Tim Pawlenty is favorite to become McCain's running mate

MICHAEL MADISON
-Editor

Sources close to McCain have come out to put Tim Pawlenty at the top of his short list. The 47 year-old governor of Minnesota could help swing his own state, which currently has Barack Obama about 10 points ahead in the polls.

On the flip side, making this sort of a decision known now gives Obama a certain luxury when he makes the final decision regarding his own running mate. While McCain has made a choice to confront Obama, Obama's choice will be made specifically to combat McCain/Pawlenty.

We'll announce when this is confirmed.

Political Cartoon

MICHAEL MADISON
-Editor

Gore to Endorse Obama

BRIAN FLINCHBAUGH
-Editor

Al Gore is going to endorse Barack Obama at an event in Detroit tonight.

Here is the letter released by Gore just a short while ago:

Dear ,
A few hours from now I will step on stage in Detroit, Michigan to announce my support for Senator Barack Obama. From now through Election Day, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure he is elected President of the United States.

Over the next four years, we are going to face many difficult challenges -- including bringing our troops home from Iraq, fixing our economy, and solving the climate crisis. Barack Obama is clearly the candidate best able to solve these problems and bring change to America.

I've never asked members of AlGore.com to contribute to a political campaign before, but this moment and this election are too important to let pass without taking action.

That's why I am asking you to join me today in showing your support for Barack Obama by making a contribution to his campaign today:

Over the past 18 months, Barack Obama has united a movement. He knows change does not come from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or Capitol Hill. It begins when people stand up and take action.

With the help of millions of supporters like you, Barack Obama will bring the change we so desperately need in order to solve our country's most pressing problems.

If you've already contributed to Barack Obama's campaign, I ask that you consider making another contribution. If you haven't, please join the movement right now:

On the issues that matter most, Barack Obama is clearly the right choice to lead our nation.

We have a lot of work to do in the next few months to elect Barack Obama president and it begins by making a contribution to his campaign today.

Thank you for everything you do,

Al Gore

We'll keep you updated on the latest developments.

brianflinchbaugh@bluehorizondaily.com

Remembering Tim Russert

CHRIS WALKER
-Editor

When I first heard the news that Tim Russert had died, I was shocked. My parents had called me to tell me of the horrible news. Being from a politically-conscious family, my parents often call me to see if I am keeping up with the news; usually I'm able to one-up their phone calls with added information about the story they have called to discuss with me.

Yesterday, however, I was speechless.

Tim Russert was a role model to me. Through watching "Meet the Press" and various other news programs I was able to learn many lessons from him, with two in specific sticking out.

First, no matter what political ideology you have, always have a critical eye. Tim was an expert at this; he was never afraid to ask the hard questions, never avoided the elephant in the room when a political personality came onto his show for that particular Sunday. He asked the questions that everyone wanted answered, even if he knew the guest at that particular time would be uncomfortable talking about that subject.

And second, Tim taught me the importance of humility. Despite his impeccable knowledge of politics and current events, Tim was an everyman, someone who you'd want to discuss politics with over a beer while watching some good hockey (it was no secret which team Tim rooted for).

I write these words as if I knew Tim personally. I didn't, of course, but the way he reported the news made you feel like you DID know him, that each week you were meeting up with your old friend again. That is what I'll miss most about Tim Russert.

chriswalker@bluehorizondaily.com

Tim Russert has died

MICHAEL MADISON
-Editor

Just in!

"Russert collapsed and died at his office while recording a voiceover for Meet the Press in Washington, D.C. on June 13, 2008. He had just returned from family vacation in Italy, which celebrated his son's graduation. News of his death was reported live on NBC, CNBC and MSNBC by Tom Brokaw. Despite early speculation of a heart attack or coronary embolism, the cause of Russert's death has not yet been confirmed."

McCain Promises to Veto Every Beer

John McCain has vowed to curb government spending. Evidently, that includes vetoing beer.



His wife Cindy will surely be disappointed.

Vetting the vetters

MICHAEL MADISON
-Editor

With all the talking heads discussing Obama's choice of Jim Johnson as leader of his VP vetting committee, I'm beginning to wonder whether or not the media is out of ideas.

I mean, honestly, are they that desperate to hit candidates with "Gotcha!" issues that they'll resort to this?

What do you guys think?

McCain's botched comment

SEAN BRACKEN

-Staff writer

Presidential candidate John McCain (R-AZ) stirred some criticism today for some comments he made on the Iraq War.

Appearing on the Today Show with Matt Lauer, McCain responded to a question of when we would be withdrawing the troops since the so called surge has succeeded. "No, that doesn't matter too much," was McCain's response to Lauer's question.

McCain went on to say that America has troops in other countries such as South Korea and Germany when the wars there ended years ago. Still, this comment McCain made stirred a lot of criticism from many Democrats, including the Obama campaign. Among the attacks, McCain received a blasting criticism from John Kerry (D-MA). Kerry claimed that McCain is "unbelievably out of touch" when it comes to Iraq. Members of the Obama campaign said similar statements to McCain's botched statement.

If you ask my opinion on this, McCain did say more than just that it wasn't important. He did mention correctly that there are military bases all around the world from past places we fought. I don't look at any of that as the issue.

However, a larger issue I have a problem with is some statements he has made before. The famous statement was the "100 years" statement where he said that we could be in Iraq for 100 years. Many back then had questions about that statement he made, which is helping bring up questions about what he said this time.

With that in mind, I think it is pretty fair to assume that McCain means 100 years when he says it. Despite what members of the neo-con networks such as Fox and NBC tell you, McCain is dead set on making this war go on as long as it takes until we have victory in Iraq. The problem I have with this statement is that McCain, the Congressional Republicans, and the idiot president have all failed to mention what victory in Iraq would mean. Time after time, a fair minded journalist asks them what victory means and time and time again, they fail to mention what it means.

Therefore, while I think that the media did cut off some of what McCain told NBC, the issue does come up about McCain and how long he wants to carry this war. It also shows the drastic contrast in the positions of the Obama and McCain campaigns. One wants to be there 100 years, while the other one wants to start a phased withdraw of our troops. Most Americans want us out of Iraq, which is what could make this statement hurtful to McCain when it comes to the general electorate.

Bush Out of Office Countdown - 224 Days

Rumsfeld Refuses to Get Stuck With the Check:

Jay Garner, the retired general chosen to lead US reconstruction in postwar Iraq, put together a budget on February 27, 2003, showing he had been allocated $27 million for his group. Realizing that receovery efforts and running a new government would require billions of dollars, he asked the secretary of defense for direction. "Well," said Rumsfeld, quoted in Bob Woodward's State of Denial, "if you think we're spending our money on that, you're wrong. They're going to spend their own money rebuilding their country."

Both Edwards' Now on Team Obama!

KRISTIN RIELLY

The day many thought would never happen.... Elizabeth Edwards now appears to be Barack Obama's corner. Today, Barack Obama kicked off his two-week economic policy speech tour in Raleigh, North Carolina. John and Elizabeth Edwards were in attendance. In the middle of his prepared remarks, he stopped and pointed out Elizabeth to say,

"I'm going to be partnering up with Elizabeth Edwards - we're going to be figuring all this out,"

In his speech, he said the following about health care,

"When it comes to reliving these economic anxieties that working families feel, nothing matches the burden they face from crushing health care costs. John McCain‘s approach to health care mirrors that of George Bush. He’s promising four more years of a health care plan that only takes care of the healthy and the wealthy – a plan that will actually make it easier – easier – than it already is for insurance companies to deny coverage to the elderly or the sick or those with pre-existing conditions. It may lead millions to lose the coverage they already have and millions more to have to pay even more than they do right now."

"We can’t afford that. Not when 47 million Americans are already uninsured, a number that is growing by the day. Not when families and businesses across the country are being crushed by the growing burden of health care costs and when half of all personal bankruptcies are caused by medical bills." "When I am President, we’ll take a different approach. We will give every American the chance to get the same kind of health care that Members of Congress give themselves. We’ll bring down premiums by $2500 for the typical family, and we’ll prevent insurance companies from discriminating against those who need care most. And we won’t just lower costs for families, we’ll lower costs for the entire country by making our health care system more efficient through better technology and more emphasis on prevention. That’s the choice in this election, and that’s the change I’ll bring as President."

The formal talks have not begun between the two yet but as it was noted, her appearance at this event today spoke volumes to all in attendance. It will be interesting to see how this partnership unfolds. If Obama has Elizabeth and Hillary in his corner on just health care, we Americans have a lot to look forward to. What changes would you like to see with Obama's health care plan?

For all things John Edwards, visit my partner blog listed at the right hand side of this page.

Kristin Rielly, Edwards Democrat

kristinrielly@bluehorizondaily.com

Bush Out of Office Countown - 225 Days

Bush will be out of office in 225 days.

Today's reason to be happy:

Dick Cheney, speaking in 2005, defended the treatment of prisoners at the detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba;

"They got a brand new facility down at Guantanamo. We spent a lot of money to build it. They're very well treated down there. They're living in the tropics. They're well fed. They've got everything they could possibly want."

Sounds like a real Club Med.

A Future with McCain Health Care...What Future?

KRISTIN RIELLY

Another no-news day on the John Edwards front but it just so happens we have news on the Elizabeth Edwards front. As you know, she is a fellow for the Center for American Progress Action Fund (Partner to Half in Ten). They released a story today titled, McCain's Radical Prescription, which details what it means for American who decide to vote McCain and their healthcare coverage. Let me just say that our healthcare future under McCain is no future. As the authors of the article said, "The McCain plan offers a simple prescription for Americans: don't get sick." Would you like to know what else McCain wants to offer to you?

- most Americans would shop for health insurance on their own in a highly deregulated market, which would charge higher deductibles and co-payments and provides less coverage
- replace the current tax breaks for employer-sponsored health insurance with a one-size-fits-all tax credit of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families, equalizing the tax treatment of employer and individual plans and enticing healthy workers to buy cheaper but less substantive insurance in the individual market place
- those who would lose their health care are fifty-six million Americans with pre-existing chronic health conditions

Elizabeth is quoted as stating,

"nine out of every ten people seeking individual coverage on the private insurance market never got it. Insurers will disqualify you for just taking certain medicines because of the possibility of future costs...and insurers make it a practice to deny coverage to individuals in high risk occupations, such as firefighting, lumber work, telecom installation, and pretty much anything more risky than working in an office."

I don't know about you but less coverage, higher costs, and millions of Americans continuing to be left uninsured.... as McCain said himself, this isn't the type of change we can believe in. Thank you McCain, now if you could step aside and let us Democrats take back the White House and reform American health care, that would be greatly appreciated. This woman here with a pre-existing condition who doesn't have a job out of college (Master's degree mind you) because of the Bush economy which means no health care.... doesn't need any more odds against her. Thank you.

kristinrielly@bluehorizondaily.com