2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

Republican Party Of Minnesota Statement Regarding Seating Al Franken

Republican Party of Minnesota To Harry Reid: Stay Out Of Our Elections

Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Ron Carey today released the following statement regarding recent statements from Senate Democrats suggesting they would attempt to seat Al Franken.

“Recent statements suggesting that Senate Democrats may try to seat Al Franken without an election certificate flies in the face of Harry Reid’s own standard for seating Roland Burris from Illinois.  Reid’s spokesman said that without an election certificate Burris could not be seated, but Al Franken does not have an election certificate and no one from Minnesota will have an election certificate until after all issues regarding the election are resolved before the courts.  The people of Minnesota should have the final say in who represents them in Washington, not Harry Reid and D.C. Democrats.”

Reid Spokesman Says There Will “Likely Be An Attempt To Seat” Franken. “Jim Manley, the spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Monday that there ‘likely will be an attempt to seat [Franken] this week.’ A senior Democratic aide confirmed that Senate Democrats hoped to swear Franken in Tuesday, along with the rest of the freshman senators.” (Emily Cadei and Kathleen Hunter, “Senate Democrats May Try To Seat Franken,” CQPolitics.com, January 5, 2009)

FLASHBACK: Reid Spokesman Says Roland Burris Could Not Be Seated Unless He Has An Election Certificate. “’Until he gets a certificate he is not a senator,’ said Jim Manley, spokesman for Reid, D-Nev.” (Catharine Richert, “Challenges Could Keep Two Senate Seats Open For Weeks,” Congressional Quarterly, January 1, 2009)

Coleman For Senate Statement On Today's Minnesota Supreme Court Ruling

COLEMAN FOR SENATE STATEMENT ON TODAY’S SUPREME COURT RULING

ST. PAUL - Coleman for Senate Counsel Fritz Knaak today issued the following statement regarding the Minnesota Supreme Court’s ruling today.

“Given our campaign’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that the vote of no Minnesotan is disenfranchised, today’s ruling by the Minnesota Supreme Court is both disappointing and disheartening.  The fact that the Franken campaign now rejects the notion of every valid vote being counted so they can attempt to declare victory on the basis of a broken process, and an artificial lead built on double counting of votes should concern all Minnesotans.  Today’s ruling, which effectively disregards the votes of hundreds of Minnesotans, ensures that an election contest is now inevitable.  The Coleman campaign has consistently and continually fought to have every validly cast vote counted, and for the integrity of Minnesota’s election system, we will not stop now.  The Minnesota Supreme Court has made sure that an election contest will need to be filed quickly in order to ensure that an accurate and valid recount can be achieved.”

Statements Of President-elect Barack Obama And Governor Bill Richardson

Statements of President-elect Barack Obama and Governor Bill Richardson

STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA
It is with deep regret that I accept Governor Bill Richardson's decision to withdraw his name for nomination as the next Secretary of Commerce. Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office. It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time. Although we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson's decision, I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON
For nearly three decades, I have been honored to serve my state and our nation in Congress, at the U.N., as Secretary of Energy and as governor. So when the President-elect asked me to serve as Secretary of Commerce, I felt a duty to answer the call. I felt that duty particularly because America is facing such extraordinary economic challenges. The Department of Commerce must play an important role in solving them by helping to grow the new jobs and businesses America so badly needs. It is also because of that sense of urgency about the work of the Commerce Department that I have asked the President-elect not to move forward with my nomination at this time. I do so with great sorrow. But a pending investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico state government promises to extend for several weeks or, perhaps, even months. Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact. But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process. Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the President-elect and his Administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done. So, for now, I will remain in the job I love, Governor of New Mexico, and will continue to work every day, with Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, to make a positive difference in the lives of New Mexicans. I believe she will be a terrific governor in the future. I appreciate the confidence President-elect Obama has shown in me, and value our friendship and working partnership. I told him that I am eager to serve in the future in any way he deems useful. And like all Americans, I pray for his success and the success of our beloved country.

Congressional Inaugural Committee Issues Inaugural Advisory

Congressional Inaugural Committee Issues Inaugural Advisory

WASHINGTON, DC - In the remaining weeks before the 56th presidential inaugural, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) will be issuing a series of advisories to help people who plan to attend the swearing-in ceremony. The following is a special alert for those people who will have tickets to the swearing-in, but may have questions about getting to and from the event that morning. Because of the large crowds and the potential for inclement weather, those people with special needs are advised to pay careful attention to these details.

TIMING

While the actual swearing-in will take place shortly before noon, the formal program begins at 11:30 AM and the musical prelude and seating will begin much earlier. Security checkpoints will open for ticketed guests at 8:00 AM, and the committee advises arriving no later than 9:00 AM to ensure that you are through the checkpoints by the time the program begins. Screening will end when the program begins at 11:30 AM and late arrivals will not be able to enter the grounds.

GETTING TO THE SWEARING-IN

Getting to the swearing-in ceremonies that morning will be very difficult because of the large crowds. In addition to the 240,000 ticketed guests, a million or more people are expected to view the inauguration from the National Mall between 4th Street and the Lincoln Memorial, along with hundreds of thousands of others who plan on watching the Inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.

We recommend planning ahead, but also caution that any plans made in advance should be double-checked in the days and hours prior to the event in case of changes to transportation schedules, street and other closures, and other factors that may impact your travel plans. We also recommend developing back-up plans in case your original travel plans need to be changed at the last minute.

The District of Columbia's inaugural website will have the most up-to-date information on road closures and other travel alerts. We recommend that guests bookmark the site, http://www.inauguration.dc.gov/index.asp, and check it frequently for changing information.

A security perimeter will be established around the U.S. Capitol and the parade route on or before January 20, 2009. Subway stations, bus stops, and streets within that perimeter will be closed. Street closures throughout Washington, D.C., will make traveling by car or taxi very difficult. Bridges from Virginia crossing the Potomac River into Washington, D.C., as well as major roadways from Maryland into Washington, D.C., may be closed to all but bus traffic.

Following are recommendations on how to get to the swearing-in ceremony:

Within 2 Miles of the U.S. Capitol

For those people who will be staying within 2 Miles of the U.S. Capitol, walking to the swearing-in ceremony will be the most reliable method of reaching the ticketed seated and standing areas. Be sure to carefully plan your return trip as well - it won't be possible to cross the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route, except at designated points and Metro will be extremely crowded.

For some people bicycling may be an option to get close to the U.S. Capitol. While bicycles will be prohibited within the security perimeter on January 20, 2009, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is working on a plan with city officials to have bike valet stations available outside the security perimeter near the swearing-in ceremonies and parade route. More information is available at: http://www.waba.org/index.php.

Beyond 2 Miles of the U.S. Capitol

Use public transportation to get you as close as possible to the U.S. Capitol and walk from there.

D.C.'s subway system will be running "rush-hour" service all day, but is expecting "crush-level" crowds. Be prepared to wait for space on a train for long periods of time, during which you will have to stand in close proximity to several thousand people. Many Metro escalators will be closed due to crowding and individuals will need to climb Metro stairs or wait to utilize the small number of elevators at Metro stations.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) plans to run Metrobuses on Inauguration Day. Check its website, www.wmata.com, for information regarding routes and schedules. As with any other travel planning for January 20, please allow extra time and prepare a back-up plan.

AMTRAK www.amtrak.com, and regional commuter trains, Virginia Railway Express (VRE) www.vre.org and MARC (Maryland) Commuter Train www.mtamaryland.com/services/marc/ will be operating reserved trains on special schedules and are expected to sell out well in advance of January 20. Please visit their websites for more information.

ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

There will be no vehicular access or parking in the areas around the Capitol on January 20, 2009. This includes vehicles with special disability license plates or tags. While there will be locations outside the perimeter of the Capitol that will be designated as drop-off points for persons with disabilities, traffic conditions and restrictions may make reaching these drop-off locations extremely difficult.

As noted above, public transportation is expected to be running at "crush capacity" and WMATA has informed us that while Metro Access will operate for its regular customers, they do not expect to be able to provide pick-ups for people after events.

There will be designated areas for people with disabilities in each of the ticketed seating areas on the Capitol grounds, however these areas are limited in size and available on a first-come first-served basis. Persons in wheelchairs or utilizing walkers should be aware that they will need to move across bumpy surfaces, grassy areas, and possible icy areas (depending on the weather).

Other Important Considerations

The weather in Washington in January is usually quite cold and often rainy or snowy. Please think carefully about whether you can stand outside in cold weather in a large crowd for up to six hours, and whether you are ready for long delays getting home afterwards.

Regardless of the weather conditions, umbrellas will not be permitted in the ticketed areas. Other prohibited items include, but are not limited to: Firearms and ammunition (either real or simulated), Explosives of any kind (including fireworks), Knives, blades, or sharp objects (of any length), Mace and/or pepper spray, Sticks or poles, Pockets or hand tools, such as "Leatherman", Packages, Backpacks, Large bags, Duffel bags, Suitcases, Thermoses, Coolers, Strollers, Laser pointers, Signs, Posters, Animals (other than service animals), Alcoholic beverages, Other items that may pose a threat to the security of the event as determined by and at the discretion of the security screeners

Bring with you any medications that you need because there will be very long delays in getting to and from events.

Be aware that it may be difficult to talk or send pictures from your cell phone, according to wireless companies. Please use text messaging to send critical messages.

Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Honorary Co-Chairs

Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Honorary Co-Chairs
Bipartisan Collection of Distinguished Americans to Help Lead Inaugural Activities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee announced the honorary co-chairs for the Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

In keeping with the President-elect's commitment to an inclusive and bipartisan Inauguration, the list of honorary co-chairs includes members of the President-elect and Vice President-elect's immediate families as well as prominent Americans from both sides of the aisle who have dedicated their lives to selfless service to their fellow citizens.

"Vice President-elect Biden and I are grateful to these distinguished men and women for agreeing to serve as Honorary Co-Chairs for the Inauguration," said President-elect Obama.  "From family members to former Presidents, each of these leaders has an unwavering commitment to bipartisan cooperation and a proud record of service to their community and our country.  They exemplify the spirit of unity and shared purpose this Inauguration will reflect."

The Honorary Co-Chairs for the 2009 Presidential Inauguration are:

President Jimmy Carter

President George H. W. Bush

President William J. Clinton

Mayor Adrian Fenty

Senator Dick Durbin

Senator Dick Lugar

Senator Claire McCaskill

Representative Tammy Baldwin

Representative Artur Davis

Representative Ray Lahood

Representative Linda Sánchez

General Colin Powell

Hunter and Kathleen Biden

Craig Robinson

Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng

President-elect Obama Announces Tom Vilsack For Agriculture Post

President-elect Obama Announces Tom Vilsack for Agriculture post

CHICAGO -- Today, President-elect Barack Obama announced that he intends to nominate former Governor Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture.

President-elect Obama said, “It’s time for a new kind of leadership in Washington that’s committed to using our lands in a responsible way to benefit all our families. That means ensuring that even as we are promoting development where it makes sense, we are also fulfilling our obligation to protect our national treasures. It means ensuring that we are using our farmlands not only to strengthen our agricultural economy, but to grow advanced biofuels that will help make the United States energy independent and create jobs. That is the kind of leadership embodied by Tom Vilsack, and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”

Governor Tom Vilsack, Nominee for Secretary of Agriculture
Governor Tom Vilsack was elected Democratic governor of Iowa in 1998 and re-elected in 2002. As a governor from a farm state, Vilsack has been vocal in his support for the farm bill and for renewable sources of energy. In 2003, Vilsack passed the Grow Iowa Values Fund through the state legislature, a $503 million appropriation designed to boost the Iowa economy by offering grants to corporations and initiatives pledged to create higher-income jobs. Before serving as Governor, Vilsack was mayor of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and was elected to the Iowa State Senate in 1992. Vilsack was born in Pittsburgh in 1950, and graduated from Hamilton College and Albany Law School. Vilsack and his wife, Christie, have two children.

The Joint Congressional Committee On Inaugural Ceremonies Announces Inaugural Program

The Joint Congressional Committee On Inaugural Ceremonies Announces Inaugural Program
Line-up Includes Musical Greats Aretha Franklin, Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman

WASHINGTON, DC - The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, today announced the program for the 56th Presidential Inauguration, which will take place on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2009.

The program participants were based on requests from the President-elect and the Vice President-elect.

The order of the program will be as follows:

Musical Selections
The United States Marine Band

Musical Selections
The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus

Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein

Invocation
Dr. Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, CA

Musical Selection
Aretha Franklin

Oath of Office Administered to Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
By Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
The Honorable John Paul Stevens

Musical Selection, John Williams, composer/arranger
Itzhak Perlman, Violin
Yo-Yo Ma, Cello
Gabriela Montero, Piano
Anthony McGill, Clarinet

Oath of Office Administered to President-elect Barack H. Obama
By the Chief Justice of the United States
The Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.

Inaugural Address
The President of the United States, The Honorable Barack H. Obama

Poem
Elizabeth Alexander

Benediction
The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery

The National Anthem
The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters"

Biographies

Elizabeth Alexander is a poet, essayist, playwright, and teacher. She is the author of four books and was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize. She has received many grants and honors, most recently the Alphonse Fletcher, Sr. Fellowship for work that "contributes to improving race relations in American society and furthers the broad social goals of the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954," and the 2007 Jackson Prize for Poetry. She is a professor at Yale University and was a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University this year.

Aretha Franklin is often described as "The Queen of Soul." In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has earned a reputation as one of the greatest singers of our time, with a repertoire that includes soul, jazz, rock, blues, pop, and gospel. Franklin has won 21 Grammy Awards, including the Living Legend Grammy and the Lifetime Achievement Grammy. In 1987 she became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Other awards include the National Medal of Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Kennedy Center Honors.

The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, considered the dean of the civil rights movement, co-founded along with Martin Luther King, Jr., the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and served as president and chief executive officer from 1977 to January 15, 1998. He served as pastor of Atlanta's oldest predominantly Black United Methodist congregation, Central Methodist Gardens for 18 years, and as pastor of Cascade United Methodist Church from 1986 to 1992.

Anthony McGill is the principal clarinetist of the New York Metropolitan Orchestra, a member of the Peabody Conservatory faculty in clarinet, and a much sought after soloist and chamber musician. A graduate of the Curtis Institute, he is a recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, a program designed to provide support for up-and-coming instrumentalists. He has performed at many music festivals, and appeared as a soloist with the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, New Jersey, and Hilton Head, and performed at Lincoln Center as a member of Chamber Music Society Two. McGill has also toured Europe and Japan with a chamber ensemble including Mitsuko Uchida and members of the Brentano String Quartet.

Yo-Yo Ma is a world renowned cellist, educator, and ambassador for the arts. His recordings are among the most successful recordings in the classical field, and reflect his wide-ranging interest in many musical genres and traditions. He began studying the cello at age four. He studied at the Juilliard School, and is a graduate of Harvard University. His awards include the Avery Fisher Prize, the Glenn Gould Prize, and the National Medal of the Arts. Appointed a CultureConnect Ambassador by the United States Department of State in 2002, Yo-Yo Ma has met with, trained, and mentored thousands of students worldwide. In 2006, Secretary General Kofi Annan named him a U.N. Messenger of Peace, and in 2007 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon extended his appointment.

Gabriela Montero is a pianist known both for her impeccable classical playing and her improvisational gift. Montero gave her first public performance at the age of five. At age eight she made her concert debut with the Venezuelan Youth Orchestra, and was granted a scholarship to study in the United States. At twelve she won the Baldwin National Competition and AMSA Young Artist International Piano Competition. She won the Bronze Medal at the 13th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1995, and since then has played at recital halls and festivals around the world. Her recordings include both performances of well known classical compositions, as well as improvisations on themes by Bach and other classical composers.

Itzhak Perlman is one of the greatest violinists of our time. Following his training at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv and the Julliard School, Perlman won the prestigious Leventritt Competition in 1964. Since then, Perlman has performed with every major orchestra throughout the world. He has also conducted orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, and the New York Philharmonic. He has won 15 Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, and numerous other awards including the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, and the Medal of Liberty, presented by President Reagan in 1986 to honor the nation's most distinguished naturalized citizens during the centennial celebration of the Statue of Liberty. Perlman is also an educator, teaching at the Perlman Music Program and the Juilliard School, where he holds the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Chair.

Dr. Rick Warren founded Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, in 1980 with one family. Today, it is an evangelical congregation averaging 22,000 weekly attendees, a 120-acre campus, and has more than 300 community ministries to groups such as prisoners, CEOs, addicts, single parents, and those with HIV/AIDS. He also leads the Purpose Driven Network of churches, a global coalition of congregations in 162 countries. TIME magazine named him one of "15 World Leaders Who Mattered Most in 2004," and in 2005 one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."

John Williams is one of the most successful and best-known composers of our time. He studied at UCLA, Los Angeles City College, and the Juilliard School. Williams has composed the music and served as a music director for more than one hundred films, has received forty-five Academy Award nominations, and won five.�� He also has been awarded seven British Academy Awards (BAFTA), twenty Grammys, four Golden Globes, four Emmys, numerous gold and platinum records, and the Kennedy Center Honors. Williams has written many concert pieces, and special compositions for events including the Special Olympics, and the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. From1980-1993, Williams conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra, and assumed the title of Boston Pops Laureate Conductor after retiring in December 1993. Williams also holds the title of Artist-in-Residence at Tanglewood.

The San Francisco Boys Chorus (SFBC) was founded in 1948 and has become an internationally acclaimed Grammy-award winning organization. The chorus has over 240 singers from 50 Bay Area cities and more than 120 schools at three Bay Area campuses.�� SFBC has toured in four continents where they performed for dignitaries such as: Pope John Paul II, HRH Queen Elizabeth II of England, King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, HM Prince of Wales, the President of the former Soviet Union, and U.S presidents. SFBC celebrated their 60 year anniversary this year.

The San Francisco Girls Chorus (SFGC) is comprised of more than 300 singers, ages 7-18, from 160 schools in 44 Bay Area cities. SFGC was founded in 1978 and has become a regional center for choral music education and performance. The Chorus can also be heard on several San Francisco Symphony recordings, including three Grammy Award-winners. In 2001, SFGC became the first youth chorus to win the prestigious Margaret Hillis Award given annually by Chorus America to a chorus that demonstrates artistic excellence, a strong organizational structure, and a commitment to education.

The United States Marine Band, founded in 1798 by an Act of Congress, is America's oldest professional musical organization. Also called "The President's Own," the Marine Band is celebrated for its role at the White House and its dynamic public performances. The Marine Band performs a varied repertoire including new works for wind ensemble, traditional concert band literature, challenging orchestral transcriptions, and the patriotic marches that made it famous. The band frequently features its members in solo performances that highlight their virtuosity and artistry.

The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters" is the official chorus of the United States Navy. In 1956, Lt. Harold Fultz, then the Band's assistant leader, organized an all male group of singers from the Navy School of Music in Anacostia for the State of the Nation dinner. The group was an instant success, so Admiral Arleigh Burke, Chief of Naval Operations, transferred them to the Navy Band, named them the "Sea Chanters," and gave them the mission of carrying on the songs of the sea. Women joined the "Sea Chanters" in 1980. The chorus appears throughout the United States and has also sung with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.

Vice President-elect Biden Announces Key Communications Staff For The Vice President’s Office

Vice President-elect Biden announces key communications staff for the Vice President’s Office

Washington -- Vice President-Elect Joe Biden today announced the following staff for the Office of the Vice President: Jay Carney, Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Communications; Elizabeth Alexander, Press Secretary to the Vice President; and Annie Tomasini, Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President.

"This talented group will bring a tireless work ethic and dedication to the Obama-Biden Administration," said Vice President-elect Joe Biden.  "I have long admired Jay Carney’s astute understanding of national affairs as well as foreign policy matters. I am certain that his counsel and leadership will be invaluable in the years to come. Elizabeth Alexander brings energy and broad experience in communications, most recently leading my press shop in the Senate and on the Foreign Relations Committee. Annie Tomasini has been an integral and loyal part of the press operations in my Senate office and recent campaigns and I look forward to having her continue on in my office."

The Office of the Vice President-elect’s Communications Staff Announcements are below:

Jay Carney, Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Communications
Jay Carney has been the Washington Bureau Chief for TIME Magazine since September 2005, overseeing TIME's political and national coverage, writing stories on politics and policy, and contributing regularly to TIME.com's political blog, "Swampland." Carney has had an extraordinary 20-year career at TIME. He was in Havana when Mikhail Gorbachev visited in 1989 and on the first plane of journalists into Panama for the U.S. invasion later the same year. He served as a correspondent in TIME's Moscow Bureau for three years, from 1990-1993, covering the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since joining TIME's Washington bureau in 1993, Carney has twice served as White House correspondent. On September 11, 2001, he was one of a handful of reporters who were aboard Air Force One with President Bush. Prior to joining TIME, he was a reporter for The Miami Herald.

A native Virginian, Carney earned his Bachelor's Degree in Russian and Eastern European Studies from Yale University. He and his wife, Claire Shipman, live in Washington, D.C., with their son and daughter.

Elizabeth Alexander, Press Secretary to the Vice President
Elizabeth Alexander began working for Vice President-elect Biden in 2006, first as Press Secretary and then as Communications Director in his Senate office and for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  Previously, Alexander served as Press Secretary for the United Nations Foundation, creating media campaigns to highlight UN causes around the world. During the 2004 general election campaign, she traveled the country as DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe's press secretary. During the 2004 primary campaign, she served as Rep. Dick Gephardt's South Carolina press secretary. Prior, Alexander was Rep. Adam Schiff's (D-CA) Communications Director and Deputy Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

Alexander hails from Cleburne, Texas, and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University. She will soon receive her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Annie Tomasini, Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President
Annie Tomasini currently serves as Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President-elect on the Obama-Biden Transition Team.  Prior to her service at Transition, she worked in the Chicago headquarters for the Obama Presidential Campaign after leaving Senator Biden's personal office Senate staff, where she served as Press Secretary. Prior to her Senate employment, she held several positions with Vice President-elect Biden for his 2008 primary campaign, including his National Deputy Press Secretary and Iowa Press Secretary. Before moving to Washington, she worked for four years as a senior account executive at a Boston-based communications firm, where she provided public relations and public affairs services.

A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Tomasini is a graduate of the Boston Latin School and earned her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Boston University.

10 Minnesota Electors Vote Unanimously For Obama And Biden

SECRETARY OF STATE RITCHIE PRESIDES OVER MINNESOTA ELECTORAL COLLEGE ASSEMBLY
10 Minnesota Electors Vote Unanimously for Obama and Biden

SAINT PAUL, Minn.―Dec. 15, 2008―Minnesota's 10 Electors today unanimously cast votes for Barack Obama and Joseph Biden for president and vice president in a ceremony held in the State Capitol Rotunda. Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie presided over the ceremony of public balloting attended by Minnesota dignitaries, elected officials, and the public.

 

The ceremony included the U.S. Army St. Paul Recruiting Company Color Guard. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Brian Krohn, an Augsburg graduate and 2009 American Rhodes Scholar-elect. The national anthem was sung by Tom Tipton, and an invocation was offered by Rev. Peg Chemberlin, president-elect of the National Council of Churches, and executive director of the Minnesota Council of Churches.

"It was a great civic opportunity for Minnesotans to come together to participate and witness American history in the making with the election of President Obama and Vice President Biden," said Ritchie. "The elections of our 44 presidents to-date continue as a dynamic, constitutional process."

Under the U.S. Constitution (Article 2, Sect. 1), Minnesota is provided 10 Electors, a number equal to Minnesota's number of senators and representatives seated in the U.S. Congress. Minnesota currently has eight members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and two U.S. Senators.

Minnesota's slate of 10 Electors from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party included: Arthur Anderson of Albert Lea; Bill Davis of Brooklyn Park; Jim Gremmels of Glenwood; Benjamin Gross of Eagan; David Lee of Minneapolis; Matt Little of Maplewood; Susan Kay Moravec of Shakopee; Al Patton of Sartell; Jackie Stevenson of Minnetonka; and Joan Wittman of Saint Paul.

The ceremony marks the 38th time the state's Electors have cast votes for president.  Minnesota Electors first cast ballots in 1860 when its four presidential and vice presidential votes were for Abraham Lincoln of Illinois ahd Hannibal Hamline of Maine, respectively.

President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph Biden will take their oaths of office for a four-year term beginning at noon on January 20, 2008.

Answers to frequently asked questions about the Electoral College are available on the secretary of state's Web site homepage at www.sos.state.mn.us.

After an elector voted for John Edwards for president in the 2004 Electoral College meeting, the legislature revised the law as follows: “The elector shall speak aloud or affirm in a nonverbal manner the name of the candidate for president and for vice president for whom the elector is voting and then confirm that vote by written public ballot.” (M.S. §208.08)

Today, in this new public affirmation of their choice, an elector gave the name "Barack Hussein Obama" during the presidential balloting and another used the name "Joseph R. Biden, Jr." for the vice-presidential balloting, while the other electors used simply Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Largest Manual Recount In Minnesota State History Nears Completion

SECRETARY OF STATE MARK RITCHIE SAYS LARGEST MANUAL RECOUNT IN STATE HISTORY NEARS COMPLETION
Issues preliminary schedule for sorting of rejected absentee ballots

ST. PAUL, Minn.-Dec. 5, 2008―Secretary of State Mark Ritchie today said thanks to the commitment and efforts of local election officials across Minnesota, the largest manual recount in state history is nearly complete. Ritchie announced that counting concluded today with the exception of one precinct in the City of Minneapolis, which is currently searching for 133 missing ballots. To date, local election officials hand-counted and recorded 1,208,344 votes for Norm Coleman and 1,207,657 votes for Al Franken. Throughout the recount process the campaigns also registered thousands of ballot challenges-3,375 by Coleman and 3,280 by Franken.

"This was a monumental task of hand-counting over 2.9 million ballots in the U.S. Senate race in over 100 locations across the state," said Ritchie. "During this process, we put our election system under a microscope and have found ways to improve the process for the future. I applaud election officials for their professionalism displayed under such extraordinary circumstances, tight deadlines, and the scrutiny of political campaigns, their operatives, and the nation."

Ritchie went further by thanking the campaigns for taking steps to initially withdraw a number of challenged ballots. The state canvassing board on Nov. 26 sent a strong message to both campaigns to be prudent when making ballot challenges and to withdraw challenges without merit. Both campaigns have announced reductions-Franken withdrawing 633 challenges and Coleman withdrawing 650.

"I applaud both campaigns for beginning to withdraw some of their challenged ballots, and am pleased that they are planning to continue this process in earnest next week and substantially reduce these challenges before the state canvassing board convenes on Dec. 16," Ritchie said.

Ritchie also said the state canvassing board will meet on Dec. 12 to further discuss the issue of mistakenly rejected absentee ballots. A preliminary schedule for publicly sorting rejected absentee ballots is now available on the Secretary of State's Web site.

Ritchie announced that sorting of rejected absentee ballots will primarily begin on Monday, Dec. 8. The sorting is being conducted voluntarily by local election officials to provide the state canvassing board with an estimate of the number of absentee ballots that were mistakenly rejected because of an administrative error. The secretary of state's office has asked local election officials to finish by Dec. 18 and report their findings back to the office.