Obama's run for president reminds me of something Henry Aaron said

[rurallib]

back in the '70s. As he approached the Babe's record, Henry began speaking out. One of his statements was something to the effect that a black player had to be twice as good as a white player to earn a starting job.
I think about that all the time as I watch the Obama campaign. McCain basically gets a pass. Hillary has done some real damage to the party. Yet if Obama happens to ba in the same town as someone who says some really strange stuff, Obama is forced to apologize for it.
Keep swinging Barack.

[baldguy]

1. Obama has to twice as good even to be considered for the White House.

He is, and then some.

[styersc]

2. Twice as good

without the experience or maturity.

or

Prove me wrong.

Fill in any of the following blanks

1). As a community organizer Obama was unique in that he accomplished to _________________________.

2). As a volunteer attorney he won the following judgement for the out of work steel workers that he represented____________________.

3). In the Illinois Senate Obama distinguished himself by authoring and championing __________________________ legislation.

4). Obama's stellar US Senate career is marked by his ability to get _________________________ passed.

5). Obama has changed the national dialogue by introdcuing ____________________________ as an issue.

[gristy]

3. If I fill them in will you vote for Obama?

[styersc]

4. Give it a shot.

[styersc]

6. Obama has absoultely no career accomplishments?

I have no takers to this challenge?

Let me guess- rather then making a contribution, Obama supporters are all voting "Present".

[SwampG8r]

7. actually

we just refuse to play a game that the loser feels entitled to make rules for
if you wont vote for the dem nominee then fuck you you dont deserve an answer
hurry over to mccain hes waiting for you

[styersc]

8. What will be your answer to voters in the general election?

Is Obama going to accomplished anything between now and November since no one can tell me what he has accomplished up till now?

[SwampG8r]

18. you wont listen you only ask so you

can later act unimpressed by the answers

[styersc]

9. Still waiting for answers.

chirp, chirp, chirp

[FrenchieCat]

11. Please see post #10

[FrenchieCat]

10. I accept your challenge in filling in the blanks:

1). As a community organizer Obama was unique in that he accomplished:

A huge black turnout in November 1992 altered Chicago's electoral landscape—and raised a new political star: a 31-year-old lawyer named Barack Obama.

In the final, climactic buildup to November's general election, with George Bush gaining ground on Bill Clinton in Illinois and the once-unstoppable campaign of senatorial candidate Carol Moseley Braun embroiled in allegations about her mother's Medicare liability, one of the most important local stories managed to go virtually unreported: The number of new voter registrations before the election hit an all-time high. And the majority of those new voters were black. More than 150,000 new African-American voters were added to the city's rolls. In fact, for the first time in Chicago's history-including the heyday of Harold Washington-voter registrations in the 19 predominantly black wards outnumbered those in the city's 19 predominantly white ethnic wards, 676,000 to 526,000.
None of this, of course, was accidental. The most effective minority voter registration drive in memory was the result of careful handiwork by Project Vote!, the local chapter of a not-for-profit national organization.

"It was the most efficient campaign I have seen in my 20 years in politics," says Sam Burrell, alderman of the West Side's 29th Ward and a veteran of many registration drives.

At the head of this effort was a little-known 31-year-old African-American lawyer, community organizer, and writer: Barack Obama.
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-1993/Vote-of-Confidence

2). As a volunteer attorney he won the following judgement for the out of work steel workers that he represented-

A History of Standing Up for Workers
Barack Obama has spent his entire career standing up for working families. As a community organizer, an Illinois State Senator, and a U.S. Senator, he’s worked to improve our jobs and our lives.

As a community organizer and a civil rights lawyer, Barack Obama:

Moved to the South Side of Chicago to organize neighborhoods hit hard by steel plant closings. He spent three years setting up job training programs and helping workers find new jobs.
Saved vital bus lines from being cut so workers could get to their jobs.
Created after school programs for kids so their parents could support their families and worked with churches to create safer neighborhoods.
Worked closely with SEIU members to register more than 100,000 new voters and elect pro-working family politicians.

Championed a lawsuit in Illinois, implementing motor voter legislation to make it easier for working people to become registered voters.
http://www.walkadayinmyshoes2008.com/a-history-of-standing-up-for-w/

3). In the Illinois Senate Obama distinguished himself by authoring and championing legislation.

Obama proposed requiring that interrogations and confessions be videotaped.
This seemed likely to stop the beatings, but the bill itself aroused immediate opposition. There were Republicans who were automatically tough on crime and Democrats who feared being thought soft on crime. There were death penalty abolitionists, some of whom worried that Obama's bill, by preventing the execution of innocents, would deprive them of their best argument. Vigorous opposition came from the police, too many of whom had become accustomed to using muscle to "solve" crimes. And the incoming governor, Rod Blagojevich, announced that he was against it.
Obama had his work cut out for him.
<>
The police tried to limit the videotaping to confessions, but Obama, knowing that the beatings were most likely to occur during questioning, fought -- successfully -- to keep interrogations included in the required videotaping.

Then he talked Blagojevich into signing the bill, making Illinois the first state to require such videotaping.
---------
Obama didn't stop there. He played a major role in passing many other bills, including the state's first earned-income tax credit to help the working poor

and the first ethics and campaign finance law in 25 years (a law a Post story said made Illinois "one of the best in the nation on campaign finance disclosure").
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/03/AR2008010303303_pf.html

4). Obama's stellar US Senate career is marked by his ability to get

Ethics and Lobbying Reform

Throughout his political career, Barack Obama has been a leader in fighting for open and honest government. During his first year as an Illinois State Senator, he helped lead the fight to pass Illinois' first ethics reform bill in 25 years. As a U.S. Senator, he has spearheaded the effort to clean up Washington in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal.

Senator Obama is one of the authors of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (S. 2180). The bill would lengthen the cooling off period to two years for lawmakers and staff who seek to become lobbyists, and it would require immediate disclosure as soon as any job negotiations begin.

The bill would open conference committee meetings to the public and require that all bills be posted on the Internet for 24 hours before they can be voted on by the Senate. Finally, the bill would end all lobbyist-funded gifts, meals, and travel and strengthen the Senate office that monitors lobbyist disclosure forms.

In addition, Senator Obama has sponsored three other ethics-related bills:

The Congressional Ethics Enforcement Commission Act (S. 2259) The bill would create an outside ethics commission to receive complaints from the public on alleged ethics violations by members of Congress, staff, and lobbyists. The commission would have the authority to investigate complaints and present public findings of fact about possible violations to the House and Senate Ethics Committee and Justice Department. By taking the initial fact finding out of the hands of members of Congress, who are often reluctant to investigate their colleagues, the bill ensures prompt and fair disposition of public complaints.

To avoid manipulation of the commission for political purposes, any person filing a complaint that they knew to be false would be subject to a fine and/or imprisonment. No complaints could be filed against a member of Congress for 30 days before a primary election and 60 days before a general election.

The bill has been widely endorsed by reform groups. According to Common Cause, "this legislation would do more to reform ethics and lobbying than any other piece of legislation introduced thus far because it goes to the heart of the problem: enforcement."

Public Citizen praised Senator Obama "for having the courage to challenge the business-as-usual environment on Capitol Hill and introduce far-reaching legislation." Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington stated: "This is the first bill that deals seriously with the lack of oversight and enforcement in the existing congressional ethics process. . . . This bill will help restore Americans' confidence in the integrity of Congress.

The Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act (S. 2261)
The bill would shed light on the almost 16,000 earmarks that were included in spending bills in 2005. Under the bill, all earmarks, including the name of the requestor and a justification for the earmark, would have to be disclosed 72 hours before they could be considered by the full Senate. Senators would be prohibited from advocating for an earmark if they have a financial interest in the project or earmark recipient. And, earmark recipients would have to disclose to an Office of Public Integrity the amount that they have spent on registered lobbyists and the names of those lobbyists.

The Curtailing Lobbyist Effectiveness through Advance Notification, Updates, and Posting Act (The CLEAN UP Act) (S. 2179)
The bill aims to improve public access to information about all legislation, including conference reports and appropriations legislation, in particular after hurried, end-of-session negotiations. Conference committee meetings and deliberations would have to be open to the public or televised, and conference reports would have to identify changes made to the bill from the House and Senate versions. Finally, no bill could be considered by the full Senate unless the measure has been made available to all Senators and the general public on the Internet for at least 72 hours.


Destroying Surplus and Unguarded Conventional Weapons
After visiting weapons stockpiles in Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, Senators Lugar and Obama introduced S. 2566, which would expand the cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons.

Sex Offenders
Senator Obama cosponsored Dru's Law (S. 792) which creates a nationwide sex offender database and requires greater monitoring of sex offenders upon their release from prison. The bill passed the Senate on July 28, 2005.

He also cosponsored the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. This bill increases the penalties for sex crimes against children under the age of 12, and creates a national Internet site known as the National Sex Offender Public Registry. The bill will also provide grants to local law enforcement to assist in preventing and investigating sex crimes against minors.


Violence Against Women Act
Senator Obama cosponsored extension of Violence Against Women Act (S. 1197), which passed the Senate on October 4, 2005, and was signed into law. The Act provides increased funds to law enforcement to combat violence against women. It also establishes a sexual assault services program and provides grants for education programs to prevent domestic violence and encourage reporting of abuses.


The Senate Immigration Bill
Senator Obama played a key role in the crafting of the immigration reform bill that the Senate passed in May 2006. The bill, which President Bush supports, would provide more funds and technology for border security and prevent employers from skirting our laws by hiring illegal immigrants. The bill also would provide immigrants who are now contributing and responsible members of society an opportunity to remain in the country and earn citizenship. But not all illegal immigrants would be guaranteed the right to remain in the U.S. under this proposal; they would first have to pay a substantial fine and back taxes, learn English, satisfy a work requirement, and pass a criminal background check.

Senator Obama offered three amendments that were included in the Senate bill. The first amendment strengthens the requirement that a job be offered at a prevailing wage to American workers before it is offered to a guestworker. The second amendment makes it simple, but mandatory, for employers to verify that their employees are legally eligible to work in the United States. And the third amendment authorizes $3 million a year for the FBI to improve the speed and accuracy of the background checks required for immigrants seeking to become citizens.


Drinking Water Security
Senator Obama drafted an amendment, which was included in the Safe Drinking Water Act, which passed the EPW Committee on July 20, 2005. The Obama amendment would provide $37.5 million over the next five years to protect the country's drinking water from a terrorist attack. It also instructs Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control to develop the tools needed by drinking water systems to detect and respond to the introduction of biological, chemical, and radiological contaminants by terrorists.

Greater Funding for Veterans Health Care
As early as February 2005, Senator Obama warned of a shortfall in the VA budget. Four months later, the VA reported that in fact it had more than a $1 billion shortfall. Senator Obama cosponsored a bill that led to a $1.5 billion increase in veterans' medical care. During the debate on the Fiscal Year 2007 budget, Senator Obama cosponsored measures that would have provided additional funding increases for veterans.

In September 2006, Senator Obama introduced the Lane Evans Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act (S. 3988) to improve the VA’s planning process to avoid budget shortfalls in the future. The bill requires the VA and the Department of Defense to work together and share data so that we know precisely how many troops will be returning home and entering the VA system.

Homeless Veterans
Every year, 400,000 veterans across the country, including an estimated 38,000 in Chicago, spend some time living on the streets. Senator Obama has been a leader in fighting homelessness among veterans. He authored the Sheltering All Veterans Everywhere Act (SAVE Act) (S. 1180) to strengthen and expand federal homeless veteran programs that serve over 100,000 homeless veterans annually. During the debate on the Fiscal Year 2007 budget, Senator Obama passed an amendment to increase funding for homeless veterans programs by $40 million. These funds would benefit programs that provide food, clothing, mental health and substance abuse counseling, and employment and housing assistance to homeless veterans.

In June 2006, Senator Obama introduced the Homes for Heroes Act (S. 3475), which would expand access to long-term affordable housing for homeless veterans by setting aside $225 million to purchase, build or rehabilitate homes and apartments for veterans. The legislation would also greatly expand existing veterans rental assistance programs and create a new office within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to coordinate services to homeless veterans.

Food for Recovering Soldiers
Senator Obama introduced an amendment that became law providing food services to wounded veterans receiving physical therapy or rehabilitation services at military hospitals. Previously, service members receiving physical therapy or rehabilitation services in a medical hospital for more than 90 days were required to pay for their meals.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and TBI
Senator Obama fought a VA proposal that would have required a reexamination of all PTSD cases in which full benefits were granted. He and Senator Durbin passed an amendment that has become law preventing the VA from conducting a review of cases, without first providing Congress with a complete report regarding the implementation of such review. In November 2005, the VA announced that it was abandoning its planned review.

Senator Obama passed an amendment to ensure that all service members returning from Iraq are properly screened for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). TBI is being called the signature injury of the Iraq war. The blast from improvised explosive devices can jar the brain, causing bruising or permanent damage. Concussions can have huge health effects including slowed thinking, headaches, memory loss, sleep disturbance, attention and concentration deficits, and irritability.

Easing the Transition to the VA Senator Obama passed an amendment that became law requiring the Department of Defense (DOD) to report to Congress on the delayed development of an electronic medical records system compatible with the VA's electronic medical records system. DOD's delay in developing such a system has created obstacles for service members transitioning into the VA health care system.

In September 2006, Senator Obama introduced the Lane Evans Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act (S. 3988) which would help veterans transition from the DOD health system to the VA system by extending the window in which new veterans can get mental health care from two years to five years. The Lane Evans bill also would improve transition services for members of the National Guard and Reserves.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633

Global Poverty Act of 2007
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA) today hailed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's passage of the Global Poverty Act (S.2433), which requires the President to develop and implement a comprehensive policy to cut extreme global poverty in half by 2015 through aid, trade, debt relief, and coordination with the international community, businesses and NGOs. This legislation was introduced in December. Smith and Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) sponsored the House version of the bill (H.R. 1302), which passed the House last September.
http://obama.senate.gov/

5). Obama has changed the national dialogue by introducing as issues.

Obama reminds voters he never supported Iraq war
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/07/11/news/state/doc469454a4442c3328493206.txt

Online strategy has determined much of the outcome of the Democratic presidential race, argues a prominent advertising executive.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/29/technology/leonard_politics.fortune/index.htm

Obama Campaign Builds Unprecedented Grassroots Internet-Based Movement
http://jimbuie.blogs.com/journal/2008/03/since-1995-ive.html

OBAMA CAMP HITS 1.5 MILLION DONORS
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/06/obama-camp-hits-15-millio_n_100352.html

Obama to Launch National Voter Registration Campaign
http://www.futuremajority.com/node/1138

Obama: I'll review every Bush executive order with my AG & overturn any that violate Constitutionhttp://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6162011

[Exultant Democracy]

14. I'll kick for this post.

[BlooInBloo]

15. Yes, but what has he DONE?

:rofl:

[styersc]

16. You have cited several examples of bills that Obama has

recognized as politically popular and added his name. Could you plerase cite one piece of legislation for which Sen Obama is the senior author for which he has argued and convinced colleagues to support?

Also, you have cited blog pieces and opinion pieces written by supporters. Anything from objective sources?

Also could you explain why the Senator's record has so many "present" votes rather then votes in the affrirmative or negative, particularly if your answer involves his fear of taking a stand on any issue so he would not have to explain himself in a presidential bid that he had planned from the beginning of his very young career?

[BlooInBloo]

17. "objectiver". 'Nuff said.

[styersc]

19. What's "'Nuff"?

[BlooInBloo]

20. Be careful about pretending to be stupider than you already look... You might convince us.

[SwampG8r]

23. i am convinced

he is exactly that stupid
this is the new troll game
say ridiculous crap and then
'what will you do without our votes in the GE dont be mean to us"
blah blah blah
you couldnt be more of a troll if i dragged you behind my boat with a hook through you




eta sorry bloo i responded to you and not to the troll this is meant for the one you are responding to also

[BlooInBloo]

25. :) I understood. Oh, well, too late. lol!

[SwampG8r]

21. as i noted

he only seeks to get answers so as to dispute them or claim they do not answer his rigged questions
pure and simple disruption tactic

[FrenchieCat]

27. It is one thing for you to have some questions,

and I don't have a problem with that so much....as clearly exhibited by my willingness to do your research for you and answer you in a respectful manner.... However, when someone demands criterias "willy nilly", my patience gets strained.

You negate the legislations that I have listed that have passed in where he was a senior author of because? :shrug:

Can you provide your evidence that he wasn't key in passing such? Thank you.

There is no such thing as an "Objective sources" because that term is open to interpretation. So my question would be to you, what cites are you "objecting" to specifically? That might help me make a determination and bring you additional sources.

However note, I didn't realize that this was some kind of test which had certain *bars and/or Hoops* that I needed to jump over, considering that the information that I have provided is easily found on the Internet.

I suggest that you get busy in doing the rest of your research on your own, as there are only 3 more primaries are set to take place.

[styersc]

29. Let's see, you cite:

Barak Obama has worked to register voters. Although I asked for examples of leadership unique to Obama (note the original theme of the post to which I responded), I can't help but remember voter registration pushes that I, and many other Democratic activists, have been involved in as far back as the McGovern campaign. If you re trying to suggest that at 11 years old, a young Barak Hussein Obama invented pro-active voter registration drives, then I would have to be skeptical.

The e-magazine piece written by an Obama supporter paints the voter registration drive orgainzed by the Clinton and Braun campaigns as a project of Obamas that would add numbers of black voters to the rolls in numbers that would effect the outcome of elections for quite some time. The piece was accurate in that Clinton and Braun did inspire many to get registered and it did have an effect. Those voters chose to deny Obama a seat in the US Congress.

Several of the opinion pieces and blog entries written by Obama supporters that you mention allude to legislation that he co-sponsored. Lots of legislation that he allowed his name to be used by right wing Republicans to get their bills passed as bi-partisan. Republicans such as Lugar, Coburn and what's that guy's name, oh yeah, McCain. Teh pro-Obama author does however, mention his vote to form an ethics committee that has never been formed and even if formed is forbidden by law to be used during an election cycle, when it could do the most good.

Very little mention of the specifics such as his contribution to energy legislation in which he pushes for greater reliance on atomic power. Atomic power is strongly supported by his camapaign contributing lobbyists but not so much by us here in South Carolina, home of the contry's largest operating nuclear waste dump (Savannah River Site).

No explanation of all the "present" votes, or better stated, his cowardice in taking a stand on issues. (Its far better to be a blank slate, that way voters can project their hopes on to him- as he has stated in his own book). No explanation of big speeches on ending the Iraq war before he was a US Senator, but mimicing to the very letter, every one of Sen. Hillary Clinton's votes on the war while he sat as US Senator (Actually they deviated on only one vote- he voted to support the appointment of one of Bush's Generals while Senator Clinton voted against supporting President Bush).

In short, you have spouted cut and paste campaign pieces without answering the question. Please note a single example of how Obama has distinguished himself as a leader, not attached his name to other's legislation, taken credit for other's work or managed to avoid taking a stand on issues so he would have to make an argument. Don't try because short of rehashing opinion pieces from his supporters and restating campaign fliers (and the same old hollow speech he gives on the campaign trail). You can't.

Obama is certain to be the Dem nominee. If elected the country, our party and the goal of progressivism will be injured. The only thing worse then progressive ideas not getting a chance, is progressive ideas getting implemented by an inexperienced, immature administrator who was brought to power by a star struck cult rather then by reasoned adults. If Obama is to be a successful president, the first thing he will haver to do is surround himself by mature, seasoned advisors and shed himself of the children who got him into office.

[FrenchieCat]

30. You certainly don't have to vote for him......

But I think that you are full of shit.

[OzarkDem]

5. Similar to the feminist adage

"Women must work twice as hard as a man to be considered half as good. Fortunately, that's not very difficult."

[BlooInBloo]

13. Hah! Hadn't heard the last little poke before - awesome!

:rofl:

[SwampG8r]

24. the extremely sexist feminist adage

you must mean

[unblock]

32. that's not a feminist adage.

it's a man-hating adage. if you don't understand the difference, then you're not a feminist.

[BlooInBloo]

12. "It takes 10 'atta-boys' to make up for 1 'aw-shit' " is how I've heard it expressed...

... by black folks in the south.

[bigbrother05]

22. Always heard: 100 atta-boys are wiped out by1 aw-shit

[kwenu]

26. He's going to keep swinging and knocking it out of the park!

[Butch350]

28. Jason Nesmith Says...

"Never Give Up - Never Surrender"!

[IndianaJones]

31. smart guy Aaron....endorsed Hillary Clinton. nt.