Is Al Sharpton Sabotaging

Barack Obama's Campaign ?
Is Black America Letting Him ?

By Greg 'Peace Song' Jones

The year is 2007. America is being barraged with racial injustices ranging from the Jena 6 case, hangman nooses everywhere, inner-city education collapsing, economic disparity, health care unavailable for millions, injustice in our legal system resulting in prisons filled with black americans.... just to name a few. I regularly listen to talk radio ranging from Dennis Prager, Michael Medved and Laura Ingraham on the Conservative side. I also listen to black radio including Warren Ballentine and Al Sharpton. I'm thankful that Cathy Hughes has created the opportunity through her powerful Radio One Network to allow the Black American voice to be heard. Black radio has been very instrumental in exposing the injustices to Blacks that are occuring in America and has given black listeners and callers the opportunity to express their feelings of disempowerment.

Al Sharpton is a considered to be a warrior who points out and addresses injustice toward blacks. He is a powerful watchdog and the black community knows that if we're done wrong in the legal system we can call Rev. Al and he'll be there. Without him there's no telling how bad things would be. Because of his voice and ability to address injustice, we blacks have 'declared' him to be 'a', if not 'the' leader of the black community. He, along with others recently led two powerful marches that definitely attracted attention to the cause as well as redeveloping unity among blacks. That is powerful.

BUT....I can not express how much it saddens me to watch Al Sharpton's lack of support for a presidential candidate who is qualified, credible, highly intelligent, gifted, caring, heavily supported....who happens to be Black. It was recently announced that Barack Obama is leading in the Iowa polls with a 3% lead over Hillary Clinton. That is incredibly historic......a black man leading in the polls in Iowa !!! That means that caring, politically savvy whites feel that Barack Obama is the best choice to run America. Do you know how powerful that is? But does Al Sharpton rally the black community to support Obama? Not at all. Instead, he claims that he is not endorsing anyone 'yet', (although the primaries start in less than 40 days) but simultaneously makes inuendo that he is against Obama. Now let's look at the facts. Al Sharpton has gone before the Congress to state the injustice occuring in black communities. He recently led the march on Washington against the Justice Department. These actions prove that Al Sharpton is aware of the fact that true change in the federal laws are inacted by the President of the United States. From the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voters Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, even the Immancipation Proclamation, all of these federal laws were passed by the President. That's how it works! So does Al Sharpton think that he can march in Washington and that George Bush will look out the window and say 'Ohhhh....there's Al....Hey Dick...we need to do more for black people!' It will never happen....simple as that. So if you can't change the mind of the person at the top.....then you change the person at the top.

Rev. Al proves through his march that the power of change rests in Washington D.C. but, for some strange reason, he refuses to support, invigorate or even acknowledge the vital importance of electing a man into the Oval Office who will be responsive to the needs of ALL Americans....of course, including the issues related to Black America. Now, we as black people know that there have been blacks put into powerful positions who have turned their backs on the black community. Condoleeza Rice and Clarence Thomas...just to name a couple. We also know that Barack Obama is no Condoleeza Rice. We know that Barack Obama is highly intelligent, capable, qualified, honest, harmonious, caring of all Americans including blacks (Obama was a civil rights attorney and advocate in Chicago) and an excellent choice to run our country.

But Rev. Al wants to talk about Obama's lack of experience (although he has the exact same amount of experience that Abe Lincoln had and Lincoln is considered one of the greatest Presidents of all time), not to mention Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson both ran for President with absolutely zero political experience, but never stated that they were far from qualified. Sharpton constantly rants that Obama does not address Black issues which is outright false. Sharpton even spoke negatively about Obama not discussing black issues in a recent debate....not admitting that the questioners never asked any questions regarding black issues. In fact, Obama recently appeared on the Rev. Al radio show and for some reason the Reverend chose not to ask Obama any views on black issues. Interesting. Some so called 'leaders' say Obama is not 'black enough'. Which of the other (white) candidates ARE black enough? And why is Hillary getting so much black support if being 'black enough' is so important? That's just crazy ! To top things off Al Sharpton has openly stated on his radio show that he is not supporting Barack Obama because, as Rev. Al puts it....' He didn't support me when I was running !' (As stated to an Obama supporter who called in on Wednesday, November 21 @ 3:48 eastern) That's so sad.

Does Al Sharpton want to stagnate the black community intentionally so that he remains the 'Head Negro In Charge'? The other day I called the Al Sharpton radio show to say how proud I am that Obama is leading in the Iowa polls. At that time, Sharpton's fill-in host, Mr. Charlie King had a guest on who had been the campaign chairman for Jesse Jackson's Presidential campaign in South Carolina. (By the way Rev. Jackson claims to support Obama but you'd never know it) Instead of this black man, who Charlie King called a political expert, stating how historic it is that a black man is leading in Iowa for the first time in American history....this man minimized this great achievement by pointing out that Obama is only leading by 3% which is the margin of error for the poll. Then he stated that Obama is inexperienced and even called him immature! I couldn't believe my ears! He went on to state that Obama should not be supported by blacks because he is of mixed race and an 'immigrant' who doesn't understand that 'we as black folks are still trying to get our 40 acres and a mule' ! I was amazed ! So, I picked up the phone and finally got through. The screener asked what I wanted to say. I stated that I wanted to say that the man on the show should be ashamed of himself for being so negative and small minded and that it is extremely sad and counterproductive that black folks like him have such a backwards, self defeative attitude. Al Sharpton's screener told me....'You don't REALLY think Barack Obama has a chance to win do you?' I was amazed !!!! And this, on just the day Obama is all over the news for being ahead of Hillary in the Iowa (white state) polls.....again....an historic achievement. Is this the attitude that Al Sharpton has instilled on his staff ? Are his screeners swaying callers away from supporting Obama ? Wow !

My black Brothers and Sisters. PLEASE LISTEN !!! What we need right now is a change in the White House.....a person who will care about all Americans including Blacks and make the changes necessary. Rev. Al Sharpton knows that the person who becomes President of the United States will play the most pivotal role in the immediate future of Black America. But is it his jealousy, his desire to keep blacks dependent on him, or his lust to stay top man that makes him 'anti-Barack'?

Rev. Al has the right to vote for whomever he wants. But as the 'black' leader is Al's refusal to support Barack to mean that he feels one of the other candidates would do more for Black America than Obama? If so, then he should speak up telling us who and why he thinks so. Fact is, other than Lincoln, Kennedy and Johnson, no other President has done a thing for blacks in over 200 years. And always remember our so called 'First black President' (Clinton) was responsible for implementing the 3 Strikes Law and for making crack cocaine penalties 8 times worse than powder, knowing that these laws would put greater numbers of black men in prisons.

Rev. Al....if you are sabotaging Obama's campaign.....please stop ! It is time for Black America to stop being misled and rally in support of Barack Obama in record numbers....not just because he is black....but because he is the best person for the job, and will definitely address the issues of Black America. Black folks say America is not ready for a black president which is being proven wrong by the Iowa (white state) polls. The question is.....Is BLACK America ready for a black president, or are we still stuck on the 'white is right' mentality which has been to our detriment. Rev. King wrote a book entitled 'Why We Can't Wait'. NOW is the time my brothers and sisters.

I'm reminded of the story of the praying christian who is sinking in his boat, cries out Lord Help Me...and going to wait on God. A guy comes up in a row boat, tells the man to get in...but the sinking man says...No....I'm waiting on God. Later, a tug boat pulls up and the man again says No....I'm waiting on God. Now, up to his neck in water, a huge cruise liner pulls up, throws the life jacket to the man and again he states, No I'm waiting on God. Of course he drowns. And when he goes to heaven he asks, Lord.....why did you forsake me? God replies (and these are my words) 'Fool.....I sent you a row boat, a tug boat and a cruise liner big enough to hold thousands.....but you were too stupid to get on bored.....so you got what you deserved.'

My people, through these times in 2007, when we as Black Americans are drowning in disparity, injustice, poverty and prejudice.....it is time for us to unite, rally together, rise up and get on board the cruise liner that is here to stop us from our drowning......and the name of that ship is ......Barack Obama !

In addition to Why We Can't Wait, another slogan commonly recited by Rev. Dr. King was....The Time Is Now ! And yes...the time IS now...for us all to get on board. Once we do, we can reach back with outstretched hands to the Rev. Als of this land....
and pull them up....with us.

I'd hate for us to hear....when we meet our Maker....
'Fools.....you got what you deserved' .
Let's Get On Board !

x x x

About the Author:
Cleveland, Ohioan Greg Jones' commitment to a better America and World inspired him to launch Blacks 4 Barack, a national grassroots organization dedicated to invigorating support for Barack Obama for President. Jones is also known for his Maxi-Single Peace Song CD release entitled God Bless the World-While You Bless America which is garnering accolades worldwide. Jones also has been involved in the music and entertainment industry and was publisher/editor of nationally distributed Gospel Reflections Music Magazine.

Visit http://www.blacks4barack.homestead.com/
and http://www.godblesstheworldonline.com/

SPEND NO MONEY

National Black Out Day,

Friday, November 2, 2007

From Warren Ballentine's TruthFighters.com

Many people marched in Jena , La last month in support of the 6 young >men unjustly charged with attempted murder for a school yard fight. >There are many situations all over the nation that scream of injustice >and unfair treatment of people in this country. There is the woman in >West Virginia who was raped and tortured for days with barely any >national coverage. They called her the N word but as of this writing, >they still had not confirmed they are treating this as a hate crime. We >all know the young groom in NYC who was murdered by the NYPD on the eve >of his wedding. There is the teenage girl in Texas who was sentenced to >jail time for an altercation with a school official. How about the >teenage girl who was sprayed with mase for missing curfew. You can see &g t;her in the video restrained by a police officer twice her size. She was >in handcuffs when she was sprayed. Maybe you heard of the California >girl who had her arm broken by a school security official when she >refused to pick up a piece of cake from the floor. It was filmed by a >school mate and is all over You Tube. You may have heard of the young >man in Georgia who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for having >consensual sex with a young girl. He was 17, she was 15. There was also >the young brother in Florida who died in the custody of the state when >he was admitted to their boot camp. They said he had diabetes but they >couldn't explain his battered body. All of these stories happened within >the last year or two. >Those are just a few instances where people in this country have been >treated unfairly, while 4 young men in Raleigh , NC sue the state for 10 >million dolla rs each be cause they were "falsely" accused of rape. There >are people who spend YEARS in prison and are exonerated that don't get >nearly that much coin. By the way, who else is tired of the Princess >Diana wrongful death inquiry? I mean, come on, it's very sad how she >died but does her death need to be the top news story 10 years and 2 >months after her death? >On Friday, November 2, 2007, Warren Ballentine, Reverend Al Sharpton >and other civil rights leaders are calling for a national boycott. Black >people alone spend 2 billion dollars a day in the United States and we >are only approximately 12% of the population. 2 billion dollars a day, >lining the pockets of companies that have shown no interest in our >interests. We ARE living in the new civil rights movement. We cannot >allow the march in Jena to be only an event. It MUST be a movement. In >the 1950s, the bus boycott was onl y supposed to b e for a few days or >weeks. It ended up being over a year. The goal was for fair treatment >and bus integration. Our parents and grandparents sacrificed and showed >that with faith and strength, they could show corporate America the >power of the community and demanded fair treatment. As we know, those >buses were integrated. This is not about color. This is about class. The >middle class and poor peopl e in this country are not treated as the >Declaration of Independance says we should be treated. It states that >"all men are created equal". Clearly the governing class of the United >States disagrees with their document. >Join us on on Friday, November 2, 2007 and don't spend ANY money. If you >have to shop, do it the day before or the day after. If you need gas, >get it the day before or the day after. We have to join together as a >community. You may be thinking, it's only one day, what di fference will >it make? I had the same thought at first, but just think about it. If we >all save our money that day, it WILL make a difference. That day may >become a weekend. That weekend may become a week and that week a month. >As we showed in the 1950s, we can make a difference if we do this >together. >If you can pass the many dumb jokes and forwards we all get, you most >certainly can pass this important email to all your friends and family. >Show a sign of solidarity. >"In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty" >"Many tears that are in the heart never reach the eye" >Which would you prefer, money, power and respect or knowledge, wisdom >and understanding?

NYC Councilman (former Black Panther)

BLASTS HILLARY....

SUPPORTS BARACK OBAMA

by Rock HackshawThu, 10/18/2007

Many black political activists, some black nationalists and even a sprinkling of black moderates, will celebrate Black Solidarity Day on November 5th, 2007; and in keeping with the theme, a large group of blacks intend to endorse Barack Obama for president on that day. Included in that group is NYC councilmember Charles Barron and his wife (and fellow-activist) Inez Barron. The fiery council member from East New York, Brooklyn, intends to put together a group of progressives of all races, nationalities and ethnicities, behind this endorsement effort. He also intends to line up many anti-Iraq-War activists, some veterans, many church and community leaders, and hopefully also a few elected officials of all races, nationalities and ethnicities.
Barron-a former member of the Black Panthers- claims that he has been closely following the presidential debates and is confident that he is making the correct endorsement. He said that he liked some of the things John Edwards said about poverty in the USA, and also many of the positions that candidate Kucinich has taken. He said that Hilary Clinton has been the most disappointing to him, since she seems to lack core convictions. He said that he arrived at supporting Obama, despite some reservations that the candidate needs to get deeper into black issues while on the campaign stump. Barron believes that Obama is the most inspiring of the lot, and has offered many new ideas for change. He also seems to be attracting many young people and is bringing lots of new voters to the political system. Barron says "that this is all good".
This endorsement couldn’t have come sooner for Barack Obama, since recent national polls show him trailing Mrs. Clinton amongst black voters, by almost 20 percentage points (33-52). This endorsement also would help Obama deal with the question of “is he black enough?” In relation to that question, Barron laughed it off as silly and irrelevant. Barron said that such a moot question has no place at the discussion table, once you realize that all the other candidates bar Richardson (Hispanic) are white. He further added that even though Barack Obama may not be as militant as he (Barron) would like, he appears to be someone willing to work with all people on the political spectrum in order too find the common good.
Barron was highly critical of Hilary Clinton who he claims has taken the black vote for granted. He said that Mrs. Clinton has had seven years in the US Senate and has done practically nothing for black people. He asked where was she on the Sean Bell murder. He said that she wasn’t there when Amadou Diallo was killed by the cops (41 bullets) and she still isn’t there now, almost a year after the cops pumped 50 bullets at Sean Bell’s innocent body.
He said that it is easy for Hilary to come to black churches on Sundays, looking to grab our vote (winning over 90% of the black vote in both 2000 & 2006), but she doesn’t fight for our issues during the rest of the week. He calls her a weekend friend of blacks, but a weekday snob. He then listed a number of black issues that she has failed to respond to: police brutality/murder, racial profiling, the high black unemployment numbers, the double standards of injustice that blacks face from the judicial/penal system, high joblessness among black youth, high drop out rates in school and colleges amongst black males, high incarceration rates of black males, Jena Six, Katrina/ New Orleans, reparations for the descendants of slaves, Congressman Conyers’ health care bill, pervasive racism country-wide, high HIV-rates amongst blacks and Hispanics, predatory lending by financial institutions targeting the black community, high home-foreclosure rates in black areas, high rates of asthma, heart disease, etc. in the communities of color, the failing education system, racial discrimination in housing, health, employment, economic-development, banking, etc; and he added even more, in case you are wondering about some of the missing issues here.
Barron spent a long time listing what he sees as the failures of both Bill and Hilary Clinton relative to blacks, Hispanic and communities of color. He also said that the Bush-Clinton-Bush- Clinton formula for presidential leadership is tried, tired, flawed, and failed.
He further stated that Hilary Rodham–Clinton is not an option for blacks and people of color. He claims that the Clintons have had numerous chances to show what they could do for communities of color and they punted instead of going for fourth down. When I challenged him on this- by stating that the vast majority of black elected officials all over the country are supporting Hilary Clinton over Barack Obama- Barron had an interesting observation to proffer. He said that in his experience as an elected official, he has found that too many black electeds tend to be spineless. He said that they say one thing behind close doors- when in company with other black officials- but then they do something else when they leave the room and meet up with their white masters. He says that the slave-mentality still exists. He gave some stinging examples of such officials by name (I won’t list them here).
He further said that black leaders and black electeds don’t understand how powerful their positions are. He also said that they don’t use the votes they control, as leverage for attaining more resources and better services for their constituents and neighbors. He said that while there are many brilliant individuals amongst the black electeds, that collectively: they are a disappointing lot. He then chastised those of them who just fall lock step behind the endorsements of the county and party bosses, without thinking through what’s in the best interests of the districts they represent and serve. He said that between now and November 5th, he will be working hard to bring more prominent endorsements to the Obama campaign.
Stay tuned-in folks.

Al Sharpton...Jesse Jackson...Black Leaders;
Time to Lead for BARACK !
Greg 'Peace Song' Jones

I regularly listen to talk radio ranging from Air America, which is more progressive or Democratic...to Rush Limbaugh, Dennis Prager and Michael Medved which are Republican....and black radio particularly Warren Ballentine and Rev. Al Sharpton on the Radio 1 Network which is doing a great job of reaching the black community and creating an opportunity for voices nationwide to be heard.
I find it interesting to hear the different views from the hosts....as well as callers nationwide...on the subject of Barack Obama for President. Many of the hosts, even callers, on both Air America and the Republican shows voice massive approval and support of Barack Obama. It's actually quite refreshing to see and hear that so many white Americans are ready for a black president, basically because they feel he is the best choice regarding the issues of America and the world. Now, that's progress.
Then I listen to the Rev. Al Sharpton. First of all, let me state that I greatly admire Rev. Sharpton. The work that he does through his National Action Network is developing into becoming a mighty force in the black community nationwide and I feel that all blacks should be supportive of NAN. But when I listen to Rev. Sharpton talk about Barack Obama's presidential campaign I am totally amazed, shocked and beyond extremely disappointed. I'm almost embarrassed. Here we have Rev. Sharpton, who many blacks, including myself, look at as the number one leader for justice and empowerment in the black community.....and here we have a black man...Barack Obama...who is a very serious, capable, qualified candidate for President of the United States, supported by millions nationwide, with a realistic chance to enter the White House.
But instead of rallying, supporting and stating this black historic opportunity as it is....Rev. Sharpton would rather not express his support of Obama at a ll !!! What's wrong with this picture ? I cannot believe that the leader(s) of the black community like Rev. Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson are NOT supportive of what could be the first black president of the United States, ever? That is crazy !!!! (note: Rev. Jackson has quietly declared that he is supporting Obama but has done little or nothing to rally the black community....while polls show Hillary currently receiving more black support than Obama !.....That's CRAZY !) We, as blacks, know that in order for the black communities to rise up out of the muck and mire that permeates, we must all work together....as a family. We know that we always preach that we should be supportive of black achievement, black businesses, our black youth and each other.If that is the case, that we are to be supportive of each other, which I do believe that to be true, then never has that need been more evident than now. ALL black people should be in absolute support of Barack Obama for President, not just because he's black, but because of his stance, capabilities and qualifications. This should be a period of rallying in the streets, shouting with pride that we have a true opportunity to change history and put a black man in the White House. And this rally cry should be lead by our leaders.
Yes, Rev. Al, Rev. Jackson, the NAACP...ALL black leaders should be sounding the trumpet to inspire all black people to vote for this historic change. Why aren't they ? Rev. Al states that he hasn't heard enough from Obama regarding the issues to make a decision. I find that a bit disingenuous seeing as to how I know where Obama stands on the various issues....and so do the millions of white Obama supporters. Rev. Al also says that Obama may not have enough experience. I find that to be a sadly interesting comment, particularly considering both Rev. Al and Rev. Jackson ran for President with absolutely NO political experience, but never stated that they were too new for the post. (NOTE: Rev. Al knows that Barack Obama has been aU.S. Senator for over 2 years.....and that Abraham Lincoln was a Senator for 2 years....and turned out to be considered one of the greatest Presidents of all time). Rev. Al also states that he is not hearing enough talk from Obama regarding specifically what he will do for the black community. Now common sense should tell all black folks that Obama has to play the political game. Keep in mind, he is running for president of the United States...that means everyone, black, white, hispanic, muslim, jews,and all others.
Obama cannot appear as if he will only be concerned with the black community's needs or he has absolutely no chance of winning. Maybe that's where Rev. Al went wrong with his campaign. Does Rev. Al think that Obama should be shouting 'ungawa...Black Power' during each debate ? There is no way that he could do that and expect to win. But once he is President, common sense tells us that he would be more receptive to the needs in the black community than any other candidate. That's just common sense based on what we DO know about Obama. Then some folks want to say he's not 'black enough'. That is the most pathetic thing I've ever heard. First of all, his name is Barack Obama......not like Jesse or Al. Secondly, Obama is half Kenyan.....that's pretty black !!! Sometimes I just wonder to myself, why aren't Rev. Al and Rev. Jackson leading the rally to support this historic cause ? Could they be jealous that Obama has already achieved more acceptance than they did during their campaign efforts ? I would hate to think that to be the fact. Or, could Rev. Al be hopeful that Hillary will win because he feels that she will assist him in his personal efforts if she is elected President ? I hope that too is not the case.....that would be selling out.....and I would never believe our leader(s) to be sell-outs. But for our leaders to not boisterously support Obama is like saying that they feel a white person would do better or more for the black communities, which history has proven is just not the case. Then what can it be ? That is the question.
I believe that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be very proud and thankful to see that, in spite of all of the weights that have burdened and held the black community down, one black man has risen to such a level that he is a viable choice to be President of the United States in 2008. I believe that Rev. King would truly lead a powerful movement to change the tide of history. I envision marches, flags, signs, songs, t-shirts, buttons and millions of blacks proudly expressing jubilee for this opportunity to make a real change in our country.
WE SHALL OVERCOME....has been our motto for the black struggle for many generations and we are still struggling, in oh so many ways. And we will never overcome, until our leaders wake up, stop 'hatin' and vigorously lead the cause that will truly make a positive difference in our country, in our black community, and in the entire world. Rev. Al....Rev. Jackson....love ya' both....but on this subject...
It's Time To LEAD !!!

(Greg 'Peace Song' Jones)

http://www.Blacks4Barack.homestead.com/

NOTE FROM GREG JONES: At a time when we are planning rallies and boycotts we should understand the absolute, real power in electing Barack Obama President....a man who is surely to address the issues at hand.....Remember, in spite of any and all 'self' improvement we may do, the U.S. Gov't still controls America. We have an opportunity NOW....to change the U.S. Gov't....WAKE UP BLACK AMERICA....... Don't wait for the 'leader'.....

YOU ARE THE LEADER.....WITH YOUR VOTE !!!

Greg Jones is the singer/songwriter who's new CD release entitled

'God Bless the World-While You Bless America'
is considered the Musical Message for World Peace

and is garnering accolades worldwide.
Visit: http://www.godblesstheworldonline.com/

ASA COONS proves
Homeland Security Should Start in our Schools !!!
By: Greg 'Peace Song' Jones

This is a horrific week in the City of Cleveland, Ohio. In one of the top public schools located in the heart of the City of Cleveland, a 14 year old allegedly entered his school with 2 guns, 3 knives and 2 boxes of ammunition, and after changing his clothing into his black trench coat gear, proceeded to shoot up the school shooting 2 teachers and injuring 3 students before turning the gun on himself, taking his own life. We are thankful that the victims have survived and commend the students at SuccessTech for their exemplary handling of this incredibly terrible occurence.

In the aftermath of such a terrible ordeal, fingers will be wagged and blame issued in many different directions. Some will say that folks should have realized the mental disorder within this 14 year old shooter. Some will blame the boy's parents and family. Some will also place blame on the Cleveland Public School System for not having more security, including the idea that more metal (gun) detectors should be available in every school, along with more security guards, which could have wharted off this catastrophe. But, then there are THE FACTS. Fact is, ever since George Bush initiated his wonderful 'No Child Left Behind' Program, the Cleveland Public School System has been in severe dire financial straits. During the past 3 years the school system was forced to lay-off or fire over 1000 Cleveland School teachers, security guards, school nurses etc., due to the lack of federal dollars, which is the responsibilty of the Bush administration. The school system has been so broke that a number of the schools were forced to discontinue sports programs, music programs, in addition to the drastic reduction in staff and security. If the school board HAD purchased metal detectors for every school, or hired more security guards, they would not have had the funds to even buy books ! And then there is the HOMELAND SECURITY.

How in the world are we making our homeland more secure, when the Bush administration is simultaneously cutting much necessary funding needed to protect our public schools, evidently not realizing (or caring) that our youth....our students...our children...should be priority number one....for 'HOMELAND SECURITY'. The time is now...to speak out for what is really needed in OUR country. Instead of spending trillions of dollars to 'reconstruct' other countries.....we must DEMAND that American dollars be spent to take care of the true, obvious needs that exist here....on our Homeland...in America. This deadly ordeal, which occured across the street from the FBI Building, could have....and should have never happened.

Greg 'Peace Song' Jones
http://www.godblesstheworldonline.com/

www.Blacks4Barack.homestead.com

Want WAR in IRAN ?....VOTE HILLARY !!!

(Despite recent NIE findings we must ask ourselves if Hillary's commitment to the PNAC is stronger than her commitment to America)


From: Jerusalem Post
Democratic presidential candidate and New York Senator Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that it might be necessary for America to confront Iran militarily, addressing that possibility more directly than any of the other presidential candidates who spoke this week to the National Jewish Democratic Council.

Clinton first said that the US should be engaging directly with Iran to foil any effort to gain nuclear weapons and faulted the Bush administration for "considerably narrowing" the options available to America in countering Iran.
Still, she said, all avenues should be explored, since "if we do have to take offensive military action against Iran, it would be far better if the rest of the world saw it as a position of last resort, not first resort, because the effect and consequences will be global."

Visit: http://www.blacks4barack.homestead.com/

REPUBLICANS: The Problem With America

By: Greg 'Peace Song' Jones

Over the past 7 or so years, I have watched our country go from being an incredibly united country (as evidenced following the horrific 9/11 tragedy) to being a country almost on the verge of civil war(s). No not in Iraq.....but here ! In America. The 'United States'. It is so sad to see what we as a country have disolved to becoming. When one looks back in review in wonderment as to how we could have become such a divided, hate filled, selfish, lost country being led like lost sheep....there is only one answer.

The Republicans. I listen to Republican/Conservative talk radio and watch Fox News and just shake my head in absolute disgust. The hosts, as well as callers, all sound very intelligent and articulate, but the words that come out of their mouths show nothing less than sheer ignorance never before witnessed in modern day American history. Here, you have a group of people...who call themselves Conservatives. But what exactly is that phrase supposed to mean. It can't mean that they 'conserve' anything. They spend our tax dollars like there's no end. They could care less about conserving the environment, aka conservation.

They'd rather sit on a melting glacier ignorantly debating global warming than to think that maybe it is a possibilty or at least something that should be looked into to conserve the future of our world. They can't want to conserve life.....(although they literally are obsessed to see Rowe V. Wade overturned) because they are absolutely pro-war. Don't forget, they are also the so-called religious right ! So they're pro-life....very religious...and pro-war !!! Is that weird or what ? In addition to that weirdism....they are a sad group that deep inside is actually controlled by hatred, bigotry and a desire to rescue the collapsing white power structure in America.

They are so filled with fear of power loss that their driving force has become total hatred. Whoever their Conservative leaders (sheep herders) tell them to hate(Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity, Bush, Cheney, etc.)....that's who they hate.....like Stepford controlled sheep. At first they were told to hate Bin Laden(made sense at the time).....then The Taliban (remember them ?). All of a sudden, it was Saddam Hussein....then Al Qaida. Meanwhile, don't forget they were hating the French and Germans for awhile for not going along with the Iraq war....even wanted to stop drinking french wine and even wanted to call french fries 'freedom' fries to punish the French. That died out though after awhile (french fries tasted too good).

Then, remember Shorty over in Korea ? They were hating him for about three weeks right after they hated Syria for about two weeks. Then it was Iran.....They started on Iran around July 4th of last year....but that died down after about 6 1/2 weeks. Meanwhile, they hated the Mexicans for coming to America for a better living......and more recently...back to hating Iran. (Note: No more Bin Laden, Taliban, Syria or Shorty in Korea)...Whew ! If it wasn't for the sheep herders....they wouldn't be able to keep up with who they are to hate next. And sadly, here on the homefront, that very hatred has swelled in their spirits to such a degree that racism has escalated to a modern day KKK level. Nooses...police brutality...injustice...prejudice....all stronger now than in the last 30 years.

I'm trying to keep this short so I'm not dicussing the corruption amongst these Conservatives....or their desire to rule the entire world...or how they could care less about the homeless or the needy or the Katrina victims. Don't forget.....they're supposed to be the so-called 'religious' right. The Bible says 'that you will know them by their fruits'.....meaning by what they do and how they think. I do love The Lord and I must say....those of us who truly know and love The Lord know that a true Christian does not want innocent soldiers dying in vain. They do not want the hungry to starve or the homeless without shelter. They would hate the pitiful response to Katrina.....and they would have a Godly spirit that allowed them to know how they....themselves....THE REPUBLICANS...are ruining the great land of America....the "United States"....and simultaneously hurting the entire world.

The time is Now to TAKE BACK AMERICA !!! (Oh Yea !! They also hate the Democrats !!!)

Visit: www.Blacks4Barack.homestead.com

Greg Jones

Jesse Jackson Reaffirms Support for Obama


From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
The Obama campaign just forwarded us a statement from Jesse Jackson, who reiterated his support for Obama, despite being quoted by the Columbia State saying that Obama is "acting like he's white" for not speaking more forcefully regarding the racial incident in Jena, LA."I reaffirm my commitment to vote for Sen. Barack Obama," Jackson says in the statement. "He has remarkably transcended race, however the impact of Katrina and Jena makes America's unresolved moral dilemma of race unavoidable. I think Jena is another defining moment of the issue of race and the criminal justice system. This issue requires direct and bold leadership. I commend Sen. Obama for speaking out and demanding fairness on this defining issue. Any attempt to dilute my support for Sen. Obama will not succeed."

Visit: www.Blacks4Barack.homestead.com

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

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 !!!

Did Bush Administration plan Iraq

and Iran Invasion in 1998 ? WOW !!!

Read
Project for New American Century (PNAC)

from wikipedia

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

More PNAC INFO

also: WATCH VIDEOS THAT EXPLAIN

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)

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.

For ALL who doubt that

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

Visit: Blacks 4 Barack to Watch !

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.

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.

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Hillary: The 'Bill Factor'....Black Women For Obama

By Patricia Wilson-Smith

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/.