I have been on site here now for more than an hour, and in the press row for about twenty minutes. They have been filling up one end of the gym - the orientation is to have Obama on one side of the gym, withe people around and behind him, another section in chairs directly in front, followed by the risers for the cameras. The press row is behind the risers. I could have sat on the risers - there was space and I was the first one here, but I'm not sure what I would gain. Bryan Scrafford is sitting next to me. I saw several familiar media faces, including Jan Fox and Mark Plotkin. Among political types the I have recognized far were George Burke and David Bulova. Bryan saw David Marsden's wife.
There is palpable enthusiasm, and I will continue this from time to time below the fold.
As of 1:40, I will be adding new material at the top here.
2:44 Last question - young lady who grew up in South East (DC) told she couldn't go to Georgetown, but got in. Question on National Debt - any way we can be active ourselves in paying off national debt to make sure changes you want to make will be fully funded . . .can we donate to help reduce the debt voluntarily so our children will not be impacted. ANSWER - it is a wonderful sentiment, but with 9 trillion dollars, it is about 30,000 a person. Your general point we have become a debtor nation and that threatens our national security is right on target. we cannot keep borrowing from all these countries and still remain the most powerful country on earth. ... When Bush came into office, we had 42 presidents, 5 trillion in debt, but we were running surpluses. George Bush by himself almost doubled that debt in 7+ years. consequences - dependent upon other countries buying our debt. They can buy up our assets. Contributes to decline of dollar - that is affecting price of gasoline. the truth - we will not eliminate deficit or national debt in the next 4 years or the next 8 years. Talks about McCain promising to eliminate the deficit by 2013. It just isn't true. We have dug ourselves a deep hole, and we need time to get out. And the first thing you do in a hole? (Stop digging). why he is for pay-go for all of his spending proposals to make sure they are not adding to the deficits.
goes thru some of the ridiculous parts of mccain's remarks, but -- the truth is there is 18 billion in earmarks, which includes aid to israel, or restoring the everglades, so he can't offset the additional 300 million in tax cuts he (McCain) wants to do.
We need to end war in Iraq. not all the savings can go to the deficit - rebuild guard and reserve, treat veterans,etc
roll back Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans. Talks about 250,000/year as point where you will see no increase in any taxes. If like most families making less than 150,000/year you will get a tax cut. ... if you are wealthy, think about how it was back in the 1990s, you were okay, you didn't lose the 2nd house - you're going to be okay.
making govt more efficient - we have 19th century govt in 21st century economy
got to get a handle on our health care system. That is adding to our national debt most drastically. best way I think to deal with it is to provide everyone decent quality care. if we went back to obesity rates of 1980s we would save 1 trillion dollars: hypertension, diabetes, heart attacks. . . .
AND THAT IS IT
2:31 from mayor of Alexandria - what you will be saying to people around the world when you are traveling in next few weeks? A: I don't want to spill all of it, it won'g be fresh. here's what I'll be saying: just as this country is at a critical moment, i thin the world is at a critical moment. At end of cold war, we are superpower, our military power is unchecked, the problems of the world can't be solved by one country. You can't solve climate change by a wall, a disease can come by plane from Africa, floods of refugees, terrorism etc. what that means is we have to worry about restoring relationships with countries all around the world for our national security. Would not hesitate to use military force if necessary, but it should not be first or second choice, but last choice, because of the devastating costs of war.
2;28 a question from a teacher of writers, about writing and words of inspiration for writers. I've written two books, I actually wrote them myself. I can't claim that I write all my speeches myself now, but the important ones. I learned to write first of all by reading. It is important to read to our children and sparking their imagination. Over course of last 4 years, I've made time to read all of the Harry Potter books aloud to my daughters ... even after i started to run for president. Then he started keeping a journal when he got to college. That important not just in teaching how to write, but in how to think, how to organize, how to ask the right questions, how to give coherent voice to important issues. . . as a practical matte, knowing how to write is a good thing - some jokes about texting - when applying for a job, you will not be asked about your texting skills, but your ability.
2:24a question from attorney representing federal whistle blowers. Challenges Obama on yesterdays' FISA vote. Obama talks about writing a brief on behalf of whistle blowers and making sure they get protected. That does not apply in this situation. We have a situation with people who want to do us harm. it was supposed to run through FISA, court oversight. No doubt Bush administration ignored FISA, went around it, went directly to phone companies. Most telecoms complied. Reason originally not to give immunity not merely to punish, unless you had these issues in open court, might not know what happened. Also might not have leverage going forward to make sure in future administration wasn't still going around. new Bill says explicitly you cannot run any surveillance program except thru FISA (wrong) - and instituted inspector general to investigate any past abuses by Bush administration. He believe surveillance program was necessary, and had to weigh that against the concern that phone companies did not get off [I think this is a weak argument] - justifies that if with our help he gets sworn in he can make sure the program is working properly.
2:19 Next question: what do you think makes you better at understanding needs of Latinos? A: talks about his father's experience as an outsider. His experience as an african-american with a funny name. As a community organizer, learned that he could not get anything done without bringing all of devastated communities, including Latino, together, working with their organizers. Also talks about work s civil right attorney - work in state legislature to let teenagers who had grown up here thru no fault of their own but lacked the right papers had the right to attend state colleges at instate rates. Wants to be fair - John McCain did a lot to help shape comprehensive immigration reform with kennedy and others, but when he ran for president and took incoming from his own party, he even announced he would not vote for his own bill. we are a nation of immigrations but we are also a nation of laws. Need to crack down on employers hiring undocumented workers because of impact, but have to provide a path to legalization, including paying a fine for breaking the law - so we don't have two tiers of citizens or two classes of people.
2:09 in order to do that, we have to pay our health and home care workers better. Third Question: question on education -- it seems NCLB has put testing and accountability in place of teaching and learning. what can you do that helps put the respect where it belongs, on teaching, and stop the focus on tests? A: in some ways you have answered your own question. Aspirations behind NCLB were good -- talks about needing high standards, etc (boo, but I cannot take time to explain - it is a weakness of his standard position) - his response is his standard answer . . . so excuse me while i rest my fingers.
2:06 continuing to answer - care for elderly parents. talks about 86 soon to be 87 year old grandmother. She doesn't want to leave HA to join them in Chicago. Uses her example - she has savings to afford some home care assistance. he wants the government to expand access to such assistance, believing it saves the state - people draw down all their assets to qualify for assistance. Talks about michelle's mom wanting her independence.
2:03 second Q - how do you propose opposition of smaller business to expanding FMLA? A: thinks business community overstated dangers in original opposition to FMLA. Most people use it responsibly. Talks about people wan to go a good job, bug if someone is really sick, they ae going to be distracted, probably not able to go a good job. We'll still exempt companies of 25 employees or less.
2:00 First question - what would be your policies on stem cell research. A: I will sign a stem cell research bill that has now been passed twice by senate and the house. . . only extracting stem cells from embryos going to be discarded as byproduct of in vitro fertilization. talks about this being right thing to do, given the possible payoff. Broader poing - I am going to restore a belief in science in the White House. I think science is good. Quotes Sen Clinton criticizing Bush on finally discovering global warming at G-8, remarks about WH rewriting reports on global warming. This country has been built on science - Franklin, Jefferson
1:58 completed opening remarks at 1:57 - now explaining how q&a will work. Tells people to introduce themselves, and try to keep it relatively short. Only other rule we are going to boy girl boy girl
1:55 talks about ending war in iraq and spending the 10 billion a month here. . . loud response from the crowd.
1:54 UMM did he just say he would cut capital gains tax to zero? Did he phrase that so it only applies to female owned small business? Sounds like a verbal mistake.
1:50 (Patrick McGrath just walked by me) Obama still talking about issues of equal pay, that the most important job we have is rasing our children, it is time to ive that job the respect it deserves. Expand child care credit, expanding summer learning opportunities, summer childhood education, expanding family and medical leave, not only for sick children, but to care for elderly parents or going to parent-teacher conferences . . . [this is boilerplate -- I will skip until the Q&A, unless there is something I haven't heard]
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1:47 difference of opinion on equal pay. McCain thinks SCOTUS got it right in Ledbetter decision, and opposed Obama's bill to fix the law. McCain thinks women make less because of education and training (boos). it is not that women are unqualified, unprepared - they re not being paid the same, employers are discriminating, not treating women fairly (loud cheers)
1:45 This comes after McCain had said gas tax holiday would have mainly psychological effects. Now, nation already has a Doctor Phil (loud laughter)
going through economic facts - average family has lost 1,000 in real earnings. People losing houses. The recession is not a figment of your imagination. It is not whining to ask government to step in and give some relief.
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Sen McCain has rendered extraordinary service to this nation and we deeply respect that. But if you look at records, he will not bring change, and I will. . . . If you can't see the problem, you are not going to solve it. Sen. McCain apparently can't see problem. he surveys Bush economic policy and thinks we are doing well. reference to Phil Gramm's remarks about a "mental recession" - deemed the US, and I quote "A nation of whiners."
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1:40:
talks about women earning less hurting families.
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below this is earlier material, oldest first
There are many familiar faces among the volunteers I have seen here - Mary Detweiler, Steve Spitz, Wasim, Todd Smyth . . . while the topic is a focus on "Economic Security for America's Women" (as the signage on the podium declares, the crowd, while heavily female, still includes a fair number of males. The press section is not yet full. We still have some time until the event will start - as is typical of Obama events, the doors have to open well early to clear people through security.
Here's my plan. Until the event starts I may respond directly to comments. While the event is going on, once the speaking has started, I will be busy enough posting updates to this story. I make no claims to my skills as a live-blogger, so we will see what happens.
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12:22 - said hello to the Mayor of Alexandria. One end is now completely full, and people are now being seated at the other end. I will check to get an idea of capacity - expected attendance if i get a chance.
Behind the podium is a small set of bleachers pulled out on which supporters are seating. On the rest of the bleachers on that side hang three American flags, two on either side in portrait, and the immediately behind in the center landscape, as we would expect to view the flag.
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12:30 just spoke with Todd Smyth. He says they handed out 2,500 tickets in about an hour and have a waiting list of 20,000. I spoke with a reporter from a major Virginia paper who said he could believe the first, but questioned the second, particularly after the inflated numbers the press was given for the event at Nissan Pavilion.
There is music playing, although the sound somewhat gets lost in the size of this arena. Periodically various chants start up among the supporters, variants on Yes We Can - the most recent being responded to with Rock the Vote.
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12:45 more familiar faces - David Marsden and Judy Feder. And Gerry Connolly making the rounds, with George Burke always nearby.
Unions for Obama - so far I have seen yellow for UFCW for Obama, purple for SEIU for Obama, and blue for NEA for Obama - gee, I qualify for the last . . . maybe I'll see where I can get one, even though he just got booed at the convention for continuing to advocate for merit pay.
12:51 - some opening remarks by a Fairfax County organizer named Cindy - working on pumping up the crowd. Thanking everyone for being here. When she says she is a former teacher (gets cheered) -
gives instructions - take out cell phone or ink pen and pad -- announcing that new Obama hdqtrs opening in a week in Fairfax - no phones yet, but address: 11186 Lee Highway (intersection with Jermantown Rd near Camp Washington).
with cell phone you can subscribe by texting BAtoOBAMA62262 - asking people to put it in right now.
12:54 update there will be one fulltime organizer in each Fairfax magisterial district.
Local website for notices - va.barackobama.com
12:57 update - instructing people to fill out the information card they all received on way in - ask for email and cell phone, and especially getting people to commit to being part of their precinct team - there is nothing more important that you can do in this election than to check this box. Fill it out now, and be sure to turn it in on your way out.
1;00 update Gerry Connolly introduced at 12:58 - "when you are a warmup speaker, you know your place."
Looking around, the place is pretty full, but the press row is pretty empty.
General remarks by Connolly. Talks about converting GA delegation from county from 13-13 to 22-4 in 6 years.
and cheers for ending war and taking care of veterans.
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1:25 - Anne Holton doing his introduction. Talking about herself being a working mom. things like that.
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Not all women have had advantages I have had. Some are single moms. A lot of people are suffering, but it falls very hard on women. Talks about women who came before her in her role as a family court judge. In toughest cases she them being overwhelmed, even becoming unable to care for their children Had they had the support, the jobs, perhaps they could have stayed out of court. We need policies that support working women. We need someone in Washington to turn around the policies to help working women.. .
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1:31 we need someone in washington ... Sen. Obama is that man. She talks about his record in Illinois, and in Washington. Americans, and especially Virginians, have a critical choice this november.
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Obama now speaking - starting with the normal thanks - school folks, Gerry Connolly, recognizes Judy Feder, ... and now he is talking ab out the volunteer cards.
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a few opening remarks - wonderful to be back in Virginia. We did well in the primary in VA and we want to do well in general (loud cheers). I want to spend time here to talk about economic challenges everyone is facing, but women in particular. Come as a father of two young daughters, a son, a grandson and a husband who ahs een women in his life confront so many of the challenges -- [normal recounting facts of his background]
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1:38 his mother, his grandmother, notes that when grandfather came home from WWII he got GI Bill, but his grandmother didn't, even though she worked in bomber factory. Talks about even though she didn't go to college, ultimately becoming first women VP of a Bank in Hawaii, but still hitting a glass ceiling, even having to train people less qualified than she was.
Now talking about Michelle
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[I probably should have been adding new material at the top. I will begin to do so]
---random snarky thought---
Do you think Obama will take a page from the McCain playbook and call Social Security an "Absolute Disgrace"? Maybe he could follow up and call Medicare an abomination, Amtrak the work of the devil, and congress a boil. It must be fun to be a McCain speech writer.
"Democrat Barack Obama ridiculed an economic adviser to Republican rival John McCain on Thursday for dubbing the United States "a nation of whiners" and suggesting the country is in a "mental recession."
Phil Gramm, a former Texas senator who is a vice chairman of the Swiss bank UBS, made the remarks in an interview with The Washington Times. Gramm has a doctorate in economics.
"America already has one Dr. Phil. We don't need another one when it comes to the economy," Obama said during a town-hall event focused on helping women advance economically.
Obama drew cheers and laughter with that comment and boos and hisses when he read Gramm's quotes to the crowd. He contrasted them with rising gas and food prices, home foreclosures and job layoffs.
"It's not just a figment of your imagination," Obama said. "Let's be clear. This economic downturn is not in your head."
"It isn't whining to ask government to step in and give families some relief," he said, drawing a standing ovation from the nearly 3,000 people in a high school gymnasium. "And I think it's time we had a president who doesn't deny our problems or blame the American people for them but takes responsibility and provides the leadership to solve them."
Wish I had been there for that one. Now, let's see if Wolf Blitzer mentions this misstep by the McSame campaign. I bet he won't...
On the FISA question, in my opinion he made a nuanced but not weak answer. Actually, it sounded very much like the answer Senator Webb gave at his book signing on Tuesday at Politics and Prose. Obama did acknowledge that Bush was undoubtedly the one who violated the law, rather than the telecoms; this version of FISA insists that in future the President must work through the FISA courts. Personally, I suspect that the telecom immunity was inserted in the bill to protect Bush more than the telecoms, and I hope to write a brief on the matter soon.
Nor, as far as I know, is there any mandate to discard all material previously obtained illegally.
I'm sorry, on this one I am with Russ Feingold.
Another possible misstatement was his lack of clarity when he was talking about paying no Capital Gains taxes. If he were to eliminate capital gains taxes, executives could easily switch much of their compensation to stock options purchased at pennies on the dollar then sold at the end of the holding period for market value.
I also happen to think he misstates things on education, but I know there are important people working on that, so I am not going to go into detail here.
What I would like to ask Obama and Webb is: "can you guarantee that surveillance has not been used, nor will it in the future be used, for domestic political purposes?" I am convinced in my own mind that the surveillance has indeed been used to mine info on politicians and then been used by Bush to blackmail them in one way or another. A special algorithm here, another algorithm there, and presto! you know more about your subject than he knows about himself. Bush-Cheney already equate disagreement with their policies as treason or incipient treason, as near as I can tell.
Bush has never obeyed the law anyway. I await his signing statement on FISA when he signs.
Remember we are dealing with a criminal administration here. Congress can regulate until it is blue in the face and that won't change. We also will not prosecute any members of the administration for anything as long as Bush has pardoning power.
I got a good laugh watching Channel 7 news (at 5pm) when they showed women supporting McCain at the opening of his headquarters in Fairfax County. Who was leading the charge: Susan Allen. Yeah, she knows how to call 'em.
Also- I was particularly impressed that he took the time to have his excellent campaign and secret service staff collect at least 50+ books which he autographed!
Only critique is that this event was really only promoted to existing local party email lists (besides the Obama campaign email)
Perhaps this was done to ensure a friendly crowd, but if the point is to win the election- For me it does not make a lot of sense to invite people to events that are already voting for you.
Be nice to see him do something that was strictly limited to the 18-30 crowd
