Help get Jim Martin to the United States Senate!

He recalled that, “when the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence,” they issued a call for justice. And they founded our democracy on a mandate for freedom, equality and human dignity.

I was there that day when Dr. King delivered his historic speech before an audience of more than 250,000. I am the last remaining speaker from the March on Washington, and I was there when Dr. King urged this nation to lay down the burden of discrimination and segregation and move toward the creation of a more perfect union.

On that day, his words and his example inspired an entire generation of the young and old, the rich and poor – people of all faiths, races, cultures and backgrounds – to believe that we had the power, we had the ability, and we had the capacity to make that dream a reality.

Tonight, we have gathered here in this magnificent stadium in Denver because we still have a dream. As a participant in the civil rights movement, I can tell you the road to victory will not be easy. Some of us were beaten, arrested, taken to jail, and some of us were even killed trying to register to vote.

But with the nomination of Senator Barack Obama tonight, the man who will lead the Democratic Party in its march toward the White House, we are making a major down payment on the fulfillment of that dream. We prove that a dream still burns in the hearts of every American, that this dream was too right, too necessary, too noble to ever die.

But this night is not an ending. It is not even a beginning. It is the continuation of a struggle that began centuries ago in Lexington and Concord, in Gettysburg and Appomattox, in Farmville, Virginia, and Topeka, Kansas, in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and Selma, Alabama.

Democracy is not a state. It is an act. It is a series of actions we must take to build what Martin Luther King Jr. called the beloved community – a society based on simple justice that values the dignity and the worth of every human being.

We’ve come a long way, but we still have a distance to go. We’ve come a long way, but we must march again. On November 4th, we must march in every state, in every city, in every village, in every hamlet; we must march to the ballot box. We must march like we have never marched before to elect the next President of the United States, Senator Barack Obama.

For those of us who stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, or who in the years that followed may have lost hope, this moment is a testament to the power and vision of Martin Luther King Jr. It is a testament to the ability of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society. It is a testament to the promise of America.

Tonight, we have put together a tribute to the man and his message. Let us take a moment to reflect on the legacy and the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. on this 45th anniversary of the historic march on Washington.

Today's fundraiser comes on the same day that McCain defended the lobbyist Jack Abramoff's law firm hired to defend itself in the wake of the Abramoff scandal.  McCain told the USA Today that he is "proud" that his top foreign policy advisor--Randy Scheunemann--has a history of lobbying on behalf of foreign governments, including the Georgian government.  McCain said he is "so proud that so many of my friends have" supported Georgia, even though independent nonpartisan watchdog groups have been raising questions about the conflict of interest presented by Scheunemann's dual role as both a lobbyist and a campaign advisor.  [USA Today, 8/18/08] 

"The John McCain who bragged about cracking down on lobbyists and corruption in 2000 wouldn't even consider voting for the John McCain who is accepting money raised by one of the central figures in the Republican culture of corruption and brags about how proud he is of the lobbyists running his campaign," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera.  "John McCain likes to call himself a reformer on the campaign trail but the facts show McCain is just another Washington insider playing the same old broken politics. No matter how you cut it, John McCain cannot be counted on to bring change to Washington."

The following are some of the key questions that John McCain and his campaign have refused to answer about Ralph Reed and Randy Scheunemann: 

1. Ralph Reed's email said he is a member of the McCain Victory 2008 team.  Is he or is he not a member of the Victory 2008 team?  If not, what role is Reed playing to help elect John McCain?

2. Ralph Reed told The Hill that John McCain's Georgia finance chair Jamie Reynolds III asked Reed to help raise money for today's event. Is that true?

3. Once Reed's role in today's fundraiser came to light, why didn't McCain cancel the event and promise to return any money raised by Ralph Reed?

4. Why didn't John McCain's Senate committee investigation into the Abramoff scandal call Ralph Reed to testify when his own investigation showed that Reed was a central figure in Abramoff's pay-to-play scheme?

5. If John McCain isn't worried about the conflict of interest presented when lobbyists like Randy Scheunemann advise his campaign, why did he implement a new conflict of interest policy earlier this year?

6. Was it just a coincidence that, on the same day Randy's Scheunemann's two-person lobbying group signed a new $200,000 contract with the Georgian government, McCain spoke to the President of Georgia and issued a statement strongly supporting the Georgian government's position?

]]> http://www.democrats.org/a/2008/08/dnc_web_video_t.php http://www.democrats.org/a/2008/08/dnc_web_video_t.php Blog Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:15:00 -0500 On the campaign trail, John McCain likes to brag about chairing the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that investigated criminal lobbyist Jack Abramoff's role in the Republican culture of corruption. But that is not stopping John McCain from raising campaign cash with one of Abramoff's closest business partners: scandal plagued conservative activist Ralph Reed. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Reed has "agreed to serve as a member of the McCain Victory 2008 Team" and will host a fundraiser for his campaign on Monday, August 18.

In 2006, Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy charges after a federal investigation unearthed an extensive effort to buy influence with Republican lawmakers by showering them with gifts and campaign contributions. Emails made public during the investigation revealed that Reed had received at least $4.2 million from Abramoff to help his clients. Despite his shady ties to Abramoff, McCain never called Reed to testify before his committee. In fact, despite acknowledging wrongdoing among his colleagues, McCain refused to investigate fellow Republicans in Congress. Now, despite the scandal surrounding Reed--and despite objections from nonpartisan watchdog groups--The Hill reports that McCain is refusing to cancel Monday's fundraiser. [Washington Post, 1/16/06; The Hill, 8/13/08]

DNC Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement on McCain's double talk on ethics and lobbying reform:

"John McCain's decision to cozy up to one of the central figures in the Republican culture of corruption shows how far HE IS is willing to go to win. Despite all of his rhetoric about reform, McCain's willingness to accept tainted money raised by tainted Abramoff cronies like Ralph Reed shows that McCain simply cannot be trusted to bring change to Washington politics. A maverick no more, the John McCain of 2000 wouldn't even consider voting for the John McCain of 2008."

The bus tour also builds on the success of the DNC's 50-state strategy and Senator Obama's commitment to running a 50 state campaign, and the belief that if Democrats show up and ask for people's votes, we can win everywhere. Throughout the tour Governor Dean will engage local leaders and grassroots activists in the effort to register new voters and talk about Barack Obama's strong message of change.

Starting Thursday, you can register to vote, find more information on how to register others to vote and follow the bus tour state-by-state at registerforchange.com.

"After eight years of George Bush and with John McCain promising more of the same on everything from the economy to Iraq to Social Security to health care, America is ready to join Barack Obama and Democrats to Register for Change," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "People are really struggling. They want different leadership, not more of the same failed Bush policies that John McCain will continue. So we'll be going neighborhood by neighborhood, door by door to bring more people into the process to elect Barack Obama and Democrats up-and-down the ticket to bring change that all Americans can believe in."

The Register for Change tour kick-offs of Thursday, July 17, in George W. Bush's backyard in Crawford, Texas - a clear reminder of John McCain's promise of a third Bush term on everything from the economy to Iraq to health care. The tour then heads to Austin, Texas for a Register for Change rally at noon before Dean speaks to the Netroots Nation Convention that night.

From Texas, the tour heads to New Orleans - a city that experienced the failings of Republican leadership in Washington firsthand - and then to Shreveport and Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Hattiesburg and Jackson, Mississippi. The second swing, July 25-26, will make stops in North Carolina and Georgia - two untraditional battleground states where voter registration efforts will help lead Barack Obama to victory in November. The tour will hit states in every part of the country, culminating in a swing through the Midwest on its way to the Democratic Convention in Denver.

Stateline columnist Louis Jacobsen writes:

Some Democrats hold out hope that Obama could actually win one of the six Southern states that he won so convincingly during the primary season — Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina — all of which have voted strongly Republican in recent presidential elections .

But while it’s an outside possibility in North Carolina, most analysts believe Obama’s likelihood of picking off any of the other five Southern states is a long shot.

More plausible, though, is a November scenario in which the voters Obama draws to the polls also pull the lever for Democrats up and down the ticket — in statewide posts, congressional seats, state legislative seats and even county positions.

Democrats in the region have been salivating over this possibility for months. Consider Waring Howe, a Democratic National Committeeman from South Carolina and, until recently, chairman of the Charleston County Democratic Party. When Howe first realized that Obama might become the party’s nominee, “I used that as a candidate recruiting tool. But I actually didn’t have to use it much, because a lot of the prospective candidates already felt that way anyway.”

Up north, the state of North Dakota goes for Gov. Mitt Romney with a 13 point win over Sen. McCain, 36-23 with 98 percent reporting. Reports show huge turnout for Democrats, nearly twice the expected turnout.

Some news in the Georgia Republican primary, I saw that one of the cable news outlets called the state for Gov. Mike Huckabee. Huckabee managed to pull out the win which had been too close to call for nearly four hours.

Colorado, which is reporting stuffed caucus locations on the Democratic side, has yet to produce a winner for the Republicans.

In the meantime, enjoy this live performance of "Georgia On My Mind" by Ray Charles.

It looks like a long night is in store. Someone fire up the Mr. Coffee, we're going to need it tonight!

For full Georgia results, click here.

State parties will publish their delegate selection rules and clearly explain how to participate in the summer of 2007.

Georgia Democratic Party
1100 Spring St Suite 408
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-885-1998
404-873-4396 (fax)

District-Level Delegates: 57
At-Large Delegates: 19
Pledged Party Leader & Elected Official (PLEO) Delegates: 11
Unpledged Delegates: 16
TOTAL Number of Delegates: 103

Alternates: 15

TOTAL DELEGATION SIZE: 118

System type: Primary

State convention page: Available
State plan: Plan Available (PDF)
State filing form: Not available online. Please contact the state party to receive a copy.

** This information is prepared by the DNC's Office of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection and may be subject to change. For more information, please call 202-863-8000.

Romney’s troubles are evidence of a growing dissatisfaction among Republicans with all of their candidates. According to the March 2007 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, more than one in four Republicans say they are “dissatisfied” with their choices for the Republican presidential nomination. [NBC News/ Wall Street Journal poll, March 2007]

“Mitt Romney’s attempts to smooth talk Republican primary voters into ignoring his record is wearing thin for both the pundits and the voters,” said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera. “All the poor reviews and dismal poll numbers are just the latest evidence that Romney’s decision to pander to the Republican base by clinging to President Bush’s coattails instead of outlining clear plans for America’s future is failing.”

ROMNEY CAMPAIGN PLAGUED BY POOR REVIEWS...

Romney’s Own Advisors Say Romney Underperformed. “Romney didn't do as well as he wanted to do -- one of his advisers admitted as much -- but his campaign seems happy that he managed to make three policy points.” [The Hotline On Call, 5/15/07]

National Review: Campaign Mocked for Press Release Declaring Victory. "I might have avoided sending out ‘Governor Mitt Romney Wins Second Debate Advocating A Stronger America’ as they just did. He had some moments, but he didn't win and saying so while par for the course feeds into the (unfair, IMHO) ‘he'll say anything’ meme." [Lopez, National Review Online, 5/15/07]

Sullivan: Romney’s Pandering Showed Through. “Romney aims to please. He knew where he was - South Carolina. You can largely determine his beliefs in advance by judging the audience he is attempting to win over.” [Andrew Sullivan, 5/15/07]

Romney’s Slickness Wears Thin. “As for Mr. Romney ... he simply didn't have a big moment. His slickness wears thin pretty quickly I think, especially when he constantly has to defend himself against flip-flopping charges — and his defenses are pretty lame. He also weirdly proclaimed: ‘We ought to double Guantanamo.’ What does this mean? This guy just says whatever he thinks people want to hear. I gets hard to even listen to.” [Ryan Sager, www.latestpolitics.com, 5/15/07]

Tough Questions on Security “Seemed to Throw Him Off.” “Romney, after a great first debate, turned in a very mediocre performance. Part of his problem were the surprisingly tough questions he received from his inquisitors which seemed to throw him off. But there was something about him that just seemed less present on stage tonight.” [MSNBC, First Read, 5/16/07]

Romney’s Latest Anti-Massachusetts Joke “Fell Flat.” “Maybe it was because he got a good deal of tough questions (five by my count) or perhaps because the focus -- national security -- was more in the McCain/Rudy wheelhouse, but Romney did not have a good a night as he did at the first debate. He got to his Washington outsider/MBA message nicely when he was asked about taxes, but was not as sure-footed when Wallace asked about his conservative credentials. And the tug on the blue suit coat to underscore just what a blue state Massachusetts is fell flat.” [Jonathan Martin, Politico.com, 5/15/07]

Galen: Romney Too Polished. “I thought that Mitt Romney needed to knock a little polish off his performance: His answers continue to make him sound like Hermione Granger in Potions class at Hogwarts. For example, when Wendell Goler asked Romney about the dangers of illegal abortions he said, ‘I can't imagine my heart not being rent’ by the circumstance described. I can't imagine anyone being moved by that answer.” [Rich Galen, CNSNews.com Commentary, 5/16/07]

...AND EVEN WORSE POLL NUMBERS

Polling Report: Romney Ranked Fifth in South Carolina Despite Running Ads and Robo-Calls with Popular Senator Jim DeMint. Mitt Romney ranked 5th place in a recent South Carolina poll. Romney has been running ads, placing robo-calls with the popular Senator Jim DeMint and doing other on-the-ground work to build support. 69% of likely South Carolina primary voters are familiar with Romney; 30% of likely voters have never heard of Fred Thompson, yet he placed third in the same poll. [Latest Politics Blog, New York Sun, 5/14/07]

American Research Group Poll: Romney Ranked Fourth. In a recent poll on national presidential preferences, Mitt Romney placed fourth. Romney trailed Giuliani, McCain, and Gingrich, who has yet to enter the presidential race. Romney was preferred by 8% of respondents. [American Research Group, 5/14/07]

Gallup/USA Today Poll: Romney Ranked Fifth. In a recent Gallup/USA Today Poll, Romney ranked fifth behind unannounced candidates Newt Gingrich and Fred Thompson. Romney was preferred by 7% of respondents. [National Journal, 5/8/07]

If our guardian angels suddenly abandon us, and if by some cruel quirk of fate Gingrich is elevated to the White House — well, under those conditions, it would be fine with me if his new home state of Virginia, not Georgia, gets the blame.

In fact, I would insist: He resides in Virginia, he votes there, he pays taxes there. He's their problem now, not ours. He has become Newt Gingrich of Virginia, not Newt Gingrich of Georgia, where he served in Congress for 20 years.

The truth is, Gingrich left only the faintest of footprints behind him here in Georgia, and it shows. He may be addressing the state GOP convention this weekend, but when Georgia Republicans talk about those who helped build their party through the '80s, they talk of people such as the late Paul Coverdell, and rarely if ever mention Gingrich.

And in an April poll by Strategic Visions, Gingrich drew the support of just 10 percent of Georgia Republicans for their party's presidential nomination.

"Clearly President Bush is more of a liability than an asset as he's forced to stump for candidates in districts that were once considered safe for Republicans," said Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. "Voters in Georgia and Texas, like all Americans, are tired of President Bush's failed 'stay the course' rhetoric on the economy and Iraq. Democrats are offering a new direction for America that includes a real strategy for victory in Iraq and economic policies that benefit America's working families."

President Bush's Failed Economic Record

Household Income Declined by Nearly $1,300 Under Bush; Wage And Salary Increases Don't Cover Inflation. Although median household income increased by $509 last year, all of the increase came about because of increases for Americans over 65 years of age. Median household income has declined by $1,273 under the Bush Administration. And the failure of wage and salary increases to cover inflation has meant a real reduction of median income between 2000 and 2005 of 2.7 percent for households. [U.S. Census Bureau, 8/29/06; Table A-1; Center for American Progress, 8/29/06; EPI, 8/2/9/06]

Manufacturing Sector Continues to Flounder; 2.9 Million Manufacturing Jobs Lost Since 2001. About 2.9 million jobs have been lost during the Bush Administration. The long employment slide in this key sector is also evident in the hourly wage trends of blue-collar workers. Despite the fact that manufacturing productivity has soared since 2000, up 29 percent, wage growth has slowed sharply. [EPI, 9/1/06; BLS 10/06]

Record Surpluses to Record Deficits. Republicans have turned President Clinton's projected 10-year $5.6 billion surplus into a nearly $3 trillion deficit. When this Administration took office, it inherited a projected ten-year surplus (2002-2011) of $5.6 trillion. Based on a realistic estimate of the President's policies, that surplus has now become a $3.3 trillion deficit over the same period of time, a dramatic fiscal reversal of $8.9 trillion. [House Budget Committee, 2/2006]

• Administration's 2006 Tax Agenda Increases the Deficit. The Administration's plan for tax cuts reduces revenues by $1.9 trillion over ten years (2007-2016), according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. When the cost of a ten-year repair of the AMT is factored in, the Administration's tax policies worsen the deficit by $2.7 trillion, before adding the extra cost of debt service. [House Budget Committee Democratic Staff, 3/22/06]
  
  
• Bush Tax Cuts Heavily Favor the Wealthiest 0.1 Percent of Americans. Americans with annual incomes of $1 million or more, about one-tenth of one percent of all taxpayers, reaped 43 percent of all the savings on the Bush investment tax cuts in 2003. The savings for these taxpayers averaged about $41,400 each. [New York Times, 4/5/06]
  
  

President Bush's Failed Foreign Policies

Bush Let Bin Laden Escape At Tora Bora. "The Bush administration has concluded that Osama bin Laden was present during the battle for Tora Bora late last year and that failure to commit U.S. ground troops to hunt him was its gravest error in the war against al Qaeda, according to civilian and military officials with first-hand knowledge. ... After-action reviews, conducted privately inside and outside the military chain of command, describe the episode as a significant defeat for the United States." [Washington Post, 4/17/02]

Despite Bush Administration's Past Rhetoric, Coalition Death Toll Has Now Topped 3,000. "Early in the Iraq conflict, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld dismissed insurgents as 'dead-enders.' In 2004, President Bush said the battle against these fighters was 'turning a corner.' In 2005, he described a 'turning point,' and Vice President Dick Cheney said the insurgency was in its 'last throes.' Now, those descriptions lie buried beneath thousands of bodies -- U.S. troops, Iraqi police, and everyday citizens tortured and killed simply because of their religious sect. The U.S. death toll is well above 2,700, and the coalition death toll just passed 3,000. Last month 776 U.S. troops were wounded -- the highest number in nearly two years. There is no sign the insurgency is waning, and no evidence to suggest it will any time soon." [www.cnn.com, 10/17/06]

• NIE Said Iraq Made Overall Terrorism Problem Worse. The National Intelligence Estimate "says that the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse." [New York Times, 9/24/06]
  

North Korea Now Has Nuclear Weapons. In October 2006, North Korea tested a nuclear weapon. A report by the National Security Advisory Group issued in July of 2005 states that "North Korea's runaway nuclear program could be a direct path to nuclear terror ...North Korea sells missiles and other dangerous technology worldwide, with no apparent limits or compunction ...[the country's] leaders and elite engage in smuggling, counterfeiting, and other illicit activities. These same people might traffic in nuclear materials the way A.Q. Khan trafficked in Pakistan's nuclear technology." [Washington Post, 10/19/06; Worst Weapons in Worst Hands, The National Security Advisory Group, July 2005]

Experts Say Bush Administration Strategy Emboldened Iranian Nuclear Program. The Bush Administration refused to negotiate with Iran for years, when the country was willing to make real concessions on its nuclear program. Just after the U.S. takeover of Baghdad in 2003, Iran proposed a dialogue with the United States. According to former senior director of the National Security Council, Flynt Leverett, the offer was 'a serious effort.' The Bush Administration's refusal to enter into talks, according to Middle East expert Trita Parsi, "strengthened the hands of those in Iran who believe that the only way to compel the United States to talk is not by sending peace offers, but by being a nuisance." [Washington Post, 6/18/06; American Prospect, June 2006]

Violence On The Rise Over The Past Year In Afghanistan. "Hewing closely to a strategy used by Iraqi insurgents, Taliban militants are increasingly targeting top government officials in Afghanistan, which has seen a spike in assassinations and attempted killings the last six weeks. ... Violence has spiked alarmingly in Afghanistan this year, and insurgents have adopted tactics used in Iraq , such as roadside bombings and suicide attacks." [AP, 10/19/06]

From The Macon Telegraph:

The fight over Georgia's voter ID law appears headed to the state Supreme Court, which likely will be asked to rule before the November general elections in seven weeks.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford Jr. on Tuesday rejected the state's latest attempt to require voters to present a government-issued photo ID at the polls.

...

State and federal judges for nearly the past year have consistently blocked enforcement of such a photo ID requirement for Georgia voters. An earlier version of the law also failed to pass muster - forcing the state Legislature to make the IDs free and available in all 159 of Georgia's counties. Still, judges in both courts have questioned the law as an undue burden on voters.

Bedford ruled the measure disenfranchises otherwise qualified voters and adds a new, unconstitutional condition to voting in the state.

"This cannot be," Bedford wrote, pointing out that a photo ID isn't even required to register to vote in Georgia.

"Any attempt by the Legislature to require more than what is required by the express language of our Constitution cannot withstand judicial scrutiny," Bedford wrote.

Supporters of the photo ID law, including Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue, say it is needed to protect against voter fraud. Opponents, including former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, argue it disenfranchises poor, elderly and minority voters who are less likely to have a driver's license or other valid government-issued photo ID.

Barnes challenged the law in the state case on a voter's behalf. Several civil rights groups filed a similar lawsuit in federal court.

"Judge Bedford obviously understood that at the end of the day, you don't play politics with the most fundamental right - the right to vote," said Jennifer Jordan, co-counsel with Barnes in the case. "The right to vote is actually the one thing that makes us all equal."

Yet, despite the injunction in Georgia, just a day later the United States Congress is considering H.R. 4844, a bill that would disenfranchise thousands of voters by requiring them to obtain and produce government issued photo ID proving their citizenship before they could vote.

Donna Brazile, Chair of the DNC Voting Rights Institute had this to say:

"This is the second blow in less than a week to the Republican strategy to narrow and limit the rights of America's voters. This latest decision in favor of voting rights and against Georgia's voter ID sends a message to Republicans across the country, that their partisan schemes to undermine the right to vote will not go unchallenged."

"Tomorrow, Republicans should think twice before enacting a law that requires voters to pay for photo ID and proof of citizenship. This Republican legislation would become the equivalent of a national poll tax. As Democrats, we believe that no American should have to pay in order to vote and we will continue to fight for meaningful election reform that ensures every citizen has access to the ballot and that those votes are accurately counted. While the Republicans play politics at the ballot box, Democrats will continue to work with state and local officials to help avoid some of the messy problems that have occurred this election cycle."

Author and Voting Rights expert Spencer Overton wrote about the dangers of Photo ID laws over at MyDD.com a few months back:

At first blush, photo ID requirements seem reasonable. But upon closer examination, about 20 million voting-age citizens lack photo identification, which is more people than in Delaware, New Mexico, and 14 other states combined. In places like Wisconsin, 23% of seniors lack a state-issued photo ID, and 78% of young black men ages 18-24 lack a driver's license. At the same time, evidence of fraud is rare (a study of all Ohio counties found 4 cases of fraud at the polls out of 9 million ballots cast).

Voting is different than flying, buying cigarettes, and other activities that require photo ID. For example, it makes sense to prevent 1000 legitimate travelers without ID from boarding an airplane to stop one terrorist who could blow up the plane, but it doesn't make sense to prevent 1000 legitimate voters from casting a ballot in the off chance that we'll stop one improper voter. Such an approach moves us away from rather than closer to the objective of democracy--ascertaining the will of the people. Based on the current evidence, a photo ID is likely to result in more rather than fewer erroneous election outcomes.