Erie, Pa:

ARLINGTON, VA – Today, in Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S. Senator John McCain delivered the following statement regarding the current conflict between Georgia and Russia:

“Americans wishing to spend August vacationing with their families or watching the Olympics may wonder why their newspapers and television screens are filled with images of war in the small country of Georgia.  Concerns about what occurs there might seem distant and unrelated to the many other interests America has around the world.  And yet Russian aggression against Georgia is both a matter of urgent moral and strategic importance to the United States of America.

“Georgia is an ancient country, at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and one of the world’s first nations to adopt Christianity as an official religion.  After a brief period of independence following the Russian revolution, the Red Army forced Georgia to join the Soviet Union in 1922.  As the Soviet Union crumbled at the end of the Cold War, Georgia regained its independence in 1991, but its early years were marked by instability, corruption, and economic crises.

“Following fraudulent parliamentary elections in 2003, a peaceful, democratic revolution took place, led by the U.S.-educated lawyer Mikheil Saakashvili.  The Rose Revolution changed things dramatically and, following his election, President Saakashvili embarked on a series of wide-ranging and successful reforms.  I’ve met with President Saakashvili many times, including during several trips to Georgia.

“What the people of Georgia have accomplished – in terms of democratic governance, a Western orientation, and domestic reform – is nothing short of remarkable.  That makes Russia’s recent actions against the Georgians all the more alarming.  In the face of Russian aggression, the very existence of independent Georgia – and the survival of its democratically-elected government – are at stake.

“In recent days Moscow has sent its tanks and troops across the internationally recognized border into the Georgian region of South Ossetia.  Statements by Moscow that it was merely aiding the Ossetians are belied by reports of Russian troops in the region of Abkhazia, repeated Russian bombing raids across Georgia, and reports of a de facto Russian naval blockade of the Georgian coast.  Whatever tensions and hostilities might have existed between Georgians and Ossetians, they in no way justify Moscow’s path of violent aggression.  Russian actions, in clear violation of international law, have no place in 21st century Europe.

“The implications of Russian actions go beyond their threat to the territorial integrity and independence of a democratic Georgia.  Russia is using violence against Georgia, in part, to intimidate other neighbors – such as Ukraine – for choosing to associate with the West and adhering to Western political and economic values.  As such, the fate of Georgia should be of grave concern to Americans and all people who welcomed the end of a divided of Europe, and the independence of former Soviet republics.  The international response to this crisis will determine how Russia manages its relationships with other neighbors.  We have other important strategic interests at stake in Georgia, especially the continued flow of oil through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which Russia attempted to bomb in recent days; the operation of a critical communication and trade route from Georgia through Azerbaijan and Central Asia; and the integrity and influence of NATO, whose members reaffirmed last April the territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of Georgia.

“Yesterday Georgia withdrew its troops from South Ossetia and offered a ceasefire.  The Russians responded by bombing the civilian airport in Georgia’s capital, Tblisi, and by stepping up its offensive in Abkhazia.  This pattern of attack appears aimed not at restoring any status quo ante in South Ossetia, but rather at toppling the democratically elected government of Georgia.  This should be unacceptable to all the democratic countries of the world, and should draw us together in universal condemnation of Russian aggression.

“Russian President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin must understand the severe, long-term negative consequences that their government’s actions will have for Russia’s relationship with the U.S. and Europe.  It is time we moved forward with a number of steps.

“The United States and our allies should continue efforts to bring a resolution before the UN Security Council condemning Russian aggression, noting the withdrawal of Georgian troops from South Ossetia, and calling for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgian territory.  We should move ahead with the resolution despite Russian veto threats, and submit Russia to the court of world public opinion.

“NATO’s North Atlantic Council should convene in emergency session to demand a ceasefire and begin discussions on both the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to South Ossetia and the implications for NATO’s future relationship with Russia, a Partnership for Peace nation.  NATO’s decision to withhold a Membership Action Plan for Georgia might have been viewed as a green light by Russia for its attacks on Georgia, and I urge the NATO allies to revisit the decision.

“The Secretary of State should begin high-level diplomacy, including visiting Europe, to establish a common Euro-Atlantic position aimed at ending the war and supporting the independence of Georgia.  With the same aim, the U.S. should coordinate with our partners in Germany, France, and Britain, to seek an emergency meeting of the G-7 foreign ministers to discuss the current crisis.  The visit of French President Sarkozy to Moscow this week is a welcome expression of transatlantic activism.

“Working with allied partners, the U.S. should immediately consult with the Ukrainian government and other concerned countries on steps to secure their continued independence.  This is particularly important as a number of Russian Black Sea fleet vessels currently in Georgian territorial waters are stationed at Russia’s base in the Ukrainian Crimea.

“The U.S. should work with Azerbaijan and Turkey, and other interested friends, to develop plans to strengthen the security of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

“The U.S. should send immediate economic and humanitarian assistance to help mitigate the impact the invasion has had on the people of Georgia.

Our united purpose should be to persuade the Russian government to cease its attacks, withdraw its troops, and enter into negotiations with Georgia. We must remind Russia’s leaders that the benefits they enjoy from being part of the civilized world require their respect for the values, stability and peace of that world.  World history is often made in remote, obscure countries.  It is being made in Georgia today. It is the responsibility of the leading nations of the world to ensure that history continues to be a record of humanity’s progress toward respecting the values and security of free people.

“Thank you.”

Miami, Fl:

“…just keeping my word.”

Mark McKinnon, staffer, advisor and a well-known fixture on the McCain campaign trail, last year said he would leave the McCain campaign if Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination. He said at the time he did not want to work on a campaign against Obama. McKinnon, today, sent out an email saying he would be stepping down.

McKinnon, and most everyone else in the McCain camp, concluded Clinton lost more than a month ago.

The long time Austin, Texas based Democratic ad man, media strategist and campaign consultant rose to national prominence as an original Bush 2000 insider with then Governor George W. Bush’s start-up team.

In announcing his decision, he tossed out all the one-liners you would expect from a committed McCain supporter in an email this afternoon.

He is still a “1,000 percent McCain man. Just Going off the ad team.”

McKinnon says he is going from linebacker to head cheerleader and he’ll “still be showing up occasionally in my lucky hat.”

The campaign let it be known about a month ago that a top notch team of about half dozen people had been assembled to steer McCain’s media message.

McKinnon’s a Democrat, and will remain loyal to McCain from the sidelines…but will not work against Obama. It’s just that simple.

Major reports on Obama’s aggressive linking of McCain to the Bush administration’s foreign policy. Carl is with Republican hopeful, John McCain as he addresses the NRA convention in Louisville, Ky.

from www.hulu.com posted with vodpod

Major reports on top Dems coming out in support of Obama after President Bush suggested he was an “appeaser”. Carl Cameron outlines John McCain’s expansive vision of American after four years of a McCain presidency.

from www.hulu.com posted with vodpod

Pittsburgh, PA:
John McCain makes a populist economic pitch and offers some relief today at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

The gas tax holiday is part of the short term economic stimulus plan, he will push in Congress as a senator this year, but he has long term plans for his presidency too.

“I will send to Congress a reform to increase the exemption – with the goal of doubling it from 3,500 dollars to 7,000 dollars for every dependent, in every family in America”.

McCain would eliminate the alternative minimum tax entirely.

“I will also send to the Congress a middle-class tax cut – a complete phase-out of the Alternative Minimum Tax to save more than 25 million middle-class families more than 2,000 dollars every year.”

There is help on the way for small businesses too:

“I will send to Congress a proposal to cut the taxes these employers pay, from a rate of 35 to 25 percent”.

Young people can look forward to changes in the student loan program designed to make college more affordable.

To pay for it all McCain would freeze non-military & veteran discretionary spending and begin a “prompt and thorough review” of the budgets of every federal program, department and agency. McCain says it will save $100 billion a year.

He’d reform the Medicare Rx drug benefit by charging more to wealthier patients.

“Those who can afford to buy their own prescription drugs should be expected to do so.”
He’d form a Bipartisan commission on reforming social security and medicare and says all options including privatization are on the table.

He hit both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s plans to let the Bush tax cuts expire which he says would amount to the biggest tax hike since the Great Depression.

” All these tax increases are the fine print under the slogan of “hope”: They’re going to raise your taxes by thousands of $s per year – & they have the audacity to hope you don’t mind”.

He slammed both Democrats for opposing free trade and the Columbian Free Trade Agreement

“We can compete with anyone. Senators Obama and Clinton think we should hide behind walls, bury our heads and industries in the sand, and hope we have enough left to live on while the world passes us by”

But he also criticizes the GOP for congressional pork barrel spending and President Bush for not using his veto pen enough.

“For Republicans, it starts with reclaiming our good name as the party of spending restraint. Somewhere along the way, too many Republicans in Congress became indistinguishable from the big-spending Democrats they used to oppose. The only power of government that could stop them was the power of veto, and it was rarely used.”

More to come as Tax Day 2008 unfolds.

Houston, Texas:

41 threw his support behind John McCain today. George H. W. Bush and Barbara met with John and Cindy McCain before taking questions from the local and traveling press.
While 41 brings solid GOP cred to McCain, 43, the current president offers conservative bones.
In Tanzania today George W. Bush offered to help McCain in any way he could and predicted McCain will be the next President.
The first President Bush noted that NO-ONE in either party is as prepared to be commander in Chief than McCain
MOSHEH OINOUNOU has more on the endorsement. Click here for his take on it.

In 2004 Mark McKinnon, working for George W. Bush helped produce a devastating ad against John Kerry showing him windsurfing and pointing out “flip flops” by him.

He strikes again against Mitt Romney….it’s called Mitt surfing…have a look.

He is now working with John McCain.

For comparision purposes: Here is the ad he created against John Kerry.

Des Moines, Iowa-

Presidential candidate John Edwards(D) released a statement through his campaign, denouncing President George Bush’s “outrageous” comments on Iran , even when a new national intelligence estimate found that Iran had stopped their nuclear weapons efforts 4 years.

“I view this report as a warning signal that they had the program they halted the program,” The President said this morning during a press conference.”The reason why it’s a warning signal is they could restart it.”

Edwards criticized Bush for “saber-rattling” even when the new report showed Iran is ” no longer pursuing nuclear weapons.”
“Just a couple of months ago, George Bush was telling us Iran was about to start World War III,” he states.

“Bush still refuses to back from his outrageous rhetoric,” Edwards writes. ” Enough is Enough….We must once and for all reject the failed bellicose, neconservative foreign policy of the Bush administration.”

SEE FULL EDWARDS STATEMENT HERE:

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Today, Senator John Edwards released the following statement:
“Just a couple of months ago, George Bush was telling us Iran was about to start World War III. Today – even after his own government just said that Iran stopped its program in 2003 and is no longer pursuing nuclear weapons – Bush still refuses to back down from his outrageous rhetoric.
“Enough is enough. At long last, the spin and the saber-rattling must stop. We must once and for all reject the failed, bellicose, neoconservative foreign policy of the Bush Administration, and get back to the foreign policy I have proposed based on diplomacy, reengagement, and restoring the moral authority of America.”

Edwards is participating in NPR’s Democratic debate today in Des Moines,where the assumption is that this subject will be brought during the
event.
Wire reports contributed to this report

 Take a walk through the library with Carl as he explains the significance of the First in the Nation primary.