The Real Truth About Barack Obama!

The following is from an email that is circulating on the Internet. I found it to be a great counterpoint to the many lies that are being spread about Senator Obama. Please feel free to spread this information far and wide. -- Travis

Subject: The Real Truth About Barack Obama!

As enthusiastic volunteers in the Barack Obama campaign for the Presidency, we have put together a list of facts about Barack so that you will know the truth about him. Please follow the links we have included for documentation of these facts. If you value the truth as we do, please spread this information via email, blog, or any other means, to everyone you know.

1. Did you know that Barack Obama is a devout Christian? He has been a member of the same United Church of Christ congregation for 20 years, and was married there to his wife Michelle in 1992.


2. Did you know that Barack Obama often leads the US Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance?
3. Did you know that Barack Obama is a strong friend of Israel and has spoken out strongly against anti-Semitism?


4. Did you know his grandparents from Kansas were part of the "Greatest Generation?. His grandfather served with Patton's Army during World War II, and his grandmother, a real "Rosy the Riveter", worked in a bomber assembly plant back home.


5. Did you know that Barack Obama was opposed to the war in Iraq from day one, before we invaded, even while he was running for the Senate, and knowing his opposition might be politically unpopular?
   

   "I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world and strengthen the recruitment arm of al Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars." --Barack Obama, 2002



6. Did you know Obama favors transparency over secrecy in our government? Did you know that Obama worked with Republican Senator Tom Coburn to pass one of the strongest government transparency bills since the freedom of information act? He's calling it Google for Government and you can see the results at www.usaspending.gov. Sen. Obama has also released his own tax returns for public review.


7. Did you know that after graduating with honors from Harvard Law School, Barack practiced civil rights law and also taught Constitutional Law for 10 years at the University of Chicago, one of the nation's best law schools, where he was consistently rated by his students as one of their best instructors? Did you also know that he was the first African-American elected president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review?


8. Did you know that Barack Obama is an outspoken advocate for women's rights and has been a principled defender of the civil rights of women?


9. Did you know that despite the grueling schedule of running for President, Senator Obama remains a devoted family man, making time to do things like pick out a Christmas tree with his wife and two young daughters, or hurrying home to spend Valentine's Day with them? Did you know he hasn't missed a single parent-teacher conference while running for President?


10. Did you know that Barack Obama has a stellar environmental record, including having the highest rating from the League of Conservation Voters (96%) of any Presidential candidate, Democrat or Republican?


11. Did you know that Barack Obama has been an elected legislator longer than Senator Clinton?


12. Did you know that Barack is a member of all of these Senate Committees: Foreign Relations; Veteran's Affairs; Health, Education, Labor & Pensions; Homeland Security and Government Affairs?


13. Did you know that Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become law, and has introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted since he joined the Senate in 2005?


14. Did you know that Senator Obama sponsored legislation working together with Indiana Republican Senator Richard Lugar, to keep Americans safe by keeping dangerous weapons out of terrorist hands? The two senators also visited the former Soviet Union to inspect the decommissioning of nuclear weapons. Sen. Lugar said of Sen. Obama, "He does have a sense of idealism and principled leadership, a vision of the future."


15. Did you know that Barack Obama is the only candidate running for president who voted against using cluster bombs in Iraq and the only candidate who supports banning the use of landmines?


16. Did you know that, as an Illinois state senator, Barack Obama succeeded in passing legislation requiring the videotaping of police interrogations, gaining the respect and support not only of fellow legislators but that of the police, who had initially opposed the legislation?


17. Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland, Ulysses S. Grant, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton were all younger when they took office than Barack Obama will be?

During election season many emails are circulated about the candidates. Some are true, some aren't. It's often difficult to determine the truth. We encourage you to visit the following non-partisan sites that do a good job of fact checking the candidates.

http://www.snopes.com/
http://www.factcheck.org/

Goodbye Huckabee. Hello Huckary! Why she lost.

It is easy for an Obama supporter to be down this morning. After all, didn't Obama lose Texas and Ohio yesterday? The real answer is no, he did not. Sure he lost the popular vote in those states, and if the primaries were decided on popular vote that would matter, but they're not. Hillary lost big yesterday, and gained a new nickname in the process.

The Clintons will bask this morning in the headlines that they won Ohio and Texas. Meanwhile in the back room they'll be lamenting that they cannot possibly win the nomination on this track. For while they won yesterday, they needed to do so by at least 20% in each state to make any real progress, and they didn't come close. In fact, when the math is all settled and the caucus numbers are in from Texas this weekend, it is highly likely that the Clintons will have accomplished a net loss of delegates yesterday, and there are now a whole lot less delegates left to pick up.

So although we lost Mike Huckabee yesterday (Sniff. Sniff. Wasn't he fun?), we gained his equivalent within the Democratic party, Huckary Clinton, if you will. Her continuation in the race now, though it it mathematically almost impossible for her to win the nomination, serves only to lessen the chances of a Democrat winning in November, as she waits for, and actively encourages, some slip-up by Obama that will throw things her way.

The difference, of course, is that Huckabee had more class. He knew that covering McCain in mud was no good for his party, and so he ran his campaign with dignity, running on his own merits, and not tearing down Republican chances in November for the sake of his own vanity. No such luck with Huckary.

It is tempting to say that Obama, moving forward, should go really negative on Huckary, but after listening to his victory speech last night I've concluded that that is both unnecessary (after all he's winning), and inconsistent with his message. I do believe he has to put some thought and effort into a few key areas.

He has to counter this email mumbling campaign of lies about his background, patriotism, and accomplishments. I think you saw a move to the more overtly patriotic Obama last night. Another email campaign needs to be started that counters the lies, and he needs to speak out forcefully on these issues. In addition, he needs to be even more ready (though his response time has been miraculous) to counter Huckary slime when it occurs.

Finally, I think he needs to strategically put Huckary on the defensive during the critical time 2-5 days before a vote, when we know she's going to throw the kitchen sink at him. If this takes a slightly more negative approach at those times so be it. That kitchen sink needs to meet another kitchen sink in mid-air. Personally, I think she is vulnerable on electability, and that people need to be reminded what a Republican campaign against the Clintons will look like.

So, Obama supporters. I don't want to hear any of this, "The sky is falling. It's the end of the world!" stuff today. Barack Obama is winning. Huckary Clinton is unfortunately decreasing the chances of a Democrat in the White House next year with every day she stays in the race. She is forcing the expenditure of what will amount to another $100 million by each candidate in the next 3 months. (Get out your check books... again, and again.)

Today will be tough to take I suspect. As Huckary and the main stream media play to the ignorant among us, but by the weekend the momentum will be back to Obama, and he'll still be on his way to the nomination.