Basically, the Germans wanted an adult in the room as opposed to the adolescent they got:

Hillary Clinton has intervened in talks over the future of Opel and Vauxhall at the request of German ministers as the American Government unveiled plans to sink more taxpayers’ funds into the European carmakers’ US parent, General Motors (GM).

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Finance Minister, spoke by telephone today with Mrs Clinton to seek “support in the search for a solution,” his spokesman said. Mrs Clinton pledged to intervene to demand “the greatest possible American support” from Timothy Geithner, the Treasury Secretary, the spokesman added.

Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the Economics Minister, also denounced the US Treasury for dispatching a junior official who had to consult Washington through a video link at regular intervals during the night.

Mr Guttenberg said the talks had been “absurd in parts” and demanded “more seriousness and a greater willingness to compromise on the part of the US.”

It is also hoped that developments today in the US could pave the way for smoother negotiations with the two preferred bidders – Fiat, the Italian car group, and Magna, the Canadian components maker.

Nothing like insulting one of our big allies and business partners by sending some flunky to do a woman’s job. Ahem.

As for the rest of the article, some of this may have changed – who knows? I guess it depends on whatever mood Obama is in today and just how much control he is handing over to the union that bought him, but here it is:

GM’s biggest bondholders have agreed to a new offer to wipe out the automaker’s debt, raising hopes that the carmaker will make a quick exit from the now inevitable move into bankruptcy.

Bondholders that own about 20 per cent of GM’s $27.2 billion of unsecured debt agreed to wipe out the borrowings in return for a 10 per cent stake in the company and warrants to buy a further 15 per cent of the equity in the new business.

They had previously rejected an offer of a flat 10 per cent because the United Auto Workers (UAW) union had been promised more equity – 17.5 per cent – for a smaller $20 billion debt.

The remainder of GM’s debt investors, which include individuals and pension funds, have until Saturday afternoon to agree to the new offer.

If they do not support the offer, forcing GM into a contentious bankruptcy, the Government has warned that bondholders will be all but wiped out.

In exchange for the improved payout, creditors must agree not to oppose a move to sell GM’s profitable assets to a new company funded by the Government in a fast-track bankruptcy process.

Just a teensy weensy little reminder – when they talk about wiping out GM’s debt, that’s all the money WE paid to bail them out because they were “to big to fail.” So, all those BILLIONS of dollars of OUR money that Obama was handing out like candy to them? Poof – GONE!!!!

And then, add to that, the government going into the automobile business – as if it knows ANYTHING about it:

GM’s filing also revealed that the Government’s stake in the restructured company would be 72.5 per cent, much larger than the 50 per cent it was expected to be handed in return for forgiving some of the bailout cash it has provided the company.

The bigger stake is likely to increase the cost of GM’s bankruptcy to taxpayers, which is estimated to reach as high as $50 billion.

Overnight negotiations over the future of the US carmaker’s European operation broke down when GM sought more funding for Opel despite Germany’s pledge to provide billions of euros in state guarantees as well as a €1.5 billion bridging loan.

Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary today reiterated the British government’s support for Vauxhall but said it was too early to comment on what funding the UK may provide since talks over Opel needed to be resolved first.

He also said that unlike Opel, Vauxhall was not in desperate need of funding.

Lord Mandelson has extracted promises from both Fiat and Opel over the future of Vauxhall and British jobs.

Although the Business Secretary has conceded that GM Europe suffers from excess costs and is selling vehicles into a depressed market, he has made clear that the amount of money that Britain will commit will depend on the level of job guarantees in the medium term and the long term.

“Each of the bids envisages government support, but we are some way off from a discussion about government’s role in any commercial outcome to these discussions,” he said.

The assurances represent a significant victory for Lord Mandelson, who has been desperate to make sure that the German Government does not give in to election-year pressure with a pledge to protect domestic jobs at the expense of those in the UK. Berlin’s view is crucial because it is being asked to stump up billions of euros in loan guarantees as part of any deal.

Magna calculates job losses of 9,000 across Europe – 2,500 of them in Germany. However, before a Chancellery meeting last night, Magna hinted that it could shift the production of the Opel Astra from Antwerp, Belgium, to Bochum, Germany. Under that scenario, job losses in Germany would total only 300.

Fiat has promised to cut fewer than 10,000 jobs in GM Europe. That could entail closing an engine factory in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Unions fear that overlapping of Fiat’s products with those of Opel and Vauxhall will mean that redundancies could be much higher than promised.

Whew. This is really a pickle, isn’t it? We have taken over, no – check that – OBAMA and the UAW have taken over a private business in this country, about which Obama, anyway, knows NOTHING. He is not a businessman, you know. The UAW is certainly a business – some might say a racket – which has ensured ITS pensions at the expense of ours. How is it that some Americans deserve to have one and others don’t?

That’s just one of those pesky little questions I am certain Obama would label as “Un-American,” just like he did the secured creditors to GM – you know, the Teachers Retirement Fund and State Police of Indiana, for example:

Maybe Obama should follow Germany’s example, and ask Secretary Clinton to figure this out for everyone – GM, the taxpayers, the UAW, everyone. Heck, she could probably design a more aerodynamic, fuel efficient vehicle, change the oil in everyone’s car, AND not rip off the taxpayers for billions of dollars all at the same time! Oh c’mon, you know she could!! In any event, it is sure worth a try.

I mean, really, if it is good enough for Germany to have her step in, it is surely good enough for us! No doubt she would do far better at this than Obama and the UAW are doing now. I say, bring her on!!

A US Cardinal and several Bishops denounce the University of Notre Dame for inviting Barack Obama to deliver a speech at their commencement ceremonies. They are also pissed off about the Honorary Law Degree to be given to Barack “God Damn AmeriKKKa” Obama. A lot of Catholics are pissed of too, and over 210,000 of them signed a petition denouncing University of Notre Dame. For the Bishops, Cardinals and many Catholics the problem is Obama’s stance on LIFE:

US Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston:

“Though I can understand the desire by a university to have the prestige of a commencement address by the President of the United States, the fundamental moral issue of the inestimable worth of the human person from conception to natural death is a principle that soaks all our lives as Catholics, and all our efforts at formation, especially education at Catholic places of higher learning.”

Texas Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin:

“it is very clear that in this case the University of Notre Dame does not live up to its Catholic identity in giving this award and their leadership needs our prayerful support.”

Indiana Bishop John D’Arcy of Fort Wayne-South Bend:

This will be the 25th Notre Dame graduation during my time as bishop. After much prayer, I have decided not to attend the graduation. I wish no disrespect to our president, I pray for him and wish him well. I have always revered the Office of the Presidency. But a bishop must teach the Catholic faith “in season and out of season,” and he teaches not only by his words — but by his actions.

My decision is not an attack on anyone, but is in defense of the truth about human life.

Arizona Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix:

“I am saddened and heavy of heart about your decision to invite President Obama to speak at Notre Dame University and even to receive an honorary degree,” began Bishop Olmsted.

But the prelate went further, charging that Fr. John Jenkins, the university’s president, has committed “a public act of disobedience to the Bishops of the United States” by inviting Obama to the May 17 Commencement.

These are fighting words. But the Cardinal and the Bishops miss the point. It’s not just life that is the issue here. It is also about fake Catholic Father Pfleger. Allowing Obama to speak at Notre Dame grants this trash credibility:

Cardinal DiNardo needs to reread his statement.

Particularly troubling is the Honorary Law Degree since it recognizes that the person is a ‘Teacher,’ in this case of the Law. I think that this decision requires charitable but vigorous critique.

Obama’s more than a teacher of law and of abortion. Friends with Father Pfleger, who Obama called a friend and an advisor, Obama is a teacher of hate.

The 2004 Sun-Times article noted that “friends and advisers” such as Pfleger, “who has known Obama for the better part of 20 years, help him keep his (moral) compass, he (Obama) says.” Based on Pfleger’s remarks, either he or Obama, or both, have, uh, lost their bearings.

Pfleger has had a working relationship with Obama since the late 1980s. As noted, he was one of Obama’s spiritual mentors. Between 1995 and 2001, Pfleger contributed a total of $1,500 to Obama’s various political campaigns.

Giving Obama a free degree and letting him speak is to accept the hate of Father Pfleger, who mentored Barack Obama. I am sure all those rich white Irish, Italian, Polish and Lithuanian kids from the suburbs of Chicago who work hard to pay money to attend the Catholic college mommy and daddy attended will want to sit and listen to a guy whose mentor said all white people are responsible for slavery and racism. I am sure all those rich white Catholics who will get a job in daddy’s business or with daddy’s friends from the old parish want to hear a man whose mentor said all of them are responsible for white privilege. I don’t think people go to a Notre Dame graduation to be told they are all white people who feel entitled.

That is what Notre Dame wants. Not just God Damn AmeriKKKa but also BLAME WHITEY and HATE WHITEY. Inviting Barack Obama to speak is inviting Father Pfleger and Reverend Wright to Notre Dame. Not a good move.

This is more about life. This is about ignorance and hate. The Cardinals and Bishops need to wrap their heads around that. If they don’t say anything about Obama and Pfleger, we’ll just assume the Cardinals and Bishops and the whole Catholic Church agrees with Pfleger and Obama and the God Damn AmeriKKKa Church both of them went to. That’s not the direction I think Catholics and Notre Dame want to go.

It cheapens the game, is horrible on the bodies of these athletes, and sets a BAD example for our youth. I hope he is telling the truth that his use was limited to those two years, and that his apology is sincere.

I bring this up because this issue was raised to Obama the other night at the big White House press conference. His response:

The president’s strongest answer was in response to the evening’s fluffiest question, about Alex Rodriguez’s confession that he had taken steroids.

After an honest baseball fan’s lament (”it tarnishes an entire era”), Obama jumped to a larger point that transcends sports–the lesson in A-Rod’s downfall for the young: “There are no shortcuts; that when you try to take shortcuts you may end up tarnishing your whole career.” (Emphasis mine.)

I about fell out of my chair laughing. Obama claims there are “no shortcuts”??? His ENTIRE political career has been one of “shortcuts”! He gets everyone else thrown off the ballot so he can run unopposed for the IL Senate. While in the IL Senate, the primary legislation that passed with HIS name on it was thrown on there by “kingmaker,” Emil Jones. Obama did little, if any, of the work for the legislation passed in his name. His handlers exposed SEALED information on his Republican opponent in his run for US Senate, thus ending up with Alan Keyes thrown on the ballot at the last minute. And, he did not even complete his first term as US Senator! (All of the above information, and more, can be found HERE.) Could Obama BE any more duplicitous?

Well, it turns out the answer is yes! It seems that Obama is claiming there is NO pork in this humongous stimulus package he is traipsing around the country trying to sell. Perhaps he is unclear on the definition of “pork.” Given how much pork Obama tried to get for IL while a US Senator, $740 MILLION, you would think he would know what it was. And he’s supposed to be so smart and everything. But he claims that there is NO pork in this stimulus package. None. That’s what he said. And right after he said that while in IN, he gave examples of some pork that would benefit IN! I’m not kidding:

OBAMA: “Not a single pet project,” he told the news conference. “Not a single earmark.”

THE FACTS: There are no “earmarks,” as they are usually defined, inserted by lawmakers in the bill. Still, some of the projects bear the prime characteristics of pork — tailored to benefit specific interests or to have thinly disguised links to local projects.

For example, the latest version contains $2 billion for a clean-coal power plant with specifications matching one in Mattoon, Ill.*, $10 million for urban canals, $2 billion for manufacturing advanced batteries for hybrid cars, and $255 million for a polar icebreaker and other “priority procurements” by the Coast Guard.

Obama told his Elkhart audience that Indiana will benefit from work on “roads like U.S. 31 here in Indiana that Hoosiers count on.” He added, “And I know that a new overpass downtown would make a big difference for businesses and families right here in Elkhart.”

U.S. 31 is a north-south highway serving South Bend, 15 miles from Elkhart in the northern part of the state.

* Remember, that coal plant was shut down for being “inefficient,” and they want to throw $2 BILLION at it.

There are numerous examples of the pork stuffed into this stimulus package, and I have detailed some in previous posts. But you can click HERE for a reminder. But there most definitely IS pork in this package, despite Obama’s nonsensical claims to the contrary.

And speaking of pork, how about this little payback for ACORN? Ah, yes. ACORN – the organization under federal investigation for voter fraud. But hey – they did their job, and accomplished their goal, so no doubt, Obama has to “show them the money” (and this isn’t the first time ACORN has found its way into one of these bills spending OUR money):

Bear in mind, your taxpaying dollars have already been shelled out to ACORN, despite the numerous investigations into its wrong doing over voter fraud/voter registration fraud. Yes, just as a reminder, back in April, ACORN and La Raza were the beneficiaries of $100 MILLION of your dollars in another Housing bailout. I’m sure ACORN and La Raza thank you. I’m CERTAIN Obama thanks you, since he most definitely benefited from the work of ACORN this past year. I’m going to bet Obama wouldn’t consider this pork, either…

I realize I should have offered this warning earlier, but if you have high blood pressure, you may want to skip the following video of Senator Chuck Schumer, a senator I USED to like, but how can you respect someone who says this:

You know what is surprising about this? That Senator Schumer seemed to have no qualms about insulting American citizens who actually do care how our taxpaying dollars are being squandered on pet projects and paybacks. His arrogance is staggering, referring to us as “the chattering class” simply because we do not want to have our great-grandchildren paying for some 36 hole Frisbee golf course, or billions to an organization under federal investigation, or inefficient power plants, or any other of the numerous pet projects tucked into what is SUPPOSED to be a JOB stimulus package. “Chattering class” indeed.

Feel free to contact Senator Schumer and tell him how you, one of the “chattering class,” feel about his contention that we do not care about the pork in this bill HERE. We, the “chattering class,” actually care about the course our nation is on, and the path down which it is currently being steered. It’s about damn time our representatives act like they care, too, especially when they are spending OUR money. We the “chattering class” care, all right – a lot. And we care when a US Senator dismisses our concerns about a tremendously flawed bill as if we should have nothing to say about it. That is not just hubris, that is condescension and arrogance toward the very people who gave this man a job. Senator Schumer has sure shown HIS true colors, and they are not pretty…Let him hear about it.

Or how about Georgia where the fraud looks to have involved over 100,000 people. Yes, ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE. Registered to vote in Georgia, as well as FL or OH.

But hey, let’s not talk about this stuff anymore, okay? That would be a real downer, a killjoy, a buzzkill, and just plain racist. So, let’s just not mention it, shall we? It is only our democracy at stake, but no worries – we have our first biracial president, so all is right with our world!

Oh, no, instead the MSM will spend countless hours talking about what kind of puppy the Obama girls are going to get, and about Obama meeting with the Actual President (which I say that way since so many of the Obamaborg seem to think he is instantly president – does NO ONE take Civics classes anymore?), and his getting his national security briefings. How could I forget? His choosing his cabinet. Oh, yes – that is a fun one – and this is a little shout out to all of my female university teaching family – how about that Lawrence Summers as possible Treasury Secretary? Remember him? The one who had to leave the presidency at Harvard because of his SEXIST TREATMENT OF WOMEN???? Just more of the same from Obama.

Oh, there are a few women’s names bandied around for his cabinet positions, but not as many as the men, that’s for sure. I guess Dr. Lynette Long was right on target when she reported this:

“I want gender parity. I want Obama to go on National television and announce the he will select a female running mate and that half of his cabinet will be women.” He was silent for a second and then sheepishly replied, “We can’t do that?” “Why not?” I asked. “We are over half the population?” “We can’t do that! What if there isn’t a competent woman?” I was stunned. “There are 300 million people in this country, and you can’t find a handful of competent women for the cabinet?” I chided. “You want affirmative action. I don’t believe in affirmative action.” “That’s my offer, take it or leave it.” He left it and guess what, he hasn’t called me any more.

Obama doesn’t believe in supporting women. I’ll use a recent NYT article as evidence. It cited that Obama has 300 foreign policy advisers. The times posted pictures of the top twenty-one of them. Two were women. That’s less than ten percent. So much for parity. So much for the politics of change.

Yeah, and I haven’t heard any woman’s name floated for any part of Obama’s cabinet, have you?

Here’s why I am so damn cranky today, besides all of the ranting above: the Democrats are acting EXACTLY like the Republicans did in 2000. EXACTLY. Ignoring all of the fraud, claiming the “losers” need to get over it, Obama is a Uniter and a Healer, and will make America proud again. Blech. What a crock. This man has not even served a full term in the Senate, and the vast majority of his time there has been spent CAMPAIGNING! Since when is that sufficient experience for the highest office in the land? Even assuming there was no caucus fraud, or Convention fraud, or RBC fraud, or voter fraud, even assuming ALL of that, Obama is WOEFULLY inexperienced, unqualified, and unprepared. Not to mention homophobic and misogynistic. Oh, and ARROGANT as all hell. What a guy.

I understand that many African Americans are ecstatic that “one of their own” is now the President-Elect. But as Patsy from the “Our View – withPatsy and Sugar” on NoQuarter Radio said last night, Obama did NOT grow up like the vast majority of African Americans in this country, he did not grow up in their community. I guess it really doesn’t matter that he is bi-racial, and raised by the white side of the family. Why let facts inform the fantasy? Shut up already! Ahem.

Finally, there is the whole “the voting was of RECORD proportions!” meme being spread far and wide by the Obama Propaganda News. How else to say this? Well, it’s a crock of hooey. The difference between this election and the last one? One percentage point more! Oh, dear goddess, He really IS the Messiah! WOWIE ZOWIE!!!!! Uh, yeah, no, not really. It is not a record turnout, as it turns out. Just one more notch in the “reality” surrounding the candidate, uh, President-Elect, who has rewritten his history whenever it suits. Unfortunately, it suits him a whole bunch.

See, just like Bush in 2000. Only this time the shoe is on the other foot. The Democrats could care less about the irony of it all, the fraud of it all, as long as they won. It really is upside down world now…And it makes me cranky as hell.

Barack Obama has a coal problem. Responding to yesterday’s revelation that Barack Obama intends to bankrupt all plants that operate on energy generated from coal, Chris Hamilton, the Senior Vice President of the West Virginia Coal Association, called Obama’s comments in San Francisco “unbelievable.” I quote the West Virginia Record:

The senior vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association called Obama’s comments “unbelievable.”

“His comments are unfortunate,” Chris Hamilton said Sunday, “and really reflect a very uninformed voice and perspective to coal specifically and energy generally.”

Hamilton noted other times Obama and vice presidential candidate Joe Biden have made seemingly anti-coal statements.

“In Ohio recently, when Joe Biden said ‘not here’ about building coal-fired power plants — this is exactly what will happen,” Hamilton said. “Financing won’t be directed here. It will all go aboard for plants elsewhere in the world. The United Sates is importing more coal today from Indonesia, South Africa and Colombia than we ever have.

“If we’re going to create a situation where coal-fired power plants are at that much of a disadvantage, there will be new ones built. But as Biden said, just not here.”

In other words, the workers of West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Montana and all the other states in which coal is mined, processed and converted to electricity should be prepared to have their jobs outsourced under an Obama Presidency. That is not the change the economically battered Ohio River Valley needs. It is also not the change those of us who consume electricity need. Just imagine the cost of our energy bills if coal plants, which generates 49% of our electricity, are bankrupted and eliminated.

American Girl in Italy asks No Quarter readers to disseminate the following recording of Barack Obama’s statement on bankrupting coal plants far and wide.

And I offer more information on who will be affected by Obama’s reckless energy policy in an essay I published yesterday.

Clearly Obama’s statements will have electoral effects in West Virginia, where he has already garnered opposition from leaders of the industry that is that state’s main economic engine. But we must ensure voters in Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania are armed with these facts before they cast votes tomorrow.

Sarah Palin is doing everything within her power to ensure voters in the Ohio River Valley understand the implications and ramifications of Obama’s desire to bankrupt plants relying on energy produced from coal. I quote CBS News:

(MARIETTA, OHIO) – Seizing on a newly released audio tape picked up by the Drudge Report, Sarah Palin took the opportunity here in coal country to accuse Barack Obama of “talking about bankrupting the coal industry.”

“He said that, sure, if the industry wants to build coal-fired power plants, then they can go ahead and try, he says, but they can do it only in a way that will bankrupt the coal industry, and he’s comfortable letting that happen,” Palin said. “And you got to listen to the tape.”

The audiotape Palin was referring to was recorded by the San Francisco Chronicle in a Jan. 17 interview.

“Why is the audiotape just now surfacing?” Palin asked, leading someone in the crowd to shout, “Liberal media!”

“This interview was given to San Francisco folks many, many months ago,” Palin said. “You should have known about this, so that you would have better decision-making information as you go into the voting booth.”

Marietta, Ohio, is located on the Ohio River on the border between Ohio and West Virginia. This is the perfect place to discuss Obama’s desire to bankrupt the coal industry, for many of the workers in that city and its environs earn their wages in mines and in factories reliant on coal.

And Sarah and the audience in Marietta, Ohio, are correct: we only learned about this now as a result of the venal and obsequious media’s suppression of any and all information that is unfavorable to Barack Obama. Just witness CNN’s attempt to minimize the importance of this story:

Contrary to her attempts to portray a media cover-up, audio and video recordings of Obama’s January 17 sit-down with the Chronicle editorial board have been freely available online for more than nine months.

In the interview, Obama said that his “aggressive” cap-and-trade plan would charge polluters for every unit of carbon or greenhouse gas they emit, a plan that would render polluting coal plants financially unviable.

“So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can,” he said. “It’s just that it will bankrupt them because they’re going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted.”

In the interview, Obama also made the case for alternative energy sources, adding that he does not believe coal production will be eliminated, and that he supports carbon capture and sequestration technologies.

John McCain also supports a market-based cap-and-trade proposal to reduce carbon emissions.

Regardless, Palin sought to use Obama’s words against him in a part of the country where coal has long been king.

“He said that, sure, if the industry wants to build coal-fired power plants, then they can go ahead and try, he says, but they can do it only in a way that will bankrupt the coal industry, and he’s comfortable letting that happen.”

The media, it seems, will not inform working class voters of Obama’s attempts to eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs and raise our electricity bills. But Sarah Palin and those who care about the economy of West Virginia and other states in the Ohio River Valley will. And so will we, for we understand that the elimination of jobs in a region of a country Obama already insulted with his comments in San Francisco about those bitter small town voters in Pennsylvania and Ohio who cling to guns and religion will not solve America’s economic woes. Indeed, it will only exacerbate the current recession.

Let us stand with West Virginia and the Ohio River Valley and defend those who rely on coal for their economic livelihood. This is certainly what Hillary would do. I quote the Sun-Times article I cite above:

After the quotes [about "bitter clingers"] surfaced on a political blog Friday, Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and GOP hopeful John McCain immediately decried them as evidence that Obama is “elitist” or “out of touch.”

“My opponent said that the people of Pennsylvania who faced hard times are bitter. Well, that’s not my experience,” Clinton told a crowd in Philadelphia. “As I travel around Pennsylvania, I meet people who are resilient, who are optimistic, who are positive, who are rolling up their sleeves … Pennsylvanians don’t need a president who looks down on them, they need a president who stands up for them.”

And yes, Barack Obama is an elitist politician who “looks down on” voters in the Ohio River Valley and in other areas of the country that rely on coal. Hillary Clinton does not, and neither does John McCain. Here is John McCain yesterday campaigning in Pennsylvania:

SCRANTON, Pa. — Campaigning in coal-rich Pennsylvania, GOP presidential nominee John McCain pledged this afternoon that if elected president, he would ensure that the U.S. exports coal overseas — something that U.S. policy already permits.

At the same time, the McCain campaign and Republican National Committee reportedly launched robocalls in Ohio, Pennsylvania and other coal states attacking Sen. Barack Obama’s position on coal.

Mocking Obama for a comment he made in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle in January — “The only thing I’ve said with respect to coal, I haven’t been some coal booster,” Obama had said — McCain promised the audience at the University of Scranton that he’s been a proud coal cheerleader in the past, and plans to be one in the future.

“My friends, you know what Senator Obama said about a year ago, he said he had not been a, quote, coal booster,” he said, as the crowd booed. “My friends, I’ve been a coal booster and it’s going to create jobs, and we’re going to export coal to other countries and we are going to create hundreds of thousands of jobs. That’s going to help restore the economy of the great state of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

The robocalls have been placed, but we must ensure the voters understand that Obama desires to bankrupt the coal industry and increase the prices of our energy bills. We have one day, and this must be done. Circulate the video I cite above.

———————————————-

[UPDATE]: Ohio Coal Association issues a scathing statement on Barack Obama’s statement. I quote:

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov 03, 2008 /PRNewswire–USNewswire via COMTEX/ — Mike Carey, president of the Ohio Coal Association (OCA), today issued the following statement in response to just-released remarks from Senator Barack Obama about the nation’s coal industry.

“Regardless of the timing or method of the release of these remarks, the message from the Democratic candidate for President could not be clearer: the Obama-Biden ticket spells disaster for America’s coal industry and the tens of thousands of Americans who work in it.

“These undisputed, audio-taped remarks, which include comments from Senator Obama like ‘I haven’t been some coal booster’ and ‘if they want to build [coal plants], they can, but it will bankrupt them’ are extraordinarily misguided.
“It’s evident that this campaign has been pandering in states like Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania to attempt to generate votes from coal supporters, while keeping his true agenda hidden from the state’s voters.

“Senator Obama has revealed himself to be nothing more than a short- sighted, inexperienced politician willing to say anything to get a vote. But today, the nation’s coal industry and those who support it have a better understanding of his true mission, to ‘bankrupt’ our industry, put tens of thousands out of work and cause unprecedented increases in electricity prices.

“In addition to providing an affordable, reliable source of low-cost electricity, domestic coal holds the key to our nation’s long-term energy security – a goal that cannot be overlooked during this time of international instability and economic uncertainty.

“Few policy areas are more important to our economic future than energy issues. As voters head to the polls tomorrow, it is essential they remember that access to reliable, affordable, domestic energy supplies is essential to economic growth and stability.”

The Ohio Coal Association (OCA) is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of Ohio’s underground and surface coal mining producers. The OCA represents nearly 40 coal producing companies and more than 50 Associate Members, which include suppliers and consultants to the mining industry, coal sales agents and brokers and allied industries. The Ohio Coal Association is committed to advancing the development and utilization of Ohio coal as an abundant, economic and environmentally sound energy source.

Representing 40 coal producing companies and more than 50 associate members in related industries, the OCA will deliver many Ohio votes to John McCain.

Words do matter, I guess.

As you probably also know, Mr. Fund has written a book, “Stealing Elections, Revised and Updated: How Voter Fraud Threatens Our Democracy.”

In 20 minutes following publication of this story — at 3:00 a.m. ET (Monday, Nov. 3, 2008) — BookTV.org (C-Span2) is airing a one-hour speech and Q&A with John Fund.

You may also watch the video at any time here at BookTV.org.

What else is going on so early in the morning? Have you caught the latest on the breaking news about Obama’s intentions to bankrupt coal-reliant businesses and industries? NOTE the states listed above in the categories; workers and businesses in all of those states, and more, could be devastated by Obama’s schemes.

Here’s what we know so far:

Among the LATEST NEWS: Sarah Palin is speaking out about Barack Obama and coal, according to Memeorandum.com.

If you missed our reporting on this breaking story, please check out:

• Truthteller’s Sunday afternoon story, “MEMO to Voters in States Producing and Relying On Coal: Obama Intends to Bankrupt Your Businesses and Your Industries,” and
• American Girl in Italy’s call to action, “ACTION ALERT – Obama has promised to bankrupt coal plants.”

We hope to publish more on this “hot” story later today.

Wyoming, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Texas, Montana, Illinois, Virginia, North Dakota, Colorado, Indiana, New Mexico, Utah, Ohio, Alabama and Arizona: these coal producing states will be adversely affected by Barack Obama’s energy policy.

Imagine mines closing, factories closing, jobs lost, towns abandoned, small businesses failing, pensions lost, wages dropping and widespread economic depression in states that rely on coal mining and processing. This is what Obama’s cap and trade system will engender in states such as WV, PA, MT, VA, ND, CO, IN, NM, OH and AZ. Just listen to this audio of Obama discussing how he will bankrupt factories and businesses that rely on power generated from coal when he was interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle in January 2008:

[[[TAKE ACTION!! RIGHT NOW!
Start posting this video on sites in the coal based states: Virginia, Montana, Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, North Dakota, New Mexico, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado.]]]

Here is the transcript:

Let me sort of describe my overall policy.

What I’ve said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else’s out there.

I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year.

So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it’s just that it will bankrupt them because they’re going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted.

That will also generate billions of dollars that we can invest in solar, wind, biodiesel and other alternative energy approaches.

The only thing I’ve said with respect to coal, I haven’t been some coal booster. What I have said is that for us to take coal off the table as a ideological matter as opposed to saying if technology allows us to use coal in a clean way, we should pursue it.

So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can.

It’s just that it will bankrupt them.“

Does Obama realize the number of jobs lost when he arrogantly states that plants will be bankrupted under his energy policy? Does he not understand the number of lives affected?

The Ohio River Basin is one area of the country that will be decimated as a result of Obama’s desire to bankrupt plants relying on coal.

And while the economy of the Ohio River Valley is decimated, the following regions of the country will witness no job growth, as the following proposed plants will never be built:

Permits for these proposed plants have already been cancelled:

The West will also be adversely affected by Obama’s reckless energy policy:

Bankrupting an entire industry will destroy the lives of Americans across the country. Both coal produces and consumers will have to fire employees, and this will create widespread job loss and increased economic recession.

More discussion on Obama’s desire to bankrupt coal producers and consumers is available at Memeorandum.

The good senator began by observing the commonly touted refrain that while Republicans are concerned with voter fraud, Democrats are concerned with voter suppression. Senator Danforth’s response to that refrain is that they are opposite sides of the same coin, and neither one is acceptable. The way he sees it is that there are two objectives in terms of voting: those who are eligible should be able to vote freely, fairly, and without fear of intimidation. But, those who are not eligible, for whatever reason, should not be able to vote (e.g., duplicate registrations, length of residency, etc.).

Senator Danforth spoke to the purpose of voter registrations: “

The purpose of registrations is to provide a system regarding the integrity of the election itself, so when it is subverted, it undermines the whole process of doing elections.”

Exactly. And he spoke to the problem of faulty registrations, something I mentioned the other day, too. When states are flooded with faulty registrations, it is disruptive to the system, and raises the strong possibility of fraud. Well, yes – exactly. And that, I think, is the point when it comes to ACORN – flood the system with as many registrations as possible, and hope that not all of the fraudulent ones are found out. Then your candidate stands a better change of “winning.” Senator Danforth referenced the recent NY Times article, “Group’s Tally of New Voters Was Vastly Overstated,” to prove this point. It seems ACORN claimed it had registered 1.3 million people. It turns out, though, that the number of legitimate registrations is – get this – 450,000. Yes, you read that right. WOW. As I said, the McCain camp is clear that ACORN is a source of problematic registrations and other fraudulent activities in a number of states (the Indiana Secretary of State is looking at racketeering charges against ACORN, particularly regarding their activity in Lake County, home of Gary, IN. You may recall what happened there during the Democratic Primary. Oh, and do I need to mention that it is next door to Chicago???)

But here was one of the other things I found to be of great interest on this call. Senator Danforth said that he and Senator Rudman sent a letter to the Obama campaign on September 15, 2008, asking them to work with the McCain campaign to insure that this election was not affected by voter fraud or suppression. The Obama Camp has not cooperated with them. Heck, they haven’t even returned Danforth’s calls! Oh, but wait – the Obama Camp DID say that to highlight voter fraud is tantamount to voter suppression – i.e., RACIST. Okay, that was my interpretation, not Senator Danforth’s, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the use of the term “voter suppression” implies keeping People of Color from exercising their right to vote. (If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. But I don’t think I am…) So, it is wrong for the McCain campaign to be concerned with voter fraud because somehow, in their Obama Logic, that means voter suppression. Uh huh, sure…

Senator Danforth said that if the Obama Campaign won’t work with the McCain campaign, they are hoping ACORN will. When questions were permitted, Mark Halverson asked why Senator Danforth thought ACORN would work with them when Obama would not. Senator Danforth said, “Hope springs eternal!” No kidding – he did. He elaborated on this point, saying that they reached out to the Obama Camp with the expectation that NO ONE wants voter fraud or suppression. If the Obama camp won’t work with them, then they hope that ACORN will turn over documents, and the names of the canvassers responsible for the fraudulent registrations (Hahahahaha!!! That’ll be the day…). Like he said, hope springs eternal that someone will do the right thing. Apparently, that will not be the Obama campaign, though.

Judging from this video, maybe Senator Danforth shouldn’t count too much on ACORN, either:

ACORN has not only have they submitted hundreds of thousands of fraudulent registrations, but apparently, from testimony given in a court case on 10/29 in Pennsylvania, an ACORN worker, Anita Moncrief, affirmed that they have quotas of 20 registrations a day, and that their income is dependent on these numbers. (There is MUCH more in this article, including that Ms. Moncrief’s job was to identify people who had maxed out on donations to Obama, and would steer them to “Project Vote,” a “sister” organization to ACORN. You may recall that Obama WORKED for Project Vote. A post on this article is forthcoming – stay tuned!.) Holy smokes, well, that certainly affirms what many have thought – the canvassers are paid by how many names they have, legitimate or not. As Senator Danforth said, when one’s income is dependent on something like this, it results in high volume, and low quality. True that!

The issue of the DOJ (see “Friends in High Places” videos) came up as well. According to Sen. Danforth, lawyers from the Civil Rights division were being sent out to trouble polling places around the country to insure there was no voter suppression or intimidation. BUT, lawyers from the CRIMINAL division, the ones who look into voter fraud, would NOT be sent out. The claim by the Civil Rights division is that lawyers from the Criminal division would “suppress” the vote. He said that they aren’t gonna appear in windbreakers or anything, “just attorneys making sure the process is working well.” All I know is that the DOJ is failing the very Constitution they have sworn to uphold by not insuring one person, one vote. I could have sworn that was their JOB. But hey, what do I know?!? In fact, the McCain campaign suggested that each camp have people go in teams to trouble polling areas – TOGETHER, that is. But the response from the Obama Camp was * crickets * .

The bottom line of this call was this: the McCain camp feels strongly that voter suppression/intimidation and fraud are reprehensible, and unacceptable – this is NOT a partisan issue, they contend. It affects everyone. They have tried to work with the Obama camp to no avail. And, they are working hard to make sure ACORN does not unfairly influence this election. I’m all for all of that – fair elections, no fraud, no tampering, no intimidation, no suppression, just the ability to fulfill our civic duty to vote for our choice without fear that our vote is meaningless. Too bad the Obama campaign isn’t willing to get on board with the McCain campaign on this.

UPDATE: Alert reader, Tzada, asked for a Fraud Alert Number. Here it is: 866-976-VOTE. This is he number for the RNC’s Voter Hotline. If you see ANY kind of fraudulent activity going on at your polling place, call them. Thanks for asking, Tzada!

Like many Democrats, I fell hard for Bobby Kennedy. Although I wasn’t born when he was killed, his memory is woven into the fabric of the Democratic Party. You couldn’t be a Democrat through the conservative revolution of the 1980s and 1990s without yearning for his voice of outrage.

Bobby was the last politician, except perhaps for Hillary this year, who consciously sought to unite the remaining factions of the New Deal coalition. He sought the votes of African Americans in Watts and conservative whites in Indiana. His funeral train famously symbolized the divided America he sought to unite; for many miles between New York and Washington, whites and blacks, young and old, saluting veterans, nuns, and Americans every stripe lined the train tracks to see the train which took Bobby to his final rest.

It’s been 40 years since he was taken from us. In many ways our country is a more tolerant and better place. Women and minorities are no longer legally treated as second-class citizens, environmental and health standards have been put in place, a massive safety net saves many from abject poverty. But we’re also a cruder and meaner country, a place where destroying your opponent is considered the sign of a smart politician. It’s now considered funny and acceptable to sexualize and degrade women who seek elective office. In contrast, Bobby refused to be interviewed by the very tame Playboy magazine for fear his children would one day see it.

Bobby Kennedy’s voice was direct and honest. Of course he was a politician, but he knew his strength was in his authenticity. Politicians today smooth the edges of their rhetoric. In a desire not to offend, they soften their approach and offer platitudes instead of policies. They sooth us, but they don’t challenge us. Bobby challenged.

A professor from my college, where Bobby visited in the mid-sixties, related to me that when students asked Bobby who would pay for health care for the poor, he simply told them “You will.” His fearless voice is sorely missed today.

On Monday night I’ll be speaking with Thurston Clark, author of the superb new book: The Last Campaign: Robert F. Kennedy and 82 Days that Inspired America. I hope you’ll join us.

What are your memories of Bobby?

“Fraudulent applications are the workings of ACORN groups operating from Milwaukee and Chicago who are getting out the vote for Obama. I’m Republican, but I want everyone who should vote to vote. But I want a clean election,” Curley said at a Wednesday news conference.

Lake County elections officials acknowledged they have found problems and had to reject a large portion of the 5,000 registration forms turned in recently by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, an activist group that conducted registration drives across the county this summer.

ACORN. The organization that started in Chicago, represented and trained in the art of lender intimidation and voter registrations by a smarmy special precious lawyer and “Community Organizer” named Barack Obama.

The organization that used completely relaxed laws to get mortgages for people who could never afford to pay for their homes to the tune of crashing Wall Street. ACORN. The organization that Socialists masquerading as Democrats in Congress wanted to give 20% of a revenues from a Trillion Dollar bailout to. That ACORN.

Elections Board Director Sally LaSota and Ruthann Hoagland, a county elections board technologist overseeing voter registration, said Wednesday it appears some ACORN vote canvassers pulled names and addresses from telephone books and forged their signatures.

Curley said one registration form was filled out in the name and address of Jimmy John’s, a Crown Point fast-food outlet. Another registration, dated in August, is in the name of a Gary man who died Nov. 16, 2007, according to his death certificate.

Hoagland said large numbers of voter registration forms bore signatures all in the same apparent handwriting style.

Nothing new for ACORN. They are under suspicion in a number of states for the same problem at this very moment. They declare themselves as Non Partisan, which makes the “Let’s Take Over The World“ and love on Obama video seem rather odd, doesn’t it?

ACORN is very busy though. They are always very busy when the press tries to reach them.

An ACORN spokesperson couldn’t be reached Wednesday for comment.

Like all criminal organizations, their phones are disconnected as they move on to their next voter fraud state targets.

Telephones to ACORN offices in Gary, Indianapolis, Chicago and Milwaukee were reported to be disconnected.

Note: Gary Indiana is the city with the Mayor who held up primary results till midnight while he said he intended to to count absentee ballots first, which is unheard of. This scam continued through the evening until other surrounding mayors called bullsh*t on him and forced him to release the results. Hillary Clinton’s lead there was suddenly cut drastically that night. A few more hours and that lead might have been gone completely if the mayor was busy counting ACORN’s voters.

**Thanks to reader CrystalD for the link.

……..

From my blog, Uppity Woman.

As Americans, we expect certain liberties and rights that were granted us by our forefathers, who wrote documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. “We the people” expect that these fundamental rights will always be protected. However, in the current Democratic Presidential Primary, this has not been the case. We believe that the The Democratic National Committee (DNC) made a grave error by depriving American voters of their choice of Hillary Clinton as Democratic nominee. Senator Clinton, by all accounts, except caucuses, won the Primary Election and, therefore, should be the 2008 Democratic Nominee. That didn’t happen, due largely to illegitimate and illegal acts. We have interviews of many accounts from caucus states recounting threats, intimidation, lies, stolen documents, falsified documents, busing in voters in exchange for paying for “dinners,” etc. There are at least 2000 complaints, in Texas alone, of irregularities directed towards the Obama Campaign, that have lead to a very fractured and broken Democratic Party.

The preview, all 33 minutes of it, is compelling. In essence, it is a visual companion to the work of Dr. Lynette Long at Caucus Fraud and Peniel Cronin on Primaries and Caucuses (which will appear at NQ shortly). In short, it is disturbing not just how this happened, but THAT it happened in our country.

I invite you to watch the preview to this documentary, about which the authors said this:

This documentary is about the disenfranchising of American citizens by the Democratic Party and the Obama Campaign. We the People have made this film. Democrats have sent in their stories from all parts of America. We want to be heard and let the country know how our party has sanctioned the actions of what we feel are Obama campaign “Chicago Machine” dirty politics. We believe this infamous campaign of “change” from Chicago encouraged and created an army to steal caucus packets, falsify documents, change results, allow unregistered people to vote, scare and intimidate Hillary supporters, stalk them, threaten them, lock them out of their polling places, silence their voices and stop their right to vote, which is, of course, all documented in “We Will Not Be Silenced.”

This documentary contains powerful, important information. I urge you to spread the word however you are able. Now is the time.

To view, CLICK HERE.

My deepest thanks to all of those at “We Will Not Be Silenced” for your commitment to democracy, to the rights of Americans, all Americans, to vote. Thank you for your courage and integrity in getting this critical information out. And thank you for bringing the voices of these Americans out for us all to witness

Imagine if a bunch of disgruntled Mitt Romney supporters were currently stalking John McCain or Republican events loudly demanding that their candidate be nominated. Think the national press would be featuring it bigtime as an example of Republican party disunity? Well, the same thing is happening except the people are disgruntled Democrats expressing their opposition of Barack Obama while loudly continuing to support Hillary Clinton. … PUMA activities seem to be surging lately. …

JustSayNoDeal.com reports more coverage today, including a dynamite LTE, “Party leadership, Obama rejected by these Dems” published in today’s Indianapolis Star newspaper and an original article published at Raw Story, “Hillary supporters, still angry, frustrate attempts at party unity. The Raw Story report features the highly successful protest by PUMA members during Howard Dean’s speech in Charlotte, North Carolina:First, the IndyStar LTE which concisely sums up essential concerns about Barack Obama’s candidacy:

Party leadership, Obama rejected by these DemsWe know very little about Barack Obama, but we do know he is unwilling to take a firm stance on issues.He said he would accept public financing for the general election, and later rejected it.He voted in favor of the government’s eavesdropping program and legal immunity for telecommunications companies after promising his supporters he would reject it.He advocates both an individual’s right to own a gun and the government’s right to regulate ownership.He assured America he would negotiate a better deal with NAFTA and then winked to the Canadian government that this was simply political posturing.He assured his supporters he would pull all American troops out of Iraq immediately. Now he calls this impossible.The list is endless.I am a member of PUMA PAC (People United Means Action), a group of citizens who favored Hillary Clinton and are motivated by belief that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has abrogated its responsibility to represent the interests of all Democrats in all 50 states. I and thousands of other PUMA members will not vote for Obama, the DNC’s selected, not elected, nominee.Dylan AsdalePUMA PAC DemocratAvon

Here’s a quote from the section of the Raw Story report about that dramatic Charlotte, N.C. protest:

Protesters brought their anger over the supposed mistreatment of Hillary Clinton by the Democratic Party to a Howard Dean appearance in Charlotte Friday, some carrying signs that read “Dump Dean.”Two dozen of the New York Senator’s supporters shouted down the Democratic National Committee Chairman with a chorus of, “I own my vote!” the Charlotte Observer reported.The protest was sparked by a rumor that Clinton’s name would not be put in for nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Denver next month.The supporters were loud enough that Dean was forced to stop his speech to the 150 people who showed up for the voting rally and address the demonstrators. …

Read all of the Raw Story report, which also covers PUMA members’ statements and strategies in Texas and elsewhere.

The Obama campaign managed to offend a newspaper in one of those “swing states” they believe they will win with an invoice that charged exorbitant fees for services not even utilized.  According to Bob Zaltsberg of the Herald Times of Bloomington, Indiana, their company is not pleased with the bill they received from the Obama campaign last week.  I quote:

The details of the invoice were surprising, however.      

Meals: $115.62.

Bus: $226.17.

Supplies: $5.54.

Files: $91.41.

Invoice total: $438.74.

The bus fare seems fair, with Boyd taking up a seat that could have been occupied all day through the cross-state swing.

The supply charge was for water, soda, fresh fruit, and snacks on the two buses that transported the traveling press that day.

The files? That charge was for two things: Our share of accommodations for the working press at the Indianapolis North Hilton the morning of April 11, including labor, room rental, power strips, extension cords and an Internet access point; and our share of a $1,000-a-day fee (and $99 for a hotel room) for the campaign’s traveling Internet provider to have a technician travel with the press to help them with technology.

In regard to meals: Boyd essentially was billed $115.62 for a cup of soup and a turkey sandwich, because the campaign bills only for the day — not a la carte. He wasn’t in Indianapolis for the full breakfast buffet, or in Terre Haute for the dinner options that included grilled salmon, baked chicken with honey glaze, beef, steamed vegetables, Greek salad, oven roasted potato, rolls and butter, water, soft drinks and coffee. 

 What is their response to this bill?  They issue a stern warning to the Obama campaign.  I quote:

This was a rare primary, and thus a rare opportunity for an H-T reporter to travel with a campaign, even for such a short distance. Now, the Obama campaign is calling Indiana a “battleground state,” which means chances to travel with candidates may arise later this year.      

If they do, we’ll probably skip the all-inclusive bus package and drive along behind.

 $115.62 may purchase a soup and sandwich with the elite Obama campaign, but it will also guarantee negative press in a state Obama believes he can win.  $115.62: for some it is “change we can believe in,” while for others it is a sign that the woefully out of touch Obama campaign does not understand how to relate to small town newspapers.  

$400 to enjoy the privilege of traveling with Obama?  ”No thanks” is the answer of the Bloomington Herald Times. 

According to Gallup’s 20-24 MAY tracking poll of registered voters, Clinton enjoys a statistically significant lead over John McCain in a hypothetical general election, while McCain enjoys a statistically insignificant lead over Barack Obama, whose popularity is slipping in Gallup’s daily surveys.

Superdelegates, allow me to apostrophize you: the American people desire neither McCain nor Obama as President; they desire Hillary Clinton, the one candidate who truly empathizes with working class Americans.

Hillary Clinton addresses the crowd during a rally in Hammond, Indiana, on 28 March. Hillary Clinton won the Chicago suburb, even though the working and middle class voters of this city are residents of the metropolitan area Obama calls home.

“Rush Limbaugh was tampering with the primary,” Kerry said “If it was not for Republicans taking Democratic ballots, he would have won,” he said of Obama.

Now, there’s a pal of mine who just is not sufficiently respectful. Today, she called John Kerry a “low information voter with a C average who married to a tomato squasher.” (And, not surprisingly, she got troll-rated at MyDD for this intemperate remark.)

But what the two geniuses Pfouffe and Kerry do not realize is that Rush has given them a BIG boost towards victory! Pouty Poofy and Jawin’ John should NOT look this gift horse in the mouth! Here’s Mark Halperin’s big headline at Time magazine’s The Page blog:

And MSNBC has the hot video:

Halperin also reports:

After months of promoting “Operation Chaos,” in which the conservative talk show host pushed listeners to vote for Clinton to aid McCain, he pulls back on Wednesday and tells them to go for Obama.

Adds: “He will lose. He will lose big and you supers know it….but go ahead. Go ahead and get in the tank for him.”

Though in “special” monologue he pushes Clinton not to drop out. “You’ve come too far to quit…this one, Mrs. Clinton, you do deserve.”

Listen to clip of broadcast here.

…

I’m sure those superdelegates will help you get over the top, David and John! Now quit your whinin’.

And so what if Rush is ecstatic because he knows your candidate is the BIGGEST LOSER the Republicans could have hoped for!

(Oops, that’s the secret that the rest of the country knows. Hope you two didn’t read Halperin today. You two will only discover that secret come November, David and John. Unless … well, there’s still a good chance that we can keep THAT history from coming to pass.)

P.S. There are a couple other states that you two oughta worry about: