A Sigh of Relief

 

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He was gracious about Hillary Clinton's talents, suggesting she would play an active role in helping execute the agenda of an Obama administration. "We've certainly had our differences over the last 16 months," he said. "But as someone who's shared a stage with her many times, I can tell you that what gets Hillary Clinton up in the morning—even in the face of tough odds—is exactly what sent her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago; what sent her to work at the Children's Defense Fund and made her fight for health care as First Lady; what led her to the United States Senate and fueled her barrier-breaking campaign for the presidency: an unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, no matter how difficult the fight may be.

"And you can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, she will be central to that victory. When we transform our energy policy and lift our children out of poverty, it will be because she worked to help make it happen. Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton."

It was not always clear things would work out this way. Hillary Clinton began the race as the heavy favorite; her staff in the early going sometimes seemed to regard Obama's mere presence in the contest as an affront. The combat was grueling and at times felt as if it would never end. (Indeed, even as Obama crossed the threshold in the delegate count needed to clinch the nomination and was widely declared the winner, Clinton still declined to exit the race or endorse the party's presumptive standard-bearer.) But Obama tucked away any lingering resentments, calling for the party to come together and focus on the fall. "All of you chose to support a candidate you believe in deeply," he said. "But at the end of the day, we aren't the reason you came out and waited in lines that stretched block after block to make your voice heard. You didn't do that because of me or Senator Clinton or anyone else. You did it because you know in your hearts that at this moment—a moment that will define a generation—we cannot afford to keep doing what we've been doing. We owe our children a better future. We owe our country a better future. And for all those who dream of that future tonight, I say let us begin the work together. Let us unite in common effort to chart a new course for America."

Obama took a less charitable tack in discussing John McCain, his rival in November, who is slated to accept the GOP's presidential nomination in the very same hall come September. Obama noted that McCain had served America "heroically" but added pointedly that there was little respect shown in return. "I honor that service, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine," he said.

"There are many words to describe John McCain's attempt to pass off his embrace of George Bush's policies as bipartisan and new," Obama observed. "But change is not one of them."

The McCain campaign has been hammering at Obama in recent weeks, decrying the Democrat's stated intention to negotiate with hostile foreign leaders and faulting Obama for not having traveled to Iraq. Obama aggressively moved to turn that argument against McCain Tuesday night. "John McCain has spent a lot of time talking about trips to Iraq in the last few weeks," Obama said. "But maybe if he spent some time taking trips to the cities and towns that have been hardest hit by this economy—cities in Michigan, and Ohio, and right here in Minnesota—he'd understand the kind of change that people are looking for."

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Member Comments

  • Posted By: bob15s15 @ 06/26/2008 1:21:49 AM

    To Likeitis: Obviously you are not an attorney. If you were, and bothered to read the controlling law, specifically, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (a/k/a the McCarren-Walter Act), as in effect in 1961, you would recognize that, having been born in 1961 in the US to an ???alien??? father and an 18 year-old mother having US citizenship, Obama cannot be a natural born citizen because his mother could not have lived in the US for 5 years after turning 14. The real question is: WHY IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOMINATING SOMEONE WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE PRESIDENT UNDER THE US CONSTITUTION, WHY HAVE THE REPUBLICANS SAID NOTHING ABOUT THIS, AND WHY HAS THE MEDIA IGNORED THIS REALITY?

  • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 06/20/2008 12:55:15 PM

    TYLER - The price of oil swelled to another record high Monday morning - before dropping back. It almost hit $140 a barrel - but then fell 25 cents. It appears - a recent increase in oil output from Saudi Arabia -- is not driving down crude prices. Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, who started a bipartisan group called "American Solutions for Winning the Future" held little back at the Texas Republican Convention. He wants to use American solutions to change to the U.S. energy policy.

    Simply put - he's fed up with Congress: "The problem is not big oil or the foreigners," said Speaker Gingrich. "The problem is not the Saudis. The problem is getting Congress to do it's job." And that job, he says, is to start using the energy we have. "Congress outlaws every conceivable energy source," said Speaker Gingrich. Gingrich is making his case for domestic drilling by launching a campaign with Actor Chuck Norris, with the slogan: "Drill here, Drill now, Pay less." The campaign is urging Congress to do something now to bring down gas prices. Speaker Gingrich also has thoughts on speculators. "It's people who are betting the U.S. is too dumb to produce (its own oil)."


    He sides with East Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert -- when it comes to speculators and drilling. "If you began selling off two million barrels a day...we can pump out of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It would immediately bring down the price of oil." Speaker Gingrich proposes selling off half of the reserve - now. "Do it suddenly..without telling anybody in advance and punish every speculator."The very speculators, he says, that are betting against America."

    GO TO WWW.AMERICANSOLUTIONS.COM AND SIGN THE PETITION !!!

  • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 06/18/2008 1:15:12 PM

    America has ALREADY voted for change! They were going show Bush in 2006! And we sure got CHANGE!

    Before Democrats controlled Congress:

    1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high.

    2) Regular unleaded gasoline was $2.19 a gallon.

    3) Unemployment rate was 4.5%.

    Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:

    1) Consumer confidence plummet.

    2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $4.00 a gallon.

    3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase).

    4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses).

    5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars; 1% of American homes are now in foreclosure.

    6) Oil was 63 dollars a barrel the day before the newest congress convened. It closed last Friday at 126 dollars a barrel. That is doubled for those with fuzzy math.

    7) Economic Growth for the 4th quarter of 2006 in GDP was 3.5 percent.

    8)1st Quarter 2008 0.6 percent.


    Remember it's Congress that makes laws, not the President. The President has to work with what is handed to the Administration.


    realism4u2

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