Posted on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 by campaign2008
In a speech in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) again attacked proposals for a gas tax holiday. Obama said he, like Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), favors a windfall profits tax on oil companies, and that he would “invest that money in clean, affordable, renewable sources of energy like wind power, and solar power, and biofuels, so that we’re not here talking about high gas prices next summer, and the summer after that, and five summers after that.”
Responding to reports of poor housing conditions for soldiers at Fort Bragg, Clinton sent a letter Tuesday to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin calling for hearings to evaluate housing “at all installations which will need to accommodate service members returning from Iraq or Afghanistan.”
Posted in Energy Policy, General Election, Morning Update | 0 Comments »
Posted on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 by campaign2008
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) on Monday released a plan to combat record high gas prices. According to the plan, Clinton would file a complaint with the World Trade Organization against OPEC countries to pressure them to up oil production. She would also stop new additions to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and be ready to “release oil to counter market spikes and reduce volatility.”
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) on Monday criticized Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) plan for a “gas tax holiday” as ineffective. Obama said consumers would save minimal amounts of money and bigger issues still need to be addressed (WSJ) . Clinton, on the other hand, has expressed support for a suspension of the gas tax during peak summer months.
Posted in Energy Policy, General Election, Morning Update | 0 Comments »
Posted on Monday, April 28th, 2008 by campaign2008
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) said on Fox News Sunday he plans to vote to confirm Gen. David Petraeus as head of Central Command, and praised Petraeus for having done a “a good tactical job in Iraq.”
Separately, Obama said in a weekend statement that he is “deeply concerned” about the situation in Zimbabwe. He said Washington should work with the South African Development Community, the African Union, and the UN Security Council “to join together in condemning the current crackdown.” He also said the United States should “stand ready to support efforts to hold the perpetrators of human rights abuses accountable for their actions.”
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) released a plan Sunday to protect members of the military from home foreclosures. The plan includes an “absolute moratorium” on foreclosures while service members are serving combat tours.
Posted in Africa, General Election, Military, Morning Update | 0 Comments »
Posted on Friday, April 25th, 2008 by campaign2008
“It’s time for aggressive diplomacy that verifiably ends North Korea’s nuclear progr
ams and accounts for all its proliferation activities. Until we are able to confirm that North Korea is no longer in the nuclear proliferation business, the United States should not lift sanctions on Pyongyang.”
–Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), in a statement Friday on reports of North Korea’s nuclear cooperation with Syria.
Posted in General Election, Quote of the Day | 0 Comments »
Posted on Friday, April 25th, 2008 by campaign2008
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) outlined her plan to strengthen the U.S. military in a press release Thursday. Her agenda includes ending the stop-loss policy that obliges soldiers to stay in the military for multiple tours of duty. She also intends to create a “GI Bill for the 21st Century” that would offer expanded benefits to veterans, as well as a program that would provide veterans with “no-collateral, low-interest microloans of up to $100,000 for entrepreneurial ventures.”
Adviser Dan Shapiro told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) would “do everything in his power to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons and that all options are on the table, including military options,” but said he does not think discussing hypothetical situations concerning a nuclear Iran is productive.
Posted in General Election, Iran, Military, Morning Update | 0 Comments »
Posted on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 by Robert McMahon
TIME takes a look at the promotion of the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, and the intersection with the presidential campaign. To begin with, Democratic candidates Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), who have called for a major troop withdrawal from Iraq, will need to vote in the coming weeks on Petraeus’ promotion to head Centcom, the U.S. strategic command for the Middle East region. His presence will also raise questions about the long-term prospects for the surge strategy in Iraq as well as counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan.
The presumptive Republican candidate, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), praised the promotion of Petraeus and urged quick Senate confirmation.
Posted in Afghanistan, Iraq, Military, Morning Update | 0 Comments »
Posted on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008 by Robert McMahon
In Pennsylvania’s Democratic presidential primary Tuesday, won by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), exit polls showed voters overwhelmingly see the country as in recession and view the economy as their top concern. Both Clinton and rival Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) in their campaigning were critical of the impact of free trade agreements, especially the North American Free Trade Agreement. Those exit polled gave Clinton the edge as most capable of repairing the economy (CNN). Obama still retains the edge in delegate counting and the contest will continue with May 6 primaries in Indiana and North Carolina.
The presumptive Republican candidate, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), campaigned Tuesday in nearby Youngstown, Ohio, trying to assure a struggling industrial area. He said he could not promise lost manufacturing jobs would come back but expressed confidence that retraining and education programs could revive the region by bringing information-technology jobs (WSJ).
Meanwhile, a summit meeting involving the three parties to NAFTA — the United States, Mexico, and Canada — concluded on Tuesday with a strong endorsement of the trade deal by the countries’ leaders.
Posted in Energy Policy, Morning Update, Trade | 0 Comments »
Posted on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 by Robert McMahon
U.S. Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) head into a much-awaited Pennsylvania primary today. The Washington Post looks at the candidates’ final pitches ahead of the vote, with Clinton hoping for a wide-margin win, and Obama, who leads in the delegate count, hoping to keep things close or pull off a surprise victory. RealClearPolitics surveys the most recent polls in the state.
Pennsylvania is also being watched for signals about how it will play in the general election. The Wall Street Journal says it is seen as in some ways a microcosm of the country and has become a battleground for issues related to trade and the economy, especially related to the manufacturing sector.
A new Daily Analysis examines how both Obama and Clinton have tried to portray themselves as the candidate best suited to help workers—at times criticizing free trade in the process. A CFR.org issue tracker outlines statements of all the presidential candidates, Democrat and Republican, on trade.
Posted in Energy Policy, General Election, Morning Update, Trade | 0 Comments »
Posted on Monday, April 21st, 2008 by Robert McMahon
In campaigning for the Democratic Party’s Pennsylvania presidential primary, now just a day away, trade and globalization’s impact on manufacturing America has become a central issue. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports on how Chinese competition in steel production reflects on this debate.
The Los Angeles Times reports the presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) appears to have eased back on his plans for a more muscular ”League of Democracies.” The piece says in recent comments McCain has stressed the league would be an informal grouping of democratic nations and “does not envision military action.”
This CFR.org Issue Tracker looks at how all the presidential candidates view democracy promotion in the Arab World.
Posted in General Election, Morning Update, Trade | 0 Comments »
Posted on Friday, April 18th, 2008 by Robert McMahon
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) told Bloomberg Television he would support a Senate cap-and-trade bill on reducing greenhouse gas emissions only if there is an increased role for nuclear power. He said: “Nuclear power has to be an important part of the actions to reduce greenhouse gases.”
Campaigning in the Philadelphia suburbs, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) praised McCain (Post-Gazette) for splitting from many of his fellow Republican lawmakers by calling for tougher action on the environment. She said she would take further steps, such as becoming directly involved in creating a new international global warming pact.
A rundown of the candidates’ views, and votes, on climate change can be reviewed in this CFR Issue Tracker.
Posted in General Election | 0 Comments »
