Republican Party

Governor asks Kansans to honor fallen soldier from Leavenworth

August 12, 2008 -- Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius has directed flags to be flown at half-staff throughout Kansas from sunup to sundown on Thursday, August 14th, 2008 in honor of Spc. William Joseph Mulvihill, Leavenworth, who was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, who was killed in Afghanistan on Friday, August 1st.

“Specialist Mulvihill dedicated himself to serving and protecting our country. A decorated solider, he served with honor and valor. His family, friends and fellow soldiers are in our thoughts and prayers as we remember his sacrifice.”    » read more »

Honoring Illinois' Fallen

August 13, 2008 -- The Illinois Department of Central Management Services has received notice from Governor Blagojevich's Office to fly the flags at State occupied buildings at half-staff on behalf of:

Cpl. Adam T. McKiski
United States Marine Corps
Hometown: Cherry Valley

Please lower the United States flags and the State flags at all buildings occupied by your agency's personnel from:

Sunrise, Saturday, August 16, 2008 until
Sunset, Monday, August 18, 2008

Source: Illinois Governor

August 12, 2008 -- As John McCain continues his "Job-Killing John" tour in Pennsylvania today, it's clearer than ever how out of touch he is with working Americans. McCain is insulated from the economic struggles of most Americans.

As Americans face the consequences of seven months of job losses and spiraling energy costs, John McCain, who owns seven houses, has said that there has "been great progress economically." Perhaps it's not surprising then that John McCain is so out of touch with the struggles facing Americans today that he actually has said that the nation's economic problems are merely "psychological" and why he is calling for more of the same failed Bush policies and politics that have already cost thousands of Americans their jobs.    » read more »

August 12, 2008 -- The Democratic National Committee today launched the first web ad of the Exxon-McCain '08 campaign. The ad, called "Exxon John," highlights McCain's promise of more giveaways for his new friends in Big Oil. Released on the same day activists across the country are participating in an Exxon-McCain '08 National Day of Action, "Exxon John" is a parody of the "Big John" video released earlier this year by Republican Senator John Cornyn.    » read more »

Exxon-McCain '08

August 11, 2008 -- Activists across the country will take part in a National Day of Action to protest the Exxon-McCain '08 campaign on Tuesday, August 12. Tomorrow's events are the cornerstone of a week of grassroots activism in as many as 18 states aimed at highlighting Exxon John's promise of four more years of gimmicks and giveaways that line Big Oil's pockets but do nothing to help Americans deal with skyrocketing energy costs.    » read more »

August 11, 2008 -- John McCain is in Pennsylvania today on a so-called "jobs tour," promoting more of the same Bush economic policies that have been a disaster for the state. From supporting corporate tax breaks at the expense of tax breaks for middle class Americans, to proposing billions of dollars in new deficit spending, to advocating for unfair trade deals that have helped his lobbyist friends but led to a loss of over 44,000 jobs in Pennsylvania alone, the McCain Bush economy is the last thing Pennsylvania needs.    » read more »

August 11, 2008 -- With John McCain embarking on a so-called "jobs tour" aimed at hiding his job-killing record, the Democratic National Committee today released a new web video called "Job-Killing John" that highlights his pattern of putting his lobbyist friends ahead of Americas' workers.

The video comes days after the leak of an internal McCain campaign memo that shows McCain will attempt to distort the record by falsely portraying Senator Obama as a "job killing machine." In reality--from opposing Buy American rules to supporting unfair trade deals that have cost America hundreds of thousands of jobs--John McCain has repeatedly supported policies that outsource American jobs.    » read more »

August 11, 2008 -- WOODBRIDGE, N.J.-- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that Mayor Richard J. Gerbounka (Linden, N.J.) has endorsed John McCain for president.

"I am proud to support John McCain for president," said Mayor Gerbounka.

John McCain: Photo by Paul Dietzel II (CC)

Mayor Gerbounka formally endorsed John McCain in a press conference held today on the steps of Linden City Hall. State Senator Bill Baroni, who serves as the New Jersey Chairman for John McCain's presidential campaign, was on hand to welcome the endorsement.    » read more »

Contractors Allegedly Violated Small-Business Laws

August 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC—Following release of a Congressional Budget Office report today showing the massive expenditures and an over-reliance on private contractors in Iraq under the Bush Administration and the revelation of a report by the Small Business Administration Inspector General showing Blackwater was awarded millions of dollars in federal contracts designated for small businesses, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today called on Congress to act on her legislation to reform the contracting system and put in place needed accountability measures and urged the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to launch an investigation into the impact of Blackwater’s violation.    » read more »

August, 2008 -- Washington, D.C.—The Sierra Club last week denounced a new John McCain ad, "Family," as completely false and misleading. The ad attacks Barack Obama and then goes on to tout McCain’s supposed support for renewable energy and energy independence. McCain has a long record of consistently voting against renewable energy.

The ad can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3DxDBH9nn4

Partial script:

Text on screen: McCain Energy Plan [images of wind turbines]

Announcer: Renewable energy to transform our economy, create jobs and energy independence. That’s John McCain.

John McCain Offers Nothing More Than Empty Rhetoric on Renewable Energy    » read more »

McCain Touts Plan at Nuke Plant That Partially Melted Down, Gave Rise to Term "China Syndrome" & Caught Fire Just This Past May

August, 2008 -- Washington, D.C.--As John McCain is paying a visit today to the Enrico Fermi nuclear generating station in Monroe, Michigan he can be expected to tout his costly plan to build 45 new nuclear plants by 2030 and 55 more after that. This plan would effectively double the number of nuclear reactors and the amount of dangerous high-level nuclear waste that would need to be transported across the country.    » read more »

Proposed regulations would gut protections for America’s imperiled wildlife

August 11, 2008 -- The Bush Administration plans to rollback protections for America’s imperiled wildlife by re-writing the regulations of the Endangered Species Act. According to leaked documents obtained by the National Wildlife Federation, the proposed changes would weaken the safety net of habitat protections that have helped protect and recover endangered fish, wildlife and plants for the past 35 years.    » read more »

August 12, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The following Marines died Aug. 7 while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq:

Cpl. Adam T. McKiski, 21, of Cherry Valley, Illinois.

Cpl. Stewart S. Trejo, 25, of Whitefish, Montana.

The Marines were assigned to the 1st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Source: DOD

August 11, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pvt. John A. Mattox, 23, of Daingerfield, Texas, died Aug. 10 at Forward Operating Base Bostick, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident.

He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

The incident is under investigation.

Source: DOD

August 11, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Kenneth B. Gibson, 25, of Christiansburg, Virginia, died of wounds suffered Aug. 10 in Tarmiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his position during dismounted operations.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Source: DOD