Sunday, September 30, 2007


Blacks4Barack ! presents

BARACK OBAMA'S
Message To Black America !
JENA 6, Racism, Injustice
and The New Movement !

In an attempt to sabotage Obama's campaign, black 'leaders' like Al Sharpton and writer Shelby Steele claim Obama can not win the black votes needed to win the nomination because he does not address black issues which is a bold faced lie. Here is Obama's 'Message To Black America'. Stop the hatred Al & Co..Obama Is For ALL !!! (read)

Speech from Howard University
"To all of the honored and distinguished guests faculty staff and students, it is a privilege to be a part of today's convocation, and an honor to receive this degree from Howard.
Now there are few other universities that have played so central a role in breaking down yesterday's barriers, and inching this country closer to the ideals we see inscribed on the monuments throughout the city.
It is because of those victories that a black man named Barack Hussein Obama can stand before you today as candidate for President of the United States. I am not just running to make history. I am running because I believe that together we can change history's course. It's not enough just to look back and wonder how far we've come; I want us to look ahead with fierce urgency at how far we have to go. I believe its time for this generation to make its own mark, to write our own chapter in the American story.
Those who came before us did not strike a blow against injustice only so that we would let injustice fester in our time. Thurgood Marshall did not argue Brown so that we could accept a country where too many African American men end up in prison because we'd rather spend more to jail a 25-year-old than to educate a 5-year-old. Dr. King did not take us to the mountaintop so that we would allow a terrible storm to ravage those who were stranded in the valley. He did not expect that it would take a breach in the levees to reveal a breach in our compassion; that it would take a hurricane to reveal the hungry God asked us to feed, the sick he asks us to care for, the least of these he asks us to treat as our own.
I am certain that nine children did not walk through the doors of a school in Little Rock so that our children would have to see nooses hanging at a school in Louisiana. It's a fitting reminder that the 50th anniversary of Little Rock fell on this week. Because when the doors of that school finally opened, a nation responded. The President sent the United States Army to stand on the side of justice. The Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1957. The Department of Justice created a civil rights division and millions of Americans took to the streets in the following months and years so that more children could walk through more doors.
These weren't easy choices to make at the time. President Eisenhower was warned by some that sending the army down to Little Rock would be political suicide. Resistance to civil rights reform was fierce. We know that those who marched for freedom did so at great risk, for themselves and their families--but they did it because they understood that there are some times in our history, there are moments when what's truly risky is not to act. What's truly risky is to let the same injustice remain year after year after year. What's truly risky is to walk away and pretend it never happened. What's truly risky is to accept things as they are, instead of working for what they could be. In a media driven culture that's more obsessed with who's beating who in Washington, or how long Paris Hilton is going to be in jail, these moments are harder to spot. But every so often they do appear. Sometimes it takes a hurricane, sometimes it takes a travesty of justice like the one we've seen in Jena, Louisiana.
There are some who will make Jena about the fight itself. And it's true that we have to do more as parents to instill our children with the idea that violence is always wrong: It's wrong when it happens on the streets of Chicago; it's wrong when it happens in a schoolyard in Louisiana. Violence is not the answer. And all of us know that more violence is perpetrated between blacks than between blacks and whites. Our community has suffered more than anything from the slow, chronic tolerance of violence. Nonviolence was the soul of the civil rights movement. We have to do a better job of teaching our children that virtue.
But we also know that to truly understand Jena you have to look at what happened both before and after that fight. You have to listen to the hateful slurs that flew through the hallways of that school. You have to know the full measure of the damage done by that arson; you have to look at those nooses hanging on that schoolyard tree, and you have to understand how badly our system of justice failed those six boys in the days after that fight. The outrageous charges, the unreasonable and excessive sentences, the public defender who did not call a single witness.
Like Katrina did with poverty, Jena exposed glaring inequalities in our justice system that were around long before that schoolyard fight broke out. It reminds us of the fact that we have a system that locks away too many young first time nonviolent offenders for the better part of their lives; a decision that's not made by a judge in a courtroom but all too often by politicians in Washington and state capitals across the country. It reminds us that we have certain sentences that are based less than on the kind of crime you commit than where you come from, or what you look like. It reminds us that we have a Justice Department whose idea of prosecuting civil rights violations is to roll back affirmative action programs at our colleges and universities; a Justice Department whose idea of prosecuting voter fraud is to look for voting fraud in black and Latino communities where voting fraud does not exist. And you know that these inequities are there. We know they're wrong. And yet they go largely unnoticed until people finally find the courage to stand up and say they're wrong--until someone finally says: It's wrong that Scooter Libby gets no jail time for compromising our national security while a 21-year-old honor student is sitting in a Georgia prison for something that was not even a felony.
It's not always easy to come out and say this. I commend those of you at Howard that have spoken out on Jena Six or traveled to the rally in Louisiana. I commend those of you who have spoken out on the Genarlow Wilson case. I know it can be lonely protesting this kind of injustice. I know there's not a lot of glamour in it. Because when I was a state senator in Illinois we have a death penalty system that had sent 13 innocent people to their death--13 innocent men that we know. I wanted to reform the system, and I was told by almost everyone that it was not possible, that I wouldn't be able to get police officers and civil rights activists to work together, Democrats and Republicans to agree that we should videotape confessions to make sure they weren't coerced. Folks told me that there was too much political risk involved, and it would come to haunt me later, when I ran for higher office. But I believed that it was too risky not to act. And after a while people with opposing views came together and started listening. And we ended up reforming that death penalty system, and we did the same when I passed the law to expose racial profiling.
So don't let anyone tell you that change is not possible. Don't let them tell you that standing out and speaking up about injustice is too risky. What's too risky is keeping quiet. What's too risky is looking the other way. I don't want to be here standing and talking about another Jena four years from now because we didn't have the courage to act today. I don't want this to be another issue that ends up being ignored when the cameras are turned off and the headlines disappear. It's time to seek a new dawn of justice in America.
From the day I take office as President of the United States--has a ring to it, doesn't it? From the day I take office as President, America will have a Justice Department that is truly dedicated to justice, the work it began in the days after Little Rock. I will rid the department of idealogues and political cronies, and for the first time in eight years the civil rights division will actually be staffed with civil rights lawyers who prosecute civil rights violations, and employment discrimination and hate crimes.
And we'll have a voting rights section that actually defends the rights of all American to vote without deception or intimidation. When fliers are placed in our neighborhoods telling people to vote on the wrong day, that won't be an injustice--it will be a crime. As President of the United States I will also work every day to ensure that this country has a criminal justice system that inspires trust and confidence in every American regardless of age or race or background. There's no reason that every person accused of a crime shouldn't have a qualified public attorney to defend them. We'll recruit more public defenders to the profession by forgiving college and law school loans. I will be asking some of the brilliant young minds here at Howard to take advantage of that offer. There's no reason why we can't pass a racial profiling law like I did in Illinois, or encourage states to reform the death penalty so that innocent people do not end up on death row.
When I am President I will no longer accept the false choice between being tough on crime and vigilant in our pursuit of justice. Dr. King said: 'It's not either/or, it's both/and.' Black folks care about stopping crime. We care about being tough on violence. But we can have a crime policy that's both tough and smart. If you're convicted of a crime involving drugs, of course you should be punished. But let's not make the punishment for crack cocaine that much more severe than the punishment for powder cocaine when the real difference is where the people are using them or who is using them. Republicans have said they think that's wrong, Democrats think that's wrong and yet it's been approved by Republican and Democratic presidents because no one has been willing to brave the politics and make it right. But I will, when I am President of the United States of America.
I think its time we took a hard look at the wisdom of locking up some first time nonviolent drug users for decades. Someone once said, and I quote: 'While minimum sentences for first-time users may not be the best way to occupy jail space, and/or heal people from their disease.' You know who said that? That was George W. Bush--six years ago. And I don't say this very often, but I agree with George W. Bush. The difference is that he hasn't done anything about it. When I am President of the United States, I will. We will review these sentences to see where we can be smarter on crime and reduce the blind and counterproductive warehousing of nonviolent offenders. We will give first-time nonviolent drug offenders a chance to serve their sentence where appropriate, in the type of drug rehab programs that have proven to work better than a prison term in changing bad behavior and reducing recidivism. So let's reform the system. Let's do what's smart. Let's do what's just.
Now there's no doubt that taking these steps will restore a measure of justice and equality to America. It will also restore a sense of confidence to the American people that the system doesn't just work, it works for everyone. But there's a broader point I'd like to meet here today. If I have the opportunity to lead this nation, I will always be a president who hears your voice and understand your concerns. A President whose story is like so many of your own. Whose life work has been the unfinished work of our long march towards justice. And I will stand up for you, and fight for you, and wake up every single day thinking about how to make your lives better.
The truth is, though, one man cannot make a movement. No single law can erase the prejudice in the heart of a child who hangs a noose on a tree. Or in the callousness of a prosecutor who bypasses justice in the pursuit of vengeance. No one leader, no matter how shrewd, or experienced, or inspirational, can prevent teenagers from killing other teenagers in the streets of our cities, or free our neighborhoods from the grip of homelessness, or make real the promise of opportunity and equality for every citizen.
Only a country can do those things. Only this country can do those things. That's why if you give me the chance to serve this nation, the most important thing I will do as your President is to ask you to serve this country, too. The most important thing I'll do is to call on you every day to take a risk, and do your part to carry this movement forward. Against deep odds and great cynicism I will ask you to believe that we can right the wrong we see in America. I say this particularly to the young people who are listening today. ...
I know that you believe it's possible too. The most inspiring thing about the response to Jena was that it did not begin with the actions of any one leader. The call went out to thousands across the internet and on black radio and on college campuses like Howard. And, like the young Americans of another era, you left your homes and you got on buses and you traveled south. It's what happened two years earlier when Americans from every walk of life took it upon themselves to save a city that was drowning. It's how real change and true justice have always come about. It takes a movement to lift a nation. It will take a movement to go into our cities and say that is not enough just to fix our criminal justice says what we really need is to make sure our kids don't end up there in the first place. ...
It's time to finish what we started in Topeka, Kansas and Little Rock, Arkansas. It will take a movement of every American from every city and town, every race and every background to stand up and say: No matter what you look like or where you come from, every child in America should have the opportunity to receive the best education this country can offer. Every child. We recruit an army of new teachers, and we pay them better, and we give them more support. It will take a movement to ensure that every young person gets the chance that Howard has given all of you, to say that at the beginning of the 21st century, college education is not a luxury for those who can afford it--it is the birthright of every single American. So when we go back to your class rooms and your dorm rooms and you begin this new year at Howard University, I ask you to remember how far we've come, but I urge you to think about where we need to go. I urge you to think about the risks you will take and the role you will play in the movement that will get us there.
And I finally ask you to remember the story of Moses and Joshua, I spoke about this when I was in Selma, the 42nd anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Most of you know that Moses was called by God to lead his people to the promised land. And in the face of a pharaoh and his armies, across an unforgiving desert and along the walls of an angry sea, he succeeded in leading his people out of bondage in Egypt. He led them through great dangers and they got far enough so that Moses could point the way toward freedom on the far banks of the river Jordan. Yet it was not God's plan to have Moses cross the river. Instead he would call on Joshua to finish the work that Moses began. He would ask Joshua to take his people that final distance. Everyone in this room stands on the shoulders of many Moseses. Many Moseses fought and battled here at Howard University. They are courageous men and women who marched and fought and bled for the rights and freedoms we enjoy today. They have taken us many miles over an impossible journey.
And to the young people here: you are members of the Joshua Generation. It is up to you to finish the work that they began. it is up to you to cross the river. When Joshua discovered the challenge he faced he had doubts and he had worries. He told God: 'Don't choose me, I'm not strong enough, I'm not wise enough; I don't have the training; I don't have enough experience.' God told Joshua not to fear; he said 'Be strong and have courage, for I am with you wherever you go.' Be strong and have courage. Be strong and have courage in the face of anything. Be strong and have courage and we will cross over into that promised land together. Thank you."

Senator Barack Obama
(From Blacks4Barack ! Please share this powerful message with everyone.
Now IS the Time for a New America !!!)

Open Letter to Greg Jones

from Obama Headquarters !!!

also: Newsweek Mag shows Obama leading in Iowa Polls !!!



Dear Greg,

Last night our movement hit some landmark goals: more than 500,000 donations from more than 350,000 people.
We also got news yesterday from Iowa -- we're leading in the latest Newsweek poll of likely caucus-goers. Here's the breakdown:
Obama: 28%Clinton: 24%Edwards: 22%
And our lead climbs to 8 points when first and second choices are combined.
It's important to remember that deciding the Democratic nominee for president is a sequential process that begins in Iowa. Generating momentum early will be the key to winning the nomination.
So while the pundits focus on meaningless national polls, we are leading in the one state where the electorate is most focused on this election and where they are getting the most exposure to Barack.
That same dynamic explains the unprecedented number of donors to our movement. The American people by and large have not yet tuned into this election. But among those who have gotten involved, Barack Obama has inspired record numbers to take ownership of this campaign.
We have a long way to go, but because of your support and determination, we are shattering records and making progress where it counts most.

Thank you so much for everything you've done to make this happen.

David Plouffe

Campaign Chairman

BarackObama.com

Tuesday, September 25, 2007




Blacks 4 Barack !
JOIN ! BLACK RADIO CAMPAIGN !!
For Barack Obama

The powerful rally in support of the Jena 6 showed the world the power of black radio. When the trumpet was sounded....Black America responded in mass number with just 3 weeks notice. With all of the major issues that exist in our country and particularly in our black communities, it is now time to sound the trumpet for a new America. It's time to sound the trumpet for Barack Obama !YOU'RE THE KEY !To get the trumpet roaring we need everyone to contact the national black radio talk shows to show your support for Barack Obama for President 2008. You can help by contacting all of these programs regularly to shout it out on the national airwaves....'Say It Loud....Barack & I'm PROUD !"In the Bible, when the trumpet sounded the people gathered and immediate action was taken. The time is now for we the people to sound the trumpet for the change that is needed in our land.START CALLING TODAY !!! TELL YOUR FRIENDS !!!

Al Sharpton Show, Michael Baisden Show, Joe Madison Show, Rickey Smiley Show, Warren Ballentine Show, Tom Joyner Show, Steve Harvey Show, Russ Parr Show...

For links to each show just visit: http://www.Blacks4Barack.homestead.com/

TOGETHER....WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE !!!

Sunday, September 23, 2007


Did Bush Administration plan Iraq
and Iran Invasion in 1998 ? WOW !!!
from wikipedia


Be sure to click the links to really learn the full truth. Knowledge is POWER !

Monday, September 17, 2007


BUSH OFFICIAL Alan Greenspan

admits Iraq War is for OIL !



Greenspan: So, what is the Iraq war all about after all?
It's official - well, sort of.
The insistent protestations and propagandizing of the Cheney-Bush White House notwithstanding, the Iraq war really was or is about oil after all, not about ridding the world of a dictator who supposedly threatened his neighbors, the United Kingdom and the U.S. with a stockpile of weapons of mass destruction, which were never found.

AP
Former U.S. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan served in that influential role from 1987 to 2006
Instead, notes former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan, who served in that influential role from 1987 to 2006: "I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil." The Federal Reserve Board chairman oversees the United States' Federal Reserve Bank system; Greenspan, who was appointed to his powerful post by Ronald Reagan, went on to serve under several presidents. A self-described "libertarian Republican," he makes his observation - and others that are sure to upset the Bush gang - in his much-anticipated memoirs, The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World. The book is being published today in the U.S. (In Britain, the Daily Telegraph will begin serialzing excerpts from it tomorrow.) (Daily Telegraph; see also Radio Canada, French-language service)
In the new volume, which weighs in at more than 500 pages, Greenspan also criticizes the current Bush White House's handling of foreign policy and today's variety of Republicans for having spectacularly lost the 2006 congressional midterm elections. He notes that Bush's economic policies have been irresponsible and costly; it's a fact that, contrary to his expressed, Reaganesque, small-government philosophy (which always sounds good at campaign time to conservatives), Bush actually has expanded the federal government and driven it into debt like never before. (Daily Telegraph; see also Die Welt and Basler Zeitung)
In his book, Greenspan notes of the current Bush government that, "little value" has been "placed on rigorous economic policy debate or the weighing of long-term consequences." Instead, the respected economist observes, "Much to my disappointment, economic policy-making in the Bush administration remained firmly in the hands of White House staff." A British news service points out: "Greenspan's long association with Republican administrations and his reputation for independence add clout to his criticism." (ITN)

Reuters
U.S. military personnel sit aboard a boat as they patrol Iraq's oil-producing area in an undated file photo
Echoing Greenspan's remarks, a news item in Australia's the Age notes that it has "been blindingly obvious to everyone except [Australian] Prime Minister John Howard and some of his senior ministers that oil has a lot to do with the war in Iraq....Howard has vigorously denied that that was the case, but now no less an authority than former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan says that is what the war is mainly about." Howard has been a staunch supporter to Bush's Iraq war. In July, Australia's defense minister, Brendan Nelson, "confirmed that Iraq and the entire Middle East was an important supplier of energy, oil in particular," and emphasized that "Australians and all of us need to think well what would happen if there were a premature withdrawal from Iraq." Later the same day, in radio interviews, "Howard stressed [that] the war had nothing to do with oil." (Age)
Anticipating the damage Greenspan's published remarks could do to its reputation, such as it is, the Bush gang has begun one of its usual public-relations counter-offensives. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was sent out to tell the media, commenting on Bush's war: "I have a lot of respect for...Greenspan...but I think that it's really about stability in the [Persian] Gulf. It's about rogue regimes trying to develop weapons of mass destruction. It's about aggressive dictators." (Daily Telegraph)

Wednesday, September 12, 2007


WATCH VIDEO: Police Abuse....Good thing the guy wasn't BLACK ! Watch Now ! (adult language) TIME FOR A CHANGE !!! Time for OBAMA !!!

Obama calls for immediate troop withdrawal
By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer



CLINTON, Iowa - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is calling for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. combat brigades from Iraq, with the pullout being completed by the end of next year.
"Let me be clear: There is no military solution in Iraq and there never was," Obama said in excerpts of the speech provided to The Associated Press.
"The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq's leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year — now," the Illinois senator says.
Obama's ardent opposition to the war has been a central theme of his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, and he has used it to distinguish himself from leading rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. She voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq in 2002; Obama was not yet a senator.
Obama was trying to further sharpen that distinction Wednesday, spelling out his views on what the U.S. should do next.
He introduced legislation last January calling for withdrawal to start on May 1 and for all combat brigades to be pulled out by March 31, 2008. Anti-war Democrats and some Republicans want to bring all combat troops home in a matter of months.
Obama's push for withdrawal drew a sharp rebuke from Republican rival Mitt Romney.
"I think Barack Obama has disqualified himself for presidential leadership," Romney said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "If we take the kind of left turn represented by Barack Obama and his flee-in-the-face-of-success strategy, we'd be in a very different position as a nation."
In a letter to Bush on Wednesday, Clinton urged him to bring troops home faster and not to use his prime-time speech Thursday to declare new successes in Iraq. She said Bush's planned announcement of a reduction of 30,000 troops would have happened any way when the troops would have had to come home at the end of their 15-month deployment.
"He is in essence is going to tell the American people that one year from now the number of troops in Iraq will be the same as there were one year ago," she said after picking up the endorsement of the National Association of Letter Carriers. "Taking credit for this troop reduction is like taking credit for the sun coming up in the morning."
In criticizing the administration's current strategy, Clinton also linked the president's anticipated speech to the one he gave more than four years ago on an aircraft carrier under a banner that read "Mission accomplished."
"Mr. President, we don't need another mission accomplished moment," she said. "What we need is honesty and candor."
Obama's speech comes a day after Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker updated Congress on the situation in the war zone during two days of testimony on Capitol Hill.
Petraeus recommended that a 2,000-member Marine unit come home this month and not be replaced. That would be followed in mid-December by the departure of an Army brigade of 3,500 to 4,000 soldiers. An additional four combat brigades would be withdrawn by July 2008.
Obama said the U.S. and the Iraqi government should discuss how to go about withdrawing troops.
"We must get out strategically and carefully, removing troops from secure areas first and keeping troops in more volatile areas until later," Obama said in prepared remarks. Key excerpts were obtained by The Associated Press.
Although he stopped short of calling for an immediate pullout of all troops, Obama said there should be a clear and certain timetable.
"But our drawdown should proceed at a steady pace of one or two brigades each month," he said. "If we start now, all of our combat brigades should be out of Iraq by the end of next year."
By arguing that only combat brigades should be withdrawn — there are 20 in Iraq, including five President Bush sent January — Obama appeared to suggest that other U.S. troops could remain.
Underscoring the importance he was putting on the speech, Obama was being introduced by Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was national security adviser to President Carter from 1977 to 1981. Brzezinski has endorsed Obama's bid, and Wednesday's appearance would be his first on the candidate's behalf.
Obama rejected Petraeus' recommendation to maintain current troop levels through next summer to ensure security gains are maintained.
"The president would have us believe there are two choices: keep all of our troops in Iraq or abandon these Iraqis," Obama said. "I reject this choice."
Instead, he argued for creating an international working group of countries in the region and in Asia and Europe that would work to stabilize Iraq.
Democratic rival Chris Dodd criticized Obama and Clinton, contending that they were backtracking on "the need for a firm, enforceable deadline" on redeploying U.S. forces. Dodd said Obama "has a gift for soaring rhetoric, but, on this critical issue, we need to know the substance of his position with specificity."
___
Associated Press Writers Nedra Pickler, Liz Sidoti and Devlin Barrett in Washington contributed to this report.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007


For ALL who doubt that
Now Is The Time for Obama
WATCH !
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's
" I HAVE A DREAM " Speech





Oprah Hosts Obama in Star-Studded Event
By ALLISON HOFFMAN




MONTECITO, Calif. (AP) — Oprah Winfrey rolled out the red carpet Saturday for Barack Obama at a gala fundraiser attended by high-wattage stars that was expected to raise $3 million for the Democratic presidential candidate.
The most powerful woman in show business celebrated her favorite candidate with 1,500 guests at her palatial estate in this coastal enclave south of Santa Barbara. Tickets to the sold-out private event went for $2,300 apiece, keeping them within campaign finance limits.
Stevie Wonder performed for guests, who included Sidney Poitier, Forest Whitaker, Chris Rock, Cindy Crawford, Jimmy Connors, Linda Evans, Dennis Haysbert and many others. Will Smith, Jamie Foxx and Halle Berry also were expected, though it was unclear if they were in attendance. The media were barred from the fundraiser.
Visitors were bused to Winfrey's secluded home from an equestrian center about 10 miles away. A solid line of limousines, BMWs, Bentleys and a few hybrid Priuses disgorged well-dressed guests. Some sported stiletto heels despite official instructions to wear flat shoes for walking on Winfrey's meadow.
Visitors were subjected to strict security procedures and relieved of cameras and recording devices. Instructions sent to guests noted that Winfrey and Obama would not be accepting gifts.
Earlier in the day, Obama made a quick, lunchtime stop to speak to a crowd of about 1,000 eager supporters who gathered on a hillside overlooking the Pacific at Santa Barbara City College. It was his only public appearance of the day.
Obama, wearing his usual white shirt open at the collar and sleeves rolled up, shook his way down a line of outstretched hands as the song "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" blared from speakers.
He spoke for about 20 minutes, hitting his core themes of optimism and accountability.
"What's called for is a level of responsibility and seriousness that we haven't seen in a very long time," he told the cheering crowd, which included college students in short sundresses and big sunglasses and older couples in peace symbols.
A woman standing in front of the stage appeared to faint as Obama spoke about Iraq. The candidate paused and asked the crowd to make way for firefighters.
One supporter shouted, "You're a good man," leaving Obama momentarily at a loss for words.
"Well, I'm not the only one stopping to help her," he said, sounding almost embarrassed.
He talked briefly about his last trip to California in August, when he spent a morning helping a home health care worker clean a house, wringing out mops and making breakfast through a program sponsored by SEIU, the Service Employees International Union.
"Listening to her talk about the hardships of her life, talking about her struggles without a trace of self-pity ... I thought, there is the essence of what America is about, this generosity of spirit," Obama said.
Then it was off to a private luncheon and on to Winfrey's cocktail-hour shindig, where a different brand of very American generosity would be on display.
Obama already enjoys the support of Hollywood moguls like David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Winfrey's fundraiser is another chance for him to tap California, which was his top donor state from April through June with a total take of $4.2 million.
Obama has raised more than $58 million for his White House bid. Forbes magazine estimates that Winfrey, the Chicago-based talk-show host, is worth about $1.5 billion.
Winfrey is a well-known fan of Obama, calling him "my favorite guy" and "my choice" on CNN's "Larry King Live" last year before he announced he would run for president.

Sunday, September 9, 2007


Obama, Davis boost new type of 'black college'

by Jim Tankersley

The Senate passed a broad higher-education bill today that included a small but important -- for a quarter million African-American students, anyway -- provision pushed by a pair of lawmakers from Illinois.

The College Cost Reduction and Access Act creates a new designation for colleges, "Predominantly Black Institutions," which don't qualify for "Historically Black Colleges and Universities" status but serve large numbers of African American students nevertheless. The estimated 75 colleges in that new group - including eight in Illinois - are now eligible for a $15 million pool of federal grants.

The engines behind the provision are Sen. Barack Obama and Rep. Danny Davis, a pair of Illinois Democrats. Obama's office hailed the Senate passed in a release today, which included Obama saying, "For decades, Predominantly Black Institutions have given our students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in today's economy, and their recognition is long overdue. This funding will invest in a new generation of leaders by strengthening these institutions."

The bill now heads to President Bush, who has indicated he will sign it.

Read on for the full release from Obama's office:


OBAMA INITIATIVE TO FUND PREDOMINANTLY BLACK INSTITUTIONS PASSES SENATE
75 Colleges will be eligible for $15 million in annual grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today praised the Senate's passage of The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (H.R. 2669), which provides $15 million in annual funding for Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). In May, Obama joined with Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL) to introduce the Senate version of the Predominantly Black Institutions Act (S.1513). This proposal establishes a program for approximately 75 urban and rural colleges and technical programs that serve a large number of African American students - many who are the first in their families to attend college.

"For decades, Predominantly Black Institutions have given our students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in today's economy, and their recognition is long overdue," Senator Obama said. "This funding will invest in a new generation of leaders by strengthening these institutions. Higher education remains too far out of reach for many students and we must break down any barriers that are preventing our kids from getting the world-class education they deserve. I want to thank Congressman Danny Davis for his continued leadership on this issue."

More than a quarter of a million students would benefit from grants awarded as a result of the PBI designation. Grants can be used for a variety of purposes, from acquiring laboratory equipment to supporting teacher education to establishing community outreach programs for pre-college students.

This legislation would amend the Higher Education Act to provide resources to Predominantly Black Institutions. These institutions are primarily urban and rural two-year colleges that serve at least 50 percent low-income or first-generation college students. This designation is projected to apply to 75 institutions in 17 states, benefiting approximately 265,000 students. While Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) also serve African-American students, institutions with this designation were established prior to 1964 and are not required to serve students with financial hardship. The PBI grants will provide more opportunities for equal academic achievement to minority students.

In Illinois, institutions that could benefit from this program include: City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College ; Chicago State University; South Suburban College; City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College; City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College; City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College; East-West University ; and Robert Morris College.
The PBI bill is supported by the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO), the United Negro College Fund, and the American Association of Community Colleges.

Obama serves as a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

(Video) GET FIRED UP FOR BARACK !

(Video) Even our YOUTH is for Barack !!! Check It Out !




There are many reasons why I support Senator Obama, and they are all very well documented here on BlackWomenForObama.org. But one of the less talked-about reasons for all my hard work, the thing that drives me to continue to get the word out about the Senator by any means necessary, has to do with the phenomenon that can best be described as "The Bill Factor". Not to be confused with "The Factor" or Fox News or even Bill O'Reilly. Just so you know.The "Bill Factor" of which I speak of course, is the Bill Clinton factor, and the presumption by most that Hillary Clinton has the black vote on lock because of Bill Clinton's popularity as former President. For sure, it would be naive of me to think anything other than that Senator Clinton's name and association to her wildy popular husband makes it very easy to roll over and go to sleep on the rest of the campaign if you're a black voter. No one could blame us at all if we simply chilled until election day and showed up at the polls to pull the lever for the woman who is the wife of the man affectionately known as the "First Black President (FBP)". Or could they?The fact of the matter is, I've never really appreciated the moniker as it has been used with Bill Clinton, I am painfully aware that Hillary Clinton is not her husband, and we are not living in the same times that we were when President Clinton was christened with that title.I mean it - even now, I'm still really not comfortable with hearing Bill Clinton referred to as the FBP. Please don't start lobbing grenades, Clinton-lovers. Yes - I am aware of the extra lengths to which the Clinton Administration went to be inclusive to blacks, and yes, I know that he grew up in the Deep South and played with black children, and yes, I can remember watching in amazement with the rest of the nation as he played the jazz saxaphone like an old Kansas City great on Aresenio Hall's late-night talk show. But still, there is something about referring to him as the FBP that just doesn't sit well with me. When I really stop to think about it, I think it's maybe that the idea of seeing Bill Clinton called the FBP back then, felt a little too much like we were admitting that he was as close as we'd ever get to one; as if hoping for an actual black president was just plain... out of the question.For sure, in a nation where there have only been a handful of black presidential candidates (and up until now, not a single one who could have ever been considered truly viable), it's easy for many Americans to believe that a President of any race other than the white race is somewhat of an impossibility. But there's a reason for that, and I'm certain it will be as hard for many to hear as it is for me to type. The reason we've never been close to running that truly feasible black candidate is because we've never had one who was interested in governing the entire nation, and not just championing the cause of blacks, and all of our socio-economic challenges. Until now. Let that sink in for a moment, then read on.I can remember as a younger woman, often asking myself why people like Shirley Chisolm, Carol Moseley-Braun and Al Sharpton insisted on wasting tax-payers dollars and their precious time by running a presidential race that they knew they had absolutely no chance of winning. It would take years for me to understand that any delusions they may have actually had of winning not withstanding, each of them also had as their goal, getting issues important to the black community into the national spotlight. That was it, pure and simple, especially in the case of Reverend Al Sharpton. Once I came to that realization, I understood the importance of what those candidates tried to do, and that right or wrong, effective or ineffective, it was an important continuation of the movement for equality for blacks in this country.The need to use a run for the White House as a political stage for affecting change for the black community has come with a price, however. Now, as a result of us never having a black candidate for President who understands the plight of black communities in the context of the complex political realities of our nation, we are in danger of missing out on a man who could truly be the first Black President, and potentially one of the most unifying and effective presidents our nation has seen in a long time.We as blacks have been sadly conditioned by the pseudo-campaigns of the black men and women who have made brave runs before, to believe that in order for us to throw our support behind any black candidate, he must be primarily a defender of the black community. I say sadly, because the harsh reality is that for us to do so is to relegate ourselves to a future with no chance of a black President, and that really is sad. As deep and enduring as many of our social problems are, electing a woman because of her marriage to a man who has nothing more than a superficial kinship with our community is a mistake. The problem with all this blind faith in Hillary is that it's really just a longing for the good 'ole days of Bill playing the saxaphone for us again. But Bill is not running for President.Please don't get me wrong. I admire Hillary Clinton, I really do - what's not to admire? She's been grooming herself for the presidency practically from the day she was born, and she's brilliant. Love her or hate her, you can't deny that, so as a woman who is constantly striving to break the glass ceiling in corporate America, I can't help but admire her. But want her to run our country? Uh, not so much.See, for me, it's all about timing. It's about what kind of leader we need now, for where we are as a nation right now. Here we are mired in a bloody, senseless war that we never should have waged in the first place, our reputation around the world has tanked, our most pressing domestic problems still plague us (healthcare, education, the AIDS crisis), and from a global perspective, we're economically at risk because of soaring trade deficits, our dependence on foreign oil, and the emminent shift of global economic might to Asia.Billary had their opportunity to bring about change, during a time when we were far less distracted by global issues. I recall that Bill Clinton put some very cool initiatives in place while in office, stuff like the "Community Technology Centers" which were part of the effort by his administration to bridge the digital divide, but Hillary's flip flopping, her "now I support it, now I don't" dance around her position on the war in Iraq just does not instill a lot of confidence in me.There's much more, of course - Hillary's failed attempt at reforming healthcare is legendary, and can be attributed to the Clintons' inability to build consensus across party lines. They made many mistakes in attempting to pass real reforms, like trying to tie the bill to a budget reconciliation plan, and refusing to compromise when moderate legislators suggested they should do so. A proven inability to see both sides of a debate and make tough decisions for the greater good of the nation is key in leading us out of our most serious problems. I believe Senator Obama has proven that he can and will lead justly, negotiate fairly, and perform effectively as President of the United States.I sense that there is a distinct hesitation among some to broach this subject with Black America, but the power of "The Bill Factor" cannot be overlooked. It's going to take everything we can muster to cut through the longing and the sense of nostalgia many feel for Bill Clinton. We can do it, but only if we're not afraid to confront those who argue passionately that what we need is another chance with Bill in order to make things right. We can do it if we can stand firm and point out the obvious differences in Senator Obama and Hillary Clinton, the least of which is the fact that she's simply too polarizing a figure to be an effective leader. The absence of political baggage, the wisdom, the integrity, and the vision to unite the nation all make Senator Obama the clear choice. And that would be true even if Bill Clinton were running.Read more at http://www.blackwomenforobama.org/.

MARK YOUR 2008 CALENDARS
TO VOTE BARACK IN THE PRIMARY !!
THE MOST IMPORTANT VOTE STARTS IN JANUARY 2008 !!!




The key to seeing Barack Obama become our next President is for ALL voters (particularly black) to turnout in heavy numbers to vote in their primary election. The primaries will determine who the 1 Democrat and the 1 Republican will be who are on the November ballot for President. In other words, if Barack does not win the primary.....it's all over !!!! Some people are not aware of the vital importance of voting in the primary. Maybe that's the way the system wants it to be. They also make it a bit confusing, on different days per state, possibly in hopes of deterring people from casting their vote. So we have to defeat the tactics of the system and show up in record numbers. Below is a chart which shows the dates of all of the primaries per state. Find your state, then ...MARK YOUR CALENDAR !!! You MUST vote in the primary ! Tell your friends, family, co-workers, everyone you know....the primary vote is the key ! When Barack wins the primary, he will be the Democratic candidate for President of The United States. If he loses, his race for Presidency is over. We have the power....in our vote.....
VOTE IN YOUR PRIMARY !!!!!

2008 Primary election dates per state. Find your state...mark your calendar...and vote BARACK OBAMA in 2008 !

JANUARY


January 14, 2008 Iowa
January 19, 2008 Nevada caucus
January 22, 2008 New Hampshire primary
January 29, 2008 South Carolina primary
January 29, 2008 Florida primary
Super Tuesday, or the National Primary.

FEBRUARY 5, 2008 PRIMARIES

Alabama primary
Alaska caucus
Arizona primary
Arkansas primary
California primary
Colorado caucus
Delaware primary
Georgia primary
Idaho primary
Illinois primary
Missouri primary
New Jersey primary
New Mexico caucus
New York primary
North Dakota caucus
Oklahoma primary
Tennessee primary
Utah primary

February (remaining)

February 9, 2008 Lousiana primary
February 9, 2008 Michigan caucus
February 9 2008 Nebraska caucus
[18] 51 17 10 78 19 97 February 10, 2008 Maine caucus
February 12, 2008 District of Columbia primary
February 12, 2008 Maryland primary
February 12, 2008 Virginia primary
February 19, 2008 Wisconsin primary
February 26, 2008 Hawaii primary
March
March, 2008 American Samoa primary
March, 2008 Democrats Abroad primary
March, 2008 Guam primary
March, 2008 U.S. Virgin Islands primary
March, 2008 Wyoming primary
March 4, 2008 Connecticut primary
March 4, 2008 Massachusetts primary
March 4, 2008 Minnesota
March 4, 2008 Ohio primary
March 4, 2008 Rhode Island primary
March 4, 2008 Texas[21] primary
March 4, 2008 Ohio primary
March 8, 2008 Kansas primary
March 11, 2008 Mississippi primary

Post-March

April 22, 2008 Pennsylvania primary May 6, 2008 Indiana primary
May 6, 2008 North Carolina primary
May 13, 2008 West Virginia primary
May 20, 2008 Kentucky primary
May 20, 2008 Oregon primary
June 1, 2008 Puerto Rico primary
June 3, 2008 Montana primary
June 3, 2008 South Dakota primary MARK YOUR CALENDAR......
Vote BARACK OBAMA in your Primary !
THIS IS THE KEY !!!!!



PRIMARY SPECIAL NOTE:

There are only 18 states with 1 million or more black residents....these are key states where blacks must come out in record numbers for Obama ! The states are:
New York, Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, N. Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, S. Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Together....we WILL make a Difference !!!

Greg 'Peace Song' Jones launches national grassroots campaign...BLACKS 4 BARACK !


Greg 'Peace Song' Jones launches National Campaign....'Blacks4Barack'

Cleveland, Ohio singer/songwriter Greg Jones has launched a new national grassroots campaign called 'Blacks4Barack'. The campaign is designed to trigger, ignite and highlight the importance of all people, particularly blacks, to vote in support of Barack Obama for President of the United States in 2008, beginning in the primaries. " We would like to see black voter registration increase by at least 10% before the election; then we'd like at least 90% of all black voters in support of Obama", states Jones as to the goals of the campaign. " Barack Obama is a highly qualified and credible candidate who will probably go down in history as one of our greatest Presidents ever. This is a very historic opportunity that the entire black population should rally in support of," Jones adds.
Greg Jones is garnering accolades worldwide with his recent Maxi-Single CD release of what is considered the Musical Message for World Peace entitled 'God Bless the World....While You Bless America' on Orville Records.
For info on Greg Jones' Peace CD visit: http://www.godblesstheworldonline.com/