Hundreds of fans were in downtown Detroit today for a visit from the Today Show. Governor Grahnolm was interviewed by Ann Curry about the state of the Presidential race. For some reason Curry insisted the race was tied in Michigan, even though at least one poll is showing Obama with a 10 point lead.
Update: Corrections made; there is not a stop at Michigan State University. Instead, it is at Grand Valley State University.
Member of the Black Eyed Peas and Star of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to Register Voters on Campuses Across Michigan
Detroit, MI – Will.i.am, of the Black Eyed Peas, and Tatyana Ali, of "Fresh Prince of Bel Air," will be appearing on college campuses and in Campaign for Change offices this weekend across Michigan to register voters and energize volunteer canvassers. Will.i.am and Ali will be hop-scotching college campuses across Michigan on Saturday and Sunday, to encourage students to register to vote prior to the October 6th registration deadline and making stops at local campaign offices for canvass kick-offs.
Events for Saturday, September 20, 2008, include (all listed events are open to press):
10:00 to 10:15 am Lansing Canvas Kickoff Lansing Campaign for change office 505 N. Capitol Avenue Lansing, MI 48933
11:30 am to 12:15 pm Albion College Operation Registration The Quad 611 E. Porter St Albion, Michigan 49224
1:30 to 2:30 pm Western Michigan University Step for Change Show Parking lot outside Sangren Hall 1903 West Michigan Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5421
3:30 to 4:15 pm Benton Harbor Canvass Kickoff Broadway Park- Broadway & Empire St. Benton Harbor, MI 49022
5:45 to 6:30 pm Grand Valley State University Operation Registration Kirkhof Center West Lawn 1 Campus Drive Allendale, MI 49401
7:00 to 7:45 pm Hope College Operation Registration The Kletz Center 150 E. 10th Street Holland, MI 49423
8:20 to 9:30 pm Grand Rapids Eastown Festival Grand Rapids Office 1433 Wealthy St. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506
More information on Sunday events to be released tomorrow.
Some years ago, jazz guitarist Pat Metheny vented at some
length
on his online bulletin board about Kenny G's decision to overdub his
smooth jazz saxophone all over Louis Armstrong's classic "What a
Wonderful
World." The rant was picked
up by Harper's Magazine. Here's a small taste:
(W)hen Kenny G decided that it was appropriate for him to defile the
music of the man who is probably the greatest jazz musician that has
ever lived by spewing his lame-ass, jive, pseudo bluesy, out-of-tune,
noodling, wimped out, fucked up playing all over one of the great
Louis's tracks (even one of his lesser ones), he did something that I
would not have imagined possible. He, in one move, through his
unbelievably pretentious and calloused musical decision to embark on
this most cynical of musical paths, shit all over the graves of all the
musicians past and present who have risked their lives by going out
there on the road for years and years developing their own music
inspired by the standards of grace that Louis Armstrong brought to
every single note he played over an amazing lifetime as a musician.
I only mention this now because it roughly approximates how I feel about
John
McCain coming to Michigan today and copping lines from the man who I
consider to be America's
greatest president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. From
the Chicago Tribune's "Swamp":
"One of our great presidents, Franklin Roosevelt,
expressed this optimism even at the height of the Great Depression. He
said, and I quote, 'plenty is at our doorstop but a generous use of it
languishes in the very sight of the supply.' "
"My friends, that's true again today. I reject the gloom and
doom
that says our nation is in decline," McCain said. "America's best days
are ahead of us."
Democratic presidential candidates have had the advantage in our state since 1992, when Bill Clinton won our state and made the climate favorable to Al Gore and John Kerry. Surprisingly however, while all three previous presidential candidates had leads 5-6 points higher than the national margins, Obama leads our state with only a 1-2 point margin. Why isn’t Obama doing as hot as the other previous candidates?
After all, McCain is the one who scorned our embattled struggle to revitalize the auto industry, and it’s Obama who shows a more genuine concern for the common people of Michigan–those stuck in their foreclosures, suffering from escalating heath care costs and hopeless from job loss.
From the viewpoint of a young Michiganian, I think this standstill will quickly change in the upcoming weeks.
The Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee have filed a lawsuit in federal court in Michigan over the Michigan GOP’s plan to use foreclosure lists to challenge voters at the polls, as first reported by the Michigan Messenger.
Bob Bauer, general counsel for the Obama campaign, and Mark Brewer, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, announced the lawsuit in a conference call with reporters this afternoon. It was filed on behalf of the campaign, the party and three Michigan residents who have had their houses foreclosed upon in recent months.
Bauer called the GOP plan to use foreclosure lists “a new and especially repellent version of caging.” Caging is a technique of challenging voters where they take lists of addresses, mail to them with a “do not forward” marking and if for whatever reason those mailings are returned, they use this as a basis for claiming that the voter no longer lives at the address at which they are registered.
Bauer noted that using foreclosure lists to challenge a voter’s address is “false and illegal” for several reasons. First, because getting a foreclosure notice is not evidence that the person’s address has changed. In Michigan, homeowners have the opportunity to redeem the foreclosure even after a sheriff’s sale has occurred, which means they can stay in the home for many months after a foreclosure notice has been sent. Second, because under Michigan law a person can vote at their old precinct if they lost their home within 60 days of the election.
'Case you hadn't heard, Joe Biden had some lively stops in St. Clair Shores and Flat Rock today. Here's the Free Press Coverage of the St. Clair Shores visit. And here's the video:
This caught my eye:
Let me just give you one more example. In the midst of this housing crisis, John McCain said, "I will fight for those that lost their... real estate investments." He went on to say, "It's not the role of government to bail out big banks or small borrowers." What about small borrowers? What about homeowners? What about the people who don't invest in homes, but live in them? There's an important distinction between the predators and the preyed upon.
I heard that a Republican County Chairman right here in Michigan said that they're keeping a list of foreclosed homes, suggesting that if you've lost your home, you should also lose your vote. I have a different idea. I think that if you're worried about losing your home, you should vote for the guys who are going to help you keep it!
Whatever happened to the guy, who once denounced tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans in a time of war as immoral?
More about the Republicans' plans to target people who have lost their homes from Michigan Messenger's Eartha Jane Melzer, who broke the story (congrats, Eartha!).
Are you tired of hearing John McCain and his surrogates talk about how Barack Obama is going to raise taxes? I am. Here is Barack in his own words on his tax plans.
Obama's message of hope and change has reached out to millions of young voters, and I do not understand how some people can not understand why. Republicans think it might have to do with the age of the candidate, so they bring in Palin. Now, she may be "young," but she certainly does not bring nearly the same understanding to issues that concern youth voters the most as Obama does.
With a young population experiencing piled-up college debt and the pressure of finding new jobs, they refuse to believe that a continuation of the current administration could be the solution, especially since John McCain barely shares the compassion Obama does for education and job growth. Our youth have also become disillusioned by the failed policies of the Iraq War and have felt the stress of escalating costs of health care within their families. Who deals with these issues with an eye out for how we feel? I don't see McCain caring much about what we think. The latest Gallup polls from September 7 reveal our thoughts exactly--60% favor Obama while only 32% favor McCain.
But putting all political affiliation aside, will youth participation shock us this election season?
Taking a quick break from tending to two runny-nosed one-year olds to bring you some more Michigan town hall goodness from the man who will soon replace George Bush. You saw the video from Flint. Here's what he had to say at North Farmington High yesterday. The line about the cab driver is especially good.
And here's the coverage of both visits in the Freep. Come back soon, Senator...
After having to wade through the ongoing Sarah Palin lovefest and general ugliness of last week's Republican Convention, here's a breath of fresh air...from Flint!
Barack Obama arrived in Detroit today with an abbreviated message, due to Hurricane Gustav. We observed a moment of silence for all those that have been evacuated from the Gulf Coast and for those that have decided to stay behind and hope for the best.
As I write this, you're both upstairs, sound asleep in your cribs. Your
mother
has gone off to bed too. Just me here, awake on a school night with
some things on my mind.
I'm thinking about this country we live in. What an imperfect
place it is! For instance, we sometimes start wars we
shouldn't, many of
our leaders are corrupt we now have this vast chasm between a few rich
people and everybody
else. Here in Michigan, where we live, many of our cities are
literally
falling to pieces; our schools underfunded. More of our people are
looking for work here than in
any other part of the country. The list goes on.
But beyond its flaws, this land has a whole lot going
for it too. For one thing, we have the freedom to say what we want, to
go where
we want - and to worship if or however we want. Too often we forget
that's not the case for so much of the world.
Our people have come here from literally every corner of the
planet, bringing with them their different cultures and traditions. And
even if we don't always live up to it, the idea of equal
opportunity is embedded at the core of our soul.
Throughout our history, we've had people like your grandfather and
great-grandfathers - people who have stepped forward to put their
lives on the line not only keep us safe, but to help bring the
same sorts of freedoms
we enjoy here to people in other parts of the world.
And when things get off track, we have continually
risen to the occasion. It's never nearly as fast as we would hope
- and usually involves decades or more of pain and struggle.
Eventually, though,
we make it right. We are a nation constantly trying to perfect
itself.
That's the America I know and love; the America you and I were blessed
to be born into.
Sadly, these past eight years I've often found myself
wondering if that America had died; if our best days were finally
behind us. I don't think
I could ever fully describe the sense of hopelessness, despair
and bitterness that's inhabited this country under George Bush. I only pray you never have to endure anything
like it.
Will focus on agenda to help hard-working Michigan families
Detroit, MI –Senator Barack Obama will return to Michigan on Monday, August 4th for an event in Lansing. Obama will focus on his agenda to stand up for hard-working Michigan families who are being squeezed -- from lost jobs to rising gas prices – and who want to see a new direction for our country.
Earlier today, Senator Obama called for an Emergency Economic Stimulus Plan which calls for a $1,000 energy rebate check for working families to help immediately ease the pain from skyrocketing gas prices. The plan is available HERE.
Monday, August 4, 2008
SPEECH ON ENERGY AND THE ECONOMY
Lansing Center
333 E. Michigan Ave
Lansing, MI 48933
The event is free and open to the public. However, tickets are required. Members of the public may pick up free tickets on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 9:00 AM on Saturday, August 2 at Gone Wired Café, 2021 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI. Seating is first-come, first-served for ticket-holders.
***For security reasons, do not brings bags. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners allowed.***
(The "Meet Barack Obama" site is pretty cool. - promoted by rich)
Cross-posted from the AFL-CIO Now Blog. Michigan will be a key state this fall, and Michigan's unions will make the difference.
The AFL-CIO today endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president.
The AFL-CIO General Board, which voted to endorse Obama, includes presidents of all 56 unions in the AFL-CIO, as well as Executive Council members and representatives of state and local federations, trade departments and constituency groups. The General Board votes by per capita membership. In conjunction with the endorsement, the AFL-CIO launched a new website: Meet Barack Obama.
