From Former Vice President Al Gore:

"Today, I announced my endorsement of Bob Tuke to be the next U.S. Senator from my home state of Tennessee. I have known Bob for a long time, and I am glad to call him a close friend ... "

Firefighters union backs Obama

(CNN) – A major firefighters union will throw its support behind Barack Obama during its annual convention in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Obama, who is on vacation with his family in Hawaii, taped a message that will be played in front of the 3,500 members of the International Association of Fire Fighters at around 2pm E.T.

The union chose to back Obama over John McCain because of the presumptive Democratic nominee’s support of collective bargaining, which gives workers the right to jointly work with their employers to negotiate hours, salaries, benefits and overall working conditions, IAFF spokesman Scott Treibitz said.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...

It is great to know that many progressives and lover of this great country are doing all that is humanly possible to bring about the change that we can believe in, despite the propagation and orchestration of the campaign of distortions and deceptions by Sen. Obama’s rival in the current political dispensation.

 
http://ap.google.com/...

Today, the Oklahoma State AFL-CIO held its COPE Convention. The main reason for this convention is to endorse candidates for office. Below the fold is the listing of candidates officially endorsed by the states AFL-CIO.

You might notice that Rep. Dan Boren is missing from those endorsements. The reason for this is that his voting record regarding labor was not up to par. District 4, home of Rep. Tom Cole also received a no endorsement

McCain's Vietnamese captor from the Hanoi Hilton, and future press secretary, has just endorsed him for President.

The endorsement seems to be based less on political principles than on a personal affinity between two old torture deniers.

I guess Obama's not the only one receiving unprompted endorsements from evil foreigners.

More after the flip.

Selling out to Big Oil, John "Exxon" McCain has flip flopped on his support of a moratorium on offshore drilling. In a major speech today, McCain will announce his support for off shore drilling.

Senator Obama has hit back quickly:

"John McCain's support of the moratorium on offshore drilling during his first presidential campaign was certainly laudable, but his decision to completely change his position and tell a group of Houston oil executives exactly what they wanted to hear today was the same Washington politics that has prevented us from achieving energy independence for decades," he said in a statement.

Al Gore endorsed Obama last night in Detroit, my hometown.  He gave a rousing speech destined to rouse the spirits of idled autoworkers and students who tuition has risen each and every year of the Bush Residency.  He talked both in the speech and in the emails sent by the Obama Campaign and the Democratic Party, of how he will fight to ensure that Obama will win the Presidency.

This is almost entirely, a picture thread from tonight's rally with Barack Obama and Al Gore.

Update: Widths fixed.

Are we still in Primary mode? What's the booing all about? Is this just plain hatred or immaturity?

Keeping this one short and sweet. Here's tonight's endorsement by Al Gore.

Part 1:

Part 2 below the fold.

Al Gore To Endorse Obama Tonight

It's here--the moment we've all been waiting for!

"A few hours from now I will step on stage in Detroit, Michigan to announce my support for Senator Barack Obama," Mr. Gore said in an e-mail sent to his supporters. "From now through Election Day, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure he is elected President of the United States."

The Illinois FOP (Fraternal Order of Police), Illinois's most powerful police union, endorsed Obama when he ran for Senator in 2004, citing his willingness to sit down and compromise on legislation and his staunch support of gun control measures to keep illegal guns off the streets.  While this might not be a big deal in Illinois (after all, the IL FOP endorsed Democrat Dan Hynes in the primary election), there are many states where police unions almost ALWAYS endorse whatever Republican is running for office at the time.  Without fail, and usually without reason, these unions will endorse against their best interests just to attach their name to the Republican who is running.

I just read Jason Furman's 2005 piece on Wal-mart, as well as some of his other 'insights' on the wonders of free market globalization. I think it's time we clarify this 'Change' thing.

What, does Congressman Boren think "endorsement" is a word that has cooties or something?

How else can you explain today's news?

Source: Digital Smack

Some folks have the temperament to trade shots in a boxing or MMA match and still be on friendly terms with the opponent right after the fight is over.  Other folks work themselves into a hateful berserker frenzy just to play a game of checkers and can't bear to look at their opponent after the game is over.  Most folks fall somewhere in between.

Given that the stakes where astronomically higher in the primary than even the most heated game of checkers, is anybody really surprised that there's a contingent of Hillary supporters who will never embrace Obama no matter what he does?

This is a very short diary - because I want to get it out before you make your endorsement.

At the end of the classic movie "Sunset Boulevard", Gloria Swanson, a former movie star now aged and long past her prime, makes the throng await her final entrance.

Only the throng is not an adoring public or an awaiting film crew.  The throng are the police, awaiting her appearance to arrest her for murder.

But deep in her dementia, she descends the stairs of her home, garishly made up and coiffed in what she imagines to be her former beauty, and informs the officers, "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille."