Daily archives: August 27th, 2008

Joe Biden is One of Us

August 27, 2008
AmericaBarack ObamaElectionsJohn McCainWhite House
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From Senator Joe Biden:

A few hours ago, Barack Obama was officially nominated as the Democratic candidate for president of the United States.

And just a few moments ago, I accepted our party’s nomination for vice president.

I made my case to everyone watching — Barack Obama will secure America at home and restore our reputation abroad. And John McCain will only extend the failed policies of George Bush.

But this isn’t my moment. It’s all of ours.

And the fight ahead will be like nothing you’ve ever seen.

The stakes couldn’t be higher, and Barack and I need your help right now.

Please make another donation of $25 or more now and support this campaign to bring the change we need:

https://donate.barackobama.com/tonight

Thank you for making this possible,

Joe

Donate

We stand on the shoulders of giants.  We are poised to make history.

I have never been so excited about an election.

Joe Biden grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  He’s one of us.  Barack Obama is one of us.  Both of these men know how many kitchen sinks they have.

When Jay Leno offered McCain $1 million if he could answer the question of how many homes he has, what was the first thing out of his mouth? “I was a POW, so for 5 years I didn’t have a home, I didn’t have a kitchen table…” blah, blah, blah. Does he seriously have any other answer besides, “I was a POW?” Does John McCain even know how many homes he owns?

John McCain suffered once.  John McCain deserves praise for his service to our country.  But Vietnam was a long time ago.  We’re a long way from the famous “McCain-Feingold” efforts at election reform.  He has strayed far from his roots.  John McCain is not one of us.  John McCain is not “the maverick.”  John McCain is a man pampered, spoiled and aloof.  Yes, John McCain is an elitist.  John McCain is George W. Bush redux, George W. Bush redivivus, George W. Bush all over again.

I can’t take George W. Bush all over again.

Joe Biden, you helped us remember our roots in America.

I’m not doing as well as I would like, Joe.  Things are not going well financially these days.  The Bush years have been horrible for me.  Sometimes, I’ll admit, I’ve felt like giving up.  Sometimes, I’ve been truly frightened.

But I have not given up, and I will not.

I need Change desperately, not just the change I find under the couch cushions.

Joe, your talk tonight was incredible tonight.  I look forward to hearing Barack Obama tomorrow night.

I want to see Barack Obama in the White House.  I want to see you at his side.  Thank you for helping me to believe that our best days are, indeed, before us.

Thanks, Joe.  I’m starting to believe again.  I need to believe again.

Russia Has Dropped Cluster Bombs on Civilians

August 27, 2008
Democratic News
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Cluster Bombs

According to Survivor Corps, Russia has dropped cluster bombs on civilian areas in the neighboring country of Georgia, killing at least 11 civilians and wounding dozens more.   According to Survivor Corps:

On August 7, 2008, Russia began an armed offensive against Georgia over South Ossetia, a region long recognized as part of Georgia but home to an ethnic minority with close ties to Russia.

Russia’s Use of Cluster Munitions is the first known use of the weapon since 2006, when they were used during the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The extremely high number of civilian deaths attributed to cluster munitions in that conflict initiated an international movement to ban cluster munitions, called the Oslo Process.

Cluster munitions are large weapons which are deployed from the air and from the ground and release dozens or hundreds of smaller submunitions. Submunitions released by air-dropped cluster bombs are most often called “bomblets,” while those delivered from the ground by artillery or rockets are usually referred to as “grenades.”

Why should we care?  Why should we be concerned about cluster bombs? The problems with cluster bombs are many:

Air-dropped or ground-launched, they cause two major humanitarian problems and risks to civilians. First, their widespread dispersal means they cannot distinguish between military targets and civilians so the humanitarian impact can be extreme, especially when the weapon is used in or near populated areas.

Many submunitions fail to detonate on impact and become de facto antipersonnel mines killing and maiming people long after the conflict has ended. These duds are more lethal than antipersonnel mines; incidents involving submunition duds are much more likely to cause death than injury.

Tell your Senators to ban cluster bombs.

Learn more here: