A Blog Called Hope

Senator Reed and Senator Obama arrive in the Middle East to discuss terrorism and the United States’ role in the region

Yesterday, Senator Barack Obama met with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to pledge his support to the Afghani government with their ongoing struggle with al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters. Senator Obama reinforced his position that winning the battle in Afghanistan, coupled with finding al-Qaeda leadership in the region, are major linchpins in winning the war on terror.

Senator Obama, Senator Reed, and Senator Hagel (R-NE) released a joint statement about the trip and our country’s role in helping combat terrorism in the conflict ravaged region and across the globe.

“Our message to the Afghan government is this: We want a strong partnership based on ‘more for more’ — more resources from the United States and NATO, and more action from the Afghan government to improve the lives of the Afghan people. We need a sense of urgency and determination. We need urgency because the threat from the Taliban and al-Qaida is growing and we must act; we need determination because it will take time to prevail. But with the right strategy and the resources to back it up, we will get the job done.” -Sen. Obama, Sen. Reed, Sen. Hagel, June 20, 2008.

In between touring Afghanistan and meeting local leaders and U.S. troops, Senator Obama found time to sit down and speak to “Face the Nation”. To view his interview, click on the video below.

As well, early this morning the three Senators landed in Iraq to meet with Iraqi PM al-Maliki. The group will discuss the Iraq War and a timetable for U.S. withdrawal; a move al-Maliki has publicly supported.

For more information on Obama and Reed’s trip, visit the Washington Post, CNN, or Associated Press.

The Women’s Caucus of the RI Democratic Party is seeking new and active members. The RIDWC seeks to organize, recruit, prepare and support women who wish to become politically involved in running for office and/or raising awareness of women’s issues such as pay equity, domestic violence and education.

We are hoping to recruit activists: women who want to have a direct impact on the political discussion in Rhode Island and bring women’s issues to the forefront.

Yearly membership is $20.00.

For more information, please email women@ridemocrats.org or check out our WEBSITE or join our FACEBOOK group here.

Aiming to address the mortgage and credit crunch, Senator Whitehouse meets with Rhode Islanders

With home foreclosures and rising interest rates on loans continuing to rise, Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse convened with residents of the state to discuss the crisis. In order to garner a better understanding of the personal plight of many Rhode Islanders, Whitehouse and others met at the Urban League of Rhode Island in Providence last night.

Senator Whitehouse ensured the attendees, and the people of Rhode Island, that he understands the dilemma and that his “interest is renewed” in helping to resolve the many problems associated with the current credit crisis.

To do that, Senator Whitehouse is in the process of introducing legislation that would encourage lenders to maintain reasonable interests rates.

For more on this story, visit the Providence Journal.

In his own speech, John McCain responds to Obama and stands by the war in Iraq

Following Senator Obama’s lead, John McCain outlined his own plans for US foreign policy.

His major linchpin, as always, is the need for the United States to remain in Iraq for the foreseeable future.

“It is precisely the success of the surge in Iraq that shows us the way to succeed in Afghanistan. It is by applying the tried and true principles of counter-insurgency used in the surge — which Senator Obama opposed — that we will win in Afghanistan. With the right strategy and the right forces, we can succeed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I know how to win wars.” -John McCain, July 15, 2008.

Hmm. Interesting.

John McCain knows how to win wars? History tells us that McCain has never been served as a General or Commander in Chief; so what qualifies him to say he “knows how to win wars”???

Aside from that obvious misstatement, there also remains McCain’s questioning of Senator Obama’s position on Iraq. Never has Senator Obama proclaimed our fate in Iraq is certain failure, never has he speculated that we cannot win both Iraq and Afghanistan. Senator Obama’s position, which McCain and his supporters are ignorant to, is that we should seek outside assistance in Iraq to enable the United States to re-focus our efforts in the war on terror ON terrorists, including bin Laden, sitting pretty in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

For a man who attempts to convey that he is a different person than President Bush and paints himself as a straight-talking independent thinker, it sure seems that John McCain has fully subscribed to the failed foreign policies of the Bush administration. This is the same ’stay the course’ mentality that has kept over 100,000 of our brave men and women in harms way. This is the same misguided, and detrimentally stubborn, attitude that permeated throughout our government during the 60s and 70s when McCain himself was serving our country.

Instead of offering something new, something that may in fact turn the tide in our country’s favor, it certainly appears that The McCain “straight talk express” has taken a detour down some perilous routes that Bush and Nixon have traveled in the past.

Citing Iraq, Senator Obama emphasizes the need to repair foreign relationships and shift our focus to adequately combating terrorism abroad

Proclaiming that the Bush administration, along with John McCain, have been misguided in their war on terror, Senator Obama re-emphasized his plans to withdraw troops from Iraq and refocusing our military efforts on finding Osama bin Laden and terrorist leadership where they truly are.

“In fact – as should have been apparent to President Bush and Senator McCain – the central front in the war on terror is not Iraq, and it never was. That’s why the second goal of my new strategy will be taking the fight to al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan… Al Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia. If another attack on our homeland comes, it will likely come from the same region where 9/11 was planned. And yet today, we have five times more troops in Iraq than Afghanistan.” -Senator Obama, July 15, 2008.

Along with responsibly ending the conflict in Iraq and capturing Osama bin Laden and other terrorist leadership, Senator Obama outlined three additional foreign policy goals his administration will have:

• Securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue nations

• Achieving true energy security

• Rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century

Senator Obama proclaimed that we must rebuild the bridges the Bush administration has broken, and learn from our own history as a nation. What made America great and prosperous was our amicable relationships with foreign nations and our genuine sense of justice and democracy.

Barack Obama acknowledged that the past eight years have set us back, but he has also realized that these are challenges that can be, and must be, overcome in order for America to return to prominence on the world stage and ensure our everlasting safety. Senator Obama concluded his remarks by accurately asserting, “We know what is needed. We know what can best be done. We know what must done. Now it falls to us to act with the same sense of purpose and pragmatism as an earlier generation, to join with friends and partners to lead the world anew.”

For a transcript of Senator Obama’s speech, click here.

Senator Obama’s campaign has released its latest ad, touting Obama’s strong record on combating terrorism and keeping Americans safe

McCain backtracks on support of Iraq war and President Bush, in direct conflict with past assertions

Given the length of the conflict, and slumping position in world affairs, there are few things the American people are more concerned about than ending the war in Iraq and bringing our brave men and women home.

Sensing this ever-present reality, John McCain’s camp has ramped up the anti-Bush/Iraq war machine.

On Meet the Press this past weekend, McCain Victory ‘08 Chair Carly Fiorina sidestepped from McCain’s history of support of President Bush and his war on Iraq.

“To say John McCain was aligned with President Bush on the prosecution of the war in Iraq is to change history.” -Carly Fiorina, July 13, 2008.

The only persons hoping to alter history is the McCain camp. The truth of the matter is that John McCain was one of the leading proponents of the war in Iraq, and even when the battle began to go array, McCain steadfastly supported the President’s decision to go to war and strategies implemented during the war.

“I think the President has led with great clarity and I think he’s done a great job leading the country.” -John McCain, April 23, 2003.

“We’ve got to stay the course.” -John McCain, June 29, 2005.

McCain and his supporters continue to feed the American public what they want to hear, all the while leaving the truth behind a smokescreen of lies. McCain’s history is one of prolonged Bush and Iraq war support coupled with public double-talk and political deceit.

We have recently created a Rhode Island Democratic Party Facebook page! Learn about upcoming events and politicitans, view videos and pictures, get up-to-date news and information and interact with other RI Democratic Party supporters!

In addition to our own page, the Women’s Caucus has created a Facebook group to enable members to network and stay up-to-date with the latest happenings! Check it out today.

McCain and adviser Gramm proclaim America’s economic troubles are merely “psychological”, and that we should all stop “whining”

McCain campaign co-chair Phil Gramm recently ruffled voters’ feathers when he asserted that we, as a nation, are merely a bunch of “whiners” and have merely conjured up our economic struggles.

Realizing that the comments were both insensitive and ill-informed, McCain quickly sidestepped from Gramm’s comments at a recent appearance. However, McCain did echo that economic struggles are just a figment of our collective imagination.

“I think, psychologically — and a lot of our problems today, as you know, are psychological …A little psychological boost. Lets have some straight talk. Its not a huge amount of money… a little psychological boost, that’s what I think it would help.” -John McCain

Straight talk huh? Downplaying the exorbitant gas prices and devastating mortgage crisis makes you a ’straight-shooter’?…

In the video below, John McCain condemns Gramm’s comments while mirroring those assertions in one of his own speeches. This is yet another example of the desperate double-talk the American people are seeing from the McCain camp on a regular basis.

Congressman Langevin hosts Homeland Security field hearing

Today’s press release from Congressman Langevin’s office:

Congressman Jim Langevin will preside over a field hearing on Tuesday, July 22, that is expected to explore where Rhode Island and the nation are when it comes to responding to a biological threat, including pandemic influenza.

“Throughout my tenure on the Homeland Security Committee I have made it a point to investigate our country’s level of preparedness to handle naturally occurring and manmade biological threats,” said Langevin, Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology. “This field hearing will examine the progress and challenges in obtaining the resources and guidance necessary to prepare for and respond to contagious biological threats. I am looking forward to hearing from a variety of federal and state agencies on how best to prepare and safeguard our communities.”

Langevin, along with other members of Congress, will hear from two panels. The first panel will include witnesses from the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services. Representatives from the Rhode Island Department of Health, Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, Rhode Island National Guard and Lifespan will participate in the second panel.

Who: Congressman Jim Langevin
What: Homeland Security Field Hearing: Emerging Biological Threats & Public Health Preparedness
When: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 – - 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Rhode Island State House, Room 313
Providence, RI 02903