Politics

June 12, 2008 -- Chicago, IL – Today, Senator Barack Obama will meet with Ryan and Jenny Micke of Appleton, WI, to discuss the economic challenges facing the middle class and how his tax plan will bring ease the strain that so many American families face.    » read more »

Chicago, IL -- June 11, 2008 -- "Before we begin, I just wanted to say a word about the flooding devastating so many communities. We were scheduled to be holding this event in Iowa, but we decided to cancel it because we didn't want to divert state resources from going to help with flood relief.

Barack Obama poster, San Francisco: Photo by january20th2009 (CC)    » read more »

June 11, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement in response to major flooding in the Midwest.

"My heart goes out to the families in Illinois and across the Midwest, who have been forced to flee their own homes, and leave their businesses and communities behind.

Rising flood waters, Appleton: Photo by lynnewu (CC)

Right now, many of them are wondering when they'll be able to return, and what they'll find when they get there.    » read more »

June 10, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Senator Barack Obama released the following statement today in response to the news of the trade deficit increase.

"Today we learned that the trade deficit jumped to its highest level in 13 months. This is not an accident. This is yet another sign of the failed economic policies of the Bush administration that John McCain seeks to extend – policies that reflect unprecedented fiscal irresponsibility and borrowing from abroad.

Rather than get America's fiscal house in order, Senator McCain is proposing $300 billion more in tax breaks and loopholes for big corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and he hasn't explained how he'd pay for them.    » read more »

June 08, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Senator Barack Obama today appointed Matthew Nugen, the campaign's political director, to serve as his designee to the Democratic National Convention Committee. Nugen will arrive in Denver on Monday to begin working with DNCC staff and the Host Committee.

As the campaign's political director, Nugen served as chief liaison to elected officials, labor groups, and political leaders over the course of the16-month primary. In his new role, he will be responsible for coordinating convention operations for Senator Obama, our Party's presumptive nominee.

The 2008 Democratic National Convention will be held at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. For more information, please visit www.demconvention.com.

Source: Barack Obama campaign

June 9, 2008 -- John McCain says he wants to cut taxes for middle class families. But the reality is Senator McCain would do even less for the middle class than President Bush, which is definitely not the change Americans are looking for.

McCain is masking a tax cut for the wealthy as a middle class tax break, saying that 100 million people have "something to do with capital gains." The truth is fewer than seven percent of families earning less than $100,000 received capital gains income in 2005. [CNN Live Feed, Town Hall (Charlotte, NC), 5/5/08; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 1/30/2006]    » read more »

June 8, 2008 -- Today on ABC's "This Week" Senator Lindsey Graham, saying that Senator Obama and Senator McCain have "two different views of how to grow the economy in a global world," made clear that John McCain would continue the same failed Bush Administration policies that have hurt our economy.

John McCain: Photo by T toes (CC)

In stark contrast, Senator Barack Obama has outlined plans to change the policies of the Bush Administration to get our economy back on track --specific plans that he'll talk about next week as he launches his two week economic swing - the "Change that Works for You Tour" Monday.    » read more »

June 6, 2008 -- Washington, DC – Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement today after news reports indicated that Senator McCain supports President Bush’s wire-tapping program:

John McCain: Photo by Christy Frink (CC)    » read more »

June 07, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - "Obviously, I am thrilled and honored to have Senator Clinton's support. But more than that, I honor her today for the valiant and historic campaign she has run.

Barack Obama with Hillary Clinton: Photo by Salvador García Bardón (CC)

She shattered barriers on behalf of my daughters and women everywhere, who now know that there are no limits to their dreams. And she inspired millions with her strength, courage and unyielding commitment to the cause of working Americans.    » read more »

Two-week swing will highlight key economic issues

June 06, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - The Barack Obama campaign announced today that Senator Obama will launch a two-week economic swing—the "Change that Works for You" tour—on Monday, June 9. Obama will travel across the country, talking to Americans about how the economy affects their everyday lives. He'll hold events with voters where they work and where they live, discussing the challenges we face and his plans to turn the economy around.

The tour will kick off on Monday with an economic speech in Raleigh, North Carolina.    » read more »

June 5, 2008 -- John McCain says he is running the most transparent campaign in history. Yet just yesterday McCain and his campaign were caught misrepresenting his record on Hurricane Katrina, trying to cover it up, and then backtracking and shifting their answers on the issue.

This follows a pattern of deception we've seen with McCain: he insists on raising campaign money behind closed doors to hide the fact that lobbyists and the special interests are funding his campaign, he is not transparent about his tax returns and finances, and he is not transparent about the lobbyists running his campaign.    » read more »

June 2008 -- John McCain is trying to argue that his campaign is about change, saying he has a "record of reform" and has made "efforts to change the way we do business in Washington." With Americans so tired of the Bush Administration, McCain's rhetoric about change makes sense politically, but his record doesn't match his rhetoric.

John McCain delivers a poorly-received speech in New Orleans: Photo by dsb nola (CC)    » read more »

June 06, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Statement from U.S. Senator Barack Obama on this month's jobs report:

"Today's jobs report is deeply troubling. Last month, our economy lost 49,000 jobs and the unemployment rate saw the greatest rise in more than twenty years.

This is a reminder that working families continue to bear the brunt of the failed Bush economic policies that John McCain wants to continue for another four years. In the first five months of 2008, our economy has lost 324,000 jobs, and workers' wages once again failed to keep pace with the skyrocketing cost of health care, and college tuition, and gas.    » read more »

June 06, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Today, Senator Barack Obama released the following statement on the Climate Change Bill:

"As this week's debate on climate change has unfolded, the American people and those watching us around the world had every reason to hope that we would act. Every credible scientist and expert believes action is necessary. This is critical and long overdue legislation that represents a good first step in addressing one of the most serious problems facing our generation.

Like many of my Senate colleagues, I believe the legislation could have been made even better. Had there been a substantive Senate debate about some of the concerns with this bill, I believe the outcome could have generated broad support. It certainly would have received my support.    » read more »

Hillary Clinton Delivers Remarks in Washington, D.C.

6/9/2008 -- Hillary Clinton delivered the following remarks at a campaign event in Washington D.C. on Saturday:

Thank you so much. Thank you all.

Hillary Clinton ending her presidential campaign in Washington, D.C.: Photo by Adam Fagen (CC)

Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company.    » read more »