Barack Obama Campaign Feed
At 60, Israel Has Much to Celebrate
By Barack Obama
As the festivities surrounding Israel’s 60th anniversary get underway, Israelis can be forgiven if they don’t feel in an entirely celebratory mood. With terrorism and rockets from Gaza, a serious threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions, hostages held by Hamas, and too many of its neighbors playing tired old games rather than working toward peace and security, Israel can at times feel like a nation facing enormous challenges.
It is, but is also much more than that. It is precisely at this moment that, despite the challenges, Israelis should take stock of what they have built, and their hearts should swell with pride. And it is also at this moment that Israel’s friends around the world should raise their voices in a chorus of support. Because Israel has more than just friends -- it also has legions of admirers. I am proud to be one, and I know that millions of Americans join me in saluting the State of Israel and its vast array of achievements over these past 60 years.
From building one of the world’s most vibrant democracies, to agricultural advances, biomedical breakthroughs, and strides in immigrant absorption; to creating a powerhouse economy, a world-class military and vibrant cultural and literary scenes, Israel has not only made enormous leaps for its own citizens, but it has lived up to its founders’ vision of being a "light unto the nations." The problems and challenges are real, and should not be brushed aside. But they do not obscure the truly remarkable story of Israel and its astonishing accomplishments over such a relatively brief period.
"In Israel," said David Ben-Gurion over a half-century ago, "in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles." The fact that your great strides have taken place against the backdrop of so many external threats is one of the reasons Americans hold Israel in such awe and with such reverence. Israel's achievements have not come without sacrifices. But when possible, the United States has tried to lessen the burden, especially in terms of defense cooperation, trade and economic assistance.
The 60th anniversary is also an ideal time to celebrate this special relationship between our two countries. Washington and Jerusalem not only share ideals and values, but we share common interests. The bond between Americans and Israelis remains unshakable. It is a tie that every American president (whether Democrat or Republican) has and will continue to uphold.
Our unique relationship rests on a deep reservoir of friendship and support that crosses political divides. It permits us to work together in many ways, from bilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism, to joint military exercises with other regional allies, to science and technology collaboration. As president, I would further deepen our already strong bilateral ties, particularly in the areas of defense, science and energy.
Still, there is no greater gift America can give to Israel--no better way we can salute our Israeli friends on this important anniversary -- than to redouble our commitment to help Israel achieve its goal of true security through lasting peace with its neighbors. The United States does Israel no favors when it neglects opportunities for progress in Arab-Israeli peacemaking.
Israelis can always count on the United States to stand with them against any threat, from as close as Gaza or as far as Tehran, and to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself. Israel has real enemies, and we will face them together. But standing with Israel also requires America to do everything it can to reduce and ease the conflict with the Arab neighbors. To do any less would be to prevent Israel from achieving its full, extraordinary potential.
Israelis have much to be proud of as they approach this anniversary, and they should know that their friends and admirers in the United States are eager to preserve and expand upon our unique relationship with the Jewish state. May the next 60 years bring Israel continued growth, increased prosperity, genuine security, and the gift of an Israel at peace to pass on to the next generation of Israelis.
Obama makes stop at Beaverton, Ore., software company
By SARAH SKIDMORE
The senator spoke to workers at Vernier Software & Technology for the first of three scheduled stops in Oregon on Friday.
While pundits may make the country out to be divided, he said, the concerns of Oregonians are shared across the nation. At Vernier, he talked about his plans to tackle key economic issues such as health care costs, the cost of college, taxes and gas prices.
At 60, Israel Has Much to Celebrate
By Barack Obama
As the festivities surrounding Israel’s 60th anniversary get underway, Israelis can be forgiven if they don’t feel in an entirely celebratory mood. With terrorism and rockets from Gaza, a serious threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions, hostages held by Hamas, and too many of its neighbors playing tired old games rather than working toward peace and security, Israel can at times feel like a nation facing enormous challenges.
It is, but is also much more than that. It is precisely at this moment that, despite the challenges, Israelis should take stock of what they have built, and their hearts should swell with pride. And it is also at this moment that Israel’s friends around the world should raise their voices in a chorus of support. Because Israel has more than just friends -- it also has legions of admirers. I am proud to be one, and I know that millions of Americans join me in saluting the State of Israel and its vast array of achievements over these past 60 years.
From building one of the world’s most vibrant democracies, to agricultural advances, biomedical breakthroughs, and strides in immigrant absorption; to creating a powerhouse economy, a world-class military and vibrant cultural and literary scenes, Israel has not only made enormous leaps for its own citizens, but it has lived up to its founders’ vision of being a "light unto the nations." The problems and challenges are real, and should not be brushed aside. But they do not obscure the truly remarkable story of Israel and its astonishing accomplishments over such a relatively brief period.
"In Israel," said David Ben-Gurion over a half-century ago, "in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles." The fact that your great strides have taken place against the backdrop of so many external threats is one of the reasons Americans hold Israel in such awe and with such reverence. Israel's achievements have not come without sacrifices. But when possible, the United States has tried to lessen the burden, especially in terms of defense cooperation, trade and economic assistance.
The 60th anniversary is also an ideal time to celebrate this special relationship between our two countries. Washington and Jerusalem not only share ideals and values, but we share common interests. The bond between Americans and Israelis remains unshakable. It is a tie that every American president (whether Democrat or Republican) has and will continue to uphold.
Our unique relationship rests on a deep reservoir of friendship and support that crosses political divides. It permits us to work together in many ways, from bilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism, to joint military exercises with other regional allies, to science and technology collaboration. As president, I would further deepen our already strong bilateral ties, particularly in the areas of defense, science and energy.
Still, there is no greater gift America can give to Israel--no better way we can salute our Israeli friends on this important anniversary -- than to redouble our commitment to help Israel achieve its goal of true security through lasting peace with its neighbors. The United States does Israel no favors when it neglects opportunities for progress in Arab-Israeli peacemaking.
Israelis can always count on the United States to stand with them against any threat, from as close as Gaza or as far as Tehran, and to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself. Israel has real enemies, and we will face them together. But standing with Israel also requires America to do everything it can to reduce and ease the conflict with the Arab neighbors. To do any less would be to prevent Israel from achieving its full, extraordinary potential.
Israelis have much to be proud of as they approach this anniversary, and they should know that their friends and admirers in the United States are eager to preserve and expand upon our unique relationship with the Jewish state. May the next 60 years bring Israel continued growth, increased prosperity, genuine security, and the gift of an Israel at peace to pass on to the next generation of Israelis.
Obama picks up 9 superdelegates, union endorsement
By JOAN LOWY
Barack Obama all but erased Hillary Rodham Clinton's once-imposing lead among national convention superdelegates on Friday and won fresh labor backing as elements of the Democratic Party began coalescing around the Illinois senator for the fall campaign.
Obama picked up the backing of nine superdelegates, including Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who had been a Clinton supporter.
Union, 3 Superdelegates Endorse Obama
By Debbi Wilgoren
Sen. Barack Obama picked up an endorsement Friday morning from the union representing federal employees -- and the personal support of its president, a superdelegate to this summer's Democratic convention.
Two Democratic lawmakers also announced they would cast their votes as superdelegates for Obama, further solidifying his lead over New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the battle to become the Democratic presidential nominee.
"Senator Obama has proven he is able to energize young Americans, independents and even moderate Republicans to support his candidacy," Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) said in a statement. "I believe he represents our best hope of winning in November."
In New Jersey, Rep. Donald M. Payne told the Newark Star-Ledger he was switching his support from Clinton to Obama. The congressman told the newspaper his decision was extremely difficult and said he had been "mulling it over for quite a while."
'We may have a second Lincoln': McGovern explains endorsement switch
By Seth Tupper
George McGovern has a history of associations with transformative political figures.
He campaigned at the sides of John F. and Robert Kennedy during their respective runs for the White House, and he’s currently writing a book about Abraham Lincoln.
McGovern thinks Barack Obama may be cut from the same historic mold as those men, and that’s one reason McGovern said Wednesday that after eight months of supporting Hillary Clinton for president, he is switching sides.
McGovern even compared Obama to Lincoln, saying he discovered similarities between the two men while doing research for the Lincoln book.
“As I have researched this book and followed the current presidential nomination contest, I have slowly come to believe that, in Barack Obama, we may have a second Lincoln,” McGovern, a Mitchell native and resident, said in an Obama campaign news release.
“With passion and eloquence, he is calling America home to its founding ideals, both at home and abroad.”
Obama meets his Indiana roots
By Staff Written
Sen. Barack Obama met his Indiana roots today, visiting the Tipton County farmhouse where his mother's family had settled in the 1800s.
As an icy wind blasted across the flat farmland, Obama, his wife Michelle and their daughters Malia, 9, and Sasha, 6, met a distant cousin, Annette Noble, 67. Noble was among a couple dozen people who came out to meet Obama as he campaigns in the final days before Tuesday's primary election.
Obama represents best hope for change
By Post-Tribune
The buzz word in the race for the Democratic nomination for president has been “change” - change from the failed policies of President Bush, who has little positive to hold on to as he approaches the end of his presidency.
Barack Obama has taken the crusade for change a step further, calling for a change in the politics and policies of Washington and the country as a whole.
...Obama, too, has pledged to take back Washington from the corporate PACs that he says made $470 million in political contributions to those in Washington during the last election cycle. We also are impressed that Obama largely has kept his campaign focused on the future and what he wants to accomplish, rather than attacking Clinton.
Michelle Obama focuses on fairness
By Clarke Morrison
An ever-shifting bar has put prosperity, affordable health care, good housing and a college education out of reach for too many Americans, Michelle Obama told a crowd of thousands in Asheville on Friday.
Raised from humble beginnings, Barack Obama is the lone presidential contender who identifies with everyday people and understands what it takes to lift them up, the candidate’s wife said in a lively and wide-ranging speech at UNC Asheville.
"Life has gotten harder, not easier, for working people," Obama said to thunderous applause from a podium on the campus quad. "Barack will work every day to make that bar even."
'I will not let you down'
By Christine Kraly
Vowing to run an open White House, Barack Obama urged Northwest Indiana residents to vote for him in Indiana's primary in three days.
"I may not be perfect," Obama said. "But I'll always tell you what I think. I will not let you down."
Obama again touted his plans to fix trade problems with China, and help create new jobs for American workers in the alternative energy industry. "It can start right here in Munster, if you've got the leadership," he said.
Obama Tries To Win Over Indiana Steelworkers
By Susan Carlson
The Indiana Democratic primary is just days away and Sen. Barack Obama was in Munster Friday trying to sway voters there.
CBS 2's Susan Carlson reports about 300 steel workers gave Obama a rousing welcome at Munster Steel Company. His message was aimed at the working class, struggling in this difficult economy.
"Here in Indiana, we've seen almost 100,000 well-paying manufacturing jobs, vanish," Obama said to the crowd.
His plan to create new jobs includes using $60 billion from the highway trust fund to improve infrastructure.
"Our roads, our bridges... that is the steel that puts people back to work," Obama said.
"I think he's inspiring," said Munster steel worker Fred McCraw.
Winning over the Indiana steelworkers may be crucial to the Obama campaign. Twenty-five percent of the Democratic voters statewide come from this region, in northwest Indiana.
And he told us later, Obama feels a close bond with the people he talked to Friday.
"Working in the shadow of the steel plants just up the road, as a community organizer helping people find jobs after the mills closed, I feel a special connection to this area," he said.
Hoosier superdelegate defects to Obama
By Mary Beth Schneider
Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Joe Andrew, an Indiana native who also was state party chairman here, is switching his support from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to Sen. Barack Obama.
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In an interview with The Indianapolis Star, Andrew -- one of the crucial superdelegates both campaigns are courting -- said that his wife Ann, who had been a full-time volunteer for Clinton, also is switching her support to Obama.
...In a letter Andrew is releasing today explaining his decision, he said: "The battle should not be amongst ourselves. Rather, we should focus our efforts on those who are truly on the opposite side: those who want to continue the failed policies of the last eight years, rather than bring real change to Washington. Let us come together right now behind an inspiring leader who not only has the audacity to challenge the old divisive politics, but the audacity to make us all hope for a better America."
Gas Tax Gotcha
Washington Post Editorial
...Of course, enacting any gasoline tax increase, let alone an increase of half a buck, would be politically difficult in normal times. Today, when the price of regular is creeping toward $4 per gallon, it is obviously a non-starter. The best we can hope for is that politicians, especially presidential candidates, will avoid exploiting the issue for short-term political advantage. Alas, that hope was not warranted in the case of Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has followed Republican John McCain in recommending a suspension of the federal gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. This would let Americans go on vacation without that one modest additional incentive to conserve. A nonpartisan budget watchdog organization, Taxpayers for Common Sense, estimates that a typical family would save just $18 per car. And, as we explained in an editorial last week, at a time of cramped supply, prices would probably bounce back to where they were with the tax, and refiners would pocket the difference.
We do not underestimate the impact of high fuel prices on families that need their cars to get to work and school. But the gas tax is one component of the per-gallon price that comes back to benefit the motoring public, in the form of funding for road construction and maintenance. Much of the rest leaves America, going to such places as Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Ms. Clinton proposes a windfall profits tax on U.S. oil companies to recapture the revenue forfeited by her proposal. Similar ideas have failed in the Senate because of oil-state objections; this one undoubtedly would, too. We have to agree with Sen. Barack Obama, the only candidate who has refused to play this game. "It's not an idea to get you through the summer," he said. "It's an idea to get them through an election." His opponents no doubt hope that Mr. Obama's stand will prove to be political suicide. We think it qualifies as political courage.
Hopeful Obama makes stop in Hickory
Staff Written
Chants of "Yes, We Can!" followed by "O-ba-ma!" echoed from Hickory High School’s Craft Gymnasium Tuesday as supporters greeted Barack Obama.
The first presidential candidate to visit Hickory in more than a decade addressed an overflow and diverse crowd of more than 2,000. Making his second campaign stop of the day in North Carolina, Obama talked up his universal health care plan, tax cuts for the middle class and ideas to fix the struggling economy.
The Illinois senator took the stage at 4:42 p.m. to a prolonged standing ovation, one of at least 15 he received during the next hour. After thanking Hickory High Principal Kim Maddox and other school officials for their hospitality, Obama asked for a raise of hands of those who remained undecided voters. After a few hands rose, Obama said he would attempt to persuade them.
Obama explained why he sought the presidency and mentioned the economic problems facing the nation, including recent layoffs in the Hickory region such as at Henredon Furniture, Joan Fabrics and Delta Apparel.
Family incomes have declined while gasoline and education costs have skyrocketed.
"People feel they are working harder and harder just to get by," he said.
Obama stresses economy in speech
By Mike Hixenbaugh
With his jacket off and his shirt sleeves rolled up, Barack Obama asked a crowd of about 1,500 somewhat-soggy Eastern North Carolinians on Monday to believe in the potential of the middle class - and then to vote for him on May 6.
Despite heavy afternoon rains, most of those in attendance waited more than two hours outside Beddingfield High School to hear the Democratic presidential hopeful.
Taking several minutes during his speech to focus on issues faced by small towns throughout the eastern part of the state, Obama pledged to restore the U.S. economy by returning order to the job market.
"Unemployment here in Wilson is outpacing the rest of the county," Obama said after referring to a few local plants that moved overseas in recent years. "And folks here in Wilson are making about $11,000 less on average than the rest of the country. Meanwhile, gas costs $3.58."
Part of the problem, Obama said, is with leaders in Washington, D.C., who answer to special interests instead of the average U.S. resident.
Obama at UNC-CH: Time for new chapter
By Barbara Barrett
Sen. Barack Obama rallied thousands of supporters at UNC-Chapel Hill late Monday, saying he is the best candidate to bring Americans through the crisis of rising gas and food prices.
Speaking after 10:30 p.m. to a crowd that skewed young and screamed loudly enough to be heard up the street, Obama ended a day of campaigning in the Dean Smith Center. There, he said that he would bring troops home from Iraq, that he would unify the country, that he would fight special interests and, as much as anything, that he believes in hope and the American dream.
"This campaign is about you," he said. "And when we remember that, that's when government works."
Obama's image was broadcast over four giant screens above the crowd, which the campaign said numbered about 18,000.
"It is time for us to write a new chapter in American history," Obama said. "That's why you're here tonight."
Barack Obama: Adjust tax rules, encourage savings, trim waste
By Barack Obama
Americans who work hard their entire lives have earned the right to retire with dignity and security. That's the promise that each of us wants to be realized within our own families. But Washington is not working to preserve this fundamental part of the American dream.
A secure retirement is no longer a guarantee for the middle class. It's harder to save for retirement, pensions are getting crunched, and prescription drug prices are slipping out of reach. The promise of Social Security may grow harder to keep for future generations. That's why I have proposed a comprehensive agenda for retirement security.
It starts with protecting Social Security today, tomorrow and forever. Social Security is strong, but as more baby boomers retire, the long-term cash-flow needs to be addressed. We should not raise the retirement age or cut benefits. I'm also against privatization, and stood up against President Bush's plan to create private accounts. Right now, the Social Security payroll tax only applies to the first $102,000 a worker makes. The best way forward is to adjust the cap on the payroll tax so that only the wealthiest Americans pay more and people in need are protected, and we should include a "donut hole" to ensure that lifting the payroll tax cap does not ensnare any middle-class Americans.
But it's harder for Social Security to cover a secure retirement, as seniors struggle with rising costs. That's why I've proposed eliminating all income taxes for seniors making under $50,000, including over 150,000 North Carolina seniors, saving them about $1,400 per year.
We also have to encourage savings so it's easier to retire.
Obama Links Broad Ideas to Economic Specifics
By Alec MacGillis
Sen. Barack Obama came this past weekend to this factory town, where the loss of hundreds of jobs at the Delphi auto parts plant was only the latest blow, and told 2,000 voters that the way to fix things was not just to vote for him -- but to join a bottom-up mass movement to change the way government works.
He didn't put it that way exactly. But in a noteworthy shift, the Illinois senator is trying to reach working-class and middle-class voters by arguing more explicitly that the reform ideas driving his campaign can address the economic troubles that threaten their way of life. Supplanting lobbyist influence with citizen activism, uniting the country beyond petty partisan gamesmanship and bringing more candor to government, he argues, are not just abstract goals, but concrete steps that can level the playing field and lead to a more equitable distribution of the nation's wealth.
"When we push back the special interests, when we unify the country, when we speak honestly with the American people about our challenges, there's nothing we can't accomplish, nothing we can't do," he said here. "When we unify the country, we will change our economy."
OBAMA: Talking job loss, lagging economy
By Brandi Watters
"Families in Madison County make over $7,000 less than other American families," said U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., on Saturday at Anderson High School. The Democratic presidential candidate held a town hall meeting before a crowd of 1,500 and began his speech by addressing the economic situation in Anderson and other Indiana communities.
Obama referring to the 2007 closure of Delphi, emphasizing that such job loss does not only impact workers. "The whole community takes a blow."
The senator said some had asked him why he did not wait to run for the presidency when he was older.
"In such circumstances, we cannot afford to wait," Obama explained. "We can’t wait because the families across America are having a tough time. I was convinced that the American people are ready to do better."
OBAMA: "We need to bring this country together."
By Staff Written
The second point of his talk, Obama says, is to bring this country together.
"I've got a reputation for being able to work with Republicans," Obama said.
25 minutes into his talk, Obama moved on to tax talks.
"I want to roll back the tax cuts that are on the top 1% of the wealthiest residents."
Because they're making millions of dollars, Obama noted, they're going to pay higher taxes. "Our country doesn't work the way our tax-system is set up now."