dream within reach for every American – by giving tax breaks to working families, offering relief to struggling homeowners, reversing President Bush’s cuts to the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and protecting Social Security today, tomorrow, and forever. That’s what we could be doing instead of fighting this war.”

As President, Barack Obama will end the war in Iraq and redirect our resources toward pressing domestic and national security priorities.  Ending the war in Iraq will help pay for Obama’s priorities for the country, which include:

·        Keeping the sacred trust with our veterans;

·        Rebuilding our military capability by increasing the number of soldiers, marines, and special forces troops, and insist on adequate training and time off between deployments;

·        Covering all Americans and reducing health care costs by $2,500 for a typical family;

·        Putting college within reach by providing a $4,000 refundable tax credit available at the time of enrollment;

·        Creating a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank to expand and enhance existing federal transportation investments that will provide at least two million new U.S. jobs;

·        Providing a middle class tax cut of up to $1,000 for working families;

·        Strengthening retirement security and protect Social Security; and

·        Investing in a clean energy future to wean the U.S. off of foreign oil and to lead the w

orld against the threat of global climate change.

Source: barackobama.com 

Europe

"It's fortunate for Mrs. Clinton that the Europeans can't vote in the primaries. If the mania for the 2008 Democratic primary has gripped European readers, it's really all about Barack Obama.

Last month, for example, Mr. Obama was featured on the cover of the weekly French newsmagazine L’Express, with the headline, “Qui est Barack Obama?” (Who is Barack Obama?) The story described him as the Michael Jordan of politics, the prodigy from Chicago, and asked, "Is he the black J.F.K.?" He has also been on the cover of several other best-selling French newsmagazines... In France, said Mr. Herbert, Mr. Obama is seen as “being one of us, a foreigner. They don’t just see a black candidate; they see him as being able to identify with the outside world, as someone who understands how Europeans and the rest of the world view America, as being able to bridge that gap.”

Mr. Obama has also succeeded in seducing the Italians, according to Christopher P. Winner, the editor and publisher of The American, a monthly magazine based in Rome... “The Obama factor is something entirely different with the Italian media,” Mr. Winner said. “They’ve decided that he is the millennial version of J.F.K. Because of his global roots, he is an intrinsically more attractive figure."

New York Observer: "Obamamania! Europe Can't Get Enough"

Islamic World

Tamara Cofman Wittes, Senior Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy of the Brookings Institution, blogs about her positive experiences at the 5th U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Qatar: "Quite honestly, though, I don’t think the relative love-fest at this year’s meeting is all ascribable either to regional shifts or to the conference organizers’ choice of speakers. The most powerful explanation for the change is evident in the overwhelming fact that all anyone at this conference really wants to talk about is Barack Obama. A friend from the Gulf tells me her young relative was so excited about the Democratic candidate that he tried to donate money over the Internet, as he’d heard so many young Americans were doing. Then he found out he had to be a U.S. citizen to do so. Another young woman, visiting from next-door Saudi Arabia, said that all her friends in Riyadh are “for Obama.” The symbolism of a major American presidential candidate with the middle name of Hussein, who went to elementary school in Indonesia, certainly speaks to Muslims abroad. But more important is just the prospect of a refreshing shift in the the breeze off the Potomac. More than the changes in the region, it seems to be anticipated changes in Washington that are drawing the eyes of my Arab counterparts and giving the conference its unusually forward-looking tone."

AFP also reports from the Forum: "Obama... won overwhelming support in a mock election by more than 200 American and Muslim delegates at the US-Islamic World Forum in the Qatari capital. His Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and Republican candidates won only a handful of votes." The influential Egyptian Islamic television preacher Amr Khaled told AFP: "I would like to see Obama become president of America because he champions 'change and hope', which we Muslims need as much as the Americans do."

Asia

"A Japanese city called "Obama", hoping to boost its profile at home and abroad as a tourist attraction, cheered Barack Obama's victories in three more Democratic nominating contests on Tuesday... Seiji Fujiwara launched a group of campaigners to help Obama win the U.S. presidential election so that the city with the same name can share his fame... He said his group was preparing headbands, badges and T-shirts with Obama's portrait and a logo "We Love Obama" on them to campaign for Obama... The city mayor sent Obama a letter, lacquered chopsticks and the city's tourism brochures."

Russia

"After presenting the question to nearly 50 Russians, the answer is clear: 100% of our not-so-random sampling said Senator Barack Obama is their first choice. Huh? Up is down and down is up, at least if you believe conventional wisdom. Why would the Russians, stereotypically considered to be a racist and conservative nation, pick Senator Obama—the first viable black U.S. presidential candidate, and the one who many Americans agree breaks the traditional U.S. presidential mold on many levels?... The reasons are varied. Some of Russia Blog’s Russian friends have had great experiences in the U.S., and they genuinely believe that the first-term junior senator from Illinois is a leader who is capable of bringing positive change to America. They like Mr. Obama’s goal of withdrawing the troops from Iraq and agree with his health care and education policies. Other Russians are more concerned about Russia, and don’t like the anti-Putin rhetoric of Senators John McCain and Hillary Clinton. (It is important to remember that Vladimir Putin still enjoys nearly 80 percent approval rating, and most Russians view themselves as enjoying more freedom and wealth today than ever before in their country’s thousand-year history.) John McCain’s “I looked into his eyes, and I saw K-G-B,” or Hillary Clinton’s “Putin has no soul” aren’t helpful and don’t play well with Russians who think seriously about the future of the U.S.-Russia relationship."

The world

A couple of websites have been set up independently to try and assess world opinion on the US elections. What if we all voted? has received 922 votes so far from people in 57 countries, resulting in 48% for Obama, 23% for Clinton, 9% for McCain and the balance for candidates who have dropped out (Ron Paul got an impressive 14%). Ron Paul's dedicated online campaigners meant he also did well on another site, Who Would the World Elect, which recieved over 38,000 international votes; out of the three main candidates Obama recieved 72% of the vote (Clinton 24%, McCain 4%). Al-Jazeera International has recieved about 10,000 votes so far on its website, with Obama in the lead with 76% of the votes cast for the main three candidates (Clinton 15%, McCain 9%).
The Global Vote Project has a similar vision, although it is going to be focusing on the main event - the Presidential elections - and not the primaries (BetaVote did this in 2004 with Kerry recieving 88%of nearly half a million votes).

All around the world an energetic and unprecedented movement is growing in support of Senator Obama's candidacy to be the 44th US President. Some examples of the worldwide movement include:

• In Trinidad, calypso legend The Mighty Sparrow sings that America could "regain worldwide respect with Obama’s vision", and in Jamaica reggae star Cocoa Tea adds "This is not about class nor color, race nor creed. It's about the changes, what the Americans need."
• In Egypt, a humanitarian worker has written letters to dozens of superdelegates urging them to back Obama.
• In China a dramatic Obama rally is being planned on the Great Wall.
• In Gaza, a Palestinian student has been making hundreds of campaign phone calls to the US over the internet, whenever he has electricity and is not under Israeli bombardment.
• In Kenya, Obama is so popular that a beer has been named after him!
• On the internet there over 40 international Obama fan groups on Facebook, many with more than 500 members, focused on Denmark, France, Indonesia, Tanzania and many other countries. There are also dozens of blogs and websites (see listings in the sidebar).

And wherever opinion polls have been conducted, comparing him with Clinton and McCain, Senator Obama is consistently the favourite candidate by a wide margin, for example:

• 74% in Japan
• 71% in Brazil
• 68% in Holland
• 64% in South Africa
• 61% in Britain
• 54% in Iraq
• 48% in Switzerland

Coinciding with the mini-super tuesday primaries, the Times newspaper ran an online poll on 3-4 March. Election correspondent Hannah Strange explained the premiss: "The US presidential elections have a global impact like no other. From African cotton-growers to Palestinian refugees, what happens in polling booths from Maine to California come November will affect the futures of all the world's citizens, in some cases more materially than the decisions of their own governments. Yet we have no vote." Currently the poll shows 69% for Obama, up from 65% on 4th March when the Times wrote: "Barack Obama is the global choice for the Democratic presidential nominee by a margin of almost two to one... The poll, running on Across the Pond, the Times US elections blog, had by lunchtime attracted more than 1750 voters over a period of 24 hours. These were evenly spread across Europe and United States, while the Middle East, Africa, Russia, China, Central Asia and Australia also saw heavy participation. Votes came from as far-flung countries as Mauritius, Bangladesh, South Africa and Japan, as well as arenas of US military involvement such as Iraq and Afghanistan. The only country with a significant tilt towards Mrs Clinton was Israel."

Images from chicagotribune.com