I say to you Dean is first.

1. Agreed Tom. And true progressives, of whom there are all too few, share in the firstiness.

THE GOP--FROM HUFFPO

sm you don't have to go extreme. I don't think many can agree with EVERYTHING on a candidate, but basic core principles are mighty important to me.

And, uh, NO, Obama did not hede to advice from environmentalists or Al Gore. As a matter of fact, he had been planning this Bill for some time and in January of 07 the Environmentalists started raising alarms, in March they got quite loud and clear about what he was pushing....in June, he was still pushing it. Al Gore spoke out against it loud and clear on his tv appearances in June. Only after that one Bill lost support, did Obama stop pushing for it and started to try and bolster GREEN creds....hence his campaign of planting trees on the Step it Up event. He thought that was a big deal, that's why he could only list that as any efforts he's done in his private life towards Global Warming. Then added, "but thinking of changing lightbulbs with my two daughters". mmmmm, oh yeah, great leadership.

No sm, I'm not an Obama supporter. His values are complete contrary to mine. I look at each person and what they do, not what they say. Being Obama can not lead on all the issues important, War, Rights, Global Warming and Energy, Economy, Health Care and honesty, I cannot support him.

I don't think you have to worry about any endorsements from Al Gore, which is why he has been stating he may not give any, but for sure, it would be him. And no, even if a miracle happened, that doesn't change my mind.

On last night's thread, Susan Rowe chastised me for my critical comments on the many shortcomings of Congressional Democrats, and posted the list of Democratic accomplishments inthe current Congress--a pretty thin list, in view of what was expected (and doable) after last year's elections.

Paul Jenkins makes some pertinent comments on the Democrats' failures with regard to the immigration debate.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-jenkins/democrats-uneasy-dance-w_b_73397.html

The prospect of Lou Dobbs short-lived presidential candidacy was the cherry on the cake of a campaign already deeply infused with hostility to immigrants and foreigners. It is easy (and appropriate) to demonize Republicans for demonizing immigrants, but Democrats share some responsibility, not only for not fighting back more vigorously on the issue, but also because they are uncomfortable talking about it, let alone leading on it.

The ease with which right-wing anti-immigrants, assorted racists and their close allies including Rudy Giuliani have been able to merge the issues of immigration, crime and terrorism happened in no small part because most leading Democrats stood by, uncomfortably silent, while Mexican workers were essentially accused of plotting to blow up American malls and/or of pillaging entire Iowa communities.

The recent commotion about undocumented immigrants and U.S. driver's licenses was typical. Hillary Clinton, always one to shy away from anything remotely controversial, truly has had half-a-dozen positions in as many weeks, a sure sign that she is caught between a rock and a hard place (in the meanwhile, of course, we have yet to hear from John Edwards on the issue besides his hammering away at Clinton's own indecisiveness).

5. (currently) LOL....s/b for sure would NOT be him.

IT'S THE LIES, STUPID!

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_joel_s___071120_first_woman_2c_first_b.htm

The phrase honest politician has become an oxymoron.  We should not be impressed by the prospect of having the first woman, first black or first Latino president.  What would be far more radical would be to have the first honest president, if not ever, certainly in a very long time.

Presidents in recent memory have been excellent liars, contributing mightily to our culture of dishonesty.  Bill Clinton had the audacity to look right into the TV camera and blatantly lie to the American public.  George W. Bush has probably set a record for official lying, though it might take many decades to fully document them.  Carl M. Cannon saw the bigger truth: “posterity will judge [George W. Bush] not so much by whether he told the truth but whether he recognized what the truth actually was.”

Rampant lying by politicians is a major reason why so many Americans have stopped paying attention to politics, stopped hoping for political reforms, and stopped voting

Lying politicians probably tell themselves that the public cannot take the truth.  Many convince themselves (lie to themselves) that lies of omission are not really serious like lies of commission.

Just how bad things have become is shown by the recent decision by the Supreme Court of the state of Washington that lying politicians are protected by the 1st Amendment.  They are free to lie as much as they can get away with.  Free speech apparently is a green light for lying, even though it leads to rotten, dishonest government.

Lies entertain.  Honesty disturbs.  Honesty produces painful truths about the nation, government, and failed public policies.  Truth-telling politicians usually say things that people would rather not hear and or think about.

Meanwhile the mainstream media and pundits, promoting confrontation and horse races to entertain and keep their audiences, are reluctant to call lying politicians liars.  Instead, they use oblique language and euphemisms to conceal the truth about lying.  They are as dishonest as the politicians they talk about.  How interesting it would be to have media people ask candidates something like: Are you being the most honest person you can be in this campaign?  I don’t think the majority of dishonest ones would not say “yes.”  Instead, they would dance and blabber.

Al Gore, BBC win International Emmy Awards
November 20, 2007

By Chris Michaud

New York - Former Vice President Al Gore won another honour on Monday when he received the Founders Award at the International Emmy Awards, which also gave a top prize to a controversial British television film about the assassination of President George W Bush.

Death Of President, which explores the aftermath of Bush's assassination in Chicago in October 2007, won the International Emmy for best TV movie or miniseries, leading a pack of winners from the United Kingdom and the BBC that dominated the 35th annual awards.

The award was presented moments after Gore accepted his honour, an annual prize that recognised his role in launching Current TV, a cable and satellite network that uses viewer-created content.

Gore, accepting from Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro, said in brief remarks that the future of world democracy "depends to a surprising degree on democratising TV." Current TV was thus born of the idea of connecting the Internet to television, Gore said.

The former vice president, who ran against Bush in 2000 in a disputed election that was decided by a divided US Supreme Court, also used the occasion to lobby on behalf of the environment, saying "the climate crisis is by far the most serious challenge the human race has ever faced."

Earlier this year Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize, and graced the stage at the Academy Awards when the documentary about his lecture tour on global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth" won the Oscar. He also won a prime-time Emmy for Current TV.

De Niro injected a political note, saying that Gore had been "voted out of office by the Supreme Court" in 2000.

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertain...

"the climate crisis is by far the most serious challenge the human race has ever faced."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

things were a little tense humanity wise when the cold war had produced hundreds of large bombs and no control protocols to speak of

The cold war was a threat of what could happen. Global warming is a threat of what is happening.

To:      Biden campaign leaders

Meanwhile, the pundits agree that Senator Biden is continuing to build momentum in Iowa and could surprise the field.  As Chris Cilliza of Washington Post wrote on Friday:  “Despite his lack of resources, Biden has been able to win considerable support among Iowa elected officials, and his messaging on Iraq -- a three-state solution -- is perhaps the clearest and most reasonable of any of the candidates running.  Should Biden gain strength, he could well have a real impact on the Big 3 in Iowa.”

And in New Hampshire, Joe was tough on his fellow Democrats, according to the Union Leader, saying that the “three front-runners in the Democratic presidential race are using ‘Bill Clinton triangulation and ‘Karl Rove anger’ to deliver a divisive message as they fight for approval of the party's liberal base. It's an approach Biden says will make it nearly impossible for the one who survives the nominating battle and the general election to govern effectively.”  New Hampshire Union Leader,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 his messaging on Iraq -- a three-state solution

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

note to Fred, this comes from the Biden campaign 

Biden Chides Democrats for Losing Approach, Nov. 10, 2007.

Phil....

Kucinich has been in Iowa. Maybe you couldn't hear him for all the hoopla from the others.

It is not good that all that money should be spent in one state where it is expected that all of the candidates get up close and personal.

I never lived in a state like that. I always had to seek out information for myself. When we go to a national primary on the same day, it will be impossible for all the candidates to get around to everyone's living room, and Iowans will have to put in some effort on their own.

In the meantime, don't you think it's being a wee bit spoiled to say you won't vote for someone who doesn't pay enough attention to Iowa
and is spending limited campaign funds where he thinks it will do the most good?

wanting to rid the world of nuclear weapons is a noble cause also

The India nuke deal is going to come before the Senate

how will they vote?

audrey

 won't vote for Kucinich because I have met him and his platform is good but the odds of him being able to put together a winning national campaign are zero in part because be can't even mount one in a small state. I do understand the urge to support him though since he is the only progressive of the bunch.

electability is not a main criteria of mine but total futility isn't my bag either

electability is not a main criteria of mine but total futility isn't my bag either

There's nothing futile in voting one's conscience.

Phil....

Good enough, I'm not capable of trying to figure who the winner will be, so will stay with Kucinich as long as he keeps fighting for
me. The very least he can do is hold some feet to the fire. I really don't think anyone knows where this election is going.

The cold war was a threat of what could happen. Global warming is a threat of what is happening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

nuclear proliferation is a threat of what is happening, global warming is a threat of what is happening

walk and chew gum? 

I'd like to wish everyone here an early but very Happy Thanksgiving. I have lots of family and friends coming in so we'll be so busy. The chatter should be interesting because we have some Hillary, Obama and Edwards supporters coming. Can't wait to hear them talk up their candidates.

For those traveling - be safe. I'm off to buy the wine!

mary

I'm glad Kucinich is in the race too Audrey. His voice adds to the debate. here in Iowa, anywhere he becomes viable will probably be at the expense of Richardson who is the only other Out. Now. candidate

single payer devotees are locked in

15.

Phil Specht
Tue, 11/20/07
11:43 am


electability is not a main criteria of mine but total futility isn't my bag either
-------

Your "bag", Phil, (as well as mine and as many others') is not yours and is not ours, it is the one we are "presented" with.

Even though NO ONE of those "bags" can't stop history..., lol.

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving too. Our family never misses a chance to talk politics. visitors from other states add to the dialogue since they have the national perspective versus the saturation which is Iowa

I might try to blog from there during the Packer game if they get a big lead.

bbl

20.

Phil Specht
Tue, 11/20/07
12:03 pm

I'm glad Kucinich is in the race...
------


Kucinich knows better than the most others Demos candidates WHAT needs to be done in this country, and even beyond, but even he does not know HOW?

Those who DO know HOW usually sustain very short campaign (like Dean, and, I expect, like Paul).

6.  I didn't realize I was being extreme, just posting what I thought. 

The reasons you state  why you can't support Obama are the reasons I do support him.  Everybody sees things differently.

8.  Congratulations to Gore, he certainly deserves all the kudos he receives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

note to Fred, this comes from the Biden campaign 

Biden Chides Democrats for Losing Approach, Nov. 10, 2007

==================

Phil it is not a "three state" solution  it is a "three state union" solution

It is totally different than in Israel where the "two state solution" if it ever happens will most surely include forced "transfer" (ethnic cleansing) of Palestininians, referred to as "Israeli Arabs" the "enemy within"

In Iraq it will be a geographic, administrative security and political separation and nobody will be forced to move.

Socks is far and away the most experienced candidate, having spent more time in the White House than any of the people during the Clinton administration, who had to leave to give speeches, attend fundraisers, etc.

Vote for Socks!  Experience counts! 

24. so, you didn't want to end the war in Jun 2006, you don't believe in Universal or Single Payer Health Care, You were in favor of the lenders having freedom to charge anything they wish, you were in favor of the Patriot Act and you favored his Coal Bill, vs clearn and renewable energy. WOW, then I can see why you support Obama. At least you're honest or educated on his actual policiies and positions. Most people just wish him to do differently and rely on an a feeling they have ignoring the realities.

Hey Rich...my old friends from the 70's are still working in radio, well, one I know for sure. The other went in to larger scale production, but he was a DJ back then. The other one always did production and commercials...and still is. And still in the same area. Weird.

...exciting news coming from Florida...well, not necessarily for my efforts, but, still, for overall.

New Lawsuit Filed over Florida Primary Date
posted by John Kennedy on Nov 20, 2007 10:38:03 AM
Discuss This: Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) | Linking Blogs | Add to del.icio.us | Digg it

A lawsuit filed Tuesday seeks to overturn Florida's Jan. 29 presidential primary by claiming the state Legislature violated the rights of both the leading political parties and Florida voters by setting the early date.

"The state does not have the right to interfere with the method a church picks its pastor or priest, and it does not have the right to interfere with the way a political party selects its nominee," said Jon Ausman, Leon County's Democratic state committeeman, who is among six plaintiffs named in the lawsuit.

The suit argues that the Democratic and Republican parties have set rules prohibiting states other than Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina from holding primaries or caucuses before Feb. 5. When lawmakers agreed to advance Florida's presidential primary from its usual March date to Jan. 29, the Legislature effectively acted unconstitutionally, Ausman said.

If successful, Ausman said the state would likely revert to the March primary date -- or any other date that fits party rules and follows Feb. 5.

The suit was filed in Leon County Circuit Court and comes a month after a federal lawsuit over the primary date was filed by Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_po...


I'm off...be well

oops, one more

November 20, 2007 - 4:33AM
Poll: Giuliani passes McCain in Arizona
Comments 2 | Recommend 3
Paul Giblin, Tribune
Presidential contender Rudy Giuliani has edged ahead of John McCain among Republican voters in Arizona, marking a huge change in the GOP hierarchy just three months before Arizona voters cast ballots in the state’s presidential preference elections.

GRAPHIC: Presidential favorites
Read Paul Giblin's blog, Checking In

Most surveys have shown McCain’s support eroding since the beginning of the year, but the independent Rocky Mountain Poll released on Monday was the first major survey that put McCain behind any of his GOP rivals.

The survey pegged Giuliani’s support among Republican voters statewide at 20 percent.
McCain follows two points behind at 18 percent, which is within the survey’s margin of error.

Behind them, Mitt Romney trails at 11 percent support and Fred Thompson registers 10 percent.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton is opening a wide margin among her party’s other presidential contenders. She has 44 percent support, while her nearest rival, Barack Obama, is 30 points behind at 14 percent.

Clearly, though, the major headline from the poll is McCain, said Earl de Berge, research director of the Phoenix-based Behavior Research Center, which conducted the poll.

“He’s a favorite son in Arizona, and for him not to be able to just walk away with the nomination here strikes me as a story in itself,” de Berge said. “He should be head and shoulders above everybody else.”

McCain is running out of time to reverse the downward trend if he hopes to win his own state on Super Duper Tuesday, Feb. 5, when residents in 23 states will vote.

McCain commanded 40 percent support among Arizona Republicans in January, according to the Rocky Mountain Poll. His support slipped to 34 percent in March and crashed this

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/1...


Time for
a COOL
change
GORE
2008

Some great thoughts above............as people soon choose or have chosen their candidate for President, I hope they understand that a person or persons like in the Congress and other government positions hold and weigh so much power as to effect the rest of us much les other peoles in the world.

Also, it is a proven fact that indeed the best mond we have in his country..from academia to industry to religion to education to the average worker or homemaker either do not wish to enter politics or would never do so.............for obvious reasons that i find quite understandbale, at least here in America...............

The past 20 or so years are direct evidence that the most rationale, prudent, humane and honest people do not have  acareer i politics..................this is where the country has lost, is losing and will lose.................there might be a speckling of decent public servamts but the evidence is overwhelmng today that these so called people elected by the people do not really have the peoples real interests at heart, much less the country.

And for those that are starving for that leader that may magically appeal to them by demeanour alone, whether it be a haircut, smile, colour, candor.................just remember the past mistakes this nation has made in choosing is leaders.

one more thing,

I forgot to share.

NEWS: Recall, again.

Recalling all Butterball Turkeys.

................they forgot to butter their balls.


:D

27.  Now you are being extreme.

Everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

28...just saw....WELL SAID.

Obama's New Ideas Garner Favor in Iowa

http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=3887274

rich^kolker
Tue, 11/20/07
12:28 pm

Ah, so this is your big career change. Campaign manager for a cat....good move!!!

................they forgot to butter their balls.

Linda*in*SFNM
Tue, 11/20/07
12:56 pm

LOL. If true, recalling turkeys before Tgiving. That ought to rile up everyone! What reason????

Another turkey recall.....

Impeach Cheney!!

Indy, I sure hope you saw why........:)

See, I should know better than to post something like that and leave...maybe that's why I'm back. LOL

Experts Praise Barack Obama's Education Plan

http://www.newsobserver.com/1566/story/782110.html

This is a semi-drive by - I posted to Phil and Monica about the tax and Obama on the previous thread b/c I'm foggy today. Anyway, if Pelosi doesn't put impeachment back on the table for this then she needs to BE impeached (if that's possible):

McClellan: Bush was in on Plame
by MLDB [Subscribe]

Tue Nov 20, 2007 at 06:59:15 AM PST

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/20...

Gotta go -- bbl

“It is no longer OK to say that Obama flat-out supports the liquefaction of coal,” David Willett, national press secretary of the Sierra Club, said. “Obama has looked at the issue more closely and has a much more detailed plan for dealing with global warming.”

http://cityonahillpress.com/article.php?id=800

Phil it is not a "three state" solution  it is a "three state union" solution

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fred

that post was from the official Biden campaign

in case you haven't caught this yet,

http://www.vetvoice.com/

is challenging the Presidential contenders to respond to certain questions via this new blog.  check it out.  here's the news blurb:

clip..

We're launching VetVoice.com, which we hope will become the hub on the internet for those who served in the wars, their families, and those civilian supporters who believe that our military policies and veterans policies are not the best they can be. Think of it as a virtual watering hole, where troops and veterans air out their views, and we have a discussion about it.

Today, we're starting things off with a bang. We've invited each of the Presidential candidates, of both parties, to come and post their views on these issues, and how they would change things as Commander in Chief. We hope this will stoke a lot of conversation and debate, which will carry through the life of the blog.

We're posting a new candidate's message every hour and fifteen minutes, going in the order they got back to us. That order and times of posting are:

9:30am EST - Senator John Edwards
10:45 - Representative Ron Paul
12:00pm - Senator Chris Dodd
1:15 - Senator Hillary Clinton
2:30 - Senator Barack Obama
3:45 - Senator Joe Biden

I've been meaning to post the "Socks for President" message ever since I first hear Hillary talk about all her "White House Experience."

But no, that's not the career change if it happens, and I won't know if it's happening for a couple of months minimum, so we should all take a step back, and I'll let you all know if anything's happening. 

In an unrelated matter, I'll get to experience the criminal justice system for the first time week after next, as I have been subpoenaed to testify in a burglary case (I was the victim, not the burglar).  I've sat on a jury once, but that was in traffic court.  It should be an interesting way to pass an afternoon.

Let's see where this ends up.  By my clock it's 1:30 pm EST 

Phil.....

What's funny to me is ....you say Biden is coming up in the polls in Iowa. Now here's someone who has been in congress forever, how much presence does he have in Iowa, comparatively speaking? His percentage in the polls was lower or tie with Kucinich when he was invited to the JJdinner and Kucinich was not. What makes the difference? Kucinich isn't acceptable to the Iowa Party or establishment. The DesMoines Register didn't like Dean either.

Biden is doing very well suddenly in Iowa ---

The SURGE has FAILED and ended:  Our soldiers aren't dying for the Maliki government anymore on the streets of Baghdad, as the Democrats demanded.  POINT of the surge was to give the government time to 'agree on a few things'.  At least 300 U.S. soldiers died as a result of this last ditch, foolish Bush plan; backed by the only General who would even go along with it.  BE-TRA-US (Who by the way, has talked about running for President@!)  and the frightened Republican SHEEP.

FOX news stated that - The President is REDEPLOYING the troops.  (out of harms way), as the Democrats and American people have demanded.

Almost EVERY ONE of the neocon horrible people surrounding Bush have been OUSTED.  Thanks to the Democrats having just enough power to invesigate.

The word IMPEACHMENT has come up and - is in the records.  But the Democrats are too busy saving our country and saving our soldiers to deal with that right now.  The American people will 'impeach' them in 2008.

Republican candidates for President are a JOKE.  It will be a landslide for Democrats in 2008.  And we will have the biggest job any President and Congress has ever had in history...  CLEANING UP THE REPUBLICAN'S MESS!

Four years ago this afternoon, my post on the Blog for America, as part of a thread on the energy bill then before Congress...

Re: Regulation

There's nothing wrong with regulation.

Regulation brought us safe foods and effective drugs.

Regulation helps keep the airplanes from falling out of the sky and the tires from falling off your car.

Regulation provides you with a workplace safe from hazards and a hot water heater in your home that won't explode.

Regulation happened because unregulated business abuses the people. This became so obvious in the early part of the 20th Century that a whole movement grew up among the people to regulate business for the good and safety of "We the people".

Don't fall into the trap of letting the GOP define our words, we should define our words and what they mean. 

As if America needs one more reason to fall in love with Barack Obama.

Beyond the unabashed idealism, stirring oratory skills, touching life story, and knee-buckling smile that have made this candidate for Illinois' open Senate seat the new beau ideal of progressive politics, it so happens that this guy is a bona fide, card-carrying, bleeding-heart greenie.

And it's not as though Muckraker didn't rifle through his environmental record going back more than a decade to try to find something off-kilter -- some skeleton in the closet, some flaw to make him a mere mortal. But all we found were accolades and evidence of true conviction.

Obama's comments at the League of Conservation Voters' pro-Kerry rally last week -- made only hours before he delivered the convention speech that catapulted him onto the national stage and elicited comparisons to Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy -- brought enviros to their knees.

"Environmentalism is not an upper-income issue, it's not a white issue, it's not a black issue, it's not a South or a North or an East or a West issue. It's an issue that all of us have a stake in," Obama shouted. "And if I can do anything to make sure that not just my daughter but every child in America has green pastures to run in and clean air to breathe and clean water to swim in, then that is something I'm going to work my hardest to make happen."

The crowd went bananas in response to this call for unity across ethnic and socio-economic lines, as though they'd been waiting for exactly this kind of dynamic leader to free environmentalism from the perception that it's predominately a white upper-middle-class issue.

Obama's environmental activism stretches back to his undergrad days at Columbia University, during which he did a three-month stint with a Ralph Nader offshoot organization trying to convince minority students at City College in Harlem to recycle. Later, when he worked as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, he fought for lead abatement in the Altgeld Gardens neighborhood.

After getting a law degree from Harvard, Obama became a civil-rights lawyer and then in 1996 was elected to the Illinois state senate, representing the 13th district on Chicago's South Side, where he distinguished himself as a leader on environmental and public-health issues. In 2003, Obama was one of six state senators to receive a 100 Percent Environmental Voting Record Award from the Illinois Environmental Council.

His efforts on behalf of the environment have been so consistent and comprehensive, in fact, that LCV and the Sierra Club endorsed Obama in his bid for Congress this year over half a dozen other Democrats competing in the primary. Last month, the LCV named him a 2004 Environmental Champion, one of 18 sitting and prospective members of Congress to receive the award.

Obama is "by far one of the most compelling and knowledgeable politicians on the environment I've ever sat in a room with," Mark Longabaugh, senior vice president for political affairs at LCV, told Muckraker. "I've been playing national politics for more than 20 years and I quite literally can't remember one person I've met -- even on a national level -- who was more in command of facts, more eloquent, and more passionate on these issues than Sen. Obama."

Obama's commitment to environmental protection has a personal component: His six-year-old daughter, Malia, has chronic asthma, a fact he often cites when defending the long list of initiatives he has pushed to clean up smog and air pollution in his state. And many of his constituents suffer from the same condition. "More people die from asthma attacks in Chicago than anywhere else in the country," said Brian Urbaszewski, director of environmental health programs for the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago. "And Illinois has the highest African-American death rate from asthma in the country -- four times the national average."

This year, Obama made an aggressive move to stem the tide of pollution from Illinois' coal plants -- which produce nearly 50 percent of the state's electricity -- by introducing a bill that would in effect block the Bush administration's rollback of the Clean Air Act's new-source review rules from being carried out in his state. "This is a very complex issue, but Obama took it by storm," Urbaszewski told Muckraker. "He dove headfirst into all the complexities and wouldn't quit until he had a solution."

According to Jack Darin, who, as director of the Sierra Club's Illinois chapter, has worked with Obama closely on these issues, "He's an incredibly quick study. He's not a scientist, but remarkably adept at analyzing the details of complex environmental issues, asking the right questions, and ultimately making the right policy decision for public interest."

To build support for cleaner air, Obama opened a dialogue with the coal-mining industry about how better pollution controls on power plants could help create new markets for Illinois coal. Most of the coal now being burned in Illinois comes from Wyoming and other Western states, which has hurt the Illinois coal industry. But Illinois coal is cleaner in terms of pollutants such as mercury. Obama argued that cracking down on mercury pollution from coal-fired plants would give Illinois coal a competitive advantage over Western coal.

"Most politicians have forever played the interests of the coal industry and the environment against each other," said Darin, "but Obama found a way to argue soundly that we can put mine workers back to work while making the air cleaner."

Obama has taken on energy matters in Illinois as aggressively as air-quality protection. As state senator, he is cosponsoring a pending measure that would require 10 percent of the electricity generated in the state to come from renewable sources by 2012, and he supports another pending bill that would tighten energy-efficiency codes in residential and commercial buildings.

And Obama is making energy independence one of the top three priorities in his campaign for a seat in the U.S. Senate, according to his spokesperson, Robert Gibbs. He has pledged to endorse legislation that would require 20 percent of America's power supply to be generated by renewable sources by 2020, as well as regulations that would boost Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to 40 miles per gallon for cars.

The list doesn't stop there. Obama has fought for tougher standards on diesel engines, waged battles against urban sprawl and the destruction of Illinois' wetlands, and mobilized residents in Chicago's lowest-income neighborhoods to block toxic dumping in their communities.

It's particularly notable that Obama has gone out on a political limb to advance environmental protections. "Illinois is a heavily industrial state, and a tough place for environmentalists and other progressives," said Darin. "Illinois is a state that has no limits on campaign financing, meaning the special interests are well entrenched." But Obama has never capitulated, said Darin, and for most of his time in the state senate, he has been in the minority, arguing against the political grain with surprising success.

Nothing could better prepare him for the current scene in Washington, D.C.

http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2004/08/04/griscom-obama/

audrey

Kuchinich doesn't have an official office in the state, no staff, and no manager.(unless he has added one since JJ)

Dodd and Biden are adding staff each month, and I have a local number to call with a question for all except Richardson who combined two counties(maybe because his staffer is so talented he can handle two)

Obama,Clinton, and Edwards have had staff in place in every county since summer.

the advantage is that if a undecided voter shows up with a question they can get a direct answer

all except Kucinich offer that

Poll numbers from NH, four years ago (numbers in parens are previous poll)

Dean 38 (38)
Kerry 17 (24)
Clark 7 (4)
Lieberman 5 (4)
Edwards 4 (4)
Gephardt 4 (3)
Kucinich 3 (1)
Braun 1 (1)
Sharpton 0 (0)