Teamsters Union to endorse Barack Obama

Just days after the Service Employees International Union endorsed Barack Obama for President he has picked up another important Union endorsement. According to the AP the Teamsters Union is now set to endorse Obama.

Union officials say the powerful Teamsters union will endorse Barack Obama.

The officials say the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is expected to make an official announcement later Wednesday. Teamster President James P. Hoffa plans to meet with Obama in Austin, Texas, before an announcement is made.

The Teamsters represent 1.4-million members, and are considered one of the largest and most powerful unions. They also are a potent source of campaign cash and get-out-the-vote workers for Democrats.

As we all know endorsements don't necessarily mean voters will follow, but it is important when it comes to building structure in your campaign and Unions especially are good at getting out the vote. Also, up until now Hillary has pretty much had the "blue collar" or "working class" vote on her side. However last night in Wisconsin, and with this endorsement is appears that that too may be shifting towards Obama.

Why is Hillary trying to steal Obama's Virginia delegates?

If this report from Talking Points Memo has any truth behind it, Clinton could be trying to go after Obama's pledged delegates (NOT super delegates, but delegates who are supposed to represent OUR vote), including the 54 Obama won in Virginia's primary last week.

Via Roger Simon at Politico:

Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign intends to go after delegates whom Barack Obama has already won in the caucuses and primaries if she needs them to win the nomination.

This strategy was confirmed to me by a high-ranking Clinton official on Monday. And I am not talking about super delegates, those 795 party big shots who are not pledged to anybody. I am talking about getting pledged delegates to switch sides.

Wow, just wow.

Hillary goes after Obama over debates, again

She is obsessed! 18 debates so far and more to come and she's upset because he "won't debate the issues" in Wisconsin:

Hey Hillary, why don't you debate yourself (you can even do it with your friends over at at Fox News!):

Happy Valentine's Day from John McCain!!

A sneak peak into what a John McCain presidency (:shudder:) would look like:

John McCain's straight talk double talk express

[h/t Kicking Ass]

Voting today in Virginia

I voted today around 1:30pm at the Wilson School in Rosslyn. I was number #465 to vote and didn't have to wait but a couple minutes. However, my friend in Ballston voted this morning and said there were about 300 people in front of him and he waited just under two hours to be able to vote.

SurveyUSA: Obama 60, Clinton 38

Here's a look at the latest polls just out from Virginia and Maryland:

Virginia Democratic Primary (SurveyUSA) Obama 60, Clinton 38
Maryland Democratic Primary (SurveyUSA) Obama 55, Clinton 32

And on the Republican side:

Virginia Republican Primary (SurveyUSA) McCain 48, Huckabee 37, Paul 7
Maryland Republican Primary (SurveyUSA) McCain 52, Huckabee 26, Paul 10

We all still need to get out and vote tomorrow!! Hopefully the crazy evangelicals come out in support of Mike Huckabee too. The longer he stays in this the weaker McCain looks (if that's even possible after the hack job Conservatives have been doing on him) going into the general election.

Ron Paul supporters are nuts (Part 3!!)

Oh it just keeps getting more and more hilarious! Paultards have actually declared today "Bury Wonkette day!" Hooray! Nevermind organizing GOTV efforts or anything like that, we'll just sit at home "donating" our time to bury Wonkette stories in order to save the PAULTARD empire from having to read satire!! Next thing you know they'll be knocking down the doors at The Onion.

Wonkette.com — Wonkette is one of the trashiest blogs on the internet, replete with gutter language and irrational/mean-spirited diatribes, many aimed at Ron Paul. Their subscribers are among the most obnoxious on the web. Take an hour of your time to bury all Wonkette stories as "SPAM". Do it for Ron Paul! Here's a URL to help you out: http://tinyurl.com/2o55rs

Oh that's rich. Ron Paul supporters calling someone else obnoxious. Valleywag does a pretty nice job of summarizing my thoughts on this:

Really, you'd think they'd be out rigging Diebold machines or something. But no, soreheaded Ron Paul supporters have decided to call for a Wonkette blockade at Digg's front door. Why they didn't call for a more helpful mass burial of McCain articles, I don't know.

Read more:
[Ron Paul supporters are lunatics!!]
[Ron Paul is [still] insane]

Hillary Clinton on gay rights

I'd hardly say that either Democratic candidate has done a great job addressing issues of equality. But who could blame them? John McCain has already said he would seek out the advice of Karl Rove, and we all know how the Republicans (and particularly Karl Rove) will have no problem using such issues against to "divide and conquer" the electorate in this election just like they did in 2004, and just like they did in 2000.

Regardless, Clinton has said she would work to repeal "Don't ask don't tell" and to extend federal recognition to same sex couples.

She called for extending federal recognition to same-sex couples, repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and rejected claims that she doesn’t speak forcefully enough on gay issues — something that supporters of rival Sen. Barack Obama have asserted during the campaign.

“I talk about gay issues frequently,” she said. “I’ve been a longtime friend of the gay community — I’ve been talking about these issues since 1999 when I first ran for Senate and went on record as the first major candidate to say we’re going to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ I talk about ending discrimination all the time.”

“I think extending federal benefits is a very important step forward,” she said. “I don’t see why a same-sex couple in California, which has a domestic partnership law, should be able to take advantage of the Family Medical Leave Act if one of them is ill, while a couple in another state without such a law cannot.

“I would like to see federal benefits extended to same-sex couples that meet certain standards of commitment regardless of the state in which they reside. Too many couples cannot share life decisions, or jointly own property or take care of one another within a recognized legal framework. I want to change that.”

Read the full interview here.

Obama crushes Clinton in Washington and Nebraska; Louisiana polls closing momentarily

Barack Obama has won, and won big already tonight in Washington and Nebraska. The polls in Louisiana are scheduled to close in about two minutes at 9pm. While the Democratic delegates are proportional, Obama has won so big in both Nebraska and Washington (around 70% or so so far) that Clinton likely won't get too much out of either state. Obama is expected to win Louisiana as well.

UPDATE: CNN reports that based on exit polling Barack Obama is ahead of Hillary Clinton in the LA primary.

UPDATE II: NBC news is reporting the Republican Louisiana primary is "too close to call."

UPDATE III: Mike Huckabee leading John McCain in Louisiana 44% to 38% with 11% reporting while Obama leading Clinton 52% to 38% with 10% reporting. In Washington state McCain is leading Huckabee 27% to 26% while Ron Paul is pulling about 21% with 16% reporting.

UPDATE IV: MSNBC projecting Obama will win Louisiana. Still waiting on results from the U.S. Virgin Islands, but Obama is projected to have taken two out of the three delegates there as well.

UPDATE V: CNN now projecting Obama as the winner of Louisiana as well. Obama currently leads Clinton with 53% of the vote.

UPDATE VI: Obama actually carried all three of the delegates from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Developing...

Ron Paul drops out?

Sounds like it to me. Anyone think he might run as an independent? I mean let's be honest, he never really had a chance to win the Republican nomination, but he does have a fairly large (and slightly retarded) following, who have demonstrated their support with several "money bombs" breaking daily fundraising records for political candidates. Regardless, here's a letter sent via email to Ron Paul supporters:

Whoa! What a year this has been. And what achievements we have had. If I may quote Trotsky of all people, this Revolution is permanent. It will not end at the Republican convention. It will not end in November. It will not end until we have won the great battle on which we have embarked. Not because of me, but because of you. Millions of Americans — and friends in many other countries — have dedicated themselves to the principles of liberty: to free enterprise, limited government, sound money, no income tax, and peace. We will not falter so long as there is one restriction on our persons, our property, our civil liberties. How much I owe you. I can never possibly repay your generous donations, hard work, whole-hearted dedication and love of freedom. How blessed I am to be associated with you. Carol, of course, sends her love as well.

Let me tell you my thoughts. With Romney gone, the chances of a brokered convention are nearly zero. But that does not affect my determination to fight on, in every caucus and primary remaining, and at the convention for our ideas, with just as many delegates as I can get. But with so many primaries and caucuses now over, we do not now need so big a national campaign staff, and so I am making it leaner and tighter. Of course, I am committed to fighting for our ideas within the Republican party, so there will be no third party run. I do not denigrate third parties — just the opposite, and I have long worked to remove the ballot-access restrictions on them. But I am a Republican, and I will remain a Republican.

I also have another priority. I have constituents in my home district that I must serve. I cannot and will not let them down. And I have another battle I must face here as well. If I were to lose the primary for my congressional seat, all our opponents would react with glee, and pretend it was a rejection of our ideas. I cannot and will not let that happen.

In the presidential race and the congressional race, I need your support, as always. And I have plans to continue fighting for our ideas in politics and education that I will share with you when I can, for I will need you at my side. In the meantime, onward and upward! The neocons, the warmongers, the socialists, the advocates of inflation will be hearing much from you and me.

Sincerely,

Ron

Two more polls show Obama leading McCain

In case you needed another reason to vote for Barack Obama, here's a look at two recent polls showing Obama leading McCain in a head to head match up:

McCain vs. Obama (Rasmussen) McCain 42, Obama 47, Undecided 11
McCain vs. Obama (Time) McCain 41, Obama 48, Undecided 6

By comparison:
McCain vs. Clinton (Rasmussen) McCain 46, Clinton 43, Undecided 11
McCain vs. Clinton (Time) McCain 46, Clinton 46, Undecided 8

While I have no doubt that both Obama and Clinton could beat McCain, it's still nice to go into it with a lead!

VIDEO: Chet Culver endorses Barack Obama

Iowa Governor Chet Culver endorsed Barack Obama for President yesterday:

Florida and Michigan to hold special primary?

That's what I've been told by several people "in the know." Really, I guess it makes sense from all sides too. Hillary and Obama both get a fair shot at the delegates, and Florida & Michigan get to be represented at the convention. Perhaps most importantly, though, is this solution will prevent the Republicans from swaying voters in those states by saying the Democrats "disenfranchised" them by taking away their delegates.

Thoughts?

Mitt Romney drops out

It's official, Mitt Romney will "suspend" (code for drop out) his campaign according to three GOP sources. I totally called this on Tuesday. Romney is scheduled to speak at the creepy CPAC conference that has DC crawling with conservatives today. Won't this just put a nice little damper on their conference? Coming face to face with the reality that John McCain will be their nominee...

Clinton staffers working without pay

BREAKING: NBC News is reporting that due to a "cash crisis" in the Clinton campaign, several members of the campaign staff are now working without pay.

More information forthcoming.

UPDATE: The campaign claims this is a result of over spending in Iowa. IOWA! Where Clinton placed third!

Some of Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign staff have voluntarily chosen to work without pay this month, NBC News confirmed Wednesday.

Clinton faced a serious cash crunch going into Tuesday's multi-state vote due to overspending in Iowa, a source within the campaign told NBC News. Staffers blamed campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle, who was among those working for free, the source said.

Clinton acknowledged Wednesday that she loaned her campaign $5 million late last month as Obama was outraising and outspending her heading into Feb. 5 Super Tuesday contests.

Meanwhile, Obama raised $32 million in January, and raised $3 million on the internet today alone.

UPDATE II: Obama has raised $4.2 million online since just last night. Developing...

VIDEO: Barack Obama's Super Tuesday speech

Watched the returns at a friends house over in Ballston tonight and couldn't get the wireless internet working. I'm home now though and (somehow) still awake, at least for a bit longer. Here's Obama's speech from earlier this evening:

Mitt Romney preparing to drop out?

Looks like it's gonna be down to John McCain, Ron Paul and Huckles after tomorrow, assuming neither of the latter drop out too.

One of my friends here in DC just received a phone call from a friend in Iowa who has been working for the Romney campaign and she is "upset" and said she will hear tomorrow if (but really more like when) she'll be getting laid off." Also, our favorite Mormon who will never be President Mitt Romney has scheduled meetings for the entirety of the day tomorrow....

Hillary Clinton agrees to debate on Fox News

Agreeing to appear on a ratings grabbing, and therefore rather profitable debate program on a network known for being an undeniable "media arm" of the Republican party? Unbelievable.

A few weeks ago I was planning to vote for her but then the whole thing about her sitting on the board at Wal Mart, and now she agrees to a debate on Fox (FAUX!) News? Way to drive me (and I'm sure many others too) completely over the edge towards Obama.

"There is an enormous interest in these debates an clamoring on the part of the Democratic Party for them," said Clinton's spokesperson Howard Wolfson. "We have not had a large number in which two people have participated. We've had multi-candidate debates... the fact is Senator Clinton has enjoyed the opportunity to debate and get her message out. Certainly as we move to the next exciting day of this nomination calendar, voters want the opportunity to see these two candidates compete against each other."

Though Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama have frequently appeared on Fox News for interviews, Clinton may be debating alone. Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama, said that no plans existed as of now for his boss to participate in upcoming forums.

And to make matters worse, Faux News CEO Roger Ailes claimed:

"The candidates that can't face Fox, can't face Al Qaeda."

HA HA, gee, maybe because Fox News and Al-Qaeda are the exact same thing?

Virginians showing up at the polls today

I'm really not quite sure what to make of this.

People are showing up at polling places across Virginia expecting to vote in presidential primaries that are still a week away.

By noon Tuesday, the State Board of Elections received about 400 calls, and many callers wanted to know why their polling places were closed.

Officials say that's double to triple the normal volume of calls.

On the one hand, I guess it shows that people are excited to vote. On the other hand, though, it worries me that people coming out to vote can't even pay attention enough to know which day to vote on.

HAHA, also, here's an idea - someone should go check the candidate's web sites to see how many people are posting claims of "voter fraud" because their precinct was closed (when in reality it's just not their day to vote).