2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

Dick Lugar 1996 TV Ad "Trust With Your Lives"

Jonathan Martin of the Politico asks: Who is Dick Lugar?

Washington University In St. Louis Poised To Host Historic Biden-Palin Vice Presidential Debate, Oct. 2

Washington University in St. Louis Poised to Host Historic Biden-Palin Vice Presidential Debate, Oct. 2

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Media will swarm campus" is the headline this week in the student newspaper at Washington University in St. Louis where Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin are scheduled to kick off their much-anticipated vice presidential debate at 8 p.m. (CDT) Oct. 2, in the University's Athletic Complex.

"Politics are coming to real life on our campus," said Bill Restemayer, a freshman from North Dakota involved in student government. "There's excitement in the air, and it's all students are talking about -- arguing back and forth from both sides. This debate will let me see firsthand if public service is my life's calling."

Restemayer is not alone in his enthusiasm for the debate, which many in the news media are describing as clearly one of most important vice presidential debates in history, and perhaps one of the most watched debates ever.

The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), the non-partisan national group that sponsors the debates, announced at a media conference Monday that it has received more than 3,000 requests for media credentials, more than twice as many as it received from media for its 2004 presidential debate at Washington University.

"We are ready," Rob Wild, chair of the University's vice presidential debate steering committee, said Tuesday as he hurried around the Athletic Complex, greeting national media and coordinating final details of the preparations.

"Hundreds of people have put in countless hours preparing for what we know will be a tremendous event in this year's presidential campaign season," he added. "This is the only vice presidential debate and the eyes of the world will be on Washington University in St. Louis."

The university's official debate Web site ( http://debate.wustl.edu/ ) has become a clearinghouse for logistical information critical to media piling into St. Louis from all ends of the globe, while providing the campus community and the general public with news coverage, slide shows and video highlights of debate-related activities.

WUSTL student media, including the Student Life newspaper and WUTV campus cable television station, also are planning special web coverage and news broadcasts from around campus.

CNN, the designated pool feed for live video coverage from within the debate hall, was among the first networks to position a huge satellite transmission truck outside the Athletic Complex, arriving at campus last weekend to begin wiring and other preparations.

Dozens of global broadcast media will be vying for stand-up positions for live broadcasts from outside stages erected near the entrance to the Athletic Complex, while other networks have opted to set up mobile broadcast studios at various locations around campus. Several national networks are planning to go live from campus for much of debate day, Oct. 2, and also early the following morning.

CBS' "The Early Show" with Harry Smith and Maggie Rodriguez plans to broadcast starting at 5:30 a.m. Oct. 2 from Holmes Lounge in Ridgley Hall and then will move outside of Holmes Lounge from 7-8 a.m. On Oct. 3, "The Early Show" is planning to broadcast again live from Holmes Lounge at 5:30 a.m. and then move outside from 7-8 a.m.

MSNBC plans to broadcast live from outside Graham Chapel throughout the day Oct. 2, starting with NBC News' Political Director Chuck Todd at 11 a.m. and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell at noon. "Hardball with Chris Matthews" will broadcast live from the MSNBC stage outside Graham Chapel from 4-5 p.m., 6-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-midnight.

Also on Oct. 2, the CNN Election Express Yourself Tour Bus will be parked on campus at the northeast courtyard of the Danforth University Center, and C-SPAN's Campaign 2008 Bus will be located outside the Mallinckrodt Student Center.

The event the University community has spent the past year preparing for has finally arrived -- along with the news trucks, reporters, security officials, debate personnel and, most importantly, the candidates.

Since last November when Washington University's selection as the vice presidential debate site was announced, students have been working closely with campus faculty, staff and administrators to plan an array of debate-related student activities.

Students have held campus-wide voter registration drives, mock debates, rallies and a multitude of panel discussions on election issues. The campus bakery is selling cookies in the shape of donkeys or elephants as proxies for the political campaigns of Obama and McCain and posting a running tally on who is currently the campus frontrunner.

"I think the vice presidential candidates might truly make or break the presidential election this year," says senior Brittany Perez, president of Student Union, an undergraduate student government organization. "We want to involve as many students as possible in this process."

"It's going to bring a lot of visibility to the University," notes Perez, who's already been featured in a number of news stories on the debate. "It's exciting for students to be a part of it. We have more than 300 student volunteers who will be participating directly in debate preparation, which is invaluable experience."

Washington University is the only institution to have hosted more than two CPD debates. The University hosted the first three-candidate presidential debate in CPD history in 1992, was selected to host a presidential debate in 1996 that eventually was canceled, hosted the third and last presidential debate of the 2000 campaign season and the second of three presidential debates before the 2004 election.

In her introduction of the 2004 debate, CPD executive director Janet Brown praised the University as being the "gold standard" for debate sites.

Washington University has a rich tradition, dating back to the 1992 presidential debate, of making sure that any debate tickets allotted to the university by the CPD are strictly reserved for use by its students. The tradition began when then-Chancellor William H. Danforth decreed that he would prefer to give his ticket to a student rather than attend himself. Since then, hundreds of WUSTL students have been able to witness history first hand through the debate ticket lottery.

This year, nearly 8,000 students -- 7,942 to be exact -- registered through a university database system for a chance to claim a ticket to the debate. The University won't know until just before the debate whether the CPD is able to allocate any tickets for the University, but any ticket received will be awarded to students in the order they were drawn in the lottery.

Students drawn in the top 300 slots will be invited to wait for news of tickets, and those lucky enough to receive one will be whisked off to the debate hall via waiting campus shuttle buses.

Source: Washington University in St. Louis

Fred Thompson: Governor Sarah Palin Is Qualified

Fred Thompson: Governor Sarah Palin Is Qualified

When John McCain selected Governor Sarah Palin, as his running mate, the Democrats and their far-left constituency let out a primal scream that could be heard from sea to shining sea. How dare he choose someone that they and their pals in the media had not had a chance to vet (i.e. libel, slander, and otherwise and otherwise eviscerate). Ah, but it was not too late. These seekers of “a new kind of politics” poured torrents of malicious abuse upon her and her family.

Plane loads of scandal mongers, lawyers and other truth seekers became more numerous in Alaska than the polar bear, as they rallied local Democrats and disgruntled Republicans to their cause.

Here was a woman who chose to have children and a career. Aging Washington socialites weighed in with newly discovered sensitivity for mothers with careers outside the home. Here was a woman who became upset because her ex-brother-in-law had tasered her nephew and threatened her father. The Democrats and their friends had to save the country from a woman like this.

Governor Palin’s every comment was scrutinized by the media and judged against what Jefferson or Lincoln might have said. Never mind that her counterpart, the 30-year-Washington-veteran Joe Biden, apparently is unaware that America relies upon coal for a lot of it’s electricity or that he recently referred to a top level U.S. official’s visit to Iran that never happened. That’s just Joe being Joe – protected by the sheer number of his gaffes and the fact that he is Barack Obama’s running mate.

For a while there it seems the fact that so many uninformed yahoos (average people) love her was going to drive the main stream media nuts. They had a hard time grasping the fact that people like her because she is precisely the kind of politician that everyone has been saying they’ve wanted: Independent, not a captive of the Beltway including a Congress with a 9% approval rating, who will take on hacks of either party; who has the tenacity to win and the courage to fight for the long-term benefit of those she represents.

Apparently what no one counted on was that a politician like this would actually show up on the national scene. The media was caught by surprise. The media doesn’t like surprises.

Naturally, there was a backlash to the treatment of Governor Palin and cooler-headed critics have largely concentrated on what they claim is her lack of qualifications. Of course much of the criticism of her qualifications reveals the application of the same old double standard. Less accomplished governors in times past have been considered to be perfectly “well-qualified” as VP picks.

However, it is a legitimate issue and should be taken seriously. I especially take seriously the criticism of people such as New York Times columnist David Brooks who I consider to be an insightful analyst of the political scene.

He recently wrote that governance is hard. It requires acquired skills. Most of all it requires prudence. What is prudence? Among other things, it is the ability to absorb information and discern the essential current of events – the things that go together and the things that will never go together. It is the ability to engage in complex deliberations and to understand which arguments have the most weight. How is prudence acquired? Through experience. Experience allows a leader to judge what is important and what is not. He added, “Sarah Palin has many virtues. If you wanted someone to destroy a corrupt establishment, she’d be your woman. But the constructive act of governance is another matter.”

One can hardly disagree with the desirability of our leaders having the qualities that Brooks describes (putting aside the question of how many of our leaders who are not Sarah Palin have demonstrated these qualities). But there are other important qualifications, such as will, courage, and determination. Frankly, an infusion of these qualities into our body politic is desperately needed – not just to raise hell with the establishment, but to speak the hard truth about unpleasant choices facing our country. To push for choices that will, in the long term, benefit our country, our children and our grandchildren. In other words, things which “prudent” leaders are all too often reluctant to do.

For many years we have failed to address looming problems that will prove catastrophic to our nation. It’s not because we are bereft of leaders with great experience. And it is not because they do not understand the “essential current of events.” They know these things all too well. It is because they do not have the political courage to do anything about it.

Recently, a Washington Post editorial pointed out that even before the recent financial crisis on Wall Street, the Government Accountability Office issued a report declaring the federal government on an “unsustainable long term fiscal path.” This was primarily due to the projected cost of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, brought on by an aging population. We will be spending $41 trillion dollars more on these entitlements in the next 75 years than we will receive in payroll taxes and premiums, although the crunch will actually begin much sooner than that. And we already owe Japan and China about $500 billion each.

David Walker, the former Comptroller General of the United States calls this problem much larger than the recent financial rescue plan. In fact he calls it the “super sub-prime crisis.” Which bring me to the current sub-prime crisis.

Wall Street and Washington were full of people who were “qualified and experienced” in the field of finance. Sen. Barack Obama, for one, has a great deal of experience in the housing field. So do many of his closest advisers. I would have traded some of that experience for a few more leaders with less experience and more courage to buck the establishment and tell the truth about what was happening.

This brings me back to Governor Sarah Palin, and why I say that courage and political will are at the very top of the “qualification” requirements for today’s leaders. So the question is, how does Sarah Palin compare on that score with Biden and Obama, for that matter? Very well, I’d say.

McCain-Palin 2008 Launches New TV Ad: "Week"

MCCAIN-PALIN 2008 LAUNCHES NEW TV AD: "WEEK"

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, McCain-Palin 2008 released its latest television ad, entitled "Week." The ad features John McCain speaking directly to the American people about the economic crisis and the need for Republicans and Democrats to come together. John McCain also speaks about his economic plan to put people back to work and grow our economy. The ad will be televised nationally.

Script For "Week" (TV :30)

JOHN MCCAIN: What a week.

Democrats blamed Republicans,

Republicans blamed Democrats.

We're the United States of America.

It shouldn't take a crisis to pull us together.

We need a President who can avert crisis.

Put people back to work.

Grow our economy.

And move people from surviving to thriving.

We need leadership without painful new taxes.

That will make our country strong again.

I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

John S. Staum, Past VFW Commander-in-Chief From Minnesota And Others Endorse John McCain

PAST NATIONAL COMMANDERS OF VETERANS' SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ENDORSE JOHN MCCAIN

ARLINGTON, VA -- McCain-Palin 2008 today announced that twenty-one past National Commanders of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have endorsed John McCain for President. The individuals endorsing John McCain hail from 18 different states, including Colorado, Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina, Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Illinois. Also included on the list is New Jersey native George Lisicki, who just last month stepped down as VFW Commander-in-Chief.

John McCain stated, "I am honored and humbled to receive the support of individuals who have served their county with distinction in the military and as leaders of two of America's largest and most esteemed veterans' organizations. It has been my great privilege to serve America's veterans, and today I renew my pledge never to forget the sacrifices of veterans and their families, or to do my utmost to provide veterans with the care and benefits they deserve."

Those Endorsing John McCain:

Edward S. Banas, Sr., Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Connecticut
Tom Bock, Past National Commander, American Legion, Colorado
John Brieden, Past National Commander, American Legion, Texas
Billy Ray Cameron, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, North Carolina
John "Jake" Comer, Past National Commander, American Legion, Massachusetts
George R. Cramer, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Illinois
James R. Currieo, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Arizona
Miles Epling, Past National Commander, American Legion, West Virginia
John F. Gwizdak, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Georgia 
Walter G. Hogan, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Wisconsin
Tony Jordan, Past National Commander, American Legion, Maine
Gary Kurpius, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Alaska
George J. Lisicki, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, New Jersey
James R. Mueller, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Missouri
Clifford G. Olson, Jr., Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Massachusetts
John W. Smart, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, New Hampshire
R.D. "Bulldog" Smith, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Georgia
Paul A. Spera, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Massachusetts
Norman G. Staab, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Kansas 
John S. Staum, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Minnesota
John Wasylik, Past Commander-in-Chief, VFW, Ohio

Obama La Crosse Official Crowd Estimated At Over 15,000

Obama La Crosse Official Crowd Estimated At Over 15,000 by Warren Thomas, Division Chief La Crosse Fire Department.

Upper Deck Gets Political Again With Parody Cards Of V.P. Candidates Joe Biden And Sarah Palin

Upper Deck Gets Political Again with Parody Cards of V.P. Candidates Joe Biden and Sarah Palin
With both political parties gearing up for the much-anticipated debates, trading card company makes history by releasing V.P. cards!

North Las Vegas, NV (September 30, 2008) – Just as quickly as the announcements were made surrounding the vice-presidential selections in this year’s race to the White House, Upper Deck was fast at work producing short-printed trading cards of both V.P. candidates. The Democrats struck first when Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama announced on August 22 that longtime Delaware Senator Joe Biden would be his choice. The Republicans countered a week later with the surprise announcement that first-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would be John McCain’s running mate.

“Our goal is always to be timely and topical,” said Kerri Stockholm, Upper Deck’s director of Sports Marketing. “And with so much at stake in this year’s election, we thought it was only fitting that we produce a pair of cards chronicling the vice-presidential candidates to go along with our earlier cards of the presidential candidates.”

The new pair of illustrated cards – numbered PP-15 (Palin) and PP-16 (Biden) – brings to a close Upper Deck’s extremely popular 2008 “Presidential Predictors” series of insert cards. The rare cards will be sprinkled into random packs (SRP: $4.99) of Upper Deck’s SP Authentic Baseball set to release on October 14.
Biden is depicted as longtime Washington Senator’s pitcher Walter Johnson, a seasoned veteran who’s looking for the biggest win of his career. Palin, meanwhile, is shown rounding the bases near the White House in a most unusual manner – atop a dogsled and sporting a tiara – a fitting portrayal for a candidate who’s determined to blaze new trails.

“The caricatures are great,” added Stockholm. “We’ve taken some liberties with both of the VP candidates, but we believe collectors will see the cards as entertaining as well as informative.”

In February, Upper Deck produced a unique, eight-card “Presidential Predictors” insert set within its Series 1 Baseball release. The illustrated parodies showed several of the top candidates in rare form by tying each to a pivotal moment or personality from baseball’s glorious history.

In June, once the Republicans decided on McCain and the Democrats were down to selecting either Obama or Hillary Clinton, Upper Deck depicted the remaining candidates in its Series Two Baseball launch as participants in some of Major League Baseball’s most notable flare-ups. One of those quarrels showed Yankees right-fielder Lou Piniella (Obama) trading punches with Boston catcher Carlton Fisk (McCain) from 1976 under the headline: The Economy.

Collectors who pull any of the Presidential Predictor cards from packs of Upper Deck’s 2008 Series 1 and Series 2 Baseball releases and SP Authentic Baseball will have the opportunity to win a trip for two to throw out the “presidential” first pitch at an official Major League Baseball game during the 2009 season. Collectors can enter the static code(s) found on the backs of the cards at www.presidentialpredictor.com to gain entry into an Upper Deck Baseball sweepstakes. The top prize will be open to all collectors who register a Presidential Predictor trading card featuring either of the winning party’s candidates (President or Vice President).

About Upper Deck

Upper Deck is a premier sports and entertainment publishing company which delivers a portfolio of relevant, innovative and multi-dimensional product experiences to collectors, sports and entertainment enthusiasts

Remarks Of Senator Barack Obama In La Crosse, Wisconsin

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama—as prepared for delivery La Crosse, Wisconsin Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

We meet here at a time of great uncertainty. Our economy is in crisis. The dreams of so many Americans are at risk. And the American people are waiting for leadership from Washington.

On Monday, over the course of a few hours, the failure to pass the economic rescue plan in the House led to the single largest decline of the stock market in two decades.  Over one trillion dollars of wealth was lost by the time the markets closed.  And it wasn’t just the wealth of a few CEOs or Wall Street executives.  The 401Ks and retirement accounts that millions count on for their family’s future are now smaller.  The state pension funds of teachers and government employees lost billions upon billions of dollars.  Hardworking Americans who invested their nest egg to watch it grow are now watching it disappear.

But while the decline of the stock market is devastating, the consequences of the credit crisis that caused it will be even worse if we do not act and act immediately.

Because of the housing crisis, we are now in a very dangerous situation where financial institutions across this country are afraid to lend money.  If all that meant was the failure of a few big banks on Wall Street, it would be one thing.

But that’s not what it means. What it means is that if we do not act, it will be harder for you to get a mortgage for your home or the loans you need to buy a car or send your children to college.  What it means is that businesses won’t be able to get the loans they need to open new factories, or hire more workers, or make payroll for the workers they have.  Thousands of businesses could close.  Millions of jobs could be lost.  A long and painful recession could follow.

Let me be perfectly clear.  The fact that we are in this mess is an outrage.  It’s an outrage because we did not get here by accident.  This was not a normal part of the business cycle.  This was not the actions of a few bad apples.

This financial crisis is a direct result of the greed and irresponsibility that has dominated Washington and Wall Street for years.  It’s the result of speculators who gamed the system, regulators who looked the other way, and lobbyists who bought their way into our government.  It’s the result of an economic philosophy that says we should give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else; a philosophy that views even the most common-sense regulations as unwise and unnecessary.  And this crisis is the final verdict on this failed philosophy – a philosophy that we cannot afford to continue.

But while there is plenty of blame to go around and many in Washington and on Wall Street who deserve it, all of us now have a responsibility to solve this crisis because it affects the financial well-being of every single American.  There will be time to punish those who set this fire, but now is the moment for us to come together and put the fire out.

I know that many of you are feeling anxiety right now – about your jobs, about your homes, about your life savings.  But I also know this – I know that we can steer ourselves out of this crisis.  Because that’s who we are.  Because this is the United States of America.  This is a nation that has faced down war and depression; great challenges and great threats.  And at each and every moment, we have risen to meet these challenges – not as Democrats, not as Republicans, but as Americans.  With resolve.  With confidence.  With that fundamental belief that here in America, our destiny is not written for us, but by us.  That’s who we are, and that’s the country we need to be right now.

This is not just a Wall Street crisis – it’s an American crisis, and it’s the American economy that needs this rescue plan. I understand why people would be skeptical when this President asks for a blank check to solve a problem. I’ve spent most of my time in Washington being skeptical of this Administration, and this time was no different.  That’s why over a week ago, I demanded that this plan include specific proposals to protect the American taxpayer – protections that the Administration eventually agreed to, as well as Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

First, I said we needed an independent board to provide oversight and accountability for how and where this money is spent at every step of the way.

Second, I said that we cannot help banks on Wall Street without helping the millions of innocent homeowners who are struggling to stay in their homes.  They deserve a plan too.

Third, I said that I would not allow this plan to become a welfare program for the Wall Street executives whose greed and irresponsibility got us into this mess.

And finally, I said that if American taxpayers are financing this solution, then you should be treated like investors – you should get every penny of your tax dollars back once this economy recovers.

This last part is important, because it’s been the most misunderstood and poorly communicated part of this plan. This is not a plan to just hand over $700 billion of your money to a few banks. If this is managed correctly, we will hopefully get most or all of our money back, or possibly even turn a profit on the government’s investment – every penny of which will go directly back to you, the investor.

The rescue plan now includes those four principles. It also includes a proposal I made yesterday morning to expand federal deposit insurance for families and small businesses across America who have invested their money in our banks. This will boost small businesses, make our banking system more secure, and help restore confidence by reassuring families that their money is safe.

Even with all these taxpayer protections, this plan is not perfect. Democrats and Republicans in Congress have legitimate concerns about it. I know many Americans share those concerns. But it is clear that this is what we must do right now to prevent a crisis from turning into a catastrophe. That’s why I’ve been reaching out to leaders in both parties to do whatever I can to help pass this plan. That’s why I’ll be flying back to Washington today to cast my vote to safeguard the American economy. And to the Democrats and Republicans who have opposed this plan, I say – step up to the plate and do what’s right for the country, because the time to act is now.

I know many Americans are wondering what happens next. Passing this bill will not be the end of our work to strengthen our economy – it’s just the beginning of a long, hard road ahead.  So let me tell you exactly how I’ll move forward as President.

From the moment I take office, my top priority will be to do everything I can to make sure that your tax dollars are protected. I will demand a full review of this financial rescue plan to make sure that it is working for you. If you – the American taxpayer – are not getting your money back, then we will change how this program is being managed. If need be, we will send new legislation to Congress to make sure that taxpayers are protected in line with the principles that I have put forward. You should expect nothing less from Washington.

If we do have losses, I’ve proposed a Financial Stability Fee on the financial services industry so Wall Street foots the bill – not the American taxpayer. And as I modernize the financial system to create new rules of the road to prevent another crisis, we will continue this fee to build up a reserve so that if this happens again, it will be the money contributed by banks that’s put at risk.

This will only work if there is real enforcement and real accountability. And that starts with presidential leadership. So let me be very clear: when I am President, financial institutions will do their part and pay their share, and American taxpayers will never again have to put their money on the line to pay for the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street. That’s a pledge that I’ll make to you today, and it’s one that I’ll keep as President of the United States.

Accountability must start with this rescue plan, but it cannot end there. Across Wisconsin – and across the country – families are sitting down at the kitchen table and making hard choices. You’re planning for your future in tough times. You’re squeezing just a little bit more out of next month’s paycheck so you can pay next month’s bills. It’s time for Washington to do the same.

We cannot mortgage our children’s future on a mountain of debt. It’s time to put an end to the run-away spending and the record deficits – it’s not how you would run your family budget, and it must not be how Washington handles your tax dollars. It’s time to return to the fiscal responsibility and pay as you go budgeting that we had in the 1990s. Many in Congress have been fighting for these commonsense principles, and I will be a President who supports them and makes sure they succeed. That’s why I’m not going to stand here and simply tell you what I’m going to spend – I’m going to start by telling you how we’re going to save when I am President.

I will go through the entire federal budget, page by page, line by line, and eliminate the programs that don’t work and aren’t needed.  We should start by ending a war in Iraq that is costing us $10 billion a month while the Iraqi government sits on a $79 billion surplus. We should stop sending $15 billion a year in overpayments to insurance companies for Medicare, and go after tens of billions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid fraud.  We need to stop sending three billion a year to banks that provide student loans the government could provide for less. And we can end the hundreds of millions a year in subsidies to agribusiness that can survive just fine without your tax dollars, and use some of the money to help struggling family farmers.  That’s what I’ll do as President.

And we can’t stop there. We lose $100 billion every year because corporations set up mailboxes offshore so they can avoid paying a dime of taxes in America. In the Senate, I worked across the aisle to crack down on these schemes. And as President, I will shut down those offshore tax havens and all those corporate loopholes once and for all. You shouldn’t have to pay higher taxes because some big corporation cut corners to avoid paying theirs. All of us have a responsibility to pay our fair share.  That’s accountability. And that’s what we’ll have when I’m President.

As for the programs we do need, I will make them work better and cost less. I will create a High-Performance Team of experts that evaluates every agency and every office based on how well they’re serving the American taxpayer. I will save billions of dollars by cutting private contractors and improving management and oversight of the hundreds of billions of dollars our government spends on contracts. And I will finally end the abuse of no-bid contracts once and for all – the days of sweetheart deals for Halliburton will be over when I’m in the White House.

Make no mistake: we need to end an era in Washington where accountability has been absent, oversight has been overlooked, and your tax dollars have been turned over to wealthy CEOs and well-connected corporations. You need leadership that you can trust to work for you – not for the special interests who have had their thumb on the scale. And together, we will tell the Washington lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda are over. They have not funded this campaign, they won’t work in my White House, and they won’t drown out the voices of the American people when I’m President.

Now, people have asked whether the size of this rescue plan, together with the weakening economy, means that the next President will have to scale back his agenda and some of his proposals. The answer is yes and no.  With less money flowing into the Treasury, some useful programs or policies that I’ve proposed on the campaign trail may need to be delayed.

But there are certain investments in our future that we cannot delay precisely because our economy is in turmoil.  You can always put off giving your house a new paint job or renovating your kitchen, but when your roof is crumbling or your heater goes, you realize that these are long-term investments you need to make right away.

The same is true of our economy.  We cannot wait to help Americans keep up with rising costs and shrinking paychecks by giving our workers a middle-class tax cut.  We cannot wait to relieve the burden of crushing health care costs.  We cannot wait to create millions of new jobs by rebuilding our roads and our bridges and investing in the renewable sources of energy that will stop us from sending $700 billion a year to tyrants and dictators for their oil.  And we cannot wait to educate the next generation of Americans with the skills and knowledge they need to compete with any workers, anywhere in the world.  Those are the priorities we cannot delay.

As soon as we pass this rescue plan, we need to move with the same sense of urgency to rescue families on Main Street who are struggling to pay their bills and keep their jobs.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  we need to pass an economic stimulus plan that will help folks cope with rising food and gas prices, save one million jobs by rebuilding our schools and roads, and help states and cities avoid budget cuts and tax increases.  A plan that would extend expiring unemployment benefits for those Americans who’ve lost their jobs and cannot find new ones.

Beyond this stimulus, we need an economic agenda to restore opportunity for Americans and prosperity to America.  So that we’re not borrowing debt from China and buying oil from Saudi Arabia.  So that the jobs of the future don’t go to better-educated workers in India and the cars of the future aren’t made in Japan.  So that we can leave a legacy of greater opportunity to our children and their children.  That is how we will emerge from this crisis stronger and more prosperous than we were before, and that is what I will do as President of the United States.

I will begin by reforming our tax code so that it doesn’t reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.  I will eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-ups, so that we can grow our economy and create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.

I will cut taxes – cut taxes – for 95% of all workers and their families.  And if you make less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increase one single dime – because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.

I will reform our health care system to relieve families, businesses, and the entire economy from the crushing cost of health care by investing in new technology and preventative care.  If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums.  If you don’t, you’ll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves.  And I will stop insurance companies from discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.

To create new jobs, I’ll invest in rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure – our roads, schools, and bridges.  We’ll rebuild our outdated electricity grid and build new broadband lines to connect America.  And I’ll create the jobs of the future by transforming our energy economy. We’ll tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power.  I’ll help our auto companies re-tool so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here the United States.  I’ll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars.  And I’ll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy – wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can’t ever be outsourced

And if I am President, I will meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy.  I’ll invest in early childhood education.  I’ll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support.  But in exchange, I will ask for higher standards and more accountability.  And we will keep our promise to every young American – if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.

Finally, I will modernize our outdated financial regulations and put in the place the common-sense rules of the road I’ve been calling for since March – rules that will keep our market free, fair, and honest; rules that will make sure Wall Street can never get away with the stunts that caused this crisis again.

These are the changes and reforms that we need.  Bottom-up growth that will create opportunity for every American.  Investments in the technology and innovation that will restore prosperity and lead to new jobs and a new economy for the 21st century.  Common-sense regulations for our financial system that will prevent a crisis like this from ever happening again.

I won’t pretend this will be easy or come without cost.  We will all need to sacrifice and we will all need to pull our weight because now more than ever, we are all in this together.  What this crisis has taught us is that at the end of the day, there is no real separation between Main Street and Wall Street.  There is only the road we’re traveling on as Americans – and we will rise or fall on that journey as one nation; as one people.

This country and the dream it represents are being tested in a way that we haven’t seen in nearly a century.  And future generations will judge ours by how we respond to this test.  Will they say that this was a time when America lost its way and its purpose?  When we allowed our own petty differences and broken politics to plunge this country into a dark and painful recession?

Or will they say that this was another one of those moments when America overcame?  When we battled back from adversity by recognizing that common stake that we have in each other’s success?

This is one of those moments.  I realize you’re cynical and fed up with politics.  I understand that you’re disappointed and even angry with your leaders.  You have every right to be. But despite all of this, I ask you to believe – believe in this country and your ability to change it.  I ask you what has been asked of the American people in times of trial and turmoil throughout history – what was asked at the beginning of the greatest financial crisis this nation ever endured.  In his first fireside chat, Franklin Roosevelt told his fellow Americans that “..there is an element in the readjustment of our financial system more important than currency, more important than gold, and that is the confidence of the people themselves.  Confidence and courage are the essentials of success in carrying out our plan.  Let us unite in banishing fear.  Together, we cannot fail.”

America, together, we cannot fail.  Not now.  Not when we have a crisis to solve and an economy to save.  Not when there are so many Americans without jobs and without homes.  Not when there are families who can’t afford to see a doctor, or send their child to college, or pay their bills at the end of the month.  Not when there is a generation that is counting on us to give them the same opportunities and the same chances that we had for ourselves.

We can do this. Americans have done this before. Some of us had grandparents or parents that said maybe I can't go to college but my child can; maybe I can't have my own business but my child can. I may have to rent, but maybe my children will have a home they can call their own. I may not have a lot of money but maybe my child will run for Senate. I might live in a small village but maybe someday my son can be president of the United States of America.

Now it falls to us. Together, we cannot fail. And I need you to make it happen. If you want the next four years looking just like the last eight, then I am not your candidate. But if you want real change - if you want an economy that rewards work, and that works for Main Street and Wall Street; if you want tax relief for the middle class and millions of new jobs; if you want health care you can afford and education that helps your kids compete; then I ask you to knock on some doors, make some calls, talk to your neighbors, and give me your vote on November 4th. And if you do, I promise you - we will win Wisconsin, we will win this election, and we will change America together. Thank you La Crosse, God bless you, and may God bless America.

Remarks By John McCain On The Economy At The Harry Truman Library In Independence, Missouri

REMARKS BY JOHN MCCAIN ON THE ECONOMY

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain today will deliver the following remarks as prepared for delivery in Independence, Missouri, at 10:00 a.m. CT (11:00 a.m. ET):

Thank you all very much. I appreciate the hospitality of the Harry Truman Library Institute. I'm honored to be here in the town that sent Harry Truman to Washington, and the town that welcomed him back when his work was done.

President Truman was a student of history, and he knew how suddenly a crisis could come about. And while so many things have changed in the 35 years since his passing, Harry Truman would surely recognize the sources of the financial crisis that now threaten the livelihoods of millions and the future of the entire American economy. Only the vast sums of money would surprise him. But the costs of unbridled greed on Wall Street, the foolishness of politicians who fed the problem, and the recklessness of politicians who failed to meet the crisis -- all of these would have a familiar feel to the man from Independence.

We are square in the greatest financial crisis of our lifetimes. And I am pleased to report that today, I will be returning to the floor of the Senate to vote on a bill that marks a decisive step in the right direction. The original proposal was flawed. I urged additions of taxpayer protections, stronger oversight, limitations on executive compensation and more protections for people's bank accounts. I am pleased that these are being added to improve the original bill. It took Congress a while, and there were costs to these delays. But they have awakened to the danger. And today, with the unity that this crisis demands, Congress will once again work to restore confidence and stability to the American economy.

There will be a time to fix the blame for all that has happened -- especially in the case of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the abuses and political deal-making that corrupted those institutions. But our duty right now is to fix the problem, and that is the business that will shortly take me back to Washington. Following September 11th, our national leaders came together at a time of crisis. Now, with this measure, we have another chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country.

If the financial rescue bill fails in Congress yet again, the present crisis will turn into a disaster. As credit disappears, students will no longer be able to get loans for college, and families looking for a new home will be unable to get a loan. New car sales will come to a halt. Businesses will have difficulty securing credit for operations and may be unable to pay employees. If we fail to act, the gears of our economy will grind to a halt.

This is a moment of great testing. At such moments, there are those on both sides of this debate who will act on principle. Of course, there are always some who think first of their own interests, who calculate their own advantage instead of rushing to the aid of their country. But in the case of this bill, I am confident there are enough people of good will in both parties to help see America through this crisis. And when the last vote is cast, we can be grateful to all of them -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- for helping to solve the crisis instead of merely exploiting it.

Crises often have a way of revealing our better selves -- of showing what we are made of, and how much we can achieve when we are put to the test. This is true as well of the grave challenges we face in Washington. Yet it should not require extreme emergencies -- when the future of our entire economy is on the line -- to bring out the best in us, or to bring us together in service to the common good. We are supposed to do that even in the calmest of times. And if we worked together more often in that spirit, perhaps there would be fewer crises, close-calls, and near-disasters confronting our nation.

Just consider the day-to-day routine of Congress -- even as the 110th Congress ends, there remains a long list of challenges unmet. Congress has failed to pass many of the appropriations bills funding the regular business of our government. From agriculture to the labor department to transportation, the majority of appropriations bills have not passed. Even funding for the operations of the legislative branch itself has not passed. Congress can't even find agreement on the yearly bill to pay for the Congress itself.

And while these routine funding issues are addressed at the last minute behind closed doors, the big challenges facing our country continue to languish. We still have made no progress to resolving our energy crisis. While we seek solutions to the economic crisis we face today, Washington has been ineffective in addressing the housing crisis that started it. And in the face of mounting job losses, we still have not taken action to put our economy back on track with policies that would encourage job creation, or with updates to an unemployment system and job training programs that were created for the 1950s.

Our government is on the wrong track, our economy is struggling, and I expect we will receive more bad news with Friday's unemployment report. It is a time for leadership and a plan to create jobs and get our country on the right track.

I believe in low taxes; spending discipline, and open markets. I believe in rewarding hard work and letting people keep the fruits of their labor. We will keep the current low tax rates. We will simplify the current tax code. We will double the child exemption from 3500 dollars to 7000 dollars. We will give every family a 5000 dollar tax credit to buy their own health insurance or keep their current plan, and we will open up the national health-care market to expand choices and improve quality. And my administration will reduce the price of food by eliminating the subsidies for ethanol and agricultural goods. These subsidies inflate the price of food, not only for Americans but for people in poverty across the world, and I propose to abolish them.

I believe in a government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans, so they can create more jobs and keep our economy growing. So we will cut business taxes from 35 percent to 25 percent, to give American businesses a new edge in competition. We will spur new investment through R&D tax credits and expensing of equipment. And we will protect the right of workers to decide for themselves, by democratic vote, whether to unionize.

Keeping taxes low helps small businesses grow and create new jobs. Cutting the second highest business tax rate in the world will help American companies compete and keep our best jobs from moving overseas. Doubling the child tax exemption will improve the lives of millions of American families at a time when the cost of living is rising. Reducing government spending and getting rid of failed programs will let you keep more of your own money to save, spend and invest as you see fit. Opening new markets for our goods and preparing workers to compete in the world economy is essential to our future prosperity.

As president, I will also set this country on the straightest, swiftest path to energy independence. As a nation, we will embark on the most ambitious national project in decades. We are going to stop sending $700 billion a year to countries that don't like us very much. We will attack the problem on every front. We will produce more energy at home. We will drill new wells offshore, and we'll drill them now. We will build more nuclear power plants. We will develop clean coal technology. We will increase the use of wind, tide, solar and natural gas. We will encourage the development and use of flex fuel, hybrid and electric automobiles. And in all of this, we will create millions of new jobs, many in industries that will be the engine of our future prosperity -- jobs that will be there when your children enter the workforce.

Some still insist that we can achieve energy independence without more drilling and without more nuclear power. But Americans know better than that. We must use all resources and develop all technologies necessary to rescue our economy from the damage caused by rising oil prices and to restore the health of our planet. It's an ambitious plan, but Americans are ambitious by nature, and we have faced greater challenges. It's time for us to show the world again how Americans lead.

As president, I will also act immediately with reforms to restore fairness, integrity, and financial sanity to the institutions that have failed us on Wall Street. We will apply new rules to Wall Street, to end the frenzies of speculation by people gaming then system, and to make sure that this present crisis is never repeated. We will bring regulatory agencies built for the 1930s into the 21st century. On my watch, the rules will be enforced, and violations will be prosecuted. And there will be new rules to shrink, sell, and clean house at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

We must also realize that this rescue plan has serious implications for future spending. We cannot dedicate more than a trillion dollars to rescue failing institutions, and then go right back to business as usual in Washington -- as if there were no end to the resources of government or to the patience of taxpayers. Therefore, as president, I will impose a one-year spending freeze on every agency of the federal government, excepting only national defense, the care of our veterans, and a few critical priorities. Leadership requires candor. And I will tell you bluntly that America is already ten trillion dollars in debt, and to make our economy strong again we must reduce the burden of federal spending. We cannot tax our way to prosperity. I am committed to billions in spending reductions that will balance the budget, and get us on the path away from ruinous debt.

The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems in Washington isn't a cause, it's a symptom. It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.

Again and again, I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as president. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it.

I offer this not just as a campaign slogan, but as the way to solve our country's problems. Instead of rejecting good ideas because we didn't think of them first, let's use the best ideas from both sides. This great country can do anything we put our minds to. I will ask Democrats and Independents to serve with me. And my administration will set a new standard for transparency and accountability. We're going to finally start getting things done for the people who are counting on us, and I won't care who gets the credit.

That is the spirit of can-do patriotism, Harry Truman, that humble, good man from Independence, Missouri, brought to the presidency. When, to his and everyone's surprise, he assumed the office of the President and the mantle of leader of the free world, he faced the grave and difficult decisions that would end the World War and remake the world out of its ashes.

He was a man of principle, of wisdom and a deep and abiding love for our country. His accomplishments in war and peace are among the most significant of any president in the Twentieth Century. He succeeded beyond everyone's expectations -- perhaps, even his own -- because every day Harry Truman woke up determined to put his country before party and self-interest. We would all be better public servants and the country would be better served if we tried a little more often to keep the example of this good American before us.

Thank you and God bless you.

Minnesota Breaks All-Time Voter Registration Record

BOOSTED BY EXTENSIVE OUTREACH EFFORTS, MINNESOTA BREAKS ALL-TIME VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD

ST PAUL, Minn.-September 26, 2008-Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie today announced that as a result of the extensive voter outreach efforts conducted by the Office of the Secretary of State the number of registered voters in Minnesota has now reached an all-time high.

"Thanks to the tireless work of our outreach staff, along with civic-minded individuals and groups throughout the state, we now have 3,145,000 registered voters in Minnesota-roughly 84 percent of eligible voters," stated Ritchie. This surpasses by 12,000 the previous record of 3,133,000 set after the 2004 presidential election.

Nearly half of the new voter registrations that have been added in 2008 (25,000 out of 55,000) were entered in September. "With just over two weeks left for voters to pre-register, I believe that at least another 20,000 voters will be added to the voter rolls before Election Day," predicted Ritchie. "You also have to add in those who will register to vote at the polls on Election Day. Every indication is that Minnesota will reach the goal of "80 in '08," a turnout of 80 percent of eligible Minnesota voters."

September is National Voter Registration Month, and to encourage citizens to register the Office of the Secretary of State has in the past month launched a voter outreach Web site that contains instructional videos for online viewing, brochures, publications, and voter registration applications available in several languages. Additionally, the Office of the Secretary of State has partnered with a number of organizations to encourage Minnesotans to register to vote.

"Setting a new record could have only occurred as the result of a wide-spread effort," Ritchie said. "The Office of the Secretary of State has been pleased to work with a variety of businesses, civic organizations, unions, schools, churches, and professional sports teams." Among the organizations that the Secretary of State's office has partnered encourage registration are the WWE's Smackdown Your Vote, Rock the Vote, the Minnesota Twins, the Minnesota Lynx, the Saint Paul Saints, the Minnesota Gophers Football Team, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and Cabella's. Outreach staff from the Office of the Secretary of State have conducted voter registration drives at over fifty events throughout the summer. As a result, over 25,000 voter registrations were added to the Statewide Voter Registration System in September.

The Office of the Secretary of State has set a goal of "80 in '08" or turnout of 80 percent of eligible Minnesota voters.