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Monday, June 9, 2008
Obama ramps up search for a running mate
Barack Obama ramped up his search for a running mate on Monday, consulting with one congressional ally by phone and dispatching members of his vice presidential vetting team to the Capitol for meetings. Sen. Dick Durbin said he had spoken with Obama, his fellow Illinois senator.
Jim Johnson and Eric Holder, who comprise two-thirds of the group Obama has asked to help guide his search, met separately with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Reps. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Rahm Emanuel of Illinois.
Obama's campaign announced last week that he has asked Johnson, Holder and Caroline Kennedy to help guide the search.
None of the congressional leaders involved in the meetings have figured in speculation about a possible running mate, suggesting that the day's conversations were designed to seek advice. Durbin and Emanuel are barred from being on the ticket because the Constitution requires that the presidential and vice presidential candidates be from different states.
Johnson himself became a subject of campaign controversy during the day after a weekend report in The Wall Street Journal that he had received loans from Countrywide Financial Corp. with the help of the firm's chief executive, Angelo Mozilo.
Obama's campaign suggested its surrogates call the story "overblown and irrelevant."
But Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee-in-waiting, jumped in quickly.
"There is nothing 'overblown and irrelevant' about millions of Americans facing foreclosure and Barack Obama entrusting his most important decision as a presidential candidate to a man who has accepted millions in special loans from a subprime mortgage lender," said Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for the Republican presidential contender.
The selection of a running mate is a top priority for both Obama and McCain.
McCain stirred interest when he held a Memorial Day weekend barbecue at his Arizona home and invited three potential running mates, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and their wives.
Obama has fielded numerous questions in recent days about perhaps offering Hillary Rodham Clinton a spot on his ticket. The former first lady suspended her own presidential campaign on Saturday and issued a strong endorsement for the man who edged her out in a marathon race for the nomination.
Jim Johnson and Eric Holder, who comprise two-thirds of the group Obama has asked to help guide his search, met separately with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Reps. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Rahm Emanuel of Illinois.
Obama's campaign announced last week that he has asked Johnson, Holder and Caroline Kennedy to help guide the search.
None of the congressional leaders involved in the meetings have figured in speculation about a possible running mate, suggesting that the day's conversations were designed to seek advice. Durbin and Emanuel are barred from being on the ticket because the Constitution requires that the presidential and vice presidential candidates be from different states.
Johnson himself became a subject of campaign controversy during the day after a weekend report in The Wall Street Journal that he had received loans from Countrywide Financial Corp. with the help of the firm's chief executive, Angelo Mozilo.
Obama's campaign suggested its surrogates call the story "overblown and irrelevant."
But Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee-in-waiting, jumped in quickly.
"There is nothing 'overblown and irrelevant' about millions of Americans facing foreclosure and Barack Obama entrusting his most important decision as a presidential candidate to a man who has accepted millions in special loans from a subprime mortgage lender," said Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for the Republican presidential contender.
The selection of a running mate is a top priority for both Obama and McCain.
McCain stirred interest when he held a Memorial Day weekend barbecue at his Arizona home and invited three potential running mates, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and their wives.
Obama has fielded numerous questions in recent days about perhaps offering Hillary Rodham Clinton a spot on his ticket. The former first lady suspended her own presidential campaign on Saturday and issued a strong endorsement for the man who edged her out in a marathon race for the nomination.
Bonnie Henna
I just saw Her play Louis 'Papa Louis' St. Jacques in the pilot episode of "Charlie Jade".
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Think you pay a lot for gas?
CNN reported this morning that the American Automobile Association's national gas price average has reached $4 a gallon for the first time in history.
Gasoline prices in the United States, which have recently hit record highs, are actually much lower than in many countries. Drivers in some European cities, like Amsterdam and Oslo, are paying nearly 3 times more than those in the U.S.
The main factor in price disparities between countries is government policy, according to AirInc, a company that tracks the cost of living in various places around the world. Many European nations tax gasoline heavily, with taxes making up as much as 75 percent of the cost of a gallon of gasoline, said a spokesperson for AirInc.
In a few Latin America and Middle-East nations, such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, oil is produced by a government-owned company and local gasoline prices are kept low as a benefit to the nation's citizens, he said. All prices updated June, 2008.
Country US$/gal
Sierra Leone 18.43
Norway 10.37
Turkey 10.14
Netherlands 9.73
Eritrea 9.58
Denmark 9.31
Germany 9.20
Finland 8.90
Portugal 8.90
Italy 8.78
Sweden 8.71
United Kingdom 8.56
Belgium 8.44
Hong Kong 8.33
Monaco 8.33
France 8.06
Iceland 8.06
Israel 7.95
Poland 7.80
Hungary 7.51
Croatia 7.38
Greece 7.38
Guatemala 7.38
South Korea 7.38
Spain 7.34
Switzerland 7.12
Cyprus 7.08
Romania 7.00
Slovenia 6.93
Estonia 6.62
New Zealand 6.13
Singapore 6.06
Uruguay 6.06
Brazil 6.02
Japan 5.83
Dominican Republic 5.72
Australia 5.60
Sri Lanka 5.53
Canada 5.49
India 5.15
Ukraine 5.03
Chile 4.81
South Africa 4.66
Philippines 4.62
Thailand 4.58
Colombia 4.05
Honduras 4.05
United States 4.02
Gasoline prices in the United States, which have recently hit record highs, are actually much lower than in many countries. Drivers in some European cities, like Amsterdam and Oslo, are paying nearly 3 times more than those in the U.S.
The main factor in price disparities between countries is government policy, according to AirInc, a company that tracks the cost of living in various places around the world. Many European nations tax gasoline heavily, with taxes making up as much as 75 percent of the cost of a gallon of gasoline, said a spokesperson for AirInc.
In a few Latin America and Middle-East nations, such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, oil is produced by a government-owned company and local gasoline prices are kept low as a benefit to the nation's citizens, he said. All prices updated June, 2008.
Country US$/gal
Sierra Leone 18.43
Norway 10.37
Turkey 10.14
Netherlands 9.73
Eritrea 9.58
Denmark 9.31
Germany 9.20
Finland 8.90
Portugal 8.90
Italy 8.78
Sweden 8.71
United Kingdom 8.56
Belgium 8.44
Hong Kong 8.33
Monaco 8.33
France 8.06
Iceland 8.06
Israel 7.95
Poland 7.80
Hungary 7.51
Croatia 7.38
Greece 7.38
Guatemala 7.38
South Korea 7.38
Spain 7.34
Switzerland 7.12
Cyprus 7.08
Romania 7.00
Slovenia 6.93
Estonia 6.62
New Zealand 6.13
Singapore 6.06
Uruguay 6.06
Brazil 6.02
Japan 5.83
Dominican Republic 5.72
Australia 5.60
Sri Lanka 5.53
Canada 5.49
India 5.15
Ukraine 5.03
Chile 4.81
South Africa 4.66
Philippines 4.62
Thailand 4.58
Colombia 4.05
Honduras 4.05
United States 4.02
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Hillary Clinton announced her support for Barack Obama today
Hillary Clinton gives her support to former rival Barack Obama as she formally ends her campaign for the Democratic nomination. Below is a copy of an e-mail from Barack Obama:
Friend --
Hillary Clinton announced her support for our campaign today.
Senator Clinton made history over the past 16 months -- not just because she has broken barriers, but because she has inspired millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to causes like universal health care that make a difference in the lives of hardworking Americans.
Our party and our country are stronger because of the work she has done throughout her life, and I'm a better candidate for having had the privilege of competing with her.
Senator Clinton will be invaluable to our efforts to win in November, and I look forward to campaigning alongside her to bring this country the change it so desperately needs.
Hillary and her supporters are joining us at an urgent moment.
It's going to require a new level of commitment from every single one of us to build a national campaign in the general election.
And we're going win this election the right way -- by growing our grassroots network of ordinary people giving only what they can afford.
Will you help by making your first donation today?
If you give right now, a previous donor has agreed to match your gift, doubling its impact. Help us reach our goal of 20,000 new donors by making a matching donation today:
https://donate.barackobama.com/match
It's time for all of us to come together to take on John McCain in the general election. John McCain offers another four years of George Bush's policies, which our country simply cannot afford.
To win, we must continue building an unprecedented organization in all 50 states. And that will only happen if we all work together, side-by-side.
Thank you for joining this movement and supporting a new kind of politics.
Together we can do more than just win an election. Together we can change this country, and we can change the world.
And we are honored to have Hillary Clinton at our side as we do it.
Barack
Friend --
Hillary Clinton announced her support for our campaign today.
Senator Clinton made history over the past 16 months -- not just because she has broken barriers, but because she has inspired millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to causes like universal health care that make a difference in the lives of hardworking Americans.
Our party and our country are stronger because of the work she has done throughout her life, and I'm a better candidate for having had the privilege of competing with her.
Senator Clinton will be invaluable to our efforts to win in November, and I look forward to campaigning alongside her to bring this country the change it so desperately needs.
Hillary and her supporters are joining us at an urgent moment.
It's going to require a new level of commitment from every single one of us to build a national campaign in the general election.
And we're going win this election the right way -- by growing our grassroots network of ordinary people giving only what they can afford.
Will you help by making your first donation today?
If you give right now, a previous donor has agreed to match your gift, doubling its impact. Help us reach our goal of 20,000 new donors by making a matching donation today:
https://donate.barackobama.com/match
It's time for all of us to come together to take on John McCain in the general election. John McCain offers another four years of George Bush's policies, which our country simply cannot afford.
To win, we must continue building an unprecedented organization in all 50 states. And that will only happen if we all work together, side-by-side.
Thank you for joining this movement and supporting a new kind of politics.
Together we can do more than just win an election. Together we can change this country, and we can change the world.
And we are honored to have Hillary Clinton at our side as we do it.
Barack
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
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